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American Express Credit Card Promotions: December 2024

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American Express offers promotions for new credit card applicants. But how do you know which deal is right for you? Read this in-depth guide.

American Express has many promotional bonus offers for those with good to excellent credit.

Amex Promotions

Amex Promotions w/ No Annual Fee

Read on for the list of current card promotions for new applicants. Apply for a new credit card from this list and make the qualifying purchases within the specified timeframe to get the bonus promotion.

Tip: Have an existing balance to transfer? Read this balance transfer guide before you apply.

Cash Rewards Credit Cards

Blue Cash Preferred earns a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. This card earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000/year in purchases, then 1%) and on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, and buses), and 1% on other purchases. You will receive cash back in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. There is a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, currently 18.24% to 29.24%. There is a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.. Terms apply.

Airline Reward Credit Cards

Delta SkyMiles Gold earns 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. This card earns 2x miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.. Earn 1x miles on all other eligible purchases. After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel. There is a $150 annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year).

If you fly Delta, here's what you should know: you can check your first bag free on Delta flights with this card. Terms apply.

Delta SkyMiles Blue offers 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 6 months. This card earns airline miles: 2 miles per dollar spent at restaurants and on Delta purchases. Earn 1x mile on other eligible purchases. There is no annual fee. Terms apply.

Membership Rewards Cards

American Express Platinum offers 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. You 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. There is a $695 annual fee.

This card includes several benefits for travelers: This card offers up to a $200 airline fee credit per calendar year to cover incidental fees at one select qualifying airline. Enrollment required. This card gives you complimentary access to 5 airport lounge networks including The Centurion® lounge network, The International American Express lounges, Delta Sky Club® lounges, Priority Pass™ Select, and Airspace Lounge. Enrollment required for Priority Pass Select. There is no foreign transaction fees. This card also gives you access to Platinum Card® Concierge. You can enroll to get complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status and complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status. Terms Apply.

American Express Gold earns 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. There is a $325 annual fee. Terms apply.

In-Depth Guide to American Express Credit Cards

Which American Express Deal Is Right for You?

To pick the right card for you, consider the following factors:

  • Annual fee: How often will you use your new American Express card? Cards with annual fees usually offer more rewards or benefits. But before you apply for the credit card, think: will you realistically earn enough in rewards to make up for the expense?

  • Cash back vs Membership Rewards points: Cash back is the straightforward way to earn rewards, but depending on what you want, a reward points card could provide more value to you.

    For cash back, check out Blue Cash Preferred. You can earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) and 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations. Note: Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

    Why would one want to earn points over cash back? Earning AMEX Membership Rewards points gives you the flexibility to transfer points to partner frequent travel programs (like airline partners such as Delta and JetBlue, or hotel partners such as Hilton). Then you would use the transfer partner to redeem for award flights or hotel stays.

    Sounds complicated? It doesn't have to be if you know how to play the airline miles game. Read our beginner's guide to get you started.

  • Lifestyle and spending habits: Check your credit card statement. What do you spend the most on? Is it groceries and gas, or are you a frequent traveler? Pick a card with rewards that match your lifestyle.

    If you spend the most at supermarkets and gas stations, then consider the Blue Cash Everyday or Blue Cash Preferred. If you spend a lot of time in the air, then you may find that the AMEX Platinum card with its platinum benefits is worth the annual fee.

AMEX Credit Card Offers for New Applicants

We'll make your decision simpler with side-by-side American Express comparisons. Let's begin with the no-annual-fee Amex cards versus their premium cousins.

Are you already an American Express cardholder? Take advantage of Amex Offers for additional opportunities to save money. Many merchants (like popular restaurants and brand name retailers) offer special American Express coupons and deals via Amex Offers. There's usually no promo codes needed. Instead, you add as many of the offers and coupons as you like to your card. Then use your card to pay. If you meet the offer requirements (e.g.: spend $50 to get $10 back), you'll see the savings as a statement credit within 90 days after you make a qualifying purchase with your connected Card at the participating merchant. Keep in mind, not all American Express cards are eligible (e.g.: a prepaid card is not eligible and a card issued by another bank is not eligible).

American Express Credit Card Application

New Application: Before you apply for a credit card, keep in mind, you usually need good to excellent credit. Ready to apply? Click the apply now button on this page and you'll be redirected to American Express' secure online website.

Earn Cash Back: Blue Cash Cards

Is cash king? Do you want to earn cashback rewards WITHOUT having to deal with spending categories that change every few months?

Consider one of the AMEX Blue Cash cards.

