Asking me to pick my favorite credit card would be like asking a father of 22 to pick his favorite child. And yes, I do have that many open, active credit cards (but only one child).
However, there’s one card that I use more frequently than any other in my wallet — and that’s my American Express® Gold Card.
Here’s why the Amex Gold has been (and will remain) a mainstay in my wallet.
Lucrative earning rates
The most appealing feature of the card is a pair of lucrative bonus categories:
4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide
4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases every year, then 1 point per dollar)
I often eat out with my family, but we also love to cook at home. While it sometimes seems like our grocery bill is high, we never come anywhere near the Amex Gold’s yearly spending cap ($25,000 a year, equating to $480 a week.) And since the card waives foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), I can confidently swipe it at restaurants abroad to still earn those bonus points.
These bonus categories alone make the Amex Gold a perfect fit for me.
Read more: The best credit cards for dining
Uber and Grubhub benefits
Beyond the everyday earning rates, I’m a big fan of the card’s extra benefits.
I’m not a power Uber user, but we easily find ways to use the $10 in Uber Cash each month that the Amex Gold offers, which is valid for Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S. I also typically treat myself to lunch through a participating dining partner to receive up to $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
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By maxing out both benefits, I effectively reduce the annual fee on the card from $250 (see rates and fees) to just $10.
Targeted offers
In my opinion, one of the most underutilized perks of travel cards is access to targeted discounts and offers. And of the major issuers, Amex Offers are my favorite.
In the past three years, I’ve received a total of $265 in statement credits by adding these offers to my Amex Gold card. In addition, I’ve been targeted for a 20,000-point bonus for activating Amex Pay Over Time on the card (worth $400 to me), and I also referred a friend to the card earlier in the year, resulting in a one-time bonus of 20,000 points along with three months of an extra 5 points per dollar on U.S. supermarket purchases (since expired).
These offers help boost my Membership Rewards points balance.
Related: How to refer friends and earn points, miles or cash credits
Valuable transfer partners
Finally, I love redeeming American Express Membership Rewards points. We value Amex points at 2 cents apiece here at TPG, thanks to the program’s valuable transfer partners — including Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles and British Airways Avios.
Earlier this year, I booked round-trip, business-class flights on Philippine Airlines from the U.S. to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) by transferring just 95,000 points to ANA Mileage Club. These flights would’ve set me back more than $6,000 had I paid out of pocket.
I also frequently convert my Amex points to Avios to book Iberia business-class tickets to Spain. On off-peak dates, nonstop flights are just 42,500 Avios from nearby Miami International Airport (MIA) to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) — though they start at just 34,000 Avios from Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD).
In fact, thanks to the current 30% transfer bonus, you can snag these flights for as little as 27,000 Amex points each way.
Related: The best American Express cards
Bottom line
I get a ton of value from my 22 travel cards, but the Amex Gold card stands out. I love earning 4 points per dollar on a large part of my everyday spending, and Amex’s transfer partners help me and my family travel the world. The added perks and targeted offers are just icing on the cake.
If you’re not yet a cardholder, you can apply today to earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. However, you should also check the CardMatch tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher welcome bonus (offer subject to change at any time).
Official application link: American Express Gold Card
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
Update 8/19/22: Back as a targeted banner offer (ht Vanson)
Update 6/16/22: Offer has expired
The Offer
Direct Link to offer (shows up in incognito mode and via referrals for some)
American Express is offering a sign up bonus of 100,000 points after $4,000 on the Gold card
Card Details
Our Verdict
Previous best was 90,000 points + 20% back on restaurants up to $250. That offer was better if you could do the restaurant spend but some might prefer the simplicity of this offer if they can’t easily do that spend. We will add this to our list of the best credit card bonuses.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
As you load your cart in celebration of Amazon’s annual Prime Day event this July 11-12, make sure you’re maximizing your purchases by paying with a credit card that earns rewards on top of your killer savings.
However, determining which card is right for you for Amazon purchases requires looking beyond just points-earning rates and considering other factors, such as rewards currencies, purchase protection and extended warranties. In some cases, you might even want to consider different cards depending on the specific purchase. Additionally, your best option may vary based on whether you’re a Prime member and what other cards you already carry.
And even if you don’t actually use a participating card, you may be eligible for a discount of up to 50% on your purchase by applying just 1 American Express or Chase point to your purchase.
With all those things in mind, here’s a look at the best credit cards to use when shopping at Amazon.
Best credit cards for Amazon purchases
The information for the Prime Visa and Discover it Cash Back card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Prime Visa
At first glance, Amazon’s own Prime Visa appears to be the most exciting option — and for most people, it probably is. The Prime member-exclusive card, which should not be mistaken for the basic Amazon Rewards Visa Signature, does not charge an annual fee (though you do need to pay for Prime membership, obviously).
It offers an impressive 5% cash back on all Amazon and Whole Foods purchases; 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores; and 1% back on all other purchases.
Plus, cardholders will enjoy bonus earnings on Prime Day this year. On July 11-12, Prime Visa cardholders will earn 6% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market.
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The biggest drawback is that the high return on spending is all this card really has to offer. While it comes with purchase protection (it covers items up to $500 in value if they’re damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase) and extended warranty protection, it doesn’t include important purchase benefits like price protection and return protection, so it’s not ideal for large purchases.
The other drawback is that you need a Prime membership ($139 per year) to qualify. Although with so many U.S. households already subscribed to Prime, that’s probably not much of an issue for the card’s target demographic.
For more details, check out our full review of the Prime Visa.
Capital One Venture X and Venture cards
If you want transferable points on your Amazon purchases, a pair of cards from Capital One could be good options. That’s because both the Venture X Rewards card and the Venture Rewards card offer 2 miles per dollar spent on everyday purchases — including Amazon.
Based on TPG’s most recent point valuations, that’s a very respectable 3.7% return (valuations are an estimate and not provided by the issuer).
Beyond that, both cards offer identical sign-up bonuses (75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening).
Check out our comparison of the two Venture cards for additional details.
Official application links: Capital One Venture X and Capital One Venture, each with 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
If you’re not a Prime subscriber and still want a solid return on your spending from a card with no annual fee, your best bet may be to go with the Chase Freedom Unlimited. The Freedom Unlimited provides 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining. All other purchases will earn 1.5% cash back.
While that’s a solid return on its own, you could potentially double the value of your rewards by pairing the Freedom Unlimited with a Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.
By doing so, you can convert your cash-back points into full-fledged transferable Ultimate Rewards points, worth 2 cents each based on TPG’s monthly points valuations.
Related: The power of the Chase Trifecta: Sapphire Reserve, Ink Preferred and Freedom Unlimited
Additionally, the Freedom Unlimited also offers 120-day purchase protection and extended warranty protection that extends eligible manufacturer’s warranties by an additional year. Like the two Amazon cards, this one does not have an annual fee.
For more details, check out our full review of the Freedom Unlimited.
Official application link: Chase Freedom Unlimited with an additional 1.5% back on all purchases up to $20,000 spent in the first year.
