Which american express card is best

You can redeem your points in a number of ways, including statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise. But the most valuable way to redeem points is for travel booked through American Express Travel. Here are all of the cards that earn Membership Rewards points:. American Express partners with airlines and hotel brands to offer co-branded credit cards.

While general travel cards usually offer the best value for your money, if you always fly with Delta, or always stay with Hilton, then a co-branded credit card could make sense for you:. American Express offers a slate of business cards tailored to the needs of business owners and sole proprietors, from everyday cash back to travel rewards cards and even co-branded cards if your business purchases are usually with the same retailer.

Take your business spending habits into account when deciding which card is best for you:. While the most premium American Express cards with high-value benefits usually come with an annual fee, there are a handful of great American Express cards that have no annual fee and can still unlock great rewards potential and other perks on both everyday spending and travel:.

Pay It, Plan It is a flexible payment feature offered by Amex. This feature allows you to carry a balance for certain charges, but not all, and your card limit will still be flexible. Check your card account to see if you have access to Pay It, Plan It. Access can vary by card member and which card you have. If you have one of these cards and access to Pay Over Time, you can activate at any time. But use it wisely; the program carries the same high-interest debt risks as carrying a balance on any credit card.

You earn Membership Rewards points by using your card for purchases within qualifying categories that earn points. If you have multiple points-earning rewards cards with Amex, they will automatically pool into your Membership Rewards account each billing cycle.

You can use your points to cover charges on your cards in the form of statement credits, pay with them directly at checkout while shopping online, or redeem them for gift cards, but these are generally the lowest-value redemption options. One of the most valuable ways to redeem points is by booking travel through American Express Travel , typically at a rate of 1 cent per point. Here are the transfer values of Membership Rewards points.

Evaluate your own spending and credit card needs before applying to ensure you choose an option that best suits you long-term. Your credit is going to need to be good-to-excellent to qualify for the majority of American Express cards minimum Cash back cards earn a percentage of eligible purchases back, which you can use to offset the cost of purchases think of it as a small savings on your spending. Membership Rewards points are similarly earned on eligible purchases, but offer many more redemption options at varying redemption rates.

There are many different kinds of American Express cards, designed to fit every type of budget and lifestyle. Our list of best American Express cards begins with an evaluation of popular cards across available categories — from cash back and travel to business and co-branded options.

Our picks reflect those we believe offer the most value relative to cost for a broad range of consumer types. As with all of our credit card reviews, our analysis is not influenced by any partnerships or advertising relationships. Saving Money. Next Advisor Logo. Share Share on Social Media. Ryan Haar November 11, 13 Min Read. Editorial Independence We want to help you make more informed decisions. Some links on this page — clearly marked — may take you to a partner website and may result in us earning a referral commission.

For more information, see How We Make Money. Why we chose it The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a great card for frequent travelers looking to add a touch of luxury to their business trips. Dell purchases; Gold status in the Marriott and Hilton loyalty programs.

Extended warranty protection. Cons Steep annual fee. Limited high bonus categories outside of travel. After that, your APR will be Earn 1. Best for flexible earning on business expenses. Rewards Rates 1 - 4X points. Intro Bonus 70, points. Why we chose it The Amex Business Gold card is a solid choice for high-spending small businesses with the flexibility to earn 4x points in the two categories where you spend the most.

There may be better options for small businesses who don't spend a lot. Best for occasional Hilton stays. Rewards Rates 3 - 12X points. Intro Bonus Up to , Points. Why we chose it The Hilton Honors Surpass Card stands out in the crowded mid-tier category of cobranded hotel credit cards. Solid perks including 10 Priority Pass visits a year, secondary car rental insurance, extended warranty, return protection and theft and accidental damage purchase protection.

Nice perks for less-frequent travelers. Cons No travel credits. No chart to redeem points at Hilton properties. Ties you to Hilton properties. Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.

Pros Reasonable annual fee. Best no-annual-fee Hilton card. Rewards Rates 3 - 7X points. Automatic Hilton Honors Silver status. Extended warranty, purchase protection and car rental coverage. Cons Silver status is the lowest tier of Hilton Honors status. Limited redemption flexibility as you can only redeem at Hilton hotels.

Can't earn a free night award unlike other Hilton cards. Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad. Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card. No Annual Fee. Pros No annual fee card. Best for occasional Delta flyers.

Rewards Rates 1 - 2X points. Intro Bonus 70, miles. Why we chose it The Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex provides valuable elite-like benefits for causal Delta flyers including a first checked bag free and priority boarding. Main Cabin 1 priority boarding.

