RE®: 80
Our Rating
For excellent/good credit
- for Membership Users55
- for Frequent Flyers90
- for Everyday use95
American Express Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card
Updated on: 01/08/2019
The Blue Business Plus credit card is a great option for earning American Express Membership Rewards points. The card has no annual fee and earns 2 points per dollar on all spending up to $50,000 per year. After that, you’ll get one point per dollar.
The ability to earn a fixed two points per dollar in a valuable transferable rewards currency is unique in the rewards credit card industry. The card also comes with a 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months, but it doesn’t offer a sign-up bonus or have much in the way of travel benefits.
Bonuses and Benefits
Knowing what benefits come with a credit card can help you decide if it’s a good fit for you. Here we cover the bonuses and perks that the Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card offers and the value of the AMEX Membership Rewards® points you earn.
Bonuses
The Blue Business Plus card does not typically offer a sign-up bonus. However, there have been offers for 20,000 points in the past, and some people report receiving targeted offers for this amount.
What You Get
- 2 points for every dollar spent on up to $50,000 in purchases per year
- 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
- No annual fee
Membership Rewards points do not expire as long as you have a Membership Rewards card open. Unlike many airline and hotel programs, account activity is not required to keep the points active; simply keeping the account open is sufficient.
Also, if you earn points on the Blue Business card and later open a different Membership Rewards card, the points you have earned on the Blue card will remain active even if you close the account. You can combine points from personal and business cards, too.
Since this card has no annual fee, you can keep your Membership Rewards points active forever simply by keeping this card open. If you have other Membership Rewards cards with annual fees that you no longer want, the Blue Business Plus card is a great option to keep those points alive.
What is the value of the Membership Rewards® Points?
Membership Rewards are a very flexible travel currency. American Express offers 17 airline and three hotel partners to whom you may transfer your points. This allows you to customize your redemption strategy to suit your specific travel needs. It also helps maximize the value of your points compared to a less flexible rewards currency. There are good options for both domestic and international travel, as well as for both luxury and economy classes. In addition, a partnership with the Plenti program allows people to cash out their rewards via retail partners instead of travel partners, if they prefer.
FIRST YEAR REWARDS | Flight Type | Average CPM | RE® VALUE | ||||||||||
48,000 points |
|
What is CPM and How Is It Calculated?
Cents Per Mile (CPM) is a way to measure the value of miles or points. It tells you how many cents you get for each mile or point you redeem by dividing the cash price of the airline ticket by the number of miles or points the award flight costs. That amount is multiplied by the number of miles or points earned per dollar spent on everyday purchases to account for cards that earn more than one mile per dollar spent.
How we calculate CPM:
÷×100=
The final result:
1.00cpmThe Best Ways to Redeem American Express® Points
There are a variety of valuable redemption options for Membership Rewards, depending on your travel needs. If you desire international premium cabin airline tickets, then transferring points to All Nippon Airways or Singapore Airlines is a great option. For domestic economy airline tickets, Delta Airlines is a good option. You can also transfer to British Airways, which allows cheap short-haul award flights on American Airlines. Those seats can cost as little as 7,500 miles each way.
The Best Way to Redeem Rewards for Travel in
Economy Class
Roundtrip Domestic
Austin–New York
Economy classMiles price15,000points+$29 feeDollars price$299Chicago–Los Angeles
Economy classMiles price24,700points+$0 feeDollars price$247Seattle–Denver
Economy classMiles price18,600points+$0 feeDollars price$186
Roundtrip International
Newark–Moscow
Economy classMiles price51,500points+$251 feeDollars price$810Los Angeles–Paris
Economy classMiles price49,750points+$300 feeDollars price$1,605Houston–Frankfurt
Economy classMiles price49,750points+$360 feeDollars price$1,777
Roundtrip Domestic
Miami–Honolulu
Business classMiles price80,000points+$20 feeDollars price$2,083Miami–Washington
Business classMiles price52,900points+$0 feeDollars price$529Pittsburgh–Houston
Business classMiles price50,000points+$13 feeDollars price$827
Roundtrip International
Washington–Porto
Business classMiles price88,000points+$503 feeDollars price$5,041Los Angeles–Tel Aviv
Business classMiles price104,000points+$395 feeDollars price$4,403Atlanta–Madrid
Business classMiles price88,000points+$654 feeDollars price$4,044
Other ways you can redeem points
Hotel Stays
3 partners3 part.You can transfer Membership Rewards points to Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors and Starwood Preferred Guest.
Cash Back
Points cannot be redeemed directly for cash back, though they can be used to pay for purchases at a variety of merchants.
Car Rental
4 partners4 part.Points can be redeemed for car rentals by booking via Amex travel.
Gift Cards
64 partners64 part.Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for gift cards. However, you’ll get less value from your points with these redemptions than if you transferred them to travel partners.
Everyday Earnings with Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card
This card is an awesome choice for everyday earning. Many cards have bonus categories that earn 2 to 3 points per dollar, such as airfare, gas or groceries, but they’ll only offer one point per dollar for all other purchases. The Blue Business Plus card, on the other hand, earns 2 points on all spending. There are no other cards that earn any of the major transferable rewards currencies—including Chase Ultimate Rewards and SPG Starpoints—at such a high rate for all purchases.
