American Express Credit Card Benefits You May Not Know About

American Specific bank cards are recognized for providing distinctive customer support, and the stats show it. The issuer earned the highest spot for the fifth yr working in J.D. Energy’s 2024 U.S. Credit score Card Satisfaction Examine, which ranked the opinions of 38,852 bank card prospects from June 2023 by way of June 2024.

And whereas American Specific gives a variety of in style money again bank cards, together with the Blue Money Most well-liked® Card from American Specific, many customers are rightly obsessive about playing cards that earn factors within the American Specific Membership Rewards program. In any case, these versatile factors supply a number of redemption choices together with present playing cards, merchandise, journey by way of Amex Journey and even level transfers to Amex airline and resort companions.

That stated, some American Specific bank cards supply much more advantages you could not learn about. Right here’s a rundown of 11 unimaginable Amex perks you possibly can qualify for with the best bank card from this issuer.

1. Cellphone protection

Some Amex bank cards supply cellphone safety that applies if you use your card to pay your cellphone invoice every month. Playing cards that provide this protection embody choices like:

No matter which Amex card you will have that gives this profit, this safety is nice for as much as the substitute worth of the cellphone, or as much as $800 (a $50 deductible applies). Cardholders are additionally restricted to simply two claims per 12-month interval.

2. Free transport

Some Amex bank cards additionally include a complimentary ShopRunner membership that affords cardholders free two-day transport at eligible retailers. Members who join this profit can even qualify without cost returns on eligible objects.

Eligible shops embody Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Sephora and extra. In complete, purchases at 1000’s of shops and types can qualify for this profit.

3. Advantages for foodies

Amex additionally gives a couple of advantages for foodies, though not all of their playing cards qualify. For instance, a restaurant platform known as Resy offers eligible Amex cardholders entry to unique reservations and particular eating experiences. Amex playing cards that provide this profit embody the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Specific Card, the Amex Platinum and the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card*. The Delta SkyMiles Reserve additionally gives as much as $240 in assertion credit yearly on Resy purchases made together with your enrolled card.

Different foodie advantages you possibly can qualify for embody:

• Credit for Uber Eats: Some Amex bank cards, together with the Amex Platinum and the American Specific® Gold Card, supply month-to-month credit that apply to each Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases.
• Eating credit: The Amex Gold additionally gives as much as $120 in eating credit per yr (as much as $10 month-to-month), towards purchases at Grubhub, the Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, Goldbelly, Wine.com and 5 Guys if you enroll your card. You can even rise up to $84 in credit towards Dunkin’ purchases annually (as much as $7 month-to-month) with the Amex Gold.

4. Client protections

Sturdy client protections might be laborious to return by on a bank card, so with the ability to reap the benefits of them together with your Amex card is a giant win. Some protections supplied by Amex playing cards embody:

• Prolonged warranties: Some American Specific bank cards include prolonged warranties that present further guarantee protection for objects that already include a producer’s guarantee. In case your producer’s guarantee lasts three years, for instance, Amex would possibly supply a further yr of guarantee safety on prime of that.
• Buy safety: Some playing cards additionally supply buy safety towards injury or theft, which permits cardholders to be reimbursed as much as a certain quantity for a coated buy made inside a set timeframe. Playing cards that provide variations of this protection embody the Amex Gold Card, American Specific Inexperienced Card®* and Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Enterprise Credit score Card.
• Return safety: Return safety ensures you possibly can return an merchandise inside a selected interval when the retailer received’t take it again. For instance, return safety supplied with the Blue Money Most well-liked refunds objects (as much as $300) when retailers received’t take them again inside 90 days of buy (a most of $1,000 of protection per calendar yr applies).

5. Journey perks

A number of Amex bank cards — however not all of them — supply a variety of travel-related advantages that may make journeys extra comfy or luxurious. These advantages embody:

• Airline incidental credit: The Amex Platinum and The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific each supply as much as $200 in airline incidental credit per yr towards purchases like seat upgrades, checked baggage and in-flight wifi entry. This profit solely applies to at least one qualifying airline that’s chosen by the cardholder forward of time.
• Airport lounge entry: The World Lounge Assortment supplied by way of premium Amex journey bank cards lets members entry nicely over 1,400 airport lounges, together with Precedence Cross airport lounges, Amex Centurion lounges and even Delta Sky Golf equipment when the cardholder flies with the airline.
• Clear membership credit score: Some Amex bank cards supply a price credit score to cowl membership within the Clear safety program. The Amex Platinum, Amex Enterprise Platinum, Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card and the Amex Inexperienced Card supply this profit.
• Cruise Privileges Program: The Amex Platinum gives entry to a Cruise Privileges Program that provides members $100 to $300 in onboard credit score, in addition to unique facilities when reserving a cruise by way of this system.
• Elite resort standing: The Amex Platinum and the Amex Enterprise Platinum give cardholders computerized Gold standing throughout the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy applications.
• Payment credit for World Entry or TSA PreCheck membership: Some Amex bank cards supply a price credit score that applies to membership inside World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
• World Help: This hotline lets eligible Amex cardholders get entry to medical and authorized referrals, translation help and extra once they’re touring removed from house.

