LA Times' Recommended American Express Credit Cards

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Our rating:4.8

Add to compare

Recommended credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Apply now

Rewards rate

5X: Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5X: Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

Intro offer: Earn 80,000 points Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Annual fee: $695

Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

See if you’re pre-approved for this card using our CardMatch tool.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.8

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 5.0
Annual Percentage Rate:: 4.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 4.0
Features:: 5.0
Issuer Customer Experience:: 5.0

Highlights

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
$199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
$695 annual fee.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $695
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

American Express® Gold Card

Our rating:4.9

See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

Add to compare

Recommended credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Apply now

Rewards rate

4X: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
3X: Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
2X: Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
1X: Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer: 60,000 points Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Annual fee: $325

Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

See if you’re pre-approved for this card using our CardMatch tool.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.9

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 4.7
Annual Percentage Rate:: 2.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 4.0
Features:: 4.0
Issuer Customer Experience:: 5.0

Highlights

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $325
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Our rating:4.8

See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

Add to compare

Recommended credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Apply now

Rewards rate

3%: 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
3%: 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
3%: 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
1%: 1% Cash Back on other purchases.

Intro offer: Earn $200 Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

Annual fee: $0

Regular APR: 18.49% - 29.49% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

See if you’re pre-approved for this card using our CardMatch tool.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.8

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 4.0
Annual Percentage Rate:: 1.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 2.0
Features:: 3.0
Issuer Customer Experience: 5.0

Highlights

Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
No Annual Fee.
Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 18.49% to 29.49% variable APR.
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday® Card. Enrollment required.
Enjoy up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $0
Intro Purchase APR: 0% on purchases for 15 months
Regular APR: 18.49%-29.49% Variable
Intro Balance Transfers APR: 0% on balance transfers for 15 months

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Our rating:4.6

See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

Add to compare

Apply now

Rewards rate

6%: 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
6%: 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3%: 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
3%: 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
1%: 1% Cash Back on other purchases

Intro offer: Earn $250 Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Regular APR: 18.49% - 29.49% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

See if you’re pre-approved for this card using our CardMatch tool.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.6

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 5.0
Annual Percentage Rate:: 1.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 3.0
Features:: 3.0
Issuer Customer Experience: 5.0

Highlights

Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 18.49% - 29.49%.
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
$84 Disney Bundle Credit: With your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card, spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription, to receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Intro Purchase APR: 0% on purchases for 12 months
Regular APR: 18.49%-29.49% Variable
Intro Balance Transfers APR: 0% on balance transfers for 12 months

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Rewards rate

At A Glance

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Rewards rate

At A Glance