What is the Amex trifecta — and is it the right choice for you?

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The right credit card can unlock a world of rewards, perks and benefits to help you reach your financial goals. But if you're ready to take your credit card game to the next level, you should consider picking a combination of cards that complement each other.

While you can build a combo of cards from different issuers, sticking with one allows you to keep all your spending within the same rewards eco-system and makes it easier to save points for redemption.

The Amex Trifecta is one of the most well-known credit card combinations, allowing cardholders to rack up American Express Membership Rewards points and take advantage of luxury perks. Below, CNBC Select explains which cards make up the Amex Trifecta and how you can make the most of it.

While you can create your own combination of Amex cards based on your spending habits and lifestyle, the Amex Trifecta consists of the following three cards: the American Express® Gold Card, the American Express Platinum Card® and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.

The American Express Gold Card

Our top pick for the best rewards card, the Amex Gold rewards your food purchases — whether you're eating at home or dining out. The card earns 4X points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X) and 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Additionally, cardholders get 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines, on Amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App. These high rewards rates, along with additional benefits, can make it easy to offset the card's $325 annual fee (see rates and fees).

American Express Platinum Card®

The American Express Platinum is among CNBC Select's picks for the best travel card, thanks to its worldwide lounge access perks. As for the rewards, this premium card offers 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). You'll also earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel® including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.

On top of that, the Amex Platinum comes with numerous statement credits worth over thousands when fully maximized, which can help justify the high annual fee ($895; see rates and fees). You'll also get complimentary elite status in certain travel programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors (enrollment required).

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

The Blue Business Plus is a business credit card that can help you make the most of your spending. It earns 2X points on everyday business purchases, up to $50,000 per year (and 1X points after that; terms and limitations apply). With the double earning rate on all purchases, this card's role in the Trifecta is to ensure you get more than 1X points on everything you buy.

If you're worried you can't qualify for this card because you don't own a business, don't give up hope quite yet. In reality, card issuers usually don't have strict requirements when it comes to defining a business. You can apply for a business credit card if you freelance, have rental properties or a side hustle in addition to your main job — and possibly get approved.

The Amex Trifecta strategy doesn't end with picking the right cards — you also need to use them in a way that will unleash the combination's full potential.

Time your applications

First, consider timing your applications. In general, you should only apply for a new card once every six months. This protects your credit score from frequent hard inquiries and minimizes your chances of rejection by the issuers.

Further, don't miss out on the welcome bonuses. You may have to spend quite a bit of money to qualify for these bonuses, so come up with a plan to comfortably cross the spending threshold. For example, with the Amex Platinum, you may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. This is the biggest spending requirement of the three cards, but it also comes with the most lucrative return — so it may make sense to apply for the Amex Platinum first and then move on to the Gold and the Blue Business Plus when your budget is ready.

Be strategic with your card usage

Next, know which cards to use on which purchases. For instance, to take advantage of bonus rewards, use the Platinum card to book hotels and airfare and the Amex Gold for dining and groceries. This way, you can maximize the value of these cards' reward systems and earn points quickly. You'll then use the Blue Business Plus card on your other purchases to get at least double the points on your spending.

Know your redemption options

To get the most out of the points you earn, it's important to know the value of different redemption options. The best ways to redeem Membership Rewards points include transferring them to airline and hotel partners, such as Virgin Atlantic and Choice Privileges, and booking airfare through the Amex travel portal. By doing so, you'll get 1 cent per point or more in value out of your rewards.

Use the benefits

Finally, don't forget about all the other benefits the Amex Trifecta comes with. If you take advantage of all (or most) of them, you can get more than $2,000 in value from these cards.

Namely, the Amex Platinum comes with excellent airport lounge benefits. You'll have complimentary access to over 1,550 airport lounges, including access to Amex Centurion Lounges, *Delta SkyClubs when flying Delta Air Lines, Plaza Premium Lounges and more.

Additionally, the card provides other luxury perks, including the following statement credits:

• Up to $200 Uber credit + $120 Uber One Credit :$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. (Requires enrollment) Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
• $600 hotel credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. (The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.)
• Up to $200 airline fee credit: Receive up to $200 annually in statement credits for incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, charged by the airline you select. Requires enrollment.
• Up to $300 digital entertainment credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
• Up to $300 Equinox credit: Get up to $300 statement credit annually on the Equinox+ digital fitness app or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Enrollment required. 
• Up to $155 Walmart+ credit: Amex will also cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly (plus applicable taxes) Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ with your Platinum Card. Plus Ups are excluded. Enrollment required. Subject to auto-renewal.
• Up to $120 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck^® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Platinum Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Up to $209 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with the Platinum Card®. (Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.)

*With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year.

The Amex Gold, a popular choice among foodies, also offers a few statement credits that add to the card's value. These include:

• Up to $120 per year in dining credits: Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. Enrollment required.
• Up to $120 Uber Cash on Gold:  Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That's up to $120 Uber Cash annually. (You must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.)
• Up to $100 credit at eligible hotels and resorts: When you stay at a property in The Hotel Collection for at least two nights in a row, you'll receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. *Eligible charges vary by property.

As you can see, the premium cards from Amex have plenty to offer — more than enough to offset the hefty annual fees if the rewards and benefits match your spending and lifestyle. All you need to do is to ensure you're using them to their full potential.

If you want to simplify your financial life by keeping your card and bank accounts under one roof, American Express has you covered with checking and high-yield savings account options.

With an American Express® Rewards Checking account you get valuable features that are rare to find with checking accounts. You'll earn rewards for debit card purchases at a rate of one Amex Membership Rewards® point for every $2 in eligible spending. On top of that, your checking account balance will earn 1.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) as of 06/24/2024. You get all of that with $0 monthly fees to worry about.

The American Express® High Yield Savings Account offers an amazing *3.10% APY as of 5/19/2026, which compares favorably to the savings accounts that offer the best rates. You don't have to jump through any hoops to qualify for this account's high interest rate. Plus, all the money you earn is yours to keep because you won't pay any monthly fees, overdraft fees or excessive transaction fees.

*The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) as advertised is accurate as of 5/19/2026. Interest rate and APY are subject to change at any time without notice before and after a High Yield Savings Account is opened. Interest Rate and APY of a Certificate of Deposit account is fixed once the account is funded

If you travel often, the Amex Trifecta can help you maximize points on every purchase. All the additional perks and benefits undoubtedly sweeten the deal.

That said, this card combination will cost you $945 in annual fees and includes a business credit card. While this might not be an issue if the Trifecta fits your spending habits and you have a side hustle, carrying these three cards might not be the best choice for everyone.

If you're not interested in the Amex Trifecta and just want excellent rewards cards regardless of the issuer, you have plenty of alternatives to choose from. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is one of our favorite cards for travelers.

Remember that what makes a credit card a good fit for your wallet is how well its features sync with your financial habits and goals. Consider each potential card carefully before committing.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of financial products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Green Card, click here.