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If you're interested in a rewards card designed for travelers but don't want to pay a huge annual fee, the American Express® Green Card may just provide the combination of features and affordability you're looking for.
This American Express® Green Card comes with a generous rewards program as well as the chance to earn statement credits for purchases that make your trips more pleasant. Its features don't provide travelers with all the luxury amenities more expensive American Express cards offer, but it's still well worth a look.
If you’re curious if this card is for you, then keep reading this American Express® Green Card review.
All information about American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by FinanceBuzz.
Powerful Benefits with a Low Annual Fee
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American Express® Green Card
Current Offer
Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months
Annual Fee
$150
Rewards Rate
3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases
Who should get the American Express® Green Card?
The American Express® Green Card is the ideal choice for those who do the bulk of their spending on travel of all types, as well as at restaurants across the globe. Unlike airline- or hotel-branded travel credit cards, the Amex Green provides points on all kinds of vacation-related purchases, from rideshares and taxis to flights and accommodations. The full earning rate is 3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
That said, the American Express® Green Card isn't a super-premium travel card. While those come with lots of benefits, they can also come with annual fees topping $400. That just means the Amex Green is a better choice for more budget-conscious travelers who don't necessarily fly often enough to justify paying a high fee to get luxury lounge access and statement credits that costlier cards tend to provide.
The Amex Green could also be worth it for you if you're hoping to bypass long lines at security with a CLEAR Plus membership or if you want to gain occasional lounge access through LoungeBuddy, as statement credits for purchasing both of these services would more than cover the Amex Green's $150 annual fee.
Card basics
| Card type | Travel |
| Card issuer | American Express |
| Annual fee | $150 (Terms apply) |
| Welcome bonus | Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months |
| Reward rate | 3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases |
| Recommended credit score | Excellent, Good |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
American Express® Green Card benefits and perks
- Generous welcome offer: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.
- A rewards program that provides bonuses for travel: Earn 3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases. Rewards can also be redeemed for trips using the Amex travel portal or you can transfer your rewards to Amex transfer partners to book trips directly with participating airlines or hotels.
- Up to a $199 statement credit for CLEAR Plus: CLEAR Plus membership enables you to move more quickly through airport security as well as through security lines at stadiums throughout the U.S. When you use your Amex Green to pay for CLEAR Plus membership, you'll get up to $199 per calendar year in statement credits.
- Up to a $100 LoungeBuddy credit: LoungeBuddy allows you to buy airport lounge access across the globe. When you use your Amex Green to buy access to a lounge through LoungeBuddy, you'll get up to $100 in annual statement credits.
- ShopRunner access: Free ShopRunner membership enables you to get two-day shipping and no-cost returns from more than 100 different participating partner stores. Enrollment is required.
- Travel insurance benefits: The Amex Green comes with car rental damage and loss insurance as well as baggage insurance. You can decline coverage when you rent a vehicle and will be protected from loss if your carry-on or checked bags are damaged. Plus, if your flight is delayed more than 12 hours, you can also be reimbursed for up to $300 in unexpected expenses per trip.
Drawbacks to this card
- Annual fee: If you're looking for a card with no annual fee, then this one won't be a good fit for you. Instead, check out our list of the best travel credit cards with no annual fee.
- Limited travel benefits: While the Amex Green comes with some really nice travel benefits, it doesn't have as robust of a line-up as some other more premium travel cards. For example, for the best in lounge access as well as a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, you might want to check out The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Earning & redeeming Membership Rewards points
Potential earnings in years one and two
Here's a look at how your points can add up with the Amex Green. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1 cent per Membership Rewards point.
Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.
Year one earnings: $957
Year two earnings: $357
These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee. This does not include the value of the CLEAR Plus credit and LoungeBuddy access, so this card could potentially be worth a lot more to the right cardholder.
Best ways to earn
Spending on bonus categories is the best way to maximize the rewards points you can earn with your American Express® Green Card. You'll earn 3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
To make the most of your spending, make sure you use your card for transportation purchases, such as bus or train tickets and Uber or Lyft rides, so you can get the bonus rewards on this expense too.
| Categories | Rewards rate |
| Eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. | 3X |
| All other eligible purchases | 1X |
Maximizing your redemptions
American Express Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, and statement credits. If you want to book travel, it's easy to use the Amex travel portal and use the “Pay with Points” option to cover trip costs instead of paying out-of-pocket.
Because American Express points can be transferred to other loyalty programs, including hotel and airline programs, you should also compare which redemption option will get you the most bang for your buck.
Often, transferred points are worth more than if you redeem them through Amex directly. While booking through the American Express travel portal, for example, points are generally found to be worth about a cent each. But if you use points with a transfer partner like the Delta SkyMiles program, they could be worth more.
