How To Upgrade Your Amex Green Card to the Amex Gold Card [2024]

The American Express^® Green Card and the American Express^® Gold Card are 2 of the top card options in the American Express Membership Rewards ecosystem, and both have a lot to offer to cardholders.

In this guide, we will take a look at what benefits and rewards structure each card includes, an analysis of how to decide if you should upgrade your Amex Green card to the Amex Gold card, and instructions on how to do so if you decide it is the best choice for you.

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

Comparing Amex Green Card to the Amex Gold Card

While both the Amex Green card and Amex Gold card are great cards, the value proposition of each is quite different. Here is a full breakdown of the top benefits of each card.

Amex Green Card Benefits

American Express^® Green Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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^® Green Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Green Card

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

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 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$880

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 cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Green Card is an excellent all-around travel rewards card thanks to earning 3x Membership Rewards^® points on eligible travel and transit purchases and at restaurants, access to American Express transfer partners, and a reasonable annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide, on all eligible travel purchases, and transit purchases
• Up to $199 per calendar year in statement credits after you pay for a CLEAR^® Plus membership with the Card.
• Up to $100 in statement credits annually when you purchase airport lounge access through LoungeBuddy with the Card.

Cons

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

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• 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.
• 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.
• $199 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $199 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express^® Green Card.
• $100 LoungeBuddy: No airport lounge membership? No problem! Purchase lounge access through the LoungeBuddy app using the American Express^® Green Card and receive up to $100 in statement credits annually.
• 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^® 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

The Amex Green card is very well-rounded and gives you multiple bonus categories to earn 3x points without a large annual fee.

Our favorite benefits include:

• 3x points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 3x points on transit, including trains, buses, ferries, subway, and more
• 3x points on travel, including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, and more
• Up to a $199 annual CLEAR Plus credit
• Up to a $100 annual LoungeBuddy credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• Travel and purchase protections

Those looking for a card with multiple bonus categories, that value having a CLEAR Plus membership, and prefer a card with a relatively low annual fee would likely be best suited for the Amex Green card.

Amex Gold Card Benefits

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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 is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$325

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 cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

The Amex Gold card can be significantly more lucrative when it comes to point-earning given its bonus categories, but the card also comes with a higher annual fee.

Our favorite benefits include:

• 4x points at global restaurants (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x after that), plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x thereafter
• 3x points on flights purchased directly with airlines or at AmexTravel.com
• Access to the American Express’ The Hotel Collection
• Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys (enrollment required)
• Up to $120 annual Uber Cash credit
• New $100 Resy Credit: $100 annual statement credit ($50 semi-annually), redeemable at any U.S. Resy restaurant and other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment required through your Amex account.
• New Dunkin’ Credit: $84 annual statement credit ($7/month), redeemable at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
• No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
• Travel and purchase protections

If you’re someone who spends a lot on food, either at restaurants or supermarkets, then you’re likely to get plenty of value out of the Amex Gold card, even more so when you factor in the annual dining credit of up to $120 and Uber Cash credit of up to $120.

Comparison Summary Table

If you’re trying to decide whether the Amex Green card or the Amex Gold card is a better fit for you, here is a side-by-side comparison to help you decide.

As you can see, there is some benefit overlap between the Amex Green card and the Amex Gold card, but the primary driver in deciding which is best for you likely will come down to the difference in bonus categories and credits.

The Amex Gold card wins when it comes to restaurant and supermarket purchases, while the Amex Green card wins when it comes to travel and transit purchases, though still offers 3x on restaurant spending. Those who travel often will enjoy the annual CLEAR Plus credit of up to $199 and LoungeBuddy credit of up to $100, while those who order out often or use Uber might prefer the annual dining credit of up to $120 and annual Uber Cash of up to $120 offered on the Amex Gold card.

How To Upgrade Your Amex Green Card to the Amex Gold Card

Fortunately, requesting an upgrade for your Amex Green card is a very simple process.

All you need to do is call the customer service number on the back of your Amex Green card and tell the customer service representative that you’d like to upgrade your Amex Green card to the Amex Gold card. You could also use the chat feature on the American Express website, however, American Express might still ask you to call the customer service line to finalize the upgrade so that they can go over the disclosures of your new card with you.

Who Should Upgrade Their Amex Green Card?

Here are the top things to consider when deciding whether or not you should upgrade your Amex Green card to the Amex Gold card.

1. Your Amex Green Card Has Been Open for More Than 1 Year

The Credit CARD Act of 2009 prevents credit issuers from increasing the annual fee on your account if your account is less than 12 months old, even if you give them permission to by upgrading to a new card product. Given that, if your Amex Green card has not been open for at least 1 year then you will not be eligible to upgrade your card.

2. The Amex Gold Card Is a Better Fit for You

If you’ve weighed the benefits of each card and decided that the bonus categories and perks of the Amex Gold card are a better fit for you, then it might make sense for you to upgrade your Amex Green card to the Amex Gold card.

3. You’ve Previously Earned a Welcome Bonus for the Amex Gold Card

When you upgrade from one card to another, you are not eligible to receive the welcome bonus offer that the card offers to new applicants.

Given that, if you’ve never had the Amex Gold card before, you might be better off applying for the card instead of upgrading as this can earn you a large number of points if you meet the minimum spend requirement.

Hot Tip: Remember, with Amex, you will not qualify to earn the welcome bonus on a card if you product change from one card to another.

4. You’ve Been Given an Upgrade Offer

In order to entice members to upgrade to new card products with higher annual fees, sometimes American Express will target you for an upgrade offer that allows you to receive bonus points. In the past, we’ve seen offers as high as 40,000 Membership Rewards points (valued at $880) to upgrade from the Amex Green card to the Amex Gold card.

Better yet, you are eligible to take advantage of an upgrade offer even if you have already received the welcome offer on the Amex Gold card in the past.

5. You Don’t Want to Add a Hard Pull to Your Credit

An overlooked benefit of upgrading a card with American Express is that they do not perform a hard credit pull, nor does it add a new account to your credit report. This can be especially useful for those looking to remain or work their way under Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Hot Tip: The 5/24 rule works like this: to be approved for a Chase credit card, you must have fewer than 5 approvals for credit cards within the last 24 months.

Final Thoughts

For cardholders, the process of upgrading your Amex Green card to an Amex Gold card is a simple one. All you need to do is call the number on the back of your card and request the upgrade. The only tricky part is deciding whether or not you should upgrade in the first place.

You should know which of the benefits and perks of each card make more sense for your lifestyle and spending habits. However, if you do decide to upgrade and you have never held the Amex Gold card before, you might be better off applying for the card outright instead of upgrading to take advantage of the often large welcome offer, such as the Amex Gold referral 90k offer.

For the secondary rental car coverage benefit of the American Express^® Green Card and the American Express^® Gold Card, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. 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.

For baggage insurance the American Express^® Gold Card, Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the American Express^® Gold Card up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the extended warranty and purchase protection benefit of  the American Express^® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.