American Express credit cards are some of the most well known and trusted brands in the industry and for good reason. They are accepted worldwide and as a global presence have become one of the most recognized brands. They are the leader by volume of all credit cards currently in existence. They offer a variety of services for the individual as well as business owner and their dedication to customer service has led to be one of the premier choices for those looking for a credit card. American Express credit cards offer a full array of services from account services, to small business tools to travel services. They were ranked “highest in customer satisfaction with credit card companies” four years in a row by JD Power and Associates.
Personal Credit Cards
There are over fifteen individual American Express credit cards available for personal use. Each one has different benefits and terms. Premium Rewards by American Express are a series of cards designed to allow members to accumulate points good toward particular purchases. Each one has its own welcome bonus, ways to accumulate points and how you can spend them. They also have several individual cards with no annual fee. There are credit cards where you can earn up to five percent cash back on particular purchases. Certain restrictions apply and there may be limits on what you can earn money on.
There are also American Express cards that offer travel and hotel rewards. Some use partner hotels where you can stay at exclusive hotels by cashing in your points. Some use selected package deals in order to allow you specific deals with partners and others offer air fare and other travel benefits. All personal AmEx credit cards come with some additional benefits such as car rental insurance, purchase protection, travel accident insurance and emergency travel assistance.
Small Business AmEx Cards
There are over ten American Express cards designed specifically for small businesses. The Membership Rewards program includes the Platinum, Gold and Green cards. Each one has various annual fees and benefits with Platinum allowing for the most possible exclusive benefits for small business owners. There are also flexible American Express credit cards designed to allow you to choose your own terms depending on your position for the month. Partner cards give you rewards that are good toward air fare, travel, accommodations and even home improvement or building supplies. Then there are basic business cards for a simple way to handle your accounts.
Each card comes with built in benefits in addition to allowing you access to charge purchases and accumulate reward points or cash back. Some of the possible additions you can get with various American Express credit cards for small business include account alerts, maintenance, insurance, fraud protection, extended warranties, purchase protection and more.
Corporate Credit Cards
Corporate cards can be tailored to our needs. IN addition to regular spending advantages you can even sign up for a corporate travel card where it is specifically designed to optimize your use of the AmEx credit cards for business travel. Each card solution has a variety of benefits and annual fees. They all come with some of the basic benefits such as 24/7 customer support, account access online, management and reporting tools and more. However, there are additional benefits you can get depending on the type of card that is chosen. The corporate credit cards are designed for larger businesses that need to keep a handle on spending yet make it convenient to make purchases.
Cards for Gifts
One of the best features that American Express cards offer is their gift card program. These are pre paid cards that can be used to give away as gifts. You can choose the denomination and can even reload the card if you so choose. These are perfect for allowing purchases for other people so they can get whatever they want. There are both personal and business cards for gifts. The personal gift cards from Amex are perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations or any special occasion. You can give them to people in lieu of a gift wrapped present and are particularly great for services or when you are unsure of what to get someone. The recipient can decide on their own what to get and will certainly appreciate the thoughtfulness and convenience.
The business gift cards are perfect for rewarding employees, giving away as gifts to customers or giving gifts to partners or vendors. You can choose from generic gift cards or you can customize the AmEx credit cards. You can choose to create custom messages such as “thank you for your business” or “we are glad you are our customer”. The customization is limited only by your imagination. You can even get pre printed gift cards as credit cards with your business logo on it. This is perfect for client gifts where every time they use it they think of your company and the person taking it also gets exposure to our brand. The American Express credit cards are the ideal gift for any occasion or to say thank you to special clients.
Applying
One of the reasons American Express has been so successful is their dedication to customer support and an ever expanding list of services they offer their members. There are advantages to being an American Express member. However, American Express credit cards are typically not for those who have poor credit. If you are looking for second chance credit or have less than ideal credit, you may not be approved for a card. American Express is an exclusive group that rewards their members handsomely. However, in order to become a member you should already have established credit and a positive credit score. If you do, your likelihood of being accepted increase quite a bit.