Forbes has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. Forbes and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.
Amex has a massive portfolio of credit card offerings, ranging from personal to small business, cash back to travel rewards, and just about everything in between. This can make the task of picking the right card for you overwhelming. So today we’re going to take a look at the top Amex cards available right now.
Choosing The Cards
As always, I evaluated the credit card offers based on a number of factors including sign-up bonus, earning rates, perks, and annual fee. Then to make this list a little less daunting, I split the cards into 3 categories:
- Cards that earn transferable Membership Rewards points
- Co-branded airline or hotel cards
- Cash back cards
Amex only allows you to earn the welcome bonus on a credit card once, which means if you’ve held any of these cards before you won’t be eligible for the bonus again. Amex also recently introduced a “bonus eligibility” tool which will pop up during your application process, allowing you to stop before your credit is pulled if you aren’t eligible. Here’s the shortlist of the 7 best Amex cards:
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- The Business Platinum Card from American Express OPEN
- Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express
- The Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card from American Express
- Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express
- Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express
- Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express
- Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
Membership Rewards Earning Cards
Membership Rewards is American Express’ transferable points currency, similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards or Citi ThankYou Points. Transferable points should be an important part of everyone’s strategy for two main reasons: First, they give you incredible flexibility. Amex has 16 different airline transfer partners, including Delta, British Airways, Air Canada Aeroplan and Singapore, as well as 3 hotel transfer partners. This means that wherever and whenever you’re trying to travel, you should have a way to use your points. The second reason is that transferable points serve as a hedge against devaluations. If Singapore, for example, devalued their award chart, Singapore miles would be worth less. But because you could still transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to 15 other different airlines, they wouldn’t lose as much value.
There are several valuable credit and charge cards that you can use to earn Membership Rewards points:
The Platinum Card from American Express
Bonus: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. Some people are seeing a higher bonus offer of 100,000 points when checking through the cardmatch tool.
Annual Fee: $550
Earning Rates: Earn 5x points on flights booked directly with the airline, and on flights and pre-paid hotels booked through Amex travel. Earn 1 point on everything else.
Benefits: You’ll enjoy an annual $200 airline incidental fee credit, up to $100 per year in Saks credits and up to $200 a year in Uber credits, as well as a Priority Pass select membership, access to Amex Centurion lounges and access to Delta SkyClubs when flying Delta. You’ll also get complimentary gold elite status with Hilton Honors and SPG, which will convert to Marriott gold in August.
Why You’ll Love It: Although the premium credit card landscape is full of competition today, the Amex Platinum was one of the original premium cards and continues to offer a solid value proposition. While the $550 annual fee is quite high, the $200 airline and Uber credits and $100 in Saks credits can bring your effective out of pocket cost down to only $50. If you frequently book travel, the 5x on airfare can really add up. I value Membership Rewards points at 1.9 cents each, meaning you’ll get a stellar 9.5% return on flight purchases with the Platinum Card. With Amex adding new Centurion lounges in the US and all around the world, it’s easier than ever to enjoy the benefits of your Platinum card, especially if you’re targeted for a 100,000 point bonus. The Amex Platinum has even more benefits than can possibly fit in this article, so check out this post for a full guide on maximizing this high-value card.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Bonus: Earn up to 100,000 points – 50,000 points after you spend $10,000 and and extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $15,000 in the first 3 months. Act fast this offer ends August 8, 2018!
Annual Fee: $450
Earning Rates: Earn 5x points on flights and pre-paid hotels booked through Amex travel. Earn 1.5 points per dollar on purchases of $5,000 or more and 1 point on everything else.
Benefits: You’ll enjoy an annual $200 airline incidental fee credit, a 35% points rebate when you pay for all of part of a flight with Pay with Points (terms apply), as well as a Priority Pass select membership, access to Amex Centurion lounges and access to Delta SkyClubs when flying Delta. You’ll also get complimentary gold elite status with Hilton Honors and SPG, which will convert to Marriott gold in August.
Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express
Bonus: 25,000 points after you spend $2,000 in purchases in your first three months, although similar to the Platinum card, some people have reported seeing higher bonuses through the cardmatch tool so always check there first.
Annual Fee: $195 (waived first year)
Earning Rates: 3x points for flights booked directly with the airline, 2x at US gas stations, US restaurants, and US supermarkets, 1x everywhere else.
Benefits: No foreign transaction fees, $100 annual airline fee credit, up to a $75 hotel credit on qualifying charges when you use your card to book a stay of 2 nights or longer through The Hotel Collection.
Why You’ll Love It: The Premier Rewards Gold card offers some strong perks and valuable bonus categories without the high fee of the Amex Platinum. After accounting for the $100 annual airline credit, your out of pocket cost is $95 a year, similar to other cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Based on my valuations, the airfare bonus comes out to a 5.7% return, as well as a 3.8% return on gas/groceries/dining within the US. Perhaps the most compelling element is the waived annual fee for the first year, giving you a chance to try out this card and see if it, and Amex Membership Rewards in general, fit with your travel goals.
