I’ve carried American Express credit cards for years. It started with the iconic Green American Express many years ago. Since then I’ve carried the Gold card, Platinum Card, TrueEarnings CostCo card (no longer available), and the Blue Cash Preferred card. Yes, I’m an Amex fan.
Today Amex offers a wide variety of cards with excellent rewards. It offers top notch travel rewards, cash back, and even 0% introductory rate offers on balance transfers and purchases. The list below starts with consumer cards, followed by Amex business credit cards.
Editor’s Pick: My favorite consumer Amex card is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. With cash back of up to 6%, the $95 annual fee is well worth the cost. The $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first helps, too.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Welcome Bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It(R) to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, acf field=cc_regular_apr post_id=34857].
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Get $7 back each month after using your Blue Cash Preferred Card to spend $12.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription to The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Enrollment required.
- Terms Apply. (See Rates & Fees)
American Express Gold Card
- Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants in the U.S. This includes takeout and delivery.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- 1X points on other purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold card to your Uber account and each month you’ll get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees, making this an excellent card for international travel.
- Annual Fee: $250.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- Terms Apply. (See Rates & Fees)
The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases with the card in the first 6 months.
- Earn 5X points on for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups are excluded.
- American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. There are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
- Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Enrollment required. Learn more.
- Breeze through security with CLEAR® lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. Learn more.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply. (See Rates & Fees)
Bread Cashback™ American Express® Credit Card
- Cash Back: Unlimited 2% cash back on purchases when you use your Bread Cashback Card.¹
- Redeem cash back via direct deposit or a statement credit.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees²
- Annual Fee: $0²
- Puchase APR: 19.74%, 27.24%, or 29.99% variable APR
- Amex offers, travel and dining benefits, and premium protection benefits³
- Learn More.
- Terms apply. (See Rates & Fees)
Pros & Cons
What we like
- Unlimited 2% cash back on purchases¹
- No annual fee²
- No foreign transaction fees²
What could be better
- No welcome bonus