Despite the horror stories and the trials and tribulations we endure every day with banks, consumers are still getting some satisfaction (as opposed to no, get it) from our credit cards. In fact, we’re more well pleased with our cards than we have been at any time in the last six years. This sense of contentment seems simply to stem from the fact that banks have settled on terms for the cards stopped hitching up fees.

According to J.D. Power and Associates’ most recent annual credit card customer satisfaction study, American Express is everyone’s favorite credit card. It’s won that title every year for six years, so it’s not much of a surprise. Credit cards issued by big banks didn’t fare quite as well, with Capital One and Bank of America cards scoring below average.

The bright side is that even those companies who came in on the bottom got better satisfaction ratings than they did last year, reports Reuters.

“There has not been a lot of change in the past year in fees, credit limits and card terms — the things that often affect customers in a negative way,” the senior director of banking services at J.D. Power and Associates, said in a statement.

Scores ranged on a 1,000-point scale, with the average score clocking in at 753. Last year’s average was 731, and 2010 saw a mean of 714, so things definitely appear to be on the rise. J.D. Power began conducting this survey six years ago.

American Express’ top score of 807 was followed by a 799 for Discover and a 762 for JPMorgan Chase. The company with the most work to do satisfying customers was HSBC at 703.

Even with all the legal problems Bank of America (728) and Capital One (734) are facing over treating customers badly, the two banks still did pretty well for themselves. The companies are rated on interaction; credit card terms; billing and payment process; rewards; benefits and services; and problem resolution.

US credit card customers happier as banks stop jacking up fees [Reuters]

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