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The best credit cards for Amazon purchases in 2021:
| Category | Best credit card for Amazon purchases |
| 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods: | Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card |
| 2% cash back at Amazon and everywhere else: | Citi® Double Cash Card |
| Often includes Amazon as a bonus category: | Chase Freedom Flex℠ |
| 50% bonus if you make 30 purchases each billing period: | Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express |
| Best for purchase protection: | The Platinum Card® from American Express |
| Best if you're targeted: | Any American Express card that has an Amex Offer for shopping with Amazon |
| Best for big spenders: | Any credit card with an annual spending bonus |
If you find yourself shopping at Amazon frequently, you'll want to give some thought to the credit card you're using for these purchases. This is especially true if you're interested in earning travel rewards — you'll want to maximize the points on every dollar you spend.
Earn 5% back at Amazon and Whole Foods: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
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Pros
- 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods is hard to beat
- Earns 2% cash back on other popular categories (restaurants, gas stations, drugstores)
- No annual fee (though you have to be an Amazon Prime member)
Cons
- Other cards offer higher cash-back rates on non-Amazon purchases
- 5% Back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership*
- 2% Back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores
- 1% Back on all other purchases
- No annual credit card fee
- No foreign transaction fees
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card offers 5% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, including Amazon gift cards — as long as you're an Amazon Prime member (otherwise, you'll earn 3% back on these purchases). Cardholders also get an extra 5 to 15% cash back on certain promotional items, which is one of the highest rewards rates you'll find. This makes the card a great option for your Amazon purchases.
New cardholders who apply for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card will instantly receive a $70 Amazon gift card upon account approval, but there's an alternate offer to earn a $100 statement credit when you spend $100 or more at physical Whole Foods stores within the first two months of account opening through March 3, 2021.
Cardholders can also earn 5% cash back at Zappos.com until September 21, 2021.
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The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card also earns 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores. Considering those are pretty common spending categories for most people, this isn't a bad card to have in your wallet, especially since it has no annual fee.
Earn 2% cash back at Amazon and everywhere else: Citi® Double Cash Card
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Pros
- No annual fee
- Simple earning structure without confusing bonus categories
Cons
- Some cards earn higher rates of cash back on rotating categories
- No sign-up bonus
- If you don't have any account activity for 12 months, unredeemed rewards can expire
- While it offers a 0% introductory APR for 18 months, that's only on balance transfers, not purchases, so you can't use it to fund a major expense without interest. After those 18 months, it's a 13.99% - 23.99% (Variable) APR.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
- Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% - 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.99% - 23.99% based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
If you prefer a versatile cash-back credit card with a solid earning rate at Amazon (and everywhere else), the Citi® Double Cash Card is hard to beat. You'll earn 2% back (1% at the time of purchase and 1% when you pay your bill) on all purchases, with no limit to what you can earn.
Because the Citi® Double Cash Card has no annual fee, it's a good card to keep for the long term. You can also convert your cash rewards into Citi ThankYou points, which you can redeem for travel, gift cards, merchandise, and more.
Often includes Amazon as a bonus category: Chase Freedom Flex℠
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Pros
- No annual fee
- Generous bonus cash-back categories
- Great welcome bonus
Cons
- Booking through Ultimate Rewards portal can restrict outside earning potential
- Varying percentages and rotating calendar categories require extra attention
- 3% foreign transaction fees
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
- No annual fee.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers 5% cash back on the first $1,500 (then 1%) spent on rotating bonus categories every quarter, once you activate the bonus each quarter via your card account.
Sometimes those categories include Amazon purchases, in which case the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a great option for shopping on that site. In 2020, Amazon was a bonus category from July to September — but we don't yet know if or when Amazon will appear in 2021.
50% bonus if you make 30 purchases each billing period: Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express
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Pros
- Strong rewards at US supermarkets
- You can earn a 50% points bonus each billing period when you make at least 30 purchases
Cons
- Annual cap on earning bonus rewards at US supermarkets
- Not the best option for earning rewards outside of US supermarkets and US gas stations — especially if you don't make at least 30 purchases per billing statement to earn the bonus
- The information for the Amex EveryDay Preferred Card has been collected independently by Business Insider, and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer
- 3x points at US Supermarkets
- 2x points at US gas stations
- 1x points on all other eligible purchases
- Use your Card 30 or more times on purchases in a billing period and earn 50% extra points on those purchases less returns and credits. Terms apply.
