American Express Blue Cash Preferred welcome bonus
Spend $3,000 in first 6 months. First-year math: $250 bonus on $3k spend = 8.
The numbers
$250
$3,000
in 6 months
$0 (waived)
$95 Yr 2+
8.3%
The real math
How to qualify
Apply for Amex Blue Cash Preferred. Spend $3,000 in first 6 months. $250 statement credit posts after spending threshold met. Annual fee is $95 but waived for the first year.
Application restrictions
Amex once-per-lifetime rule applies
All credit card applications trigger a hard credit pull (5-10 point temporary score dip). If you're denied, call the issuer's reconsideration line within a few business days — agents have authority to override automated denials.
Key card features
- 6% cashback at US supermarkets (first $6,000/yr)
- 6% on select streaming
- 3% on transit + US gas stations
- 1% other
Ongoing return: 6% supermarkets (capped), 3% gas + transit
When this card makes sense
Cashback cards work for predictable everyday spending. The welcome bonus stacks on top of ongoing rewards, so even casual users who hit the bonus once and rarely use the card again come out ahead. No-annual-fee cashback cards in particular are sticky — no carrying cost means no reason to close the card after the bonus posts.
When to skip it
Skip if you carry a balance month-to-month — credit card APR (typically 20-30%) erases a $200 bonus in 1-2 months of interest. Skip if you cannot reliably meet minimum spend organically. Skip if you are subject to Chase 5/24 and applying would block higher-value travel cards you actually want.
Annual fee waived first year is unusual — most Amex cards charge it Year 1. Best supermarket card on the market for households spending $250+/month at US supermarkets.
How to maximize this card
Pair with a complementary category card (Amex Blue Cash Preferred for groceries, Chase Freedom Flex for rotating quarterly 5x, Wells Fargo Active Cash for everything else). Run welcome bonus chains across issuers — Chase first (5/24 sensitive), then Capital One, Citi, and Amex.
Compared to other cards
Frequently asked about American Express Blue Cash Preferred
What is the American Express Blue Cash Preferred welcome bonus worth?
American Express Blue Cash Preferred pays $250 cash back after meeting the minimum spend requirement.
What is the application restriction for American Express Blue Cash Preferred?
Amex once-per-lifetime rule applies
Is the welcome bonus on American Express Blue Cash Preferred taxable?
Welcome bonuses earned by spending on a credit card are generally NOT taxable — the IRS treats them as rebates on purchases, not income. The exception is account-opening bonuses paid without any spending requirement, which can be considered miscellaneous income (though banks rarely issue 1099s for amounts under $600). Cashback rewards from ongoing card use are likewise treated as rebates and not taxed.
What happens to American Express Blue Cash Preferred's annual fee in subsequent years?
American Express Blue Cash Preferred's annual fee is $95, waived for the first year. It will post on your statement on the card's first anniversary unless you cancel or product-change before then. Set a calendar reminder for month 11 to decide.
Ready to apply?
American Express's full terms apply at application. Read the disclosure before you submit.