Update: The Green Card is no longer a charge card, starting today it is a regular credit card.
AMEX has long ignored the Green card as it marketed its Gold and Platinum cards.
The old annual fee was $95 and it was most useful as a downgrade option from the Gold or Platinum cards as it didn’t have any compelling benefits. The annual fee has been increased to $150, but it comes with new benefits.
With this link you can get 35K points for spending $2,000 in 3 months and you’ll get a $150 statement credit for purchasing Away luggage (You can also get a $20 Away discount at final checkout via this link). You may be able to get 45K points in an incognito browser, though I wasn’t able to get that offer.
The cards now offers triple points on travel and dining. That’s nice, though I value Chase points higher than AMEX points and those same categories are bonused on the Sapphire cards.
The Green card offers a $100 annual statement credit for CLEAR, which is great. That lowers the cost of membership from $109 to just $9/year for Delta or United cardholders/elites or from $119 to $19/year for non-cardholders or non-elite members. You can read more about CLEAR membership and pricing here. Hopefully we’ll see more cards give a CLEAR credit instead of the ubiquitous Global Entry credit.
The Green card also offers a $100 annual statement credit for LoungeBuddy. That will get you a couple of lounge passes, though their lounge network is limited. This is very weak compared to the Priority Pass membership offered by cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
There are no foreign transaction fees.
The card is a charge card, so it won’t have a hard credit line and it won’t count towards the maximum number of AMEX credit cards that you can have. As of today this is now a credit card and no longer a charge card.
The Green card offers 90 days of purchase protection, 1 year of extended warranty, secondary car rental insurance, and $300 of trip delay insurance as of 1/1/20. Return protection is being killed on 1/1/20. These benefits pale in comparison with the benefits offered by Chase premium cards.
Overall, I don’t see a compelling value here other than the welcome bonus. CLEAR is a nice benefit, but not enough to justify the $150 annual fee unless you can’t get cards from Chase.
Will you apply for the Green card?
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50 Comments On "AMEX Refreshes The Green Card"
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In case it is helpful, I will note that I am seeing the same terms and conditions as on many AMEX cards: “Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card or previous versions of the American Express® Green Card.”
So unfortunately, might not be worth trying for this card and the new benefits if you have had it in the past.
Thanks Dan and team for everything you do!
Correct. Same goes if you ever downgraded to it in the past, even if you didn’t get a bonus.
Yes you got the card? How??
Will you get bonus if you currently have AMEX Gold?
Do I get these benefits if I am already a card holder?
Yes
Not if you already have this card.
the card benefits, yes. The welcome bonus, no.
I do alot of Home Depot shopping. What card would give me most points per dollar spent…. not as concerned with signing bonus….
Maybe try something like the AmEx Gold, which gives 4x points on grocery stores. Then buy HD gift cards at a grocery store.
I’m doing too much to buy gift cards
You can buy gift cards of home depot on staples.com using a chase ink cash or plus to get 5 points per doller. Also i think you could buy it in store as well as office depot/ office max.
I have a few green cards for additional card holders under my platinum card, how are those cards affected? Who receives the benefits? Platinum is still a charge card will the green get limits?
You don’t get benefits or bonus points with AU Green or Gold on Platinum cards.
So is there any option left for downgrading the Platinum card and getting a prorated annual fee refund?
Call and let us know what they say. They may still be allowing downgrading to Green.
Is there another downgrade option besides the green card?
Gold.
Are you sure about the charge card to cc change? I got approved as a sixth card
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/10/24/american-express-green-card-revamp-new-look-50th-anniversary/4083460002/
You sure it’s not a charge card ? I also got approved and I am now at 6.
45k if you apply incognito!!!
Erm, read the post?
I read your source and it say “The Green Card also will function more like a credit card” . It just says it will function like a credit card not it is a credit card .
AMEX PR also contacted me and asked that I correct my post to note that as of today it is a credit and not a charge card
I’ve asked for clarification on the 5 card limit.
Did you ask for clarification on it being a credit card? Mine as well as others show as a charge card with no limit.
I have asked for clarification on that as well.
today i applied for a delta card and was auto declined. called customer service and they told me that i have 5 credit cards and listed the green card as a credit card. i sed i have only 4 as the green card is a charge card…. finally convinced them to push the application tru and got accepted cuz she told me your right im not sure why its comin up as a credit card in the system…
Try to check spending availability and it will tell you limit that they assigned for your card
Will the green card now have a CL?
