TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express
By Alex Compton · Last verified
The card that ended a 16-year Amex and Costco marriage.
Welcome Bonus
None recorded
Last recorded offer
Spend Requirement
None recorded
Last recorded requirement
Annual Fee
$0
Last recorded · 2.7% FTF
Credit Score
670+
(Good)
Common Questions
Is the TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express discontinued?
Yes. Discontinued. The card that ended a 16-year Amex and Costco marriage.
What can I use instead of the TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express?
The closest open alternatives we track are the Blue Cash Preferred, Blue Cash Everyday Card, Hilton Honors American Express Card. Each links to our full review with its current offer and complete breakdown.
Open Alternatives
The TrueEarnings is gone, but these cards do a similar job and are still accepting applications.
6% at US supermarkets. The family grocery card.
3% groceries, gas, and online retail with no fee.
Free hotel status and big point hauls for no fee.
Historical Offers Chart
Every public offer change we've tracked. Hover for details, timing your application is worth hundreds of dollars.
No numeric welcome bonus recorded
This product has no points- or cash-denominated offer to plot. Dated no-offer observations, non-points benefits, corrections, and primary-source links remain preserved in the table below.
| Observed | Offer | Requirement | What changed | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-06 | $0 | No recorded spend | Terms reconfirmedStill no bonus in its final year, the partnership ended June 20, 2016 | Archive record · no attached snapshot |
| 2005-03 | $0 | No recorded spend | Earliest recordNo signup bonus, the pitch was Costco integration and the annual rebate check | Archive record · no attached snapshot |
Primary-source verification log
Append-only evidence ledgerEvent-level primary-source attachments begin with the September 2026 verification system. Older records remain visible but are not retroactively presented as evidenced.
Historical record · spot an outdated offer? Report a correction above.
Last Recorded Earning Rates
These terms are historical context and are not presented as current.
- 3xUS gas stationsOn the first 4,000 dollars per year, then 1 percent
- 2xRestaurants and eligible travel
- 1xEverything else, including Costco
Last Recorded Credits
No statement credits, this card wins on earn rates, not coupons.
Last Recorded Benefits
Confirm availability and enrollment requirements with the issuer.
- ✦Doubled as the Costco membership card in your wallet
- ✦Annual rebate check redeemable in-warehouse
Why it earns its spot
- +Solid no-fee gas and dining earner for its era
- +Eleven million members made it one of America's biggest cobrands
Where it costs you
- −Only 1 percent inside Costco itself
- −Rewards came once a year as a paper coupon
The Compound Verdict
TrueEarnings was less a rewards card than a piece of Costco infrastructure: membership card, payment card and annual rebate check in one. When Costco put the contract out for bid, Citi and Visa won, and on June 20, 2016 roughly 11 million accounts moved to Citi in one of the largest portfolio transfers ever, becoming the Costco Anywhere Visa. Its death ended Amex's exclusive lock on Costco checkout lanes.
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