page_title: American Express
section_title: Consumer cards
hierarchical_section_title: American Express / Card products / Consumer cards
caption_attribution_description: English: Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, 2012 香港美酒佳餚巡禮, West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade, Hong Kong
context_page_description: The American Express Company, also known as Amex, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered at 200 Vesey Street in New York City. The company was founded in 1850 and is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best known for its charge card, credit card, and traveler's cheque businesses.
  During the 1980s, Amex invested in the brokerage industry, acquiring what became, in increments, Shearson Lehman Hutton and then divesting these into what became Smith Barney Shearson and a revived Lehman Brothers. By 2008 neither the Shearson nor the Lehman name existed.
  In 2016, credit cards using the American Express network accounted for 22.9% of the total dollar volume of credit card transactions in the United States. As of December 31, 2019, the company had 114.4 million cards in force, including 54.7 million cards in force in the United States, each with an average annual spending of $19,972.
  In 2017, Forbes named American Express as the 23rd most valuable brand in the world, estimating the brand to be worth US$24.5 billion.
context_section_description: American Express is best known for its Green, Gold, and Platinum charge cards.  The Gold Card has recently been converted to a credit card for UK residents but remains a charge card in the U.S.
  In 1958, American Express issued its first charge card, which required payment at the end of every month. In 1966, the company issued its first gold card, in an effort to cater to the upper echelon of business travel. Its platinum card debuted in 1984.
  In 1999, American Express introduced the Centurion Card, often referred to as the "black card," which caters to an even more affluent customer segment. The card was initially available only to select users of the Platinum card. The annual fee for the card in the United States is $5,000 (up from $1,000 at introduction) with an additional one-time initiation fee of $10,000. American Express created the card line amid rumors and urban legends in the 1980s that it produced an ultra-exclusive black card for elite users who could purchase anything with it.
  American Express cards issued in the United States range in cost between no annual fee (for Blue and many other consumer and business cards) and a $550 annual fee (for the Platinum card). Annual fees for the Green card start at $150, while Gold card annual fees start at $250.
  American Express has several co-branded credit cards, with most falling into one of three categories:
  Airlines: Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeroméxico, Air Canada, Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Icelandair, KLM, Qantas, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Thai Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, among others.
  Hotels: Best Western, Hilton Hotels, and Marriott International
  Retailers: David Jones, Holt Renfrew, Harrods, Macy's, Bloomingdales, Lowe's, Mercedes Benz, Dillard's and others.
  A credit card aimed at young adults is called Blue, which has no annual fee and a loyalty program. A television media campaign for Blue adopted the 1979 UK Synthpop hit "Cars" by Gary Numan as its theme music. A cashback reward program version, "Blue Cash", quickly followed. American Express also targeted young adults with City Reward Cards that earn INSIDE Rewards points to eat, drink, and play in New York, Chicago, and LA hot spots. American Express began phasing out the INSIDE cards in mid-2008, with no new applications being taken as of July 2008.
  In 2002, American Express introduced Clear, advertised as the first credit card with no fees of any kind.  Other cards introduced in 2005, included "The Knot" and "The Nest" Credit Cards from American Express, co-branded cards developed with the wedding planning website theknot.com.
  In 2006, the UK division of American Express joined the Product Red coalition and issued a Red Card, donating with each purchase through The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to help African women and children suffering from HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.
  In 2009, American Express introduced the ZYNC charge card. White in color, this card was created for people aged 20–40. The Zync charge card has since been discontinued with the exception of current cardholders who are grandfathered into the ZYNC.
  In late 2012, American Express and Walmart announced the launch of Bluebird, a prepaid debit card similar to that of Green Dot. Bluebird is being touted as having some of the benefits of traditional American Express cards, such as roadside assistance and identity theft protection. The card can also be used as a substitute for a traditional checking account. Unlike other such cards, Bluebird is FDIC-insured. Bluebird accounts have standard FDIC deposit insurance and check writing capabilities, and customers can now have Social Security payments, military pay, Tax Return, paycheck, and other government benefits deposited directly into their accounts.
caption: An advertisement for the American Express Platinum Credit Card in Hong Kong
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