The American Express® Green Card and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express are two very different cards.
The Amex Green 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.)
The Blue Cash Preferred is designed to maximize cash back on common household expenses. If you spend heavily on groceries, streaming services, transit or gas, you’ll find the card’s bonus categories and earning rates hard to beat.
This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.
Full Reviews: American Express® Green Card and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
Overview: Amex Green vs Blue Cash Preferred
- 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)
Welcome Bonuses
Amex Green:
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.
Blue Cash Preferred:
The Blue Cash Preferred currently offers the following welcome bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Earning Rewards
Amex Green:
The Amex Green earns points at the following rates:
Blue Cash Preferred:
The Blue Cash Preferred earns cash back at the following rates: Cash back is received as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits or at Amazon.com checkout.
Winner:
It depends. The Amex Green is great for travelers or people who eat out frequently. The Blue Cash Preferred is great for supermarkets, and gas stations, and streaming.
Card Benefits and Perks
Amex Green:
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
Blue Cash Preferred:
The Blue Cash Preferred offers the following benefits and perks: Intro APR: 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, it will be a reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR. Subscription Credit: Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal. 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. Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.* 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* 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.* Return Protection allows cardholders to receive a refund for purchased items within a certain timeframe for items that merchants may not accept for return.* * Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Winner:
The Amex Green wins this category with better travel protections and no foreign transaction fees.
Value of the Annual Fees
Amex Green:
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.
Blue Cash Preferred:
The Blue Cash Preferred Card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then a $95 annual fee after that (rates & fees). You can offset this cost through the card’s generous cash back rewards and statement credits. Authorized user cards are available at no additional cost. These additional cardholders can earn cash back on their purchases, helping you rack up rewards even faster.
Winner:
Blue Cash Preferred for the first year and the Amex Green for subsequent years. The Amex Green has better statement credits and trip protections than the Blue Cash Preferred.
Redeeming Rewards
Amex Green:
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]
|
Blue Cash Preferred:
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday Preferred offers a straightforward approach to redeeming rewards. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. This simple system allows you to easily apply your earnings to your account balance or make purchases on Amazon, giving you flexibility in how you use your rewards. With no minimum redemption amount, you can use your cash back whenever you want, making it an ideal choice for those who prefer straightforward rewards over complex point systems.
Winner:
The Amex Green wins because Membership Rewards can unlock a lot of possibilities for travel all of the world.
The Verdict
Both the Amex Green and Blue Cash Preferred are good options.
The Amex Green is great for travelers or people who frequently eat out.
The Blue Cash Preferred is a good option for people who can max out their spending at U.S. Supermarkets and for U.S. gas stations.
Which card are you going to choose?
- 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)
