Amex stops automatically pooling Membership Rewards points from new cards
American Express's October 2026 Membership Rewards terms say a new card now gets its own rewards account instead of joining your existing points balance. You can still combine them through Manage Connections. Cards you already hold are not affected.
Until now, opening a second American Express card that earns Membership Rewards meant its points simply landed in the same balance as your first card. That is no longer the default in the US. Amex's revised Membership Rewards terms, reported by One Mile at a Time and Doctor of Credit on 15 October 2026, put each new card in its own account.
What changed
The new term, as quoted by One Mile at a Time:
"When you open a new Product, a new Rewards Account will be created and linked to that Product."
| Before | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| New Membership Rewards card | Points pooled into your existing balance automatically | Points go to a separate Membership Rewards account |
| Cards you already hold | Pooled | Unchanged |
| Combining balances | Automatic | Manual, through Manage Connections |
One Mile at a Time describes the terms as effective immediately. Neither outlet gives a separate start date.
How to combine your points
Log in to the Amex website or app and use Manage Connections to link the new card's rewards account to your existing one. Doctor of Credit notes the link can take a few hours to show. You can also call the number on the back of your card.
Why it matters
- Transfers and redemptions come from one balance at a time. If a new card's points sit in a separate account, you cannot top up a transfer to an airline from both without linking first.
- Closing a card is where this bites. If you plan to cancel or downgrade a card, link its rewards account to your main one first, so its points do not depend on that card staying open.
India is a different change
Indian cardholders face a separate rule: Live From A Lounge reports that Amex India keeps points separately for each basic card and does not allow transfers between them. That is part of the India Membership Rewards changes we covered in this earlier post, not the US terms above. Amex has not said whether the two are connected.
Holding more than one Amex? Use the points calculator to see what your combined balance is worth, or the transfer partners map to see where it can go.
Sources
Every claim on this page is backed by a primary or reputable source.
Cards affected
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