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Sep 09, 2023

How to maximize your American Express Green Card value in the first year

Credit Cards

Credit Cards

Eric Rosenberg

Robin Saks Frankel

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BLUEPRINT

Published 4:56 a.m. ET June 5, 2023

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If you’re shopping for a new rewards credit card, the American Express® Green Card comes with value-packed rewards and benefits. The Green from Amex is best for anyone who enjoys luxury travel and dining out but doesn't want the higher annual fees of the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express.

While the Amex® Green Card requires a $150 annual fee (terms apply), getting that and much more back every calendar year is easy. Here's a closer look at the rewards and benefits of the American Express Green Card and the value of its rewards and benefits in the first year.

The American Express Green Card rewards users with 3 points per $1 on restaurant, travel and transit purchases, with 1 point per $1 on other purchases. But that's just scratching the surface of what users get from the card.

One of the most valuable benefits of any American Express travel rewards card is the Membership Rewards points earned with every purchase.

With the Amex® Green Card, you’ll earn 3 points per $1 spent at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, 3 points per $1 on travel and transit, including airfare, hotels, cruises, car rentals, tours, trains, buses, ferries, subways and other eligible purchases and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

While savvy users can get a much higher valuation, common redemption options through American Express Travel get you about one cent per point. Suppose your household spends about $3,500 per year on restaurants, $3,000 per year on travel, $500 on local transit and $18,000 on general spending with the Green from Amex.

That would net you 21,000 points from the bonus categories and 18,000 from other spending, for a total of 39,000 points per year. At one cent per point, that's worth $390 toward travel.

Value: $390 (estimated)

CLEAR is an airport express lane program where you can pay an annual fee to skip the ID check line at airports where CLEAR is available. Instead of going through the regular line, you can go through a faster CLEAR line, where an eye scan or fingerprints act as your identification.

A CLEAR membership costs $189 per year when bought on its own. But if you buy a CLEAR membership with an American Express Green Card, you’ll be reimbursed for that cost via a statement credit (up to $189). Enrollment is required.

With TSA PreCheck and CLEAR, you’ll get through airport security much faster than the average traveler.

Value: $189

LoungeBuddy works with a network of over a thousand airport lounges you can access for a fee, even without airline status or a paid membership. With the Amex® Green Card, the first up to $100 in fees each year are automatically reimbursed as a statement credit. Enrollment is required.

While it doesn't get you unlimited access to lounges, as with the American Express Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve®* cards, it's a great perk for someone looking for a little luxury a couple of times per year.

Value: $100

*The information for this card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

When you book travel with the Amex® Green Card, you’re automatically protected by certain insurance coverage when charging travel to your card. Those include:

The value of these insurance plans varies based on how much you use them. Assuming your bags always make it and trips are always on time (which isn't a good assumption these days), it's easier to find the value in rental car coverage.

Value: $140+

When shopping online or in a traditional retail store, Amex provides several valuable benefits that protect your purchases and, in some cases, gets them in your hands faster.

All eligible purchases on the Amex® Green Card include purchase protection. Items bought with the card are covered for 90 days in case of theft or accidental damage, up to $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per calendar year⁴.

If something breaks right after the warranty expires, don't fret. Extended warranty coverage includes up to a year of additional protection under the original manufacturer's warranty terms for eligible items with warranties of five years or less⁵.

Amex® Green cardholders also get a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which includes free two-day shipping from over 100 participating online stores. Depending on your shopping habits, the value here varies. We estimate it's worth about half of an Amazon Prime membership, or about $70 per year. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Value: $70+

The Amex® Green Card includes a new member welcome bonus worth 60,000 Membership Rewards points after $3,000 spent in the first six months of card membership. That's about $500 per month in average spending for the first six months to earn the bonus.

Assuming a value of one cent each, 40,000 points are worth about $400. While other benefits are recurring annually, you’ll only get the welcome bonus once.

Value: $400

When you add it all together, the Amex® Green Card is worth well above the cost of the annual for the first year and beyond. You may get a much higher value depending on your spending and how you use the insurance benefits. After the first year, it's still easy to get more than $800 in annual value from the card for those who regularly spend in the bonus categories and take advantage of the annual credits for LoungeBuddy and CLEAR.

Considering the $150 annual fee, this card is a bargain. If you use the card regularly and take full advantage of its benefits, there's a good chance you’ll come out ahead.

With an American Express Green Card, you can redeem for travel in the American Express portal for around one cent per point. Comparing offers on the Amex Travel website and looking at American Express transfer partner offers may help you get the best value on every redemption.

With the Green from Amex, the first $100 you spend with LoungeBuddy annually is reimbursed as a statement credit. Access costs start as low as $27 per visit, but you’ll usually pay around $27-$40. Some lounges cost more than the up to $100 credit, so plan carefully if you’re looking to avoid out-of-pocket costs.

¹Car 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. Please 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.

²Up 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. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

³Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. 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.

⁴When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. 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.

⁵When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer's Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. 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.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider's website for the most current information.

Eric Rosenberg

Blueprint

Eric Rosenberg is a financial writer, speaker, and consultant based in Ventura, California. He is an expert in topics including banking, credit cards, investing, cryptocurrency, insurance, real estate, and business finance. He has professional experience as a bank manager and nearly a decade in corporate finance and accounting. His work has appeared in many online publications, including Business Insider, Nerdwallet, Investopedia, and U.S. News & World Report.

Robin Saks Frankel

Blueprint

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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