The American Express® Green Card offers generous 3x points on travel and dining, plus vannual credits for CLEAR and LoungeBuddy. This versatile mid-tier card is ideal for frequent travelers who want to maximize rewards on everyday spending categories.
(All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Deals Points and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.)
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let’s dive right in.
Welcome Bonus
The Amex Green currently offers the following welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 within the first 6 months.
However, it’s crucial to understand the eligibility restrictions before applying. The welcome offer is not available to individuals who currently have or have previously held the Amex Green Card itself, any version of the Amex Platinum Card (including those exclusively for Morgan Stanley or Charles Schwab), or the Amex Gold Card. This restriction extends to previous versions of these cards as well.
Earning Points
The Amex Green earns points at the following rates:
The Amex Green Card offers solid rewards on two major spending categories – dining and travel – making it an attractive option for frequent travelers and diners. Its broad definition of travel, including transit, allows cardholders to earn bonus points on a wide range of purchases beyond flights and hotels.
While the 3x earning rate is competitive, some premium travel cards offer higher rewards in other categories. For everyday non-bonus spending, other cards provide better earning rates, so the Amex Green is best suited as part of a multi-card strategy focused on maximizing travel and dining purchases.
Annual Fee
The Amex Green Card has a $150 annual fee (rates & fees). This fee is offset by valuable benefits, including a $199 annual CLEAR Plus credit and a $100 annual LoungeBuddy credit. The card also earns 3x points on dining and travel purchases, which can provide significant value for frequent travelers and diners.
Amex Green Card Benefits
The Amex Green offers the following benefits: $199 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $199 per calendar year in statement credits for a CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal). $100 LoungeBuddy: Purchase lounge access through the LoungeBuddy app using the American Express® Green Card and receive up to $100 in statement credits annually. No Preset Spending Limit: This card offers the spending flexibility of no preset spending limit, which adjusts according to factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history. Amex Offers: As an American Express cardholder, you can access Amex Offers. These targeted, limited-time promotions provide discounts or bonus points on purchases with select merchants. Offers are added to your card, and you’ll receive either a percentage or dollar amount back as a statement credit when you meet the offer terms. While offers vary and may not always align with your spending habits, this perk can be valuable when an offer matches your preferences. Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.* Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.* Baggage Insurance Plan covers your baggage if it is lost, damaged, or stolen and you purchase your ticket with this card.* 90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them.* Extended Warranty Protection: When you purchase items with your credit card, you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage on eligible items that have original manufacturer warranties of up to five years. This valuable perk means you can protect expensive electronics and appliances that come with longer manufacturer warranties without paying extra for store protection plans* * Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Travel and Purchase Benefits
Redeeming Membership Rewards Points
American Express Membership Rewards points are a versatile and valuable currency for travelers. The program offers numerous redemption options, with transfers to airline partners being the most lucrative way to use your points. Amex partners with 18 airlines and 3 hotel chains, allowing you to access a wide range of travel possibilities. Some of the best redemptions include booking business class flights to Europe through Air France-KLM Flying Blue for as low as 50,000 miles one-way. Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club offers excellent value for Delta One flights to Europe at 50,000 points, significantly less than booking directly through Delta. For those planning a trip to Asia, transferring to ANA Mileage Club can yield incredible value. Round-trip business class flights from the West Coast to Tokyo can be booked for just 90,000 miles. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is another great option, especially for their renowned long-haul flights like New York to Singapore. Domestic travelers can benefit from transferring to British Airways Executive Club for short-haul American and Alaska Airlines flights, with awards starting at just 8,250 Avios for distances up to 650 miles. While transferring to airline partners typically offers the best value, Amex also allows direct redemptions for flights through their travel portal. However, this option generally provides lower value at 1 cent per point. To maximize your Membership Rewards, focus on high-value airline transfers for premium cabin international flights. With strategic planning, you can unlock extraordinary travel experiences and significant savings on your next adventure.
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
Aer Lingus Avios
AeroMexico [1 to 1.6]
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
ANA
Avianca LifeMiles
British Airways Avios
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Delta SkyMiles
El Al [1,000 to 20]
Emirates
Etihad Guest
Hawaiian Airlines
Iberia Avios
JetBlue [250 to 200]
Qantas
Qatar Airways
Singapore KrisFlyer
Virgin Atlantic
Choice
Marriott Bonvoy
Hilton Honors [1 to 2]
Pros and Cons of the Amex Green
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
Strong Bonus Categories: Earn 3x points on travel, transit, and dining purchases globally, providing excellent rewards for common spending categories.
Annual CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $199 in statement credits annually for CLEAR Plus membership, helping offset the annual fee and providing expedited security access.
LoungeBuddy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for LoungeBuddy purchases, offering flexibility for lounge access when needed.
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners: Access to valuable airline and hotel transfer partners through the American Express Membership Rewards program.
Cons:
Annual Fee: $150 annual fee, which is higher than some competing mid-tier travel cards.
Limited Travel Protections: Offers fewer travel insurance benefits compared to some other travel rewards cards.
Restrictive Welcome Bonus Eligibility: Not eligible for the welcome bonus if you’ve had certain other American Express cards.
Potentially Redundant Benefits: The CLEAR Plus and LoungeBuddy credits may not be valuable to all cardholders, especially those with other premium travel cards.
Alternatives to the Amex Green
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card (review) is a great card for earning points at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights booked directly with airlines. Cardholders can also enjoy up to $424 in annual credits and nice travel and purchase protections. Earning Points: 4x points at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x points); 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x points); 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com; 2x points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com; 1x points on all other eligible purchases. Benefits: Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Air France – KLM Flying Blue, Hawaiian Airlines, Hilton, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee. Welcome Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Earning Rewards: 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2x points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Card Benefits: Ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners, 25% bonus when redeeming points through Chase Travel, $50 annual hotel stay credit via Chase Travel, 10% anniversary points bonus, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty. Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Amex Green vs Other Cards
- American Express Green vs Amex Gold
- American Express Green vs Amex Platinum
- American Express Green vs Amex Blue Cash Everyday
- American Express Green vs Amex Blue Cash Preferred
- American Express Green vs Amex Everyday Preferred
- American Express Green vs Citi Premier
- American Express Green vs Capital One Venture X
- American Express Green vs Chase Sapphire Preferred
- American Express Green vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
Is the Amex Green Worth It?
The American Express® Green Card offers a good value for frequent travelers and diners, with its 3x points earning on travel and dining purchases. These Membership Rewards points are particularly valuable, as they can be transferred to a variety of airline and hotel partners for potentially high-value redemptions.
While the $150 annual fee is higher than some competing mid-tier cards, the up to $199 CLEAR Plus credit and $100 LoungeBuddy credit can potentially offset this cost for those who can utilize these benefits. However, it’s worth noting that these perks may be redundant for travelers who already have access to similar benefits through other premium travel cards.
- Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 within the first 6 months.
- 3X Points at U.S. Restaurants, Transit, and Travel
- Annual Statement Credits for CLEAR® Plus and LoungeBuddy
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $150 Annual Fee (rates & fees)
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
