Why I love the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

My family of four spends a lot on groceries.

The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is a great fit for us because it gives 6 percent cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in annual spending, then 1 percent after that). If you maximize that limit as we do, that’s $360 in cash back each year. The net benefit is $265 even after subtracting the $95 annual fee (waived for the first year).

And that’s not all. This card also gives 6 percent cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and 3 percent cash back on transit purchases and at U.S. gas stations. Other categories earn 1 percent. You can save even more via Amex Offers, which are digital coupons you load onto your card. New card members earn a $300 bonus after spending $3,000 in their first three months.

Additional value

Purchase protection that covers eligible damages for up to 90 days (capped at $1,000 per incident and $50,000 per calendar year).

An extended warranty clause that adds a year to the original manufacturer’s warranties of five years or less (up to $10,000 per covered purchase and $50,000 per calendar year).

A free ShopRunner membership (valued at $79 annually) unlocks free two-day shipping and free returns from more than 100 popular retailers.

Return protection if it has been 90 days or less and a retailer won’t take an item back (Amex will refund you up to $300 per item and $1,000 per year).

Top-notch customer service (American Express has topped J.D. Power’s U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study 10 times in the study’s 14-year history).

Alternatives I’ve considered

At times, I’ve been tempted to switch to the American Express Gold Card. It gives 4X Membership Rewards points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in annual spending) and on dining purchases. My family spends about $12,000 on groceries each year, so the higher cap is attractive. However, I’m much more interested in cash back than free travel, and the Gold Card would only yield 2.4 percent cash back on groceries and dining.

That’s because Membership Rewards points are worth 1 cent apiece when used to offset plane tickets. Even higher valuations are possible via airline and hotel transfer partners. Each Membership Rewards point is worth 0.6 cents if it’s exchanged for cash back.

The Gold Card also has a much higher annual fee ($250). It’s offset by various credits (for example, up to $120 in Uber Cash each year and another $120 dining credit at eligible establishments), but those don’t appeal to me as much.

The best credit card is a very individual decision, and the Blue Cash Preferred has earned a prominent place in my wallet since 2019. For five years prior to that, I had its sibling, the Blue Cash Everyday Card. The Blue Cash Everyday does not charge an annual fee. The drawback is that it only gives 3 percent cash back at U.S. supermarkets (with the same $6,000 yearly cap). I upgraded as my family grew, ensuring I’d spend enough on groceries to come out ahead even after factoring in the annual fee. That was soon after the Blue Cash Preferred expanded its streaming and transit perks, which sweetened the pot even further.

Bottom line

While many other credit cards have piled into grocery rewards during the COVID-19 pandemic, for my money, there’s no topping the Blue Cash Preferred, the OG of grocery rewards cards.

Have a question about credit cards? Email me at [email protected] and I’d be happy to help.