Discover it Cash Back
Amazon’s Prime Visa isn’t the only card to offer 5% cash back on purchases — the no-annual-fee Discover it Cash Back does, too (on rotating categories, up to $1,500 each quarter you activate, and 1% cash back after that) — and this one doesn’t require you to be a Prime member. However, this earning rate is typically only available on Amazon purchases just one quarter out of the year, and even that isn’t guaranteed to come around every year.
The most recent times Amazon was a rotating category were in the last quarter (Q4) of 2021 and 2022.
Keep in mind that while this card is great for Amazon purchases during any quarter when Amazon is among the retailers that count toward bonus earning, it isn’t the best card to use year-round. When Amazon is not a part of the quarterly cash-back bonus category, your purchases will only receive 1% back.
However, what makes the card shine is that Discover will match your rewards at the end of your first cardmember year, so you could get up to 10% back on Amazon.com purchases from a quarter when it’s a bonus retailer.
Unfortunately, the card has discontinued other benefits, including extended product warranty, return guarantee, purchase protection and price protection.
For more details, check out our full review of the Discover it Cash Back.
American Express® Gold Card
This card is a good choice for those who make many high-value purchases on Amazon.
With the Amex Gold Card, you’ll earn 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar on Amazon purchases, yielding a return of 2% based on TPG’s valuations. Unless there’s an Amazon deal available through Amex Offers, this won’t be the best card from an earning perspective.
The biggest benefit of using the card is its generous purchase protection policy. While many cards include a similar perk, the Amex Gold Card provides an astounding $10,000 in protection per incident and up to $50,000 for all incidents in a calendar year.*
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Related: Best credit cards for purchase protection
The Amex Gold Card has a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), but its benefits — including up to $120 in dining credits each calendar year at participating restaurants/locations and up to $120 in Uber Cash each year ($10 monthly credits) — make the card worthwhile. The card must be added to your Uber account to receive the Uber Cash benefit. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
For more details, check out our full review of the Amex Gold.
Official application link: American Express Gold Card with a 60,000-point welcome offer after spending $4,000 in the first six months of card membership. However, you may be targeted for a higher welcome bonus through the CardMatch tool (offer is subject to change at any time).
Bottom line
As you can see, picking a card for Amazon purchases isn’t as simple as going with the one at the top of this list.
The best rewards credit card for you depends on your personal habits and priorities. So, while the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card offers a high return on Amazon purchases, it’s not everyone’s best option, as it’s only available to Prime members and lacks key shopping protections, which you’ll want for larger purchases.
Card benefits such as return protection have proved extremely valuable and may be worth sacrificing 2%-3% in rewards in the long run. Additionally, if you’ve been saving up transferable points for a specific redemption, it may make sense to earn rewards in that currency rather than cash back so that you can top off your account and book that award trip you’ve been dreaming about sooner.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, click here.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Ryan Wilcox, Stella Shon and Benét J. Wilson.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
While applying for a new credit card is typically the fastest and easiest way to rack up a meaningful number of points and miles, sometimes the first bonus offer you see for a given card isn’t always the best.
Before applying for a new credit card, it makes sense to take a few minutes ensuring you’re getting the best deal possible.
This is important because you can often only get card welcome bonuses once — or at least only once for several years. Sometimes, targeted offers are available to lucky individuals who can get a higher sign-up bonus than just by going with the publicly-available link.
Targeted offers can be sent in the mail, via email, might be lurking in your online bank or loyalty account, can be sent to you by friends who make referrals or might sometimes even live in the CardMatch Tool. It’s important to say upfront that we’ll never know the full answer to how to get a better credit card bonus offer as companies spend a lot of money developing proprietary methods for generating and targeting these offers.
Still, we’ve been around card offers enough to make a few educated guesses on how this works — and how to improve the chances you find and notice these offers.
Related: These credit card offers are worth $1,000 or more
Use the CardMatch tool
Let’s start with a tool that is an obvious first stop when seeing if you have special offers available to you.
By using the CardMatch Tool (offers subject to change at anytime), you sometimes gain access to enhanced welcome offers on cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or the American Express® Gold Card that’s available to a select group of individuals. In the past, we’ve seen CardMatch include an up to 125,000-point welcome offer for the Platinum Card and up to 75,000 points on the Gold Card after meeting minimum spend requirements.
The CardMatch website explains that after you input your information, a soft credit check will be performed.
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This means CardMatch accesses the information on your credit report, but this won’t show up on your credit report or affect your score in any way (i.e. it’s not a new inquiry on your report). Of course, if you go ahead and actually apply for one of these cards, then that will be a regular new account on your report.
CardMatch partners with several banks, including Chase, Amex and Capital One, and based on the information they obtain from your credit report, they use a proprietary algorithm specific to each card issuer to generate offers for you.
Anecdotally, we’ve seen some of the best CardMatch offers with American Express, specifically often available to those who don’t have any other open accounts with that bank. And while we didn’t find an especially high offer today in our searches, it has happened and is a place worth checking.
Related: How to use CardMatch to potentially get better offers
Check your pre-approval offers
Sometimes, you have better offers — or perhaps even better eligibility terms — available to you via some pre-approval offers.
These offers may arrive in your email inbox or physical mailbox, but you can also go looking for them. While a pre-approved offer doesn’t guarantee you’ll get approved, you likely have solid odds — and potentially access to better offers.
When logged into your Chase account, you can scroll to the top and select “Open an account” and then click on the “Just for you” option to see if there are any special terms or offers available for you based on your existing Chase relationship. While it’s not an exact science, the more accounts you already have open with Chase, the smaller chance a new account will be dangled in front of your face.
Related: All about the Chase 5/24 rule
Refer a friend
Sometimes, a bank decides that the best way to find cardholders similar to the ones they already have is to let their current cardholders do the ‘work’ in referring their friends. There’s usually a set number of bonus points or miles given to the one who makes the referral if someone gets approved with their links, making it a potential win-win.
These friend referral links can be the same, better or occasionally worse than the common public offer.
However, on the flip side, there are sometimes referrals that are better than the public offers either on their own or at least once you factor in bonus points you’ll get for referring someone like your partner to the card.
AMEX
Ask in person
There are some increased card offers that you can only get in person at the physical bank. For example, we’ve seen the Chase Sapphire Preferred have a 10,000-point higher bonus in the physical Chase bank than online.
Pay attention to your inbox
Sometimes the best offers will come directly to you and aren’t available via shareable links. When you get a credit card mailer in the mail or in your email, it’s certainly worth taking a look at it and comparing it to the publicly available offers, which you can often see on this page.
We’ve seen individually targeted offers as high as 200,000 points for some cards when public offers are just at 100,000 or less, so always keep your ears and eyes peeled when something is addressed directly to you and don’t opt out of marketing emails and sends from banks unless you really don’t want to receive anything.
Bottom line
While we’ll never know exactly why one person receives a targeted offer and the next person doesn’t, it helps to put yourself in the mind of the companies sending out these offers and think about what they’re trying to achieve: new business.
When it comes to new card openings, banks are looking for responsible and valuable long-term customers, while airlines and hotels are simply looking to attract new customers away from their rivals. If a targeted offer succeeds in getting even a few years of loyalty, it’s likely done its job perfectly.
Once you see an offer, it’s worth comparing it to the offer history for that card in one of the guides below so that you can be confident that you are maximizing your points and miles:
Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg and Summer Hull.
For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, please click here .
A comparison between two standout travel credit cards, the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express, is the rare case where it’s hard to pick a clear winner. If you’re more interested in the perks, the Platinum is a dream for the high roller who wants to travel in style. But the Gold is a better earner and worthy travel companion, too, offering 4x points on dining worldwide (and at U.S. supermarkets). Terms apply.
Here’s a guide to help you decide what card to get — and when it makes sense to get both.
American Express® Gold Card
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Annual fee
Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
4x points at restaurants worldwide.
4x points at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases.
3x points on airfare on a scheduled flight charged directly with passenger airlines and charged directly with amextravel.com.
1x points on everything else.
Terms apply.
5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5x points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
1x points on everything else.
Terms apply.
Extra perks
$120 dining credit, up to $10 per month at select restaurants. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash credit, up to $10 per month.
Terms apply.
$200 hotel credit.
$240 digital entertainment credit. Enrollment required.
$200 Uber Cash credit; $10 per month plus a $20 bonus in Dec.
$300 Equinox credit.
$189 CLEAR Plus credit.
Up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credit; $50 semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$100 Global Entry credit.
$300 SoulCycle at-home bike credit. Enrollment required.
Terms apply.
Why you’d want The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum is a bonafide premium travel credit card for the bonafide traveler. Its annual fee is among the highest compared to cards in its class, but in exchange, cardholders receive several superior travel perks that make flights, stays and car rentals a luxe experience.
Airport lounge access
Don’t want to wait at the gate with the masses? The Platinum Card® from American Express has you covered. Cardholders can enjoy complimentary snacks, drinks, Wi-Fi and even a hot shower with access to more than 1,400 airport lounges around the world. That includes the exclusive American Express Centurion lounges, which only Platinum and Black card holders can enter. The American Express® Gold Card, on the other hand, won’t grant entry into any lounge.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Unlike the American Express Gold Card, the The Platinum Card® from American Express offers cell phone protection up to $800 per claim, or $1,600 (two claims) per 12-month period when you charge the bill on your card and pay a $50 deductible. (Insurance is underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply.)
Automatic status
Nothing says traveling in luxury like room upgrades, VIP treatment and the ability to skip the line. The Platinum Card® from American Express gives its cardholders these automatic status boosts:
Concierge services
Help scoring tickets to world-class sporting events, reservations at posh restaurants and seats at the hottest concerts can be yours with The Platinum Card® from American Express. Just call the number on the back of your card to connect with a Platinum Concierge, who can help with everything from sending flowers to navigating travel disruptions. Access to such in-demand experiences pairs nicely with the card’s Platinum Travel Service that can create custom trip itineraries.
Why you’d want the American Express® Gold Card
Smaller annual fee
The American Express® Gold Card costs about $400 less in annual fees than The Platinum Card® from American Express, a significant difference. Sure, the Gold still isn’t cheap, but it can pack tremendous value.
Both cards have Uber Cash credits, too. The Gold’s is worth up to $120 (doled out in monthly increments of $10) while the Platinum’s is up to $200. But, if you’re able to get the full value of the American Express® Gold Card Uber credit — which you can do pretty easily by calling an Uber or ordering from Uber Eats every month — you’ll nearly cut the Gold’s annual fee in half.
To get the credits, the AmEx Gold Card must be added as a payment method in the Uber app, and credits are only awarded for U.S. Uber rides and Uber Eats orders. Terms apply.
Superior rewards-earnings
The American Express® Gold Card is a rewards powerhouse — not just compared to The Platinum Card® from American Express, which earns a paltry 1x points on most purchases, but compared to many other rewards cards. It boasts a whopping 4x rewards rates on the popular spending categories of restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year; 1x thereafter). It ranks on NerdWallet’s lists of best credit cards for groceries and restaurants. Terms apply.
If your household spends $12,000 a year on groceries and dining, you’d earn 48,000 Membership Rewards by putting all of those expenses on the Gold card. If you’re willing to put in a little effort to transfer and redeem points with travel partners rather than with AmEx directly, you can reap outsized value. NerdWallet values American Express Membership Rewards at 2 cents each when transferred to partners to book travel.
Why you’d get both
If you can afford two high annual fees, consider getting the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express. For the dedicated traveler, they make a perfect pairing. You’ll get all of the travel perks from the Platinum and big rewards rates on everyday spending categories with the Gold. Ultimately, the Gold can help you rack up Membership Rewards to pay for travel, while the Platinum can make the actual travel experience more enjoyable.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, like all co-branded travel cards, is aimed at people who regularly fly with Southwest Airlines.
This is a premium travel card that offers 3,000 miles every year you have it, a discount on in-flight purchases, and two free EarlyBird Check-Ins each year.
This card also features a rewards structure, providing bonus miles on spending categories like transit, commuting, internet, cable, phone, and select streaming.
Another strength of this card is its 60,000-mile signup bonus — which is more than enough to get you a round-trip ticket or two!
If you’re thinking about adding the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card to your wallet, this guide will help you decide.
What’s Ahead:
Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card for me?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card is designed for frequent flyers who like to travel with Southwest.
This means that if you’re a loyal Southwest customer or live near a Southwest hub, this card might be a great option for you. You’ll accelerate your earnings toward free flights and get some solid perks, such as two free EarlyBird Check-Ins each year.
If you aren’t a fan of Southwest or live in a place where Southwest isn’t as prevalent, this card likely won’t be as valuable as another airline or generic travel rewards credit card.
What makes this credit card different?
What makes the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card different is its focus on Southwest Airlines.
Because it’s a co-branded card, it can offer unique benefits and perks that generic travel credit cards can’t. If you fly Southwest frequently, you’ll enjoy these perks.
This card also comes with a great signup bonus in the form of 60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code when you spend $3,000 using the card within three months of opening your account.
You can also receive 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year. With the Companion Pass, you can name one person, such as a spouse, partner, or friend, to be your companion. They can get a free ticket on any flight you book for yourself.
Generic travel cards don’t offer these specialized benefits and bonuses, so they likely won’t be as appealing to people who prefer to fly with Southwest.
Related: Best credit card sign up bonuses
What are my chances of getting approved?
As with any credit card, it’s important to think about whether you have a chance of qualifying before you apply. Applying for a new credit card drops your credit score by a few points, so you don’t want to lower your credit for no reason.
Chase, this Southwest credit card’s issuer, says that applicants require good credit to be eligible for the card. That means you should try to have a credit score of about 670 or higher before you apply.
All the details of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card
Credit cards are complicated, so before you sign up for one, you must make sure you understand how they work.
