Q: What is the best American Express credit card in existance? I want one that gives me the most bang for my buck, the most rewards possible.

A: As you know, there are quite a few different American Express cards – some offer good rewards, others not so much. The best AmEx card for one person won’t necessarily be best for someone else, so I’ll go over the best ones for each type of spender…

Best For Travel?
The Platinum card has a $450 annual fee, but unless you travel all the time and always stay at high-end hotels and exotic destinations, then it definitely not the best choice for you. The Gold card is nice for travel, but it also comes with a relatively high annual fee ($125 for regular, $175 for Premier Rewards) and it’s also geared towards frequent travels that like high-end accomadations.

Ironically, the best American Express card for travel is actually their Starwood offer. Why? First of all, it’s by far the most versatile. You can use your points at Starwood Hotels – OR – you can transfer them to nearly 30 partner airlines without any penalties, surcharges, or fees. This is pretty amazing when you consider that the other American Express cards for travel allow you to transfer points to only 11 airlines. Best of all, it has a very low annual fee of only $65 that is waived for the first year.

To learn  more and for a special bonus, check out my Starwood American Express review

Best For Students?
American Express used to offer a student version of their Blue Card, but they discontinued that a few years back. Other than that, there are no student cards they issue. So while there is not specifically an American Express for students, there is one that is geared towards young adults (18 to 30) that you should definitely check out…

In my opinion, the new Zync card is your best bet if you are younger. For starters, it only has a $25 annual fee. It has a fantastic rewards and benefits, which ironically, aren’t that much different than the $125 Gold card! There are all kinds of posts on our message board of students as young as 18 and 19 getting approved for it (it appears to be the easiest to get approved for). For these reasons it is definitely the best AmEx card for students.

For a full review and signup promo offer check out my Zync card review

Best For Rewards?
If you’re looking for the absolute best AmEx card for rewards, then it would have to be the Blue Cash. However, it’s important to note that this card does come with a catch…  it gives 5% on gas, groceries, and drugstores but that’s only after your total spending exceeds $6,500 during a calendar year. Before that you will be getting 1% on those categories and 1/2% on everything else.

Once you hit that threshold, this card is a jackpot since it gives you 5% on those categories and 1.5% on everything else. That means this card is ideally suited for those that charge at least $1.5k per month. For everyone else, the Starwood card mentioned above is probably the best credit card for rewards from AmEx.

To learn out more and for a special signup offer, check out my American Express Blue Review