The American Express® Gold Card is our top pick due to its high earning rate on food purchases — both at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide — as well as flights. Plus, get up to $524 in perks and statement credits each year.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | Welcome Offer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Express® Gold Card
|
Winner (Travel points)
|
$325 | 1X - 4X points
| As high as 100,000 points
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
| |
The Platinum Card® from American Express
|
Best travel card
|
$695 | 5X points
| As high as 175,000 points
You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
| |
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
|
Best business card
|
$695 | 1X - 5X points
| 150,000 points
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
| |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
|
Best cash back card
|
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. | 1% - 6% cash back
| $250 statement credit
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
| |
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
|
Best 0% APR and balance transfer card
|
$0 | 1% - 3% cash back
| $200 statement credit
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
| |
Hilton Honors American Express Card
|
Best no annual fee card
|
$0 | 3X - 7X points
| 100,000 points
Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points and a $100 Statement Credit after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express® Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025.
| |
Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*
|
Best hotel card
|
$550 | 3X - 14X points
| 175,000 points
Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
| |
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
|
Best business cash back
|
No annual fee | 1% - 2% cash back
Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%
| $250 statement credit
Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
| |
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
|
Best airline miles card
|
$650 | 1X - 3X miles
| 70,000 miles
Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
|
To select the best American Express credit cards, our credit card experts compared the leading cards offered on the American Express website and LendingTree.com, including cash back cards, business cards, travel cards and more.
Although we primarily focused on American Express-branded cards, we also considered American Express co-branded credit cards.
We then chose our top picks based on a variety of factors, like rewards rates, welcome offers, annual fees and introductory purchase APRs. Additionally, we looked at the benefits offered by each card, such as travel credits, travel protections and complimentary lounge access.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: As high as 100,000 points
The American Express® Gold Card is your best option for earning Membership Rewards points for free travel. That’s because it earns a stellar 4x points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per calendar year) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year). Points can be transferred to 20 airline and hotel loyalty programs, making them very valuable.
By utilizing the card’s statement credits, you can fully offset the $325 annual fee. Plus, the American Express® Gold Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, meaning you won’t have to pay more to use the card outside of the U.S.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: As high as 175,000 points
The Platinum Card® from American Express is arguably the best premium travel card for frequent travelers. Eligible card members get global airport lounge access, complimentary Marriott Gold* and Hilton Gold status* and over $1,000 in annual travel and shopping statement credits.
Travel credits include an annual hotel credit, an annual airline fee credit*, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit*, Uber Cash* and an annual CLEAR® Plus membership credit* (subject to auto-renewal). Other benefits include a digital entertainment credit*, a Saks Fifth Avenue credit* and credits for Walmart+* (subject to auto-renewal).
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: 150,000 points
The travel benefits and statement credits on The Business Platinum Card® from American Express make it a must-have for traveling small business owners. The card includes access to the Amex Global Lounge Collection (the world’s largest airport lounge network), airline fee credits*, hotel elite status with Marriott and Hilton*, a CLEAR Plus credit* and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit*.
Transfer points to 20 airline and hotel partners or through Amex Travel. Even better, you can get 35% of your points back when booking eligible flights through Amex Travel, boosting the effective redemption rate to over 1.5 cents per point.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: $250 statement credit
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a cash back-earning powerhouse, offering one of the highest rates you can find for U.S. supermarket purchases. You’ll earn 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. Terms apply. With these rates, you can earn $360 in bonus cash back just on your first $6,000 in U.S. supermarket purchases each year, easily outmatching the annual fee. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
It’s also a great choice for financing a new purchase. You’ll get an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months, followed by an APR of 20.24%-29.24% Variable.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro APR: 0% on balance transfers for 15 months and 0% on purchases for 15 months, followed by an APR of 20.24%-29.24% Variable
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express doubles as a great $0-annual-fee cash back* card and a top card for financing balance transfers and new purchases. That’s because it offers an intro APR of 0% on balance transfers for 15 months and an equally long 0% on purchases for 15 months, followed by an APR of 20.24%-29.24% Variable.
Once the intro offer expires, you can use it as a solid card for everyday purchases. You’ll earn 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%. 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%. 1% cash back on other purchases. Terms apply. *
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: 100,000 points
The Hilton Honors American Express Card comes with a generous welcome offer, an excellent earning rate and elite status benefits, all for a $0 annual fee. Cardholders earn at least 3x Hilton Honors points on every eligible purchase and receive complimentary Silver elite status. Travelers also enjoy rental car protections3 when booking cars with their Hilton credit card. Additionally, there are no foreign transaction fees — a rare perk for a no-annual-fee card.
Cardholders earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations AND 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: 175,000 points
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express stands out among hotel cards in offering top-tier elite status just for carrying the card. In addition, Hilton fans earn 14x points on eligible Hilton purchases and receive an annual free night redeemable at almost any Hilton property worldwide.
The card offers hundreds of dollars in annual Hilton resort credits and annual flight credits* — and if fully utilized, these credits more than offset the card’s significant annual fee. However, they’re are divvied up into two semi-annual resort credits and four quarterly flight credits, making it harder to take full advantage of them.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: $250 statement credit
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card lets you earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.* That’s a great earning rate for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. However, that modest spending cap means this card will only be best for small businesses with modest spending.