Rates and fees
The first thing to look at when you want to get a new credit card is how much the card will cost. Some cards, including travel cards, have annual fees, so you want to make sure the benefits and perks you’ll get cover the cost of having the card.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card charges $69 per year.
Perks and rewards
When it comes to travel cards, it’s all about the perks and rewards. A good travel card should let you earn your way toward free trips and help you travel more comfortably.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card does it all, with a great signup bonus, strong ongoing rewards, and some nice perks to use whenever you’re on a flight.
To start things off, you can earn 60,000 points plus a 30% off promo code when you spend $3,000 within your first three months of having the card.
After that, you’ll earn:
2 points for each dollar spent on Southwest purchases.
2 points for each dollar spent on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
2 points for each dollar spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2 points for each dollar spent on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services.
1 point for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
As for perks, cardholders will get a 3,000-point bonus on each card member anniversary. You can also use the card to get two free EarlyBird Check-Ins each year and 25% back on all inflight purchases.
You’ll also get all the typical credit card perks and benefits, including extended warranty protection and purchase protection.
Related: Best travel rewards cards
How to apply
The easiest way to apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is to visit Chase’s website. Chase is the bank that Southwest partners with to offer this credit card.
To start the process, you’ll enter your personal info, including your:
Name.
Date of birth.
Mother’s maiden name.
Social Security number.
Address.
You’ll also need to provide your Southwest Rapid Rewards number if you have one. If you don’t, Chase will automatically set one up for you if you’re approved.
Finally, you’ll enter whether you rent or own, your monthly rent payment amount (if applicable), and your total annual income. Once you apply, Chase will review it and make a lending decision.
Typically, Chase can make a decision instantly. However, if the bank has trouble matching your information to your credit file or wants to take a closer look at some of the application details, you may have to wait for a decision in the mail.
Contact info
If you have issues with your Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card, the best thing to do is reach out to Chase’s customer service.
You can contact Chase by signing in to your account and sending a secure message. You can also call credit card customer service at 1-800-432-3117 or contact @ChaseSupport on social media.
Other stuff you should know
One important thing to note about the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is that it’s not the only Southwest travel card available. There are two others: the Priority card and the Premier card.
The Plus is the entry-level card. It has the lowest annual fee but the fewest perks of the three Southwest cards.
The Premier card is the next level up from the Plus card. It has a higher annual fee at $99 but offers 3x points on all Southwest purchases, 6,000 points on every cardmember anniversary, and bonus qualifying points toward A-List status.
The Priority card is the top-end Southwest card. It has a $149 annual fee but offers 7,500 points on every card member anniversary and a $75 credit for Southwest travel each year. You’ll also receive four upgraded boardings each year.
Another thing to consider is that the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is designed for Southwest flyers. The rewards you earn are pretty inflexible and typically only good for Southwest flights. There are some gift card redemption options, but they aren’t a good value.
Alternative credit cards to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card Credit Card
If the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card doesn’t seem like the right one for you, consider the following alternatives:
Southwest Priority: This card is useful for people who spend a lot on it and want to earn A-List status.
Southwest Premier: For frequent travelers, this card’s annual statement credit and points mostly cover the fee. You’ll also enjoy the upgraded boarding perk.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: This is another Chase card with far more flexible rewards, letting you redeem points for any travel.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: This card has a $95 annual fee and offers strong cash back rates on travel purchases.
American Express Gold: This is the mid-tier Membership Rewards card. It offers flexible rewards and a good earnings rate on food and travel.
How do you determine which credit card is right for you?
When you’re in the market for a new credit card, you should compare your options to find the right one. When making this comparison, consider the following factors:
Your ability to qualify. Card issuers design different cards for people with different credit profiles. Before you apply, make sure you have a good chance of qualifying for the card.
Fees. Some cards, especially travel cards, carry annual fees. Make sure you’re getting enough value from the card to make the fee worth paying.
Perks. Each card has a different set of perks and benefits. Make sure the perks you receive from the card are useful for you.
Rewards. Credit cards can offer cash back, points, miles, or other rewards. Make sure the rewards on offer align with your goals. It’s also important to think about their flexibility. You don’t want to be stuck with miles you can’t use. Also, consider the rate of earning those rewards, and look for cards that offer bonuses on the types of purchases you make most often.
Rates. In general, you should avoid carrying a credit card balance whenever possible. However, sometimes you have to carry a balance. When that happens, having a card with a low interest rate is good.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card FAQ
Can I pool my Southwest miles with someone else’s?
No, Southwest does not offer any way to pool your rewards with another person.
What is the Southwest Companion Pass?
The Southwest Companion Pass is a perk you can earn through a credit card signup bonus or by taking a lot of flights in a single year. When you earn this pass, you can choose one other person to get a free ticket on every flight you book until the end of the calendar year after you earned it.
So, if you earn the pass in 2023, it will expire at the end of 2024. Some passes earned through promotions have different expiration dates.
Can I redeem my Southwest points for things other than flights?
Yes, you can redeem your Southwest points for gift cards to many popular retailers. However, redeeming points for flights is typically a better value.
Why choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card?
With a strong signup bonus and some nice perks, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card is a good option for frequent Southwest fliers.
Given its reasonable price, substantial signup bonus, and valuable perks, we give the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card a 4 out of 5 rating.
If you think this is the right card for you, apply now.
With the start of summer upon us, now may be a great time to evaluate your credit card portfolio. Credit card sign-up bonuses and welcome offers are the quickest and easiest way to rake in lots of points and miles, so we regularly update the roundup of our favorite current offers in our best credit cards guide.
But to help you keep up with an ever-changing list of bonuses, we’ve also compiled a list of the best card offers currently available — especially the ones that are worth an extra look right now because they are at all-time highs or may end soon.
Since many issuers have restrictions on how often you can earn a bonus on a card, it’s important to time your application for when there’s a good offer. Also, higher bonuses don’t always stick around for long, so if you’re considering one of these offers, you’ll want to hop on it sooner rather than later.
Finally, if you’re not ready to jump on a higher-end card, consider these great starter cards or even one with a 0% introductory annual percentage rate (APR) offer.
The best credit card offers for June 2023
Card
Sign-up bonus/welcome offer
Welcome offer value*
Annual fee
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
$2,400.
$695 (see rates and fees).
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
100,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
$2,000.
$95.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
80,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first six months, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply).
$1,600.
$695 (see rates and fees).
American Express® Green Card
60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in their first six months of card membership. Also, get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back.
$1,400 ($1,200 in points plus up to $200 in cash back).
$150 (see rates and fees).
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
$1,388.
$395.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
$1,388.
$95.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
$1,200.
$550.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
$1,200.
$95.
American Express® Gold Card
60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months of card membership, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply).
$1,200.
$250 (see rates and fees).
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
$900.
$69 (Plus), $99 (Premier) and $149 (Priority).
United Club Infinite Card
80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Aug. 9.
$880.
$525.
IHG Rewards Premier Business Card
165,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
$825.
$99.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends July 19.
$780.
$95 (see rates and fees).
