American Express® Green
American Express and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of American Express. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
How we calculate effective rate →
The American Express® Green from American Express earns up to 1.8% effective value on dining in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Its annual fee is $150. New applicants may see: 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..
- Top category
- Dining
- Effective value
- 1.8%
- Annual fee
- $150
Best for dining-heavy spend when the $150 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.
What does the American Express Green earn in each category?
Dining is the strongest category at 1.8% effective value (3x points at about 0.6 cents each). That dining rate ranks higher than about 59% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how American Express Green compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend. Catalog spend signals highlight coffee at.
Dining is the strongest category at 1.8% effective value (3x points at about 0.6 cents each). That dining rate ranks higher than about 59% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how American Express Green compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.
| Category | Earn rate | Effective value |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Restaurants, cafes, takeout | 3x points | 1.8% Top category |
| Grocery Supermarkets and grocery stores | 1x points | 0.6% |
| Gas Gas stations and fuel | 1x points | 0.6% |
| Travel Flights, hotels, transit | 3x points | 1.8% |
| Other General everyday spend | 1x points | 0.6% |
Madeen values American Express Membership Rewards at about 0.6 cents each. Madeen compares every card using this cash-equivalent estimate while still showing the raw earn rate for context.
What are the American Express Green reward caps and conditions?
The American Express Green has 2 notable cap or condition rule(s) in Madeen's catalog, including activation windows, spend limits, and category exclusions. Review each bullet below before assuming unlimited earn rates.
- Earn 3X points dining at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the US
- Earn 3X points on transit including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
Who should get the American Express Green?
The American Express Green fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.
American Express Green fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. Madeen ranks its dining effective rate higher than about 59% of the catalog in that category. Compare it against cards you already carry with Madeen — no bank login required.
Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.
Less compelling if the $150 annual fee is hard to offset.
Best for dining-heavy spend when the $150 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Pros
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 1.8% effective (3x points).
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
- Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.
- Includes travel or statement credits in our benefits snapshot.
Cons
- $150 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- American Express Membership Rewards value depends on how you redeem, not straight cash back.
What is the American Express Green welcome bonus?
In Madeen's catalog snapshot, the American Express Green welcome offer is 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.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change — confirm on the issuer application page before applying.
- Offer
- 40k American Express Membership Rewards (~$240 estimated)
- Terms (catalog snapshot)
- 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.
- Minimum spend
- $3,000
- Window
- 6Months
Does the American Express Green have an annual fee?
The American Express Green has an annual fee of $150 and a foreign transaction fee of None. Confirm current fees on the issuer page before applying.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
What travel perks does the American Express Green include?
The American Express Green includes Lounge access, $189 Clear® Plus Credit, Baggage Insurance Plan, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance in our snapshot. Perks and benefits can change; verify coverage on the issuer site before you rely on them.
Lounge access
$99/yr$100 Credit for Lounge Access - Whether your goal is to relax, be productive, or just get away from it all, lounge access with LoungeBuddy can help you do it. Use the American Express® Green Card to purchase lounge access through LoungeBuddy and receive up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year
How we value this
Editorial: Priority Pass Standard individual membership lists at $99/year (2026); used as conservative lounge-access proxy when issuer does not specify visit caps.
What benefits come with the American Express Green?
Extended Warranty
$10,000/yrWhen you use your American Express® Card for eligible purchases, you can get up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer's warranty. Applies to warranties of 5 years or less. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
Purchase Protection
$10,000/yrSometimes your favorite new purchase gets stolen or accidentally damaged. But when you use your Eligible Card for Covered Purchases, your Membership can help protect them for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date, subject to the Coverage Limits.
Baggage Insurance Plan
$2,000/yrTravel more comfortably knowing you can be covered by the Baggage Insurance Plan for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage when you purchase the entire fare for a Common Carrier ticket (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) on your eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage. For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
Trip Delay Insurance
$500/yrIf 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.
$189 Clear® Plus Credit
$189/yrCLEAR® uses unique attributes, such as eyes or fingerprints, to digitally verify identity to help its members move faster through security at select airports nationwide. Receive up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express® Green Card.
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
$40/yrGetting into your rental car can be the start of a great vacation. When you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental car counter, you can be covered if the car is damaged or stolen. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.
Global Assist® Hotline
$25/yrWhenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, you may be eligible for 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services, including medical, legal, and passport referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Other terms and conditions apply.
ShopRunner
$25/yrGet free 2-day shipping on eligible items at a growing network of 100+ online stores with ShopRunner.
Related encyclopedia topics
Common questions about the American Express Green
Where do cardholders spend most with the American Express Green?
Madeen's RewardsCC catalog snapshot shows the strongest bonus categories on coffee (3x), fast food (3x), other food and drink (3x) for the American Express Green. These are anonymized issuer category signals, not individual cardholder transactions. Route everyday spend through categories that match your habits, then compare effective rates with Madeen at checkout.
Does the American Express Green have an annual fee?
The American Express Green carries an annual fee of $150 in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Issuer terms can change, so confirm the current fee on the issuer's site before you apply. Madeen does not predict approval or prequalification.
What category earns the most with the American Express Green?
Dining is the strongest Madeen category for the American Express Green at about 1.8% effective value, based on our catalog snapshot and standard point valuations. Other categories are listed in the effective-rate table on this page.
Does the American Express Green charge foreign transaction fees?
The American Express Green does not charge a foreign transaction fee in Madeen's catalog snapshot, which can make it stronger for purchases outside the U.S. Issuer terms still control international acceptance and other fees.
What is the American Express Green welcome bonus?
The American Express Green welcome offer in our snapshot: 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.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change.
Is the American Express Green annual fee worth it?
Whether the $150 annual fee pays off depends on how much you spend in dining and whether you use the card's benefits. Compare effective rates across the cards you already carry in Madeen.
How does the American Express Green compare to similar cards?
Compare the American Express Green against Hilton Honors American Express Aspire (3.5% on Dining, $550 fee); Hilton Honors American Express Surpass (3% on Dining, $150 fee); Hilton Honors Business (3% on Dining, $195 fee). Madeen ranks effective value by category and annual fee using the same catalog snapshot dated 2026-05-01.
| Card | Top category | Effective value | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
American Express Green This card | Dining | 1.8% | $150 |
| Dining | 3.5% | $550 | |
American Express | Dining | 3% | $150 |
American Express | Dining | 3% | $195 |
American Express | Dining | 2.8% | $250 |
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American Express and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of American Express. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure