American Expres credit cards are unique when compared to other cards being offered. The company started off as a shipping service in 1850 and later branched out into the realm of financial services. In 1958, American Express issued its first credit card. Unlike Visa or MasterCard, American Express started as a credit card company that made you pay off your bill in full each month. Now, the company allows you to choose a card and payment plan that works best for you, including options that allow you to pay over time.

To be sure, American Express credit cards are the choice for the elite. The company has a Black Card that is world famous. Called the Centurion (but widely known as the Black Card, because of its color), it has a $2,500 annual fee and a $250,000 annual spending requirement. This puts their Platinum Card to shame, which was the card choice of movers and shakers in the 1980s.