Some offers mentioned below is no longer available.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
With Amazon Prime Day this year happening July 12 and 13, now is the time to set deal alerts and add items to your wishlist. And if you really want to maximize savings, you should decide which credit card you plan to use at checkout.
Using the right card can earn you up to 5% cash back and/or a nice welcome bonus. If you recently signed up for a credit card that offers a bonus and plan to shop on Prime Day, the purchases you make can go toward meeting the spending requirements.
It's also not too late to apply for a new card that provides an instant card number that you can use right away on Prime Day like the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card.
Select reviews three ways you can save even more on Amazon Prime Day:
How to earn a bonus worth over $200 on Amazon Prime Day
1. Apply for the Amazon Prime credit card
The simplest way to save $200 is to apply for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card. You have the option to apply before you pay and if you're approved, you can use the card right away and earn 5% cash back on Amazon.com. Plus, you receive a $200 Amazon.com gift card upon approval, which can instantly offset your Prime Day spending. There's no minimum spending requirement to receive the gift card. Remember, you do have to be an Amazon Prime member to be eligible for the credit card.
2. Apply for an instant credit card
If you don't want an Amazon co-branded card, consider opening a new card that provides both a welcome bonus and instant card number. Choosing a card that gives you access to a temporary card number after approval is key for Prime Day since you won't have the time to wait around for your physical card to arrive in the mail.
Not all card issuers provide instant card numbers, so review the card's terms before applying. Many American Express credit cards, like the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, give you the ability to receive an instant card number and earn a welcome bonus. New Blue Cash Preferred Card members can earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Rewards
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. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Welcome bonus
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Intro APR
0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening
Regular APR
19.24% - 29.99% variable. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7%
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
3. Use a newly opened rewards card
You may have recently opened a rewards card with a welcome bonus and Prime Day can help get you closer to earning the bonus cash back or points.
Since welcome bonus offers typically expire within three months after account opening, only consider cards that have been opened after late April 2022. Then review the terms associated with the bonus offer — primarily the minimum spending requirement — to understand how much money you need to spend to earn the bonus. If you've already been spending on the card, you can deduct those purchases from the requirement to calculate how much more you need to spend.
For instance, the Chase Freedom Flex® offers $100 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. If you opened the Flex card last month and already spent $350 on the card, you'd only need to spend $150 more to meet the $500 requirement and earn the $100 bonus. Spending $150 can be within reach during Prime Day, since a lot of items can add up.
Chase Freedom Flex®
Rewards
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%), 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on drugstore purchases and on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a $100 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for the first 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
Regular APR
20.49% - 29.24% variable
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Member FDIC. Terms apply. Information about the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
Read our Chase Freedom Flex® review.
And if you have a long list of big-ticket items to buy, consider using a recently opened card with a large welcome bonus. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is offering an offer of 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rewards
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Annual fee
$95
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Terms apply.
Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review.
Don't miss:
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.
Information about Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.
