Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
With Amazon being the go-to site for just about any product, the ability to earn 5% back on all your purchases could be enticing if you’re a frequent shopper. The Prime Visa has no cap on the rewards you can earn and comes with helpful travel perks like auto rental coverage, lost luggage reimbursement and no foreign transaction fees. The card also technically doesn’t have an annual fee, but there’s one catch: you must be a Prime member to qualify for the card.
In this review, CNBC Select breaks down the benefits, rewards and fees of the Prime Visa, and whether it’s a good addition to your wallet.
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon and Whole Foods
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership
- If you choose the promo APR you won’t earn rewards on those purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
- No annual credit card fee
- No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Welcome bonus
Benefits and perks
- Auto Rental Coverage: While secondary to your personal insurance, the coverage provides reimbursement for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles.
- Baggage Delay Insurance: If your baggage is delayed for over six hours, you’ll be reimbursed up to $100 per day for up to three days for essential purchases.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Eligible warranties of three years or less can be extended for an additional year, to a maximum of four years from the purchase date.
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Reimburses up to $3,000 per covered traveler to repair or replace any carry-on luggage.
- Travel Accident Insurance: When you pay for your air, bus, train or cruise transportation with your card, you are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in accidental death or dismemberment coverage.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance: Can provide legal and medical referrals as well as other emergency assistance services while abroad.
- Purchase Protection: Protects your eligible purchase from up to $500 of theft or damages.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: You won’t pay extra fees for making purchases overseas.
The Prime Visa offers an interest-free equal monthly payment feature for Amazon purchases and at eligible retailers with Amazon Pay. You can choose between earning the 5% rewards or splitting your purchase into equal payments over time. Amazon offers an introductory APR for 6 months on purchases of $50 or more, or 12 months on purchases of $250.
Since Chase issues the Prime Visa, you’ll also gain access to Chase Offers. This allows you to activate additional savings at certain stores when you use your eligible card.
Overall, the Prime Visa offers some helpful perks, but how much value they generate depends on how you use them. If you enjoy traveling internationally, the lack of foreign transaction fees or rental coverage might be useful, but if not, you’ll have to generate most of your value through the rewards on spending.
How to earn and redeem rewards
Earning
- 5% back on your Amazon.com purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- 5% back at Whole Foods Market online or in-store
- 5% back on your purchases at Audible.com with an eligible Prime membership
- 5% back on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- 2% back at gas stations
- 2% back at restaurants for dine-in or take-out
- 2% back on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 1% back all other purchases
Eligible Prime cardholders can also earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com.
Redeeming
Redeeming the points you earn with your Prime Visa is simple. Each point is worth one cent regardless of the redemption method. You can use your points for eligible purchases at Amazon.com or redeem them through Chase.com for cash back, gift cards, and travel.
There’s no minimum balance required to redeem your rewards at Amazon. If you prefer to redeem your points via Chase, you can opt for cashback of any amount, gift cards in $25 increments or a travel option through Chase Travel. Unfortunately, you can’t combine the Prime Visa rewards with Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Rates and fees
The card charges a late or returned payment fee of up to $39 and a balance transfer or cash advance fee of $5 or 4% of the amount, whichever is greater. There are no foreign transaction fees and there is no extra charge to add authorized users to your card.
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
Card comparison
Prime Visa vs. Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has no annual fee and earns bonus rewards on a wide range of common expenditures.
- Up to $264 in streaming service and meal kit credits every year (subject to auto renewal)
- High cash-back rates in popular spending categories
- No annual fee
- The best bonus cash-back categories are capped
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 18.24% to 29.24% variable APR.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
- 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday® Card. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Your cashback is earned as Rewards Dollars and you can redeem them for a statement credit or eligible Amazon products. You’ll also get up to $84 in statement credits if you spend $9.99 or more each month on a Disney Bundle subscription (subject to auto-renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday® Card. Enrollment required. The card also includes a $180 Home Chef Credit of up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto-renewal). Enrollment required.
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has no annual fee (see rates and fees) and offers an introductory APR period on purchases and balance transfers which might be able to help if you’re wracking up interest.
Learn more: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Prime Visa vs. Citi Double Cash® Card
The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee cash-back cards thanks to its straightforward rewards structure.
- Long intro-APR for balance transfers
- High flat-rate cash-back rewards structure
- No annual fee
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Intro APR doesn’t apply to purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.24% – 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
The rewards earn come in the form of ThankYou® Points and are geared toward those seeking cash back. They can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel or Amazon.com purchases. They can also be transferred to a limited number of travel partners, albeit at sub-par transfer ratios, unless you pair it with a card like the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees).
Apart from extended warranty coverage, the card’s purchase protections are more limited and it does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee.
Learn more: Citi Double Cash® Card
Alternative cards in the Amazon family
Amazon Visa
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Rewards
3% cash back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market; 3% back on purchases made through Chase Travel; 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and local transit and commuting, including rideshare; 1% back on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn a $50 Gift Card instantly upon approval.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- Doesn’t require an Amazon Prime membership
- No annual fee
If you’re looking for an Amazon card but don’t have a Prime membership, you could consider the Amazon Visa. The card offers a slightly lower cashback rate of 3% at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and Chase Travel, but the same rewards return on other purchases. The welcome bonus is also slightly lower, but the Amazon Visa also comes with the same additional benefits as the Prime Visa and requires no annual fee or Prime membership.
Compare savings accounts
Is the Prime Visa right for you?
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards.
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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express click here
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.