Best American Express Cards Of August 2026

Personal cards for earning Membership Rewards

Amex has three personal cards currently open to new applicants that earn Membership Rewards points. Together they cover dining, groceries, travel, transit, and airfare at strong earn rates.

American Express Platinum Card®

The Amex Platinum earns 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, on up to $500,000 per calendar year (then 1x). That 5x rate is the highest available on any personal card for airfare, and at my valuation of 1.7 cents per point it represents an 8.5% return on every dollar spent on flights. For frequent flyers, the Platinum is the default card for every airfare purchase.

Beyond airfare, the Platinum is held for its benefits rather than its earn rate on everyday spending (terms apply to benefits and enrollment may be required). The card includes access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass™, and Delta Sky Club (up to 10 visits per year when flying Delta), plus a collection of annual credits: up to $200 in airline fee credits, up to $200 in Uber Cash, up to $219 in CLEAR+ credits, up to $600 in hotel credits through Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection, and complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold
and Marriott Bonvoy® Gold status. The $895 annual fee (Rates & Fees) requires actively using the credit stack to justify, but for a frequent traveler, the total value extracted easily clears four figures per year. (Enrollment is required for select benefits)

Verdict: The right card for frequent flyers who want Centurion Lounge access and 5x on airfare. The credits require attention but deliver real value. Best used as a travel benefits card and airfare card, not as an everyday spending card.

Link: Learn more about American Express Platinum Card®

American Express® Gold Card

The Amex Gold is the card I consider the single best personal card in the Membership Rewards lineup for most people. It earns 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x), 4x at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year (then 1x), and 3x on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel. Other eligible purchases earn at a rate of 1x.  For anyone who spends meaningfully on food, whether eating out or cooking at home, the Gold generates points at a rate that is difficult to match with any other personal card.

Verdict: The best personal card in the Membership Rewards lineup for most people, and arguably the best all-around personal card available. Start here if you spend on dining and groceries, which covers the majority of everyday spending for most households.

Link: Learn more about the American Express® Gold Card

American Express® Green Card

The Amex Green Card earns 3x Membership Rewards points at restaurants globally, on travel, and on transit. The travel category is broad, covering flights, hotels, taxis, rideshares, trains, buses, ferries, and more. For someone who eats out frequently and commutes or travels regularly, the Green Card can be a strong earner at a very manageable $150 annual fee.

The card is particularly underrated as a complement to the Gold. The Green picks up transit at 3x, which the Gold does not bonus, and covers travel broadly at 3x. The Green also includes up to $219 in annual CLEAR+ credits.

Verdict: The most underrated card in the personal Membership Rewards lineup. At $150, it is easy to justify alongside the Gold, and the CLEAR credit alone makes up for most of the annual fee. Best for people who spend on transit, travel broadly, and want CLEAR covered.

Link: Learn more about the American Express® Green Card

Business cards for earning Membership Rewards

Amex’s three business cards in the Membership Rewards ecosystem cover the same range from everyday non-bonused spending all the way up to premium travel benefits. 

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The Amex Business Platinum earns 5x Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, 1.5x on individual purchases of $5,000 or more up to $2 million per calendar year, and 1x on everything else. The earn structure is not the primary reason to hold this card. The 5x on Amex Travel is strong for airfare, though it requires booking through the portal rather than directly with airlines. The 1.5x on large purchases can be meaningful for businesses that routinely make single transactions over $5,000.

The Business Platinum’s real draw is the benefits stack, which help make up for the $895 annual fee (Rates & Fees). The card includes benefits like Centurion Lounge access, Priority Pass™ membership, Delta Sky Club visits, up to $200 in airline fee credits, up to $219 in CLEAR+ credits, up to $150 in Dell credits, a 35% rebate when using Pay With Points for business or first class airfare (or economy) on your designated airline, and access to the Amex Global Lounge Collection. The 35% points rebate on airfare is a unique feature: it effectively raises the value of your Membership Rewards points to around 1.54 cents each when redeeming for eligible flights, which is useful for high-volume airfare spenders who prefer the simplicity of paying for flights over managing award availability. (Enrollment is required for select benefits)

Verdict: A benefits card first and an earning card second. Best for business travelers who will use Centurion Lounges regularly and want the 35% Pay with Points rebate on airfare. Pair with the Blue Business Plus for all non-travel spending.

Link: Learn more about The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

American Express® Business Gold Card

The Amex Business Gold earns 4x Membership Rewards points on the two categories in which you spend the most each billing cycle, on up to $150,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, and 1x after that. The eligible categories are U.S. media and advertising purchases, U.S. electronic goods and software, U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, transit, and U.S. wireless telephone service charges. The 4x applies automatically to your top two categories each month, so the card adapts to your actual spending without requiring you to manage anything.

