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Amazon Prime Rewards Visa card review: Earn money back by shopping
On average, an Amazon Prime member spends about $1,400 per year. However, the figure is probably higher based on the online shopping spike caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa card is issued by Chase Bank and delivers 5% cashback on Amazon and Whole Foods Market purchases. If brown boxes regularly stack on your front porch, you could earn some money back simply for shopping at the world's largest retailer.
To get a better idea of how much cashback you could earn (or have missed out on), log in to Amazon.com, navigate to "Account & Lists," and click "Ordering and Shopping Preferences." You'll find a useful tool that allows you to download order reports based on your chosen timeframe, including custom dates, current year, or entire history. The amount may be eye-opening, revealing you have left hundreds of dollars or more on the table in cashback rewards. Fortunately, you can fix that by applying for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa credit card.
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases 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
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases 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
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa credit card is designed to integrate seamlessly with your Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market purchases. Amazon provides a pre-qualification tool that can tell you whether you'd be approved for the card and your credit limit without affecting your credit score. It's a good way to test the waters and avoid a small hit to your credit score for an inquiry, only to get denied.
Getting pre-qualified takes just a few seconds, and so does getting approved. Once you're approved, you can start shopping online -- even if you don't have a physical card yet. You'll see the option to pay using your Amazon Prime Rewards Visa credit card at checkout. The physical card will follow in the mail for all other purchases.
The key to good credit history is being selective about your credit cards and how you use them. Available credit, low card balances, on-time payments, and card longevity are some of the factors that affect your credit score most. Canceling a card because it isn't right for you could negatively impact the average age of your credit card accounts and your overall available credit. Make sure that the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa will suit your needs for years to come before you apply.
Pros:
- No annual fee
- Instant Amazon gift card bonus at approval
- Open-loop -- unlike many store-brand cards, it can be used everywhere Visa is accepted
- 5% cashback on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases
- An extra 10% to 25% back on select Amazon purchases
- 2% cashback at restaurants, gas stations, and drug stores
- 1% cashback everywhere else
- Cashback points can be applied to Amazon purchases, travel, and gift cards
- Travel perks include no foreign transaction fees and Visa Signature benefits, such as travel insurance, luggage protection, and concierge services
Cons:
- No cashback rewards if you chose a 6 or 12 month installment plan with 0% APR
- Unlike other Chase credit cards, no access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards website
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa
How can you earn more cashback with my Amazon Prime Rewards Visa card?
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa already comes with a high rewards rate of 5% cashback on Whole Foods and Amazon purchases. You could earn more by taking advantage of exclusive offers available to Prime Rewards cardholders that let you earn another 10% to 25% on Amazon purchases -- on top of the 5% rewards.
Is the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa credit card good for travel?
You won't earn bonus points for travel purchases, but the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa does come with Visa Signature travel perks. They include complimentary concierge services for help with travel, priority access and special rates at Luxury Hotel Collection properties, lost or delayed baggage coverage, no foreign transaction fees, and travel/emergency assistance.