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American Express Schwab Investor Card vs JetBlue Plus Card

Both are well-respected travel cards. The American Express Schwab Investor Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the JetBlue Plus Card from Barclays at $99/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the JetBlue Plus Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($800 more in estimated value) than the American Express Schwab Investor Card's. Get the JetBlue Plus Card first; revisit the American Express Schwab Investor Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureAmerican Express Schwab Investor CardJetBlue Plus Card
Annual fee$0$99
Sign-up bonus10,000 Membership Rewards points70,000 points
Bonus value (est.)$110$910
Min spend to unlock bonus$1,000 in 6 mo$1,000 in 3 mo
IssuerAmerican ExpressBarclays
Card categorytravelairline
Best earning category (All_purchases)1.5x1x
Transfer partnersamex-mrNone
Headline benefits
  • 1.5X MR on everything
  • $0 annual fee
  • 1.0c/pt Invest with Rewards
  • Full MR transfer partners
  • 5,000 anniversary points
  • 10% redemption rebate
  • Free bag for 4 travelers
  • 6x at JetBlue
Read the full review
American Express Schwab Investor Card
$0/yr · 10,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
JetBlue Plus Card
$99/yr · 70,000 points

Editorial take: American Express Schwab Investor Card

The hidden gem of the Amex MR lineup for Schwab brokerage customers. Flat 1.5X MR with $0 annual fee, full transfer-partner access, AND a 1.0 cents-per-point cash-into-brokerage redemption guarantees you can always extract real cash. The catch: you need a Schwab brokerage account to apply.

Editorial take: JetBlue Plus Card

Strong East Coast card. The 5,000 anniversary points alone are worth ~$65 (more than half the fee), and the 10% redemption rebate keeps the rest of your TrueBlue stash compounding.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Schwab Investor Card or JetBlue Plus Card?
The JetBlue Plus Card has the bigger bonus, 70,000 points, worth roughly $910, versus 10,000 Membership Rewards points (~$110) on the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Is the American Express Schwab Investor Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the JetBlue Plus Card?
The American Express Schwab Investor Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the JetBlue Plus Card's $99 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the JetBlue Plus Card's benefits to clear $99 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Can I have both the American Express Schwab Investor Card and JetBlue Plus Card?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Barclays) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the American Express Schwab Investor Card or the JetBlue Plus Card first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Schwab Investor Card: $1,000 spend in 6 months. JetBlue Plus Card: $1,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.