topic Re: Best AMEX cards? in Credit Cards

Best AMEX cards?

socalchef00 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:22:43 GMT

Hey all,

First, I'm happy I found this forum, lots of great info.

Been browsing and reading alot lately, very helpful.

I've heard alot about AMEX and how great they are and I wanted to add one as my final personal card. Currently have 9 CC's and 9 Store cards, so I'm happy with what I have.

There are so many different AMEX's out there, which one do you all think is the best to get overall? I've been eye balling the Gold card.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

SouthJamaica — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:30:29 GMT

@socalchef00 wrote:
Hey all,

First, I'm happy I found this forum, lots of great info.
Been browsing and reading alot lately, very helpful.

I've heard alot about AMEX and how great they are and I wanted to add one as my final personal card. Currently have 9 CC's and 9 Store cards, so I'm happy with what I have.

There are so many different AMEX's out there, which one do you all think is the best to get overall? I've been eye balling the Gold card.

Tell us what your FICO scores are and what you are looking for in your next card, and we can give you a recommendation or two.

The Amex Gold charge card is good for some people and not for other people. I had it, and didn't care for it.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

wasCB14 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:31:34 GMT

Do you fly a lot?

Stay in hotels a lot?

Which airlines/chains?

Your home airport(s)?

Do you eat out a lot?

Shop at regular grocery stores or more at wholesale clubs like Costco?

Do you buy a lot of electronics or other things that come with warranties?

Re: Best AMEX cards?

increasingmyfico — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:35:13 GMT

It totally depends on you. The Gold card is a good earner if you spend a lot at restaurants and grocery stores. It is a charge card so you should expect to payoff the full balance every month. AMEX has a lot of different cards. They have cash back options and point options. Will you be traveling a lot? What are you looking for in your next card? I started with the Gold and Blue Cash Preferred. Your mileage may vary. No matter which cards you select Amex is a good company to build a relationship with.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

socalchef00 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:52:17 GMT

@increasingmyfico wrote:
It totally depends on you. The Gold card is a good earner if you spend a lot at restaurants and grocery stores. It is a charge card so you should expect to payoff the full balance every month. AMEX has a lot of different cards. They have cash back options and point options. Will you be traveling a lot? What are you looking for in your next card? I started with the Gold and Blue Cash Preferred. Your mileage may vary. No matter which cards you select Amex is a good company to build a relationship with.

Ohh, for some reason I thought it was an actual credit card not charge card. I'd like a credit card, even though i'd still probably pif, I'd like the option just in case to carry over.

We do alot of restaurants and grocery, less travel at the moment. But I'd rather not have a charge card.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

socalchef00 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:42:32 GMT

Fico is still currently low, working on getting it up. I believe last I check was a 680, but I paid off alot of my cards , so I'm waiting on them to report so my score goes up.

Didn't realize it was a charge card. I'd rather have one that is a credit card incase I need to carry a balance even though I do pif most the time.

I want somethign with good rewards for resturants , grocery, and every day purchases. Don't travel as often as I'd like at the moment

@SouthJamaica wrote:
@socalchef00 wrote:
Hey all,

First, I'm happy I found this forum, lots of great info.
Been browsing and reading alot lately, very helpful.

I've heard alot about AMEX and how great they are and I wanted to add one as my final personal card. Currently have 9 CC's and 9 Store cards, so I'm happy with what I have.

There are so many different AMEX's out there, which one do you all think is the best to get overall? I've been eye balling the Gold card.
Tell us what your FICO scores are and what you are looking for in your next card, and we can give you a recommendation or two.

The Amex Gold charge card is good for some people and not for other people. I had it, and didn't care for it.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

socalchef00 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:44:11 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
Do you fly a lot?
Stay in hotels a lot?
Which airlines/chains?
Your home airport(s)?
Do you eat out a lot?
Shop at regular grocery stores or more at wholesale clubs like Costco?
Do you buy a lot of electronics or other things that come with warranties?

So I was informed that its a charge card, so maybe not the gold card.

But no, I don't fly or travel alot , at least not yet. But we usually fly Southwest and stay at the Marriott when we do travel.

We do use Resturants, Grocery of course, and every day purchases would be nice with rewards too.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

SoCalGardener — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:44:34 GMT

In addition to the other questions already asked, what about annual fees? Are you okay with a card that has an AF? Is there a limit to what you'd be willing to pay for an AF? That will help narrow things down a bit.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

socalchef00 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:52:01 GMT

@SoCalGardener wrote:
In addition to the other questions already asked, what about annual fees? Are you okay with a card that has an AF? Is there a limit to what you'd be willing to pay for an AF? That will help narrow things down a bit.

If the rewards are good enough, I don't mind the AF.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

increasingmyfico — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:53:22 GMT

You can carry a balance on the Gold. Amex calls it pay over time. Not advisable to use but the option is there. The Blue Cash Preferred is a credit card. It earns 6% cash back at grocery stores and 3% on gas and transportation expenses.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

wasCB14 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 20:02:32 GMT

You might look at Blue Cash Preferred.

Sadly the $95 Marriott card I have is closed to new applications. You'd have to get it by getting the premium ($450) card and downgrading after a year. I recently used the 35k point certificate from it (as well as a 50k certificate and some points) for several 20k rooms for a family trip. Not a glamorous redemption, but they would have otherwise expired in a few months, and the only other Marriott stay I had considered for another recent trip was 60k for the night in question.

