Best American Express credit cards for December 2023

American Express Gold Card: Best for restaurants and U.S. supermarket rewards

• What we love about the American Express Gold: This card has stellar cash back rates on both restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases.
• Who this card is good for: Foodies who want to turn meal purchases into travel rewards.
• Alternatives: A $250 annual fee is steep for some. If you’re looking for a card with a similar emphasis on dining and grocery store purchases (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), a no-annual-fee option is the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card (See Rates and Fees). This alternative adds in a high cash back rate on certain entertainment purchases while forgoing the focus on travel-related rewards.

Read our American Express® Gold Card review.
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The Platinum Card from American Express: Best for large welcome offer

• What we love about the Platinum Card: Its lucrative travel benefits and rewards rates, premium lounge access across the world and high-dollar annual credits will ensure cardholders have the most luxe travel experience.
• Who this card is good for: International travelers looking for a top-of-the-line travel experience.
• Alternatives: The annual credits on this card can get very niche, making the inflated annual fee questionable. The Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card are the two strongest competitors alongside the Platinum card. Both cards have lower annual fees and lounge access, though not as extensive as the Platinum, and skip out on some of the extra specific benefits in favor of flexibility and affordability.

Read our The Platinum Card® from American Express review.
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Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express: Best for cash back and no annual fee

• What we love about the Blue Cash Everyday: This card is a well-rounded and affordable option for those with high spending in the gas and groceries budget categories. There’s also a unique rewards tier for department store purchases to appeal to those who need a little extra retail therapy.
• Who this card is good for: Frugal homemakers who may not want to pay an annual fee, but will still benefit from the decent rewards rates on gas, groceries, clothes and other home needs.
• Alternatives: For anyone who wants to cast a wider net on what purchases earn the most cash back, the Citi Custom Cash® Card offers high rates of cash back for your top eligible spending category each billing cycle.

Read our Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express review.
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Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Best cash back card for families

• What we love about the Blue Cash Preferred: This card boasts one of the best cash back rewards rates on U.S supermarket purchases and a similarly lucrative rate on U.S. streaming services.
• Who this card is good for: Big families with hefty grocery bills, subscriptions to multiple streaming services and high gas budgets.
• Alternatives: The Blue Cash Preferred has an annual fee of $95 ($0 intro annual fee for the first year). If you’re searching for a no-annual-fee card that provides a solid cash back rate consider an alternative. The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express is a no-annual-fee option in exchange for a slightly lower cash back rate.

Read our Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express review.
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American Express Business Gold Card: Best general business card

• What we love about the Amex Business Gold: It automatically adjusts to your top two eligible spending categories for the elevated rewards rate each billing cycle. Business owners can spend as they need with this card without the added task of setting their eligible categories.
• Who this card is good for: Busy business owners with modest-to-high spending budgets that may change. Its eligible categories cover airfare, advertising, shipping costs, technology, and more.
• Alternatives: For a much lower annual fee, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card also offers elevated rates for shipping and advertising. Additionally, the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card offers higher cash back rates in adjustable business-oriented categories for no annual fee.

Read our full American Express Business Gold Card review
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The Business Platinum Card from American Express: Best business card for travel

• What we love about the Business Platinum card: It’s chock full of valuable annual credits and opens access to some of the best luxury travel lounges around, all while rewarding top business expenses like electronic goods and hardware supplies. This card is built for established businesses, whether online, brick and mortar or both.
• Who this card is good for: Frequent business travelers who want the height of luxury and comfort on their trips.
• Alternatives: The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a cost-effective alternative. Your highest reward tiers cover hotel and rental car purchases made through Capital One Travel instead of flights, but you’ll still get a competitive and unlimited base rewards rate of 2X miles on all other purchases — including airfare.

