Frequently Asked Questions

How do I link my Membership Rewards® program account to a Rakuten account?

If you don’t have a Rakuten account: To get started, visit www.rakuten.com/american-express and enter your email address. When prompted, enter your American Express online account credentials. Once you’re authenticated as a Card Member enrolled in the Membership Rewards program, you’ll be able to start earning Membership Rewards points with your new Rakuten account.

If you already have a Rakuten account: Go to Account Settings to change your payment method by clicking “Switch to Membership Rewards points.” Enter your American Express online account credentials when prompted. Once you’re authenticated as a Card Member enrolled in the Membership Rewards program, you’ll be able to start earning Membership Rewards points with your Rakuten account.

How can I earn Membership Rewards points on Rakuten?

Once you’ve linked your Membership Rewards program account to your Rakuten account, you:

• Shop: Start shopping with Rakuten. Find the store you want to shop on Rakuten and click the “Shop Now” link.
• Validate: When you click on a “Shop Now” link, you’ll see a confirmation letting you know you’re ready to shop at that store.
• Purchase: Place your order as you normally would.
• 1% Cash Back is equal to 1 additional point for every $1 spent through Rakuten. Once the store lets Rakuten know you’ve made a purchase, Rakuten will add the Membership Rewards points you earned (that are additional to the points earned normally on the Card) to your Rakuten account. Afterwards, Rakuten will send you an email confirmation which, depending on the store, can take a few hours to several days. Rakuten will transfer the points in your Rakuten account to your Membership Rewards program account in accordance with Rakuten’ current payment schedule.

What’s unique about this new program?

Rakuten members who have a Membership Rewards®-enrolled American Express Card can now choose to earn Membership Rewards points instead of Cash Back. Once you choose to receive Membership Rewards points, your Rakuten account will only be eligible to earn points on future purchases. Any Cash Back you earned previously, including any accrued but unpaid Cash Back, will still be paid using your previously selected payment method. Please note that if you choose to earn Membership Rewards points and then switch to earning Cash Back, you will not be able to switch back to earning Membership Rewards points. Any remaining Cash Back balance in your account will be paid to you via PayPal or check. All Membership Rewards program Terms and Conditions apply to Membership Rewards points currently in your Rakuten account. Visit www.membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice. The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.

How often are points transferred to my Membership Rewards program account?

Rakuten typically transfers accrued points from your Rakuten account to your Membership Rewards program account in accordance with Rakuten’ current payment schedule. Rakuten reserves the right to modify the payment schedule at any time. To see the current points balance in your Rakuten account, go to your Rakuten account page.

Is there a minimum point balance needed in my Rakuten account in order for points to be transferred to my Membership Rewards program account?

Yes, the minimum point balance amount is 500 points.

How do I know if my American Express Card is eligible to participate?

To participate, you must have an American Express Card enrolled in the U.S. Membership Rewards program that must not be cancelled or past due. View eligible cards. Corporate Cards or accounts are not eligible to participate.

How can I check the Membership Rewards point balance in my Rakuten account?

You can view the current Membership Rewards points balance in your Rakuten account by going to your Rakuten account page.

When will the points transferred by Rakuten appear in my linked Membership Rewards program account?

Transferred points will appear in your Membership Rewards program account within 8 to 12 weeks after receipt by American Express of the points information from Rakuten.

Why have points transferred from my Rakuten account not been added to my Membership Rewards program account?

There may be a number of different factors that affect the addition of points to your account. This includes, but not limited to, transaction ineligibility for promotions, inactive Membership Rewards accounts, delay in processing, and other factors. If American Express does not receive the points information from Rakuten, you will not receive the transferred points. Please note that you will not receive the transferred points if any of your Membership Rewards-enrolled Card account(s) is canceled or past due at the time of point fulfillment. All Membership Rewards program Terms and Conditions, including those about forfeiting points, apply to Membership Rewards points currently in your Rakuten account. Visit www.membershiprewards.com/terms for more information.

Who do I contact for questions about my Rakuten account or my Membership Rewards program account?

For questions about your Rakuten account, please contact Rakuten. For all general Membership Rewards program questions, please contact American Express.