American Express credit cards
Both issuer and network, with premium charge and credit cards and the Membership Rewards program. Refreshed the Platinum cards to an $895 fee in Sept 2025.
About American Express
American Express is both a card network and a card issuer, best known for premium charge and credit cards that earn Membership Rewards points, such as The Platinum Card and the American Express Gold Card. Its U.S. cards are issued by American Express National Bank, and the lineup also includes cash-back cards like Blue Cash Preferred, Delta SkyMiles co-brands and business cards such as The Business Platinum Card.
Amex suits you if you travel, dine out often or want strong business card options, and you value benefits enough to pay an annual fee; The Platinum Card costs $895 a year after its September 2025 refresh. Its Apply with Confidence feature tells you if you are approved before a hard inquiry. The honest limitation: welcome offers are generally once per lifetime per card, and cash-back cards like Blue Cash Everyday add a 2.7% foreign transaction fee.
Notable American Express cards
- The Platinum Card
- American Express Gold Card
- The Business Platinum Card
- Blue Cash Preferred
- Delta SkyMiles cards
- Graphite Business Cash Unlimited
American Express cards compared
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards | Intro APR | Foreign fee | Credit needed | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Platinum Card from American ExpressFrequent flyers who'll exhaust the lounge access and statement credits |
$895/yr | 5x flights booked with airlines or Amex Travel; 5x prepaid hotels via… | None | None | Excellent (740+) | |
American Express Gold CardBig dining and U.S. supermarket spenders who'll use the monthly credits |
$325/yr | 4x at restaurants worldwide, 4x at U.S. supermarkets (up to cap), 3x f… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
American ExpressBlue Cash Preferred 3488 297728 06483 VALID THRU 06/31ALEX MORGAN Blue Cash Preferred Card from American ExpressFamilies with heavy supermarket and streaming spend |
$95/yr | 6% U.S. supermarkets (up to $6k/yr), 6% select U.S. streaming, 3% tran… | 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months | 2.7% | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
The Business Platinum Card from American ExpressFrequent-flying business owners who'll use the lounges and credits |
$895/yr | 5x on flights and prepaid hotels via Amex Travel, 1.5x on eligible pur… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
Bank of AmericaCustomized Cash Rewards 4394 0204 6690 7333 VALID THRU 03/31RILEY CHEN Bank of America Customized Cash RewardsBank of America customers who'll hit Preferred Rewards tiers |
None | 3% in a chosen category, 2% groceries & wholesale clubs (up to $2,500/… | 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles | 3% | Good (690+) | |
American ExpressBlue Cash Everyday 3779 240421 03847 VALID THRU 05/29JORDAN TAYLOR Blue Cash Everyday Card from American ExpressFamilies with moderate grocery and online spend, no fee |
None | 3% at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retail and U.S. gas stations (eac… | 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 month… | 2.7% | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
American Express Business Gold CardBusinesses with heavy, shifting spend in two categories |
$375/yr | 4x Membership Rewards on the 2 categories where you spend the most eac… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
Bank of AmericaPremium Rewards 4859 9001 7434 3319 VALID THRU 06/31ALEX MORGAN Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit CardBofA Preferred Rewards members who travel and dine out |
$95/yr | 2 points per $1 on travel and dining, 1.5 points per $1 on all other p… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
Bank of AmericaTravel Rewards 4693 3966 6189 2373 VALID THRU 01/28TAYLOR REED Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit CardBofA customers who want simple, fee-free travel rewards |
None | Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on all purchases (up to 2.6x with top Pref… | 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 billing cycles | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
Macy'sMacy's American Express Card 3731 848796 05042 VALID THRU 03/31RILEY CHEN Macy's American Express CardRegular Macy's shoppers who want some everyday rewards |
None | Up to 5% back in Star Money at Macy's (varies by loyalty tier), plus c… | None | None | Fair to Good (640+) | |
American Express Business Gold (2026 Refresh)Business owners waiting on the official Amex Business Gold update |
None | Expected to keep adaptive bonus categories for businesses; exact rates… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | — |
Atmos Rewards Summit Visa InfiniteWest Coast and Hawaii flyers in the Atmos Rewards program |
$395/yr | 3x Alaska/Hawaiian, dining and foreign purchases; 1x other; 1 status p… | None | None | Good to Excellent (typical; no… | — |
Approval rules and tips
Welcome bonus generally once per lifetime per card (reports of a 5-7 year reset); new 'family' bonus restrictions on Delta, Green, Platinum and EveryDay cards; max 5 credit cards (charge cards counted separately); anecdotally 2 approvals per 90 days.
- Use Apply with Confidence: Amex shows whether you are approved using a soft inquiry, and a hard inquiry is made only if you accept the card.
- Welcome offers are generally limited to once per lifetime per card under the offer terms, and some card families add further restrictions.
- Widely reported: most people can hold about five Amex credit cards at once, with charge cards counted separately.
- Widely reported: Amex tends to approve no more than about two credit cards in 90 days.
- Most personal Amex cards are aimed at applicants with good to excellent credit.
How to apply for a American Express card
Apply on americanexpress.com or in the Amex app, or call 1-888-297-1244 to apply by phone. The official Apply with Confidence feature uses a soft inquiry to show whether you are approved, and a hard inquiry is made only if you accept the card. Have your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and annual income ready; business cards also ask for business details such as legal name and tax ID.
Customer service: www.americanexpress.com · 1-800-528-4800
American Express FAQs
What credit cards does American Express offer?
American Express's notable cards include The Platinum Card, American Express Gold Card, The Business Platinum Card, Blue Cash Preferred, Delta SkyMiles cards. See the cards we review below for fees, rewards and APRs.
Does American Express have special approval rules?
Welcome bonus generally once per lifetime per card (reports of a 5-7 year reset); new 'family' bonus restrictions on Delta, Green, Platinum and EveryDay cards; max 5 credit cards (charge cards counted separately); anecdotally 2 approvals per 90 days.
How do I apply for a American Express credit card?
Apply on www.americanexpress.com. Check any pre-qualification tool first — it uses a soft inquiry that does not affect your credit score.
How do I activate a new American Express card?
See our step-by-step guide to activating a American Express card (US) — online, in the app or by phone.
Is American Express a bank?
Partly. American Express runs its own payment network, and its U.S. cards are issued by its bank subsidiary, American Express National Bank, which also offers deposit accounts. That means Amex sets both the card terms and the network rules, unlike Visa or Mastercard, which rely on other banks to issue cards.
What is the difference between an Amex charge card and a credit card?
Charge cards such as The Platinum Card and American Express Gold Card have no preset spending limit and are designed to be paid in full each month, though Amex's Pay Over Time feature can let you carry some eligible charges with interest. Credit cards such as Blue Cash Preferred have a set limit and let you revolve a balance.
Do Amex cards charge foreign transaction fees?
Travel and premium cards such as The Platinum Card, the American Express Gold Card and the Business Gold and Business Platinum cards have no foreign transaction fee. Cash-back cards such as Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred charge 2.7% of each purchase processed abroad, so they are a poor choice for trips outside the U.S.