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Blue from American Express Credit Card review

Written by Editor, Product Claire Dickey is a product editor for Bankrate, CreditCards.com and To Her Credit. Before joining Bankrate, Claire worked as a copywriter for brands within the telecommunications June 7, 2022 Edited by Credit Card Reviews Writer Bankrate expert Garrett Yarbrough strives to make navigating credit cards and credit building smooth sailing for his readers. After regularly featuring his credit card, Reviewed by Former Senior Director of Content Antonio Ruiz-Camacho is senior director of content for CreditCards.com and Bankrate Credit Cards. He has more than 20 years of international experience leading content teams, June 7, 2022

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Snapshot

2.6 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

Blue from American Express®

Rewards rate Earn 1 Membership Rewards point for every eligible dollar you spend. Annual fee Intro offer Intro offer is not available to this American Express credit card Regular APR

Blue from American Express® Credit Card Overview

If you're looking for an entry-level credit card to start collecting , then the Blue from American Express® Credit Card might be right for you. While experienced credit card users are unlikely to be impressed by this card's low rewards rate and lack of welcome bonus, the Amex Blue comes with no annual fee and just enough benefits to attract those who value simplicity and the Amex brand.

What are the pros and cons

Pros

No annual fee Free ShopRunner membership Car rental insurance

Cons

No welcome bonus Disappointing rewards rate Can’t transfer points to travel partners

A deeper look into the current card offer

Quick highlights

Rewards rate: 2X points per dollar spent through American Express Travel; 1X points per dollar on all other purchases Welcome offer: None Annual fee: $0 Purchase intro APR: None Balance transfer intro APR: None Regular APR: 24.24 percent variable One of the biggest drawbacks of this card is its lack of a welcome offer. While there aren't a ton of with generous sign-up bonuses, there are a few with no annual fee that do offer a welcome bonus. Take the , which comes with 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend at least $1,000 within the first three months.

Rewards rate

The is flexible and relatively straightforward. You can earn unlimited points that won't expire and redeem them in a number of ways.

Earning rewards

Each dollar you spend on the Amex Blue will earn you a point. When you make eligible travel purchases through AmexTravel.com, such as prepaid hotels, prepaid car rentals, flights, flight and hotel packages and cruise reservations, you will get double the points. While many cards on the market have higher rewards earning potential, this card is great for those who prioritize simplicity. With no rotating categories or spending caps to worry about, you basically use the card as often as you can and your points balance will grow.

Redeeming rewards

You can pay with points at checkout with select partner merchants (like Amazon.com and the Amex Travel rental car booking webpage), exchange points for gift cards, use them to cover your card charges or book/upgrade travel with them. The value of your points differs depending on the redemption option you choose. Unfortunately, Membership Rewards points from the Amex Blue cannot be transferred to frequent flyer programs.

How much are points worth

Although values American Express Membership Rewards points at 2 cents apiece, points earned from the Amex Blue are likely to be worth around just 0.5 to 1 cent. You tend to get maximum value by transferring points to frequent flyer programs, but this isn't an option with this card. Non-travel redemption options tend to have lower redemption rates for your points. However, a offer allows select cardholders will be able to redeem reward points at a boosted 1 cent-per-point rate to cover card charges-a 40 percent increase from the standard 0.6 cent redemption value for statement credits. Travel might still be a more valuable use of your rewards, but it's an offer worth considering if your travel plans are on the backburner for now.

Other cardholder benefits

There are no bells and whistles with Amex Blue, but the few perks that are on offer are undoubtedly handy for most people.

Protection and insurance

Car rental loss and damage insurance: If you pay for a rental car with your Amex Blue, you can be covered for damage or theft provided you decline the collision damage waiver from the rental company and you're driving in a covered territory. Global assist: When you're more than 100 miles from home, Amex's Global Assist hotline can help you access emergency cash in addition to medical, legal, passport or lost luggage assistance. Fraud protection: You can use your card with confidence knowing that you won't be liable for fraudulent charges.

Entertainment and shopping

Ticket presales: Get exclusive access to presale tickets to see Broadway shows, concerts and sporting events. ShopRunner membership: American Express cardholders can get a free membership with ShopRunner, which entitles you to free two-day shipping from participating stores.

Rates and fees

The Amex Blue has no annual fee, but you'll be charged 2.7 percent on foreign transactions-so best to leave it at home when you're traveling abroad. You've got to watch out for late payment charges, too, as the late payment fee is up to $40 and there's a variable penalty APR of 29.99 percent. There are no intro APR periods for either new purchases or balance transfers, either. Consider using this card when you know you can pay your balance off each month because its regular APR is high at 24.24 percent variable.

How the Blue from American Express compares to other $0 annual fee credit cards

Compared to other credit cards with no annual fee, the Amex Blue trails in rewards earning potential. For example, the Amex EveryDay offers 20 percent extra points if you use your card at least 20 times per billing period, as well as 2 points for the first $6,000 spent on U.S. supermarket purchases per year (then 1x). The goes even further-you'll get 5 percent cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards and on Lyft purchases (through March 2025), 3 percent for dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5 percent on everything else.

Blue from American Express®

star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon Bankrate Score Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. Annual fee Intro offer Intro offer is not available to this American Express credit card Rewards rate Earn 1 Membership Rewards point for every eligible dollar you spend. Recommended credit A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

Amex EveryDay® Credit Card

Annual fee Intro offer Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards Points after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Rewards rate 2x points at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1x) 1x points on other purchases Recommended credit A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

on Chase's secure site Annual fee Intro offer Intro Offer: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back! Rewards rate Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service 1.5% on all other purchases Recommended credit A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

Best cards to pair with Blue from American Express

To build Membership Rewards points faster, you could pair this card with the Amex EveryDay. That way, you can earn 2 points for up to $6,000 in U.S. supermarket purchases per year (then 1x), as well as 2 points for travel booked through Amex Travel. If you spent a lot on gas and groceries, it may even be worth pairing with the . Although it has an annual fee of $95, you'll get 3X points on up to $6,000 in U.S. supermarket purchases a year and 2X points at U.S. gas stations.

Bankrate s Take Is Blue from American Express Credit Card worth it

The Amex Blue isn't the best card for maximizing rewards; it's really only suited for who want to enjoy the convenience of having a credit card while trying out the Membership Rewards program. But if you're serious about earning rewards fast, you'll probably be better off with other Amex cards. The information about the Blue from American Express® Credit Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express and the Amex® EveryDay Preferred Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

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Written by Claire Dickey Editor, Product Claire Dickey is a product editor for Bankrate, and . Before joining Bankrate, Claire worked as a copywriter for brands within the telecommunications industry as well as a hybrid marketing and content writer. Edited by Credit Card Reviews Writer Reviewed by Former Senior Director of Content

Advertiser Disclosure

Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Bankrate.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and the likelihood of applicants' credit approval also impact how and where products appear on this site. Bankrate.com does not include the entire universe of available financial or credit offers.
Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. * See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.