Established in 1850 in New York, American Express started out as an express delivery business that forwarded freight and valuables. It particularly served the westward expansion of the rapidly growing new country. Over the years, the company evolved into a company that created and sold financial products, such as money orders and travelers checks.
In 1958, American Express issued its first charge card. Within five years, more than 1 million cards were in use within and outside the United States. The popular Amex Gold Card was launched in 1966, and over the years, many different types of American Express credit cards continued to proliferate.
Today, American Express is a world leader in providing charge and credit cards to consumers, small businesses and corporations. In 2005, American Express card transactions made up almost one quarter of all U.S. credit card transactions, moving Amex into third place behind MasterCard and Visa.
As an American Express card holder, you benefit from some of the top rewards and benefits programs in the industry. The company has formed a number of strategic partnerships with selected airlines, banks, and retailers, enabling it to provide premium products and services to its customers.
The Preferred Rewards Gold card also lets you earn points on your purchases. Because of Amex's great strategic airline alliances, you can transfer the points you earn to up to 11 frequent flyer programs on a 1 point = 1 mile basis.This card comes with a built-in Buyers Assurance Plan that lets you extend warranties up to one additional year.
