American Express brings together over 150 years of expertise to offer a variety of credit cards that pack powerful rewards and allow card holders to earn points they can use for travel or merchandise. Save on interest by choosing a pay-in-full American Express charge card, or give yourself flexibility by opting for one of American Express’ many credit cards that are tailored to your spending needs. American Express offers a wide variety of credit card options, each carrying its own package of American Express benefits and rewards. Compare these 15 credit card offers from American Express to find the one that fits your spending needs best.
For more than 150 years, American Express has always responded to the needs of its customers with innovative financial products and travel services that suit their individual spending needs and provide
them with the benefits and premier rewards they need most. Founded by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo, American Express had its humble beginnings as an East Coast express freight forwarding company in the 1850s. For decades, the company operated up and down the East Coast, carrying cash and valuables by rail, boat and wagon, then expanding into the Midwest and beyond. In the 1870s, American Express launched a sideline, Merchants Dispatch, to transport first-class packages to various European cities. From there, American Express naturally diversified into providing monetary services for its customers in the United States and abroad.
In the 1880s, American Express innovated a money order that was more secure and easier to obtain than the money order from the Postal Service. This was followed in 1891 by the invention of the international Traveler’s Cheque that made it possible for Americans abroad to always have money at their fingertips. Before the Traveler’s Cheque, Americans traveling overseas needed to carry letters of credit, which could only be handled by specified bank personnel during regular banking hours, and were therefore cumbersome to use. The Traveler’s Cheque was secure, could be converted into local currency at any American Express freight office, and its value would be refunded if the Traveler’s Cheque was lost or stolen. The Traveler’s Cheque became American Express’ most important product for decades to come.
Soon, American Express freight offices became the place Americans used as their base of operations overseas. In response to the popularity of Traveler’s Cheques in far-flung places, American Express freight offices began formally offering travel information when Americans began using them to cash their Traveler’s Cheques and exchange them for local currency. From this, American Express evolved into an international traveler’s resource, a place where Americans abroad could always connect with their money and get valuable travel information. Some Americans used the American Express office as a message center, and some used it to transport their luggage. In this way, American Express expanded its service capabilities and influence throughout Asia and Europe.
In 1933, during the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for a national bank holiday, which meant no banking business could be done during this period. Because American Express was not a traditional bank, it remained open and continued providing financial services to consumers and merchants. This allowed American Express to keep growing when other businesses were ruined.
American Express presented its first charge card, the classic American Express Green Card, in 1958. There was immediate customer demand, and the credit card industry began its decades-long boom. American Express has always justified its annual fees – higher than those charged by bank cards – with its excellent services and rewards that come standard with every card. With that and an increase in discounts to merchants who accepted American Express cards, the American Express charge card became profitable by 1963, and American Express was well on its way to becoming the premier credit card provider.
At the beginning of the 1980s, American Express had 10 million cardmembers and approximately 400,000 merchants who accepted American Express credit cards. By the end of the decade those numbers had grown to 33 million cardmembers worldwide, whose American Express credit cards were accepted at 2.7 million places. Over the years, American Express made ventures into insurance, financial planning services and stock brokerage, but its aim was always to provide value to customers who wanted powerful financial tools and travel services. Throughout the 1960s and ‘70s, American Express streamlined its processes and divested itself of subsidiaries and other businesses until it was able to focus on its core businesses: travel and financial services.
In 1981, American Express acquired Shearson Loeb Rhodes Inc., an important brokerage house. Two years later, American Express acquired Ayco Corp., a financial counseling firm, and in 1984 it bought Allegheny Corporation's principal subsidiary, the financial planning company Investors Diversified Services, Inc. (IDS). Also in 1984, Shearson acquired Lehman Bros. Kuhn Loeb, one of the most respected Wall Street brokerage firms, to form Shearson Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. All of this allowed American Express to expand the depth and breadth of financial services it could provide. Eventually, there would even be an American Express Bank.
American Express’ Travel Related Services, one of its core businesses for decades, prospered through the financial crash of 1987, and kept American Express growing at a time when many other businesses were struggling. Cardmembers appreciated such built-in services as American Express Travel Insurance. Every American Express credit card came with rich travel-related benefits, and travel services have always been a hallmark of the American Express brand.
In 1987, stock market crash notwithstanding, American Express introduced its first credit card – the Optima card -- that allowed cardmembers to carry a balance from month to month. Prior to this, all American Express cards had been charge cards, which did not charge interest because cardmembers were expected to pay their balance in full every month.
In the 1990s, American Express’ menu of credit card offerings grew. American Express introduced a Senior Member card with special services and benefits, and an American Express corporate purchasing card. In 1997, American Express Co. introduced 20 new credit card products into foreign markets, partnering with such major corporations as Qantas Airlines in Australia. Today, American Express offers credit cards with partners such as Starwood Hotels and Delta Airlines, allowing cardmembers to earn points toward hotel stays or flights, for example.
Also during the 1990s, American Express established an Internet presence whereby cardmembers and travel customers could access their accounts. American Express also created a Web portal for investing. An American Express login leads an American Express cardmember, American Express financial services user, American Express Travel Related Services customer or any other American Express customer to easy tools that allow them to manage and monitor their American Express credit card, travel or financial account, and to access American Express benefits and American Express rewards.
American Express once again took the role of innovator in the credit card marketplace when it introduced Blue from American Express, America’s first smart card, in 1999. Blue from American Express is embedded with a computer chip that allows customers to conduct both credit and debit transactions with a single card. Increasing numbers of personal computers now feature smart card readers, and Blue from American Express is tailor-made for the e-commerce transactions that that makes possible.
In 2017, American Express offers a variety of credit card products to its US market, each with its own package of American Express membership rewards and benefits.
