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All information about the American Express® Green Card was gathered independently by The Ascent and was not provided by the issuer. Some details may be out of date. Check the issuer's site for more information.
The American Express® Green Card is the perfect example of a card that benefited from a makeover. It used to be one of many overlooked travel cards on the market due to a modest rewards rate and few useful benefits. Since then, American Express has revamped it with more bonus categories and several money-saving travel perks.
The card has gotten significantly better thanks to those updates, but is it worth it? To help you find out, we're going to cover all the good and the not-so-good points of this card in our American Express® Green Card review below.
American Express® Green Card
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: n/a
Balance Transfers: n/a
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards 3X Membership Rewards® Points on Restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery. 3X Membership Rewards® points on all eligible travel, from subway swipes and window seats to hotel stays and city tours. The 1x points on other purchases.
1x - 3x points
Annual Fee
$150
Welcome Offer Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your American Express® Green Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
40,000 Membership Rewards® Points
Packs in a big welcome offer, lucrative credits, and premium points for travel and restaurants. These perks justify the annual fee for many new cardholders.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
20,000 ThankYou® Points Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. | Up to 2% cash back 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months Regular: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
||
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
This card is a good fit for: Consumers who have high travel and dining spending. Travelers who want an affordable American Express card may like this card's reasonable annual fee (see rates and fees).
These are the top perks that come with this card:
You'll earn these bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 6 months that you have the card. Terms apply.
The American Express® Green Card earns 3 points per dollar at restaurants, including takeout and delivery, on travel, and on transit expenses, such as rideshares, taxis, and toll roads. On other purchases, it earns 1 point per dollar. Overall, its rewards rate is competitive even with cards that charge much more expensive annual fees. Terms apply.
You're automatically reimbursed for your first $100 in LoungeBuddy purchases per year when enrolled in the program. LoungeBuddy is a service that lets you pay for single-use passes to airport lounges within its network. The price varies depending on the lounge. One pass typically ranges from $25 to $50, but some lounges charge greater or smaller amounts. Lounge availability varies by airport. Terms apply.
This benefit could be useful if you travel through an airport in LoungeBuddy's network. It will cover only a few visits, though, and it pales in comparison to what other credit cards with airport lounge access offer.
You'll receive a $189 statement credit every year after using this card to pay your membership fee in the CLEAR program you're enrolled in. As a member of CLEAR, you can scan your eyes and fingerprints at airports where the service is available, and a CLEAR employee will then take you directly to the physical screening process. Terms apply.
The American Express Membership Rewards program is known for its impressive roster of transfer partners. This makes the points your card earns more valuable, because you have so many different ways you can use them. And as a backup, you can redeem your points through American Express Travel to book cash airfare at a respectable rate of $0.01 per point. Terms apply.
Read more: Best American Express Credit Cards
This card has quite the list of complimentary protections, including:
These protection benefits do have rules and exclusions in place, so be sure to look at the terms and conditions to better understand what's covered.
When you're outside the United States or making purchases from international merchants, you can use your American Express® Green Card without paying extra (see rates and fees).
See more: Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
This card has some areas that could be improved upon:
The saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" isn't one we apply to credit card sign-up bonuses and welcome offers. There are several cards with lower annual fees and more valuable introductory offers than what you'll get from the American Express® Green Card.
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
The American Express® Green Card is for people with good to excellent credit, which translates to a FICO® Score of at least 670. Of course, other factors are considered, and approval isn't guaranteed with a higher score nor is it impossible with a lower score.
Considering its high rewards rate and the spending credits it offers, the American Express® Green Card benefits more than justify its annual fee for many.
If you know that you'll use the LoungeBuddy and CLEAR credits, then you're already getting $289 in value from this card, which lowers the impact of the annual fee. Even if you don't use all of the spending credits this card offers, you can still get plenty of value with the rewards program. In our minds it's not so much is the annual fee worth it but more is this the right annual fee credit card for your needs?
Related: Best Credit Cards
The American Express® Green Card is an excellent choice if:
Consumers who like the American Express Membership Rewards program but want a card with more benefits and rewards should look at the aforementioned American Express® Gold Card or even the card issuer's ultra-premium option, The Platinum Card® from American Express. But if you want to keep costs down, the American Express® Green Card still offers more than its fair share of perks for a less expensive annual fee.
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
The American Express® Green Card doesn't have a credit limit or a preset spending limit. Your spending limit is flexible and can adapt based on purchases, payment, and credit history. To check if a large purchase will be approved, use the Check Spending Power tool that American Express offers in your online account and in its mobile app.
The American Express® Green Card usually isn't hard to get for qualified applicants. While American Express uses many factors to evaluate your application, a good credit score gives you a high chance of an approval. Most approved applicants have a FICO® Score of 670 or more.
Yes, you can use this card internationally, and it doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
**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.
***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.
For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, click here
For rates and fees for the American Express® Green Card, click here
For rates and fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here
The Motley Fool recommends Amex.