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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Amex EveryDay® Credit Card - Product Name Only, Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card - Product Name Only, American Express® Green Card - Product Name Only, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card - Product Name Only, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card - Product Name Only. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

American Express is well-known for its travel cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and premium "experiential" offerings like concierge service, but it also offers cards with non-travel perks and lower annual fees. Amex is also highly regarded for its excellent customer service and a wide assortment of airline, hotel, cash back, and general travel cards. Amex is an Insider partner.

If you're looking for the best Amex card for your lifestyle and spending habits, here are the ones you should consider.

Compare the Best American Express Cards

Best American Express Credit Cards in 2023

See our picks for the best credit cards »

Methodology: How We Chose the Best American Express Cards

We considered Amex-branded cards and co-branded airline and hotel cards that are currently available to new applicants and looked at several factors:

  • Simplicity — Does the card offer an easy-to-use rewards program and redemption options? Are there any restrictions to navigate?
  • Earning potential — Are there generous spending categories or a strong rewards rate across all purchases, and is there a welcome bonus offer?
  • Annual fee — No-annual-fee cards are appealing, but if the card charges an annual fee, does it offer benefits that justify the cost?
  • Options for different types of consumers — We made sure to include cards that are geared to various users, from cards with a 0% APR offer to travel points and cash-back cards.

Amex cards also offer various benefits like travel insurance and purchase protection. Additionally, all American Express cardholders get access to Amex Offers** that can earn you bonus points or get cash back when you shop with certain retailers.

Before you decide on an American Express card, be sure to consider what you want to do with your rewards, as well as your spending habits — some cards offer bonus rewards in popular categories, so those might be a better choice if they fit your typical purchases.

See our full methodology for rating credit cards »

American Express Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions 

How many Amex cards can you have?

You can have up to five Amex cards at one time, including both personal and business cards. This figure does not include the cards with which there isn't a fixed credit limit, however. Cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and American Express® Gold Card will not count against this five-card limit.

Why is the American Express Black Card not on our list?

The Amex Centurion Black Card, or more formally, the Centurion® Card from American Express, is by invitation only. There is no application page (though you can request an invite). Because there are no public application pages, we don't consider it to be one of the best Amex cards.

This card comes with a $10,000 initiation fee and an annual fee of $5,000. There appear to be no predetermined qualifications for this card, but it's generally believed that customers must spend several hundred thousand dollars per year on their credit card before Amex sends an invite.

Does American Express have debit cards?

American Express does issue debit cards through the American Express Serve family of cards. With these prepaid debit cards, you can effectively deposit money onto your card and use it as a checking account of sorts. These cards do not require a credit inquiry to open, though they do come with nominal monthly fees.

Are American Express cards made of metal?

American Express issues several metal credit cards — primarily those with higher annual fees. The The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express are the heaviest and most impressive. Other cards, even co-branded credit cards, also contain metal in between two sheets of plastic. 

Where is the security code on an American Express card?

The security code, or CVV number, on American Express cards, is a four-digit number located on the front of your card on the right-hand side. Amex cards still come with a three-digit code on the back (similar to other card issuers), but you'll usually only need that for activating your card.

Does American Express have a secured credit card?

No, American Express doesn't currently offer secured credit cards. However, many other banks do — you can find the top secured options in these guides to the best credit cards for bad credit and best secured credit cards.

Best American Express Card for Frequent Travelers

The Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only

At $550, the Platinum Card has one of the highest annual fees of any mainstream card. However, as long as you're willing to float it up front, you can get way more value back from the card — for instance, it's possible to get more than $2,000 in value from it during your first year.

The Platinum Card offers 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline, as well as flights and pre-paid hotels booked through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1x). It earns 1 point per dollar on everything else. 

The card comes with a long list of perks, including access to more than 1,300 airport lounges within the Priority Pass** network, as well as Delta Sky Clubs (when you're flying Delta) and proprietary Amex Centurion Lounges. It also offers complimentary Gold elite status with Marriott and Hilton hotels**, as well as up to $100 per year in shopping credits at Saks Fifth Avenue**, up to $200 in Uber credits** each cardmember year, and access to special events. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is another very popular premium credit card, so you may want to compare the Amex Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve before making a final decision.

The Platinum Card® from American Express also comes with benefits such as up to $300 annually in Equinox credits**, $189 per year in credits for CLEAR® Plus membership**, up to $200 per year in credits toward eligible prepaid hotel bookings, up to $240 in annual credits toward eligible digital subscriptions**, and credits for Walmart+ memberships** and SoulCycle at-home bike purchases**.