Remember, though, that you’ll only earn the 2 points per dollar on up to $50,000 a year. After that, you’ll get just one point per dollar.
Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card Rewards
Your Monthly Charges
Rewards You Will Earn Annually
48,000points$240in dollar value- Travel
- 2points/$1
- Car Rental
- 2points/$1
- Grocery
- 2points/$1
- Gas
- 2points/$1
- Dining
- 2points/$1
- All Other Purchases
- 2points/$1
Travel Benefits
This card does not offer travel benefits beyond the ability to use points for travel and the standard Amex benefits, such as baggage insurance, travel accident insurance and car rental insurance.
Foreign Transaction Fee
You’ll pay an additional 2.7% fee for all transactions outside of the United States.
Fees: the cost of Having Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card
Since this card’s annual fee is $0, no amount of spending is required to cover the annual fee. All rewards earned are a net benefit to the cardholder. This card also doesn’t offer a sign-up bonus, so the only way to earn rewards is to actually spend money on the card.
- Annual Fee
$0
- Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Foreign Transaction Fee
2.7% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
- Late Payment Fee
Up to $38
Does the Card Pay for Itself?
The Blue Business Plus Amex is a no-fee card. You do not have to earn a certain amount of rewards in order to cover the cost since it’s free. It’s still good to know roughly how much you’ll be earning, though. We’ve broken out our estimates for the first- and second-year net earnings.
These estimates are based on an annual monthly spend of $2,000
First Year
Signup Bonus
$0Anniversary Bonus
$0Everyday Rewards
$240Statement Credit
$0Free Bags
$0Earnings
$240Foreign Transaction Fees
-$0APRS Charges
-$0Annual Fee
-$0Charges
-$0Rewards Earned First Year
$240Second Year
Signup Bonus
$0Anniversary Bonus
$0Everyday Rewards
$240Statement Credit
$0Free Bags
$0Earnings
$240Foreign Transaction Fees
-$0APRS Charges
-$0Annual Fee
-$0Charges
-$0Rewards Earned Second Year
$240Top 5 Benefits of the Blue Business Plus Card
The Blue Business Plus Amex card offers a cheap and easy way of racking up tons of valuable Membership Rewards points.
- Great Earning Potential: Every dollar you spend earns 2 points, which will add up fast. You don’t have to worry about spending in bonus categories because every purchase earns double points.
- No Annual Fee: This card has no annual fee, meaning the rewards earned are essentially free. This is great for a card with such powerful earning potential.
- 0% Introductory APR: You can use this card as an interest-free loan for the first 15 months, which may help you manage your cash flow.
- Valuable Rewards Currency: Amex Membership Rewards are some of the most valuable points in the travel rewards space, with over 20 transfer partners available.
- OPEN Savings: Amex Business cardholders can choose to receive extra discounts or Membership Rewards points when making purchase with OPEN Savings partners.
Should You Get the Blue Business Plus?
The Blue Business Plus Amex is a great option for those seeking a low-cost business card that earns valuable Membership Rewards points. It carries no annual fee and offers a 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months. Not only is the card free to hold, but you can avoid interest charges without paying your bill in full during the introductory period.
This card has a great standard earning rate of two points per dollar on up to $50,000 in spending per year. Those who like simplicity in their rewards earning structure will appreciate a fixed rate on all spending that doesn’t require them to worry about bonus categories. Business owners will also enjoy OPEN savings and other tools designed to help manage spending and track employee cards.
FAQs
Need more info? Check out our frequently asked questions. If you have other questions, please click on “Ask Now” below.
How can I get a Blue from American Express card?
The business version of the Blue from American Express card is called the Blue Business Plus card. The rewards structure is better on this card, offering two points per dollar on all spending, instead of just one point. If you can qualify for the business version of the Blue card, you should get it.While it’s marketed as a business card, you do not need to have a business that’s a separate legal entity from yourself in order to get this card. Amex allows people to open business cards in their own name using their social security number. So do not be deterred if you do not own a separate business.What is the value of Membership Rewards points?
Membership Rewards points are a valuable and flexible currency. Many travelers are able to get at least 1.5 cents per point, but you can often achieve values of well over two cents per point with certain redemptions.Amex has a variety of transfer partners, including 17 airlines, three hotel chains and one retailer. Therefore, regardless of the type of redemption you seek, you will likely be able to find a high-value transfer partner and be able to take advantage of sweet spots in their award charts.Is the Blue Business card free?
In most ways, the answer to this question is yes. The card carries no annual fee, so there is no cost to hold the card on an ongoing basis. In addition, the card offers a 0% APR for the first 15 months, so the interest is also free for a time.However, you must make your minimum payments on time or you will incur late fees. After the first 15 months, the standard interest rate will apply, though there continues to be no annual fee.
Compare American Express Credit Cards
The Blue Business Plus card is the most rewarding of the entry-level business cards offered by Amex.
