Amex Green vs. Amex Gold: Tons of benefits and rewards for foodies and travelers

The American Express Green Card® and the American Express® Gold Card both earn Membership Rewards points, which can be redeemed in a wide variety of ways. But the two cards have significant differences otherwise and are aimed at different spending types. Learn how each card stacks up when compared side-by-side to help you decide which one is right for your needs.

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When comparing the two cards’ annual fees, the Amex Gold card is more than twice as much as the Amex Green. The American Express Green Card has an annual fee of $150 and the American Express Gold Card has an annual fee of $325. Both cards justify their cost through high rewards in select categories and other benefits, but the Amex Green card will likely appeal to travelers who want strong rewards and don’t want to shell out for a more premium travel card. The Amex Gold does come with valuable credits for Dunkin, Uber, Resy, and select dining partners but you have to put in a little work to maximize these benefits.

Both cards come with solid new cardholder bonuses if you meet the minimum spending requirements, but the Amex Gold’s offer is higher than the Amex Green card’s welcome offer. The Amex Green grants new cardholders 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card in six months. The Amex Gold card’s new cardholder offer is 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on the card in six months.

Although the spending requirement is double on the Amex Gold, the payout is much more valuable, especially if you transfer those points to Amex’s travel loyalty partners, which include Delta Air Lines, JetBlue and Hilton.

The Amex Green card keeps things simple, earning 3x on travel, transit and dining and 1x on all other spending. It’s a well-rounded option for both frequent travelers and commuters alike. The Amex Gold card is built for foodies, with earnings of 4x on dining and groceries from U.S. supermarkets, 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, 2x on prepaid hotels and all other travel booked through Amex and 1x on all other spending.

Both cards earn Membership Rewards points, but with the cards’ different earning rates in different bonus categories, the winner will depend on your personal spending habits.

The Amex Green card comes with an annual $209 CLEAR Plus membership credit, which lets you to access expedited security lanes at participating airports. It also comes with trip delay insurance of up to $300 if a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, and baggage insurance for lost, stolen or damaged luggage for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked bags.

The Amex Gold card comes with a $120 annual Uber Cash credit in $10 monthly increments, an up to $84 Dunkin credit in $7 monthly increments, an up to $100 Resy credit in $50 increments semi-annually, and an up to $120 dining credit at eligible restaurants in $10 monthly increments. Enrollment required.

Although it’s not marketed as a travel card, the Amex Gold offers baggage insurance similar to the Amex Green card’s coverage, and a $100 credit for bookings of two nights or more with Amex’s The Hotel Collection properties.*

The Amex Gold offers a rich array of potential credits that could far outweigh the annual fee if fully maximized. Although the Amex Green has some nice extras, the Amex Gold cards comes with a robust offering.

*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.

It earns 3x points on a variety of travel purchases, like flights, hotels, tours and car rentals. Plus, it also earns 3x points on transit, such as taxis, rideshare, tolls, parking, buses and subways. The card is also one of just a handful of rewards cards that include reimbursement of CLEAR, which is an excellent alternative to Global Entry or TSA PreCheck in busy airports.

Plus, the card’s Membership Rewards can offer travelers terrific value on airline and hotel bookings, especially when transferred to one of Amex’s loyalty partners and booked directly with the supplier.

The Amex Gold Card is a terrific choice for foodies who want to maximize earning rewards on dining in and dining out. With up to 4x points on dining and groceries, your monthly food purchases can turn into a pile of points. While the card does have a steeper annual fee, its monthly credits for Uber Cash and dining can offset the cost. The best way to maximize these credits is to set reminders to use each one before they expire.

Many people own more than one card earn the maximum possible rewards on their spending. Since these two cards each have bonus categories that don’t overlap, you could benefit from owning both the Amex Green Card and the Amex Gold Card if most of your credit card spending is on travel, transit, dining and groceries.

However, keep in mind that the annual fees of owning both cards add up to $475. For it to be worth it, you’d have to maximize most, if not all, of the cards’ credits.

Why we like it: There are plenty of people who want to earn rewards without paying an annual fee. The no-. annual-fee Amex Blue Cash Everyday Credit Card could be a fit for those who fit in that category and spend a lot on groceries. The card earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%), 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%), 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%) and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout.

It also comes with a helpful introductory offer on purchases and balance transfers.

Why we like it: For true travel luxury, the Amex Platinum Card delivers. The card offers an array of upscale benefits that can make its hefty $895 annual fee worth it, especially for frequent fliers. Cardholders gain access to some of the most expansive airport lounge access available including the Centurion lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and 10 Delta Sky Club passes for eligible same-day flights each year.

You’ll also receive automatic Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold (activation required) and elite-style benefits on stays with Fine Hotels & Resorts. While the card has a premium $695 annual fee, you can offset the cost with numerous credits, like $200 in Uber Cash, $200 hotel credit, $200 airline fee reimbursement, $189 Clear Plus credit and more.

Why we like it: If you prefer to earn cash back instead of Membership Rewards points, the Blue Cash Preferred Card is an excellent choice. The card has a $0 annual fee the first year and then $95 annual fee after that and earns 6% cash back on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year, 6% on select streaming services, 3% on transit , 3% at U.S. gas stations and 1% on all other spending. The card also comes with a family-friendly streaming credit of up to $120 in $10 monthly statement credits good towards a subscription for DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com. New cardholders can also take advantage of the generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months.

This article was edited by Robin Saks Frankel

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