Which AMEX is best...for YOU?

[Repairman]

I was a AMEX Gold card holder for many years, and want to get back in good with AMEX before the year's end, but I don't think I want to go for the Gold again. My question is what do you consider to be the best AMEX to have and why? I'm looking for a Rewards card, and want the best reward structure. I'm not interested in a Platinum card, nor an airline card. 

I'd like a No Annual Fee recommendation as well as one with a fee, if you think that card is best.

[Anonymous]

Fidelity Amex is the best.

[Anonymous]

"Best" is a very subjective answer. This all depends on the person's spending and what rewards you are looking for. For instance, I didn't want to go with a charge card so I got the ED and BCE cards. This way I had one with points and one with cash back.

[Anonymous]

There aren't many no annual fee AMEXes but... Everyday card is solid (can transfer to airline partners)

For annual fee cards...

If you want 1 solid card (as opposed to having many different cards/mixing/matching for maximizing rewards), PRG is solid

EDP is also solid (for no mixing/matching).  Along the same vein, BCE is solid (if you just want cash back)

Overall, I would recommend just picking up an ED if you want an Amex.  Go get some annual fee cards from other CCCs like Chase.  Freedom + CSP + ED can be awesome (Freedom for rotating and transfer to CSP, CSP for dining/travel, ED for everything inbetween).

[Anonymous]

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@Repairman wrote:

I was a AMEX Gold card holder for many years, and want to get back in good with AMEX before the year's end, but I don't think I want to go for the Gold again. My question is what do you consider to be the best AMEX to have and why? I'm looking for a Rewards card, and want the best reward structure. I'm not interested in a Platinum card, nor an airline card. 

I'd like a No Annual Fee recommendation as well as one with a fee, if you think that card is best.

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'Best' like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.  What you should do is go to the Amex site and look at the various cards and determine what is best for you and not what others think.  You need to decide if you're looking for cash back or points rewards and go from there.  They don't have that many cards that you can't narrow it down fairly quickly.  Far too often people come here and ask others to tell them what's' best' for the poster.  That is an impossible task and something you shouldn't delegate to others.

[Anonymous]

I went for BCP because we always will buy at least $6k in groceries. So the difference between what I can earn on the BCE and BCP is $180, so the annual fee is worthwhile. ETA: We paired it with a SM for the overflow.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I went for BCP because we always will buy at least $6k in groceries. So the difference between what I can earn on the BCE and BCP is $180, so the annual fee is worthwhile. ETA: We paired it with a SM for the overflow.

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That's a good combo

[NRB525]

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@Repairman wrote:

I was a AMEX Gold card holder for many years, and want to get back in good with AMEX before the year's end, but I don't think I want to go for the Gold again. My question is what do you consider to be the best AMEX to have and why? I'm looking for a Rewards card, and want the best reward structure. I'm not interested in a Platinum card, nor an airline card. 

I'd like a No Annual Fee recommendation as well as one with a fee, if you think that card is best.

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Based on your criteria, the choices would be:

EveryDay - MR points, no AF, does have FTF.

EveryDay Preferred - More MR points, AF, so keep swiping! Now stop when you reach the groceries limit! (same with ED, BC and BCP) Does have FTF.

Hilton HHonors no AF - Hotel points, more points for gas, groceries, and dining, even more points for Hilton stays. Does have FTF.

Hilton Surpass, AF. Slightly better hotel points, but not really. Does have FTF.

Blue Cash - Straight cash back, no worries. Does have FTF, no AF.

Blue Cash Preferred - More cash back, AF, keep swiping! Now stop! Does have FTF.

Mercedes Benz basic card - MR points for gas and groceris, AF, does have FTF.

There's a theme here: if you plan on foreign travel, none of these cards is No FTF. To avoid the FTF, you have to go to the Delta Gold or Delta Platinum card, or regular Platinum, or PRG after mid-year, which were already boxed out.

"Best reward structure" is the BCP, the cash earning rate on spend up to $6k groceries is quite good, just don't stop before you reach $6k for the year. The EDP is the points earning winner, again, don't stop swiping until you reach 30 every month, and don't quit buying groceries until you pass $6k for the year.

[icyhot]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Fidelity Amex is the best.

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The Fidelity Amex is issued by Bank of America, not AmEx, so that card wouldn't help OP get in good with them

[B335is]

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@Repairman wrote:

I was a AMEX Gold card holder for many years, and want to get back in good with AMEX before the year's end, but I don't think I want to go for the Gold again. My question is what do you consider to be the best AMEX to have and why? I'm looking for a Rewards card, and want the best reward structure. I'm not interested in a Platinum card, nor an airline card. 

I'd like a No Annual Fee recommendation as well as one with a fee, if you think that card is best.

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When I wanted to get back in with Amex I still had one fairly old negative on my CR, so I went for PRG.  I chose a charge card because it supposedly has looser underwriting than their revolving cards like Everyday and SPG.  It had a good bonus (which I might add was never given to me because they said they didn't recognize the creditcards.com offer), waived first year Annual Fee, 3x points on airfare, 2x on gas/restaurants, 1x on everything else.  I built about a year of history and got approved for Delta Gold.  None of this may apply to your situation, but it was just my whole perspective on it.