Best Credit Card for Amazon in 2026
Amazon is classified under MCC 5999 (Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores). The best card for Amazon purchases is the Altitude Reserve (no annual fee), earning 5x on miscellaneous and specialty retail stores — an effective return of 7.50%.
Does Amazon accept Mastercard? Yes — Amazon accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover at all locations, including in-store and mobile app payments.
Amazon (MCC 5999) is a crucial MCC for credit card rewards, especially if you're a frequent shopper. It's covered under the Shopper category in many high-reward cards.
Maximize your rewards by using Amazon gift cards to shop; this can often maintain the 5-6x reward rate even for items that would normally fall under lower earning categories.
Spending Math
If someone spends $200/month at Amazon with a card offering 6x Shopper Cash Rewards, they earn $144 annually compared to just $24 on a standard 1% cash back card. That's a big difference!
Amazon purchases are classified under MCC 5999 (Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores).
MCC Details for Amazon
Best Credit Cards for Amazon (2026)
How Amazon Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at Amazon in the app or online, your card issuer sees MCC 5999 in the transaction data. This code tells your bank that the purchase was made at a miscellaneous and specialty retail stores merchant. Bonus reward rates on your card apply based on this MCC — not the merchant name itself.
If your card earns bonus points on "miscellaneous and specialty retail stores" purchases, Amazon transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not Amazon specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any Amazon transaction by checking your card's mobile app or statement. Some issuers display the merchant category alongside the transaction details. For the most accurate information, contact your card issuer's customer service and ask whether MCC 5999 qualifies for bonus rewards.
Bonus Category Match — Amazon
About MCC 5999: Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores
Merchant Category Code 5999 is assigned by card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) to classify businesses in the Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores industry. Issuers use MCCs to determine which transactions qualify for bonus reward rates. When a merchant is assigned MCC 5999, all qualifying card programs that include miscellaneous and specialty retail stores as a bonus category will apply the elevated earn rate.
The Retail industry group encompasses several related MCCs. Not all merchants in a similar business will share the same MCC — for example, a grocery store inside a warehouse club may code as wholesale ({"5300"}) rather than grocery ({"5411"}). Always verify with your issuer if you're unsure whether a specific merchant qualifies for bonus rewards on your card.
Other Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores merchants: AliExpress, Amazon.com, Boxed.
What You Could Earn at Amazon
Spending $200/month at Amazon with the Altitude Reserve (5x on miscellaneous and specialty retail stores) earns approximately $120/year in rewards. A basic 1% card earns $24 on the same spending. That is $96 more per year with no annual fee.
Prefer no annual fee? The Amazon Prime earns 5x at Amazon merchants, earning $120/year with no annual fee.