* Welcome offer value is determined using TPG valuations and is not provided by nor reviewed by the issuer.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
This business card stands out not only for its 120,000-point welcome offer but thanks to added travel perks that can easily cover the card’s $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Cardholders enjoy automatic Gold status in both the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs, along with access to a wide variety of airport lounges — including Amex Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club (when traveling on same-day Delta flights). Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Cardholders also enjoy 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked at American Express Travel, along with 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year).
Related: Amex refreshes Business Platinum Card with new perks, higher annual fee and a 120,000-point bonus
On top of that, the card comes with up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits and a 35% points rebate for flights booked through Amex Travel in first or business class on any airline (up to 1 million points back per calendar year), or in any class on the U.S. airline of your choice each year. Non-travel benefits include up to $400 in annual statement credits toward U.S. Dell purchases, up to $360 in credits toward Indeed, up to $150 toward select Adobe purchases and up to $120 toward wireless telephone services.
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Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Read our review of the American Express Business Platinum Card for more information.
Official application link: The Business Platinum Card® from American Expresswith 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Then there’s the Ink Business Preferred. According to TPG’s valuations, this card’s welcome bonus alone is worth $2,000 since you can take advantage of Chase’s excellent collection of airline and hotel transfer partners. Points redeemed through the Chase travel portal are worth 1.25 cents each, which isn’t bad, either.
Another factor in this card’s favor? Its tremendous earning rates. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar across the following categories on up to $150,000 in combined purchases (1 point per dollar thereafter):
Travel.
Shipping purchases.
Internet, cable and phone services.
Advertising on social media sites and search engines.
Depending on which categories you spend in, you could earn a whopping 450,000 bonus points per year if you maxed out that $150,000 cap.
Among the Ink Business Preferred’s unsung benefits are cellphone protection, primary rental car coverage (when renting for business purposes) and other travel and purchase protections. You can also add employee cards to your account for free.
Read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card for more information.
Official application link: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card with 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of account opening.
The Platinum Card from American Express
Often referred to as the king of the premium travel rewards cards, the Amex Platinum offers a slew of benefits — along with a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Cardholders enjoy perks such as automatic Gold status with both Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy plus access to a wide range of airport lounges, including Amex Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club (on same-day Delta flights). On top of that, you’ll get up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits, an up-to-$200 hotel statement credit to use toward prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings (the latter of which requires a minimum two-night stay) via Amex Travel, and an up-to-$189 Clear Plus membership statement credit — along with numerous other perks. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Related: It’s a ‘lifestyle’ card now: A closer look at the Amex Platinum’s 6 new benefits
Non-travel benefits include an up-to-$240 digital entertainment statement credit (split into monthly $20 credits) for Audible, The New York Times, SiriusXM, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal and services under the Disney umbrella — including Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.
Cardholders also receive an up-to-$155 Walmart+ credit (subject to auto-renewal; Plus Ups are excluded), an up-to-$300 SoulCycle bike credit and an up-to-$300 Equinox statement credit for eligible Equinox memberships (now available as an annual benefit rather than monthly credits). You also receive Uber VIP status and up to $200 in annual Uber Cash (split into monthly $15 credits for U.S. rides and Uber Eats orders plus a $20 bonus in December).
Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Finally, cardholders will enjoy enhanced earning rates on many travel purchases:
5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year).
5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel.
1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.
And while the current welcome offer provides solid value, be sure to check the CardMatch Tool to see if you can receive an even higher one (offers are targeted and subject to change at any time).
Read our review of the American Express Platinum Card for more information.
Official application link: The Platinum Card® from American Express with 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
The American Express Green Card
The American Express Green Card provides a compelling offering in the mid-tier travel category. With 3 points per dollar on broader travel, restaurants and transit as well as annual statement credits for Clear and LoungeBuddy that more than cover its annual fee, the Green from Amex is a card that modern travelers should consider.
The earning rates and benefits of the American Express Green Card will be most attractive to young professionals and millennials (or millennials at heart) who travel for work, pleasure or both. The card earns 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on travel, restaurants and transit, so you’ll want to consider this card if a large chunk of your budget goes toward these categories.
The Amex Green also offers annual up to $189 Clear Plus and up to $100 LoungeBuddy statement credits that can more than offset the $150 annual fee (see rates and fees) while making your time in the airport more efficient and relaxing. If you can utilize these statement credits, the card can easily be a worthwhile addition to your purse or wallet.
Read our review of the Amex Green for more information.
Official application link: Amex Green with 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. Also, get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Venture X card is Capital One’s premium rewards card and offers great earning rates and incredible perks.
Aside from a hefty welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months – worth about $1,388 according to our valuations thanks to Capital One’s excellent airline and hotel transfer partners – the card gives members up to $300 back in statement credits annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, starting on their first anniversary (worth $100 toward travel, or $185 by our valuations).
As for earning rates, the Venture X racks up 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel, and an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on everything else.
Frequent travelers will also enjoy taking advantage of access to Capital One’s developing network of airport lounges as well as the ability to enroll for Priority Pass membership for entry into more than 1,300 lounge locations worldwide (though this no longer includes participating restaurants). It also added the ability to access Plaza Premium lounges worldwide in 2022 and launched The Premier Collection in 2023, giving cardmembers on-property perks at a curated set of luxury hotels.
Read our review of the Capital One Venture X card for more information.
Official application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card with 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Venture Rewards packs a pretty good punch for a mid-tier credit card. It earns a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases worldwide, but you can earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel. The miles you earn with this card can be transferred to Capital One’s 17 airline and three hotel partners or redeemed through the Capital One Travel portal.
The card stands out for offering an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years; many other cards that offer this benefit have annual fees of $400 or more. This TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit alone is worth up to $100. When making everyday purchases, you may also get Warranty Manager Service which can be used for extended warranty protection. The Venture Rewards card doesn’t impose foreign transaction fees, so you can use the card overseas without accumulating extra charges.
Read our review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card for more information.
Official application link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card with 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
This is one of the best premium credit cards available.
It earns a whopping 10 points per dollar on Lyft (through March 2025), Chase Dining booked through Ultimate Rewards, and hotel and car rental purchases through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal. Cardholders also earn 5 points per dollar on airline travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal, 3 points per dollar on travel (after using the $300 travel credit) and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Chase defines travel and dining quite broadly, including everything from parking fees to Airbnb stays and food delivery orders. Perks of the card include a $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass membership, a $5 monthly DoorDash in-app credit (through December 2024), a complimentary DashPass membership and an impressive array of travel protections.
Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve for more information.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
If you can’t justify a high annual fee or want a solid card with an appealing set of perks, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is an ideal fit. It earns 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 3 points per dollar on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out; 3 points per dollar on select streaming services; 3 points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); 2 points per dollar on all other travel; and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The points you earn with this card can be transferred to Chase’s airline and hotel partners or redeemed for 1.25 cents each through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Benefits include a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Ultimate Rewards, at least 12 months of DashPass membership (when activated by Dec. 31, 2024), primary rental car coverage, up to $500 in trip delay reimbursement if you’re delayed more than 12 hours or overnight, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation and interruption insurance and up to $100 per day for up to five days in baggage delay reimbursement if your bag is delayed more than six hours.
Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred for more information.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
American Express® Gold Card
The Amex Gold card is a favorite of many TPG staffers thanks (in large part) to its terrific earning rates:
4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year (1 point per dollar after that).
3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel.
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The card also offers up to $120 in annual credit for Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases and up to $120 in statement credits for select dining purchases (enrollment is required for select benefits) — all for a manageable annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees)
And while it’s not providing a limited-time bonus for new cardmembers, you can often find elevated welcome offers through the CardMatch tool. The card currently features a public welcome offer of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. However, some new customers can earn a 75,000-point or even 90,000-point welcome offer via the CardMatch tool after meeting the same minimum spending requirements. Note that these elevated offers are targeted and subject to change at any time.
Alternatively, you can refer a friend through the Amex referral program — and when your friend applies for a new account by June 7, you can earn an additional +5 rewards per dollar (as either points or cash back, depending on the card) on eligible U.S. supermarket purchases for three months after they’re approved (starting from the first date the referred friend’s account is opened), on up to $25,000.
Additionally, new applicants for the Amex Gold through a referral link will be eligible for an up to $200 statement credit after reaching minimum spending requirements, on top of that card’s usual welcome offer.
Read our review of the American Express Gold Card for more information.
Official application link: American Express® Gold Card with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months of card membership.
Southwest personal cards
All three personal of Southwest’s personal credit cards — the Rapid Rewards Plus, Rapid Rewards Premier and Rapid Rewards Priority — are currently sporting identical welcome offers: 60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This is the first time Southwest has offered a promo code as part of a sign-up bonus on a credit card.
The code will appear directly in your Southwest.com account within eight weeks of meeting the spending requirement. It can be used — only once — on a single one-way or round-trip Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select fare, and is available for use until October 31, 2024.
Given it is a single-use promo code, it would be best to save this for a more expensive ticket. You’ll get the biggest savings when using the code for round-trip travel and/or during peak travel periods like the summer or the holidays.
Read more about the three cards and this limited-time offer.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
United Club Infinite Card
The United Club Infinite Card is the ideal card for United lounge access — bar none.
The United Club Infinite Card’s $525 annual fee sounds high until you factor in the United Club membership included with the card. Membership normally costs $650 per year for non-elite members.
In addition, one of the primary disadvantages of many airline credit cards is a low return on spending, even on branded purchases, as most airline cards only offer 2 or 3 points per dollar on airline purchases. But the United Club Infinite Card sets a new standard with an impressive 4 points per dollar on United purchases.
If you spend thousands of dollars on United flights each year, the United Club Infinite Card is worth considering.
Read our review of the United Club Infinite for more information.
Official application link: United Club Infinite with 80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Aug. 9.
IHG Rewards Premier Business Card
New applicants for the IHG Rewards Premier Business card can earn 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.
Your bonus will come in the form of IHG points, which TPG values at half a cent each. Thus, this bonus is worth $825.
Generally speaking, you won’t get fantastic earning rates on most hotel credit cards — especially on broad categories like dining and groceries. That said, the IHG Premier Business card could be a solid option, especially at participating IHG properties.
When you use your card at IHG hotels and resorts, you’ll earn 10 points per dollar spent on your stay. This is in addition to the 10 base points that all IHG One Rewards members accrue at most participating brands. And since you have automatic Platinum Elite status with the card, that’ll give you another 60% bonus on top of the base points. When combined, that translates to a total of 26 points per dollar spent on most IHG stays — or a 13% return on spending, based on TPG’s valuations.
Beyond IHG purchases, cardholders of the IHG Premier Business will earn points at the following rates:
5 points per dollar spent on travel, dining and gas purchases.
5 points per dollar in select business categories, such as social media and search engine advertising and at office supply stores.
3 points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
You’ll also receive a free night certificate (worth up to 40,000 points) every year when you renew your card and enjoy your fourth night free on award stays of four nights (or longer)
Read our full review of the IHG Rewards Premier Business for more information.
Official application link: IHG Rewards Premier Business card with 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card provides solid earnings at Hilton properties and automatic Hilton Gold elite status, which offers complimentary breakfast, increased earnings and space-available upgrades when you stay at Hilton properties.
Hilton Honors Gold status is one of the best mid-tier hotel loyalty statuses you can obtain. As a Hilton Gold elite member, you’ll get complimentary breakfast, space-available room upgrades and improved earnings when staying at Hilton brands. Luckily, you can easily earn and maintain Hilton Gold status since it is an automatic perk of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card.
The Hilton Surpass card is an ideal choice for those who stay at Hilton properties often and want a cobranded credit card with a modest annual fee and valuable perks.
Read our full review of the Hilton Surpass for more information.
Official application link: Hilton Surpass with 130,000 bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends July 19.
*Bonus offer value is based on TPG valuations and not provided by issuers.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass, click here.
Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Eric Rosen.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
The American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Green Card are two of the most iconic credit cards offered — the Amex Green alone has been around for more than 50 years.
But classic doesn’t mean outdated, as these cards have both received dramatic makeovers in recent years, resulting in two competitive products aimed at different market segments. The Amex Green is more focused on travel, while the Amex Gold is better suited for everyday spending on groceries and eating out.
Today, we’ll take a deep dive into the features and benefits of these two products and see which one might be the better fit for you.
Comparison of benefits
Benefit detail
American Express Green Card
American Express Gold Card
Annual fee
$150 (see rates & fees).
$250 (see rates & fees).
Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points and 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first six months of cardmembership (up to $200 back) after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of cardmembership.
Earning categories
3 points per dollar on travel (including flights, hotels, transit, taxis, tours and ridesharing services).
3 points per dollar at restaurants.
1 point on all other purchases.
Terms apply.
4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 spent per calendar year (then 1 point per dollar).
4 points per dollar at restaurants.
3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel.
1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Terms apply.
Travel benefits
Up to $189 annual credit for Clear Plus.
Up to $100 annual LoungeBuddy credit.
Car rental loss and damage.*
Baggage insurance.**
Trip delay insurance.***
Up to $120 in Uber Cash annually ($10 monthly credits) for U.S. services. Must add card to Uber app to receive benefit.
$100 experience credit for your stay of at least two nights at The Hotel Collection.
Car rental loss and damage.*
Baggage insurance.**
Trip delay insurance.***
Additional benefits
ShopRunner free 2-day shipping on eligible items. Enrollment is required.
Purchase protection.**
Extended warranty protection.**
Entertainment access.
No foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees).
Up to $120 annual dining credit at select restaurants (up to $10 per month) per calendar year. Enrollment is required.
ShopRunner free 2-day shipping on eligible items. Enrollment is required.
Purchase protection.**
Extended warranty protection.**
Entertainment access.
No foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees).
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
***Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Welcome offer
Both cards have an attractive welcome offer.
The Amex Green currently offers 60,000 Membership Rewards points and 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first six months of cardmembership (up to $200 back) after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of cardmembership. This is the best offer we’ve seen available to the public.
