Key Points

• The Amazon Prime Visa earns unlimited 5% back at Amazon, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel with no annual fee beyond Prime membership.
• Prime members get a $250 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval through December 8, 2025 with no spending requirement.
• This card works best as a supplementary cash-back card rather than a primary travel rewards strategy, but the 5% rate is unmatched for Amazon shoppers.

Introduction

If you're spending thousands annually at Amazon and Whole Foods, you're leaving serious money on the table without the right card. The Amazon Prime Visa delivers an unmatched 5% cash back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market with zero annual fee beyond your existing Prime membership. Right now, Prime members can score a $250 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval with no spending requirement through December 8, 2025.

But here's the question points enthusiasts need to answer: does earning cash back at Amazon make sense when you could be stacking transferable points instead? We'll break down exactly when this card deserves a spot in your wallet and when you should pass.

Quick Summary

Best For: Prime members who spend $2,000+ annually at Amazon and Whole Foods

Standout Benefit: Unlimited 5% cash back at Amazon with instant daily redemption

Biggest Drawback: Earns fixed-value cash back instead of transferable points

Current Offer: $250 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval for Prime members (through December 8, 2025)

Amazon Prime Visa Overview

The Amazon Prime Visa is Chase's flagship co-branded card for Prime members, offering straightforward cash-back rewards optimized for the Amazon ecosystem. Unlike most cards with welcome bonuses requiring minimum spend, you'll receive the $250 gift card the moment you're approved and can immediately apply it to your next purchase.

The card carries no annual fee of its own, but you must maintain an active Amazon Prime membership ($14.99 monthly or $139 annually) to qualify. If you're already paying for Prime to get free shipping and streaming benefits, this card essentially costs nothing extra while delivering strong returns on your existing shopping habits.

Chase issues this card, which means it falls under the 5/24 rule. If you've opened five or more personal credit cards across all banks in the past 24 months, you won't be approved. This is a critical consideration for anyone actively pursuing a points and miles strategy.

Key Features and Benefits

Earning Structure

The Amazon Prime Visa's earning rates are straightforward:

5% cash back:

• Amazon.com purchases
• Amazon Fresh
• Whole Foods Market
• Chase Travel bookings

Prime Card Bonus:

• 10% back (or more) on rotating product categories and items at Amazon

2% cash back:

• Gas stations
• Restaurants
• Local transit and commuting (including rideshare)

1% cash back:

• All other purchases

Let's translate this into real dollars. If you spend $400 monthly at Amazon and $200 at Whole Foods, you're earning $30 per month or $360 annually in cash back. Add another $200 monthly in combined gas and restaurant spend for an additional $48 per year. That's $408 in annual cash back before considering the rotating 10% bonus categories.

Instant Reward Redemption

Unlike most cash-back cards requiring statement credit redemption or minimum thresholds, your Amazon Prime Visa rewards post to your account as soon as the next day. Each dollar in cash back equals 100 points, and points are worth exactly one cent each when redeemed at Amazon.

This immediate access means you can apply yesterday's rewards to today's purchase, creating a virtuous cycle where your Amazon spending literally pays for itself. During major sales events like Black Friday or Prime Day, this feature becomes particularly valuable when you're making multiple large purchases.

Current Welcome Bonus

Through December 8, 2025, Prime members receive a $250 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval. This elevated offer represents $100 more than the typical $150 bonus and matches the highest offer in the card's history.

The key advantage: zero spending requirement. You don't need to hit a minimum spend threshold or wait months to access your bonus. The $250 loads directly into your Amazon gift card balance the moment you're approved, ready to use immediately.

For context, the $250 bonus is enough to cover:

• Nearly two years of Prime membership
• Holiday shopping for an average family
• A significant dent in electronics or home goods purchases

Purchase Protections

The Amazon Prime Visa includes standard Chase Visa Signature benefits:

Purchase Protection: Covers eligible purchases against damage or theft for 120 days, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account

Extended Warranty Protection: Extends manufacturer warranties by an additional year on warranties of three years or less

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Primary coverage for rental car damage when you decline the rental agency's collision insurance

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Reimbursement for prepaid, non-refundable expenses if your trip is canceled or cut short for covered reasons

Emergency Assistance: 24/7 access to emergency card services and roadside assistance coordination

These protections add tangible value beyond the cash-back rates. When you're buying a $800 laptop or $400 camera on Amazon, knowing you have purchase protection and extended warranty coverage provides genuine peace of mind.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

While this seems like an odd benefit for an Amazon-focused card, the absence of foreign transaction fees means you can use your Prime Visa abroad without paying the typical 3% surcharge. If you're traveling internationally and need a backup card for everyday purchases earning 1% back, this works fine in a pinch.

That said, serious travelers should carry dedicated travel credit cards with better international benefits.

