Blue Cash PreferredAmerican Express
Terms checked 2026-10-19
6% at US supermarkets. The family grocery card.
$300 bonus (≈$300)AF: $95Rating: 8.3/10
TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express
By Alex Compton · Last verified
Costco’s former US Amex card, replaced by Citi’s Visa program in June 2016.
★ 7.2/10American ExpresspersonalTrueEarnings Cash Back
DiscontinuedBest for: Historical TrueEarnings and account-transition research
What happened to the Costco American Express TrueEarnings card?
TrueEarnings was Costco’s former US American Express card. Costco’s 2016 annual report confirms that its US credit-card network changed to Visa on June 20, 2016, with Citi taking over the co-branded card portfolio. This page is a historical reference, not an application for an available Amex card.
Costco’s 2016 transition disclosureWhich accounts moved to Citi?
Amex’s announcement described a transfer of eligible Costco co-branded accounts. Citi later reported converting 11 million Costco customers to its platform. Customers, individual cards and accounts are different measures, so that figure should not be described as 11 million accounts. For a particular old balance or statement, check the issuer shown on your records.
Amex’s portfolio-transfer announcementWas there a TrueEarnings business card?
This record covers the personal TrueEarnings card. Citi’s replacement lineup launched in June 2016 with both the Costco Anywhere Visa Card and Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card. If you are researching an old business account, use its own agreement and statements; do not apply this personal card’s archived reward details to it.
Citi’s report on the personal and business launchesWhich Costco card is available now?
Citi markets the Costco Anywhere Visa Card for Costco members. It is a Visa product with its own current application, earning rules and agreement. The historical Amex figures below are not the terms of that Citi card. Use the linked Citi page for current terms and the related reviews below to compare the personal and business versions.
Current Citi Costco card and termsLooking for a reward certificate or an old payment?
Costco’s current help page directs Citi reward questions to Citi. It says Citi certificates are issued with February billing statements and expire on December 31 of the year issued. Those instructions concern Citi rewards, not a promise that an old Amex coupon is redeemable. For a historical balance, payment or reward dispute, use the issuer and account details on the relevant statement.
Costco’s current Citi reward-certificate helpReview details and sources updated 2026-10-23
This review covers the legacy product and account transition. Historical terms retain their original verification date.
Welcome Bonus
None recorded
Last recorded offer
Spend Requirement
None recorded
Last recorded requirement
Annual Fee
$0
Last recorded · 2.7% FTF
Credit Score
N/A
(Discontinued)
Common Questions
Can I still apply for the Amex TrueEarnings card?
No. This is the discontinued US Costco American Express card. Costco changed its US card network to Visa on June 20, 2016, and Citi took over the co-branded portfolio.
Is TrueEarnings the same as Costco Anywhere Visa?
They are different products from different issuers. TrueEarnings was the American Express card; Costco Anywhere Visa is issued by Citi. Compare current Citi terms separately from the archived Amex terms.
When did Costco switch from American Express to Visa?
Costco’s annual report gives June 20, 2016 as the date it began accepting Visa in place of American Express in the United States.
What replaced the TrueEarnings business card?
Citi introduced the Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card alongside its personal Costco card in June 2016. This page’s historical reward figures describe the personal Amex card, not the business version.
Did 11 million TrueEarnings accounts transfer?
Citi’s 2016 report describes 11 million Costco customers converted to its platform. That is not a verified count of separate accounts. Amex’s transfer announcement referred to eligible co-branded accounts.
Where should I ask about an old TrueEarnings balance or rewards?
Use the issuer and account details on the statement for the period in question. Current Citi reward-certificate instructions do not establish the status of an old Amex coupon or an individual transferred account.
Open Alternatives
The TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express is no longer open to new applicants. Compare these cards for a similar use.
Blue Cash Everyday CardAmerican Express
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Historical Offers Chart
Dated offer history for this discontinued product.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-06 | $0 | No recorded spend | Earliest recordHistorical status marker: US Costco transition to Citi/Visa; not evidence of a signup bonus | Archive record · no attached snapshot |
Primary-source verification log
Append-only evidence ledger- changed
Corrected 11 million accounts to the report’s 11 million customers; verified personal and business Costco Visa launches. Does not verify individual account transfer status.
Fields: pros, ourTake, editorialReview
Citi 2016 annual report → - changed
Verified the June 20, 2016 US Visa transition; clarified the historical card record and removed unsupported zero-bonus timeline claims. Historical fee and rewards record date remains June 11.
Fields: tagline, currentOffer, offerHistory, ourTake, editorialReview
Costco 2016 annual report →
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.
- 3%US gas stationsOn the first 4,000 dollars per year, then 1 percent
- 2%Restaurants and eligible travel
- 1%Everything 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
- +Archived cash-back categories explain older reviews
- +A dated record of Costco’s former US card program
Where it costs you
- −Discontinued; no application for this Amex product
- −Historical rewards and fees do not describe the current Citi card
The Compound Verdict
Use this page to identify the former US Costco Amex card and understand its 2016 replacement. For a current Costco card decision, compare Citi’s personal and business Visa products. For an old account question, use the issuer shown on your statement rather than treating a general portfolio history as proof of your account’s status.
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