Which cashback credit card is right for you? We'll break down the numbers below. But first, let's do a side-by-side comparison to see how the two cards stack up:

Who Should Apply for the Blue Cash Preferred Card? If you spend more than $61/week on groceries, that is over $3,172 a year spent. If you spend $3,172 a year at U.S. supermarkets, you'll earn $190.32 back (compared to $95.16 with the Blue Cash Everyday).

Travel Deals and Bonuses

Travel Promotion: Like to Fly Delta?

Delta SkyMiles Gold
Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Did you know: One way award travel tickets within the continental United States start at only 10,000 miles, plus taxes and fees.

What perks are available with this card?

  • You earn 2 miles per eligible dollar spent directly with Delta
  • You get to check your first bag free on Delta flights
  • You get Zone 5 Priority Boarding

The card has a $150 annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year). There are no foreign transaction fees .

Want Platinum Benefits?

Scoring a deal on bonus points is nice, but do you also want to enjoy platinum benefits such as Platinum Concierge Service and Airport Club Access?

The Platinum Card has a $695 annual fee that might discourage many. But some frequent travelers believe this membership rewards card is well worth it.

To help get you started, this card earns 80,000 Membership Rewards bonus points after you spend $8,000 in purchases in your first 6 months with your new AMEX Platinum card.

Plus, every year you get up to a $200 Airline Fee Credit, which helps covers incidentals such as baggage fees and change fees at one airline (you need to enroll and pick a qualifying airline beforehand).

Keep in mind: you are still subject to credit approval requirements to get the card.

Want Benefits But Don't Want a $695 Annual Fee?

Does $695 sound like too much? The American Express Gold Card has a $325 annual fee.

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.

If you like to travel and need to occasionally carry a balance, you may want to consider a travel credit card like Chase Sapphire Preferred® credit card. If you frequently carry a balance, look for a low interest credit card instead.

Here is how the Platinum and Gold compare side-by-side:

Is American Express Good for You?

American Express has a "spend-centric" business model, which means they want to generate revenue by loyal card members using their card to spend, rather than charging excessive finance charges and unreasonable fees.

That means average spending on American Express cards tends to be higher than their bank competitors. This allows American Express to charge a premium rate to merchants (which is why some businesses - mostly small mom-and-pops - don't take American Express). This higher rate to merchants lets American Express offer, in our opinion, particularly attractive rewards and bonuses. It also means Amex can offer better services to their credit card users.

How does that affect you? You may sometimes find a retailer that won't accept your payment card, but that's becoming rarer as more merchants realize the value of loyal American Express cardholders.

Tip: If you frequently shop at small mom-and-pop retailers, you may want to consider a Visa or MasterCard. Here are the latest Chase credit card promotions and Citi credit cards.

American Express for Small Business

You don't have to be a large corporation to get a business credit card from American Express.

As a small business owner, you know you spend a lot of money running your business. Why not apply and take advantage of that spend? Don't use personal cards, business credit cards are better designed for your needs. Use the right tools for your company. American Express also has funding solutions.

Do you want to find a bonus offer? Here are some of the latest American Express business credit card promotions. Click on the card name to learn more.

Business Credit Cards with No Annual Fees

Business Gold vs Business Platinum

Welcome Bonus: Making Your Choice

Hopefully, certain bonuses stuck out for you as you looked down this list. Read the above links to our reviews to find out what we like and dislike about each Amex card.

Is the idea of getting 6% at the supermarket (even with a $6,000/year cap) hard to beat? Or are you all about travel perks, no matter how much it will cost you per year?

There's a lot to think about when reviewing the latest Amex offers. Having credit card and bank choices is a good thing though. Take advantage of these promotions.

Remember as with all credit card and bank offers, terms and limitations apply.

Sarah Johnson is a senior editor at CreditDonkey, a credit card comparison and reviews website. Write to Sarah Johnson at sarah@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by Chase. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Chase. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by American Express. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express.

Disclaimer: The information for the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, The Platinum Card® from American Express, Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, American Express® Business Gold Card, Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, Hilton Honors American Express Card, and Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card has been collected independently by CreditDonkey. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.


About CreditDonkey
CreditDonkey is a credit card comparison website. We publish data-driven analysis to help you save money & make savvy decisions.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

†Advertiser Disclosure: Many of the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which CreditDonkey receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CreditDonkey does not include all companies or all offers that may be available in the marketplace.

*See the card issuer's online application for details about terms and conditions. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. However, all information is presented without warranty. When you click on the "Apply Now" button you can review the terms and conditions on the card issuer's website.

CreditDonkey does not know your individual circumstances and provides information for general educational purposes only. CreditDonkey is not a substitute for, and should not be used as, professional legal, credit or financial advice. You should consult your own professional advisors for such advice.

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