Why I Added the Amex Blue Business® Card to My Wallet
Disclosure: This post contains personal referral and affiliate links for products I personally use and love. I am not a credit card affiliate — any credit card links you see here are my personal referral links. My advice is always free, and I only share what I use in real life.
If you’ve been following my What’s In My Wallet series, you know I’m always adjusting my card strategy to match our family’s lifestyle. I love earning Membership Rewards® points — especially when I can stack them with Rakuten — but even with my beloved Amex Platinum, I kept running into one big issue:
Most of my everyday spending was only earning 1x.
And if there’s one thing I refuse to do, it’s leave points on the table.
So when American Express sent me a targeted offer for the Blue Business® Card — 50,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in 4 months, with no annual fee — I knew immediately this card filled a gap in my system.
Here’s why it earned a permanent spot in my wallet.
I started No Point Left Behind as a small side hustle — and honestly, it doesn’t take much to qualify for a business card. Even a little Etsy shop, craft sales, or freelance work counts as a business in the eyes of most card issuers. You don’t have to earn a lot; you need a genuine business activity.
For me, this little business earned me a business card — and it’s been one of the most useful tools in my wallet.
1. A Strong Welcome Bonus With No Annual Fee
A no‑annual‑fee card offering a 50k Membership Rewards bonus is rare. For me, it was an easy yes:
No annual fee
Straightforward minimum spend
Points I can use for flights, hotels, or transfers
Perfect for stacking withRakuten
A simple way to boost my Membership Rewards ecosystem
If you want to earn Membership Rewards without jumping straight into a premium card, this is the perfect entry point.
2. The Everyday Earning Power My Platinum Was Missing
Let’s be honest: The Amex Platinum is a perks card — not an earning card.
I love it for:
Lounge access
Hotel status
Airline credits
Fine Hotels & Resorts
Cruise perks
And the overall lifestyle ease it gives our family
But for everyday purchases? It’s mostly 1x.
The Blue Business fixes that with:
✔ 2x Membership Rewards on everyday business purchases (up to $50,000 per year)
This is the sweet spot. This is why it’s now my everyday Amex.
I get to keep all the Platinum perks I love (you can read my full Amex Platinum Review), while earning points at double the speed on the spending I was already doing.
3. Perfect Pairing With Rakuten
If you use Rakuten (and you should), this card becomes even more valuable.
Rakuten lets you earn Membership Rewards instead of cash back, which means:
10% cash back becomes 10x Membership Rewards
20% cash back becomes 20x Membership Rewards
And so on
Pair that with a 2x base‑earning card, and suddenly your Amex ecosystem becomes a points‑earning machine — without paying a high annual fee.
If you want to see exactly how I stack these, here’s my Rakuten + Membership Rewards guide.
4. Keeps My Amex Platinum Exactly Where It Belongs
This card didn’t replace my Platinum — it protected it.
Now my Platinum stays in its lane:
Lounge access
Hotel perks
Travel protections
Credits
Cruise benefits
And the Blue Business handles:
Groceries
Gas
Target
Amazon
Bills
Everyday life
It’s the perfect “workhorse + luxury” combo.
5. Great for Anyone Who Wants Membership Rewards Without the High Fee
Not everyone wants a $895 annual fee card. Not everyone travels enough to justify it. Not everyone wants a complicated setup.
This card is the solution.
It gives you:
Membership Rewards
A strong welcome bonus
No annual fee
Simple earning
Easy pairing with Rakuten
A low‑maintenance way to build points
It’s the “I want to earn points, but I don’t want a high annual fee” card.
6. Why It Works in My Wallet
Here’s the real reason I added it:
I love my Platinum for our lifestyle — the lounges, the hotel perks, the cruise benefits — but I was losing out on points because so much of my spending was only earning 1x.
This card fixed that instantly.
Now I get:
2x on everyday spending
Platinum perks when I travel
Membership Rewards stacking with Rakuten
No annual fee
A 50k welcome bonus
It’s the perfect balance of earning + perks, and it keeps my Amex ecosystem running smoothly.
My Personal Referral Link
I’m not a credit card affiliate — this is just my personal referral link for the Blue Business® Card. If you ever choose to use it, thank you for supporting my little corner of the internet. 👉Personal Referral Link
I actually referred this card to my husband for his small consulting business because we wanted to keep costs low. We don’t have a lot of business expenses, and the no annual fee made this a solid choice for us.
And just as a reminder, you don’t need a big business to qualify for a business credit card. Even tiny side hustles like Etsy shops, craft sales, tutoring, photography, or reselling count as legitimate business activity.
If you’re earning even a little money on the side, you may already be eligible.
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About the Author
Hi, I’m Julie — creator of No Point Left Behind, mom of two college boys, and the daughter of the world’s most enthusiastic retiree travelers (you’ve met them in my cruise posts). I teach families and beginners how to travel more using points, miles, and simple strategies that actually fit real life.
If you want more tips, stories, and beginner‑friendly help, you can:
👉 Join my Travel Hacking Moms Group
I’d love to have you there.