The Amex EveryDay Preferred Card from American Express
Bonus: 15,000 points after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months
Annual Fee: $95
Earning Rates: 3x points at US supermarkets (up to $6,000 a year), 2x points at US gas stations, 1x everywhere else. 50% point bonus when you make 30 or more purchases in a billing statement
Benefits: N/A
Why You’ll Love It: The Amex EveryDay Preferred is an even cheaper alternative to dip your feet into the travel rewards game. You’ll get the significant benefit of strong bonus categories to earn Membership Rewards points, without paying up for the travel benefits of the Platinum or Premier Rewards Gold cards. If you use it as your primary card and can consistently make 30 or more purchases each billing cycle, the rewards add up quickly. There’s also a no fee version of this card, the Amex EveryDay, which offers 2x points on your first $6,000 in US supermarket purchases and a 20% points bonus if you make 20 purchases in a billing period. You can read this guide to help figure out which one is best for you.
Co-Branded Hotel and Airline Cards
Amex issues a number of credit cards in partnership with individual airlines or hotel chains. These cards often offer elite-like benefits with the partner airline or hotel, but the downside is you’re locked into earning a single points currency, leaving you vulnerable to devaluations and subject to award availability when it comes time to redeem.
Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express
Bonus: $100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in 3 months, plus an additional $100 statement credit after your first purchase at participating Marriott or SPG properties in the first 6 months.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived first year)
Earning Rates: 2 points per dollar at SPG and Marriott hotels, 1x everywhere else.
Benefits: No foreign transaction fees, unlimited and complimentary Boingo Wi-Fi access at over 1 million worldwide hotspots, and the ability to earn SPG gold status when you spend $30,000 in a calendar year.
Why You’ll Love It: While the current sign-up bonus on the SPG card isn’t the most compelling, this card is still a great addition to your wallet because of its earning power. Yes, it only earns one point per dollar on most purchases, but I consider Starpoints to be the most valuable transferable points currency given the incredible airline transfer partners they have, as well as the 5,000 point bonus you get for every 20,000 transferred miles (up to 15,000 bonus points daily). You can also use these points to book luxury SPG hotel stays, and starting August 1st 2018, you’ll be able to use them at any Marriott property around the world as well. This incredible flexibility keeps this card near the top of my wallet.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Bonus: 100,000 Hilton points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months
Annual Fee: $450
Earning Rates: 14x points at Hilton properties, 7x on flights booked directly with the airline, car rentals booked direct with select rental companies, and US restaurants, 3x everywhere else
Benefits: $250 airline fee credit, $250 Hilton credit (valid at select resorts), automatic Hilton Diamond status, a free weekend night upon account approval, every year when you renew your card, and if you spend $60,000 in a calendar year.
Why You’ll Love It: Amex also offers a cheaper Hilton card called the Ascend. While you can check out this guide to figure out which card is best for you, the math on the Aspire is pretty compelling. If you value the airline and Hilton credits you receive at face value, you’ll be getting $500 in value back every year for paying a $450 annual fee. This means you come out ahead before even beginning to consider the other perks, such as the free weekend nights, automatic top-tier Diamond status, Priority Pass select membership, and a $100 statement credit on eligible stays of 2 nights or more at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad hotels.
Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express
Bonus: 30,000 Delta miles after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months, plus a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase within the first 3 months
Annual Fee: $95 (waived first year)
Earning Rates: 2x miles on Delta purchases, 1x everywhere else.
Benefits: First checked bag free and priority boarding on all Delta flights, plus a 20% discount on in-flight purchases.
Why You’ll Love It: If you live in a Delta hub or are a regular Delta flier who doesn’t have elite status, the perks of this card can save you real money. For example, a free checked bag will save you $50 on a round trip itinerary, so if you fly Delta twice a year the money you’ll save will pay for the card’s annual fee. If you’re chasing status or looking for more premium perks, you can also consider the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express or the Delta Reserve Card from American Express. In addition to earning SkyMiles, these cards also give you the opportunity to earn Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) towards elite status. For a more complete picture, check out this post on choosing the right Delta Amex card.
Fixed-Value Credit Cards
Last but not least are the fixed-value, or in this case, cash-back cards. Even if you’re not looking to earn travel rewards, there’s plenty of value to be had by using the right credit card for the right purchases.
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
Bonus: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $1,00 in the first 3 months
Annual Fee: $95
Earning Rates: Earn 6% back on your first $6,000 in purchases at US grocery stores, 3% back at US gas stations and select US department stores, and 1% everywhere else.
Benefits: N/A
Why You’ll Love It: Although it’s capped at your first $6,000 in purchases a year, a 6% bonus category is among the highest you’ll find on any credit card. If you’re looking to simply but cash back in your wallet this might be the card for you, just make sure you run the numbers and confirm that you’d earn enough to offset the annual fee. If not, there’s a no-annual fee Blue Cash Everyday card, although it’s bonus categories are much weaker (3% back on your first $6,000 at US supermarkets, 2% back at US gas stations, 1% everywhere else).
Bottom Line
From the ultra-premium Amex Platinum to the simple cash-back Blue Cash Preferred, Amex’s massive credit card portfolio includes something for everyone.
