The Best American Express Cards of 2018

Originally posted on https://bonsaifinance.com/best-american-express-cards-2018-lc/

As one of the oldest credit card companies in the United States, American Express is a household name in credit financing.

For some, requesting your first American Express card is a rite of passage. Others use American Express cards because they have so many lifestyle options, as illustrated below.

But regardless of your reasons for wanting the card, keep reading this exclusive guide for information on the best Amex cards to use in 2018.

You might be wondering: “Which card is the right one for me?”

There are a number of American Express cards consumers can request in 2018. The ones listed below are the best ones for rewarding your lifestyle choices, whatever those may be:

• Blue Cash Preferred(R) Card from American Express
• The Amex EveryDay(R) Credit Card from American Express
• SimplyCash(R) Plus Business Credit Card from American Express
• The Business Gold Rewards(R) Card from American Express
• Starwood Preferred Guest(R) Credit Card from American Express
• Gold Delta SkyMiles(R) Credit Card from American Express
• The Platinum Card(R) from American Express

These American Express cards offer perks in a few different ways, as described below. Membership reward programs come in a number of convenient forms, these include:

• Cash-back cards: A rewards program where consumers earn money for the purchases they make
• Flexible business spending rewards: These cards incentivize business purchases in a number of spending categories; and
• Travel cards: They offer travel perks and/or flyer miles on qualifying purchases

Amex offers a number of options for every personal taste. Keep reading to find the best card to enhance your lifestyle in 2018.

• If you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months, you get a $200 cash-back statement credit
• 6% cash-back on supermarket purchases up to $6k, 1% after that
• 3% cash-back at gas stations and select locations;
• 1% cash-back on all other purchases
• 0% APR for 12 months
• Reasonable annual fee: $95
• Rewards are straight-forward and easy to redeem
• Widely accepted

The Blue Cash Preferred(R) card makes the list as one of Amex’s most notable (and recognizable) cash reward cards. If you are looking for a card that rewards you for spending in a general way, this might be the right card for you.

To qualify for this card, lenders analyze your credit. The recommended credit range for requesting is Good to Excellent.

The Blue Cash Preferred(R) card is great because it rewards you most for the purchases you make, every day. It offers a flexible and intuitive reward system where rewards can be redeemed for money to buy just about anything.

It’s not the most accessible card since you need to have a credit rating that is good in order to be approved.

This is a great card for students with good credit, looking to further build their credit using everyday purchases. It’s awesome for people who commute or drive often and spend a bit of money on convenience stores and gas stations.

• If you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months, get 10,000 Membership Rewards(R) points
• 0% for 15 months
• No balance transfer penalty fees
• $0 annual fee
• Double points at supermarkets on up to $6k, then single points apply
• Use your card 20+ times during a billing cycle and get a 20% points bonus, certain rules apply
• Widely accepted

The Amex EveryDay(R) card offers a flexible point system ideal for credit requestors that already have established credit worthiness and want an everyday spending card.

The recommended credit range for this card is Good to Excellent.

Card users benefit from Amex’s user-friendly, flexible points reward system. Points can be redeemed for items from a digital catalog. For a credit card that doesn’t have an annual fee, it offers some pretty useful rewards.

There are a lot of cards on the market that offer a similar point system. Some of them have fewer requirements and stipulations.

This card might be the right one for people who have existing credit. It could serve to refinance existing credit card debt for some requestors. It’s also good as an everyday spending card like the name implies.

If you use your card a lot in the day-to-day and you are looking for one with a solid reward system, this could be the card for you.

• 5% cash back on the qualifying cell phone and office supply spend
• 3% cash back in a category of your choice from the options available
• 1% cash back on other purchases
• SimplyCash(R) offers flexible spending categories like travel, hotels and gas stations, restaurants, advertising/media spending and more
• $0 annual fee
• Widely accepted

The SimplyCash(R) Plus Business card is a cash-back rewards card for business owners that allows them the flexibility to use rewards on things they are buying anyway. In this way, it’s unique because it has a wide variety of customizable spending categories.

The recommended credit range is Good to Excellent.

The biggest pro is that this card offers flexible spending perks. By allowing business owners to choose a perk each year that is important to them, they get bonuses for purchases they want and need. Other cards have pre-chosen spending categories, that don’t resonate with all businesses.

The perks mostly apply to domestic travel and businesses, so it’s not a great card for people who travel internationally for work. There are other cards on the market better suited for international travelers.

Business owners and people who travel for business can benefit from some of the highest perks with no annual fees. This card offers business owners who rely on credit a number of opportunities to reap rewards benefit.

But if international travel is your forte, this may not be the American Express card for you.

• $0 annual fee first year, $175 subsequent years
• Earn a bonus of 50,000 membership reward points in the first 3-months when you spend $5k on the card
• Get a 3x point bonus on a category that you choose from these 5: airfare, advertising, gas stations, shipping, and technology
• Get double points on the remaining categories
• Single points earned on all other purchases up to $100,000
• No foreign transaction fees assessed
• Widely accepted

The Business Gold Rewards(R) card provides flexibility to business owners to earn points on their relevant purchases, and more perks than the SimplyCash(R) card but at a higher annual cost.

