Is the Amex Classic Green a Good Card for People Who Frequently Travel?

Let’s get right to the point: the American Express^® Classic Green Card* can be a very valuable card to have in your wallet if you’re a frequent traveler.

With a relatively low $150 annual fee (rates & fees) and several key perks that benefit travelers, you’ll find this card a go-to option if you’re on the road (or in the sky) at least semi-frequently.

Here’s why.

*All information about the American Express^® Classic Green Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

Amex Classic Green Card Overview

American Express^® Classic Green Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card can provide a great way to accumulate Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit, and at restaurants.

All information about American Express^® Classic Green Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

American Express^® Classic Green Card

This card can provide a great way to accumulate Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit, and at restaurants.

Welcome Offer

No welcome offer is available.

None

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $0

Annual Fee

$150

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Update: The American Express^® Classic Green Card is no longer available for new applicants, but is available via product change. 
The Amex Classic Green card is an excellent all-around travel rewards card, earning 3x Membership Rewards points on eligible travel and transit purchases, as well as at restaurants, with access to American Express transfer partners and a reasonable annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points at restaurants worldwide, on all eligible travel purchases, and on transit purchases
• Up to $219 per calendar year in statement credits after you pay for a CLEAR+ membership with the card
• Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

• $150 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on travel, including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® Points on transit purchases, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.
• $219 CLEAR+ Credit: Receive up to $219 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express^® Classic Green Card.
• Payment Flexibility: When it comes to paying your bill, you have options. You can always pay in full. You also have the flexibility to carry a balance with interest or use Plan It^® to split up large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, up to your Pay Over Time Limit. You may be able to keep spending beyond your limit – you’ll just need to pay for any new purchases in full when your bill is due.
• Trip Delay Insurance: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per eligible account per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: No matter where you’re traveling, when you use your American Express ^® Classic Green Card there are no foreign transaction fees.
• $150 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Top Uses of the Amex Classic Green Card for Travelers

While there are many benefits of the Amex Classic Green card, these are the ones that particularly stand out as valuable to travelers:

• 3x Membership Rewards points earned on travel and transit, something no other Amex card offers on such a broad category
• Annual CLEAR+ credit of up to $219, which covers a full CLEAR+ membership for yourself (or you can choose to use it on someone else’s membership)
• Baggage insurance plan, which covers your lost, damaged, or stolen bag while traveling, but only if the entire common carrier fare is purchased on your card

While the annual fee is certainly not the lowest of any credit card, it can be easily offset by the several valuable perks available.

Earning 3x Points on Travel

Here’s where this card really shines for semi-frequent travelers who want to earn lots of Amex points: you can earn 3x Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on several categories. This includes:

• Travel, including airfare, trains, hotels, and car rentals
• Transit, including bus tickets, taxis, public transit, and even tolls when you drive
• Dining at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., or restaurants worldwide

As you can see, these are pretty broad categories and cover a wide variety of things you’d normally spend on while traveling — from the travel itself to dining out to getting around. It’s a wide swath of everyday needs. One of the nice things about this card is that you earn 3x points no matter what travel brand you use the card at. For example, some hotel-specific credit cards may only earn at a particular hotel chain, but the Amex Classic Green card earns points no matter the property. It’s also great for hotels that may not be affiliated with a particular chain, such as boutique properties.

While some cards only offer bonus points for airfare purchases, it’s nice to see the Amex Classic Green card recognizes that not all travel occurs by air. For instance, this is a great perk for travelers in bigger Northeast metropolitan cities where Amtrak is a staple. In addition, there are lots of other services that can be used on a trip, such as rideshares and tolls, and this card rewards you for those purchases.

Once you accumulate enough Membership Rewards points, you can transfer those points to a variety of Amex’s airline and hotel partners or use them on the AmexTravel.com portal.

CLEAR+ Membership Credit

If you don’t have a CLEAR+ membership, you’re missing out. CLEAR allows you to bypass the traditional TSA lines at major airports in the U.S. and head to the front of the line. With biometric verification, your identity is screened at a kiosk, and then you’re escorted to the front of the line to begin your security check. It can be especially valuable during peak travel times.

The Amex Classic Green card comes with an annual CLEAR+ statement credit of up to $219, and, fortunately, CLEAR+ costs exactly $219. This means that your annual membership to CLEAR is complimentary when charged to the Amex Classic Green card. The $150 annual fee alone would pay for the CLEAR+ membership, even if you decided to not use any other benefit.

Baggage Insurance Plan

The Amex Classic Green card comes with a baggage insurance plan, so when you purchase your entire common carrier ticket (like airfare) with your Amex Classic Green card, you’re covered if your bag becomes lost, damaged, or stolen during your travels. There are various nuances to what is covered, when, and for how much, and American Express has a detailed guide for the baggage insurance plan’s coverages on this card.

In general, you’re covered for the actual bag itself and the property that’s in that bag, with various exceptions. In addition, coverage amounts change depending on whether your bag is a carry-on bag or a checked bag.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

The Amex Classic Green card comes with secondary car rental loss and damage insurance, which is different than primary rental car insurance. In essence, if your rental car is damaged and you charged the entire rental to your Amex Classic Green card, the insurance will cover any difference that your primary rental car insurance doesn’t pay, but you must first submit through them.

This isn’t as useful as primary insurance that is available on some other credit cards, which will cover the damage without you ever having to involve your personal insurance company. However, this is still a decent perk for those looking to supplement their coverage.

Note that Amex Classic Green cardholders are able to purchase Premium Protection, primary rental car coverage, at a fixed price of between $12.25 and $24.95 for the entire rental duration (eligible rentals can be up to 42 total days in length). The policy includes rental car damage, theft, loss of use coverage, and accidental death/dismemberment coverage.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Classic Green card is a great everyday card for frequent (or semi-frequent) travelers, thanks to the amount of points you can earn on travel purchases, and several key benefits such as an annual CLEAR+ membership statement credit and baggage insurance plan.

Even if you’re not a frequent traveler, you can likely get great use out of this card if you use public transit often or pay for tolls on your commute to work. Either way, you’re sure to find great value with the Amex Classic Green card.

The Amex Classic Green card sits within a broader family of Amex cards that all earn Membership Rewards points.