To really earn miles and points quickly, applying to Credit Cards is one of the easiest ways to achieve that. In this post I will be sharing an update on my latest Credit Card application. I applied for the American Express Blue Business card. And these are the reasons why.
This card actually exists as a personal and as a business card. In my case I specifically applied for the business one. One of the main reason I did this was because Business credit cards don’t count against your personal credit and don’t show up as hard pull on your credit score. I got my favorite response and was instantly approved.
Do I need to own a business to apply for one?
You might wonder whether I actually own a business to apply for this card. The conventional wisdom is that you need to own a brick and mortar store, be a handyman or the likes. However I qualify as a business owner, as I own this blog. You might yourself qualify, if you for example regular sell things on eBay, do freelance writing or any other sort of business. You certainly don’t want to lie and make up something, however it is a lot easier to be considered a business owner then you might think.
2x Membership Reward (MR) points on the first $50,000
Currently, I only own one other American Express card that earns Membership Reward (MR) points. That is the Platinum card and it comes with a hefty annual fee. While I do get lots of value out of that card, I always like to complement it with a no annual fee card. That way I know my points will not be lost, should I decide to cancel the other card. The Blue Business card is also a full earning MR points card. Meaning, you are able to transfer the points to their airline partners for redemption. You can find a full list of their partners here.
In the past, we have transferred points to Singapore Krisflyer, Asia Miles and most frequently to Aeroplan/Air Canada.
While the welcome bonus wasn’t as high as on some other cards, this is the highest bonus this specific card has had. The card also scores big time for me with its 2x MR points for anything up to $50,000 per year. Simply, this can be looked at 2 cent cash back if you use the travel portal. While other cards score better on specific categories like travel or eating out, this card has no restriction. That’s where I plan to use this card – at department stores, pharmacy and the like. Will this card alone get me to the next business class ticket? No, but it will certainly help, as I pay with my credit cards for everything.
What is the bonus?
10,000 Membership Rewards points contingent on spending $3,000 within three months of card opening.
Annual Fee?
No annual fee, so I am planning on keeping this long-term.
Best for what spend?
2x on everything for the first $50,000 per year. I will be using this mainly for spend when another card doesn’t provide greater then a 2x points bonus. I don’t foresee to be getting anywhere close to the $50,000.
Summary:
A great no annual fee credit card that complements my portfolio. The two main reasons for me are that my points won’t expire, should I get rid of another American Express card and that I can earn 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spend. Membership points are very valuable to me and use them frequently, so can never have enough them.
What is your opinion on Membership Rewards points?
