Update: read the new restrictions American Express has implemented on the signup bonus for Green, and Gold cards

The American Express Green card is an often overlooked card in American Express’ portfolio but it offers some great benefits with a reasonable annual fee and some great statement credits to help offset the fee.

Quick Facts

Welcome Offer: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in 6 months. Keep in mind you are not eligible for the welcome offer if you currently have or previously had either the American Express Gold or the American Express Platinum.

Points Earned: American Express Membership Rewards which transfers to 20 different airline and hotel partners. Or you can use your points for a statement credit at a value of .6 cents per point or 1 cent per point on flights and .7 cents per point on other travel.

Earnings Structure:
3x at restaurants worldwide
3x on travel including transit
1x on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $150 Rates & Fees

Foreign Transaction Fees: None

While the Amex Platinum might get all the hype, the Amex Green is a great way to round out your portfolio of cards to make sure you’re earning as many points as possible on your spending.

Benefits

The Amex Green card earns 3x points in some lucrative categories. I value Amex points at 1.7 cents per point so this is the equivalent of earning 5.1% on your spending.

3x Points on Dining

While the Amex Gold still takes the top spot for the best card for dining purchases at 4x points per dollar, the Green card isn’t far behind and earns 3x points on all restaurant spending. Better yet there’s no cap on how many points you can earn like there is on the Gold.

With the new updates to the Amex Gold, you now earn 4x points on the first $50,000 of spending at restaurants, after that you only earn 1 point per dollar. If you’re someone who reaches that kind of spending each year, I would definitely switch to the Green after you reach your limit on the Gold.

3x Points on Travel

Earning 3x points on travel is what makes this card so compelling. American Express’ definition of travel is quite broad and covers everything from airfare, hotels, cruises, rental cars to taxis, subways, rideshares, parking and tolls.

The Platinum is still best for airfare and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com which will get you 5x points per dollar.

$199 CLEAR Plus Credit

Just like the Amex Platinum, the Green card comes with a $199 annual statement credit for your CLEAR Plus membership. They just raised the fee from $189 to $199 as of August 1st, 2024 and American Express raised their credit to match. The value proposition for CLEAR Plus has gone down for me over the years but having this credit is nice especially if you use CLEAR Plus with any frequency. This alone will more than pay for the annual fee.

Just pay for your CLEAR Plus membership with this card and you’ll receive a statement credit within 2 to 4 weeks (although it usually posts much quicker).

While the increased credit is not updated on American Express’ website yet, they have confirmed that it will be soon.

Access to Amex Offers

Having access to Amex Offers is huge and can save you a ton of money. This is a fantastic benefit to all American Express cards. Even if you didn’t use the $424 in annual credits, having access to Amex Offers can pay for the card itself with all the savings you can receive. I’ve saved over $680 on this card alone since I’ve had it.

Is it Worth It?

Absolutely. Even if you don’t spend a ton of money on restaurants or supermarkets, the credits you can earn make up for the annual fee. That coupled with the huge signup bonus and access to Amex Offers make this card a no brainer.

Check out my review of the other top American Express Cards, the Amex Platinum and the American Express Gold

Want to Apply?

The best publicly available link is on American Express’ website.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.