The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, issued through Chase, has some enticing rewards: 5 percent back on purchases you make on Amazon and at Whole Foods, as well as 2 percent back at restaurants, gas stations and qualifying drug stores, plus 1 percent on all other purchases. When you sign up, Amazon also throws in a $70 gift card bonus.
Users receive benefits from the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and some travel coverage, including a damage waiver on auto rentals. There’s no foreign transaction fee, so you’re free to use it outside the U.S. without paying extra.
Be wary of carrying a balance since its APR is relatively high. And although the card technically doesn’t have an annual fee, it is, as we mentioned, exclusive to those who pay for Prime membership, which now costs $119 per year.
If you decide the Prime membership isn’t worth its fee, you can still qualify for the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card. This card has a similar structure as the Prime Rewards card, except it only offers 3 percent back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods, not 5 percent, and a $50 gift card bonus rather than a $70 bonus.
The Prime Rewards card is the better option if you’re spending more than $5,950 per year on Amazon and at Whole Foods. At that level of spending, the extra 2 percent back exceeds the Prime membership fee. Prime offers a number of other perks, though, including free two-day shipping on Amazon goods, Prime streaming benefits and free Whole Foods delivery in select cities, and many Amazon shoppers decide membership is worth the cost, with or without the credit card.
