Amex Trifecta: Platinum, Gold, Green, and Blue

All information about American Express Green Card has been collected independently by MilitaryMoneyManual.com

The Amex Trifecta is less well known than the Chase Trifecta, but can be equally as powerful for earning flexible American Express Membership Rewards points.

Usually, the Amex Trifecta consists of:

• The Platinum Card^® from American Express
• American Express^® Gold Card
• American Express^® Green Card or The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Credit card reward points, whether they are Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, or Capital One Miles, are the most valuable and flexible forms of credit card points.

You can cash out points, use them to pay off charges, or transfer the points to travel partners like hotels and airlines to maximize the value of the points.

My recommended 3 Amex trifecta cards are The Platinum Card^® from American Express, the American Express^® Gold Card, and the Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express.

I believe that you should also add the American Express^® Green Card to maximize your Amex points earning potential and to earn the welcome bonus on the card.

Amex Trifecta Military

American Express waives the annual fees on all of their personal cards for US military servicemembers, military spouses, and Guard and Reserve on 30 day active orders. The military annual fee waiver is one of the best parts of the Amex Trifecta for Military Lending Act covered borrowers.

You can confirm your eligibility for the Military Lending Act fee waivers but checking your status in the Military Lending Act database before applying for a card. I recommend everyone checks before applying so there is no question if your fees will be waived.

If you want to learn how to maximize your Military Lending Act credit card benefits, check out my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course. It's 100% free and designed for absolute beginners to military credit cards and the rewards available.

I explain everything I wish I had known before I started opening up fee waived cards, including the best order in which to open new cards.

The Foundation Card: The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Trifecta starts with the foundation card: The Platinum Card^® from American Express. The Platinum Card earns 5x points on airfare booked directly with airline or on amextravel.com up to $500,000 per calendar year.

The Amex Platinum card offers a range of travel benefits like airport lounge access and statement credits for travel-related expenses.

Read my full review of the Amex Platinum card to learn more. You can also add the American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab which adds the ability to cash out Amex Membership Rewards points at a value of 1.1 cents each. This adds a lot of flexibility to your Amex points if you don't have an upcoming trip or you prefer cash back.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• $695 annual fee.* See more details about military protections for you and your spouse 
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership
• Earn 5x points on airfare booked directly with airline or on amextravel.com up to $500,000 per calendar year
• Earn 5x points on prepaid hotels at amextravel.com
• $200 Annual Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. Note that The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card^® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $200 Uber Cash: Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on Uber Eats and rides every year. Only available to the basic card member, Terms Apply
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at 1 qualifying airline
• $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• This is a MAJOR time saver–$100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®! Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection® lets you visit more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting. You can love the lounge life with more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
• Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, enrollment required
• No foreign transaction fees
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express – learn how to apply
• Read my full review of the Amex Platinum card for military, terms apply

The Daily Driver Card: American Express^® Gold Card

To further amplify your rewards and gain access to premium travel benefits, you'll want to add another card to your Amex Trifecta mix: the American Express^® Gold Card.

With its impressive earning potential, this card is a powerhouse for dining and grocery purchases. You earn 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X).

American Express^® Gold Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year- includes OCONUS Commissaries
• 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® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees – great for the 4x on restaurants when traveling for fun, OCONUS TDY, or PCS!
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Amex Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 annually.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: You can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment required.
• Go explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
• Read my full review of the Amex Gold card for military, terms apply
• $325 Annual Fee* See more details about American Express protections for you and your spouse 

Earn a Minimum 2x Amex Membership Rewards Points on Every Purchase

For small business owners, The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express is an essential component of the Amex Trifecta. With this card, you earn 2X Membership Rewards points on the first $50,000 in purchases per year (1x thereafter).

The Blue Business Plus Card provides a simple and effective way to accumulate points on your business expenses, helping you maximize your rewards potential and unlock business-focused benefits.

The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 2X points on everyday business purchases up to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
• You've got the power to spend beyond your credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power. (*The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.)
• No Annual Fee
• Terms Apply, see rates and fees.

Add More Membership Rewards Points with the American Express® Green Card

The American Express Green Card earns 3X Membership Rewards points on travel and dining, making it a versatile option for frequent travelers.

American Express^® Green Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Plus, earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on travel including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® Points on transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.
• $189 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express^® Green Card.
• $100 LoungeBuddy: No airport lounge membership? No problem! Purchase lounge access through the LoungeBuddy app using the American Express(R) Green Card and receive up to $100 in statement credits annually.
• Payment Flexibility: When it comes to paying your bill, you have options. You can always pay in full. You also have the flexibility to carry a balance with interest or use Plan It(R) to split up large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, up to your Pay Over Time Limit. You may be able to keep spending beyond your limit – you'll just need to pay for any new purchases in full when your bill is due.
• Trip Delay Insurance: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per eligible account per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: No matter where you're traveling, when you use your American Express^® Green Card there are no foreign transaction fees.
• $150 annual fee *See more details about American Express protections for you and your spouse 
• Terms Apply.
• All information about American Express Green Card has been collected independently by MilitaryMoneymanual.com

Amex Trifecta Synergy: How It Works

Now that we've introduced the key players of the Amex Trifecta, let's explore how they work together seamlessly to maximize your rewards. By strategically utilizing these cards, you can earn points at an accelerated rate in various spending categories.

The Amex Membership Rewards points you earn on all your Amex cards combine across all of your accounts into one Membership Rewards account.

For example, the 4x points you earn with your Amex Gold card at US supermarkets combines with the 5x points you earn with your Amex Platinum card on airfare booked directly with the airline.

Keeping track of just a few bonus spending categories will rapidly accelerate your accumulation of Amex points. Using your Amex Platinum card for airfare (5x points), your Amex Gold card for US supermarkets and restaurants (4x points), and then your Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express

The Power of Membership Rewards and Transfer Partners

The Amex Trifecta allows you to earn heaps of Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to a multitude of travel partners. American Express boasts an impressive lineup of transfer partners, including airlines and hotels, allowing you to leverage your points for premium travel experiences.

Transferring your points strategically can often yield a higher value compared to other redemption options, providing you with greater flexibility and the opportunity to unlock extraordinary value of your points.