At American Express, Membership is more than just having or accepting a Card – it’s an enduring relationship that can help you succeed. From the first Charge Card in the 1950s to today’s suite of Business Cards and B2B products, American Express has continuously evolved to help meet the needs of its Members, including the many business owners who drive industries forward.
For Business Card Members and accepting merchants, this powerful backing comes in many forms – from Card benefits and business services to offers – designed to help you run, grow, and protect your business. Enabled by its “closed loop” model – where the company maintains direct relationships with both its Card Members and merchants – American Express can offer tangible value for businesses of all sizes and across industries as both buyers and sellers.
In this guide, we’ll explore what makes having and accepting American Express Cards so valuable. You’ll discover:
- The core benefits of Membership for business owners, including integrated business tools, top-tier customer support, offers, and rewards.
- An overview of American Express Business Cards and products, such as Business Platinum and Business Gold Cards, the American Express® Business Line of Credit2, and American Express® Business Checking3 – along with their key Member benefits.
- An overview of the benefits of accepting American Express Cards for both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) companies, including access to high-spending Card members, new buyers, and insights designed to help your business succeed.
Let’s meet the Membership benefits that make it all possible.
The Core Benefits of Business Membership
For business owners, the Membership journey begins with getting approved for an American Express Business Card or being approved to accept American Express Cards at your business. From there, you gain access to the valuable backing your business deserves, from tools that help you manage cash flow and expenses to comprehensive customer support and benefits made to help move your business forward.
Here are some examples of the benefits of Business Membership.
The Closed Loop
Some of the perks offered to American Express Card Members and merchants emerges from the “closed loop” model, where American Express is the issuer, network, and a merchant acquirer. American Express offers Card products, acquires merchants that can accept American Express Cards, and processes the transactions under one roof. Compared to other networks with an open-loop model, where issuers, networks, and merchant acquirers can be separate financial institutions, American Express’s model means the company has direct relationships with both Card Members and merchants, offering insights into where and how Card Members spend.
Cash Flow Tools and Insights
Business owners who are approved for an American Express Business Card or business product get access to American Express Business Blueprint™ 4, a free dashboard that helps them track expenses and manage their select American Express business products and view their select American Express and linked external business accounts. Additionally, Business Blueprint provides personalized insights to help business owners make informed decisions for the future.
Servicing and Security
Business Card Membership also means enhanced servicing, security, and support built on more than 150 years of trusted customer engagement. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your Business Cards come with fraud protection features – so you can spend less time fretting about security and more time growing your business.
Membership Rewards® Program
Members with Cards and products eligible for the Membership Rewards® program can earn Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases. Those points can be redeemed for a variety of rewards – depending on the Business Card – including gift cards, statement credits, travel, and more.5
Business Cards and Products: A Closer Look
Many core benefits are available to all American Express Business Card Members – think servicing or rewards – while others are tailored to specific Business Cards and products. For example, some Business Cards are designed for frequent travelers, offering perks that can help elevate every trip, while others cater to those who enjoy fine dining and exclusive experiences. Each Business Card and product is unique, so be sure to explore your options and find the best fit for your business needs.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express offers a variety of Member benefits designed to help enhance business travel and maximize rewards.
American Express® Business Gold Card
The Business Gold Card helps Members maximize value on everyday business transactions. With flexible rewards and valuable benefits, Business Gold Card Members can earn more on the purchases that matter most.
American Express® Business Line of Credit
From shoring up cybersecurity to delivering holiday bonuses and what’s in between, the American Express Business Line of Credit provides eligible business owners with flexible funding they can use across different aspects of their business.
American Express Business Checking Account
American Express Business Checking is an online bank account with no monthly fees³, 24/7 support, and the ability to earn Membership Rewards® points.
Deposit Accounts offered by American Express National Bank.
The B2B and B2C Benefits of Accepting American Express
American Express considers accepting merchants – whether they have a Business Card or not – among its Members. And whether your business is B2C or B2B, accepting American Express Cards and B2B solutions can offer you new ways to unlock value.
Help Attract High-Spending Card Members
One of the many benefits to accepting American Express Cards for both B2B and B2C businesses is it can help attract high-spending Card Members. According to a Nilson Report conducted in February 2025:
- There were 71.1 million American Express Credit Cards in the U.S. at the end of 2024.6
- The average transaction size of American Express Card Members was 60% higher than that of non-Card Members.7
- In 2024, annual spend of American Express Card Members was, on average, 2.9X that of non-Card Members.8
Insights to Help You Run, Grow, and Protect Your Business
American Express offers a suite of marketing tools and solutions that help merchants run, grow and protect their businesses, including:
- Business Savings Suite: By taking advantage of all offers in the Business Savings Suite, Amex Merchants can unlock over $3,000 in total savings.9
- Amex Offers: Engage high-spending Card Members, build brand loyalty, and experience the powerful backing of American Express with an Amex Offers campaign curated for your business.
- American Express® Recommendations: When you become a recommended merchant, our Card Members can see your business when they log into their account.
American Express for B2B Businesses
For businesses in the B2B space, American Express offers a series of products and benefits that can help enable financial decision-makers at companies of all sizes capitalize on working capital strategies and more, leveraging its closed-loop network to deliver services that can offer benefits for businesses as both buyers and suppliers. Some examples:
- AR Automation. Designed to help businesses improve cash flow and streamline payments processes, American Express offers AR automation through partners Versapay and Boost Payments Solutions.
- Buyer Initiated Payments (BIP). BIP is an electronic payment method that can allow buyers to leverage their American Express billing cycle to extend payment terms with suppliers, enabling organizations to extend Days Payable Outstanding (DPO) by 14 days while managing Days Cash on Hand (DCOH).*
*The number of days by which your DPO is extended will vary depending on: (i) when during your American Express Card billing cycle you charge a transaction to a supplier; (ii) the date the transaction is posted to your account; and (iii) the date you pay the amount due on your American Express billing statement.