Read our full The Business Platinum Card® from American Express review.
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Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card: Best Delta card for value travelers

• What we love about the Delta SkyMiles Gold: The travel benefits, like a first checked bag free on Delta flights, and the easily recouped annual fee of $99 ($0 intro annual fee for the first year) are just a few things to write home about.
• Who this card is good for: Infrequent Delta travelers who spend handsomely on food and gas.
• Alternatives: If you’re not a Delta loyalist, the Citi Premier® Card offers competitive rewards rates on non-travel purchases that can fuel travel rewards and give you the freedom to choose where and how you redeem.

Read our Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card review.
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Hilton Honors American Express Card: Best Hilton card with no annual fee

• What we love about the Hilton Honors card: This Hilton hotel card has a variety of eligible spending categories that earn rewards, making it easy to run up points for hotel stays with purchases that fit easily into your daily budget.
• Who this card is good for: Hilton hotel loyalists who want to rack up hotel rewards with everyday spending.
• Alternatives: Not everyone’s hotel of choice is a Hilton, and you may want more rewards redemption flexibility. For anyone who wants more redemption options and a decent rewards rate on travel purchases (including hotel purchases) without sticking to one hotel brand, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is one such card that still skips the annual fee (See Rates and Fees).

Read our Hilton Honors American Express Card review.
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Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card: Best for annual bonuses

• What we love about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: This Marriott hotel card lets you earn big — not only with eligible hotel purchases, but also on restaurants worldwide and flights booked directly with your airline of choice. You can also redeem your rewards for travel expenses outside of your hotel stays, including flights and rental cars.
• Who this card is good for: Marriott loyalists committed to making the most out of annual bonuses and the Bonvoy loyalty program.
• Alternatives: A general-purpose travel card with no or a low annual fee could give you much more flexibility and affordability when redeeming Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant rewards. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers comparable rewards rates on hotel and car rental purchases made through Capital One Travel with a much more palatable $95 annual fee (See Rates and Fees).

Read our Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card review.
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Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card: Best for Delta Medallion members

• What we love about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve: One of the best parts about this card is its expedited pathway to elite Medallion Status, which can earn you the highest level of Delta travel rewards perks like unlimited complimentary upgrades and priority boarding.
• Who this card is good for: Luxury Delta loyalists who don’t mind a big price tag or high spending requirements to earn maximum benefits.
• Alternatives: The Platinum Card from American Express offers similar high-dollar rewards and benefits for a slightly higher annual fee. The main difference comes with the fact that you won’t be confined to Delta airlines with the Platinum card.

Read our Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card review.
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American Express Green Card: Best for everyday travel + transit 

• What we love about the Amex Green: Its expanded travel categories include more than just airfare, hotels, and rental cars. Cardholders can earn 3X points on transit, cruises, campgrounds, and rideshares. Plus, it also earns 3X points on eligible restaurants worldwide and U.S. takeout and delivery.
• Who this card is good for: People who frequently travel at all — whether on flights, cruises, public transportation, or in Ubers and Lyfts. The boosted points on these categories can handsomely reward cardholders.
• Alternatives: The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card may be better suited for everyday commuting as it covers transit, as well as gas stations and electric vehicle charging, in its 3X points category.

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All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

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.

American Express began as a freight-forwarding business in 1850 and has since grown to be one of the largest credit card issuers in the world. The J.D. Power 2021 Credit Card Satisfaction Study ranked American Express first in customer satisfaction among credit card issuers. 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. Networks, which include Visa, Mastercard and Discover as well as American Express, make money by taking a cut of each transaction they process. Many, but not all, American Express credit cards are both issued by American Express and part of the American Express payment network.

American Express cards run the gamut of both business- and consumer-class cards, so it’s extremely possible to find one of the best Amex cards to add to your wallet. Here are some of the credit cards American Express offers:

Cash back credit cards

American Express cash back credit cards offer elevated rates on bonus categories that make it easy for everyday spenders to earn plenty of rewards on their core shopping needs. Its sibling Blue Cash cards are frequently touted as two of the best cash back cards for families due to their high cash back earning in grocery categories.

