The Amex Trifecta: Best 3 Cards for Maximizing Rewards (2024)

Updated: September 10, 2024

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Getting a rewards credit card is a great way to get rewarded for monthly spending and access valuable travel and shopping benefits. Earning rewards from one card is great, but you can maximize your rewards-earning potential by pairing multiple cards together to take advantage of a range of spending categories and perks.

Combine three American Express cards to build an Amex trifecta. Savvy consumers have formed similar strategies with a Chase trifecta and Citi trifecta. But pairing the right Amex cards together allows you to earn one of the most valuable rewards currencies, Membership Rewards points, through three different cards: the American Express® Gold Card, the Platinum Card from American Express and the Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express. As one of the most versatile rewards you can earn, Membership Rewards are redeemable for travel, flight upgrades, gift cards, statement credits, merchandise and more. You can also transfer your points to one of Amex's travel transfer partners.

Through the Amex trifecta, you'll earn bonus rates for spending on flights, prepaid hotels, purchases at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, and on business expenses. While paying $945 in annual fees may seem troubling, this trio of cards comes with a host of luxury travel and other perks (plus bonus rewards rates) to help offset the costs.

Key Takeaways

You can maximize your rewards-earning potential through an Amex trifecta.

You can build an Amex trifecta by getting three complementary Amex cards.

You can use Membership Rewards points in several ways, including transferring them to several travel partners.

Some of the links on this page will take you to one of our partner's sites, where you can compare and apply for a selected credit card.

What Is the Amex Trifecta?

The Amex trifecta is the combination of three specific American Express credit cards that offer complementary perks while earning bonus points across a variety of spending categories. Building an Amex trifecta starts with three Amex cards:

American Express® Gold Card — $325 annual fee
Platinum Card from American Express — $695 annual fee
Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express — $0 annual fee

With all three cards in your arsenal, your purchases in bonus spending categories each month will net you at least two to three points per dollar spent — and often more — while earning one point per dollar spent on everything else. Bonus spending categories on these three cards include:

Restaurants worldwide
U.S. supermarkets
Flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
Prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com
Business purchases

With $945 in combined annual fees, building an Amex trifecta isn't a small investment. There’s no way to waive the fees, unfortunately, so the only way to justify the cost is to maximize your spending and take full advantage of the bevy of perks included with the three cards. Benefits of this card trio include:

A $200 hotel credit
Access to 1,400+ airport lounges worldwide
$200 airline fee credit
$300 Uber cash ($200 with the Platinum Card and $120 with the Gold Card)
A $240 digital entertainment credit
A $155 Walmart+ credit
$120 dining credit
$300 Equinox membership credit
$100 Saks Fifth Avenue shopping credit
$189 CLEAR membership credit
Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
Hilton Honors Gold status
Premium car rental status
Car rental loss and damage insurance
Trip delay and cancellation insurance
Baggage insurance
Purchase protection
Extended warranty protection
Cell phone protection

Few credit card combinations offer the kind of value you get from this Amex trifecta. It's not difficult to see how you could quickly offset annual fees, especially if you are a frequent traveler.

Credit Card	Annual Fee	Rewards + When and Where to Use
American Express Gold Card	$325	Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases worldwide within the first 6 months, up to $100. The offer ends on November 6, 2024. 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. 1X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. Use this card to pay for dining and groceries.
The Platinum Card From American Express	$695	Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 in purchases annually) 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com 1X points on other purchases Use this card to pay for flights and prepaid hotels.
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card From American Express	$0	Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership. 2X points on eligible business purchases (up to $50,000 in purchases annually) 1X points on other purchases (after spending $50,000 annually) Use this card to pay for business expenses and all non-bonus purchases.

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP:

Space out applications for Trifecta cards if you are starting from scratch. American Express carries an unwritten “1 in 5 rule.” You can’t get approved for more than one card every five days or more than two cards within a 90-day period. Amex may also limit the number of cards you can have at one time to five cards in total.

Spacing out your card applications also makes it easier to meet each card’s minimum spending requirements to earn welcome bonus offers.

One drawback to the Amex trifecta is the high annual fees on two of the three cards. If you want to earn rewards but prefer to keep costs down, you can swap out one or more cards for other American Express cards that earn Membership Rewards points. You won’t earn the same rates or access the same perks, but doing so still allows you to take advantage of complementary card benefits. Here are two alternative cards to consider for your Amex trifecta.

American Express Green Card — For travel and transit purchases
Swap out the Platinum Card for the American Express Green Card. The Green Card earns 3X points on travel and transit purchases. At $150, the annual fee is a little easier to swallow than the massive $695 charge with Amex Platinum. Plus, the card provides some travel credits and protections. Unfortunately, you would lose out on Airport lounge access by swapping out the Platinum card.
Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card — For groceries and fuel purchases
Instead of getting the Gold Card, opt for the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card. You’ll pay a lower annual fee, $95 versus the Gold Card's $250 fee, while still earning 3X points at U.S. supermarkets and gas stations.

