Amex Gold vs. Amex Green: A popular product against an underrated choice
The American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Green Card are two of the most iconic cards offered — the Amex Green alone has been around for over 50 years.
But classic doesn’t mean outdated, as these cards have received dramatic makeovers in recent years, resulting in two competitive products aimed at different market segments. The Amex Green is more focused on travel, while the Amex Gold is better suited for everyday spending on groceries and eating out.
Let’s take a deep dive into the features and benefits of these two products and see which one might be the better fit for you.
Related: Amex Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Which card is right for you?
The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Amex Gold vs. Amex Green comparison
| Benefit detail | American Express Green Card | American Express Gold Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $250 (see rates and fees) |
| Welcome bonus | Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of card membership. |
| Earning categories |
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| Travel benefits |
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| Additional benefits |
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Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Gold: Credit card showdown
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
***Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
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Amex Gold vs. Amex Green welcome offer
Both cards have an attractive welcome offer.
The Amex Green offers 40,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
On the other hand, the Amex Gold offers 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of card membership.
Using TPG’s valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, these point bonuses are worth $800 and $1,200, respectively.
Sometimes, the cards offer higher targeted welcome offers through the CardMatch Tool (offer subject to change at any time), so be sure to check this tool before applying for a card.
Note that if you’ve held either of these cards before, you’re almost certainly ineligible for a second welcome offer. Despite the revamps both cards have received in the past few years, they’re still considered the same products. If you hold or previously held the Amex Gold, you may not be eligible for the Amex Green’s welcome offer. In addition, American Express also considers other factors to determine welcome offer eligibility, though it should notify you of your status before you submit your application and face a hard inquiry.
Winner: The Amex Gold comes out ahead here since its welcome offer gives you more points. The requirement for $6,000 in spending within six months is easy for most people to complete.
Related: Ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions
Amex Gold Vs. Amex Green benefits
A standout benefit of the Amex Green is its up to $189 annual statement credit toward a Clear Plus membership, which is enough to fully cover the cost of one adult membership. The Amex Green Card also offers an annual up to $100 LoungeBuddy credit, which can be applied to the admission fee for hundreds of lounges worldwide. This could be somewhat valuable to those who don’t already have a Priority Pass Select benefit from a different credit card. Terms apply. Enrollment is required.
The Amex Gold offers up to $120 in Uber Cash. With this benefit, you’ll receive up to $10 monthly in Uber Cash credit, which can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. The Amex Gold also offers $10 monthly statement credits at select establishments, including The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. If none of those appeal to you, you can apply that credit to delivery or takeout orders from Grubhub. Terms apply. Enrollment is required.
Both cards offer car rental loss and damage coverage (secondary coverage)*, baggage insurance** and trip delay protection.*** However, the Amex Gold also provides access to benefits and discounts when booking accommodations through The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay required). Terms apply.
You’ll also notice that both cards offer purchase protection^ and extended warranty benefits^ — an important card feature to have for many purchases (especially those that can break easily).
Additionally, both cards come with free ShopRunner two-day delivery from select online merchants and the American Express Entertainment Access program that gives you preferred access to shows and sporting events. Enrollment is required
Winner: Given that both cards offer the same travel protections, the Amex Green comes out ahead with its valuable Clear and LoungeBuddy credits. While the Amex Gold offers some solid credits for dining and Uber, they can be challenging to use for those who don’t already eat at eligible restaurants or use Uber frequently.
Related: A complete guide to the Amex Gold dining credit
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
***Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
^Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Earning with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Green
The Amex Green offers 3 points per dollar on travel — including transit purchases such as taxis and ride-hailing services. You’ll also earn 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The Amex Gold offers 4 points per dollar dining at restaurants worldwide and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar). You’ll also earn 3 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly with the airline or through Amex Travel. For all other purchases, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar.
When you compare these rates, the Amex Gold offers you 33% more points dining at restaurants than the Amex Green. You’ll also earn bonus points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets with the Gold, while the same purchases with the Green will only net you 1 point per dollar.
Although they both offer 3 points per dollar on select travel purchases, the Amex Green offers bonus points on a wider range of travel-related purchases. This means anything coded as “travel” on your monthly statement will receive the bonus points.
For Amex Gold, you’ll earn 3 points per dollar on a limited number of airline-specific purchases, including airfare purchased directly from the airline (not an online travel agency) or through Amex Travel. This means you’ll only earn 1 point per dollar for hotels, cruises, transit and many other travel-related purchases.
Winner: The Amex Gold offers earnings that suit most people’s spending habits better than the Amex Green’s earnings do. While the Amex Green offers solid travel rewards, it’s hard to beat the usefulness of earning 4 points per dollar dining at restaurants and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1 point after).
Related: Best ways to earn airline miles
Redeeming points with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Green
Both the Amex Green and Amex Gold enjoy access to American Express’s 21 transfer partners. You’ll get the most value from your Membership Rewards points by utilizing transfer partners. You can also choose to redeem your points for gift cards, Amazon purchases, shopping with Membership Rewards, travel bookings made through Amex or to cover eligible charges.
Using any method aside from transferring your points to transfer partners will cause you to fall short of TPG’s Membership Reward valuation of 2 cents per point.
Winner: Tie. Since both cards have access to the same redemption options, there’s no clear winner here.
Related: Everything you need to know about Amex Travel
Transferring points with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Green
The Amex Green and Amex Gold share the same transfer partners. Cardholders can access some of the best loyalty programs available as transfer partners, including Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air Canada Aeroplan. You’ll usually be able to transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio.
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson frequently transfers Membership Rewards points to Delta whenever Delta runs award flash sales. He recently transferred just 8,000 points for a round-trip economy ticket from Seattle to Cancun.
Winner: Tie. The Amex Gold and Amex Green have access to the same transfer partners, meaning there’s no winner here.
Related: American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners
Should I get the Amex Gold or the Amex Green?
The Amex Gold’s ability to earn bonus points dining at restaurants and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (up to the first $25,000 per calendar year) makes it a great fit for the average spender. Still, if you’re a frequent commuter or find it hard to justify the Amex Gold’s $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), the Amex Green may be a better option. Since both cards have identical redemption options and transfer partners, the choice comes down to your spending habits and the benefits you think you’ll use best.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold: Which mid-tier favorite is right for you?
How to switch from the Amex Green to the Amex Gold
Since these two cards exist in the same ecosystem and card family, it’s possible to swap between them. If you want to switch your Amex Green to an Amex Gold, or vice versa, call the number on the back of your card or use American Express’s online customer chat function. Make sure to tell the representative which card you currently hold and which you’d like to transfer to. Keep in mind that an online chat representative may still tell you to call the number on the back of your card.
We recommend waiting at least one year from the date your account was opened before requesting a product change. Before doing so, however, know that changing doing so will prevent you from earning the welcome offer on that card.
Related: The ultimate guide to credit card upgrades
Bottom line
Although the Amex Green has much to offer, its more upscale sibling — the Amex Gold — is still a better fit for most. Using Amex Gold to earn more at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets is likely more attractive to most people than Amex Green’s bonus-earning potential on a wider range of travel purchases. Still, the Amex Green is a solid option with a lower annual fee, useful travel credits and broad bonus categories.
For more details, check out our full reviews of the Amex Green and Amex Gold.
Apply here: Amex Gold
Related: Amex Gold vs. Platinum: Which one is right for you?
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, please click here.
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