The recommended credit range is Good to Excellent.

The Business Gold Rewards(R) maximizes business purchases by offering category flexibility on points. It offers a large number of rewards when compared to other cards.

It’s more expensive annually than some other business cards, including the SimplyCash(R) card mentioned above.

Business owners who are financially comfortable and have good credit will get a lot of use from this card if approved.

While this card comes with a medium-high annual fee, it offers a number of perks to cardholders. Much more so than cards with no annual fee or a low one, meaning this card can pay off for the right requestor.

• After $3,000 worth of spending in the introductory 3-month period, you get 30,000-star points to use on purchases in participating locations
• $0 membership fee for 12 months, after that $95 annual fee
• Starwood points are redeemable at hotels in the Starwood network, including St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, Le M?ridien, Westin, Sheraton, Aloft, Element Hotels, Four Points by Sheraton, Tribute Portfolio and Design Hotels.
• Point bonuses on eligible transactions
• Receive points for free hotel stays and flights with no blackout dates
• Receive premium internet in your room
• Widely accepted

The Starwood Preferred Guest(R) card is a good Amex option for travelers. It offers points that can be redeemed for discounted hotel stays and perks like “elite membership” that come with occasional free hotel packages.

The recommended credit score for requesting this card is for the Good to the Excellent range.

People who get this card benefit from a wide range of travel options that can be redeemed using a point system. They have a wide selection of hotels to choose from and can sometimes earn free hotel and travel package perks.

The points are worth about $0.03 – $0.05 each, which makes them redeemable at a higher value than many other rewards cards.

That’s a lot of bang for $0 a year in introductory annual fees and a very reasonable $95 a year after that.

After a merger of Marriot and Starwood, the cards future is uncertain. For now, all privileges and perks are staying intact, but Marriott will likely come up with their own rewards card.

This is a good card for people who travel for business or just get around a lot. It’s particularly useful for anyone who needs to make hotel accommodations.

• $0 in annual membership fees for the first year, then $95
• No foreign transaction fees
• Get SkyMiles in the form of points that allow you to fly with Delta
• Spend $2,000 in the first 3-months and get 50,000 bonus miles and a statement credit of $50
• Widely accepted

This card is similar to a point card, but it offers SkyMiles instead. SkyMiles can be redeemed for tickets to fly on Delta or upgrades on flight tickets and other Delta perks.

The recommended credit range is Good to Excellent.

This is a straight-forward frequent-flyer miles type system. If you fly often this could be a good card for you with $0 introductory annual fee.

If you don’t fly Delta, or prefer another domestic airline, reconsider requesting this card.

Anyone who flies a lot and prefers to fly Delta to other domestic airlines.

• In the first 3-months, spend $5,000 and get 60,000 in membership reward points
• Booking flights and hotels through Amex travel resources yields higher point bonuses, 5 points for every $1 spent
• Annual $200 credit to use toward airfare
• Access to exclusive airport members-only lounges
• $200 worth of Uber credits per year
• Select reimbursement on request fee for Global Entry ($100) or TSA Pre-Check ($85), terms apply
• Gold status with Starwood Preferred Guest and Hilton HHonors for additional hotel perks
• Automatic upgrades to hotel rooms and amenities under certain conditions, terms apply
• Enrollment in Amex dining program which offers reservations, select seating and exclusive dining experiences
• No foreign transaction fees
• Card is made of stainless steel
• $550 annual fee
• Widely accepted

On the one side you have the SimplyCash(R) card with no annual fee, and on the other end of the spectrum is the Platinum card with its steep fees. But if you pay for what you get, this card certainly has its perks!

The recommended credit range is Good to Excellent.

This card allows cardholders to have a life of luxury and travel with a number of benefits, as listed above.

On this list, no other card comes close to amassing the number of benefits that the Platinum Card(R) has. Few on the market even come close.

This is an exclusive card for those who can afford it.

The Platinum Card(R) is an expensive card to have. Annual fees are $550 a year. If you aren’t a big spender or luxury traveler other cards are likely better suited to your taste and cost less.

Anyone who travels a lot and can afford the steep fees might consider the Platinum Card(R).

All of the above Amex cards require a Good to Excellent credit rating to qualify. This is usually between 690 and 850. Credit score will be a deciding factor in approval and Annual Percentage Rate (APR).

The APR range is generally 14.24% – 24.24%.

American Express offers much for consumers who want to make the most of their lifestyle. Be it business or pleasure, there’s something for everyone when you request an AmEx card.

That’s because Amex focuses on three major lifestyle categories: everyday purchases, business and luxury travel. With flexible options, there are a lot of choices for the average consumer in 2018.

For more helpful information about selecting the right credit card, visit us here.