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The Amex Gold, on the other hand, offers 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months.
Because TPG currently values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, both points bonuses are worth $1,200. But you can get up to an additional $200 back with the Amex Green bonus.
Sometimes, the cards have offered higher targeted welcome offers through the CardMatch Tool (offer subject to change at any time), so be sure to check this tool before applying for a card.
Note that if you’ve held either of these cards before, you’re almost certainly ineligible for a welcome offer. Despite the revamps both cards have received in the past few years, they’re still considered the same products. In addition, American Express also considers other factors to determine welcome-bonus eligibility, though it should notify you of your status before you submit your application and face a hard inquiry.
Winner: Given the additional 20% back on travel and transit purchases as part of its welcome offer, the Amex Green comes out ahead in this category.
Related: Ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions
Earning categories and bonuses
The Amex Green offers 3 points per dollar on travel — including transit purchases such as taxis and ride-hailing services. You also earn 3 points per dollar at restaurants around the world and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The Amex Gold Card offers 4 points per dollar at restaurants and on purchases of up to $25,000 spent each calendar year at U.S. supermarkets (then 1 point per dollar). You’ll also earn 3 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly with the airline or through Amex Travel. For all other purchases, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar.
When you compare these rates, the Amex Gold offers you 33% more points at restaurants than the Amex Green, and it also offers 4 points per dollar when you buy groceries (or anything else) from a supermarket in the U.S (up to $25k in purchases each calendar year; then 1 point per dollar.)
And although they both offer 3 points per dollar on select travel purchases, the Amex Green Card opens up the bonus points to all travel-related purchases. This means anything coded as “travel” on your monthly statement will receive the bonus points.
For the Amex Gold Card, you’ll only earn 3 points per dollar on a limited number of airline-specific purchases, which includes purchasing airfare from the airline directly (not an online travel agency) or through Amex Travel. This means you’ll only earn 1 point per dollar for hotels, cruises, transit and many other travel-related purchases.
Winner: If you’re a commuter or a frequent traveler (and don’t spend much at U.S. supermarkets) and don’t have another card that offers you bonuses for travel spending, then the Amex Green has a strong advantage. Otherwise, the Amex Gold Card will likely offer more points for most people’s spending.
Related: What counts as travel on the Amex Green card?
Travel benefits
A standout benefit of the Amex Green is its up to $189 annual credit toward a Clear Plus membership, which is enough to fully cover the cost of one adult membership.
The Amex Green Card also offers an annual up to $100 LoungeBuddy credit, which can be applied to the admission fee for hundreds of lounges worldwide. This could be somewhat valuable to those who don’t already have a Priority Pass Select benefit from a different credit card. Enrollment is required.
The Amex Gold Card offers up to $120 in Uber Cash. With this benefit, you’ll receive up to $10 monthly in Uber Cash credit, which can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. The fact that you can use these credits on takeout means card members should have no problem using the cash — which puts a full $120 value on the perk.
Both cards offer car rental loss and damage coverage (secondary coverage)*, baggage insurance** and trip delay protection.*** However, the Amex Gold also provides access to benefits and discounts when booking accommodations through The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay required).
The trip delay protection is typically the most valuable to many cardholders since you’ll be reimbursed up to $300 per eligible trip if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours. This will cover unexpected out-of-pocket expenses, such as meals, lodging and personal use items.
Winner: Given that both cards offer the same travel protections, the Amex Green comes out ahead with its valuable Clear and LoungeBuddy credits.
Related: What your card’s trip protection covers
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
***Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Shopping benefits
The Amex Gold Card has an up to $120 annual restaurant credit at select establishments, including The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. If none of those appeal to you, you can apply that credit to delivery or takeout orders from Grubhub. Because it’s so easy to use, most cardholders can get the full $120 value from this benefit. Enrollment is required.
You’ll also notice that both cards offers purchase protection* and extended warranty benefits* — an important card feature to have for many purchases (especially those that can break easily). The Amex Gold Card comes out slightly ahead in this department since the purchase protection perk covers your purchase up to 90 days from the day of purchase, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year.
While the Amex Green Card also includes the same 90-day benefit, you’re capped at $1,000 per claim and $50,000 per year. For an expensive purchase, the Amex Gold Card is preferable, but most cardmembers will find the maximum to be more than sufficient with the Amex Green Card.
Additionally, both cards come with free ShopRunner two-day delivery from select online merchants and the American Express Entertainment Access program that gives you preferred access to shows and sporting events.
Winner: With its dining credit and more valuable purchase protection coverage, the Amex Gold easily comes out ahead in this category.
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Related: Complete guide to the Amex Gold dining credit
Bottom line
Although the American Express Green Card has much to offer, its more upscale sibling — the American Express Gold Card — is still a better fit for most.
Using the Amex Gold Card to earn more at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets is likely more attractive to most people than the Amex Green’s bonus earning on a wider range of travel purchases. In addition, the higher annual fee of the Amex Gold is offset by up to $240 in annual credits.
Still, with a lower annual fee, useful travel credits and broad bonus categories, the Amex Green is a solid option.
No matter which you choose, you can rest assured you’re adding a great card to your wallet.
For more details, check out our full reviews of the Amex Green and Amex Gold.
Official application link: Amex Gold Card with a welcome bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 within your first six months of cardmembership.
Official application link: Amex Green Card with a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points and 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first six months of cardmembership (up to $200 back) after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of cardmembership.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Green, please click here.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Benét J. Wilson and Jason Steele
If you’ve spent any time around TPG, you know that the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of our most beloved cards. We often recommend it as a great travel rewards card for beginners and travel rewards veterans alike for its solid earning potential, excellent point redemption options and relatively low annual fee.
We love the card so much that it made multiple appearances on our list of cards TPG staffers can’t live without.
If (for some reason) you haven’t gotten it yet, make that your next move.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card with a sign-up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 in your first three months of account opening
But if you’ve already listened to us and gotten the Chase Sapphire Preferred, your next card decision might seem more daunting. If you ask a few of us which card you should get next, you will likely hear different answers. It can feel like choosing your next card is complicated when, in reality, there are just a lot of really good options of cards you can get to take you to the next phase of your points and miles journey.
Today we’re going to break down the three major schools of thought on which card you should get to pair with your trusty Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Three approaches
Your options fall into three categories:
There’s no single right answer that applies to everyone, so you’ll want to consider your own situation to identify which makes the most sense.
Related: The power of the Chase Trifecta
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Option 1: A card to earn additional Ultimate Rewards points
This is a great choice if you love the options to redeem and transfer the Chase Ultimate Rewards points from your Sapphire Preferred. With one of the Chase Freedom cards, you can maximize your spending categories to earn even more of these points from your everyday spending.
On their own, the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex are marketed as cash-back cards. If you also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, though, you’ll be able to combine your Chase Ultimate Rewards points and transfer them to the full range of Chase transfer partners.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Annual fee: $0.
Sign-up bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% on all purchases up to $20,000 spent in your first year.