Amex Green transfer partners
Most Membership Rewards points transfer at a 1:1 ratio with these travel partners, with some exceptions. With the following airlines, you could use your Amex rewards to book nearly free airfare.
| Amex airline transfer partner | Airline alliance | Transfer ratio |
| AeroMexico | SkyTeam | 1:1.6 |
| Air Canada | Star Alliance | 1:1 |
| Alitalia | SkyTeam | 1:1 |
| Aer Lingus | N/A | 1:1 |
| Air France | SkyTeam | 1:1 |
| All Nippon Airways | Star Alliance | 1:1 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Star Alliance | 1:1 |
| British Airways | Oneworld Alliance | 1:1 |
| Delta Air Lines | SkyTeam | 1:1 |
| Emirates | N/A | 1:1 |
| Etihad Airways | N/A | 1:1 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | N/A | 1:1 |
| Iberia Plus | Oneworld Alliance | 1:1 |
| JetBlue Airways | N/A | 5:4 |
| Singapore Airlines | Star Alliance | 1:1 |
| Qantas Airlines | Oneworld Alliance | 1:1 |
| Virgin Atlantic Airways | N/A | 1:1 |
If you want to use your Amex Membership Rewards for your lodging, you can transfer to these hotel loyalty programs.
| Amex hotel transfer partner | Minimum transfer | transfer ratio |
| Choice Hotels | 1,000 | 1:1 |
| Hilton Honors | 1,000 | 1:2 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1,000 | 1:1 |
American Express® Green Card FAQs
Is the American Express® Green Card a charge card or a credit card?
The American Express® Green Card is a credit card, though unlike typical credit cards, the Amex Green allows you to carry a balance for certain charges but not all.
While charge cards require you to pay your balance in full each month, the Amex Green allows you the flexibility to carry a balance on certain purchases and pay it off over time with interest.
What is the maximum credit limit for the American Express® Green Card?
Unlike typical credit cards that have a credit limit, the American Express® Green Card has no preset spending limit. No preset spending limit means the spending limit is flexible. The amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.
What is the difference between American Express® Green Card and American Express® Gold Card?
Both the American Express® Green Card and American Express® Gold Card are travel rewards cards that allow you to carry a balance on your card rather than paying it off in full. Worried about foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad? Both the Amex Green and Amex Gold have none. The Amex Gold does have a higher annual fee at $325 compared to the Amex Green's annual fee of $150.
That said, there are several ways this higher fee could be offset. Cardholders of the Amex Gold can earn welcome bonus points after getting a new card and meeting spending requirements. Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership.
The Amex Gold also provides 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X), 4X at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X), 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2X on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases. The Amex Green offers 3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
While both cards provide points for travel purchases, the Amex Gold restricts the bonus points to flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com and prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on amextravel.com while the Amex Green offers the bonus eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S..
Finally, both cards provide statement credits, but for different things. With the American Express® Green Card, your credits come from spending on CLEAR Plus or with LoungeBuddy, while the American Express Gold Card provides credit for spending at certain restaurants.
Does the American Express® Green Card help your credit score?
Any credit card can help your credit score if you are a responsible borrower. American Express will report your payment history and credit utilization to the credit reporting agencies. If you pay on time and keep your credit utilization low, this can help you to raise your credit score.
Does American Express automatically increase your credit limit?
American Express may invite you to request a credit line increase if your financial situation improves and/or if you demonstrate you are a responsible card user.
Other cards to consider
If you'll use the CLEAR Plus and LoungeBuddy statement credits, getting the Amex Green is a no-brainer, as it will more than pay for itself. If you are a frequent traveler, though, you may want to look into higher-end cards from other credit card issuers that could offer added perks and make one of these the best card for your travel lifestyle.
As explained above, the American Express® Gold Card charges a higher $325 annual fee that's higher than the Amex Green's $150 fee. But it also provides you with 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X), 4X at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X), 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2X on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases. The Amex Gold Card defines travel more narrowly than the Green Card in terms of what you can get bonus rewards for, and it provides statement credits for different things than the Green Card does.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, on the other hand, has a lower annual fee than the Amex Green at just $95. Cardmembers earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.
You also get a 25% bonus for redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel℠, which can make your points more valuable. Additionally, the Sapphire Preferred offers new cardholders a robust welcome offer. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
You can compare the Amex Green vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred cards directly to determine which better suits your needs.
Powerful Benefits with a Low Annual Fee
American Express® Green Card
Why We Like It
Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months
See how these cards compare:
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American Express® Gold Card
- Robust rewards for dining out and U.S. supermarket purchases
- Offers great travel rewards and benefits
- See rates and fees | Terms Apply
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Generous welcome offer valued at $750 when redeemed via Chase Travel
- High rewards on dining and bookings via Chase Travel
- 25% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel
- Up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
- Receive valuable travel protections like trip delay reimbursement and primary rental car insurance