Read more about the Amex Platinum card:

Best for Dining Rewards

American Express® Gold Card - Product Name Only

The Amex Gold Card is one of the best cards for dining, unless you're only interested in cash back, rather than potentially more valuable rewards points.

The Amex Gold Card earns 4 points per dollar at restaurants and on up to $25,000 per calendar year at US supermarkets (and 1 point per dollar after that), 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Based on the fact that you can easily redeem Membership Rewards points for more than 1 cent of value each, this is the highest-earning card for everything food-related.

Here's another reason to consider the Amex Gold card: It adds up to $120 of dining credits** — split into up to $10 each month — at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Milk Bar, Wine.com, Goldbelly, or participating Shake Shack locations. It also offers up to $120 Uber Cash (up to $10 per month credits) each calendar year (this is only applicable to US Eats orders and Rides, and the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit).

Read more about the Amex Gold Card:

Best for Cash Back

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express - Product Name Only

If you're less excited about earning Membership Rewards points — which can be valuable, but also require some effort to redeem for maximum value — and want to stick with cash back, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is the best option, even with an annual fee of Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.

You'll earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services and 3% back on all transit. That's in addition to 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases per calendar year (and 1% after that), 3% back at U.S. gas stations, and 1% cash back on everything else (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as statement credits).

You'll also get the following statement credits:

  • $7 monthly credit when paying for a Disney Bundle subscription costing $9.99 or more with your card**. This is up to $84 in annual value.
  • $10 monthly statement credits toward Equinox+ membership (an on-demand fitness app that costs $40 per month)**.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers a Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, before switching to a 12.99% to 23.99% variable APR APR. 

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express comes with a handful of travel and purchase protections as well. Cash back comes in the form of a statement credit, so effectively you can use it to "erase" purchases.

Read more about the American Express Blue Cash Preferred card:

Best for Bonus Points on Travel

American Express® Green Card - Product Name Only

The Amex Green Card has become a top option for earning Membership Rewards points on travel and dining. And it's currently offering its highest welcome bonus offer ever: American Express® Green Card - Intro Bonus. However, this offer will only be available for a limited time, so this is your last chance to earn it.

You'll earn 3 points per dollar on all eligible travel, which includes everything from subway fares to hotels to flights. You'll earn 3 points per dollar on transit such as trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways. You'll also earn 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide. In terms of points-earning, this puts the Amex Green Card on par with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which also offers 3 points per dollar in these spending categories (when purchases are not made through Chase Ultimate Rewards®).

Other benefits include up to $189 in statement credits toward CLEAR® Plus membership each year**, and up to $100 in statement credits per year toward LoungeBuddy purchases** (for airport lounge access).

The Amex Green card has a American Express® Green Card annual fee, but that's relatively moderate, especially if you can take advantage of those two annual statement credits.

Read more about the American Express Green Card:

Great Bonus Categories for Families

Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card - Product Name Only

The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card is a strong option for anyone looking for a Membership Rewards card, but who's not interested in a premium card like the Platinum or the Amex Gold. It also has a strong points-earning scheme and a lower annual fee of Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express.

The card earns 3 points per dollar spent at US supermarkets (up to $6,000 each calendar year — 1 point per dollar after that), 2 points per dollar at US gas stations, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. You can also get 2 points per dollar on reservations made through Amex Travel.

Best of all, if you make 30 or more purchases in a billing period, you'll earn a 50% bonus. That means that those little $3 and $4 charges for things like coffee or a snack can help you get a ton of points quickly.

The card also offers a Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express, before switching to a 12.99% to 22.99% Variable APR. If you have a big purchase coming up and want some time to pay it off, but don't want to pay interest fees, this is a great option.

Read more about the Amex EveryDay Preferred card:

Best With No Annual Fee

Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express - Product Name Only

The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express is a no-annual-fee version of the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card — and it still offers solid rewards. It earns 2 points per dollar at US supermarkets (again, up to $6,000 of purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar after that) and at AmexTravel.com, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. It also offers 20% more points when you make 20 or more purchases in a billing period.

Like most Amex cards, it features a few travel and purchase protections, as well as access to the Amex Offers program.

While most people will be better off with the Preferred, the regular EveryDay is still a strong option — especially since there's no annual fee.

