Earn 20% back at Amazon and a cash bonus with new offers on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred and Everyday cards

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• Amazon shoppers can do well with two new increased cash-back credit card offers from Amex.
• With the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, you can earn 20% back on Amazon.com purchases (up to $200 back) in your first 6 months, plus $150 back as a statement credit after you spend $3,000 on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership
• The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is offering 20% back on Amazon.com purchases (up to $150 back) in your first 6 months, plus $100 back as a statement credit after you spend $2,000 on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Read Insider’s guide to the best cash-back credit cards.

American Express is back with another round of increased credit card welcome offers, and this time it’s a sweet deal for folks who spend a lot at Amazon.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express are each offering tiered bonuses that offer a 20% rebate for Amazon purchases in the first six months, along with a cash-back bonus for meeting a minimum spending requirement.

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Amex Blue Cash Preferred and Everyday increased bonuses

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Earn 20% back on Amazon.com purchases (up to $200 back) in your first 6 months, plus $150 back as a statement credit after you spend $3,000 on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Earn 20% back on Amazon.com purchases (up to $150 back) in your first 6 months, plus $100 back as a statement credit after you spend $2,000 on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership

These credit cards aren’t just a good choice for Amazon shoppers. If you spend a lot on groceries, both cards offer a high cash-back rate at U.S. supermarkets (up to a spending cap), and other bonus categories — which vary by card — are ideal for those who are spending more time close to home because of the pandemic.

Here’s what to know if you’re thinking of applying.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express — Earn up to $350 cash back

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

You’ll also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis, rideshares, parking, tolls, trains, and buses), and 1% cash back on everything else. If you max out the $6,000 limit at U.S. supermarkets, you could earn up to $360 in cash back each year just from that category alone — that’s more than enough to offset the annual fee of $95 (waived the first year) (See Rates) (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars).

Cardholders also receive benefits like car rental insurance, return protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty, plus access to Amex’s Global Assist Hotline for help if things go wrong away from home.

Read more about the best credit cards for grocery store purchases and the best cards to use for streaming services if you want to maximize your rewards.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express — Earn up to $250 cash back

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Cardholders earn 3% back on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year (then 1% back) and 2% back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars). That’s a decent rate of a return for a card with no annual fee, but not as substantial as the earning rates on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.

The card also comes with a handful of perks including purchase protection, car rental insurance, and access to Amex’s Global Assist Hotline.

Which Amex Blue Cash credit card is best for you?

Because the annual fee is waived the first year on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, both of these cards are evenly matched as far as out-of-pocket cost goes — at least initially. For this reason, most people will do better applying for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express given its higher welcome offer, better earning rates, and additional perks.

The exception to this would be if you’ve already have (or have had) the card — if that’s the case, you won’t qualify for the bonus because Amex limits welcome offers to one per person, per card, per lifetime. You might also consider the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express if you’re looking for a longer introductory APR, because it offers a 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months (then a 13.99% to 23.99% variable APR). 

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express also offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases, but it’s only for the first 12 months (then a 13.99% to 23.99% variable APR).

Jasmin Baron is an associate editor at Personal Finance Insider, where she helps readers maximize rewards and find the best credit cards to fit their lifestyles. She has covered credit cards, points and miles, and loyalty programs for over seven years, and she’s a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).

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