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Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. SHARE: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images February 11, 2022 Checkmark Bankrate logo How is this page expert verified? At Bankrate, we take the accuracy of our content seriously. "Expert verified" means that our Financial Review Board thoroughly evaluated the article for accuracy and clarity. The Review Board comprises a panel of financial experts whose objective is to ensure that our content is always objective and balanced. Their reviews hold us accountable for publishing high-quality and trustworthy content. Holly Johnson writes expert content on personal finance, credit cards, loyalty and insurance topics. In addition to writing for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Johnson does ongoing work for clients that include CNN, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, Time Magazine and more. India Davis is an editor specializing in credit cards and updates. She believes in putting the reader first and carrying out a brand’s voice to its fullest potential. She has lived and worked in three different countries and hopes to explore more of the world post-pandemic. Cathleen's stories on design, travel and business have appeared in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Town & Country, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and The Writer. Bankrate logo

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What is the Amex trifecta

The American Express trifecta is one strategic combination of cards that is extremely popular with rewards enthusiasts. This card combination earns exceptional travel perks for globetrotting, but also benefits from double rewards on regular purchases as well as more rewards from bonus categories each card offers. A big benefit of the Amex trifecta is the ability to combine all your rewards points into a single account. Once you figure out the optimal card for each purchase you make, all your rewards pool together, making points redemptions simple.

Which cards make up the Amex trifecta

The combination of cards within the Amex trifecta is especially beneficial for frequent travelers who can take advantage of perks like airport lounge access and annual airline credits. Here’s a basic rundown of each card’s earning structure, welcome offer and important benefits:

4X points on restaurants (including Uber Eats purchases) and up to $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year then 1X, 3X points on flights booked with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2X points on rental cars through AmexTravel.com and 1X points on other purchases 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months $250 annual fee Up to $120 in dining credits (enrollment required) and up to $100 in hotel credits every year plus room upgrades when you book The Hotel Collection with AmexTravel.com

5X points on flights booked with airlines and flights (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and hotels booked through AmexTravel.com; earn 1X points on other purchases 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership $695 annual fee Up to $200 in Uber credits each year; up to $200 airline fee credit with a select airline; $189 in CLEAR membership statement credits; up to $240 each year in digital entertainment credits (up to $20 in total statement credits per month) toward Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM and The New York Times; airport lounge access with the Global Lounge Collection; a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years; up to $100 for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases annually ($50 for January through June and $50 for July through December) and up to $300 credit for each eligible SoulCycle At-Home bike purchase through Amex provided link

15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership No annual fee Zero percent intro APR on purchases for 12 months, followed by a variable APR of 15.49 percent to 23.49 percent

How to maximize the Amex trifecta

These tips can help you maximize the Amex trifecta upon your card approval and continue to get the most benefit from each card long-term. Time your spending to earn each welcome offer. have generous welcome offers you can earn after meeting the minimum spending requirement. Make sure you earn the 100,000 Membership Rewards points from the Amex Platinum (spend $6,000 within the first six months) and the 60,000 Membership Rewards points from the Gold Card (spend $4,000 within the first six months) by meeting the minimum spending requirements, which will kick-start your earnings with 160,000 Membership Rewards points right away. Use the Platinum Card for prepaid hotels and airfare. The Platinum Card offers 5X points on flights booked with airlines or flights (up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1X) and prepaid hotels booked with , which is an incredible rewards rate for your travel purchases. Amex Platinum also offers up to $200 in annual credits for prepaid hotel bookings at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties via AmexTravel.com. Use the Amex Gold Card for dining and groceries. The Gold Card earns 4X points on dining at restaurants and on up to $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year, then 1X points. If you are a foodie who can max out annual supermarket spending, you could earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points on annual food spending alone. Use the Blue Business Plus for all non-bonus purchases. While the other cards in the Amex trifecta only offer 1X points on non-bonus spending, the Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express earns 2X points on all spending up to $50,000 each year (then 1X). Use it for all your regular, non-bonus purchases and you’ll earn a considerable rewards sum over time.

Application strategies

Make sure you have a strategy in place before you apply for each card in the Amex trifecta. Be deliberate about when and in what order you apply. For example, since two of the cards earn a welcome offer with a minimum spending requirement, you’ll probably want to start with one of them. Spend the next three months meeting the minimum spending requirement to earn the welcome offer, and don’t apply for the second card from the trifecta until at least 90 days have passed. From there, you can work on earning the second welcome offer, wait another 90 days and then apply for the Blue Business Plus card. Not only will timing your applications ensure you’re not pursuing more than one welcome offer at once, but you’ll also spread out the hard inquiries on your credit report. This is important since the amount of you have makes up 10 percent of your FICO score, and too many new cards at once can create a negative impact.

Added benefits

To get the most out of the Amex trifecta, you’ll also want to make sure to use all the travel credits from each card, including both airline fee credits, the dining credit of up to $120, up to $200 in Uber credits and the credit for . You’ll need to be intentional about this, especially since some of these credits apply monthly, but you do have an entire year to make it happen. Consider keeping a note or a sticker on each card listing its credits and bonus categories. Make sure you connect your Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy numbers to your Platinum Card from American Express, since you get Gold elite status with both programs as a cardholder benefit. Also, use the Priority Pass airport lounge access, and visit Delta Sky Clubs when you fly Delta or in airports that have them.

The value of Amex Membership Rewards

Because all your Membership Rewards points pool into one account with the Amex trifecta, it’s easy to rack up a ton of rewards then wait to cash them in for the exact redemption you want. American Express Membership Rewards vary greatly in value depending on what redemptions you choose. Generally, transferring your points to Amex airline and hotel partners is the most lucrative redemption option. These transfer partners come with a 1,000:1,000 ratio unless otherwise noted and include: Aer Lingus AeroMexico (1,000:1,600) Air Canada / Aeroplan Air France / Flying Blue Alitalia ANA Asia Miles Avianca British Airways Delta SkyMiles El Al Israel Airlines (1,000:20) Emirates Etihad Airways Hawaiian Airlines Iberia JetBlue Airways (250:200) Qantas (500:500) Singapore Airlines Virgin Atlantic Choice Privileges Rewards Hilton Honors (1,000:2,000) Marriott Bonvoy You can also redeem American Express Membership Rewards for travel through the AmexTravel.com portal, but you’ll only get 1 cent per point in value. Other redemption options include gift cards, statement credits and merchandise. You can also use points to upgrade your flights to business or first class.

Why choose the Amex trifecta

The Amex trifecta is ideal for consumers who travel often and want to maximize points on every purchase. However, you should spend some time figuring out whether or not you’ll be able to use all the cardholder benefits, as this trifecta comes with an $800 price tag in annual fees. These fees can be a bargain if you travel often enough to gain value from the perks, but they may make the trifecta a burden if you don’t travel often enough to use airport lounge access or annual airline credits, for example. Review your regular spending and decide what’s best for you. And if you’re on the fence about this trifecta, make sure to consider all the other rewards and on the market, which may better suit your needs. SHARE: Holly Johnson writes expert content on personal finance, credit cards, loyalty and insurance topics. In addition to writing for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Johnson does ongoing work for clients that include CNN, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, Time Magazine and more. India Davis is an editor specializing in credit cards and updates. She believes in putting the reader first and carrying out a brand’s voice to its fullest potential. She has lived and worked in three different countries and hopes to explore more of the world post-pandemic. Cathleen's stories on design, travel and business have appeared in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Town & Country, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and The Writer.

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