The Business Gold also includes up to $240 per year in flexible business credits, usable at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores, which offsets a meaningful portion of the :AnnualFeeAmexBizGold: annual fee (Rates & Fees). The card works best for businesses with significant and consistent spend in two of the eligible categories. If you have a business that spends heavily on advertising, software, or wireless service, the Business Gold can be an exceptional earner. For businesses without a clear fit in those categories, the Blue Business Plus may deliver more predictable value at no annual fee.

Verdict: The right pick for businesses with concentrated spend in advertising, software, transit, wireless, or restaurants. The auto-selecting 4x mechanic is genuinely useful and makes the card low-maintenance. Pair it with the Blue Business Plus for spending that falls outside the 4x categories.

Link: Learn more about the American Express® Business Gold Card

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

The Amex Blue Business Plus earns 2x Membership Rewards points on all purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year, and 1x after that. For non-bonused business spending, this is the best card available at any annual fee. A no-annual-fee card (Rates & Fees) that earns 2x transferable points on all eligible purchases is genuinely rare, and for most small businesses, $50,000 per year covers the vast majority of general spending.

This is the card I consider a near-universal recommendation for anyone eligible for a business card who is engaged in the Membership Rewards ecosystem. There is no annual fee, and no complicated category management required. You spend on it and earn 2x on everything up to the cap.

Verdict: A no-brainer addition to any Membership Rewards portfolio. Every dollar of non-bonused business spending that goes on this card rather than a 1x card is leaving value on the table. Add this and forget about it.

Link: Learn more about The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Best strategy for maximizing Membership Rewards

The personal card foundation: Gold plus Platinum

For personal spending, the Gold and Platinum cover the two highest-value categories at top rates: dining and groceries at 4x on the Gold, airfare at 5x on the Platinum. The Green Card can layer in as a third card for transit and broader travel. For non-bonused personal spending, the Blue Business Plus picks up the gap if you are eligible for a business card.

The business card foundation: Blue Business Plus plus one bonus card

For business spending, the Blue Business Plus handles all non-bonused categories at 2x with no annual fee. The Business Gold layers on top if you have significant concentrated spend in two of its eligible categories. The Business Platinum makes sense if you need the lounge benefits and travel credits and will get use out of the 35% Pay with Points rebate.

Combining AmEx personal and business cards

One of the structural advantages of the Membership Rewards program is that points pool across all personal and business cards. A dollar earned at 4x on the Gold, a dollar earned at 2x on the Blue Business Plus, and a dollar earned at 5x on the Platinum all go into the same points balance and can be transferred together. There is no need to manage separate currencies or point pools across personal and business cards.

Use transfer partners, not statement credits

Membership Rewards points are worth the most, at my valuation of 1.7 cents each, when transferred to airline and hotel partners and redeemed for premium cabin travel. The difference between cashing out 100,000 points at 1 cent and transferring them for a business class redemption worth 1.7 cents or more is $700 or more in effective value. The earn rates and credit structures of these cards are built around the assumption that you are maximizing redemption value through transfers.

Watch for transfer bonuses

Amex periodically offers transfer bonuses to select partners, where you receive more miles per point than the standard 1:1 ratio for a limited time. Common bonus partners include Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and others. Timing a large transfer to a bonus window can meaningfully increase the value of your points. If you have a redemption in mind but are not in a rush, it is worth waiting to see if a relevant transfer bonus emerges.

Amex Membership Rewards transfer partners

The largest partner network

Amex Membership Rewards has 21 transfer partners, more than any other major transferable points currency. That includes 18 airline programs and three hotel programs. Most transfers are at a 1:1 ratio, and the breadth of the network means there is almost always a useful program available regardless of where you are trying to go or what airline you are trying to fly.

Air Canada Aeroplan

Aeroplan is the transfer partner I use most often with my Membership Rewards points. The program has more airline partners than any other loyalty program, allows stopovers on one-way awards for 5,000 points, and has competitive pricing across Star Alliance and beyond. For anyone trying to book business or first class internationally, Aeroplan is often the first place I look. Key redemptions include Lufthansa first class, Swiss business class, and a wide range of other Star Alliance partner awards.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Flying Blue is the best option for transatlantic business class awards on Air France and KLM, with awards generally starting around 50,000 miles one-way and modest fuel surcharges. The program also runs Promo Rewards sales where select routes are discounted by 25-50%, which can push the value well above average. Free stopovers are available, and the two airlines cover Paris, Amsterdam, and an extensive network across Europe and Africa.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Singapore Airlines limits most of its premium cabin award space to KrisFlyer members, so this is the only way to book Singapore Airlines business class and Suites with points. Award availability in business class is reasonably good, pricing is fair, and surcharges are limited. This is also the program to use for Singapore Airlines’ unique routes like New York to Singapore nonstop.

