American Express Credit Cards

American Express Card Review

The card issuer American Express offers a wide range of credit cards to customers. Which card you choose will very much depend on your own particular lifestyle and financial circumstances.

Rewards Cards:

The premium rewards cards available from American Express are the Platinum Card, and the Preferred Rewards Gold Card.

The Platinum Card has a range of benefits with services like 24 hour concierge and attracts no interest charges as long as the balance is paid in full every month.

Cardholders get VIP treatment and have access to some 600 airport lounges across the globe, get comprehensive travel insurance benefits for their families and themselves as well as preferential treatment during travelling like upgrades or companion flight tickets with a 25,000 membership points bonus upon spending the first $1,000 during the first 3 months of membership. The annual fee is $450 and there is no pre-set spending limit. The card is useful for frequent travellers and their families.

The Premier Rewards Gold Card aims at frequent travellers. Upon sign up customers 15,000 points when they spend $1000 in the first three months of card membership. The annual fee is free for the first year then $175 from the second year onwards. The Premier Rewards Gold Card is a charge card thus balances must be paid in full each month. You can earn 3 points on airfare, 2x points on gas and groceries, 1x points on everything else.

Travel Rewards Cards:

The travel reward cards issued by American Express are the Gold Delta Skymiles card and the Starwood Preferred Guests Card. The Gold Delta Skymiles card is an airline miles credit card providing up to 25,000 bonus miles. See also, Airline Miles Credit Cards. There is no annual fee for the first year, then $95 each year thereafter. The fee is reduced to $45 if you are a qualified American Express Cardmember.

The Starwood Preferred Guest Card is a hotel reward credit card. In recent months, hotel reward programs are increasingly preferred to airline miles cards. Perhaps this is because dealing with the airlines can be a hassle at times. See also, Hotel Reward Programs. The Starwood Preferred Guest card offers 10k bonus points with your first purchase and another 15K when you spend $15,000 within six months. There is no annual fee for the first year, then $65 each year thereafter.

Cashback Card:

One of the American Express offerings in this category is the Blue Cash Everyday card. This card has no annual fee and you can pay your balance over time. What sets this card apart from some other cards in the cash back category is the fact that there are no rotating reward categories. You get 3% cash back at supermarkets, 2% cash back at gas stations, and 1% cash back everywhere else. See also cash back credit cards. See also, TrueEarnigs Card from Costco and American Express.