A few years back, Amex refreshed its longstanding American Express® Green Card with added perks — and an increased annual fee.
Currently, the Amex Green is offering new applicants a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points (worth $1,200, based on TPG’s valuations) after spending $3,000 in the first six months of card membership. You’ll also get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in the first six months for up to $200 back, making the total welcome bonus worth about $1,400 — the best-ever offer we’ve seen on this card.
The card’s annual fee (see rates and fees) is $150, but you’ll also enjoy some bonus categories and perks.
The Amex Green earns 3 points per dollar worldwide on travel, restaurants and transit, including flights, hotels, campsites, tours, car rentals, rideshares, buses, subways, third-party travel websites and amextravel.com. It earns 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
You can go a long way toward offsetting the annual fee by taking advantage of annual statement credits of up to $289: up to $189 to purchase a Clear Plus membership and up to $100 for LoungeBuddy access. Enrollment required for select benefits.
Let’s look at who this card is right for — and who it isn’t.
Who should get the Amex Green?
People who use Clear
Expedited security options like Clear can get you through the lines and into airport lounges faster. Clear speeds you through the identification check at the beginning of security and to the front of the line.
It currently operates in more than 45 U.S. airports. Passengers use biometric data (facial recognition and fingerprints) to clear themselves through security without having to wait in line for a human to do it. The normal rate for Clear membership is $189 a year, and Amex Green cardholders receive a Clear Plus credit that fully covers this cost.
Dozens of credit cards offer fee reimbursements for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry and Priority Pass memberships. Still, the Amex Green Card’s Clear statement credit is a nice supplement for people with TSA PreCheck through a different card.
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Related: Best credit cards for TSA PreCheck
People without a Priority Pass membership
LoungeBuddy is great for people who don’t have Priority Pass membership and still want occasional access to lounges. It’s also a complementary perk for people who have a membership but travel through airports without Priority Pass lounges.
The price of a single pass varies from lounge to lounge, but you should be able to squeeze two visits out of your $100 annual statement credit. LoungeBuddy also sometimes partners with airline lounges unavailable to Priority Pass members.
People who’ve already earned many other Amex welcome bonuses
Normally a 60,000-point welcome bonus wouldn’t be too exciting, but if you’ve been in the points-and-miles world for a while, you might need it.
Since Amex only lets you earn the bonus on each of its credit cards once per lifetime, at some point, you’ll run out of Amex cards you can apply for. If you’ve bought into the Membership Rewards ecosystem and its excellent collection of airline transfer partners, you’ll need to find a way to keep your balance up for future redemptions.
Short of heavy spending in big bonus categories, opening a new card for the welcome bonus is one of the fastest ways to do that. A 60,000-point bonus isn’t enough to get us jumping out of our seats, but plenty of people will happily take what they can get.
Who shouldn’t get the Amex Green?
People who’ve previously had an Amex Green Card
Amex states at the top of the terms and conditions page for the Green Card that:
You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or previous versions of this Card. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.
If you currently have or have ever had an Amex Green card, it’s likely not worth applying as you won’t be eligible for the bonus. You’ll also need to keep an eye out as you progress through the application for a pop-up warning that you are not eligible for this product. It’s unclear what triggers these ineligibility messages, but Amex has been on the warpath against gaming and abuse among its customers.
People under 5/24
One of the biggest reasons not to get the Green Card has nothing to do with Amex and everything to do with its biggest competitor in the credit card rewards world: Chase. If you’re unfamiliar with the 5/24 rule, check out this guide (you’ll thank us later).
Related: The ultimate guide to Chase’s 5/24 rule
If you are familiar with the 5/24 rule and still have slots left with Chase, there’s no good reason to apply for the Amex Green Card. I know five credit cards in two years can seem like a lot when you’re just starting out, but trust me, those spaces fill up faster than you’d imagine, and once you’re over 5/24, there’s a massive opportunity cost to get back under.
People who want a premium credit card
The Amex Green straddles the line between entry-level and premium with its low annual fee and some perks.
However, many travelers have found that they can come out ahead with premium cards, even if they pay hundreds of dollars a year in annual fees.
If you travel more than once or twice a year, you might want a card with a full Priority Pass membership instead of a limited LoungeBuddy credit or maybe a card to help you earn elite status with your preferred airline or hotel. The Amex Green is a great option for the relatively low cost, but if you’re looking to upgrade your travel experience, there are better choices out there.
Related: Comparing the Amex Green and American Express® Gold Card
People who don’t use Clear and LoungeBuddy
Between Clear’s limited footprint and the fact that the LoungeBuddy credit is only good for a couple of passes each year, many people might struggle to maximize two of these card’s key benefits.
If you can’t use either credit, your out-of-pocket cost on the Amex Green will be the full $150 annual fee. I’d rather have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which effectively costs $250 a year (after subtracting the $300 annual travel credit) and comes with better perks, like a full Priority Pass membership.
Related: Full review of the Amex Green
Bottom line
The Amex Green is an interesting product, with a medium-sized bonus and some niche perks. If you’re a semi-frequent traveler, you can definitely get value from this card’s perks, but there are certainly other, more viable options out there. There are certainly people out there who will benefit from this card, but it won’t be the right choice for everyone.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, click here.
Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Chris Dong.