And those 20k rooms were at by far the nicest property near the national park we were visiting. They would have otherwise been about $140 each before taxes.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

SouthJamaica — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 20:02:05 GMT

@socalchef00 wrote:
@increasingmyfico wrote:
It totally depends on you. The Gold card is a good earner if you spend a lot at restaurants and grocery stores. It is a charge card so you should expect to payoff the full balance every month. AMEX has a lot of different cards. They have cash back options and point options. Will you be traveling a lot? What are you looking for in your next card? I started with the Gold and Blue Cash Preferred. Your mileage may vary. No matter which cards you select Amex is a good company to build a relationship with.

Ohh, for some reason I thought it was an actual credit card not charge card. I'd like a credit card, even though i'd still probably pif, I'd like the option just in case to carry over.

We do alot of restaurants and grocery, less travel at the moment. But I'd rather not have a charge card.

What I didn't like about it being a charge card was the uncertainty of not knowing what your limit is.

Also the charge cards all seem to have excessive annual fees.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

SouthJamaica — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 20:04:09 GMT

@socalchef00 wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
Do you fly a lot?
Stay in hotels a lot?
Which airlines/chains?
Your home airport(s)?
Do you eat out a lot?
Shop at regular grocery stores or more at wholesale clubs like Costco?
Do you buy a lot of electronics or other things that come with warranties?
So I was informed that its a charge card, so maybe not the gold card.

But no, I don't fly or travel alot , at least not yet. But we usually fly Southwest and stay at the Marriott when we do travel.
We do use Resturants, Grocery of course, and every day purchases would be nice with rewards too.

So if you want a cash back card, and you want an Amex, you might want to look at the Blue Cash Everyday, the Blue Cash Preferred, and the Cash Magnet.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

wasCB14 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 20:16:20 GMT

@SouthJamaica wrote:
@socalchef00 wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
Do you fly a lot?
Stay in hotels a lot?
Which airlines/chains?
Your home airport(s)?
Do you eat out a lot?
Shop at regular grocery stores or more at wholesale clubs like Costco?
Do you buy a lot of electronics or other things that come with warranties?
So I was informed that its a charge card, so maybe not the gold card.

But no, I don't fly or travel alot , at least not yet. But we usually fly Southwest and stay at the Marriott when we do travel.
We do use Resturants, Grocery of course, and every day purchases would be nice with rewards too.
So if you want a cash back card, and you want an Amex, you might want to look at the Blue Cash Everyday, the Blue Cash Preferred, and the Cash Magnet.

Note that BCE and CM have mediocre rewards and no extended warranty feature. You're not getting the front-line customer service reserved for Platinum cards, either.

You'll get good customer service on disputes and the spend tracking tools are nice (perhaps more useful for business cards than personal ones).

But when the features get watered down that much, is there really any point in having an Amex?

(Other than upgrade/downgrade bonus churning, that is.)

Re: Best AMEX cards?

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 20:18:30 GMT

IMO, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to choose an issuer and then look for one of their cards. You MIGHT consider the issuer once you find a card that looks great and check here to see if ReallyBadBankThatWillRipYouOffandSpitYouOut Inc has a good reputation (but even then you are going to generally get a mixed response of "They are great" and "Avoid at all costs" depending on individual experiences)

Find something that rewards, in a way you want (points/cashback/perks), your spending patterns and then see if you stand a reasonable chance of a successful application

Re: Best AMEX cards?

wasCB14 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 20:21:02 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
IMO, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to choose an issuer and then look for one of their cards. You MIGHT consider the issuer once you find a card that looks great and check here to see if ReallyBadBankThatWillRipYouOffandSpitYouOut Inc has a good reputation (but even then you are going to generally get a mixed response of "They are great" and "Avoid at all costs" depending on individual experiences)

Find something that rewards, in a way you want (points/cashback/perks), your spending patterns and then see if you stand a reasonable chance of a successful application

Absolutely.

Amex is the only issuer where people conclude they need one before they've looked at the options.

Re: Best AMEX cards?

GApeachy — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 20:38:15 GMT

@socalchef00 (a little tidbit) Just from personal experience with the BCE and BCP is the unique "Send & Split" feature where you can send $2k to your Venmo acct. without any fees and is not considered a cash advance.

But here's a link where I had inquired not long ago about certain cards and available cl for doing so:

ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Amex-Send-amp-Split-available-credit-limit/m-p/6436914

Re: Best AMEX cards?

socalchef00 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 21:08:28 GMT

@SouthJamaica wrote:
@socalchef00 wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
Do you fly a lot?
Stay in hotels a lot?
Which airlines/chains?
Your home airport(s)?
Do you eat out a lot?
Shop at regular grocery stores or more at wholesale clubs like Costco?
Do you buy a lot of electronics or other things that come with warranties?
So I was informed that its a charge card, so maybe not the gold card.

But no, I don't fly or travel alot , at least not yet. But we usually fly Southwest and stay at the Marriott when we do travel.
We do use Resturants, Grocery of course, and every day purchases would be nice with rewards too.
So if you want a cash back card, and you want an Amex, you might want to look at the Blue Cash Everyday, the Blue Cash Preferred, and the Cash Magnet.

Thanks

Re: Best AMEX cards?

CYBERSAM — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 21:19:48 GMT

@socalchef00 Blue Cash Preferred® Card is the best overall Credit Card I found AMEX had for me. There is an AF but you make it back with all the perks.

AMEX has other specialty cards as others mentioned, but I use BCP as of one my main CCs 👍

Re: Best AMEX cards?

socalchef00 — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 21:40:21 GMT

@CYBERSAM wrote:
@socalchef00 Blue Cash Preferred® Card is the best overall Credit Card I found AMEX had for me. There is an AF but you make it back with all the perks.
AMEX has other specialty cards as others mentioned, but I use BCP as of one my main CCs 👍
Thanks, I'll look into that one