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Amtrak Credit Card Review: Tons of Value for Frequent Train Travelers

Review Updated
Matt Frankel, CFP®
By: Matt Frankel, CFP®
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Writer, Analyst

Matt is a Certified Financial Planner™ and investment advisor based in Columbia, South Carolina. He writes personal finance and investment advice for The Ascent and its parent company The Motley Fool, with more than 4,500 published articles and a 2017 SABEW Best in Business award. Matt writes a weekly investment column ("Ask a Fool") that is syndicated in USA Today, and his work has been regularly featured on CNBC, Fox Business, MSN Money, and many other major outlets. He’s a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Nova Southeastern University, and holds a graduate certificate in financial planning from Florida State University.

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Our Credit Cards Expert

Nathan Alderman
Check IconFact Checked Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Fact checker

Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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There are two different varieties of Amtrak credit cards, and they can be strong fits for frequent rail travelers. Both offer strong rewards programs and other Amtrak benefits. Read our full expert review to see if one might be a great fit for you.

Amtrak Credit Cards

Ratings Methodology

Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard®

Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard®
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good (670-850)

Regular APR

28.24%, variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel, including onboard purchases. 2 points per $1 spent on dining, travel, transit and rideshare. 1 point per $1 spent everywhere else.

1X-3X

Annual Fee

$99

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Get 20,000 bonus points after making at least $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 billing cycles of account opening

20,000 bonus points

  • The Amtrak credit cards come in two different varieties and can be excellent cards for people who regularly travel by train.

    • Two different levels
    • Strong welcome offers
    • Good rewards programs
    • Benefits for Amtrak passengers
    • No foreign transaction fees
    • Has an annual fee
    • No 0% intro APR offers
    • Earn 3 points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel purchases, including onboard purchases
    • Earn 2 points per $1 spent on dining and travel, including transit and rideshare
    • Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other qualifying purchases
    • Round-trip companion coupon upon account opening and card anniversary
    • One-class upgrade upon account opening and card anniversary
    • Station lounge pass upon account opening and card anniversary
    • 20% rebate on Amtrak onboard food and beverage purchases in the form of a statement credit
    • 5% point rebate when you book Amtrak reward travel
    • Earn tier status faster with 1,000 TQPs (Tier Qualifying Points) each time you make $5,000 in qualifying purchases
    • World Mastercard® benefits including exclusive offers on ride-sharing, food delivery, online shopping, and more, as well as protection from identity theft and fraudulent purchases
    • Points never expire as long as your account remains open
    • No limit on how many points you can earn as long as your account is open
    • No foreign transaction fees
    • $99 annual fee

Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard®

Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard®
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good (670-850)

Regular APR

28.24%, variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Get 2 points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel, including onboard purchases. 2 points per $1 spent on dining. 1 point per $1 spent everywhere else.

1X-2X

Annual Fee

none

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Get 12,000 bonus points after making at least $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 billing cycles of account opening

12,000 bonus points

  • The Amtrak credit cards come in two different varieties and can be excellent cards for people who regularly travel by train.

    • Two different levels
    • Strong welcome offers
    • Good rewards programs
    • Benefits for Amtrak passengers
    • No foreign transaction fees
    • No annual fee
    • No 0% intro APR offers
    • Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel purchases, including onboard purchases
    • Earn 2 points per $1 spent on dining and travel, including transit and rideshare
    • Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other qualifying purchases
    • 10% rebate on Amtrak onboard food and beverage purchases in the form of a statement credit
    • World Mastercard® benefits including exclusive offers on ride-sharing, food delivery, online shopping, and more, as well as protection from identity theft and fraudulent purchases
    • Points never expire as long as your account remains open
    • No limit on how many points you can earn as long as your account is open
    • No foreign transaction fees
    • No annual fee

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
20,000 ThankYou® Points Circle with letter I in it. 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. Up to 2% cash back Circle with letter I in it. 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months

Regular: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Apply Now for Citi Double Cash® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. Circle with letter I in it. N/A 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back 		Up to $300 cash back Circle with letter I in it. Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. 1.5% - 5% cash back Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months

Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Full Amtrak credit cards reviews

This credit card is a good fit for: People who regularly travel on Amtrak trains and want to maximize their rewards as well as their travel experiences.