Rewards rate: Earn 5% on travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal, 3% on dining and drugstores, and an unlimited 1.5% on all other purchases.
Why this card pairs well: This card is excellent to pair with your Chase Sapphire Preferred because it earns 1.5% (or points per dollar spent) on all purchases, which is 50% more than the Chase Sapphire Preferred (1 point per dollar spent on purchases outside of its bonus categories).
Even with my own more advanced card portfolio, this is a card I reach for often. It allows me to earn a decent return on purchases that don’t fall under most bonus categories, such as auto repairs and specialty items. With a current bonus of earning an additional 1.5% back on all purchases (up to $20,000 spent) in your first year, it’s a no-brainer for most Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders.
Related: Chase Freedom Unlimited: A great card for beginners and pros alike
Official application link: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Chase Freedom Flex
Annual fee: $0.
Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Rewards rate: 5% (or 5 points per dollar) cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. You’ll also get 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on drugstore purchases and dining, and 1% on all other purchases.
Why this card pairs well: With this card, you’ll get 5 points per dollar on qualifying purchases in merchant categories and at specific retailers that change each quarter. For example, during the second quarter of 2023 (April 1 through June 30), the bonus applies to Lowe’s and Amazon purchases — perfect timing for your spring cleaning and graduation gift purchases. This card gives you a great way to earn more Chase Ultimate Rewards points on different spending categories.
If you find yourself ready to juggle a few cards but want to keep earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can use all three cards (Sapphire Preferred, Freedom Unlimited and Freedom Flex) to maximize your points earning potential on all your purchases. Just be sure to time your applications carefully to maximize your approval chances.
Option 2: A card to earn additional points with a Chase transfer partner
If you consistently transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards to a specific transfer partner, like United MileagePlus or World of Hyatt, you can get a cobranded card to maximize your points.
United Quest Card
Annual fee: $250.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
Rewards rate: Earn 3 miles per dollar spent on United Airlines purchases (immediately after earning the $125 United purchase credit) and 2 miles per dollar on all other travel, including airfare, trains, local transit, cruise lines, hotels, car rentals, taxicabs, resorts, ride-sharing services and tolls. You’ll also earn 2 miles per dollar on dining and select streaming services and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Why this card pairs well: Since United is one of the most valuable Chase travel partners, this card will greatly improve the value you receive when you transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to United. For example, when you have a United Quest card, your miles will go much further due to the additional award availability offered to all United cardholders.
You’ll also receive a free first and second checked bag for yourself and a companion, priority boarding and access to Premier upgrades on award tickets. Other benefits include two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits, 25% back on United inflight purchases and up to a $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit. A $125 annual United purchase credit will take the sting out of this card’s $250 annual fee.
If you fly United regularly, the United Quest card and Chase Sapphire Preferred combination offers valuable flexibility.
Related: 4 reasons to get the new United Quest Card
Official application link: United Quest Card
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Annual fee: $95.
Sign-up bonus: Earn up to 60,000 bonus points, including 30,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening and another 30,000 points by earning 2 points per dollar on purchases that normally earn just 1 point per dollar in your account’s first six months (on up to $15,000 spent).
Rewards rate: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt properties; 2 points per dollar at restaurants and on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit and commuting as well as fitness club and gym memberships; and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Why this card pairs well: The World of Hyatt program is easily the most valuable hotel transfer partner offered by Ultimate Rewards, so you’ll want to enjoy as many perks as possible when redeeming your rewards for stays at Hyatt. You’ll receive Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open and five qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year. Plus, you can earn two additional qualifying night credits every time you spend $5,000 on your card, making it much easier to reach the next tier of elite status even if you’re not on the road constantly.
Another popular benefit on the card is the annual free night you receive after your cardmember anniversary (valid at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort), as well as an additional free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year.
Related: The most award-friendly hotel program: Everything you need to know about World of Hyatt
Official application link: World of Hyatt Credit Card
Option 3: A card that diversifies your rewards
This is the one that opens the door to other options.
Suppose you feel comfortable using your Chase Ultimate Rewards and want to unlock even more possibilities. In that case, you’ll want to open a card that will build you another set of transferable points. Here are some great choices:
American Express® Gold Card
Annual fee: $250. (See rates & fees)
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 within six months of account opening. However, check the CardMatch Tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher welcome offer (subject to change at any time).
Rewards rate: Earn 4 points per dollar spent on restaurants and 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar). Earn 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or on Amex Travel and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Why this card pairs well: The Sapphire Preferred doesn’t offer a grocery bonus, so this is an excellent card to use at U.S. supermarkets.
Most importantly, you diversify your rewards by accessing American Express Membership Rewards, including unique transfer partners that Chase doesn’t have, such as Hilton, Delta Air Lines, ANA, Hawaiian Airlines and Qantas. Other benefits include up to $120 in annual dining credits and up to $120 each year in Uber Cash that you can use toward Uber Eats purchases or Uber rides in the U.S.
Related: American Express Gold card review
Official application link: American Express® Gold Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee: $95.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Rewards rate: Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases.
Why this card pairs well: The Sapphire Preferred has incredible transfer partners, but they can’t account for all travel purchases. However, the miles you earn from your Capital One Venture can be redeemed for statement credits toward nearly any travel purchase.
Capital One also offers you the ability to transfer your miles to a lengthy list of airline and hotel programs, which have little overlap with Chase’s partners. Valuable additions include Wyndham Rewards, Turkish Airlines, Qantas and Choice Privileges. However, you also have access to some shared transfer partners like British Airways and Avianca LifeMiles, so pairing the Venture with the Sapphire Preferred could accelerate your potential earnings with these programs.
This card also offers you up to $100 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit.
Related: Capital One Venture Rewards credit card review
Official application link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Citi Premier® Card
Annual fee: $95.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Rewards rate: Earn 3 ThankYou points per dollar spent at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels, and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. For a limited time, earn 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) when you book through the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.
Why this card pairs well: The Citi ThankYou Rewards program offers several transfer partners that Chase doesn’t, such as Qatar, Etihad and Turkish. It also offers valuable bonus earning rates at supermarkets and gas stations, which the Sapphire Preferred doesn’t. This card also comes with a hotel savings benefit worth $100 off a $500 single hotel stay (excluding taxes and fees), once each calendar year. However, that stay must be booked through Citi’s travel portal, limiting its utility to some extent.
Related: Sizable rewards, manageable annual fee: Citi Premier credit card review
Official application link: Citi Premier® Card
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is excellent on its own, but it’s even better when paired with other cards. Whether you want to focus on earning more Chase Ultimate Rewards points, build out your stash of points or miles with one of Chase’s transfer partners or diversify into another set of transferable points, you have great options available to you.
Remember, there is no wrong choice when choosing your next card. Regardless of your choice, you’ll build on the knowledge you’ve obtained through the Chase Sapphire Preferred and take another step toward paying for your next trip with points and miles.
Related: Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred should still be the first rewards card in your wallet
Additional reporting by Jason Steele.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card please click here.