Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® vs Indigo® Mastercard®
Side-by-side comparison
| Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® | Indigo® Mastercard® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 | $99 |
| Welcome offer | 40,000 points ($400) | No current offer |
| Dining | 2x | 0x |
| Groceries | 1x | 0x |
| Gas | 1x | 0x |
| Travel | 1x | 0x |
| Streaming | 1x | 0x |
| Everything else | 1x | 0x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $329 | $0 |
| Points type | Locked to Amtrak Guest Rewards | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® | Indigo® Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 40,000 points ($400) | None |
| To earn it | $2,000 in the first 3 billing cycles | No minimum spend |
| Est. first-year value* | $630 | $-99 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $230 | $-99 |
The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® | Indigo® Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Cash back only |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® earns about $329 a year in rewards and the Indigo® Mastercard® about $0, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® charges $99, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Indigo® Mastercard® charges $99, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® delivers more total value, about $329 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and groceries. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard® if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.