The American Express® Green Card is a good travel card with valuable benefits for both travel and everyday spending, for a $150 annual fee.
First Year Savings: $1,288*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology
The American Express® Green Card comes with great benefits and features for consumers who travel frequently. It can be worth it for those who are willing to pay a $150 annual fee in return for some exceptional rewards on travel and everyday spending. We estimate that the average cardholder can get around $1,288 in value in their first year.
The card comes with benefits like travel and purchase protections, broad spending categories and annual fee credits for CLEAR Plus Credit and LoungeBuddy memberships. However, if you don’t travel regularly, you might not find this card worth the $150 annual fee. For irregular travelers, consider a cash back card or no annual fee rewards card instead.
Intro Purchase APR
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Regular Purchase APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Intro BT APR
N/A
Regular BT APR
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Annual Fee
$150
Cash Advance Fee
Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
Foreign Transaction Fee
None
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit.
This is a lucrative and easily attainable welcome offer to entice new cardmembers to start spending on their card. We typically value American Express Membership Rewards points about 2.2 cents a piece, when transferred to an Amex travel partner.
However, it’s worth noting that other travel rewards cards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for example, charge lower annual fees and offer higher welcome offers.
The American Express® Green Card offers broad earning categories that are applicable for both travel and everyday purchases.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® Points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US. Also earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on travel including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals. Additionally, earn 3X Membership Rewards® Points on transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
These are lucrative categories that give the American Express® Green Card similar earning power to the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. However, the American Express® Green Card‘s annual fee of $150 is nearly 75% less than the Chase Sapphire Reserve®’s annual fee of $550.
For people on the go, these spending categories could earn you large amounts of valuable Membership Rewards points in no time, without an exorbitant annual fee.
We estimate an earning rate for the average consumer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor data and multiply that by the value of each card’s points or miles.
The Membership Rewards points you earn with the American Express® Green Card can be redeemed for a tremendous variety of rewards. These options make Membership Rewards some of the most valuable points to earn in the credit card space.
| Redemption option | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Transfer points to airline and hotel loyalty programs | Depends on program (around 2.2 cents on average) |
| Book flights through the Amex Travel portal | 1 cent |
| Book hotels through the Amex Travel portal | 0.7 cents |
| Redeem for gift cards | 0.5 to 1.1 cents |
| Shop with points | 0.5 cents |
| Pay with your points at checkout | 0.7 to 1 cents |
| Cover your card charges and receive a statement credit | 0.6 cents |
Each of these purchasing opportunities will net you different values for your Amex points. To net the greatest value, though, it would be best to save your points for Amex travel partners.
Besides the list of redemption options above, the points you earn with the American Express® Green Card can be transferred to a long list of travel partners — mostly at a 1:1 ratio, to be used for free flights or hotel rooms.
For example, if you transfer 50,000 Amex Membership Rewards to Delta and redeem them for a flight that costs $1,300, the value of those points is 2.6 cents per point — which is even more impressive than the 2.2 cent average.
Amex transfer partners include Delta Air Lines and many other valuable loyalty programs. As you can see, Amex points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to most partners:
When traveling through airports, sitting at the boarding area before your flight can be an unpleasant experience. The American Express® Green Card offers a solution to this issue, offering up to a $100 statement credit to LoungeBuddy.
LoungeBuddy is an app that offers one-time passes into airport lounges around the world. Typically, airport lounge access is earned through memberships like Priority Pass or by flying premium class on an airline.
To use LoungeBuddy, simply download the app and type in the airport you plan on visiting. It will then list off the applicable lounges that you can enter. Select a lounge, use the American Express® Green Card to complete the purchase and you’re done. You’ll receive a QR code on your phone to scan at the check-in desk of the lounge.
Lounge access starts at $25 per person per entry, so the credit won’t stretch far. Still, it is a great feature to make a few airport visits more enjoyable.
To avoid the long lines and waits at airport security, you can enroll in an expedited security program like CLEAR. The American Express® Green Card offers a $189 statement credit per year to enroll in CLEAR, which knocks the price of CLEAR down to $70/year. If you travel with family members, you can add up to three adult family members for $50 each per year. Children under 18 can join you for free.
To bring the price of CLEAR membership down even further, you can stack on the following discounts:
Members of Delta SkyMiles receive the following reduced rates:
Members of United MileagePlus receive the following discounts:
By simply joining the Delta SkyMiles or United MileagePlus programs to get a discount on CLEAR membership and using the $189 statement credit from the American Express® Green Card, you could reduce your annual fee for CLEAR to $70/year.