Top perks

Unlike many cobranded travel cards that don't have huge annual fees, the Amtrak credit cards could be excellent products, especially for those who ride the train often. These are just some of the perks.

Two different cards to choose from

There are actually two different Amtrak credit cards. The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard® has no annual fee and a solid rewards program (more on that in a bit), while the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® has a $99 annual fee but an impressive collection of benefits, as well as a superior rewards program. We'll get into the details momentarily, but the point is that there are two different cards so you have twice the chance of finding the best fit for you.

Welcome bonuses

Both Amtrak credit cards offer solid welcome bonuses. The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard® offers 12,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases during the first 3 billing cycles, and the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® offers 20,000 bonus points, but after spending $1,000 within the first 3 billing cycles.

Here's an important takeaway. Amtrak Guest Rewards Points can have a significantly higher value than the typical $0.01 per 1 point that many types of rewards points are worth, when they are redeemed for Amtrak travel. Most estimates put their value around $0.025 per 1 point. This would mean that these introductory bonuses are worth $300 and $750, respectively.

Good rewards and benefits

Both cards have solid rewards programs. The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard® earns 2 points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel as well as on dining, and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® earns 3 points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel, 2 points per $1 on travel, dining, transit, and rideshare spending, and 1 point per $1 on everything else. Both cards get discounts on onboard food and beverage purchases of 10% and 20% for the standard and Preferred cards, respectively.

Beyond these rewards, the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® offers some travel benefits that could easily justify the annual fee. Upon account opening and every year thereafter, you'll get a round-trip companion coupon (essentially a buy-one-get-one ticket), a one-class upgrade certificate, and a station lounge pass. You'll also earn tier status faster with 1,000 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 in purchases.

No foreign transaction fee

Although Amtrak is a United States rail network, it's also worth pointing out that the Amtrak credit cards could be a good fit for international travel, as both versions of the card have no foreign transaction fees. Many other credit cards charge fees (usually 3%) on foreign transactions.

What could be improved

Of course, there's no perfect credit card for everyone. Here are a couple of potential drawbacks you need to be aware of.

Annual fee (for Preferred card)

The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® is clearly the superior credit card, not only for its rewards program, but for the travel perks you get. It also has a $99 annual fee, which many people might be hesitant to commit to paying every year. To be perfectly clear, the travel perks alone can justify the cost of this card and more, but the annual fee is something to keep in mind, especially with many solid no annual fee credit cards in the market.

No 0% intro APR

Many competing credit cards offer a 0% intro APR on purchases and/or balance transfers for a certain period of time after opening an account, but neither of the Amtrak credit cards do. There are cards on the market (with no annual fee) that offer 0% intro APRs for as long as 21 months on both purchases and balance transfers, so if you carry a balance often and want to keep interest at a minimum, you may want to look elsewhere.

Suggested credit score

As the Amtrak credit cards are both unsecured travel credit cards, it's a good idea to assume you'll need at least a good credit score (about a 670 FICO® Score) to qualify. However, the issuing bank, First National Bank of Omaha, will look at other factors like your income, employment situation, and other debts before making a decision. It's entirely possible to get accepted with a lower FICO® Score or rejected with a score in the very good or even "excellent" range.

An Amtrak credit card is right for you if:

The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard® or the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® could be a good credit card for you if you regularly travel by train and want to maximize not only your credit card rewards, but also want to enjoy some perks while traveling.

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • It depends on how often you travel by train and how much you plan to spend on the card. The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® has better rewards and additional travel perks, especially for big spenders, but comes with a $99 annual fee. Meanwhile, the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard® is a solid credit card with no annual fee, and still has a good rewards system for frequent Amtrak riders.

  • The value you get for your Amtrak Guest Rewards points depends on how you choose to redeem them, but most analysis has found that you typically get about $0.025 in value per 1 point. This would make 40,000 Amtrak Guest Rewards points worth $1,000 toward Amtrak travel purchases.

  • The $99 annual fee charged by the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® could be well worth the cost for people who regularly travel by train. In addition to excellent rewards on Amtrak purchases, there are also potentially valuable travel benefits, such as a round-trip companion certificate and a one-class seat upgrade.