Amex EveryDay Preferred Card Review

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The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card
is worth considering if you want to earn valuable Amex Membership Rewards points — especially if you spend a lot on groceries, gas, or travel — without incurring a high annual fee. But you’ll need to use the card at least 30 times a month to make it worthwhile. 

Review: Is the Amex EveryDay Preferred the Best Credit Card for You?

If you’re looking to earn flexible points you can use for travel, American Express issues some of the best credit cards. There are several cards that earn Amex Membership Rewards points, but most charge high annual fees of $150 or more.

The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card clocks in at a more modest price point, with an annual fee of $95. That’s in line with other top travel rewards credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, although that’s where the similarities end.

The welcome bonus offer on the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card is a lot lower than what you’d expect from a card of its caliber. New cardholders can earn 15,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. That’s worth around $270 in travel, based on Insider’s points and miles valuations.

Cardholders earn 3x points at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in spending, then 1x), 2x points at US gas stations and on eligible travel purchases made at Amex Travel, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Those don’t seem like remarkable earning rates, but the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card has a superpower. If you make at least 30 transactions during a billing period, you’ll earn 50% more points on all purchases in that billing cycle. That means up to 4.5x points for spending at US supermarkets (3x regular points x 1.5), making the card one of the best credit cards for buying groceries. 

That said, if you’re the type of person who only uses their credit card a few times a week, this is probably not the best card for you. Instead, check out our guides to the best American Express cards and best rewards credit cards for other top options.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

How to Earn Rewards From the Amex EveryDay Preferred Card

The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card has an earning structure that’s dependent on whether or not you meet the transaction bonus threshold each billing cycle. Its basic earning rates are as follows:

• 3x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 in spending per year, then 1x (excluding superstores, convenience stores, warehouse clubs, and meal-kit delivery services)
• 2x points at US gas stations (excluding superstores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline)
• 2x points on eligible travel purchases made at American Express Travel
• 1 point per dollar on everything else

But when you factor in the 50% bonus points for making at least 30 transactions in a billing cycle, your effective earning rates become:

• 4.5x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 in spending per year, then 1.5x 
• 3x points at US gas stations 
• 3x points on eligible travel purchases at Amex Travel
• 1.5 points per dollar on everything else

Again, you’ll get the most value from the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card when you meet the 30-transaction threshold in a billing cycle. Otherwise, the card’s earning rates are fairly average, and not worth the $95.

How to Use Amex Membership Rewards Points

American Express Membership Rewards are among the most versatile transferable points you can earn. You’ll typically get the most value from your rewards when you transfer them to Amex’s airline and hotel partners to book award travel.

The best rate of return often comes from business- and first-class award flights, or award stays at luxury hotels.That’s why Insider’s valuations peg Amex points as worth 1.8 cents apiece, on average.

There are other ways to redeem your rewards, but you’ll get a lower rate of return. These include:

• Redeem points at a rate of 1 cent apiece for flights, and at a slightly lower rate for hotels, rental cars, and more through American Express Travel (a good option if you don’t want to worry about award charts or blackout dates)
• Use points for gift cards (usually 1 cent per point)
• Cash in points for statement credits (0.6 cents per point)
• Pay with points at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Saks Fifth Avenue, Boxed.com, Dell.com, Staples, and more (0.7 cents per point)
• Redeem points for food delivery with GrubHub and Seamless (0.7 cents per point)
• Use points toward New York City taxi fare in vehicles using enabled point-of-sale devices (1 cent per point)
• Shop with points for gifts and merchandise through Amex (usually 0.5 cents per point)

Amex EveryDay Preferred Benefits and Features

The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card comes with a handful of useful benefits that can save you money and protect your purchases. That said, it’s a little lackluster in the perks it offers compared to other rewards credit cards with similar annual fees — you won’t get any travel statement credits or airport lounge passes with this card, for instance.

Introductory 0% APR

The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card can save you money on interest with its a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (made in the first 60 days) for 12 months from the date of account opening (then a 15.99% – 25.99% Variable APR).

This can come in handy if you have bigger purchases coming up that you want to pay for over time, or if you want to transfer a balance from another credit card and avoid high interest charges. This card’s 0% APR is decent, but it shouldn’t be the primary reason you open the card. In fact, you’ll find offers for much longer APRs in our guides to the best balance transfer credit cards and best low-interest credit cards.

Purchase protection

It really stings when you purchase a fancy new item and it breaks soon afterward. When you use the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card to pay for an item and it’s damaged or stolen withing 90 days of purchase, you could be eligible for purchase protection of up to $1,000 per covered purchase and $50,000 per card, per calendar year ($500 coverage for natural disasters). Be sure to read about exclusions and exceptions here.

Extended warranty

If you pay for a qualifying item with the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card, you’re eligible for extended warranty coverage. This extends the duration of original manufacturer’s warranties of five years or less by up to one additional year. Coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per covered purchase and $50,000 per card per calendar year. Again, there are exclusions you can read about here.

Car rental insurance

Pay for your car rental with the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver to receive secondary auto rental coverage. This is secondary coverage, not primary car rental insurance, so it only covers amounts not covered by your own personal insurance policy. You can read about vehicle and country restrictions here.

Return protection

If you purchased a qualifying item with your Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card and the merchant won’t take it back, you could be eligible for reimbursement of $300 per eligible item (with a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year) for up to 90 days after the purchase date. Here’s the benefits guide with a list of limitations and exclusions.

Global Assist Hotline

Amex’s Global Assist Hotline is available for cardholders who run into trouble when they’re traveling away from home. It can help with things like missing luggage tracking, translation services, emergency legal and medical referrals, lost passport assistance, prescription assistance, and more. The hotline is there to help arrange these services, but you’ll be responsible for any third-party charges.

Amex Offers

Like other American Express cards, the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card gets you access to Amex Offers.** These are targeted deals that get you cash back or bonus points when you shop with participating merchants, services, and travel brands.

To view your available offers, log into your card account and scrolling down. You’ll earn the cash back or bonus points after you activate the offer and make a qualifying purchase. (Eligibility for these offers is limited. Enrollment is required in the Amex Offers section of your account before redeeming).

Amex EveryDay Preferred Fees and Costs

The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card charges an annual fee of $95. You’ll want to avoid using it for international purchases, because it adds foreign transaction fees of 2.7%. If you plan to travel abroad, pack one of the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees instead to avoid these pesky charges.

As with most other cards, the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card also charges fees for balance transfers, cash advances, late payments, and returned payments. The regular APR is 15.99% – 25.99% Variable, so you’ll want to avoid carrying a balance if possible.

Compare Amex EveryDay Preferred vs Other American Express Cards

*3x points at US supermarkets on the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card and 2x points on the Amex EveryDay Card on up to $6,000 per year, then 1x

***6% cash back at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% back (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as statement credits)

Amex EveryDay Preferred vs Other Rewards Credit Cards

*3x points at US supermarkets on the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card on up to $6,000 per year, then 1x

Amex EveryDay Preferred Card Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)