The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express is a solid choice for Amazon purchases. The card earns 1 American Express Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on non-bonus category spending, which includes Amazon. So why use it if you're just earning 1 point?
One reason is that Amex Offers often runs bonus-point promotions for Amazon purchases. All you have to do is check the currently available Amex Offers via a tab under your account. If you're eligible, just register and make purchases with your card to earn those extra points.
Additionally, Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card cardholders earn 50% bonus points every billing period when they charge 30 or more purchases to the card. So if you charge at least one purchase per day on the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card, you'll essentially earn at least 1.5 points per dollar spent.
Best for purchase protection: The Platinum Card® from American Express
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Pros
- Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott
- Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
Cons
- Bonus categories leave something to be desired
- One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards
- Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 10x points on eligible purchases on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. That's an additional 9 points on top of the 1 point you earn for these purchases.
- Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member and Additional Centurion Cards only.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- Enjoy complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world.
- Receive complimentary benefits through American Express Travel with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts® program at over 1,100 properties. Learn More.
- Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $550 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
It doesn't earn bonus points at Amazon (unless your account is eligible for an Amex Offer for bonus points at Amazon), but The Platinum Card® from American Express is also worth considering, especially for more expensive Amazon purchases. That's because it offers purchase protection for up to 120 days from your date of purchase, with a maximum of $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account per year.
The card has a $550 annual fee (See Rates), so it's not worth getting for this benefit alone, but if you can take advantage of benefits like annual statement credits for Uber, airline incidental fees, and Saks purchases, not to mention airport lounge access, it can be a great option.
Any Amex card with an Amex Offer for Amazon
One benefit of having an American Express card is that you get access to Amex Offers. These are deals for bonus points or cash back when you shop with a specific retailer. There are frequently Amex Offers for bonus points on Amazon purchases.
Since Amex Offers are targeted (they vary for each cardholder), you may not see this offer in your account, but it's worth checking. Keep in mind that you need to add the Amex Offer to your account online to be eligible for the bonus.
Some of the best American Express cards include:
- Best for dining rewards: American Express® Gold Card (this card also earns 4x points on the first $25,000 spent at US supermarkets each calendar year, then 1x, and this category includes Amazon partner Whole Foods)
- Best for cash back: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Best for bonus points on travel: American Express® Green Card
- Best premium business card: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Best business card for everyday spending: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Any card that offers an annual spending bonus
If you're more concerned with long-term gain, consider charging your Amazon purchases to a credit card that offers an annual incentive for meeting certain spending thresholds.
For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers an additional annual weekend night reward after you spend $60,000 in a calendar year. You can use your reward at just about any Hilton hotel, including high-end resorts with rates approaching $1,000 per night or more.
Another option is to put your Amazon spending on a Southwest credit card in order to earn the Southwest Companion Pass. If you're unfamiliar with this benefit, it essentially allows you to bring a designated companion along with you for free (just pay taxes and fees) on paid and award tickets.
You'll earn the Companion Pass when you earn 125,000 qualifying Southwest points in a calendar year, and points earned via credit card sign-up bonuses and spending count towards this requirement. However, for 2021, Southwest has added 25,000 Companion Pass qualifying points Rapid Rewards accounts that were open as of December 31, 2020 — effectively reducing the requirement to just 100,000 points in 2021.
You can earn welcome bonuses on the following Southwest credit cards. Note that you can only have one personal Southwest co-branded card at a time.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card — Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, plus 3X points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services, for the first year
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card — Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, plus 3X points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services, for the first year
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card — Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, plus 3X points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services, for the first year
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card — 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months from account opening
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card — 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchase within the first 3 months of account opening
If you earned the welcome bonus from one of these cards and channeled your everyday spending, including Amazon purchases, on to it, you could get within easy reach of the Southwest Companion Pass. You could also earn a bonus from one personal Southwest card and one business Southwest card, which would make qualifying even easier.
Ariana Arghandewal is a travel rewards expert and content strategist. She launched her award-winning travel blog, Pointchaser, in 2012.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.
