AMEX has been continuously improving its systems and app lately, and here’s another update. I tested both MR-earning cards and Hilton cards, and both can now show the points earned for each individual transaction in real time within the app, including both positive and negative point adjustments. Previously, we could only check this on the website, and it was very slow. Right now, some overseas transactions may still take a bit longer to appear in the app, but overall this is a very convenient improvement.

This is the Hilton Aspire card, showing a regular 3X purchase:

And this is the AMEX Green:

For LoungeBuddy, I made a $109 purchase and later canceled it, so it was clawed back. But the LoungeBuddy purchase and the clawback transaction both counted as 3 x MR, while the refund and the reimbursement each counted as -1 x MR.

In simple terms, if you spend $100 (3 x MR), trigger the reimbursement (-1 x MR), cancel it (-1 x MR), and then get the clawback (3 x MR), you end up with 4 x MR total. If you ignore the reimbursement, then making a purchase and canceling it afterward can reliably yield 2X on a larger amount. LoungeBuddy supports buying passes for up to 13 people in one purchase, so it can get pretty expensive. But do you really want to do this? If AMEX decides you’re gaming the system, it could be pretty risky. YMMV.

https://www.uscreditcards101.com/how-to-use-amex-green-card-to-purchase-lounge-pass/