Select Amex cardholders can refer friends and earn generous rewards

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American Express is now offering a generous bonus reward for referrals: Through May 22, 2024, you can earn an extra 10X rewards or 10% cash back per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (for three months on up to $25,000) after you refer a friend and they're approved for a qualifying card*.

Starting Feb. 22, if you have an eligible Amex card and refer a friend, you can earn an extra 10X rewards or a bonus of 10% cash back per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide for three months, on up to $25,000 in purchases. To trigger the bonus, your friend needs to apply by May 22, 2024 and then be approved for the card. Terms apply.

Let's say you have the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, for example. The card already earns you 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%); 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%); 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%); and 1% cash back on other purchases. With the new referral bonus, you'd also earn 10% cash back per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide for three months (up to $25,000 in purchases). That's a good deal for a card with a $0 annual fee (see rates and fees).

This offer truly shines when applied to a card that already earns rewards at a high rate. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, for instance, is one of the best credit cards for groceries. It offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%); 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions; 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations; 3% cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more); and 1% cash back on other purchases.

The addition of the 10% cash-back referral bonus per dollar spent at restaurants can very well allow this card to compete with the American Express® Gold Card — the ultimate card for foodies — for the three months the promotion is active (through May 22, 2024).

Speaking of the Amex Gold, if that's the card your friend is approved for through this referral offer, they could earn a welcome bonus plus 20% back in statement credits after they use their card at restaurants, up to $50 in three months. Terms apply.

Eligible Amex business cards participate in this offer as well. For example, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns 2X Membership Points on purchases with no category restrictions on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1X points. That means you can get a whopping 12X points at restaurants for three months (on up to $25,000 in purchases) while the promotion is ongoing, which could net you as much as 300,000 points for eating out.

How much are Amex points worth

Amex points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed through the Amex Travel portal for flights, so 300,000 Amex points would be worth $3,000 of airfare. But if you transfer your points to Amex's partners, like Delta Air Lines, Air Canada Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy you can often get more value: Travel rewards experts generally value Amex points around 2 cents each when transferring your points, meaning you could get $6,000 towards travel if you use your rewards strategically.

The following consumer cards from Amex are eligible for the promotion:

• American Express® Gold Card (See rates and fees)
• The Platinum Card® from American Express (See rates and fees)
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (See rates and fees)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (See rates and fees)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (See rates and fees)

The following business cards are also eligible:

• The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (See rates and fees)
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (See rates and fees)
• American Express® Business Gold (See rates and fees)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (See rates and fees)

The new referral bonus offer from American Express allows eligible cardholders to earn extra rewards on dining out. Amex has a large portfolio of popular cards, so you can likely find something appropriate to recommend to friends and family. Remember that they don't have to apply for the same card you have — Amex lets you earn the bonus no matter which card your friend is approved for.

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

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express click here

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express click here

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express click here

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card click here

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card click here

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card click here

For rates and fees of the American Express® Blue Business Cash click here

For rates and fees of the American Express® Blue Business Plus click here

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

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

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.