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: 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 are a versatile and valuable currency for travelers. The program offers numerous redemption options, with transfers to airline partners being the most lucrative way to use your points. Amex partners with 18 airlines and 3 hotel chains, allowing you to access a wide range of travel possibilities. Some of the best redemptions include booking business class flights to Europe through Air France-KLM Flying Blue for as low as 50,000 miles one-way. Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club offers excellent value for Delta One flights to Europe at 50,000 points, significantly less than booking directly through Delta. For those planning a trip to Asia, transferring to ANA Mileage Club can yield incredible value. Round-trip business class flights from the West Coast to Tokyo can be booked for just 90,000 miles. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is another great option, especially for their renowned long-haul flights like New York to Singapore. Domestic travelers can benefit from transferring to British Airways Executive Club for short-haul American and Alaska Airlines flights, with awards starting at just 8,250 Avios for distances up to 650 miles. While transferring to airline partners typically offers the best value, Amex also allows direct redemptions for flights through their travel portal. However, this option generally provides lower value at 1 cent per point. To maximize your Membership Rewards, focus on high-value airline transfers for premium cabin international flights. With strategic planning, you can unlock extraordinary travel experiences and significant savings on your next adventure.
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
Aer Lingus Avios
AeroMexico [1 to 1.6]
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
ANA
Avianca LifeMiles
British Airways Avios
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Delta SkyMiles
El Al [1,000 to 20]
Emirates
Etihad Guest
Hawaiian Airlines
Iberia Avios
JetBlue [250 to 200]
Qantas
Qatar Airways
Singapore KrisFlyer
Virgin Atlantic
Choice
Marriott Bonvoy
Hilton Honors [1 to 2]
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.
Alternatives to the Everyday Preferred
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning Rewards: 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2x points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Card Benefits: Ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners, 25% bonus when redeeming points through Chase Travel, $50 annual hotel stay credit via Chase Travel, 10% anniversary points bonus, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty. Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (review) is designed to maximize cash back on common household expenses. If you spend heavily on groceries, streaming services, transit or gas, you’ll find the card’s bonus categories and earning rates hard to beat. Welcome Bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Earning Rewards: 6% back at US Supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1% back) and select US streaming subscriptions; 3% back on transit (including rideshare) and at US gas stations; 1% back on all other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. Card Benefits: Subscription credit (up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled card for a subscription purchase, including at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites), secondary rental car insurance, extended warranty, purchase protection, return protection, and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, after that a reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR.
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.