Other American Express Credit Cards
 |  | |
| Sign-up bonus | 5,000 points | 0 points |
| Annual Fee | $0 first year, then $95 | $0 |
| APR On Purchases | N/A | 12.74% to 20.74% Variable± |
| Foreign Fee | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Bonus Value | $91 | $0 |
| Second Year Value | $434 | $240 |
The Blue Business Plus card was designed as a replacement for the Blue for Business card, which is no longer accepting new applications. The new card is an improvement with its two points per dollar on all spending. The old Blue for Business card only offered one point on all spending. The old card also offered an annual 30 percent relationship bonus, which made the effective earning rate 1.3 point per dollar. If you still have a Blue for Business card, you should consider switching over to the Blue Business.
The Business Green Rewards card offers only one point per dollar and charges a $95 annual fee after the first year, making it an inferior option for most business owners.
Compare the Blue Business Plus Credit Card to Other Cards
There are a variety of business travel rewards cards on the market. Some offer the ability to transfer points to travel partners, while others more closely resemble cashback programs.
points offer
20,000 miles offer
Read Review80,000 points offer
Read Review25,000 points offer
Read Review
The Spark Miles Select card from capital one has a 20,000 points sign-up bonus and earns 1.5 miles per dollar. The miles are worth one cent each toward travel redemptions. This card carries no annual fee.
The Chase Ink Business Preferred card offers the largest sign-up bonus of the cards above at 80,000 points. This card earns Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to a variety of airline and hotel partners. It has an annual fee of $95.
The FlexPerks Business Edge card offers a 25,000 points sign-up bonus and has a variety of bonus categories. The points are fixed-value travel redemption points. The annual fee is $55.
Card Overview
Whenever you apply for a credit card make sure you read the terms and conditions of the card and the rewards program to find out about minimum spend requirements and any restrictions to ensure you can successfully obtain the card and earn the rewards it offers.
Card Details
Excellent credit score
Issuer
Use miles
NoPay with points
YesFlight Features
Available airline
AnyLoyalty Program
Membership Rewards®Flights Type
Domestic and InternationalAlliance
Not a memberTravel Partners
Airlines
YesHotels
YesCar Rental
YesCruise
YesCard Terms and Conditions
While it's easy to focus on the rewards offered by the Blue Business Plus credit card, it's worth taking a closer look at the terms and conditions. There's a lot to consider as you think about how you're going to use the card. Will you carry a balance, get a cash advance or maybe make a big purchase? Below is a rundown of the various interest rates, purchase protections, security features and mobile banking options that come with this Amex card.
Purchases
- Intro APR:
- 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months
- Intro APR for balance transfers:
- 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months on balance transfers requested within 60 days of account opening
- Ongoing APR:
- 12.74% to 20.74% Variable±
- Minimum Grace Period:
- 25 days
- Extended Warranty Protection:
- Amex will match the length of the original warranty if it is less than one year, and they will provide one additional year if the original warranty is 1 to 5 years. Coverage is limited to a maximum of $10,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per year.
- Purchase Protection:
- Amex covers purchases against damage and theft for 90 days for the amount of the purchase put on your card.
- Return Protection:
- Amex can refund you for eligible purchases charged entirely on your card. Coverage is limited to 90 days from purchase, $300 per item and $1,000 per year.
Cash Advance Features
- Ongoing APR:
- See Terms and Conditions
- Cash Advance Fee:
- See Terms and Conditions
Security and Protections
Amex offers a variety of security features, such chip cards, account alerts and mobile banking. You are never liable for fraudulent charges.
- Account alerts:
- Set up alerts to be notified by email, text or both, for fraud alerts, large purchases, irregular activity, card not present transactions and more.
- EMV Chip Technology
- Get global acceptance and enhanced security at merchants that use chip-enabled terminals.
- Credit Score Monitoring
- Amex offers free FICO scores and can help you understand the factors affecting your score.
Mobile Banking
Amex offers mobile apps for both Android and Apple. These allow you to see activity and statements, make payments, and contact customer service and concierge. You can also see your available credit, receive travel notifications and check for Amex Offers and discounts.
Additional Cardholder Benefits
American Express cards offer some unique card benefits, including Amex Offers, which can result in a ton of savings over time.
American Express Travel Benefits
- Amex Offers:
- Amex Offers are opportunities to get discounts or extra points for making purchases above a certain amount at various stores. These are always changing, so check your card for new opportunities.
- OPEN Savings:
- Since this is a business card, it also offers OPEN savings, which is a program that offers discounts when making eligible business purchases with your card.
- Spend Manager:
- This is another feature geared toward making the card more useful for business owners. It allows you to add receipts and notes to your transactions either via desktop or your mobile device.
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance:
- Get coverage for theft and collision for most rentals in the U.S. and abroad. Coverage is secondary to your personal insurance.
- Roadside Assistance Hotline:
- Call for emergency services, like towing, changing flat tires and jumping a dead battery.
- Travel Accident Insurance:
- Receive accidental death or dismemberment coverage for any air, bus, train or cruise ship transportation paid for with your card.
- Global Assist Hotline:
- Legal and medical referrals, and other travel and emergency assistance is available any time of day when you travel more than 100 miles from home.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
UGC Disclosure: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
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