American Express
The premium-benefits powerhouse. Membership Rewards has the largest transfer partner list, and Amex Offers add real recurring value.
Application Rules
- ▸Once-per-lifetime rule: one welcome bonus per card product, ever (waived offers exist)
- ▸Pop-up jail: heavy churners may see 'not eligible' pop-ups at application
- ▸2/90: max 2 credit cards approved per 90 days
- ▸5 credit card max (charge cards don't count)
Tracked American Express Cards
The lounge king. The 2025 refresh raised the fee, and doubled down on credits.
4x at restaurants and US supermarkets. The foodie default.
2x on everything, no fee, full Membership Rewards. Quietly elite.
6% at US supermarkets. The family grocery card.
Free bags and a $200 flight credit at $10k spend.
Platinum lounge access plus a credit stack built for business spend.
4x in your top two business categories, automatically.
3x on travel, transit, and dining. The forgotten middle child that earns broadly.
3% groceries, gas, and online retail with no fee.
Companion certificate plus an MQD headstart for the Delta loyal.
Sky Club access and a first class companion certificate.
Free hotel status and big point hauls for no fee.
Gold status, quarterly Hilton credits, and a free night at $15k.
Instant Diamond status and a free night that beats the fee by itself.
Platinum Elite status and an 85k free night for serious Marriott stayers.
The Black Card. You do not apply. Amex calls you.
The free entry point to the Delta ecosystem.
Gold status and quarterly Hilton credits for the business traveler.
A free night and Gold Elite status for $125.
Free bags and a flight credit for the business that flies Delta a few times a year.
The companion certificate card for business Delta flyers.
Sky Club access and a first class companion certificate, at a premium price.
The Blue Business Plus in cash form: 2% on everything, no fee.
A $95 fee for 1x points. The downgrade landing pad, not a destination.
Pay early for 1.5% off, or float your bill 60 days. Discontinued March 2026.
Amex's 1.5% flat card. Closed to new applicants since 2024.
The only no-fee personal Membership Rewards card. Closed to new applicants since 2024.
4.5x at supermarkets if you swiped 30 times a month. Closed to new applicants since 2024.
The awkward middle child of the Marriott lineup, rescued by big welcome offers.
5% back at Amazon, or 90 day float. Pick your poison.
The most beloved card in hobby history, gone with Starwood itself.
5 percent on groceries and gas up to 50,000 dollars a year, never matched since.
Amex's quiet 1.33 percent travel card, finally folded into Cash Magnet in 2026.
The build-your-own charge card experiment that lasted two years.
The card that ended a 16-year Amex and Costco marriage.
The Plum Card's replacement: unlimited 2% back everywhere for a steep $295.
The Platinum with an escape hatch: cash points out to your Schwab brokerage at 1.1 cents.
The Platinum that can pay for itself through a Morgan Stanley CashPlus account.
The 5% off Lowe's contractor staple, retired in April 2026.
The pandemic-era small business lender Amex bought, then quietly retired.