How the Amazon Prime Visa Fits Into a Points Strategy

Here's where the conversation gets interesting for The Points Party readers. Earning 5% cash back at Amazon is objectively excellent, but cash back means you're locked into a fixed redemption value. You can't transfer these rewards to airline partners, you can't get outsized value booking premium cabins, and you're not building toward aspirational travel.

So when does this card make sense alongside your Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Gold Card?

The Amazon Prime Visa works best when:

You spend heavily at Amazon and Whole Foods, making the 5% rate too good to pass up. If you're dropping $500+ monthly across these merchants, you're earning $300+ annually in cash back that would otherwise be 1-3x points on another card.

You've already maxed out your primary points-earning opportunities. Once you've optimized dining and travel spend on category-bonus cards, funneling Amazon purchases to a specialized card makes sense.

You prefer cash back for everyday purchases rather than aspirational redemptions. Not everyone wants to manage transfer partners and award charts. Sometimes a straightforward 5% in your pocket is the right choice.

You're under 5/24 and have already secured your essential Chase cards. If you've grabbed the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Ink Business Preferred, and other priority cards, using a 5/24 slot for the Prime Visa might make sense if Amazon is a major spending category.

Skip this card when:

You're trying to maintain 5/24 eligibility for more valuable Chase cards. The Sapphire family and Ink Business cards offer better welcome bonuses and more versatile rewards. Don't waste a precious 5/24 slot on fixed-value cash back if you haven't secured these first.

You rarely shop at Amazon or Whole Foods. This card's value proposition collapses without significant spending in its 5% categories. The 2% at restaurants and gas isn't competitive with other no annual fee options.

You're building points for a specific aspirational redemption. If you're saving Chase Ultimate Rewards for a business class flight to Tokyo, earning cash back at Amazon doesn't advance that goal.

Comparing the Amazon Prime Visa

Amazon Prime Visa vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited

The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% cash back on everything with the same lack of annual fee. At Amazon specifically, the Prime Visa's 5% crushes the Freedom Unlimited's 1.5%.

However, Freedom Unlimited points are Chase Ultimate Rewards, which means you can transfer them to Chase's travel partners or pool them with Sapphire cards for enhanced redemption value. If you spend $3,000 annually at Amazon, you're choosing between $150 in fixed-value rewards (Prime Visa) or $45 in transferable Ultimate Rewards (Freedom Unlimited). For heavy Amazon users, the extra $105 usually justifies giving up transfer flexibility.

Amazon Prime Visa vs. Blue Cash Preferred

The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express earns 6% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 annually) and 6% on streaming services. While this doesn't help with Amazon purchases, it crushes the Prime Visa at traditional grocery stores.

If you split your grocery spending between Whole Foods and standard supermarkets, you might run both cards: Prime Visa for Whole Foods (5% back) and Blue Cash Preferred for everywhere else (6% back). The Blue Cash Preferred carries a $95 annual fee, but the extra 1% at supermarkets on $6,000 in annual spending generates $60 more in rewards, partially offsetting the fee.

Amazon Prime Visa vs. Citi Custom Cash

The Citi Custom Cash automatically awards 5% cash back in your top spending category each billing cycle, up to $500 in purchases. If Amazon is consistently your highest spend category, you could theoretically match the Prime Visa's 5% rate for the first $500 monthly without requiring Prime membership.

However, the $500 monthly cap ($6,000 annually) becomes a limitation if you're a heavy Amazon user. Someone spending $10,000 yearly at Amazon earns $500 with the Prime Visa but only $300 with Citi Custom Cash ($250 from 5% on the first $6,000 plus $40 from 1% on the remaining $4,000).

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Unmatched 5% cash back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods with no earning caps. You could spend $50,000 annually at Amazon and earn $2,500 in cash back without hitting any limits.
• Zero annual fee beyond your existing Prime membership, which you're likely paying for Amazon's shipping and streaming benefits regardless of this card.
• Instant rewards posting means yesterday's Amazon purchase earns cash back you can apply to today's order, creating immediate gratification and practical value.
• Current $250 gift card welcome bonus requires zero spending and posts immediately upon approval, essentially paying you to open the card.
• Solid 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations provides reasonable everyday earning outside of Amazon.
• Purchase protection and extended warranty coverage add genuine value to your Amazon purchases, especially for electronics and higher-ticket items.

Cons

• Earns fixed-value cash back instead of transferable points, eliminating opportunities for enhanced redemptions through airline and hotel partners. Your rewards are always worth exactly one cent each.
• Requires active Prime membership, adding an effective $139 annual cost unless you already use Prime for shipping and entertainment benefits.
• Falls under Chase's 5/24 rule, potentially consuming a valuable approval slot that could be better used for premium travel cards with larger bonuses.
• Limited value outside the Amazon ecosystem. The 2% rate at restaurants and gas stations is fine but not exceptional compared to other no-fee cards.
• No bonus categories for other major spending areas like groceries (excluding Whole Foods), travel (excluding Chase Travel), or general shopping.