Cons Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta. There are better Delta cards if you want lounge access or a boost to earn elite status.

Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.

Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Pros First checked bag free for you and up to eight companions. Best for regular Delta flyers.

Rewards Rates 1 - 3X points. Intro Bonus 90, miles. Why we chose it The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex is a good choice for Delta loyalists who need a little help reaching their elite status goals. Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year. SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details. Best for high-end Marriott perks. Rewards Rates 2 - 6X points. Intro Bonus 75, points. Restaurants within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Why we chose it The Bonvoy Brilliant is ideal for travelers who are loyal to the Marriott brand. Priority Pass Select membership enrollment required Automatic Gold status with the ability to earn Platinum.

May not make sense if you don't stay at Marriott properties. Receive 1 free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night redemption level at or under 50, Marriott Bonvoy Points at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees. Best for everyday business expenses. Intro Bonus 15, points. Annual Fee No annual fee. Why we chose it The Blue Business Plus is a great card for small business owners who want to earn lucrative Membership Rewards points on everyday business spending.

Earn Membership Rewards points; transfer points to 22 travel partners. Comes with extended warranties, purchase protection. Baggage insurance and secondary car rental insurance.

It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to American Express, and other factors. Pros No annual fee. Start spending smarter with our expert advice. The Points Guy will not sell your email.

Please enter a valid email address Please check mailing preferences. The ultimate guide to Amex Membership Rewards. Your ultimate guide to Amex Offers. Close Advertiser Disclosure Modal. Earn 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U. Hilton Honors American Express Card.

Read our review. Our pick for: No-annual-fee grocery and gas rewards. If you're buying groceries regularly but not necessarily all the time, it's worth a look. Our pick for: Simple, flat-rate cash back. If you want an AmEx card with a no-hassle rewards structure, this is your card. Our pick for: Luxury travel perks. Enjoy extensive airport lounge access, hundreds of dollars a year in travel and shopping credits, hotel benefits and more. That's not even getting into the high rewards rate on eligible travel purchases and the rich bonus offer for new cardholders.

Our pick for: Travel rewards on everyday spending. Other benefits include hundreds of dollars a year in available dining and travel credits and a solid bonus offer for new cardholders. There's an annual fee, though, and a pretty substantial one, so it's not for smaller spenders.

Our pick for: Travel and dining rewards. The "original" American Express card is a great fit for travelers who can make use of its extensive list of airline and hotel transfer partners and its rich rewards on dining and travel. There's an annual fee to consider, however, and getting maximum value can take some work. But if you're committed to the AmEx Membership Rewards, it's a fine option. Our pick for: AmEx points for no annual fee.

You can earn bonus points at U. Our pick for: Luxury perks for business travelers. But business travelers who prefer to go in style will find plenty that appeals to them: high rewards on certain travel purchases, bonus rewards on larger non-travel purchases, a superb newcomer bonus offer, extensive airport lounge access, elite hotel status, hundreds of dollars a year in available credits and a list of perks as long as your arm.

It's not cheap, but luxury never is. Our pick for: Simple cash rewards for small business. Beyond that, you earn a solid cash-back rate at least for a while — the rate drops after you hit a spending threshold.

There's also no annual fee. Our pick for: Simple rewards for small business. Our pick for: Customized rewards for business. You automatically earn bonus rewards in the two categories where you spend the most each month.

That can translate into outstanding rewards, as long as your business spends money in those categories. If it doesn't, the steep annual fee probably isn't worth it. Our pick for: Flexible financing for businesses. Pay early and get a discount, or enjoy up to 60 days without interest.

There's a substantial annual fee, but if you're using the card for, say, big inventory purchases, the benefits could far outweigh the costs. American Express issues branded credit cards in partnership with airlines, hotels and others.

Learn more about these cards by reading the reviews linked below:. Hilton Honors American Express Card. Amazon Business American Express Card. Several banks offer credit cards that operate on the American Express payment network, but these cards are not issued by American Express itself. You can use them anywhere that accepts AmEx, but their rewards, perks, fees and rates are dictated by the card issuer, not American Express. Those cards are not included on this page.

Examples include the U. NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty.

A single card is eligible to be chosen in multiple categories. Which American Express card is right for you depends largely on your credit scores. If you clear that hurdle, then the right American Express card for you will hinge on your goals, spending habits and lifestyle. Are you interested in cash back, or are you looking for travel rewards? Do you spend more on groceries, or is dining out a bigger line item in your budget?

Are annual fees a nonstarter for you, or are you willing to pay one in exchange for more value?