Status: Checked against official sources on 18 October 2026
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is a merchant category code (MCC)?
Merchant category code (MCC) — under the US Membership Rewards terms, American Express says merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell and that it groups certain merchant codes into categories eligible to earn additional points. A purchase will not earn additional points if the merchant's code is not included in an additional-points category. [5]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- American Express assigns merchant codes based on what a merchant primarily sells and groups certain codes into categories eligible to earn additional points. [5]
- At American Express, a purchase earns no additional Membership Rewards points if the merchant's code is not inside an additional-points category, and the categories available depend on the individual card. [5]
- American Express says additional points may not be awarded where a merchant uses a third party to sell or process the transaction, where a third-party payment account or mobile or digital wallet is used, or where Amex receives inaccurate information or cannot identify the purchase as eligible. [5]
- Separately from merchant codes, the US Membership Rewards terms define eligible purchases and exclude items such as cash equivalents, person-to-person transactions, balance transfers and fees. [5]
What do the American Express terms say about merchant codes?
In the US Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions, American Express says merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. It groups certain merchant codes into bonus categories that are eligible to earn additional points, and a purchase will not earn additional points if the merchant's code is not included in an additional-points category. [5]
The additional-points rule sits alongside a separate definition of an eligible purchase. American Express defines eligible purchases and lists exclusions, and says the list is determined in its sole discretion and is subject to change at any time without notice. [5] The terms treat eligible purchases and additional-points categories as separate questions; see eligible card spend.
How does American Express turn merchant codes into bonus categories?
In the Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions for the United States, last updated October 2026, American Express describes the mechanism directly: merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell, and the programme groups certain merchant codes into categories that are eligible to earn additional points. [5] A purchase earns no additional points if the merchant's code is not included in one of those categories. [5]
Which categories exist is a question about the card rather than the programme. The terms direct card members to the "Compare Products" section to see whether their card earns additional points for certain purchases, and say a card member can check their online account to see which recent purchases earned additional points. [5] Base earning is separate: card members earn one point for every dollar of spend on an eligible purchase using an enrolled card. [5] That base earning rate is set by the programme terms.
The terms also say card members can call the number on the back of their card with questions about additional points on a purchase. [5]
Why can a purchase at the right kind of shop miss a bonus category?
American Express names the situations where additional points may not be awarded even though the spend is on the card: where a merchant uses a third party to sell its products or services; where a merchant uses a third party to process or submit the transaction, for example a mobile or wireless card reader; or where the card member chooses to pay through a third-party payment account or with a mobile or digital wallet. [5] The programme also says additional points may not be awarded where it receives inaccurate information or is otherwise unable to identify the purchase as eligible for an additional points category. [5]
American Express says additional points may not be awarded in those situations. [5]
Which spending is excluded whatever the merchant code says?
The eligible-purchase list sits above the merchant code question, and American Express says the list is determined by the programme in its sole discretion and is subject to change at any time without notice. [5] Under the current US Membership Rewards terms, the following are not eligible purchases:
| Excluded from eligible purchases |
|---|
| Cash advances and cash equivalents, including gift cards |
| Person-to-person transactions |
| Balance transfers |
| Express Cash or Corporate Express Cash |
| Purchases of traveler's checks |
| American Express Gift Cards bought online |
| Purchases or reloading of prepaid cards |
| Fees or interest charges on the card account |
| Foreign exchange fees and fees for account services |
| Fees for card member services the member enrols in |
| Rewards programme fees and charges |
| Purchases covered by points or other rewards at point of sale |
Spending on this list does not meet the definition of an eligible purchase, and the base earning rule applies to eligible purchases. [5]
Exceptions and limits
- Issuer discretion. The eligible-purchase list and the exclusions are set by American Express in its sole discretion and can change at any time without notice, and the programme may also change the number of points earned for eligible purchases. [5]
- Points can be taken back. Where the programme decides that points were awarded on an ineligible purchase, it may remove them even if that leaves a negative points balance. [5]
- Manufactured spend. Generating point earn on ineligible purchases is named in the terms as a form of gaming; the listed consequences include suspending the ability to earn or use points, taking away points even to a negative balance, cancelling the product and forfeiting points. [5]
- Product-level terms. The programme terms cover the rewards programme only; terms for a specific card product sit in a separate document issued at enrolment, and that card's additional-points categories are set out in the "Compare Products" section. [5]
- Scope. These rules describe American Express Membership Rewards in the United States as last updated in October 2026. This page does not describe category lists, exclusions or merchant-code rules for other issuers or other markets. [5]
- Corrections. Where a member believes points were removed in error, the terms direct them to call the number on the back of the card. [5]
Frequently asked questions
What decides whether a purchase can earn additional points?
American Express assigns merchant codes based on what a merchant primarily sells and groups certain codes into categories eligible for additional points, so a purchase earns no additional points where the code falls outside those categories. [5]
Why might paying with a mobile wallet affect additional points?
Third-party payment accounts and mobile or digital wallets are listed among the situations where additional points may not be awarded, alongside merchants that sell through, or process transactions through, a third party. [5]
How can I check which purchases earned additional points?
American Express says card members can check their online account to see which recent purchases earned additional points, and should use the "Compare Products" section to confirm whether their card earns additional points for certain purchases. [5]
Can points already awarded be taken back if a purchase turns out to be ineligible?
Yes. If the programme determines that points were awarded on an ineligible purchase, it may remove them from the rewards account even if the balance becomes negative. [5]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Other card programmes, including Chase's, and Membership Rewards terms outside the United States are not covered here.
- American Express Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions (United States), checked 18 October 2026