If you have an American Express card, you know that Amex offers some great rewards and benefits. However, you may find yourself short on cash when your Amex bill comes due Rather than missing a payment and risking late fees or damage to your credit, you may want to pay your Amex bill with another credit card
Paying your Amex bill with a credit card can help you earn more rewards, take advantage of intro 0% APR offers and maintain your good standing with Amex. But it also comes with some risks, like potential interest charges. In this complete guide we’ll walk through everything you need to know about paying an Amex bill with a credit card.
Overview of Paying an Amex Bill With a Credit Card
Paying your Amex bill with another credit card involves using that card to make your monthly Amex payment. For example, you could use a Chase Sapphire card to pay your Amex Gold card bill.
This allows you to put your Amex charges on one card and pay the bill with another. It’s kind of like transferring a balance except you are paying your total monthly Amex bill rather than just part of the balance.
Some key things to understand about paying Amex with a credit card:
It’s allowed – Amex does permit you to pay your bill with a different credit card. So it’s generally fine to do.
No fees – Amex does not charge any fees for paying with a credit card. But the card you pay with may have fees.
Counts as a purchase – When you pay your Amex bill with a credit card, it counts as a purchase on that card, not a balance transfer.
Impacts credit utilization – Paying with a card increases the balance on that card, raising your credit utilization ratio.
Rewards potential – You can potentially earn rewards by putting your Amex charges on one card and paying the bill with a rewards card.
Risk of interest – If you don’t pay off the card you use to pay Amex, you may owe interest charges.
So paying your Amex bill with a credit card can be rewarding but also comes with some risks. Make sure you understand both before proceeding.
When Does It Make Sense to Pay an Amex Bill With a Credit Card?
Paying your Amex bill with a credit card won’t be the right choice in every situation. Here are some times when it can make good financial sense:
1. To Earn More Rewards
One of the biggest potential benefits of paying Amex with a credit card is to maximize your rewards earnings.
For example, let’s say you regularly use your Amex Gold card for groceries and dining because it offers 4x points in those categories. But you have another card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve that earns 3x points on all purchases.
By putting your grocery and dining expenses on the Amex Gold but then paying the bill with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you could potentially earn 4x Amex points on the purchases plus 3x Chase points for paying the bill. That’s a nice points boost!
Just make sure the rewards value outweighs any costs. And have a plan to pay off the Chase card.
2. To Enjoy a 0% APR Intro Offer
Opening a new credit card often comes with a 0% intro APR for the first 12-18 months on purchases and/or balance transfers.
If you have one of these offers available, paying your Amex bill with that new card lets you essentially finance your existing Amex balance over the intro period at 0% interest. That can provide some nice savings on interest charges.
Again, just be absolutely sure you can pay off the full transferred balance before the intro period expires. Otherwise, deferred interest may be charged retroactively.
3. To Extend Your Interest-Free Period
One underrated benefit of paying your Amex bill with a credit card is that it gives you an additional 20-25 days before interest starts accruing.
For example, say your Amex statement closes on the 10th of the month and your payment is due on the 25th. If you pay your Amex bill directly from your bank account, any new charges after the 10th start accruing interest as of the transaction date.
But if you pay with a credit card that has a typical 25-day grace period, new charges won’t start accruing interest until after that card’s due date. So you’ve extended the interest-free period on new Amex purchases by about 25 days.
4. To Avoid Late Fees
We all mess up sometimes. If you accidentally forget to pay your Amex bill and don’t realize it until it’s past due, paying late fees would add insult to injury.
In this scenario, putting the payment on a credit card with some available credit could be your ticket to avoiding potentially expensive late payment fees. Just be absolutely sure to pay off the credit card by its due date.
The key is that paying with a card buys you a little extra time and flexibility in emergency situations where you need to get Amex paid immediately to avoid bigger issues.
Step-by-Step Guide to Paying an Amex Bill With a Credit Card
If you’ve decided it makes sense to pay your Amex bill with a credit card, here is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to do it:
Log into your Amex account online or via the app. You’ll need to access your account to make a payment.
