American Express® Green Card review: A fair option for infrequent flyers

The Amex Green stands out thanks to its redemption flexibility and potentially high rewards value, which could make the welcome offer quite lucrative. The card also has plenty of value to offer if you don’t fly often but prefer more unique travel options like camping or cruises. 

Rewards: Earn on expanded travel categories

You can earn unlimited 3X Membership Rewards points in expanded travel categories. But even if you don't travel often, you can earn bonus rates in non-travel categories, including:

• 3X points at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery limited to U.S. restaurants)
• 3X points on transit
• 1X points on all other purchases

The travel category for the Amex Green is especially notable compared to other mid-tier travel cards since many eligible purchases go beyond basic airfare and hotels. You can earn on travel purchases made on third-party websites and through the American Express Travel portal. Eligible purchases include options like car rentals, cruises, tours, campgrounds and vacation rentals. Whether you prefer to take a road trip, catch a flight or set sail, the Amex Green’s broad travel category has you covered. 

The transit category is also surprisingly robust and isn’t often found on competing travel rewards cards, making it a great choice for earning rewards on daily commutes and rideshares. This adds flexibility to the card that can elude even some premium cards, making it easier to earn rewards and offset the annual fee.  

Redemption: Flexible options and potentially high redemption value

You can redeem American Express Membership Rewards points for:

• Cash back
• Merchandise
• Gift cards
• Eligible travel through the Amex Travel portal
• Eligible purchases with select merchants

You can also transfer points to airline and hotel Amex transfer partners like Hilton Honors, Delta SkyMiles, Air France / Flying Blue and more.

Thanks to this variety of options and travel partners, American Express Membership Rewards points are some of the most valuable you can earn, holding a 2.0 cents redemption value on average, according to Bankrate's valuations. You’ll typically want to redeem points on options that give you a point value of at least 1 cent apiece. Booking flights with American Express Travel, selecting gift cards or transferring to certain partnering hotels and airlines might be your best choices.

Welcome offer: Solid short-term value

New cardholders can 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. The value of 40,000 Membership Rewards points will vary based on how you redeem them, but if you take advantage of Amex’s travel partners, you could squeeze about 2.0 cents out of each point, according to Bankrate's latest valuations, making this offer worth around $800. 

This is a great value, especially when you compare it to other premium travel card offers. For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $10,000 in the first six months of account opening. Although the values of the welcome offers are close, with the Venture X’s being worth around $1,000 when redeemed for travel, the Venture X’s annual fee is much higher at $395 (See Rates & Fees).

While you might enjoy reward flexibility with this card, if you prefer more premium perks to justify the annual fee, consider looking elsewhere.

Rates and fees: High fees if you carry a balance 

The Amex Green Card comes with a $150 annual fee, which is reasonable for a mid-tier travel card. However, you'll need to either take advantage of this card's two annual statement credits — which are most beneficial for frequent travelers — or earn enough rewards every year to help offset the cost. If you’re looking for premium perks like an annual companion pass, a dedicated airline card might better suit you. 

The card’s other fees are also on the higher end. You'll pay a fee of 5 percent (minimum $10) on cash advances, plus a 29.99 percent variable cash advance APR if you use your card to withdraw cash, a late payment fee up to $40 and a returned payment fee up to $40. Using the Pay Over Time payment option carries a high variable APR as well. So if you carry a balance, these fees may cut into your rewards. However, Amex does offer a Pay It Plan It feature that could also help manage your card debt.

Perks: Few luxury benefits

The Amex Green Card offers some key travel benefits and protection plans, such as trip delay insurance, lost baggage insurance and secondary auto rental coverage. This card also offers one statement credit opportunity that can help offset the cost of the card’s annual fee. You can receive up to $209 in credits toward a Clear Plus membership each year, which can help you get through security lines faster at participating airports and other venues.

But occasional flyers may not find these credits worthwhile. If you don't fly a lot, consider a travel rewards card with a lower annual fee that has more practical perks. 

The American Express Green Card can be a strategic option that complements your lifestyle and travel capabilities. Here's how Stephanie Zito, Bankrate’s Travel Rewards Expert Contributor, puts it:

“The traditional American Express Green Card may not be the most exciting card in the Amex portfolio, but it definitely has its place. During the pandemic, I downgraded my American Express Platinum because I wasn’t using the travel benefits, and keeping the Green Card open gave me a good place to park my Membership Rewards points — while paying a much lower annual fee and still taking advantage of a good 3X earning rate at restaurants, travel and transit.”

— Stephanie Zito, Bankrate contributor

The Amex Green Card pairs well with a no-annual-fee cash back card that earns in bonus categories the Green Card doesn’t cover. If you have a business, an Amex business card could supplement your travel spending. Depending on your needs, here are a few options that can make a solid pairing.

While the Amex Green Card is a solid mid-tier card, it may not be the best fit depending on your spending or travel habits. Take a look at these similar travel cards as you make your decision.

If the Amex Green doesn't sound like the right fit for you, consider these alternatives:

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Best for a no-annual-fee travel card

Wells Fargo Autograph® Card

Best for rewards on dining, traveling and commuting

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.

*All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

We rate credit cards using a proprietary card scoring system that ranks each card’s estimated average rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more against those of other cards in its primary category.

Each card feature is assigned a weighting based on how important it is to people looking for a card in a given category. These features are then scored based on how they rank relative to the features on other cards in the category. Based on these calculations, each card receives an overall rating of 1-5 stars (with 5 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest). 

We analyzed over 150 of the most popular rewards and cash back cards to determine where each stacked up based on their value, cost, benefits and more. Here are some of the key factors that influenced this card’s overall score and how the score influenced our review: