The Amex EveryDay® Preferred offers bonus rewards at U.S. supermarkets and gas stations, with a 50% points bonus when you make 30+ transactions per billing cycle. While it provides decent everyday earning potential, the card lacks premium benefits to fully justify its annual fee.
(All information about the Amex Everyday Preferred has been collected independently by Deals Points and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.)
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let's dive right in.
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards Points After Spending $2,000 in the First 6 Months.
- 3X Points at U.S. Supermarkets Up to $6,000 Per Year
- 2X Points at U.S. Gas Stations
- 50% Extra Points with 30+ Monthly Transactions
- $95 Annual Fee (Rates & Fees)
Welcome Bonus
The Amex Everyday Preferred currently offers the following welcome bonus: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards Points After Spending $2,000 in the First 6 Months.
This bonus provides a solid introduction to the Membership Rewards program, though it’s relatively modest compared to other cards with similar annual fees.
It’s important to note that American Express has a once-per-lifetime rule for welcome bonuses, meaning if you’ve received a bonus on this card before, you won’t be eligible again. Additionally, American Express may consider other factors when determining your eligibility for the welcome offer.
Earning Points
The Amex Everyday Preferred earns Membership Rewards points at the following rates:
- 3 points per dollar at U.S. Supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (1x thereafter);
- 2 points per dollar at U.S. gas stations;
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The Amex EveryDay Preferred offers a unique 50% points bonus when cardholders make 30 or more purchases in a billing period. This feature effectively boosts the card's earning rates to 4.5x at U.S. supermarkets, 3x at U.S. gas stations, and 1.5x on all other purchases, making it potentially very rewarding for frequent users.
The Amex EveryDay Preferred offers strong earning potential, especially for grocery and gas spending, with the ability to boost rewards significantly by making frequent purchases. Its 3x supermarket category (up to 4.5x with the 50% bonus) is particularly competitive for a mid-tier card.
However, the 30-transaction requirement to maximize points may be challenging for some cardholders to consistently meet. While solid for everyday spending, other cards may offer better rewards for travel purchases or more flexible bonus categories.
Annual Fee
The Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card has a $95 annual fee. While the card offers bonus rewards on U.S. supermarket and gas station purchases, these benefits alone may not fully justify the cost for all cardholders.
The card lacks premium travel perks or significant statement credits that are often found on cards with similar annual fees, potentially making it difficult to recoup the cost for those who don't maximize the bonus categories.
Card Benefits and Perks
The Amex Everyday Preferred offers the following benefits for cardholders:
0% Intro APR: Enjoy a 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable APR, 18.24% to 28.24%.
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.*
Return Protection allows cardholders to receive a refund for purchased items within a certain timeframe for items that merchants may not accept for return.*
Extended Warranty Protection: When you purchase items with your credit card, you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage on eligible items that have original manufacturer warranties of up to five years. This valuable perk means you can protect expensive electronics and appliances that come with longer manufacturer warranties without paying extra for store protection plans*
90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them.*
ShopRunner Membership: As a cardholder, you’ll enjoy a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free 2-day shipping and free returns at over 100 participating online retailers. This benefit can help frequent online shoppers save on shipping costs and streamline the return process.*
Amex Offers: As an American Express cardholder, you can access Amex Offers. These targeted, limited-time promotions provide discounts or bonus points on purchases with select merchants. Offers are added to your card, and you’ll receive either a percentage or dollar amount back as a statement credit when you meet the offer terms. While offers vary and may not always align with your spending habits, this perk can be valuable when an offer matches your preferences.*
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Redeeming Points
American Express Membership Rewards points shine brightest when you transfer them to airline and hotel partners. You can also book travel through Amex Travel at 1 cent per point, but transfers usually deliver far more value.
You can transfer Membership Rewards points to 16 airline partners: Aer Lingus AerClub, Aeromexico Rewards, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, ANA Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Club, Cathay, Delta SkyMiles, Emirates Skywards, Iberia Club, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Three hotel partners round out the list: Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Most transfers are 1:1, but a few aren't. Aeromexico transfers at 1:1.6, Cathay and Emirates at 5:4, JetBlue at 250:200, and Hilton at 1:2.
These partners span all three major airline alliances, so you can reach almost any route worldwide.
A few standout redemptions worth chasing:
- Fly Iberia business class to Madrid from 40,500 Avios each way on off-peak dates.
- Book Singapore's business or suites class on ultra-long-haul flights through KrisFlyer.
- Reach Europe on Flying Blue from 60,000 miles, with monthly Promo Rewards trimming prices further.
- Fly Qatar Airways' Qsuites from North America starting at 70,000 Avios.
- Book United Polaris business class to Europe for 50,000 miles through ANA.
Just confirm your award space before you move any points, since every transfer is irreversible.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
Bonus Points Multiplier: Earn 50% extra points when you make 30+ purchases in a billing cycle, significantly boosting your earning potential.
Strong Supermarket Rewards: Earn up to 4.5x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year), making it an excellent card for grocery shopping.
Gas Station Bonus: Earn up to 3x points at U.S. gas stations, which is a solid rate for fuel purchases.
Membership Rewards Access: Earn valuable Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to various airline and hotel partners for potentially high-value redemptions.
Cons:
Annual Fee: $95 annual fee, which may not be justified if you don’t maximize the card’s benefits.
Small Welcome Bonus: The welcome offer is relatively low compared to other cards with similar annual fees, providing less upfront value for new cardholders.
Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% foreign transaction fee makes this card unsuitable for international use.
Spending Cap on Supermarket Bonus: The high earning rate at U.S. supermarkets is limited to $6,000 in purchases per year, after which it drops to 1x points.
Is the Everyday Preferred Worth It?
The Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card offers solid earning potential for everyday spending categories like U.S. supermarkets and gas stations, especially if you can hit 30 transactions per billing cycle to earn the 50% bonus points. However, its $95 annual fee and limited premium benefits make it less compelling compared to some competitors.
While it provides access to valuable Membership Rewards points, other cards in a similar price range may offer more well-rounded rewards structures or more substantial perks to offset their annual fees.
For most people, options like the American Express® Gold Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could provide better overall value unless the gas station category is particularly important to you.