Plus, stretch your small business’ budget longer with an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening (followed by an 17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR).
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: 70,000 miles
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the most premium card in Amex’s Delta card lineup, offering access to Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounges when you fly Delta. You can stretch your Delta SkyMiles further with a 15% discount on Delta-operated flights. Plus, get a Companion Certificate each year after card renewal.
The card also gives you a boost toward Delta Medallion elite status through a $2,500 MQD Headstart and MQD Boost of $1 MQD per $10 in purchases charged to your card. Medallion elites get upgrade priority over other Delta Medallion elites of the same tier, while cardmembers without elite status get added to the upgrade list.
You earn Amex points by making purchases with an American Express Membership Rewards card. These points can be redeemed for a wide variety of redemptions, including transfers to 20 airline and hotel partners and booking travel with Amex Travel. Each redemption option has a different point value — ranging from 0.6 cents per point for statement credits to 1 cent per point when redeemed for Amex Travel or certain gift card redemptions. Point transfers to airline and hotel partners generally offer the highest value return for your Membership Rewards points.
Points earned from eligible American Express cards are automatically pooled into one account. You don’t need to manually transfer them between accounts — as you need to do with Chase points. And if you have a small business, the Membership Rewards points from your linked personal and business cards also pool into one account.
American Express issues the following consumer and small business cards that earn Membership Rewards points:
American Express Membership Rewards can be transferred to 20 airline and hotel partner programs — including Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy®. Points transfer to most partners on a 1:1 basis, but not all miles and points are equally valuable. In some cases, you’ll receive a much higher value by selecting one transfer partner over another.
American Express offers periodic transfer promotions, which allow you to receive bonus rewards when transferring to select partners. These bonuses can stretch your Membership Rewards further, reducing the number of points you need to transfer to book an award flight or hotel reservation.
However, keep in mind that point transfers are permanent. Once you transfer points to a partner, you cannot reverse that transfer.
| Transfer partner | Airline alliance | Point transfer ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | None | 1,000:1,000 |
| AeroMexico | SkyTeam | 1,000:1,600 |
| Air Canada | Star Alliance | 1,000:1,000 |
| Air France/KLM | SkyTeam | 1,000:1,000 |
| All Nippon Airways (ANA) | Star Alliance | 1,000:1,000 |
| Cathay Asia Miles | oneworld | 1,000:1,000 |
| Avianca | Star Alliance | 1,000:1,000 |
| British Airways | oneworld | 1,000:1,000 |
| Delta Air Lines | SkyTeam | 1,000:1,000 |
| Emirates | None | 1,000:1,000 |
| Etihad | None | 1,000:1,000 |
| Iberia | oneworld | 1,000:1,000 |
| JetBlue | None | 250:200 |
| Qantas | oneworld | 500:500 |
| Qatar Airways | oneworld | 1,000:1,000 |
| Singapore Airlines | Star Alliance | 1,000:1,000 |
| Virgin Atlantic | SkyTeam | 1,000:1,000 |
| Choice Privileges | N/A | 1,000:1,000 |
| Hilton Honors | N/A | 1,000:2,000 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | N/A | 1,000:1,000 |
When you’re ready to apply for an American Express credit card, use these tips to increase your approval odds.
Many American Express cardholders report being limited to five credit cards at one time. Charge cards and corporate cards are not included in this total.
If you apply for a new American Express credit card and are at the limit, you could be declined for the new card. As an alternative, you may ask Amex’s reconsideration department to close an existing card in order to get approved for the new card.
American Express has made a concerted effort to expand the number of merchants that accept its cards. According to a 2022 Nilson Report, American Express cards are accepted by 99% of U.S. merchants that accept credit cards.
However, when you travel internationally, your American Express card is less likely to be accepted than a credit card with a Visa or Mastercard logo. Because of this, if your primary credit card is from American Express, it’s a good idea to bring a Visa or Mastercard credit card as a backup. Just avoid using a card that charges foreign transaction fees, as this can add up to 3% extra on international purchases.
No, American Express does not currently offer a secured credit card. Instead, customers can purchase American Express prepaid gift cards if they’re unable to qualify for one of its credit cards.
The minimum credit score needed to be approved for an American Express credit card varies based on which card you’re applying for. You may be approved for an American Express credit card with a credit score as low as 660.
Generally, American Express requires that you have good to excellent credit to be approved for one of its credit cards. However, some cards will approve users with a credit score as low as 660, which is on the higher end of fair credit. If you have bad credit, you can use one of its prepaid card products while you are rebuilding your credit score.
American Express no longer offers cards that are officially considered charge cards. Some American Express cards have no preset limit but require cardholders to pay their balance in full each month, though you can carry a balance for some purchases that qualify for special financing with these cards. The amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history. Other American Express cards, like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, are credit cards with standard APRs on purchases (see rates & fees).
Some Amex cards charge a foreign transaction fee of up to 3% of each transaction after conversion to U.S. dollars. But many others — including The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates & fees), the Hilton Honors American Express Card (see rates & fees) and the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card (see rates & fees) — don’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Some American Express cards offer rental car and travel protections. These benefits are typically offered by travel-focused cards — such as The Platinum Card® from American Express3, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card3 and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card3. Coverage and limits vary by card.
2. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
3. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
The information related to the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, American Express® Green Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express and Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
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