Select “Make a Payment” and choose the card you want to pay. Specify if you are paying the minimum, current balance, or a custom amount.
Enter the credit card details. Provide the account number, expiration date, and security code for the card you want to charge.
Confirm payment details. Carefully review the payment amount, card used, and date. Adjust if needed, then confirm the payment.
Verify payment in your account. Log back into your Amex account after a few days to check that the credit card payment went through as expected.
Pay your credit card bill. IMPORTANT! Be sure to pay the balance on the card you used to pay Amex before its due date.
And that’s all there is to it! The process is very quick and easy as long as you have the credit card details handy. Just take care to pay off the other card responsibly.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Paying an Amex Bill With a Credit Card
Before deciding if paying your Amex bill with a credit card makes sense for your situation, here are some key benefits and drawbacks to understand:
Potential Benefits
- Earn more rewards from spending on multiple cards
- Take advantage of 0% intro APR offers
- Extend the interest-free period on purchases
- Avoid late fees in a pinch
- Enjoy sign-up bonuses if paying with a new card
- Can automate payments to simplify process
Potential Drawbacks
- Increased credit utilization if not paid quickly
- Risk of deferred interest on 0% offers
- Difficult to keep track of multiple balances
- Potential interest charges if new card not paid off
- Could miss new card payment by accident
- Additional credit pull if applying for new card
As you can see, there are good scenarios where paying Amex with a card can really pay off. But there are also risks to manage if you don’t pay off the other card responsibly. Evaluate your specific situation carefully.
Tips for Successfully Paying Your Amex Bill With a Credit Card
If you decide paying your Amex bill with a credit card makes sense for your situation, here are some tips to help you do it successfully:
Make payments automatic to avoid missed payments. Set up autopay if available.
Pay down balances quickly. Don’t leave large balances sitting at 0% long term.
Set payment reminders a week before due dates. Use calendar alerts, etc.
Track all balances in a spreadsheet to avoid confusion. Compare to statements.
Pay more than the minimums when possible. Minimize interest charges.
Have a plan to pay off cards before promotional periods end. Avoid deferred interest.
Consider your credit limits before paying a large Amex bill. You need sufficient available credit.
Check statements closely. Make sure all payments and charges appear as expected.
Call issuers right away if you ever have trouble making a payment. Avoid fees.
The keys are diligence, organization, and discipline. By tracking everything carefully and paying balances promptly, you can maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks.
Alternatives to Paying an Amex Bill With a Credit Card
Paying your Amex bill with a credit card can be a good option in many cases. But it does come with some risks and downsides. Here are a few alternatives to consider:
- **Use A
AutoPay lets you schedule payments that will automatically debit from your bank account each month. That means AutoPay enrollment may help you avoid missing your Payment Due Date and incurring late fees*. You can easily enroll in AutoPay online. Keep in mind, only the Primary Card Member can enroll in AutoPay.
To enroll in AutoPay, simply open your Amex® App. If you dont have the Amex® App, you can easily download it in the app store. You can also enroll in AutoPay online. Log into your account with your username and password, navigate to the “Payment” section, and select “Start AutoPay.”.
*Card Members who enrolled in Autopay prior to 10/23/2020, and opted to pay a specific dollar amount, may still incur a late fee if such specified dollar amount is less than the Minimum Payment Due and the difference is not paid by the Payment Due Date.
You can customize your AutoPay amount to fit your needs. You’ll need to pay at least the Minimum Payment Due each month.
Minimum Payment Due The amount you need to pay each month to keep your account in good standing.
Total New Balance Your Statement Balance, including payments made and credits received.
Adjusted Balance Your Total Balance, including Plan It or Pay Over Time payments.
Other Amount AutoPay will debit a fixed amount of your choice each month.
If this Other Amount is less than the minimum amount that is due in any billing period, American Express will increase the debited amount to the minimum amount due for that billing period.
