Best American Express credit cards for September 2024

American Express, also known as Amex, is both a payment processing network and a credit card issuer, meaning that Amex issues credit cards to consumers and facilitates transactions with merchants through its network. 

Amex offers several personal and business credit cards, including luxury travel cards, cash back cards, rewards cards and co-branded credit cards with Delta, Hilton and Marriott. It has some of the most rewarding credit cards you’ll find and Amex points are some of the most valuable rewards currencies available, according to our latest points and miles valuations.

If you’re looking to earn rewards, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding an Amex card that fits your needs, as many of them earn at a generous rate in everyday spending categories and carry practical, useful perks. That said, Amex cards are not the best fit for credit-builders or people new to credit (you’ll typically need at least a good credit score to qualify for Amex cards). 

Here’s what Bankrate writer Ryan Flanigan had to say about his experience with Amex cards:

"Amex is my favorite issuer. Its cards cover everything you need and I like having multiple Amex cards.

Its hotel co-branded cards offer great perks like free night certificates that I can use to get outsized value when I travel to luxury properties. All of my Membership Rewards cards work together like a finely tuned machine that covers all the major bonus categories and earns tons of points every year. And the flexibility to either book travel through its portal or transfer to a very generous list of transfer partners gives me a ton of options when planning where to go.

Lastly, Amex gives me a lot of useful credits on all sorts of things like travel, shopping and business expenses, which is extra value toward offsetting annual fees. I'll always have as many Amex cards as I'm allowed to have since these cards reward me the most overall."

— Ryan Flanigan, Writer, Credit Cards

American Express boasts the highest customer satisfaction ratings among all credit card issuers, according to J.D Power’s 2023 customer satisfaction study. The issuer leads the pack with a score of 657, with Bank of America and Discover tied for second with a score of 629.

Amex has ranked in the top spot for the last four years, giving cardholders peace of mind that their service concerns are in the best hands. J.D. Power ranks cards based on category and cost, and several American Express cards rank at the top of each specific card list. The study, conducted annually, scores issuers and their products based on the following: account management, benefits, customer service, new accounts, rewards earning, rewards redeeming and terms.

Cardholders can reach American Express customer service any time of day by calling 1-800-528-4800. You can also contact Amex customer service using the issuer’s mobile app. Chat and phone services are available 24/7.

American Express is one of the most recognizable names in the world of personal finance, and this is reflected in conversations among users in the r/CreditCards subreddit. 

Amex cards come up often in conversations about the best cards for cash back, travel and rewards. But the general consensus among users is that you need to research your decision carefully and choose a rewards style that matches your spending and redemption habits.

It’ll be important to distinguish between points or cash back early in your search for a new card and to avoid choosing the card with the biggest rewards rate without a redemption plan in place. One user* in r/CreditCards argues Amex cash back cards are less appealing since they carry lower-value rewards.

“The [Blue Cash Everyday] is not on the same level as the [Amex Gold Card] or [Platinum Card from American Express] due to it being cash back.” 

This may be true for some users, but it could come down to which redemption method you choose and your reward redemption value. If you redeem points at a value of at least 1.6 cents each, the Amex Gold card’s 4X rewards rate at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1X for the rest of the year) can carry more value than the 6 percent cash back rate you’ll earn on the Blue Cash Preferred (on your first $6,000 in spending at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1 percent). But if you redeem them for a lower point value, the Amex Gold will be less lucrative than the Blue Cash Preferred. 

Another user points out* that “it’s important to know if you want points or cash back. And how you intend to use points if you go that route. [Earning 4X points] on groceries sounds great, but if [the points] are worth less than a cent each by [redeeming them] as a statement credit, then you’re looking closer to 2 [percent] cashback.” 

If you plan to redeem your Membership Rewards points for statement credits, you might be better served with one of the Blue Cash cards because you could earn generous cash back at a lower cost.

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Be sure to check the issuer's website/terms and conditions for all up to date content. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

Choosing just one card can be difficult, especially if you’re overwhelmed with all of American Express’ credit card options. It’s a good idea to research all of the cards Amex offers to determine which particular card aligns with your financial goals. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

If you find an Amex card that matches your credit card needs, you’ll want to make the most of it, especially if it has a hefty annual fee. Here are some ways to capitalize on a new American Express card:

• Earn your welcome offer: Amex welcome offers can be very generous. Since Membership Rewards points are so flexible, a welcome offer can be worth much more than its base 1-cent-per-point value when you make strategic transfers to Amex travel partners.
• Decide if you want to earn Membership Rewards: Not all American Express cards earn Amex Membership Rewards, and though they offer great redemption value, Membership Rewards aren’t the best fit for everyone. Unless you plan to use rewards for travel, you may be better served with an Amex cash back card (cash back Membership Rewards redemptions offer less than 1 cent per point in value). For frequent travelers, though, Membership Rewards are the obvious choice.
• Use perks and credits: Several Amex cards have valuable perks that can nearly offset their annual fees, ranging from dining and streaming service credits to airport security screening credits and lounge access. Make sure to lean into these perks to get the full value of your Amex card. Be mindful that some are available only for a limited time, so make sure you’ll use them within the timeframe.

American Express cards are worth it as long as you pick the one that fits your lifestyle and take advantage of any additional perks. Some cards are better for people who want simple rewards and others are great for those who make the most of every perk, feature, boosted rewards rate and bonus. If you like the general benefits that come with American Express, such as American Express Experiences or Amex Offers, you’re more likely to take advantage of the card beyond earning rewards.

The most important factor is that your Amex card is useful to you rather than hindering you from reaching your goals. Annual fees can sometimes be more of a burden than they’re worth. Ensuring that you earn more value in rewards than you pay to hold the card is a great way to determine if your Amex card is worth it.

When evaluating the best credit cards from American Express, we take into account several factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether they offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards to scoring a large welcome bonus to saving on interest. 

Our rating database covers over 250 of the most popular credit cards, allowing us to compare the quality of various Amex cards to each other and to cards in the same category from other issuers. We scored each card based on the factors most relevant to its primary category, including its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, intro APR period, ongoing APR, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup. 

Here’s a look at how our card ratings are distributed as of August 2024, as well as some of the key factors that we considered in selecting this month’s best American Express cards.

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