During your travels, you may run into unfortunate situations, like a flat tire or lost baggage. The American Express® Green Card offers an array of travel coverages to help you with any hiccups that happen when you are away from home. By using the American Express® Green Card on your travels, you’ll have the following travel insurance policies:
| Travel coverages | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trip delay insurance | You can get up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per account per 12 consecutive month period. Terms apply. | |
| Car rental loss and damage insurance | Secondary auto rental coverage in covered territories. Terms and limitations apply.1 | |
| Baggage insurance | You can get up to $1,250 for carry-on luggage and up to $500 for checked baggage. For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 max limit for all covered people per covered trip. Exclusions and restrictions apply. | |
In addition to the travel protections that come with this card, cardholders can also enjoy these purchase protections:
| Purchase protections | ||
|---|---|---|
| Purchase protection | Your purchases can be protected up to 90 days from the purchase date, for up to $1,000 per occurrence, $50,000 per calendar year. | |
| Extended warranty | You can get up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer's warranty for covered purchases. This applies to warranties of 5 years or less. Terms apply. | |
The American Express® Green Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, which can save you countless amounts of money on transactions made while traveling abroad. Cards with no foreign transaction fees are an essential feature for any travel card, so the American Express® Green Card offers cardholders peace of mind when traveling.
The American Express® Green Card offers users the option to send money and split purchases with consumers using Venmo or PayPal. You can make these transactions directly through the American Express App. Enrollment required.
The American Express® Green Card has strong competitors in the travel card market. Here’s how it matches up against three other cards.
| Credit Cards | Rewards Rate | Welcome Offer | Annual Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
American Express® Green Card
Review Coming Soon
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Earn 3X Membership Rewards® Points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US. Also earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on travel including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals. Additionally, earn 3X Membership Rewards® Points on transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways. | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit. | $150 | Review Coming Soon |
American Express® Gold Card
|
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), and 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Terms apply. | 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. | $250 | |
The Platinum Card® from American Express
|
5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Terms apply. | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. | $695 | |
|
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
|
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more. | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. | $95 |
The American Express® Gold Card is another great card for travelers. The card comes with a $250 annual fee, but makes up for it with its annual dining credit of up to $120 ($10 monthly, enrollment required) and up to $120 in Uber Cash (up to $10 in Uber Cash per month). Your American Express® Gold Card will need to be added to your Uber app in order to receive this monthly Uber Cash benefit, which can be applied toward U.S. Uber rides and U.S. Uber Eats purchases.
As you spend on the American Express® Gold Card, you’ll Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), and 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Terms apply.
The American Express® Gold Card is the better option for those who spend a significant amount at U.S. supermarkets, and can utilize the annual credits for dining and airline purchases. So if you travel and eat out regularly, the American Express® Gold Card will likely suit your needs more.
To see rates & fees for American Express® Gold Card please click here.
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers luxurious benefits to travelers looking to step up their level of travel. While it has a steep $695 annual fee, by maximizing its annual credits and the benefits, you could nullify nearly the entire annual fee. Its benefits, which are arguably the best of any travel rewards card, include:
The largest downside of the card is the limited spending categories. You will earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Terms apply.
Because the American Express® Green Card offers broader spending categories, it may make sense to use the two cards simultaneously to maximize your point earning potential.
To see rates & fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please click here.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is widely regarded as the one of the best travel credit cards on the market — and for good reason.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers comprehensive travel insurance, outstanding earning categories, airport lounge access and a low annual fee. As you use the card, you’ll earn Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more..
There is plenty of debate about which credit card rewards program is best, but it really comes down to which rewards partners you value the most. Chase has a smaller, yet still powerful list of transfer partners — including United, Southwest and Hyatt.
In most cases, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card would be a better card than the American Express® Green Card. The only exception is if you personally see more value in Amex’s travel partners.
The American Express® Green Card is a good, but not great, option for those who travel constantly. It offers great benefits for those on the road — including fee credits for CLEAR Plus Credit and LoungeBuddy — but those who aren’t regular travelers may find it difficult to maximize the card.
If you aren’t able to visit airport lounges or take advantage of the CLEAR Plus Credit, the $150 annual fee may be difficult to justify. However, the wide spending categories like transit and travel can be beneficial enough for some spenders to see value in the card.
Compared with other travel cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Citi Premier® Card, the American Express® Green Card stands as one of the best travel cards with a moderate annual fee. If you’re still not convinced, however, consider a premium credit card or another travel rewards card instead.
The American Express® Green Card earns travel rewards based on how much you spend on the card. These rewards can be transferred to Amex travel partners like Delta Air Lines or Marriott Hotels.
The American Express® Green Card requires an Excellent/Good credit score. It’s important to check your credit score before applying to improve your chances of acceptance and avoid damaging your score.
The American Express® Green Card requires an Excellent/Good credit score. If your credit score is below this, it may be hard for you to get approved for the card.
Yes, the American Express® Green Card remains open for new applications and can be a welcome addition to your wallet.
To see rates & fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please click here.
To see rates & fees for American Express® Gold Card please click here.
The information related to Citi Prestige® Credit Card, United℠ Explorer Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
1. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
2. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
The information related to the American Express® Green Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
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