Who Should Get the Amazon Prime Visa

Great Fit For:

Heavy Amazon and Whole Foods shoppers who spend $2,000+ annually across these merchants. At this spending level, you're earning at least $100 in cash back that would otherwise be 1-2x points on another card.

Prime members seeking simplicity who value straightforward cash back over managing transfer partners and award availability. If you prefer booking cash flights and seeing immediate returns on spending, this card delivers.

Points enthusiasts who've secured priority Chase cards and have room under 5/24 for a specialized earning tool. Once you hold the Sapphire Reserve, Ink Business Preferred, and other high-value cards, adding the Prime Visa to optimize Amazon spending makes sense.

People who want a card for one specific purpose. If you're willing to carry a card that excels in one category while using other cards for everything else, the Prime Visa's 5% rate justifies its place in your wallet.

Not Ideal For:

Anyone trying to stay under 5/24 who hasn't yet secured essential Chase cards. The Sapphire Preferred's 60,000-point bonus and the Ink Business Preferred's 100,000-point bonus offer far more value than the Prime Visa's cash back.

Light Amazon users spending less than $1,000 annually at Amazon and Whole Foods. At that volume, you're earning $50 yearly while consuming a 5/24 slot and carrying an extra card.

People without Prime membership who would need to pay $139 annually just to qualify for the card. At that point, the effective annual fee exceeds the card's value for most users.

Points maximizers saving for specific aspirational redemptions. If you're methodically building Ultimate Rewards or Membership Rewards for a specific business class redemption, earning cash back at Amazon doesn't advance your goal.

Travelers who value flexibility and want the option to transfer points to partners offering enhanced value on award bookings. Fixed-value cash back eliminates this opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Amazon Prime Visa count toward Chase's 5/24 rule?

Yes, the Amazon Prime Visa counts as one of your five personal credit cards in the past 24 months. If you're at 4/24, applying for this card moves you to 5/24, restricting your eligibility for other Chase cards. Review our complete guide to credit and credit cards to understand how 5/24 affects your application strategy.

Can I use my rewards anywhere besides Amazon?

Yes, though with reduced value. You can redeem points for statement credits, cash back via direct deposit, or travel through Chase. However, rewards redeemed outside of Amazon are worth the same one cent per point, so you're not gaining any advantage by redeeming elsewhere. The flexibility exists but the value proposition assumes you're redeeming at Amazon.

What happens to my card if I cancel Prime membership?

If you cancel your Prime membership, your card automatically converts to the regular Amazon Visa, which earns 3% at Amazon instead of 5%. You keep the card and your rewards, but your earning rate drops significantly. The card remains worth having if you spend heavily at Amazon, but loses much of its appeal.

Does this card work with Amazon gift card purchases?

Yes, purchasing Amazon gift cards with the Prime Visa earns 5% cash back. This strategy works if you want to lock in rewards for future purchases or gift cards to others, though there's little advantage since your rewards redemption value at Amazon is identical whether you earn on gift cards or direct purchases.

How does the 10% Prime Card Bonus work?

Amazon periodically offers increased earning rates (typically 10% or more) on specific products and categories marked with the Prime Card Bonus badge. These offers vary but often include electronics, home goods, or seasonal categories. The 10% includes your base 5% earning rate plus an additional 5% bonus, posting as extra cash back after your purchase.

Can I have both the Amazon Prime Visa and the Amazon Business Prime card?

Yes, you can hold both cards simultaneously. The Amazon Business Prime card (issued by American Express) serves business purchases while the personal Prime Visa handles individual spending. This approach makes sense if you operate a business with significant Amazon spending and want to separate personal and business expenses while maximizing 5% cash back across both.

Final Verdict

The Amazon Prime Visa delivers exactly what it promises: unmatched 5% cash back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods with zero annual fee and instant reward redemption. The current $250 welcome bonus through December 8, 2025, with no spending requirement makes this an especially compelling time to apply for Prime members.

However, this card works best as a specialized tool within a broader points and miles strategy rather than as your primary card. The 5% cash-back rate at Amazon is genuinely excellent and difficult to beat, but fixed-value rewards mean you're giving up the flexibility and enhanced redemption opportunities that make transferable points so valuable for travel.

If you're already a Prime member spending $2,000+ annually at Amazon and Whole Foods, the Prime Visa justifies its place in your wallet. Just secure your essential Chase travel cards first to avoid wasting valuable 5/24 eligibility on cash back when you could be earning sign-up bonuses worth $750+ in travel value.

Ready to grab that $250 bonus and start earning 5% back? Apply for the Amazon Prime Visa before December 8, 2025, to take advantage of the elevated welcome offer.

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