6. Journey protections

Like many different journey bank cards, eligible playing cards from Amex might supply journey insurance coverage advantages to cardholders. The commonest journey insurance coverage perks out there with Amex playing cards embody:

• Baggage insurance coverage plan: This protection may also help you get reimbursement when your baggage are misplaced or stolen whereas within the care of a standard provider like an airline or a cruise line. The quantity of protection you get varies by card, and you must cost the price of journey with the frequent provider to your card for cover to use.
• Secondary auto rental protection: Some Amex playing cards additionally supply secondary auto rental protection that may apply after you make the most of the bounds in your major insurance coverage coverage. That stated, it’s also possible to buy premium auto rental protection by way of Amex as nicely.
• Journey delay protection: This protection from Amex playing cards can reimburse you for bills that happen when your journey is delayed for an extended sufficient time frame, usually six or 12 hours. That stated, the protection quantity and phrases rely on the Amex card you will have.
• Journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage: This insurance coverage protection may also help you get reimbursed for some or your entire pay as you go, non-refundable journey prices when your journey have to be canceled or interrupted resulting from an sickness or harm in your touring social gathering, inclement climate, terrorist occasion or one other coated situation. Protection quantities fluctuate by card sort.

7. Assertion credit score gives

These gives usually perform kind of like coupons, they usually can present immense worth to cardholders which can be capable of reap the benefits of them. The Platinum Card from American Specific and the Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific have probably the most assertion credit score gives of all Amex bank cards.

8. Entry to Amex Gives

Amex Gives is a program that applies to all bank cards from this issuer, and it’s extremely straightforward to make use of. Basically, Amex Gives let cardholders earn bonus factors or get money again for eligible purchases, and all they should do is add eligible gives they’re inquisitive about to their account forward of time. In some instances, minimal spending necessities and different superb print apply.

Examples of Amex Gives out there on the time of writing embody:

• Levi’s: Spend $150 or extra, get $30 again.
• Max: Spend $99 or extra, get $25 again.
• Paramount+: Spend $12.99 or extra, get $12.99 again as much as thrice.
• Peacock: Spend $7.99 or extra, get $7.99 again month-to-month for as much as three months.

9. Concierge providers

Premium Amex bank cards include complimentary concierge providers which can be out there across the clock. This service may also help cardholders with a variety of requests, from making dinner reservations to getting tickets to a live performance or occasion.

Benét Wilson, a bank cards professional and author at Bankrate, found simply how useful this service was when she reworked the kitchen in her household house in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

10. Amex Pay It, Plan It

Amex Pay It, Plan It is a purchase now, pay later (BNPL) possibility that lets bank card prospects pay for his or her purchases in a extra intentional method. Pay It lets customers robotically repay small purchases underneath $100 by way of the Amex app. In the meantime, Plan It lets members create a fee plan for purchases over $100, with fastened month-to-month funds and no curiosity and solely a set plan price as a substitute.

11. Amex Ship & Cut up

Amex Ship & Cut up permits customers to make use of their Amex private playing cards to ship cash or break up purchases by way of the American Specific app, and it really works along side customers who make the most of Venmo and PayPal.

The “Ship” element of this program allows you to ship cash to Venmo and PayPal customers utilizing your bank card and the app, whereas the “Cut up” perform allows you to break up pending or posted purchases (like a dinner tab) with Venmo or PayPal customers, then get reimbursed to your card with a press release credit score.

The underside line

If you happen to didn’t know American Specific playing cards had so many advantages, you’re undoubtedly not alone. In any case, most of the cardholder perks these playing cards supply aren’t marketed to almost the identical diploma because the rewards you possibly can earn — you typically should dig into the superb print to seek out them.

In any case, these Amex perks could make the issuer’s card merchandise considerably extra priceless, however provided that you employ them. Be certain that to match playing cards and browse over all of the perks and options so you will discover the best match to your wants.

*The details about the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card and American Specific Inexperienced Card® has been collected independently by Bankrate. The cardboard particulars haven’t been reviewed or accredited by the issuer.