Using credit cards for Amazon advertising | FAQ

Today I want to answer some common questions I get:

Should I be using a credit card for Amazon ads?

What are the pros & cons of using a credit card for Amazon ads?

Which is better: cash-back or points cards?

What are the best cards for Amazon ads?

"If you own a business in the US - you should not be paying for flights." - Trevor Wright, milemethod.com.

"Fly free with PPC"

This is one of the top things wish I knew way sooner.

Ever since I started using a Points Card for PPC in 2020, I’ve been flying business class nearly every flight. This is great for when I fly from US to Asia every year. The points I earn from Amazon adspend allows me to basically fly free - and business class.

And if you didn't know, Buisness Class means you can LAY FLAT on the flight. Yes - like a bed. Meaning I can actuallly get great sleep for most of the flight. So for my yealy round trips to Asia, it's been a game changer.

I could've been doing this 5 years sooner!

This is one of the biggest things that wish I did YEARS sooner when I started selling on Amazon in 2015. Using a business credit card that earns points on adspend and inventory purchase. If you aren’t, you should be.

A friend told me this years ago... He told me that I’m missing out on 100’s of thousands, even MILLIONS of points which equate to “basically free” flights, simply by using a business credit card.

So how does it work? It’s simple. Just pay your Amazon PPC with business credit card that earns points. You can also do the same for your inventory payments – ask your supplier for card payment options.

By doing this, you’ll rack up tons of points which can be used for flights, hotels & more.

What are the best cards to use?

These two cards are known for being the best for Amazon ads because they earn unlimited 2x points.

Should I be using a credit card for Amazon ads?

Yes, I use one. If you’re running ads anyway, you might as well earn something back on that spend. It’s free money if you’re paying the balance off in full. Just make sure to set up auto pay to pay the balance in full.

What are the pros & cons of using a credit card for Amazon ads?

Pros

• Earn points on ad spend you’re already making

• Helps with cash flow since you don’t pay immediately

• Builds business credit over time

Cons:

• If you don’t pay in full, you pay interest.

• It requires a little bit of effort to make sure you manage your credit card account properly, e.g. make sure autopay is on, don't miss payments, etc.

• If you don't have spending discipline, credit cards are not for you.

What are the best cards for Amazon ads?

• Capital One Venture X Business - Unlimited 2x points, 150,000 welcome bonus, 5X on flights, 10X on hotels and rental cars, annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles every year, $395 annual fee.

• Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business - Unlimited 2x points, 50,000 welcome bonus, $95 annual fee.

Cash-back or points – which is better?

Points can give you way more cash value at the end of the day (via flights & hotels) compared to cash back, but only if you travel and know how to redeem them well.

Why points cards get you 3x more value than cash back cards:

2x Points: if you spend $10,000/mo in PPC, you'll earn 2x points = 240,000 points per year. That gets you 4 Business Class round trips from LA → NYC = Estimated cash value $8,000 per year.

2% Cash Back: if you spend $10,000/mo / $120,000 a year PPC, you earn 2% cash back = $2,400 in cash value per year

When is it not good to use a credit card for Amazon ads?

If you have no interest in travel and/or are not able to be responsible with spending, managing your account, and making sure balances are paid in full each month, then it's not good to use a credit card for Amazon ads.

How do I change my payment method for my Amazon ads?

To change your payment method for Amazon ads:

1. Go to Advertising Console → Click your profile icon (top right) → Billing & Payments.

2. Under Payment Settings, select your current payment method.

3. Click Edit or Add a new payment method and enter your new card or bank details.

4. Set the new one as Primary so Amazon charges it first.

Tip: If you’re swapping cards, keep both active for a day or two to avoid any billing hiccups that could pause your ads.

How often does Amazon charge my card for my Amazon ads?

Amazon typically charges your card every time you hit your billing threshold OR on the 1st of each month, whichever comes first. If you consistently pay on time, the threshold automatically increases. The common progression is:

• $50 → $200 → $500 → $1,000 → $5,000.

• Some large, established accounts can eventually reach $10,000+, but that’s rare unless you’re spending heavily.

Tip: If you’re running high daily budgets early on, expect multiple charges a week until your threshold bumps up. This is normal and just part of building your account history with Amazon.

My story

I was able to fly out my Mom and her friend to Asia business class because of points from PPC adspend.

If you're interested in learning more about travel hacking:

A good buddy of mine, Trevor Wright, whom I met at the Ecommerce conference in Thailand that first brought be to Asia – is the founder of milemethod.com.

He offers a consulting service that helps business professionals earn 1 Million points in 18 months and “earn free travel” by building you a custom credit card points action plan that earns you the most points based on your needs.

It’s not just free flights though. It’s free hotel’s too. Trevor has been traveling the world for 10+ years flying free and staying in Hyatt and Hilton hotels too. If you are a business traveler, it’s a no-brainer imo.

Note, this works for US citizens only (this is an amazing hack that we have as Americans!)

Here’s my podcast episode with Trevor – founder of milemethod.com!

Advertiser Disclosure: Riley Bennett receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

Editorial Disclosure: Everything on this page is just the author's opinion, not affiliated with any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or anything like that. No one has given their official stamp of approval on this content.