Read more about the Amex Everyday card:

Best Card With an Intro APR Offer

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express - Product Name Only

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is similar to the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, with a different earning structure and no annual fee.

The card earns a lower 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 each calendar year (then 1%), 3% back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 each calendar year in purchases (then 1%), 3% back on online retail purchases on up to $6,000 each calendar year (then 1%), and 1% cash back on everything else (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as statement credits). While many people spend enough in the bonus categories to make the Blue Cash Preferred the better option, this remains a decent card for anyone who's strictly opposed to paying an annual fee.

If you're looking to make a major purchase and pay it off over time, like an appliance or an engagement ring, you can take advantage of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (after that, it reverts to a Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express APR). You'll earn cash back on the purchase, which you can put right towards paying it off.

This card also offers the following statement credits:

  • $7 monthly credit when paying for a Disney Bundle subscription costing $9.99 or more with your card**. This is up to $84 in annual value.
  • $15 monthly credit towards your Home Chef subscription** (up to $180 in credit per year).

Read more about the American Express Blue Cash Everyday card:

Best Business Card for Travelers

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only

The Amex Business Platinum Card is Amex's top-of-the-line business card, and it has many of the same perks you'll find on the personal Platinum Card, including up to $200 in airline fee credits each year for checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline**, access to airport lounges including Centurion Lounges and Priority Pass lounges**, up to a $100 credit to cover the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck**, and up to $189 back per year on CLEAR® Plus memberships.

It also offers several benefits that cater to business owners, such as 1.5 points per dollar on purchases of $5,000 or more — and 1.5 points per dollar in select categories (up to $2 million per calendar year).

The card also comes with potentially $1,000 in annual statement credits on business purchases between Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers each calendar year.**

If you use Amex points to book travel, you'll appreciate the 35% Amex Travel Pay With Points rebate, which applies to business- and first-class flights or flights in any class with a selected qualifying airline booked through Amex Travel.  You can get up to 500,000 points back in a calendar year.

The personal Platinum Card has the advantage when it comes to travel bonus categories — it earns 5x points on flights booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, while the Business Platinum only earns 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel. 

Read more about the Amex Business Platinum:

Best Business Card for Big Spenders 

American Express® Business Gold Card - Product Name Only

Small-business owners who spend a lot on typical business expenses should have a close look at the American Express® Business Gold Card. It earns 4x American Express Membership Rewards points on the two categories (from a list) where your business spends the most each billing cycle, up to $150,000 per calendar year (then 1x), and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

The list of 4x categories is quite broad:

  • Airfare purchased directly from airlines
  • US gas stations
  • US restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
  • US shipping providers
  • US computer hardware, software, and cloud systems from select technology providers
  • US purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)

The card currently offers a big welcome bonus: American Express® Business Gold Card. That's worth American Express® Business Gold Card based on Insider's points and miles valuations, and the card also comes with good travel and shopping benefits. These include a 25% points rebate on first- and business-class flights (or economy flights on your selected airline) booked through Amex Travel, which is a great deal if you like redeeming points for airfare.

There's a American Express® Business Gold Card annual fee, but it could be well worth paying if you can take advantage of the card's bonus categories and perks.

Read more about the American Express Business Gold:

Best Business Card for Earning Maximum Points

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express - Product Name Only

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns 2 points per dollar on the first $50,000 you spend each year (then 1 point per dollar). Up until that $50,000 threshold, you're effectively earning a 3.6% return on all your purchases, based on Insider's points and miles valuations.

Another bonus is that The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has no annual fee. Just remember that it is a small-business credit card, so if you don't have a side gig or a small enterprise that would qualify you for a business card, you won't be eligible.

Cardholders also qualify for a The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, followed by a The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express APR. This makes the card a good choice if your business has larger purchases coming up that you want to pay for over time. 

Read more about the Blue Business Plus card:

Best Business Card for Cash Back

American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card - Product Name Only

If you like the idea of a no-annual-fee business card and prefer earning cash back, American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a great option. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases, on the first $50,000 spent per calendar year, then 1% back (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as statement credits).

There's also a American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (then a American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card APR), so if you're planning to make big purchases after opening the card, you can get a bit of breathing room by taking advantage of this offer.

Read more about the Amex Blue Business Cash:

Best for Occasional Hilton Travelers

Hilton Honors American Express Card - Product Name Only

Amex issues four co-branded Hilton credit cards, and the best option for occasional travelers is the Hilton Honors American Express Card with a Hilton Honors American Express Card annual fee.

