Buying a car is a huge fee. Unfortunately, this is usually a reduced investment, and over time it loses value.
The silver lining here is that if you put some or (in rare cases) into all the fees on your credit card to earn valuable points and miles, you can bring you some serious rewards. Large purchases (such as car down payments) are also a great way to meet the minimum spending requirements for credit card welcome offers.
If you are considering buying a car with a credit card, here are some cards to consider and key things to be aware of.
The best card to buy a car
Choosing the right card can earn more rewards on buying a car, making the process even more beneficial. Here are some of the best cards to use when buying a car or making a down payment.
American Express Platinum: Best for large-scale purchases
Annual Fee: $695 (see rates and fees)
Welcome quote: New card members can find out their offer to see if they are eligible for up to 175,000 bonus points, as $8,000 of eligible purchases were spent on new cards during the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Income rate for buying a car: Spend 1 cent per dollar
Why this is a good choice: American Express Platinum Card® It is a great choice because it has no preset spending limits, making it perfect for large purchases like new cars. No preset spending limit does not mean unlimited funds, but if you want to make a massive down payment or even buy an entire car, the card is a better option than an option with a fixed line of credit. You can spend the adapted amount based on factors such as purchase, payment, and credit history.
Amex Platinum requires full payment of the balance per month, but over time, card members can carry the balance (although it accumulates interest). If you buy a car, it is recommended that you pay off your card as soon as possible and avoid the value you get from earning good points.
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To learn more, read our full review of Amex Platinum.
Apply here: American Express Platinum
American Express Commercial Platinum: Best for people with large spending
Annual Fee: $695 (see rates and fees)
Welcome quote: Spend $20,000 in the first three months of card membership earning 150,000 bonus points on qualified purchases.
Income rate for buying a car: More than $5,000 per dollar purchased in Qualified U.S. (up to $2 million in annual purchases)
Why this is a good choice: American Express Business Platinum Card® Similar to personal Amex Platinum, there are no preset spending limits. This card is another ideal option as it earns 1.5 points per dollar on purchases of $5,000 or more. According to TPG’s July 2025 valuation, a $10,000 down payment for a new car will earn you 15,000 Amex points worth $300. You can spend the adapted amount based on factors such as purchase, payment, and credit history.
To make the most of this card, make sure you purchase or down payment is at least $5,000; otherwise, it is best to use a youth-free fee card that offers rewards on non-BONUS categories, e.g. American Express Blue Commercial Cash™ Card (See Interest Rates and Fees), which earns 2% cashback (the first $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%).
To learn more, read our full review of Amex Business Platinum.
Apply here: American Express Commercial Platinum
American Express Blue Business Plus: Best in the highest point
Annual Fee: $0 (see rates and fees)
Welcome quote: Spend $3,000 in the first three months of card membership and earn 15,000 bonus points. Additionally, an annual annual percentage of 0% is obtained within 12 months from the date of account opening. (After that, the APR will be a variability rate of 17.49%-27.49%.) (See Rate and Fees)
Income rate for buying a car: The first 50,000 dollars per calendar year (then 1 point per dollar) 2 points per dollar
Why this is a good choice: For cards without annual fees, BlueBusiness® plus American Express credit card Earn 2 points per dollar per calendar year (after 1 point per dollar) every dollar earns a considerable 2 points per dollar.
Since the card comes with an introductory APR of 0%, it’s easy to buy it and pay it off within 12 months to avoid interest expenses.
Unlike two platinum cards, this card has preset limits, so make sure you can pay for the car or down payment before purchasing.
To learn more, read our full review of Amex Blue Business Plus.
Apply here: American Express Blue Business Plus
Chase Freedom: Best for making money
Annual Fee: $ 0
Welcome quote: New cardholders spend $500 in the first three months after opening, and can earn $200 in cash back.
Income rate for buying a car: 1.5% cash back
Why this is a good choice: this Chase for Freedom® (See rates and fees) can be a great way to earn cash and turn it into a valuable one.
Buying a $15,000 car will earn you $225 in cash. However, if you have the ultimate bonus points credit card, you can maximize your cash by turning it into 22,500 points (worth $461).
Cardholders also purchased an introductory APR for purchases and balance transfers within 15 months of account opening. After the introduction period, it is applicable to 18.99%-28.49% of APR variables. This gives you time to pay off your car without interest.
To learn more, read our full review of Infinity of Freedom.
Apply here: Chasing for infinite freedom
Citi/Aadvantage Platinum Select: Best for American Airlines Loyalists
Annual Fee: $0 for the first year of annual introduction fee, then $99
Welcome bonus: After purchasing $3,500 in the first four months from the opening of the account, earned 80,000 miles of bonus miles.
Income rate for buying a car: Spend 1 mile and 1 loyalty point per dollar
Why this is a good choice: Although Citi®/aadvantage® PlatinumSelect® World Elite Mastercard® earns only 1 mile per dollar, the real benefit to frequent flyers for American Airlines is that the card costs 1 loyalty per dollar. If a dealer allows you to buy a large down payment or all on your card, you can earn a great point of loyalty in terms of elite identity.
I put down payment on my wife’s Citi/aadvantage Platinum because her loyalty is more than thousands of points in execution of platinum identity, and this purchase helped her secure it.
To learn more, read our full review of the Citi/Aadvantage Platinum card.
Information on Citi Platinum Select has been collected independently by Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Buy a car with a credit card FAQ
While it may seem easy to buy a car with a credit card, here are some things to keep in mind.
What is the maximum amount I can invest on my credit card?
The maximum amount you can invest on your credit card depends on the car dealership. You may be able to negotiate how much it can charge, because that’s the case for me. I was able to negotiate with local dealers to increase the maximum allowable charge on my credit card from $5,000 to $8,000.
Do all dealers accept credit cards?
If you want to buy a car entirely on your credit card, it is recommended to call ahead and talk to the dealer’s finance manager. Some people may not accept credit cards purchased from the entire vehicle, while others are happy to accept them. In my experience, you should usually use a credit card to pay for the down payment when financing or renting a car, as long as it is within the allowable fees.
Which dealers charge fees using credit cards?
This varies by dealer, and while some people can charge fees for credit card transactions, others may choose not to charge any fees. Last year, when I paid a down payment on my car, the dealer wouldn’t charge me the transaction fee even if I negotiated to charge my credit card for a higher payment fee. The easiest way to find out is to call a dealer in your area, but that may require more effort from you.
Can I pay a portion of the price with a credit card?
Again, it depends on the dealership, as some people can only let you use a credit card to use a down payment for a rental or financing vehicle. Others may allow you to put the full purchase price of your car on your credit card.
Do I need to pay the full balance?
If you buy a car on a card that offers a 0% interest rate, you can pay the minimum balance every month (usually 1% of the entire balance) or the payment is enough to pay off the entire card during the promotion period. If you charge a card that charges interest, the best action is to pay the balance in full to avoid interest.
Will buying a car with a credit card affect my credit score?
When buying a car on a credit card, your credit utilization will certainly increase, which may negatively affect your credit score. To reduce utilization, repay the balance as soon as possible and minimize the long-term impact.
Bottom line
Buying a car with a credit card can be a great way to earn a lot of points, miles, or cash back. This is also an easy way to meet the minimum spending requirements on a new card.
Remember that not all dealers can get you to buy the full price – many people only accept credit cards for lower payments – so be sure to check in advance.
Related: Best Credit Cards
For Amex Platinum rates and fees, click here.
For the rates and fees of business platinum, click here.
For Blue Business Plus rates and fees, click here.
For Amex Blue Commercial Cash rates and fees, click here