So confusing..
Why do you consider chase points more valuable then amex after united devaluation?
1. United is still better than Delta.
2. AMEX charges a fee to transfer to US partners.
3. Chase has Hyatt, AMEX has no good hotel partner.
4. Chase points are worth a minimum of 1.5 cents for any travel with CSR or 1.25 cents with CSP/IBP.
There’s more, but that’s for starters.
Would
Love a post on this
1 amex has aeroplan and avianca which in most occasions is a far better value then united points
2 same as 1 and no fee for those transfer
3 true but amex has better airlines partners
4 amex business platinum for business travel has a 35% points rebate which is more them 1.5 cents per point
1. Aeroplan has YQ on many airlines. Avianca doesn’t see lots of award space. Neither have access to United expanded award space.
3. Highly debatable, but without a good hotel partner the points are less versatile.
4. That requires a $595 card. And it’s only good for one airline in coach. And it’s not good for hotels, car rentals, or activities like Chase is.
1this is getting offset by w United charging far more miles on partner airlines to most places and of course there is some hiccups to go threw with avianca but for milage savvy ppl it is a better option
3 its much easier to get a high value for points with an airline then a hotel partner even as its hyatt your still stuck usealy for the most part for 0.02 point value
4 CSR also has a high annual fee
Bottom line i wouldn’t call chase points more valuable
1. Agree to disagree.
3. I’d rather get a good value for my points on airlines and hotels and not pay for anything.
4. No, it does not thanks to the $300 travel credit good anywhere vs the $200 AMEX credit that is harder to use then ever.
Bottom line: Strongly agree to disagree.
So you’re stuck if you want to downgrade from Gold then? What would happen to all my membership rewards points? Am not sure I want to keep my Gold anymore but my renewal isn’t up till next spring. Any ideas what to do?
Applied incognito for 45k instant approval as charge card without set CL.
same
” (You can also get a $20 Away discount at final checkout via this link).”
How does this work? Is there a code?
Just use the link and the discount will be applied automatically.
Dan- if your renewal date is before 1/1/2020, will you be charged the old $95 AF and still be eligible for the CLEAR benefits and/or Away credit? Thanks!
Hi Dan,
Thanks for all the informative posts. Would you consider writing a post summarizing which cards to use for booking tickets (with miles or cash) for travel insurance etc.? Thanks.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY “CHARGE LINE”?!
I just got this email from Amex…..
Your American Express ® Traditional Green Card benefits and fee haven’t changed.
You may have heard that we recently made some changes to the American Express® Green Card, including enhanced rewards and a higher annual fee. While we did make changes to some Cards, please know that we didn’t make any changes to your American Express Traditional Green Card account. Your existing Card benefits and Annual Membership Fee are remaining the same.
Earn Membership Rewards® Points
Beginning October 24, 2019, you will earn one Membership Rewards® point for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on the American Express® Green Card. Travel: You will earn 2 additional points (for a total of 3 points) for each dollar charged on eligible travel purchases including airfare, hotels, cruises, car rentals, campgrounds, trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, tours, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, subways, on third party travel websites, and on amextravel.com. You will not earn additional points for purchases of timeshare properties. Restaurants: You will earn 2 additional points (for a total of 3 points) for each dollar charged at restaurants. You may not earn additional points for purchases at a restaurant located within another establishment (e.g. a restaurant inside a hotel, casino, or event venue). For example, purchases made at a restaurant located within a hotel may be recognized as a purchase at a hotel, not a restaurant. You will not earn additional points for purchases at bars, nightclubs, cafeterias, and convenience stores.
Hi Dan, I had the gold, and got downgraded to green for $150 , but I fighted out with them cause heard friend did the same and got 15k points but I only got 3k, any other option downgrading from gold? Didn’t wanna cancel didn’t want it on my credit
Very Strange. I just tried opening the card and received a pop up saying “based on the prior card openings you are not eligible to receive welcome offer”. I was in incognito browser mode and was able to pull up the 45,000 point offer. I have not opened an Amex card in over 3 years and never held the platinum, gold or green cards. I also do not think I am over 5/24. Why would I get this message popping up? Also, I chose to cancel the application after the receiving the pop up message. I’m assuming that means there was no credit pull?
Dan,
Does the American Express Business “green” card still have global entry credit?