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4 Best Reasons To Get the American Express Green Card in 2026

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Jarrod West
Updated: 
Edited by: Jessica Merritt
& Stella Shon
4 Best Reasons To Get the American Express Green Card in 2026
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Update:

The American Express® Classic Green Card is not available for new applicants, and some of the information below may no longer be accurate. However, those with the American Express® Gold Card or Platinum Card® from American Express may be able to product change to the Amex Classic Green card.

The American Express Green Card®* (now the American Express® Classic Green Card) is an excellent rewards card in the American Express Membership Rewards Program family. It offers well-rounded bonus categories, flexible rewards, travel benefits, and much more for a relatively reasonable $150 annual fee.

Although the Green from Amex might often be overlooked compared to the American Express® Gold Card and the Platinum Card® from American Express, here are the best reasons to get the Green from Amex.

*The information regarding the American Express Green Card®, now the American Express® Classic Green Card, was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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1. Sizeable Welcome Offer

One of the best perks of any new card is its welcome offer, which offers a great opportunity to earn a large chunk of points or miles much faster than you would have otherwise. This can get you closer to your next award trip much faster!

American Express® Classic Green Card
American Express® Classic Green Card

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.
No welcome offer is available.
None
Up to $0
$150
See Pay Over Time APR
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
Read Full Review
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

Since we value Amex Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents per point, the current welcome offer for the American Express Green Card® is worth ~$880.

2. Well-Rounded Bonus Categories

With the Green from Amex, you’ll earn 3x points on restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., 3x points on transit, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways, and 3x points on travel, including airfare, hotels, cruises, car rentals, and travel purchases on third-party travel websites.

This means the card is great at earning points on travel expenses and daily purchases that fall within the eligible restaurant and transit categories.

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3. Flexible Redemption Options

We value Amex Membership Rewards points so highly because of the number of redemption options you have when you are ready to redeem points.

You could redeem points towards eligible travel purchases on AmexTravel.com or for gift cards, shopping with merchant partners, or, our favorite, transferring them to the Amex transfer partners.

When you strategically use the AmexTravel.com transfer partners, you can book fantastic travel experiences to destinations worldwide for a fraction of what the retail price would cost.

Hot Tip:

If you are new to using transfer partners, read our guide on the best ways to redeem Amex points to learn how much value you can get!

4. Priority Airport Security Screening

Delta LaGuardia LGA Terminal C CLEAR kiosk
Image Credit: Chris Rank, Rank Studios via Delta

You’ve likely heard of TSA PreCheck, and credit cards frequently offer a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. The Green from Amex stands apart from the crowd by offering an annual CLEAR+ statement credit of up to $219, which covers the full membership cost. Terms Apply.

If you’re unfamiliar, CLEAR+ provides an expedited security experience at select U.S. airports and stadiums using your biometrics. These biometrics replace the airport security identity screening portion, allowing you to head right to the front of the security line, saving you time and headaches.

Hot Tip:

Interested in learning what other benefits the card provides? Read our full guide to the perks of the Amex Classic Green Card.

Who Should Consider the American Express Green Card?

The Green from Amex is a great option for people who love to travel and want a card that earns travel rewards but are not interested in a premium rewards card with a high annual fee.

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Similarly, the Green from Amex may be a good choice if you love having priority security screening thanks to CLEAR+ and your spending habits fall within the card bonus categories of dining, travel, and transit.

Final Thoughts

The Green from Amex is a fantastic card option, and we view it as one of the best Amex credit cards.

Not only is the Green from Amex a great all-around option that you could use as the primary card in your wallet, but it also pairs nicely with other credit card combinations.

Once you’ve built up a nice stash of points, you can set your sights on deciding where your next adventure will be!

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our Travel Consultants. For more information visit www.americanexpress.com/travelterms.

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Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
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About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 8 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year, and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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Welcome Offer: As High as 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
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  • $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Effective January 1, 2027, Fine Hotels + Resorts® bookings will require a minimum two-night stay to be eligible for the $600 Hotel Credit.
  • With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 08/2026.
  • $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
  • $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
  • $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
  • $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 60+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to The Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
  • Whatever the occasion, choose from our two signature collections of premium hotels, curated to inspire and excite you when you book through Amex Travel™: Fine Hotels + Resorts® is a collection of over 1,900 luxury hotels that are destinations unto themselves and the Hotel Collection includes over 1,400 upscale hotels in desirable destinations.
  • $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
  • $895 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.

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