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Here’s Why I Wish I Got The Amazon Prime Visa Credit Card Sooner

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8 months ago

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Shopping the Prime Big Deal Days last day today? Don’t check out just yet.

Amazon’s sales events exclusive to Prime members are the best time to take advantage of the e-commerce giant’s very own Prime Visa credit card. Qualifying for the Prime Visa during this special time means you can put its welcome bonus to use immediately to save even more, plus you can maximize your spending to earn money back.

Take it from someone who got the card during Amazon’s last big sales event this summer and, honestly, it’s something I should have done way sooner.

Good to Excellent670–850

$0 (but Prime membership is required)

Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card

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The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.

  • High rate of return at Amazon and Whole Foods
  • Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
  • Requires an Amazon Prime membership
  • If you choose the promo APR you won’t earn rewards on those purchases

Highlights

Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.

  • Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
  • Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
  • Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
  • Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
  • Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
  • No annual credit card fee
  • No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
  • Member FDIC

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Applying for the card

I applied for Amazon’s Prime Visa on July 11, the last day of Amazon Prime Day this year. I was already a Prime member, so didn’t have to pay any new fees. While the Prime Visa has zero annual fees, you do need to have a Prime membership ($14.99 monthly or $139 annually).

Luckily enough, with the Prime Visa offering instant card access, I was able to use it for my online purchases that day. Plus, the gift card welcome bonus that I received automatically loaded onto my account and was ready to be used instantly. More on that below.

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The gift card welcome bonus

What drew me most to sign up for the Prime Visa was its sizable (and easy-to-earn) welcome bonus: Then, and now, Prime members automatically receive an Amazon gift card upon approval for the card.

The Prime Visa is currently offering a $150 gift card for Prime members and it can be used instantly for Prime Big Deal Days shopping. I managed to snag a slightly elevated welcome offer when I signed up, and though I’d like to say that I put mine toward a new exciting present, the reality is that I really needed a new vacuum cleaner; the gift card, in combination with a sale, turned out the be the perfect amount.

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Earning 5% back on Amazon and more

A highlight of the Prime Visa — and a big reason why I wish I signed up a while ago — is earning 5% back at Amazon and Amazon Fresh, plus Whole Foods. While I don’t personally use Amazon Fresh very often, living in New York City means I have fairly easy access to Whole Foods, and the 5% back on Amazon is something I could have been taking advantage of for years.

For me, Amazon has been a helpful place when buying certain items in bulk, like coffee or filters for my air purifier, and some more specific items that might not be at every store. Plus, having dealt with periods of limited mobility, I’ve been able to earn elevated rewards on deliveries of items I couldn’t get myself.

I primarily keep my Prime Visa as an online credit card, meaning it stays at home. For me, its biggest use comes when shopping on Amazon or when sometimes buying one-off online purchases. That way, if any information is compromised, I can simply replace this card without having to cancel a card that’s tied to recurring payments.

Using the card’s simple rewards system

Another reason that the Prime Visa drew me in was that it’s easy to redeem rewards.

Since I already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), I wasn’t looking for more travel rewards or points that transfer; I just wanted something simple. While the Prime Visa rewards can be used to book travel through Chase, the points are worth the same amount as cash back or spending them on Amazon purchases.

One way that I’ve used them in the past is for renting movies on Amazon Prime. It can be a nice way to see newer films for “free” or at least in a way that feels it. I’ve also just applied my points to purchases at checkout and sometimes it’s enough to cover the whole cost.

Final thoughts

The Prime Visa is a great card for almost anyone who is already paying for an Amazon Prime membership, as the card has no annual fee. Even if you only use it a few times a year, that’s still some savings that you’re missing out on. Personally, I use Amazon at least a few times a month, and I have easy access to Whole Foods where the card earns elevated rewards.

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Since I was already paying for the Prime membership, earning 5% back on my purchases at no extra cost to me was an easy decision, and one I wish I had made a bit sooner.

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