American Express customers have not known exactly how many credit cards per person the company would issue, and the number has been somewhere between four and five. It recently has been confirmed to be five, according to this Reddit thread.
The magical number includes credit cards only. Charge cards are exempt from this rule. If you apply for a fifth credit card with Amex and are declined, you may reach an account specialist at 800-266-1260 for a manual approval.
It’s important to note that customers cannot be approved for more than two Amex credit cards during any 90-day period. This includes both personal and small-business cards.
So, what American Express credit cards should you apply for? Of course, the answer depends on your travel patterns, but here are my picks.
Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card
As someone who lives in a Delta Air Lines hub, I fly Delta both domestically and internationally more often that other airlines. This card offers a free checked bag for me and up to eight travel companions booked on the same reservation. A checked bag on a domestic flights costs $25 each way. The annual fee of $95 pays for itself each year it covers luggage fees alone, not to mention Zone 1 boarding and in-flight savings of 20 percent on food, drinks and movies.
Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card
The reason I love the Starwood Preferred Guest Card from American Express is its flexibility. Not only do members earn points toward free hotel stays with Starwood, it’s also possible to transfer points to a variety of airlines. The best part is that all transfers of 20,000 points receive a bonus of 5,000 airline miles, making the transfer rate 1:1.25.
Hence, 40,000 Starpoints become 50,000 airline miles, and 60,000 Starpoints become 75 airline miles. The card also offers purchase protection and occasional access to private events. Earlier this month, I was invited to an exclusive Sundance Film Festival party just for being a card member.
Everybody needs a no-annual fee card in his or her wallet. Holding a card for many years helps extending the average age of accounts. And not paying a fee makes it easier to justify keeping certain cards.
Hilton HHonors Card from American Express has no annual fees and is also one of those cards with low minimum spending requirements. This card’s welcome offer is 50,000 HHonors points after spending $750 in the first three months of card membership. Members earn 7X Hilton HHonors bonus points on purchases made at hotels in the Hilton portfolio.
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Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
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$0 first year
$95 after first year |
Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you make $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within your first 3 months Read Review » |
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Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express |
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SimplyCash Plus Business Credit Card
SimplyCash Plus Business Credit Card from American Express recently increased its sign-up bonus allowing customers earn up to $400 cash back. The breakdown is as follows. Members can earn a statement credit of $200 after spending $5,000 on the card within the first six months of opening an account. An additional $200 statement credit is added after spending another $10,000 within the first year of being a cardholder—all for $0 annual fee.
Cash back categories include 5 percent back on U.S. office supply stores and wireless phone bills, 3 percent cash back on one of the eight categories of your choice (airfare, restaurants and gas stations, to name a few) and 1 percent back on all other purchases. As a reminder, this is a business card, and not a personal card.
Amex EveryDay Credit Card
Amex EveryDay Credit Card has no annual fees and comes with a sign-up bonus of 1,000 Membership Rewards points after making $1,000 in purchases in the first three months of opening an account. The beauty of this card is that it gives members an option to pay off charges with points or transfer MR points to travel partners—something no-annual-fee cards with other banks do not offer.
This card earns 2X points on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (capped at $6,000 per year) and 1X points on all other purchases. A 20-percent bonus applies to monthly statements with 20 or more transactions. The card also offers roadside assistance, purchase protection and ShopRunner membership, which most Amex cards with annual fees offer as well.
How many American Express credit cards are in your wallet and which ones do you keep renewing?