American Express Green Card review: A great choice for modern travelers and professionals
Editor's Note
Note: Effective Jan. 13, 2025, the $100 LoungeBuddy Credit benefit will no longer be available.
American Express Green Card overview
With the American Express® Green Card, you will earn 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on travel, dining at restaurants and transit, and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. With annual statement credits for Clear Plus and LoungeBuddy every calendar year that more than cover its annual fee, the Amex Green is a card that modern travelers should consider. Terms apply. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Until I wrote this review, I'd never seriously considered the Amex Green. As I learned about this card, I realized it's a surprisingly strong mid-tier travel card for anyone who prioritizes travel, dines out frequently and incurs travel costs.
It has an annual fee of $150, and TPG recommends applicants have a credit score of 700 or higher to have the best chance of getting approved.
If you can utilize these statement credits, the card can easily be a worthwhile addition to your wallet. So, if you've previously considered the Amex Green, now's a good time to give it a second chance. Let's take a closer look.
The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: What is Clear airport security — and is it worth it?
Amex Green pros and cons
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Amex Green welcome offer
The Amex Green offers new cardmembers 40,000 Membership Rewards points after they spend $3,000 on purchases in their first six months of card membership. Based on TPG's November 2024 valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, the welcome offer is worth $800.
The historic high for this card's welcome offer (no longer available) is 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first six months. This offer also included 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in the first six months (up to $200 back).
You may not be eligible for Amex Green's welcome offer if you hold or previously held certain higher-tier American Express cards. Examples include The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card.
Related: Best American Express Credit Cards
Amex Green benefits
Solid earnings and benefits make the Amex Green a serious competitor if you're looking for a mid-tier travel rewards card. Terms apply.
$199 Clear Plus annual statement credit
One benefit of the Amex Green card I haven't seen on many other cards is an up to $199 Clear Plus statement credit. With Clear, your eyes and fingertips can help you get through security faster at select airports and stadiums nationwide.
You'll receive up to $199 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your Clear Plus membership with your card. The normal rate for Clear Plus membership is $199 per year, so the credit covers the full annual cost.
Related: Clear is latest TSA PreCheck enrollment provider
$100 LoungeBuddy annual statement credit
Note: Effective Jan. 13, 2025, the $100 LoungeBuddy Credit benefit will no longer be available.
Although many cards offer Priority Pass Select lounge memberships, the Amex Green takes a different approach by providing an annual LoungeBuddy statement credit. In particular, you'll get up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year when you use the Amex Green to purchase lounge access directly from LoungeBuddy through its website or app.
LoungeBuddy allows you to purchase one-time lounge passes on demand, so you can get lounge access when you need it most. The cost to access each lounge through LoungeBuddy varies. According to American Express, prices start at $25 per visit. With this minimum cost, you can get up to four visits per calendar year using your $100 statement credit.
Related: Best cards for airport lounge access
Travel and shopping protections
The Amex Green offers an extended warranty** and purchase protection** when you purchase eligible items with your card. These protections can save you serious money if something goes wrong with a recent purchase.
You'll also be protected when you're on the road. The Amex Green offers a baggage insurance plan** and secondary car rental loss and damage insurance***, with the option to upgrade to primary coverage through Amex's Premium Car Rental Protection.
**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
***Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Related: Everything you need to know about American Express purchase protection
Earning points on the Amex Green
The Amex Green earns 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants, travel and transit and 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases. Based on TPG's November 2024 valuation of Amex Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, you'll get an approximate 6% return on spending in these categories.
It's important to note that these categories are broad. For example, "travel" includes airfare, hotels, tours, campgrounds, vacation rentals and more, while "transit" includes trains, taxicabs, ride-hailing services, ferries, tolls and more.
Much of your spending may fall within these categories, depending on your lifestyle.
Related: Getting started with points, miles and credit cards to travel
Redeeming points on the Amex green
The Amex Green provides Membership Rewards points, which can be redeemed in several ways. Aside from travel, options include statement credits for recent, eligible purchases, shopping on Amazon, shopping with Membership Rewards and more. These options provide less value than redeeming your points for travel.
You'll only get 0.6 cents per point in value if you redeem points to cover eligible charges. Using your points on Amazon is only marginally better, offering 0.7 cents per point. Shopping with Membership Rewards is the worst option, providing a meager 0.5 cents per point.
Given that TPG's November 2024 valuations peg Membership Rewards points at 2 cents per point, redeeming your points for travel is the best choice.
Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards points
Transferring points on the Amex Green
The Membership Rewards points you earn with the Amex Green can be transferred to 21 travel partners: 18 airlines and three hotels. Some transfer partners of note include Air Canada, Delta and Singapore Airlines.
Some excellent sweet spots include one-way business-class flights to Europe and stays at participating Preferred Hotels and Resorts worldwide with Choice Hotels points.
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson regularly transfers points to Avianca LifeMiles and has gotten transatlantic flights to Europe for as low as 17,000 points in economy class. Avianca LifeMiles has plenty of great redemptions with Star Alliance partners, making it an especially valuable transfer partner.
Related: Current transfer bonuses
Which cards compete with the Amex Green?
The Amex Green is a competitive mid-tier card with strong earning rates and useful benefits, but other issuers have some comparable options:
- If you prefer Chase: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is among the best-known travel rewards credit cards. It earns 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through the Chase Travel℠ portal, 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025), 3 points per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar spent on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else. To learn more, read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
- If you prefer Capital One: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is straightforward and easy to use. This card earns 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Cardholders will earn 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases. This card can fit into a variety of points and miles strategies. To learn more, read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards.
- If you want a card with no annual fee: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card is an option for someone who wants a beginner travel card with no annual fee. Cardholders will earn a flat 1.5 points for every dollar spent. If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn up to 75% more points on every purchase. To learn more, read our full review of the Bank of America Travel Rewards.
For additional options, check out our list of the best starter travel cards.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Rewards
Bottom line
The Amex Green's statement credits can more than offset the $150 annual fee, making this card a compelling option for young professionals and others who allocate much of their budget toward travel, dining and commuting.
If you'll use the annual credits and can maximize the broadly defined bonus categories, the Amex Green* is a card to seriously consider adding to your purse or wallet.
Related: Premium credit cards vs. mid-tier credit cards: Which should you get?