How Does The Amex Refer A Friend Program Work?

There are many ways to maximize the benefits of rewards credit cards. But an oft-overlooked way to reap rewards is by referring friends to your favorite credit cards.

All of the major credit card issuers have different referral programs that incentivize you to spread the word about their offerings. The Amex Refer a Friend program will reward you for each friend who successfully applies for an American Express credit card using your referral link. Here’s what you should know about the program.

How to refer a friend for an Amex card

You can refer a friend for an Amex card by sharing the unique referral link you receive via your Account Page, the Referral Hub or the American Express app. The code can be sent directly to a friend via text, social media or by email through American Express.

Referring a friend on the app

Referring by email 

If you want to send referrals to your friends by email, it must be through the email tool provided by American Express. Emailing your referral outside of the provided tool is prohibited and will result in your ineligibility for the referral bonus. 

The sender of the email will be American Express but your name, email address, status as an Amex member and the fact that you may earn a bonus if they are approved may be disclosed.

Individuals who previously “opted out” of receiving email marketing communications from American Express may not receive the email referral.

Using the referral link

The referral link should only be sent to friends, family and acquaintances. Whether it’s through text or social media, it is your responsibility as the cardholder to inform those you’re referring that you may receive a bonus if they are approved for a card when using your unique referral link.

When can I refer a friend?

The Refer a Friend program is available to eligible cardholders based on creditworthiness and other factors including card history with American Express. A great feature of the Amex Refer a Friend program is that you don’t necessarily have to be a cardholder of a specific card to refer it as long as you have a card in that family — your friend will be able to click on the card they’d like to apply for when you send them your personalized referral link. 

Refer a Friend caveats and eligibility

It’s important to note that referrals are targeted and can vary by person and account — this applies to both the bonus you’ll receive as the referrer and the welcome bonus that’s offered to your friend through your unique referral link. The offer may also be different from the public offer and since American Express only allows applicants to earn each card’s welcome bonus once-in-a-lifetime, timing is important. 

In order to earn a referral bonus, your card account cannot be canceled or past due on the date the referral bonus would post to your account. The cardmember is responsible for any federal or state taxes that result from the referral bonus as it may be taxable income. 

What if my friend doesn’t get approved?

Amex credit card approval is dependent on several factors, including your credit score, income, debt obligations, your existing Amex accounts and more. If your friend doesn’t get approved, you will not receive a referral bonus, but you will not be dinged in any way.

How long will it take to get the referral bonus?

A referral bonus can take eight to 12 weeks to post to your account after each referred friend gets approved. 

Choosing the best Amex card for your spending needs

When choosing a credit card, you first want to analyze your spending patterns and your goals for the card. For example, if you spend a lot on flights and want luxury travel perks then you’ll want a different card than someone who drives a lot and wants cash back at gas stations.

Luckily, American Express offers a wide variety of credit cards to fit different lifestyles and needs. They generally break down into the following categories: 

• Travel.
• Cash back.
• Balance transfer.
• Business cards.

Travel cards

If you want to earn points that you can redeem for travel, Amex earns Membership Rewards® Points that offer the best value when redeemed for travel, but can also be used for gift cards and shopping.They can also be transferred to over 20 airline and hotel partners with no limit to how many cents-per-mile value you can potentially receive.

Co-branded cards can elevate your experience when flying Delta Air Lines or staying at Hilton or Marriott hotels, but each card’s benefits are limited to its respective brand.

For example, the American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, rates & fees) allows you to earn 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point), 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases for a $250 annual fee. While the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
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The information for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

(terms apply) earns 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1 point), 2 points per $1 on American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. Plus, use the card 20 or more times in a billing period and earn 20% extra points but does not have an annual fee. 

If you spend heavily on flight purchases, The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees) earns 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. Although it has a $695 annual fee, the long list of luxury travel perks that may make up for that annual fee.

Delta loyalists who want to earn extra miles on flights can choose from a range of the airline’s cards depending on how important perks like lounge access or a boost toward status are to them and how high of an annual fee they’re willing to accept. 

Hilton loyalists also have several options running the gamut from the high-end Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
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The information for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

(terms apply) to the mid-range Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
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The information for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

(terms apply) and the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card (terms apply, rates & fees). Marriott loyalists can choose from the pricey but premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (terms apply) or the mid-tier Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card (terms apply).

Cash-back cards

Cash-back cards are ideal for those who prefer a straightforward reward system that earns a percentage of your spending back to you. It’s important to analyze your spending and make sure you can make the most of any bonus categories a card has to offer. 

If you spend a lot at on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, you might be interested in the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees). It earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. It has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

The no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees) earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and online retail purchases in the U.S. (on up to $6,000 in each category per year, then 1%), and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.

Balance transfer cards

Maybe earning rewards isn’t your goal. A balance transfer can be a great way to get some relief from interest while you work to pay down a balance. 

The American Express Cash Magnet® Card
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The information for the American Express Cash Magnet® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

(terms apply) offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months from the date of account opening, followed by a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.99%. Balance transfers must be requested within 60 days of account opening and a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies. You’ll also earn $200 back after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership and 1.5% cash back on purchases.

^{For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Card please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express please visit this page.}