Conclusion
From managing cash flow with Business Blueprint to earning rewards on eligible purchases with your American Express Business Checking Account debit card, Membership with American Express is about giving you the confidence, flexibility, and support to help move your business forward. Whether it’s everyday spending to travel perks, your Membership is made to work for you.
Best of all, as a Member, you’re backed at every step – with powerful resources that can help you navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and help maximize value. Wherever your business goes next, American Express is there to support, so you can focus on the journey – and whatever adventures await.
Benefit Terms and Conditions
1: Not all Cards are eligible to get rewards. Terms and limitations vary by Card type.
2: American Express Business Line of Credit
American Express® Business Line of Credit offers access to a commercial line of credit ranging from $2,000 to $250,000; however, you may be eligible for a larger line of credit based on our evaluation of your business. Each draw on the line of credit will result in either a separate installment loan or a single repayment loan. All loans are subject to credit approval and are secured by business assets. Every loan requires a personal guarantee. For single repayment loans, we charge a total loan fee that ranges from 0.95%-1.80% of the amount you borrow for 1-month loans, 1.90%-3.75% for 2-month loans, and 2.85%-6.05% for 3-month loans. Single repayment loans incur a loan fee at origination and the principal and total loan fee are due and payable at loan maturity. There are no required monthly repayments for a single repayment loan. Repaying a single repayment loan early will not reduce the loan fee we charge you. Single repayment loans may become available to eligible existing and new Business Line of Credit customers at different times. For installment loans, we charge a total loan fee that ranges from 3-9% of the amount you borrow for 6-month loans, 6-18% for 12-month loans, 9-27% for 18-month loans, and 12-18% for 24-month loans. Installment loans incur a portion of the total loan fee for each month you have an outstanding balance. If you repay the total of the principal of an installment loan early, you will not be required to pay loan fees that have not posted for subsequent months. For each loan that you take, you will see the applicable loan fee before you take the loan. Once you take the loan, the loan fees that apply to that loan do not change. We reserve the right to change the loan fees that we offer you for new loans at any time. American Express reserves the right to offer promotions to reduce or waive loan fees from time to time. Not all customers will be eligible for the lowest loan fee. Not all loan term lengths are available to all customers. Eligibility is based on creditworthiness and other factors. Not all industries are eligible for American Express® Business Line of Credit. Pricing and line of credit decisions are based on the overall financial profile of you and your business, including history with American Express and other financial institutions, credit history, and other factors. Lines of credit are subject to periodic review and may change or be suspended, accompanied with or without an account closure. Late fees may be assessed. Loans are issued by American Express National Bank. Member FDIC.
3: Membership Rewards® Program for Checking and Debit
When you open an American Express® Business Checking Account, you will also receive a Membership Rewards® Account, in which you will earn one Membership Rewards point for every two dollars of eligible Debit Card purchases. Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. For more information on eligible purchases, visit www.membershiprewards.com/terms. You can redeem Membership Rewards points for a deposit into your checking account. Click here to learn what other redemption options may also be available. If you also have a Rewards Account in connection with a Card Account, your Rewards Accounts can be linked and you will have access to all redemption options offered with that Card Account. For more information, visit www.membershiprewards.com/terms. Member FDIC.
4: American Express Business Blueprint™
American Express Business Blueprint™ is the small business digital experience that allows a customer to view on one digital dashboard summary account information for the following American Express small business products: American Express® Business Cards, American Express® Business Line of Credit, and American Express® Business Checking. The customer can also choose to link their third-party issued business bank accounts and business credit cards to Business Blueprint. Not all third party accounts or cards can be connected to Business Blueprint. Business Blueprint allows the customer to view data insights and track their business cash flow and expenses by viewing reports that American Express prepares using the customer’s linked account information. Business Blueprint provides a 30-day bank account balance projection, using the daily balances from the customer’s linked bank accounts from the last 90 days. To be used in the account balance projection, the customer’s bank account must have at least 90 days of data available. While the cash flow management service from Business Blueprint is currently free, each of the business products from American Express that are visible in Business Blueprint has its own fees, eligibility criteria, application process and approval requirements. The Business Blueprint service (including any data insights provided to the customer) does not constitute legal, tax, financial or accounting advice, and is not a substitute for obtaining competent personalized advice from a licensed professional. You should seek professional advice before making any decision that could affect the financial health of your business. American Express makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the reports, projections, data or account information that are available to the customer from Business Blueprint.
5: Membership Rewards® Program
Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.
The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.
6: Nilson Report #1,279, February 2025. Includes American Express third party issuers.
7: Nilson Report #1,279, February 2025. Transaction Size derived from U.S. year-end purchase volume divided by year-end purchase transactions, not from individual consumer-level data. Average Non-American Express transaction size includes Visa, MasterCard and Discover credit and charge cards and excludes debit and prepaid volume and transactions.
8: Nilson Report #1,279, February 2025. Spend per card derived from U.S. year-end purchase volume divided by year-end cards in force (CIF), not from individual consumer-level data. CIF represents the number of cards issued and outstanding with cardholders. Average Non-American Express spend per card includes Visa, MasterCard and Discover credit and charge card volume and CIF and excludes debit and prepaid volume and CIF.
9: Savings available as of 7/1/25. In order to unlock the maximum total savings, merchants must make several purchases of offered business services and enroll in multiple automatically renewing subscription plans for the entire length of the respective offer period. Offers and value of offers are subject to change without notice to you. Visit americanexpress.com/merchantoffers to see current offers.
