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Plenty of great rewards credit cards can help you save on your most frequent purchases — but few offer as much long-term value as the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
Despite its annual fee, this cash-back credit card can deliver ample annual savings for families, home chefs, commuters, and everyone in between.
The best way to earn rewards with your Blue Cash Preferred Card is to use it for your everyday purchases that fall into bonus categories.
You should be aware of what does and doesn’t count toward your rewards earnings in bonus categories, though. For example, the U.S. supermarket category will likely cover most of your regular food stores, but superstores, warehouse clubs, convenience stores, and meal-kit services don’t count. Amex also has a specific list of U.S. streaming subscriptions that count toward the card’s other 6% category, including Audible, Disney+, Hulu, MAX, Netflix, Peacock, Prime Video, SiriusXM, Spotify, Youtube TV, and more.
The 3% transit category is broad; it includes fares for trains, ferries, buses, subways, taxis, and rideshare services, as well as parking and tolls. Finally, to earn 3% at U.S. gas stations, Amex specifies that gasoline sales must be the merchant’s primary business. That means superstores or warehouse clubs that sell gas may not count toward your rewards in this category.
Altogether, we estimate that the average American household can potentially earn over $500 in cash back each year with a Blue Cash Preferred card, after accounting for its annual fee (based on annual Consumer Expenditure data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics).
You’ll have two options for redeeming your Blue Cash Preferred Card rewards: Trade them in for statement credits toward your account or use them toward eligible purchases at Amazon.com. There’s no minimum amount required to redeem your rewards.
These added benefits may not be the main draw of the Blue Cash Preferred Card, but they could save you a significant amount of money when you need them:
Disney Bundle credit: Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, hulu.com, or plus.espn.com U.S. websites (subject to auto-renewal).
Amex Offers: Add eligible offers to your card account to receive discounts or boosted rewards earnings with select brands. You must enroll in an offer and use it before the expiration date to qualify.
Car rental loss and damage insurance*: When you use your card to pay for a rental car, you can qualify for insurance against damage or theft in covered locations. Make sure you read your card agreement for the details; this benefit isn’t available everywhere or for all rental cars and only provides secondary coverage.
Purchase and return protection*: Your eligible purchases are covered for up to 90 days against damage or theft with purchase protection. Return protection allows you to return eligible purchases for up to 90 days if you cannot return to the seller. Limits apply for both of these benefits.
Extended warranty*: Get up to one year of extra warranty protection for eligible purchases with a manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less; limits apply.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is a versatile and valuable cash-back card that can work for nearly anyone’s wallet. Its rewards categories cover a range of everyday purchases and cash-back rewards are easy to redeem for statement credits or future Amazon purchases. Plus, it has a solid intro APR offer, annual benefits that can help make up the cost of the annual fee, and a welcome bonus greater than many other cash-back cards today.
However, there are a few reasons the Blue Cash Preferred may not work best for you.
For one, it does have a modest annual fee (after a first-year introductory $0 fee). Many cardholders may find it easy to offset this cost — you’ll earn around $96 in cash back after spending just $1,600 annually ($133 per month) at U.S. supermarkets, before even accounting for rewards in other categories. But if you think you’ll have trouble cashing in on this card’s rewards and benefits year after year, consider a no-annual-fee rewards credit card instead.
You may also want to consider a different card if you frequently travel abroad. Many of the Blue Cash Preferred’s rewards categories only apply for purchases in the U.S. (U.S. supermarkets, select U.S. streaming subscriptions, and U.S. gas stations). You won’t be able to maximize international spending in these categories. On top of that, you’ll pay a 2.7% foreign transaction fee on every international purchase — which can quickly add up for frequent travelers.
Great potential cash-back earnings (and one of the highest rewards rates you’ll find for U.S. supermarkets today)
Simple cash-back rewards redemptions
Introductory APR
Valuable welcome bonus
Spending cap for top rewards rate
Annual fee
Some exclusions for earning rewards in bonus categories
Read more: Are credit cards with an annual fee worth it? Where can you use the Blue Cash Preferred from Amex?
You can use this card anywhere American Express cards are accepted. In the U.S., 99% of merchants who accept credit cards accept Amex, so you shouldn’t have a problem at home.
You might find international acceptance more difficult than with other networks’ credit cards, but Amex says its cards are now accepted at more than 89 million locations globally. Keep in mind that this card does charge foreign transaction fees. So even if your card is accepted abroad, you’ll pay more per purchase outside the U.S.
Online through your card account
Via mobile app
Set up automatic payments
By phone: 1-800-427-9297
By mail:
American Express
P.O. Box 96001
Los Angeles, CA 90096-8000
Amex customer service is available 24/7. You can reach out using the following info.
Phone number: 1-800-528-4800
Chat with a representative online or within the mobile app when you’re logged in.
Blue Cash Preferred online login page
If you’re not sure the Blue Cash Preferred from Amex is right for you, consider these other cash-back credit cards:
Why we like it: The Blue Cash Everyday Card is a solid no-annual-fee alternative to the Blue Cash Preferred. It has a similar welcome offer and a slightly longer intro APR offer. For ongoing rewards, the Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, on U.S. online retail purchases, and at U.S. gas stations, all up to the first $6,000 spent in the category each year (then 1%). Every other purchase earns 1% cash back. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Read our full review of the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
Why we like it: The Savor card from Capital One also has no annual fee and rewards categories focused on everyday spending. You’ll get a generous intro APR on new purchases and balance transfers, plus an easy-to-earn welcome offer. The Savor Cash Rewards Card has several ongoing cash-back rewards categories: Capital One Entertainment purchases; hotels and vacation and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel; cash back at grocery stores (not including Target and Walmart), on dining, entertainment, and popular streaming services; and 1% on all other purchases.
Read our full review of the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Why we like it: For some cardholders, the Chase Freedom Unlimited could have the most valuable welcome offer on our list. You’ll earn rewards on the card’s ongoing rewards categories, which include 5% on travel through Chase Travel℠, 3% on drugstore purchases, 3% on dining at restaurants, and 1.5% on all other purchases. Chase Freedom Unlimited also has no annual fee and a generous intro APR on new purchases and balance transfers.
Read more about the Chase Freedom Unlimited’s current welcome bonus offer
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
This article was edited by Alicia Hahn
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn’t include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Source: Yahoo Finance