American Express® Gold Card

Rates & Fees

On Partner's Website

Rewards Rate

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spen...

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Annual Fee

$325

Recommended Credit

Moneygeek.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

How to Use the Amex Trifecta

Being strategic with your Amex cards will help take your rewards-earning to the next level. By earning the highest rate possible on each dollar you spend, you’ll boost your points total. Combining the right cards also unlocks helpful card benefits.

Analyze your spending habits

Your spending should dictate which trifecta cards you focus on getting. Compare rewards rates offered with each card to find bonus spending categories that are routinely part of your monthly budget. We are fans of the three Amex cards recommended above, but you may prefer other cards that fit your situation better, especially if you prefer to avoid high annual fees.

Select and apply for complimentary Amex cards

Once you’ve targeted the best cards for your needs, start your trifecta one card at a time. Spread out your card applications to avoid getting rejected. That will also help you focus on hitting one card’s spending requirement at a time. Earning welcome offers is one of the quickest ways to boost your rewards balance.

Start using your trifecta cards

Once you've received a trifecta card, use your card for everyday purchases, especially in the bonus spending categories, to maximize your earning potential. Most people can hit the minimum spend requirements to earn welcome bonuses without extending themselves beyond normal spending habits. Only spend money you have, and pay off your balance on time each month to avoid costly interest charges and late fees.

Use your rewards

There are multiple ways to redeem Membership Rewards points. Some redemptions stretch your points further than others. Decide how you want to use your points and build up your balance until you reach your goals. If you’re interested in using points for travel, look at options within Amex’s program, but don’t forget you can transfer your points to partner rewards programs too.

Don’t forget card benefits

The Amex cards we’ve recommended provide some of the very best perks available within the rewards credit card world. But card perks are only valuable if you use them. Familiarize yourself with each card’s benefits before using them. Revisit available perks anytime you’re about to make an important purchase or book travel, so you can utilize perks to save money, travel in style or access card protections.

Is the Amex Trifecta Worth It?

The Amex trifecta is worth it if you can afford to pay the annual fees, use card benefits frequently and are strategic with card spending. The cost to keep all three cards each year is high, so continue to use the Amex trifecta strategy only if it provides enough value to offset the costs.

Pros and Cons of the Amex Trifecta

No travel rewards card is perfect for everyone. Consider the following benefits and drawbacks of an Amex trifecta to determine if using this strategy makes sense for you.

Amex Trifecta

Pros

Can pool Membership Rewards points from multiple cards
Gain access to luxury travel perks
Earn bonus points in popular spending categories

Cons

Costly annual fees
Tracking spending on multiple cards could become confusing
Approval not guaranteed

When the Amex Trifecta May Not Be Worth It

The Amex trifecta isn’t for everyone and may not be the best option if you:

Don’t want to pay multiple expensive annual fees.
Don’t want to keep track of multiple cards.
Have different rewards cards from another carrier already
Want to avoid a credit score drop from hard credit inquiries with each card application.

When the Amex Trifecta May Be Worth It

The Amex trifecta can be an amazing strategy within the right scenarios, like if:

You want to pool all your rewards points together.
You frequently travel with any of Amex’s transfer partners.
You plan to use several of the cards’ travel perks.
Your spending habits line up with the bonus rewards categories.

EXPERT TIP:

You can request a credit limit increase by contacting your credit card issuer. Make sure you’re making on-time payments and paying down your card balances before making the call to improve your chances of approval. — Kevin Payne, contributing expert for MoneyGeek

Can I Add Another Amex Card to the Trifecta?

Extending your Amex strategy to include four cards could make sense in certain situations. Adding the American Express Green Card can help you earn more points for general travel purchases and transit expenses. It also earns another decent welcome bonus if you meet the card’s minimum spending requirement.

The Green Card carries a $150 annual fee, so it only makes sense to add to the mix if you earn enough points each year to offset the cost. Some of the card benefits may overlap with benefits already available with your existing Amex cards.

How to Redeem Amex Membership Rewards

Redemptions abound within the Amex Membership Rewards program. Cardmembers can redeem points in numerous ways, including for travel, flight upgrades, statement credits, gift cards and online shopping.

Depending on travel preferences, you may get more bang for your buck by transferring your points to one of Amex’s transfer partners. Most partners carry a 1,000-point minimum redemption requirement, although some require less. Popular transfer partners include Hawaiian Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Hilton and Marriott.