But you still get the full $1/100 points value if you choose to get cash back as a check, deposit into your account or applied to your balance. The incentives to use the card are still there (quarterly 5% categories, 1% on everything else).

It never made much sense to me to use the redemption rewards for purchases anyway. Just get it as credit on your bill, and then use the credit card on Amazon to get more points. Same for Discover, and Costco’s Citi Visa, assuming they send a check in February like they did with their branded Amex card, just cash the…