The card is offering a welcome bonus of Hilton Honors American Express Card. The points are worth Hilton Honors American Express Card based on Insider's valuation of Hilton points. It also comes with perks that include automatic Silver elite status, which qualifies you for the fifth night free on standard award bookings of five or more nights.

Using this card for everyday spending can earn you lots of Hilton points quickly. Cardholders earn 5 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations, and 3 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

If you don't mind paying an annual fee, be sure to check out the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card as well. It has a higher welcome bonus offer and earns more points on spending, and comes with more benefits, including Hilton Gold elite status, a free night certificate after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, and Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership** with 10 free visits per year. There's a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card annual fee. 

Read more about the Hilton Honors Amex card:

Best for Frequent Hilton Travelers

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card - Product Name Only

With a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card isn't for the casual Hilton traveler. But if you can make the most of the card's incredibly generous benefits, it could prove to be the most valuable card in your wallet.

Cardholders start with a welcome bonus offer of Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, worth Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card based on Insider's valuations. New cardholders also receive a free reward night certificate after account opening, valid at just about any Hilton hotel in the world.

Where the card shines is through the excellent perks you'll get, including:

  • Hilton Diamond elite status (the highest tier)
  • Free reward night certificate each year on your card anniversary
  • Another free reward night certificate after you spend a total of $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
  • Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership 
  • Up to $250 in airline incidental fee credits per calendar year**
  • Up to $250 in Hilton resort credits each cardmember year
  • Up to $100 in on-property credits for minimum stays of two nights at participating Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties

This card also offers the highest earning rates of any Hilton card, with 14 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, 7 points per eligible dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel, on car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and at eligible US restaurants, and 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Read more about the Amex Hilton Aspire card:

Best for Delta Flyers

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card - Product Name Only

Delta flyers have a whopping seven co-branded Amex Delta credit cards to choose from, ranging from the no-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card to the luxury Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.

For the average traveler who flies Delta a few times a year, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is our top pick. For a moderate annual fee of Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, cardholders receive elite-like perks that include a free checked bag on Delta flights for themselves and up to eight companions on the same reservation. You'll also get priority boarding and 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit on Delta flights, a $100 flight credit when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year, and 15% off award flights on Delta with the new Amex Delta TakeOff 15 benefit.

There's currently a welcome bonus offer of Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (worth Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card in flights according to Insider's valuation of Delta miles). Cardholders also get decent travel and shopping benefits, including car rental insurance, baggage insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty.

Read more about the Amex Delta Gold card:

Best Premium Card for Delta Flyers

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card - Product Name Only

If you fly Delta on a regular basis, especially if you travel through airports that have Delta Sky Club airport lounges, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card could end up saving you a lot of money along with making your travels more comfortable.

The card's standout feature is Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion lounge access when you fly Delta, and if you make the most of this benefit, it could be well worth paying the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card annual fee. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve card members will receive 10 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club and must spend $75,000 or more in total eligible purchases on the card to earn an unlimited number of visits each year going forward.

You'll also receive a slew of other perks, including a free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, an annual Delta companion certificate, 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year up to four times (effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card), access to complimentary upgrades and upgrade priority, and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit after you apply through any authorized enrollment provider. 

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card currently comes with a welcome bonus offer of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. That's worth around Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in flights, according to Insider's valuations.

Read more about the Amex Delta Reserve:

Best Luxury Card for Marriott

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only

American Express and Chase both issue Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, and Amex's versions — Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, and Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card — are excellent picks if you stay with Marriott on a regular basis.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card is the most rewarding of the bunch, and it's best suited to Marriott loyalists who can use its excellent range of benefits. It's got a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card annual fee, so it's not for infrequent travelers — but if you can maximize its perks, you can get tremendous value from the card.

Cardholders receive perks at Marriott and for general travel as well, including:

  • Up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide
  • Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status
  • Annual free night award (valid at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 85,000 points)
  • 25 elite night credits each calendar year
  • Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership**
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit

The card is currently offering a welcome bonus offer of Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card. That's worth around Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card in travel, based on Insider's valuation of Marriott points. In addition, cardholders earn 6x bonus points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program (on top of the points normally earned from a stay), 3x points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with the airline, and 2x points on all other purchases.

Read more about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card:

 

 

 

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Best American Express Cards of 2023