American Express Wins Canstar’s Most Satisfied Customers | Rewards Credit Cards Award 2024

Congratulations to American Express, the winner of Canstar’s award for Most Satisfied Customers | Rewards Credit Cards.

How do you like your credit card rewards? Across credit cards, the rewards on offer break down into two categories:

• Cashback – cold hard cash, credited to your credit card account
• Rewards – for example Airpoints™, which you can put towards flights and other goodies

While free money is always is nice, Canstar’s latest research into rewards credit cards reveals more Kiwis prefer rewards (40%) to cashback (34%). And, regardless of the freebie on offer, the majority of rewards credit cards users know how to boost their returns. Well over half of those in our research (57%) use their cards for all their day-to-day purchases, to maximise their reward earnings.

It’s also clear from our research that American Express credit card customers rate the rewards card provider the best in the market.

To complement Canstar’s research team’s annual deep dive into the best rewards cards on the market – which crunches the numbers on pricing and features – we also ask everyday Kiwis to rate their credit card providers.

For this year’s award, we talked to 1098 rewards card users and asked about their satisfaction levels with their card providers across the following categories:

Of the six rewards credit card providers in our survey – American Express, ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac – American Express was the clear favourite with Kiwis, earning strong ratings across each of the award categories.

American Express’ Most Satisfied Customers | Rewards Credit Cards win comes on the back of its Flight Rewards Credit Cards earning 5-Star Outstanding Value Awards from Canstar’s research team earlier this year.

→ For our latest Credit Card Award and Star Ratings click here

American Express Rewards Credit Cards: What’s on Offer?

Gold Rewards Card

Features:

• Metal card in gold or rose gold
• $200 back if you spend $1500 on your card in the first three months of membership
• Earn 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent
• Dining credit: $100 back when you spend $100 or more in one transaction at a participating restaurant. Valid twice a year. (Exclusions, T&Cs apply)
• Receive complimentary domestic and overseas travel insurance when you use your card to pay for your return trip. (Exclusions, T&Cs apply)
• Add up to four additional card members no extra fee
• Up to 55 days interest free

Fees and charges:

• $200 annual fee
• Purchase interest rate: 22.95% p.a.

Airpoints Card

Features:

• 50 Bonus Airpoints Dollars on sign-up if you spend $750 on your card in the first three months of membership
• Earn 1 Airpoints Dollar for every $100 you spend on eligible purchases
• Add up to four additional card members for no extra fee
• Up to 55 days interest free

Fees and charges:

• No annual fee
• Purchase interest rate: 0% p.a. for the first 6 months, 22.95% p.a. thereafter

Airpoints Platinum Card

Features:

• Earn 1 Airpoints Dollar for every $70 you spend
• 300 Bonus Airpoints Dollars on sign-up if you spend $1500 on your card in the first three months of membership
• Complimentary domestic and international travel insurance when you pay for travel on your card
• Koru Lounge Discounts
• Smartphone cover: pay for your smartphone outright, or pay your monthly smartphone contract or plan on your card, and you’ll be covered for up to $500 towards front screen repairs (10% excess applies)
• Add up to four additional card members for no extra fee
• Up to 55 days interest free

Fees and charges:

• $195 annual fee
• Purchase interest rate: 22.95% p.a.

Check out our latest Most Satisfied Customers | Rewards Credit Cards Award here!

Compare credit cards with Canstar

If you’re looking for a new credit card, then let Canstar be your guide. Perhaps you want one with a low interest rate, or low fees, or want to swap your rewards card from points to cash. Our free credit card comparison tool compares all the major cards in the market and awards the best our prestigious Star Ratings. For more information on credit cards and to compare further, just click on the big button below.

Compare credit cards with Canstar here!

About the author of this page

This report was written by Canstar’s Editor, Bruce Pitchers. Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in the UK and Australasia, including ACP, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. Prior to Canstar, he worked as a freelancer, including for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority, and for real estate companies on both sides of the Tasman.