Credit Card Review: Blue from American Express®

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Estimate Reward Earnings

If you've already established a good credit history for yourself, you deserve more in return for your efforts than a nice score on your credit report. You've earned the right to a credit card that offers you real rewards and the Blue card from American Express® can get you those rewards. Designed specifically for the credit card user with a responsible past who is looking for a rewards program that works around their specific needs, this credit card gives you the options you want and the rates you need.

As a Blue cardholder, you will have access to the Blue Membership Rewards Express(SM) program. This program offers its members the opportunity to earn points, which can then be redeemed for various products and services. There is absolutely no cap on the points that you can earn while using this card, and you'll never have to worry that your points will disappear before you can make use of them&they will never expire.

This card is especially appealing because of the flexibility that it provides to its users. The Blue card from American Express® isn't a frequent flier credit card, but it does give you many of the options and benefits of a frequent flier card, without any of the drawbacks. Through the Blue Membership Rewards Express(SM) program, you can combine your earned points with various frequent flier accounts to use your earnings toward your next vacation, while still retaining the option of using your points for any other purpose.

Unlike most frequent flier credit cards and many other reward credit cards, this card has absolutely no annual fee. For those with a strong credit history, this card has a very reasonable interest rate for purchases, so you don't have to worry if you might occasionally carry a balance. This card comes with an introductory rate of 0% on purchases for an extended introductory period of up to 15 months of membership. It also offers an introductory rate of 4.99% on balance transfers that you initiate during your application process. You can keep this fixed rate on your balance transfer for as long as it takes you to pay your balance off.

In addition, this card also offers many different American Express® services and benefits, such as purchase protection, auto rental insurance, a year-end financial statement, and various travel and emergency assistance services. With all of these great benefits, and low rates, it's hard to imagine a more rewarding credit card.

(Review Updated: March 11, 2008)

Estimate Reward Earnings

0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
10.24% Regular Variable APR for Purchases
20.24% Regular Variable APR for Cash Advances

20 days Grace Period

(* 4.99% Fixed APR for the life of the balance)

Finance Configuration: Average daily balance (including new purchases).

Additional Cardholders: $0

Late Payment Fee: Subject to applicable law, $19 on balances less than $400 and $38 on balances $400 or greater.

Over-The-Limit Fee: $35, subject to applicable law.

Cash Advance Fee: 3% of each transaction with $5.00 minimum and no maximum.

Balance Transfer Fee: 3% of each balance transfer associated with this offer ($5 min./$99 max. per transfer). Future balance transfers may incur a fee as disclosed at the time of the applicable offer or transaction.

Minimum Credit Limit: n/a

Maximum Credit Limit: n/a

Type of Reward: Point

Points per Dollar: 1.00

Additional Points: Points earned can be redeemed for airline, hotel, merchandise and gift certificates.

Bonus Points First Purchase: n/a

Bonus Points Other: n/a

Expiration: None

Yearly Limit: None

Additional Features for Blue from American Express®:

Access to Blue's Membership Rewards Express(SM) program for no additional annual fee.
Built-in ExpressPay feature that lets cardholders make purchases without having to swipe their card.
Various Internet account related services.
No liability for unauthorized Internet transactions.
Year-end financial statement.
Return protection.
Extended warranty for purchases.
Purchase protection.
Auto rental insurance.
Emergency card replacement.
Medical referral services.
Legal referral services.
Lost luggage insurance.
Up to $100,000 in travel accident insurance.
Various travel and emergency assistance services.
See website for additional benefits.

Important Notes for Blue from American Express®:

Card is currently unavailable to residents of Puerto Rico.
The APR for purchases varies according to the applicant's credit history and will be 3.99%, 5.99%, 8.99% or 10.99% + Prime Rate.
See website for complete terms and conditions of card usage and application disclosure.

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Notes: The review on Blue from American Express® was updated on March 11, 2008. The review is believed to be accurate during the update, however, information posted may have changed since the update. We strongly suggest that you carefully read the Terms and Conditions statement that accompanies the credit card application.