Transfer some points to your airline partners.

This must be the best way to maximize your Amex points, and one of the reasons for that is that it gives you the biggest possible return. These points can be worth as much as 2 cents a piece, especially when transferring to airline partners.

If you’re wondering how it works exactly, we’re going to shed some light on the matter for you. Amex decided to partner with 17 airlines from all over the world, which in return allows you to transfer your Amex points into the airlines’ frequent flyer programs, but in miles.

The rate is usually 1:1. Then, you can simply use your new airline miles to book the next award flight. The secret here is to transfer your Amex points only when you feel you’ve found an awesome award deal on an airline.

This way, your points won’t be sitting in limbo. For instance, if you find round-trip business-class flights between the United States and Europe for only 110,000 Air-France-KLM Flying Blue points, which would be a solid redemption, you can transfer your Amex points to Flying Blue and instantly book those flights.

Transfer some points to your hotel partners.

But there’s so much you can do with those Amex points. You can transfer them to three hotel loyalty programs: Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and Choice Hotels Choice Privileges. The transfer operates in the same way it would for airlines: your Amex points become hotel points, usually at a 1:1 rate.

Also, you can use those points to book hotel rooms. However, make sure you keep an eye out for transfer bonuses because they could net you more points for free. The majority of people who transfer would rather splurge at various luxury resorts.

For instance, let’s take the Saint Regis Bora Bora, where you might find deals as low as 70,000 points per night. Both Mariott and Hilton will offer you a fifth night for free, as long as you book with points. Redemption values depend on the deals you find, but they’re generally not as lucrative as airline award bookings.