We often talk about the same cards here at TPG. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), American Express Platinum Card® and American Express® Gold Card get a lot of attention around here, among many other top-tier cards from the major issuers.
There’s a good reason for that since these cards offer great value to most travelers. However, some other cards from major issuers hardly get any buzz, which begs the question: are they actually worth it?
For me, the answer is yes — any card can be worth it for the right cardholder. So let’s see what each of these has to offer.
American Express
American Express has a reputation for luxury, with card products that offer far-reaching lounge access, hotel elite status and numerous statement credits. Amid all of the buzz that some of its cards generate, a few of its offerings get lost in the noise.
The Plum Card from American Express
When thinking about Amex’s business cards, The Plum Card® from American Express usually slips my mind.
If you’re in the market for a no-frills business card, the Plum Card may be a good option. However, its $250 annual fee (see rates and fees) may be hard to stomach given this card doesn’t offer any significant benefits.
You’ll only earn rewards on the Plum Card if you pay your bill within 10 days of your statement closing date. If so, you’ll receive 1.5% cash back on eligible charges. This could be a good way to encourage better spending habits, as overspending may prevent you from paying your bills on time and earning rewards.
This card offers some basic travel and purchase protections, but nothing as comprehensive as those on Amex’s more popular business cards.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Plum Card.
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Apply here: The Plum Card from American Express
Business Green Card from American Express
Many overlook the fact that the popular American Express® Green Card has a business counterpart: the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express.
The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Unlike the Plum Card, the Business Green has a welcome offer. It’s fairly basic, but that’s to be expected with a low $95 annual fee (see rates and fees).
New cardmembers can earn 15,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
It’s unusual for an Amex business card to have a lower annual fee than its personal counterpart. The personal Amex Green currently costs $150 each year, but that price tag comes with a few benefits to help offset it.
With the Business Green, you don’t have any statement credits to help justify the $95 annual fee. However, you’ll earn valuable Membership Rewards points on every purchase. Cardmembers earn 2 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com and 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Plus, you’ll get a solid range of travel and purchase protections.
If you want an affordable way for your business to enter the Membership Rewards program, the Business Green card may be a good bet.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Business Green.
Apply here: Business Green Rewards Card from American Express
Delta SkyMiles Blue
Delta’s SkyMiles cards are among the most well-known airline cards, yet one of the options in this lineup often gets forgotten: the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.
This is the only Delta cobranded card that doesn’t charge an annual fee (see rates and fees), so it’s worth considering for beginner or infrequent travelers who fly Delta occasionally. If you don’t fly with Delta more than once a year, there’s no need to have a Delta card with an annual fee.
The Delta Blue doesn’t offer any statement credits, but that’s not a huge deal since there’s no annual fee to justify. You’ll still receive 20% back in the form of a statement credit on inflight food and beverage purchases, as well as a decent array of travel and shopping protections.
Fortunately, this card does come with a welcome offer. New cardmembers can earn 10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
Cardmembers also earn 2 miles per dollar spent with Delta and dining at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.), and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Delta SkyMiles Blue.
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
Capital One
Most of Capital One’s cards get a fair amount of attention, since they have a reputation for being simple to use and easy to justify. Still, there’s one card from this issuer that I don’t see a lot of chatter about.
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Not to be confused with the more popular Amex card of a similar name, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card targets those with no or poor credit. I recommend that anyone new to credit cards consider this option.
Getting your first credit card from a reputable issuer like Capital One is always a good idea. I didn’t follow that advice when I opened my first card, and it ended up costing me in the long run.
As a credit-building card, the Capital One Platinum doesn’t offer any rewards or standout benefits. However, after six months, you’ll automatically be considered for a credit line increase, which can be a great incentive to keep your account in good standing.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Capital One Platinum.
Learn more: Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Chase
Chase is arguably the king of cobranded credit cards, with more on offer than any of the other major issuers. Given that, it’s not surprising that a couple fall through the cracks.
United Gateway Card
The entry-level United Gateway℠ Card (see rates and fees) can be a worthwhile card for anyone who flies with United just once a year.
It doesn’t have an annual fee, so cardholders don’t need to worry about getting a lot of value out of it year-to-year. You’ll get 25% back as a statement credit on United Club premium drinks, plus inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi.
If you spend $10,000 on this card in a calendar year, you’ll also receive your first two checked bags for free. I don’t recommend going out of your way to spend that much on this card each year, but it’s a nice perk if you want this to be the only card in your wallet.
The Gateway offers a solid welcome bonus for a beginner airline card: New cardholders can earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Cardholders can also earn 2 miles per dollar spent on United, gas stations, local transit and commuting.
To learn more, check out our full review of the United Gateway card.
Apply here: United Gateway Card
Ritz-Carlton Credit Card
The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card is unique on this list, since it’s currently closed to new applicants. However, you can still get this card by product-changing an existing Chase Marriott card to it. Keep in mind, however, that this path is only open to you if you’ve had that Marriott card for at least 12 months.
The information for the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
I recommend considering the Ritz-Carlton card if you’re a Marriott enthusiast or you want Chase Sapphire lounge access for less than what you’d pay with other premium Chase cards.
While this card’s $450 annual fee is nothing to brush off, it’s easily offset with perks like an annual free night award worth up to 85,000 points and a flexible $300 airline credit.
Even if you don’t stay with Marriott often, the Ritz-Carlton card may be worth it solely for unlimited Sapphire lounge access and that airline credit.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Ritz-Carlton card.
Citi
Citi made waves recently with its overhaul of the Strata lineup of cards, but a couple of other credit cards from this issuer are also worth some attention.
Citi Diamond Preferred
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) targets those looking to consolidate debt or pay off a large purchase over time.
At TPG, we always preach paying your credit card bills off in full, every cycle. Life happens, though, and sometimes that isn’t possible. A card like the Citi Diamond Preferred won’t earn rewards or provide statement credits, but it can help you rein in your finances.
New cardholders will receive 0% APR on all purchases for the first 12 months and 0% APR on balance transfers for 21 months (then a variable rate of 16.99%—27.74% applies). That’s plenty of time to pay off a big expense or significantly reduce accumulated debt.
Many balance transfer cards only offer a 0% introductory APR period for balance transfers, so receiving one for both purchases and balance transfers is a great perk.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi Diamond Preferred.
Apply here: Citi Diamond Preferred
Bottom line
Amid all the buzz around the most popular credit cards on the market, it’s easy to skip over some of these cards. But they all have something to offer for the right cardholder, so it’s worth looking closely to determine whether one (or more) makes sense for your wallet.
Sometimes, one of the most valuable cards in your arsenal isn’t one you’d expect. I always recommend evaluating all of the cards an issuer has available, since you never know what you might find.
Related: Have all the popular credit cards? Here are 10 options for your next application
For rates and fees of The Plum Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Green, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Blue, please click here.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thepointsguy.com
