Choosing An American Express Corporate Card

Unlike their small business counterparts, corporate credit cards are highly customizable. When it comes to Visa and Mastercard, your corporate card benefits will largely be based on the arrangements you make with your bank. American Express, however, directly issues corporate cards, so you can do more comparing upfront than you otherwise could with a Visa or Mastercard.

While corporate cards are usually aimed at large businesses, small businesses with solid revenue and good credit might also want to look into getting a corporate card. These cards will ultimately help you manage employee spending, plus they include benefits and rewards that could end up saving your company money.

Is one of Amex’s options a good fit for you? Read on to find out!

Who Qualifies For Corporate Cards From Amex?

For the most part, corporate cards are scaled-up versions of Amex’s personal and business charge cards, tailored to meet the needs of a larger business. This means Amex requires that your company generate a certain amount of revenue, whereas their business credit cards are usually more accessible for smaller businesses.

To get a corporate card, your company must meet these requirements:

• Do over $4 million in revenue annually
• Have a business address outside of the home
• Been in business for at least 12 months
• Cannot be classified as a sole proprietorship

Amex Corporate Card Benefits

Because Amex has designed their corporate cards similarly, they all share a range of base benefits and rewards.

Starting with Amex’s Membership Rewards program, corporate card members will earn one point per dollar spent. Points earned can be redeemed at checkout for an array of online vendors (including Amazon, JustGiving, and Ticketmaster), gift cards, and travel. Point redemption values range from 0.5 cents per point to one cent per point, with most redemption methods equaling 0.7 cents per point.

Entry into this program is mandatory for three of Amex’s corporate cards and costs $90 per cardmember annually. This fee, however, is waived for Platinum Cardholders. Additionally, the Business Extra card has its own unique rewards structure, which carries no additional program fees.

Other standard benefits include:

• Business Travel Accident Insurance: While the actual value varies from card to card, each card provides accidental death and dismemberment insurance for travel.

• Baggage Insurance Plan: When buying transportation through their Amex corporate card, cardmembers receive insurance for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage. Again, the exact value of the coverage varies per card.

• 24/7 Access To A Global Assistance Hotline: If you are having an emergency more than 100 miles from home, you’ll have 24-hour access to an assistance hotline. Sample ways this hotline can help include doctor referrals, dealing with a lost wallet, and legal advice.

• Access To Roadside Assistance: All Amex corporate cards have access to a roadside assistance hotline that helps with various issues, including towing, flat tires, and jump-starts. Amex will cover service costs up to four times per year for Platinum and Gold cardholders, while Green and Extra card members are responsible for third-party charges.

• 24-Hour Customer Service: If a cardmember needs a card replacement or has questions about benefits, they’ll be able to contact Amex’s 24-hour customer service line toll-free.

• Mobile Apps: Cardmember accounts work with several mobile apps, including the American Express app for account management, Expense It Pro for receipt logging, and TripCase for travel management.

American Express Corporate Platinum Card

The Amex brand’s prestige charge card has long been Platinum. Like its personal and business counterparts, the Corporate Platinum card is centered around international travel and resort stays.

With a wide range of extra perks (mostly geared towards travel), the Corporate Platinum Card certainly lives up to its premium moniker. However, with its pricey annual fee, companies will likely only want to hand out Platinum Cards to executives or other high-ranking employees.

Here’s the gamut of Platinum Card benefits cardmembers can take advantage of:

• $100 Airline Credit: Up to $100 in incremental airline fees charged to a Platinum Card can be covered through statement credits annually.

• The Global Lounge Collection: This offers access to over 1,200 lounges in over 500 airports across the world.

• Global Dining Collection: Cardmembers can receive special access to reservations and “extraordinary” experiences at restaurants. Plus, the opportunity to meet celebrity chefs at exclusive culinary events.

• By Invitation Only: This benefit provides card members with the opportunity to attend various sports, fashion, fine dining, entertainment, and performing arts experiences not usually available to the general public.

• Fine Hotels & Resorts Program: Cardholders can enjoy complimentary benefits and competitive rates at over 1,000 properties internationally.

• Hilton Honors Gold Status: Cardmembers will receive a complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status, which includes perks such as space-available room upgrades, reward point bonuses, and continental breakfasts.

• Fee Credit For Global Entry Or TSA Precheck: Cardholders can receive one Global Entry ($100) statement credit or one TSA Precheck ($85) statement credit every four years for an application fee charged to a Corporate Platinum Card.

• Concierge Services: This benefit can help card members book restaurant tables, purchase gifts, and more.

• Preferred Seating: Cardmembers will receive premium seats for select cultural and sporting events.

American Express Corporate Gold Card

If the Corporate Platinum card is meant to keep the globetrotting executive in style, the Corporate Gold card is more oriented toward helping workers stay productive on the road.

With its extra benefits, the Corporate Gold Card makes a great option for companies that want to get their employees cards with travel perks but can’t afford to pay for Platinum Cards.

Beyond Amex’s base corporate benefits, Gold cardholders can expect these additional features:

• Fee Credit For Global Entry Or TSA Precheck: Cardholders can receive one Global Entry ($100) statement credit or one TSA Precheck ($85) statement credit every four years for an application fee charged to a Corporate Gold Card.

• Concierge Services: This benefit can help card members book restaurant tables, purchase gifts, and more.

• Preferred Seating: Cardmembers will receive premium seats for select cultural and sporting events.

American Express Corporate Green Card

The Corporate Green Card is marketed at occasional travelers and core employees. You won’t find a ton of frills here, but the Green Card may align with certain spending strategies.

As the most basic American Express corporate card, the Green Card lacks any benefits outside what’s listed in our above “Benefits” section. This means that the card will most likely work best for your core employees that need an everyday spending card that can be used occasionally on travel. This card can further benefit a company through Amex’s cost control features.

American Express Business Extra Corporate Card

The Business Extra Card is specifically focused on corporations that use American Airlines and its partner carriers.

While the Business Extra Card includes the same base benefits as the other three Amex corporate cards, its reward scheme is different. While the other cards include a simple one point per dollar, this card features a scheme based around making purchases through American Airlines.

Here’s a look at how your company can earn rewards with the Business Extra Card:

• Up To 6% In Cash Rebates: Your company will get up to 6% in cash rebates on the first $1,500,000 of eligible American Airlines airfare purchases made with the Business Extra Card.

• Four Business Extra Points Per $20 Spent: These points are earned via eligible American Airlines flights booked with a Business Extra Card. Plus, you’ll get one point per $20 spent on all other eligible purchases.

• $50 Flight Discount For Every $5,000 Of Eligible Purchases: Cardmembers can get up to a maximum of $1,000 in flight discounts per account every calendar year.

Final Thoughts

American Express’s corporate card offerings provide several different ways for large corporations to optimize their travel spending. Because they’re mostly just scaled-up versions of existing cards, smaller businesses that grow into larger corporations may find it easy to transition from business to corporate class cards.

Not big enough for a corporate card? Check out our comparison guides to business credit cards, charge cards, and personal cards that are good for business expenses.