The American Express® Green Card and Amex EveryDay® Credit Card are mid-tier cards that offer rewards tailored to different spending categories. One is geared toward travel, and the other focuses on everyday expenses.
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 Amex Everyday Preferred offers bonus rewards at U.S. supermarkets and gas stations, with a 50% points bonus when you make 30+ transactions per billing cycle. While it provides decent everyday earning potential, the card lacks premium benefits to fully justify its annual fee.
(All information about the Amex Everyday Preferred has been collected independently by Deals Points and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.)
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 Amex EveryDay® Preferred.
Overview: Amex Green vs Everyday Preferred
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.
Amex EveryDay Preferred:
The Amex Everyday Preferred currently offers the following welcome bonus: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards Points After Spending $2,000 in the First 6 Months.
Earning Rewards
Amex Green:
The Amex Green earns points at the following rates:
- 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.;
- 3 points per dollar on travel, including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, vacation rentals, and travel purchases on third-party travel websites and amextravel.com;
- 3 points per dollar on transit, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways; and
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Amex EveryDay Preferred:
The Amex Everyday Preferred earns Membership Rewards points at the following rates:
- 3 points per dollar at U.S. Supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (1x thereafter);
- 2 points per dollar at U.S. gas stations;
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The Amex EveryDay Preferred offers a unique 50% points bonus when cardholders make 30 or more purchases in a billing period. This feature effectively boosts the card’s earning rates to 4.5x at U.S. supermarkets, 3x at U.S. gas stations, and 1.5x on all other purchases, making it potentially very rewarding for frequent users.
Winner:
The Amex Green is a better option for earning rewards due to its higher rewards for restaurants, travel, and transit.
However, the Amex Everyday Preferred ability to earn a 50% rewards bonus is appealing if you plan on consistently hitting the 30 transaction threshold.
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.
Travel and Purchase Benefits
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.
Amex EveryDay Preferred:
The Amex Everyday Preferred offers the following benefits for cardholders:
0% Intro APR: Enjoy a 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable APR, 18.24% to 28.24%.
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.*
Return Protection allows cardholders to receive a refund for purchased items within a certain timeframe for items that merchants may not accept for return.*
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.*
ShopRunner Membership: As a cardholder, you’ll enjoy a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free 2-day shipping and free returns at over 100 participating online retailers. This benefit can help frequent online shoppers save on shipping costs and streamline the return process.*
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.*
* 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 because it offers better benefits like annual credits, travel protection, buyer protection, 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.
Amex EveryDay Preferred:
The Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card has a $95 annual fee. While the card offers bonus rewards on U.S. supermarket and gas station purchases, these benefits alone may not fully justify the cost for all cardholders.
The card lacks premium travel perks or significant statement credits that are often found on cards with similar annual fees, potentially making it difficult to recoup the cost for those who don’t maximize the bonus categories.
Winner:
Despite its higher annual fee, the Amex Green is still the better choice because the benefits and rewards you’ll earn can easily offset the cost of those fees.
Redeeming Rewards
Both Cards:
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]
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|
|---|---|
Aer Lingus Avios
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AeroMexico [1 to 1.6]
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Air Canada Aeroplan
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Air France/KLM Flying Blue
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ANA
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Avianca LifeMiles
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British Airways Avios
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Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
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Delta SkyMiles
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El Al [1,000 to 20]
|
Emirates
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Etihad Guest
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Hawaiian Airlines
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Iberia Avios
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JetBlue [250 to 200]
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Qantas
|
Qatar Airways
|
Singapore KrisFlyer
|
Virgin Atlantic
|
Choice
|
Marriott Bonvoy
|
Hilton Honors [1 to 2]
|
The Verdict
The Amex Green and EveryDay Preferred are both great choices, but each of them offers unique benefits so it’s hard to decide which card is better.
However, looking at the comparisons we’ve made, the benefits of the Amex Green hold more value. It has annual credits and several travel and protection perks that can easily make up for its annual fees.
The Amex Everyday Preferred is also a good choice. It’s perfect for people who don’t travel a lot and just want to earn rewards on daily expenses. Additionally, it can serve well as a supplementary card.
Which card are you going to choose?
