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Credit Cards

How to donate credit card rewards to charity

Donating your credit card rewards to charity is a great way to give back this holiday season. Here’s how you can get started on Giving Tuesday.

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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Some offers mentioned below are no longer available.

Citi is an advertising partner.


If you’ve been sitting on credit card rewards, a number of issuers allow you to donate them to partner charities and nonprofit organizations, typically by logging in to your online rewards account and navigating to charity redemptions.

Below, find out which cards let you donate rewards and the nonprofit organizations they partner with.

Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.

American Express

If you have an American Express credit card that earns Membership Rewards® points, like the American Express® Gold Card or the American Express Platinum Card®, you can donate to more than 1.5 million registered U.S. nonprofit organizations thanks to Amex’s partnership with JustGiving™.

One Membership Rewards point equals 0.7 cents in charitable donations. Terms Apply.

American Express® Gold Card

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On the American Express site

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On the American Express site

Spotlight

The Amex Gold Card offers over $500 in annual statement credits.

Credit score

Good to Excellent

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Annual fee

$325

Welcome bonus

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points

See rates and fees, terms apply. Read our American Express® Gold Card review. The American Express Gold® Card Welcome Offer: To view your personalized offer, you must first submit an application. If approved, you will: (1) receive your Welcome Offer details, (2) have the option to accept the Card with that offer, (3) be required to spend $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership, and (4) earn Membership Rewards® points. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. If you're approved and accept your offer, a credit check may be conducted, which could impact your credit score. Terms apply.

The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. Membership Rewards® points transfer to many of the top airline and hotel loyalty programs, which makes this card one of the best options for earning travel rewards.

  • You can earn $400+ in dining and rideshare credits every year (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
  • Exceptionally rewarding for eligible restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Large annual fee
  • Credits are more complicated, you earn them monthly or semi-annually
  • Spending caps on the top bonus categories

Highlights

Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.

  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted. 
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. 
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. 
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. 
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay. 
  • Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required. 
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required. 
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. 
  • New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
  • Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
  • Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees

Foreign transaction fee

None

American Express Platinum Card®

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On the American Express site

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On the American Express site

Spotlight

You can't beat the Amex Platinum Card's airport lounge access, which includes Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, Escape Lounges and more. (Enrollment required)

Credit score

Good to Excellent

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Annual fee

$895

Welcome bonus

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points

See rates and fees, terms apply. Read our Amex Platinum Card review. The American Express Platinum Card® Welcome Offer: To view your personalized offer, you must first submit an application. If approved, you will: (1) receive your Welcome Offer details, (2) have the option to accept the Card with that offer, (3) be required to spend $12,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership, and (4) earn Membership Rewards® points. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. If you're approved and accept your offer, a credit check may be conducted, which could impact your credit score. Terms apply.

The American Express Platinum Card® is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)

  • Access to 1,550+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
  • Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs
  • Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
  • High annual fee
  • Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases
  • Not as rewarding for purchases as other lower-fee travel cards

Highlights

Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.

  • You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
  • With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
  • $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
  • $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
  • $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
  • $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
  • Start your vacation sooner and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM late check-out.
  • $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
  • $895 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees

Balance transfer fee

N/A

Foreign transaction fee

None

Chase

You can’t directly donate Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, but there is a workaround: Use an Ultimate Rewards® card, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) or Chase Sapphire Preferred® (see rates and fees) card, to donate to an eligible charity, like Habitat for Humanity or Feeding America. Then redeem your points for a statement credit with Pay Yourself Back to recoup your donation. (The Pay Yourself Back promotion ends Dec. 31, 2025.)

When you redeem points for eligible charity donations with Pay Yourself Back, you'll wind up using fewer points compared to a traditional statement credit redemption, as points are worth 25% more this way (50% for Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders; see rates and fees).

A $25 charitable donation would typically require 2,500 points. But with Pay Yourself Back, it only costs 1,667 or 2,000 points, depending on the card you have.

Citi

If you have a Citi credit card that earns ThankYou® Points, like the Citi Strata Premier® Card or the Citi Rewards+® Card, you can redeem them at a rate of 1 cent apiece to the American Red Cross, ASPCA, UNICEF USA, No Kid Hungry and other worthy organizations.

Citi Strata Premier® Card

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

On Citi's site

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

On Citi's site

Credit score

Good to Excellent670–850

Regular APR

19.49% - 27.49% variable

Annual fee

$95

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points

See rates and fees. Terms apply.

The Citi Strata Premier® Card has competitive rewards rates and unlocks access to all of the Citi ThankYou® transfer partners, which boosts the value of your points.

  • Unlocks point transfers to all of the Citi ThankYou® partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges, Flying Blue and more
  • Generous bonus spending categories include dining, supermarkets, hotels and flights
  • Valuable welcome bonus
  • Has an annual fee
  • Car rental coverage is secondary, not primary

Highlights

Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.

  • Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
  • Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
  • Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
  • Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
  • No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Balance transfer fee

Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.

Citi Rewards+® Card

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

Information has been collected independently by CNBC Select

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

Information has been collected independently by CNBC Select

Spotlight

0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers

Credit score

Good to Excellent670–850

Regular APR

17.74% - 27.74% variable

Annual fee

$0

Welcome bonus

Earn 20,000 bonus points

Terms apply. Information about the Citi Rewards+® Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

The Citi Rewards+® Card has a handful of interesting perks, like a 10% rebate on points redemptions, that make it a good card to pair with other Citi credit cards.

  • Unique perks such as the 10% rebate on points redemptions and round up to the nearest 10 points on all purchases
  • Long intro APR for purchases and balance transfers
  • No annual fee
  • Low rewards rate on most purchases
  • Has a foreign transaction fee

Rewards

  • As a special offer, earn a total of 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.
  • 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter.
  • 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.

Balance transfer fee

There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening.

Foreign transaction fee

3%

Airline miles and hotel points donations

If you have a general rewards credit card, you can redeem points for charitable donations through your card issuer's online rewards portal

But if you have a co-branded airline card or hotel card, you’ll need to go through the brand's loyalty program to donate airline miles or hotel points to charities. Alaska Airlines has partnerships with many organizations, including the Nature Conservancy, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the United Negro College Fund and the Surfrider Foundation, for example, and Delta Air Lines allows you to donate miles to up to five partner charities, including Habitat for Humanity.

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Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice to help them make informed financial decisions. Every credit card guide is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, click here.

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.

How to Donate Your Credit Card Rewards to Charity

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