Comprehensive list of American Express-issued credit cards

[Dubious]

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@Open123 wrote:

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@HiLine wrote:

I think calling cards that simply go through Amex's payment network "Amex co-branded" is giving Amex too much credit, pun intended. You may as well call any Visa card a Visa co-branded card to be fair.

It's confusing because Amex operates both a credit granting bank and a payment processing network under the same brand; in reality these are separate divisions. It's the same for Discover. 

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When it comes to my bank cards, I don't even mention the payment network.  For example, my Chase card is my CSP, and not my CSP Visa; my Citi TY is my Citi TY, not Citi Visa.  My Amex is my Amex.

I use SPG, CSP, or Arrival to differentiate rewards card, but it's never occured to me to name the network.  

But, for some reason, those with BofA, USAA, or Citi that run on the Amex network always use "BofA Amex" or "USAA Amex."

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Well, for USAA it could be because that's what the card is called. https://www.usaa.com/inet/pages/banking_credit_cards_main?wa_ref=lf_product_bank_cc

"USAA American Express" I would guess that usually if you say BofA Amex or USAA Amex you're referring to a specific card from that issuing bank. For example, the BofA Amex I'm sure is specficially the BoA Accelerated Rewards as opposed to Travel rewards or bankamericard yada yada. Although it's weird that at the same time people don't say "my BoA Visa" or "BoA mastercard" there's also MANY BoA-issued visas so it just wouldn't be informative enough.

[HiLine]

Probably to distinguish them from the Visa/Mastercard version using the same name. Citi AA Amex and Fidelity Amex are such examples, as Citi has an AA Visa and an AA Mastercard card, while Fidelity offers a Visa card as well. I don't know if USAA offers a Visa/Mastercard; I guess they do?

I have another theory: Amex requires issuers to declare the Amex brand for credit cards that are processed through Amex processing network. Or it could be other banks wanting to use the brand Amex to lure people into obtaining those cards. You are correct that we don't see that happening with Visa and Mastercard - processed cards as often, though sometimes banks advertise cards as Visa Signature or Visa Platinum and such. 

[Open123]

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@Dubious wrote:

Well, for USAA it could be because that's what the card is called. https://www.usaa.com/inet/pages/banking_credit_cards_main?wa_ref=lf_product_bank_cc

"USAA American Express" I would guess that usually if you say BofA Amex or USAA Amex you're referring to a specific card from that issuing bank. For example, the BofA Amex I'm sure is specficially the BoA Accelerated Rewards as opposed to Travel rewards or bankamericard yada yada. Although it's weird that at the same time people don't say "my BoA Visa" or "BoA mastercard" there's also MANY BoA-issued visas so it just wouldn't be informative enough.

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You're right, it has never occured to me that's what the card would be called.  LOL

[HiLine]

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@Open123 wrote:

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@Dubious wrote:

Well, for USAA it could be because that's what the card is called. https://www.usaa.com/inet/pages/banking_credit_cards_main?wa_ref=lf_product_bank_cc

"USAA American Express" I would guess that usually if you say BofA Amex or USAA Amex you're referring to a specific card from that issuing bank. For example, the BofA Amex I'm sure is specficially the BoA Accelerated Rewards as opposed to Travel rewards or bankamericard yada yada. Although it's weird that at the same time people don't say "my BoA Visa" or "BoA mastercard" there's also MANY BoA-issued visas so it just wouldn't be informative enough.

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You're right, it has never occured to me that's what the card would be called.  LOL

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I didn't notice hat most, if not all, Amex-processed cards have American Express in the name, until you guys brought that up actually. 

[Dubious]

Teehee I'm a smart cookie  

I looked at the macy's website; same thing. "Macy's credit card" vs "Macy's American express card" so maybe the public isn't all to blame for all the confusion. It's all the AmEx branding Open is always talking about!

[FinStar]

The primary distinction is only apparent for cards issued by AMEX Centurion Bank versus those of other financial institutions who have a limited licensing agreement with American Express to issue those specific AMEX-branded cards through their own programs.  With the open loop system, only certain AMEX benefits are offered by the member insitutions that offer the AMEX credit card program.

If anyone recalls the antitrust lawsuit brought up by AMEX and Discover during 2004 (which eventually settled in 2008), which resulted in the open loop market for those payment cards to be issued by other competing banks who were exclusive to Visa and MasterCard.  This meant AMEX and Discover were no longer closed loop providers.

So you've got institutions like BofA (FIA), Bank of Hawaii, FNBO, GECRB, Citi/DSNB, USAA, PenFed, Barclay's to name a few who have expanded their credit card programs to allow a diverse product array in an attempt to preserve/retain their loyalty base and some market share.

To the average consumer, they see no difference.  Only those who are familiar with AMEX Centurion Bank know the difference.

[HiLine]

Ah! So it is Centurion Bank that offers what we refer to as Amex benefits, correct?

[FinStar]

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@HiLine wrote:
Ah! So it is Centurion Bank that offers what we refer to as Amex benefits, correct?

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Correct.  Such as the perk of the membership date benefit (aka "backdating") for multiple-issued AMEX Centurion Bank cards.  Other bank partners/institutions who issue their own AMEX card programs (under license) do not offer such benefit (as it does not cross-reference to AMEX Centurion Bank) in addition to no AMEX charge cards or AMEX business cards.

[noober0x]

Plum card maybe?  Or is that one licensed but not issued by Centurion bank either?  That one seems to be the weirdest of all the Amex cards.

[FinStar]

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@noober0x wrote:

Plum card maybe?  Or is that one licensed but not issued by Centurion bank either?  That one seems to be the weirdest of all the Amex cards.

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The Plum Card is a business card product also issued by AMEX FSB (Centurion Bank affiliate).  It is part of their OPEN business card array of products which also includes the Lowe's Business Rewards Card.