The most forgotten credit cards from major issuers

We often talk about the same cards here at TPG. the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See prices and fees), The American Express Platinum Card® and American Express® Gold Card Get a lot of attention here, among many other high-level cards from major issuers.

There’s a good reason for this because these cards offer great value for most travelers. However, some other cards from major issuers barely get any buzz, which begs the question: Are they really worth it?

For me, the answer is yes – any card can be worth it to the right cardholder. So let’s see what each of these offers.

American Express

American Express has a reputation for luxury, with card products that offer long-distance lounge access, elite hotel status and numerous data credits. Amid all the hype some of its cards generate, a few of its offerings get lost in the noise.

Plum Card from American Express

When thinking about Amex business cards, The Plum Card® from American Express My mind usually slips.

If you’re in the market for a no-frills business card, the Plum Card may be a good choice. However, the $250 annual fee (see rates and fees) may be difficult to stomach since this card doesn’t offer any significant benefits.

You will only earn rewards on the Plum Card if you pay your bill within 10 days of your statement closing date. If so, you’ll get 1.5% cash back on qualifying charges. this He could It’s a good way to encourage better spending habits, because overspending can prevent you from paying your bills on time and getting rewards.

This card offers some basic protections for travel and purchases, but they’re not as comprehensive as those found on more popular Amex business cards.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Plum Card.

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Apply here: Plum Card from American Express

American Express Business Green Card

Many ignore the fact that the popular American Express® Green Card has a commercial counterpart: The Green Business Rewards Card from American Express.

Information about the American Express Green Card was collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Unlike the Plum Card, Business Green has a welcome offer. It’s fairly basic, but that’s to be expected with a low annual fee of $95 (see rates and fees).

New card members can earn 15,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.

It’s unusual for an Amex business card to have a lower annual fee than its personal counterpart. Personal Amex Green currently costs $150 per year, but that price comes with some benefits to help offset it.

With Business Green, you don’t have any statements to help justify the $95 annual fee. However, you will earn valuable Membership Rewards points on every purchase. Cardmembers earn 2 points per dollar spent on prepaid flights and hotels booked on amextravel.com and 1 point per dollar spent on all other qualifying purchases.

Plus, you’ll get a robust suite of travel and purchase protections.

If you want an affordable way for your business to enter the Membership Rewards program, a business green card may be a good bet.

To learn more, check out our full review of Amex Business Green.

Apply here: The Green Business Rewards Card from American Express

Delta SkyMiles Blue

Delta’s SkyMiles cards are among the most popular airline cards, yet one option in this group is often forgotten: Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.

This is the only co-branded Delta card that doesn’t charge an annual fee (see rates and fees), so it’s worth considering for beginners or infrequent travelers who fly Delta occasionally. If you don’t fly with Delta more than once a year, there’s no need to have a Delta card with an annual fee.

Delta Blue doesn’t offer any statement credits, but that’s not a big deal since there are no annual fees to justify. You’ll still get 20% back in the form of a statement credit on in-flight food and drink purchases, plus a good range of travel and shopping protections.

Fortunately, this card comes with a welcome offer. New card members can earn 10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.

Cardmembers also earn 2 miles per dollar spent with Delta and dining at restaurants around the world (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.), and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.

To learn more, check out our full Delta SkyMiles Blue review.

Apply here: Delta skymiles blue american express card

Capital One

most Capital One cards get a fair amount of attention, since they have a reputation for being easy to use and easy to justify. However, there is one card from this issuer that I don’t see a lot of talk about.

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Not to be confused with the more popular Amex card of a similar name, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is aimed at those with no or poor credit. I recommend that anyone new to using credit cards consider this option.

Getting your first credit card from a reputable source like Capital One is always a good idea. I didn’t follow this advice when I opened my first card, and it ended up costing me money in the long run.

As a credit builder card, Capital One Platinum does not offer any rewards or premium benefits. However, after six months, you will automatically be considered for a credit limit increase, which can be a great incentive to keep your account in good standing.

To learn more, check out our full review of Capital One Platinum.

Learn more: Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Chasing

Chase is arguably the king of co-branded credit cards, offering more than any other major issuer. Given that, it’s no surprise that the couple fell through the cracks.

United Gate Card

Entry level United Gateway Card℠ (See rates and fees) It could be a worthwhile card for anyone who flies with United only once a year.

It has no annual fee, so cardholders don’t need to worry about getting a lot of value out of it year after year. You’ll get 25% back as a statement credit on premium United Club drinks, as well as food, beverages and in-flight Wi-Fi.

If you spend $10,000 on this card within a calendar year, you’ll also get your first two checked bags free. I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to spend that much on this card every year, but it’s a nice feature if you want this to be the only card in your portfolio.

The Gateway offers a solid welcome bonus for its entry-level airline card: New cardholders can earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Cardholders can also earn two miles per dollar spent on gas stations, local transit and commutes.

To learn more, check out our full review of the United Gateway Card.

Apply here: United Gate Card

The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card

The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card is unique on this list, in that it is currently closed to new applicants. However, you can still get this card by changing the product to the Chase Marriott card it has. However, keep in mind that this path is only open to you if you have had this Marriott card for at least 12 months.

The Ritz-Carlton credit card information is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

I recommend considering the Ritz-Carlton card if you’re a Marriott fan or want access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge for less than you’d pay with other premium Chase cards.

While this card’s $450 annual fee isn’t something you can get away with, it’s easy to offset with perks like an annual free night award worth up to 85,000 points and a $300 flexible airline credit.

Even if you don’t stay at Marriott often, the Ritz-Carlton Card may be worth it just for unlimited access to the Sapphire Lounge and airline credit.

To learn more, see our full review of the Ritz-Carlton Card.

City

Citi made waves recently with its overhaul of its Strata card lineup, but there are also a couple of other credit cards from this issuer that deserve some attention as well.

Favorite City Diamond

the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card (See rates and fees) Aimed at those looking to consolidate debt or pay off a large purchase over time.

At TPG, we always recommend paying your credit card bills in full, every cycle. But life happens, and sometimes that just isn’t possible. A card like the Citi Diamond Preferred won’t earn rewards or provide a statement, but it can help you keep your money in check.

New cardholders will earn 0% APR on all purchases for the first 12 months and 0% APR on balance transfers for 21 months (then a variable rate of 16.99% – 27.74%) applies. This is enough time to pay off major expenses or significantly reduce accumulated debt.

Many balance transfer cards only offer an introductory 0% APR period for balance transfers, so having one for both purchases and balance transfers is a great advantage.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi Diamond Preferred.

Apply here: Favorite City Diamond

Bottom line

Amid all the hype around the most popular credit cards on the market, it’s easy to overlook some of these cards. But they all have something to offer the right cardholder, so it’s worth looking closely to determine if one (or more) is a good fit for your wallet.

Sometimes, one of the most valuable cards in your arsenal isn’t the one you expect. I always recommend evaluating all the cards an issuer has available, because you never know what you might find.

For Plum Card rates and fees, please click here.
For Amex Business Green rates and fees, please click here.
For Delta SkyMiles Blue flight rates and fees, please click here.

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