ANA Mileage Club

ANA Mileage Club is a unique Amex partner, as no other major transferable currency transfers to ANA. The program offers solid pricing on roundtrip Star Alliance awards, including the U.S. to Japan in ANA business class for 100,000 to 105,000 miles roundtrip and U.S. to Europe in business class for 100,000 miles roundtrip. There are carrier-imposed surcharges on some partners and restrictions worth understanding before transferring, but for the right redemption it can be excellent value.

Emirates Skywards

Emirates Skywards is the primary way to book Emirates awards, including Emirates first class with its famous shower suite. A first class award between the U.S. and Europe costs around 102,000 Skywards miles one-way. Emirates also operates several fifth freedom routes, including Newark to Athens and New York to Milan, that can be booked at domestic-adjacent pricing with the right partner programs.

Avianca LifeMiles

LifeMiles offers some of the most straightforward Star Alliance award pricing without fuel surcharges. Transatlantic business class generally starts at 63,000 miles one-way, and awards to Southeast Asia start around 78,000 miles. For a simple one or two-segment Star Alliance redemption, LifeMiles is often the most efficient option. Award space can be inconsistent, so checking availability before transferring is important.

British Airways Executive Club

British Airways Avios use distance-based pricing, which makes them particularly useful for short-haul redemptions in North America, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and other regions where the low distance means a low award price. Avios are also interchangeable with Aer Lingus AerClub, Iberia Plus, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club points, which expands the number of programs and sweet spots available.

Hotel partners to approach with caution

Amex transfers to Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy. In general, I would avoid transferring Membership Rewards to hotel programs. The transfer ratios result in hotel points worth significantly less per Membership Rewards point than what you could get by transferring to an airline partner. Hotel programs are best earned directly through hotel stays and co-branded hotel credit cards rather than through transferable currency conversions.

Things to consider

Amex application rules

American Express limits most cardholders to five personal credit cards at a time, and separately limits business credit cards. There is also a once-per-lifetime rule on welcome bonuses: if you have ever received a welcome bonus on a specific Amex card, you are generally not eligible for the bonus again on that same card. This makes it important to be selective about which cards you apply for and to apply for the ones with the highest current welcome bonuses when you are eligible.

Amex points do not expire, but they can be forfeited

Membership Rewards points do not expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. However, if you close your last Membership Rewards-earning card, your points are forfeited. If you are considering closing a card, make sure you transfer your points to a partner program first or open another Membership Rewards card before closing.

The credit stack requires attention

The Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum both carry $895 annual fees that are justified primarily through annual credit stacks. Those credits are real value, but they require active use across multiple categories and vendors. If you are not the kind of cardholder who will reliably use Uber Cash monthly, activate all the credits, and book through Fine Hotels and Resorts, the effective annual fee is higher than the sticker price suggests. The Gold and Green are meaningfully more straightforward to justify.

Transfer times vary by partner

Most Amex transfer partners receive points within a few minutes to a few hours. Some partners, including certain hotel programs, can take longer. If you are trying to book a specific award and need the points quickly, test a small transfer first to confirm the timing before committing a large balance. Never transfer points until you have confirmed award availability at your target program.

Bottom line

Amex Membership Rewards is the most flexible transferable points currency available, with 21 transfer partners covering nearly every major airline and hotel program worth caring about. The card portfolio is built to maximize earning across every major spending category: 4x on dining and groceries with the Gold, 5x on airfare with the Platinum or Business Platinum, 3x on travel and transit with the Green, 4x on flexible business categories with the Business Gold, and 2x on all other business spending with the Blue Business Plus.

My recommended starting point for most people is the Amex Gold as the personal foundation, paired with the Blue Business Plus if you are eligible for a business card. From there, add the Amex Platinum once you are ready to invest in lounge access and the premium travel benefits stack, and add the Green Card if you want transit covered and CLEAR paid for. The Business Gold and Business Platinum layer in based on whether your business has concentrated spend in the right categories or significant airfare volume.

The key to making Membership Rewards valuable is using the transfer partners rather than cashing out. Points redeemed for premium cabin travel through programs like Aeroplan, Flying Blue, and Singapore KrisFlyer deliver value that straight cash back simply cannot match. Build the points, then take your time finding the right redemption.

Frequently asked questions