Where You Can Use the Amazon Credit Card and When You Can't

The Amazon Credit Card works almost everywhere Visa is accepted, but your rewards only kick in at Amazon and Whole Foods

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card (the non-Signature version) are regular Visa cards. That means you can use them anywhere in the world that takes Visa — grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, online retailers, everywhere. There is no restriction on where you swipe or tap.

The catch is that your rewards points only earn at two places: Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market stores. Everywhere else, you earn a flat 1% cash back. At Amazon and Whole Foods, you earn 5% cash back if you are a Prime member, or 3% if you are not. This is why most people who carry this card use it primarily for Amazon purchases and keep another card for everyday spending.

Both versions require a Prime membership to get the best rewards rate. Without Prime, the card still works everywhere, but you only earn 3% at Amazon and Whole Foods, and 1% everywhere else. The annual Prime membership cost ($139 per year as of now, though this varies) is worth it only if you shop at Amazon regularly.

Key Takeaways

• You can use the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card at any store, website, or service that accepts Visa, with no geographic or merchant restrictions.
• The 5% cash back reward only applies to purchases made directly on Amazon.com and in Whole Foods stores when you have an active Prime membership.
• All other purchases earn 1% cash back, making this card less rewarding than other options for non-Amazon spending.
• The card requires a Prime membership to unlock the best rewards rates, and Prime membership is an additional annual cost.

How the rewards structure actually works

Amazon offers two versions of this card, and they work the same way for rewards — the difference is mainly in annual fees and travel protections. Both earn cash back, not points, which means the rewards show up as a statement credit or can be deposited to your bank account.

When you make a purchase at Amazon or Whole Foods with a Prime membership, you earn 5% cash back. That cash back is calculated on the full purchase amount, including tax. If you spend $100 at Whole Foods, you earn $5 in cash back. The cash back posts to your account monthly and you can use it to pay your statement balance or request a deposit to your bank account.

Outside Amazon and Whole Foods, every purchase earns 1% cash back, regardless of category. A gas station purchase, a restaurant bill, a flight booking — all earn the same 1% rate. This is why the card is most useful for people whose spending is heavily weighted toward Amazon, rather than people looking for a general-purpose rewards card.

What happens when you use it outside the US

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card works internationally because Visa has a global network. You can use it in most countries where Visa is accepted. However, there are two things to watch: foreign transaction fees and currency conversion.

The card charges a 1% foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside the United States. This fee is added to your bill automatically. So if you spend $100 at a store in Canada, you pay $101 in foreign transaction fees alone, on top of the purchase price. The 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods still applies, but the 1% foreign transaction fee eats into that reward.

Currency conversion is handled by Visa's exchange rate, which is usually competitive but not the same as the mid-market rate you see online. You will not know the exact dollar amount until the transaction posts to your account, which can take a few days.

When the card will not work

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card is a standard credit card, so it will not work in situations where credit cards are not accepted. Some small businesses, farmers markets, and independent vendors only take cash or debit cards. A few gas stations charge a small fee for credit card use, though this is rare.

Some merchants also do not accept Visa specifically — they may accept only Mastercard or American Express. This is uncommon in the United States but more frequent in other countries. Before traveling internationally, check whether Visa is widely accepted at your destination.

The card also will not work if your account is frozen due to fraud, if you have missed payments and the card has been closed, or if you have reached your credit limit. If you suspect fraud, contact Amazon's customer service immediately — they can temporarily disable the card and issue a replacement.

How this card compares to other Visa cards for everyday use

If you do not shop at Amazon regularly, this card is not the best choice for everyday spending. A flat 1% cash back on non-Amazon purchases is lower than what many other cards offer. The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% on all purchases, and the Citi Double Cash earns 2% on all purchases (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay the bill).

The Amazon card makes sense if you spend at least a few hundred dollars per month at Amazon or Whole Foods. At that spending level, the 5% cash back outweighs the lower rate elsewhere. If your Amazon spending is under $100 per month, a flat-rate card will likely earn you more cash back overall.

One advantage the Amazon card does have: there is no annual fee for the standard version (the Signature version has a $39 annual fee but includes travel protections like trip cancellation insurance). Many other premium rewards cards charge $95 or more per year, which you have to spend your way through just to break even.

Using the card for online shopping outside Amazon

You can use the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card on any website that accepts Visa, including retailers like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and smaller online shops. You will earn 1% cash back on these purchases. The card works the same way as any other Visa — you enter the card number, expiration date, and CVV at checkout.

Some websites offer their own rewards programs that stack with credit card rewards. For example, if you shop at Target and earn Target Circle rewards plus 1% cash back from the Amazon card, you get both. Read the terms of the retailer's rewards program to see whether credit card rewards stack or whether the retailer's rewards replace them.

For subscription services like Netflix, Spotify, or gym memberships, the card works fine. The 1% cash back applies to these recurring charges just as it does to one-time purchases. You can set up the card as your payment method and it will charge automatically each billing cycle.

What to do if your card is declined

If your Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card is declined, the most common reasons are: you have reached your credit limit, the card has expired, there is a fraud hold on the account, or the merchant's system is not accepting Visa for some reason.

Check your account online to see your available credit. If you are near your limit, pay down the balance and try again. If the card has expired, order a replacement from Amazon's website — replacements usually arrive within 7 to 10 business days. If you suspect fraud, call the customer service number on the back of your card immediately.

If the merchant says they do not accept Visa, ask whether they accept Mastercard or American Express instead. Some small businesses have agreements with only certain card networks. In that case, you will need to use a different payment method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Amazon credit card at Whole Foods if I do not have Prime?

Yes, but you earn 3% cash back instead of 5%. Without Prime, the card earns 3% at both Amazon and Whole Foods, and 1% everywhere else. If you shop at Whole Foods regularly, the Prime membership ($139 per year) might pay for itself in rewards alone.

Do I earn rewards on Amazon Fresh or Amazon Go purchases?

Yes. Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go are owned by Amazon, so purchases there earn the same 5% cash back as Amazon.com (with Prime). The reward applies to the full purchase amount, including any delivery fees.

What if I use the card at a gas station that also has a convenience store?

You earn 1% cash back on the entire purchase, whether it is gas, snacks, or anything else. The card does not distinguish between different types of purchases at the same merchant — it only looks at where the purchase was made, not what was bought.

Can I use this card to pay my Amazon credit card bill?

No. You cannot use a credit card to pay another credit card bill. You have to pay your Amazon card bill with a bank account (checking or savings), debit card, or another payment method. Paying with another credit card would be considered a cash advance, which has high fees and interest rates.

Does the card work at Amazon third-party sellers?

Yes. Purchases from third-party sellers on Amazon.com earn the same 5% cash back as purchases from Amazon itself. The reward applies to any purchase made through Amazon.com, regardless of who the seller is.