Guide to American Express Membership Rewards Cards

American Express membership rewards come as a bonus for spending when you use one of many AMEX rewards cards. American Express rewards cards offer a variety of redeemable points options for you based on the type of card you choose for yourself or your business.

AMEX rewards cards also come with built-in support, including online banking and rewards management. American Express even offers some creative ways to use your rewards beyond just cash or points, such as donating your rewards money to charity.

Plan for the following when you apply for an AMEX rewards card:

1. Decide if you want a personal credit card or a business credit card for your small business.
2. Think about the kind of spending that you do to select the type of American Express membership that will benefit you most.
3. Compare APR, fees, and restrictions for all AMEX rewards cards, then apply online for instant approval.
4. Manage your AMEX rewards account online and track your American Express rewards points through your online account.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Pick personal or business American Express rewards cards

Business credit cards can be an effective choice for you to reap American Express rewards card benefits if your small business does a lot of spending. You can use an AMEX rewards card to make your business purchases, and then save money on business expenses, such as travel, when you get rewards. Or, take advantage of American Express' online presence to help select a personal reward card that fits your needs.

I recommend: Business rewards cards frequently have an annual fee, but some, like the American Express Business Gold Rewards Card, don't charge an annual fee during the first year and can get you special discounts at the hotels and airlines you use. If you're a first time credit card applicant, join the American Express site to learn which personal cards for which you might be pre-approved. You also can compare different personal rewards cards before applying.

Evaluate your spending habits before selecting an AMEX rewards card

Pick the American Express rewards card that can benefit you most by evaluating what American Express membership rewards are best for you and how you spend. Some cards, such as the Delta SkyMiles cards and the Hilton HHonors card, offer better rewards on specific types of services, such as airline tickets and hotels. Business rewards cards tend to offer travel and office merchandise rewards.

I recommend: Shop the whole range of personal and business American Express rewards cards to choose which card offers you the rewards you will use most. American Express also has a questionnaire you can take to answer questions about your spending and credit needs and find out what card is right for you.

Compare the things that matter on American Express membership awards

When shopping around for rewards, don't forget to look at important factors such as APR, annual fees, and credit limits that influence your credit card membership decisions. Many of the rewards cards offering the best rewards plans also have the highest credit requirements or annual fees.

I recommend: Compare all of the American Express rewards cards for both personal and business users for APR, credit limits, credit requirements for membership, annual fees and balance transfer options from existing credit cards. You also can apply online for immediate action. Use American Express's own comparison feature to help you select the card features you care about most.

Manage your AMEX rewards online

American Express membership rewards are easy to manage online for all of your cards. Just create an account at the American Express website. You can even donate to charity and manage those donations for tax purposes using rewards points from your AMEX account.

I recommend: Create an American Express account to manage your bills online as well as keep tabs on and request rewards. Check out how you can use your points to donate to charity.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Use both the information available at the American Express rewards card website and comparisons available from a third party when choosing a credit card. When shopping for rewards cards, it's helpful to know what others have to say, but also be certain to examine card information directly from the source and read the fine print.

The official source of American Express Membership Rewards Cards is
the American Express Membership Rewards Card page at Business.com