Editor’s choice: Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express

Co-branded credit cards

Amex partners with hotel brands Hilton and Marriott, as well as Delta Air Lines, to offer a suite of credit cards with each brand. These cards come with varying tiers of annual fees, so low-cost travelers and luxury travelers alike will likely find a card that suits their needs for their next trip.

Editor’s choice: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

Luxury travel cards

For jetsetters who like to travel with all the bells and whistles, American Express provides the credit cards to accompany them. With travel-related statement credits and elevated earning rates on travel, American Express has positioned itself as a luxe brand in the world of travel credit cards.

Editor’s choice: The Platinum Card from American Express

Business credit cards

Among Amex’s business credit cards is something for every business. Whether you’re running a start-up, freelancing full-time or heading up an enterprise, American Express has a lineup of cards that can help earn points and run a business.

Editor’s choice: The Business Platinum Card from American Express

How the Amex Membership Rewards program works

Some cardholders are eligible for the Membership Rewards loyalty program. You can earn points through purchases and qualifying Amex Offers. Benefits of Amex Offers include discounts, cash back and additional Membership Rewards points. However, Amex Offers vary by card, cardholders must activate to qualify and limits and expiration dates may apply.

Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for travel, shopping, statement credits, gift cards, charitable donations and more. Cardholders can transfer Membership Rewards rewards points to American Express hotel and airline partners or use points to book through AmexTravel.com (there may be fees associated with transferring points).

Once you’re ready to redeem your Membership Rewards points, you may notice that the value of those points changes depending on how they’re redeemed. If you redeem them for travel, they typically have a 1-cent value. However, you may be able to squeeze more value out of them if you transfer them to a partner loyalty program.

According to Bankrate’s latest valuation, American Express Membership Rewards points are worth an average of 2.0 cents per point, making them some of the most valuable rewards out there. Based on this valuation, if you were to amass 50,000 Membership Rewards points, they could be worth about $1,000 with the right transfer partner.

If you were to spend only in the bonus categories to score maximum rewards rates, here’s how much you’d earn in American Express’s rewards program with two of its top rewards-earning consumer cards:

*Based on data from Gallup and Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

**Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer expenditures.

Any of the Amex cards on the page can add value to your wallet, but deciding on the very best American Express card for you requires answering some key questions:

Will the card be for your personal use or your small business?

No two American Express credit cards are exactly the same or offer the same perks. There are several American Express cards with perks that are great for and designed with small business owners specifically. By figuring out what you need from your card—like higher rewards rates for business travel—you can decide if a card like the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is right for you.

Which type of cash back card is best for you?

If you want to earn cash back for your purchases, you need to decide which type is best. Whether flat-rate cash back or bonus category cash back is better for you all depends on your needs. Searching for simplicity? Your best bet is a flat-rate cash back card like the Cash Magnet card. If you’re hoping to earn elevated rewards in specific categories, your first step should be determining what categories you spend most heavily in. For frequent flyers loyal to a specific airline, like Delta, Delta SkyMiles Gold card is likely the best choice. People who spend heavily in other categories like groceries or dining out have plenty of options as well.

Do you want a general travel card or a co-branded card?

American Express offers cards that can benefit many different types of travelers. If your travel is business-focused, consider the Business Platinum. If you’re a leisure traveler, The Platinum Card can provide you with excellent travel benefits (though those benefits come at a premium cost). Determining what’s important to you while you travel is essential to help you narrow your choices.

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.

Amex credit cards are some of the most popular cards around. If you’re considering an American Express credit card, here is some more insight on who may get the most out of them. 

Many of American Express’s best credit card perks and benefits come with annual fees, so you have to be willing to use every bit of value and statement credit from your card to make it worth it. These perks include dining credits, TSA Precheck or Global Entry credits, gym memberships, hotel credits and Uber credits for using your Amex card for certain purchases. These credits, plus the ongoing value of many cards make Amex cards more than worth it. However, if you don’t want to fork out hundreds or more for an annual fee, there are still a couple of American Express credit cards with no annual fee that still earn respectable rates on purchases.

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