Which is the best American Express credit card?

American Express credit cards – commonly known as Amex cards – are a popular choice among customers looking for extra rewards when spending money.

These cards come in all sorts of forms, from cashback credit cards to rewards credit cards. Some are free to get, while others have a fee attached.

If you want to clear debt, you may be better off making use of 0% balance transfer credit cards.

MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up

But if you’re seeking maximum value on your day-to-day spending and travel perks, and will pay off the balance due in full each month, a card which offers rewards might be a good option.

Amex offers a number of rewards credit cards – although these cards might not be as widely accepted as Mastercard and Visa cards.

We look at the best American Express credit cards and what benefits you can get from each.

The best American Express credit cards

There isn’t necessarily a ‘best’ Amex credit card, as different options may or may not suit people’s spending habits.

For instance, someone who doesn’t travel abroad often might not get as much use out of an Amex card that offers Avios points, compared to a frequent flyer.

Below, we list some of the most popular credit cards for different uses, such as no annual fee, cashback, rewards and travel perks.

You won’t be eligible for any “welcome bonus” offers if you have held an Amex card in the past 24 months. See how British Airways Amex companion vouchers work in our guide.

American Express has also enhanced its “invite a friend” offer for some cardmembers, until 24 February 2026.

British Airways American Express Premium Plus Cardmembers who successfully refer a friend directly from ba.com can get 12,000 extra Avios – up from the usual 9,000.

British Airways American Express Credit Cardmembers can usually get 4,000 Avios for referring a friend from ba.com, but this has been improved to 8,000 for a limited time only.

The best Amex card with no annual fee

If you’re just dipping your toes into the world of credit cards or Amex, the British Airways American Express Credit Card may be a good option. It doesn’t have an annual fee and it lets you collect Avios on any purchases you make, giving you more value for your money.

Some of its perks include:

• Limited-time sign-up bonus of 10,000 bonus Avios (usually 5,000) when you spend £2,000 in your first three months of Cardmembership. This offer is only for new Cardmembers who apply on the BA site and are approved for the card before 24 February.
• One Avios for every £1 spent on purchases.
• 1,000 Avios when you add the first Supplementary Card – an extra card issued to a family member or friend – to your account.
• Get a companion voucher when you spend £15,000 each cardmembership year.

Eligibility:

• Earn at least £15,000 per year

The best Amex card for cashback

Out of the Amex range, the American Express Cashback Everyday Credit Card gives the most cashback without having to pay any annual fees.

Some of its perks include:

• 5% cashback on your purchases (up to £125) for the first three months of your cardmembership. This is only for new cardmembers who have not held an Amex card in the last 24 months.
• After the bonus period, earn 1% cashback on spending above £10,000, which falls to 0.5% if you spend less than £10,000.
• There is no limit on how much cashback you can earn in a year, provided you spend a minimum of £3,000.

Eligibility:

• Earn at least £15,000 per year

The best Amex card for rewards

The American Express Preferred Rewards Credit Card comes with a host of rewards and points that can help offset the cost of the card – a £195 fee that comes in after a year.

Some of its perks include:

• Welcome bonus offer: Earn 20,000 bonus Membership Rewards points when you spend £3,000 in the first three months. You don’t qualify if you’ve already had an Amex in the past 24 months.
• Earn three points for every £1 spent on Amex Travel and two points for every £1 spent directly with airlines
• Get £10 back per month on Deliveroo, which could equate to £120 back a year
• Four complimentary Priority Pass airport lounge passes a year at up to 1,300 lounges at airports around the world
• Other benefits include hotel credit towards spa or food and beverage, late check-out, room upgrades and more.

Eligibility:

• Earn at least £20,000 per year

You can use points towards purchases made on your card, whether you’re going on holiday or dining out. For instance, 25,000 points means up to £125 in gift cards.

The best Amex card for travel

While American Express Platinum Credit Card comes with a substantial fee of £650 per year, depending on how you use the travel benefits offered, it may be worth getting.

Some of its perks include:

• Earn 50,000 (usually 30,000) Membership Rewards points when you spend £6,000 in the first three months. The boosted offer is available until 24 February 2026. You don’t qualify if you’ve already had an Amex in the past 24 months.
• Get up to £200 in dining credit to spend in the UK, and another £200 abroad for participating restaurants
• Earn 2x points on Amex Travel for every £1 spent.
• Earn one point for every £1 spent
• Complimentary access to over 1,400 lounges at airports around the world
• Travel rewards, including worldwide travel insurance, car rental and complimentary hotel benefits

Eligibility:

• Earn at least £35,000 per year

If you’re unsure whether this card works for you, you may consider testing it out for a year. The sign-up bonus of 50,000 Membership Rewards points (which means 50,000 Avios) and £400 annual dining credit in the UK and abroad could work out to be the same as the fee for the first year.

The best Amex card for frequent flyers

An alternative option is the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Credit Card, which offers extra Avios points for a limited time. This account has a £300 annual fee and a representative APR of 136.4% variable.

Some of its perks include:

• Welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus Avios (usually 30,000) when you spend £6,000 in your first three months of Cardmembership. This offer is only for new Cardmembers who apply on the BA site and are approved for the card before 24 February.
• Get a companion voucher in any cabin – including business and first class – when you spend £15,000 in a year.
• Earn 3x Avios with British Airways or BA Holidays for every £1 spent
• Earn 1.5x Avios for every £1 spent on purchases.

Eligibility:

• Earn at least £35,000 per year

We look at the best time to book flights for savvy travellers who want the best value for money on their holidays.

Which is the best American Express Avios Credit Card for me?

The right card will ultimately come down to your spending habits. The more you spend on the card, the better value the Premium Plus card becomes, since the greater gain of Avios points will mitigate the annual fee. It’s also worth bearing in mind that other credit cards offer Avios rewards, such as those from Barclaycard, while you can also boost your Avios balance by opting for specific bank accounts.

Other American Express Credit Cards to consider

American Express offers a handful of other credit cards tied to specific reward schemes or brands. If you are a regular customer of these firms, then you may be best off considering one of these cards.

For example, the American Express Nectar Credit Card allows you to earn two Nectar points for every £1 spent (rising to three points with Nectar partner firms). You can bag a bonus of 20,000 further points if you spend £2,000 in the first three months with the card, which essentially waives the annual fee of £30 in the first year.

There’s also the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Credit Card, which offers two points on each £1 you spend, moving to six points when you spend on eligible Marriott properties. You get an automatic silver status upgrade and receive 15 Elite Night Credits towards the hotel’s loyalty program. You can also earn an introductory bonus of 20,000 points when you spend £3,000 in the first three months. There’s an annual fee of £95 to consider, though.

Get the most from your American Express Card

Whichever American Express card you go for, if you want to make the most of the ability to earn rewards, you’ll need to put as much of your usual spending each month as possible on the card.

This can be a little trickier with American Express cards since they are not accepted by all retailers, but enough retailers do to allow you to put a significant portion of your spending on the card and maximise your returns.

However, it’s important that you do not view this as a reason to spend more than usual each month. Rewards credit cards only benefit shoppers who can clear their balance in full every month; otherwise, the interest charged on any outstanding balance will quickly eat into the value of the rewards you’ve earned.