Amex Green vs Amex Gold: How to decide which travel rewards card is best for you

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The American Express® Green Card, one of the oldest Amex rewards cards, just became a more enticing option for travelers as it can now earn up to a $189 statement credit each year toward a CLEAR® membership (was previously a $100 credit). 

That said, the American Express® Gold Card is considered to be more premium than the American Express® Green Card since it offers a higher welcome bonus, better earning rates, and more benefits. However, you'll have to pay a larger annual fee and meet a higher minimum spending requirement to earn its welcome bonus offer. 

Both Amex cards have their own set of pros and cons, but the best card for you depends on your spending habits and how much you're willing to spend for premium perks. So if you're considering either of these cards, it makes sense to compare them side by side.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Compare Amex Green Card vs Amex Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Green Card both earn flexible Membership Rewards points that you can redeem for travel, merchandise, statement credits, and more. You'll typically get the most value from your rewards when you transfer them to Amex's airline and hotel partners for award travel. 

Amex Membership Rewards points are worth 1.8 cents each, on average, based on Insider's points and miles valuations. Both the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Green Card offer new cardholders substantial welcome bonus offers. 

Here's how they compare:

The American Express® Gold Card's bonus may be higher but you'll need to meet its high minimum spending requirement first. If that doesn't seem feasible, you might consider getting the American Express® Green Card instead. 

Earning points

The earning rates for both of these cards can be lucrative, but you might earn more points with one card over another depending on how you spend. The American Express® Gold Card earns rewards points in a variety of everyday categories, including:

• 4x points at restaurants
• 4x points at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x)
• 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
• 1x points on all other purchases

The Amex Green Card, on the other hand, earns: 

• 3x points on travel (including flights, hotels, transit, taxis, tours, and ridesharing services)
• 3x points on dining worldwide
• 1x point on all other purchases

With these rates in mind, it's easy to see how the Amex Green Card might be better suited for folks who spend a lot on travel purchases each year. Likewise, the American Express® Gold Card could be a better deal (and worth the higher annual fee) if you spend a ton on dining and at US supermarkets.

Annual fee

The annual fee on the Amex Gold Card is $250, whereas the Amex Green Card charges American Express® Green Card per year. Both cards' annual fees can be well worth it if you're able to use their annual credits and make the most of the rewards you earn, but you should still keep this detail in mind.

Benefits — what's different?

Before we dive into the benefits and credits each card offers, it's important to note that American Express tends to make its credits harder to use than some other issuers. This is mostly because the credits its cards offer are very specific, whereas many other card issuers like Chase and Capital One offer annual credits that can be used easily and for a wide range of purchases.

With that being said, here are some of the credits you can earn with either the Amex Gold Card or the Amex Green Card.

Dining credits with the Amex Gold card

The Amex Gold Card also offers up to $120 in dining credits each year**, but once again, this credit is only good for specific purchases. The fine print for this credit clearly states that you can earn up to $10 in credits monthly for purchases made with GrubHub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Wine.com, Goldbelly, Milk Bar, and participating Shake Shack locations.

If you rarely dine at any of these establishments, this $120 credit won't do much for you at all.

LoungeBuddy credits with the Amex Green card

The Amex Green Card also gives you up to $100 in LoungeBuddy credits each year. LoungeBuddy is an airport lounge program that is not quite as good as Priority Pass. You get up to $100 in credits for lounge entry booked through the LoungeBuddy app each year, which may not go far since entry into the 700+ LoungeBuddy lounges can cost anywhere from $29 to $75 each time.

Credit for CLEAR® with the Amex Green card

The Amex Green Card also gives you up to a $189 credit toward CLEAR® membership, which works similarly to TSA PreCheck. Once again, this credit is very specific and may not matter to everyone since CLEAR® isn't available at nearly as many airports as TSA PreCheck. 

Benefits shared by both cards

The Amex Gold Card and Amex Green Card share a handful of benefits that can help you get more value in exchange for your annual fee. Here are the perks you can get with either card:

No foreign transaction fees

Both cards let you avoid paying foreign transaction fees on purchases you make outside the US. This perk will save you from having to pay an additional 3% for purchases you make when you travel.

Car rental coverage

Both cards offer up to $50,000 in coverage for damage or theft of a rental vehicle. You do have to pay the full rental amount with your card to qualify for this coverage.

Baggage insurance

Both cards offer the same baggage insurance coverage. When you pay for travel with a common carrier with your card, you'll get up to $1,250 in coverage for the replacement of carry-on baggage and up to $500 for the replacement of checked luggage. You can also qualify for an additional $250 in coverage for each person per covered trip for high-risk items like jewelry, sports equipment, electronics, and more.

Amex Gold vs. Amex Green: The biggest differences

Which card is best for you?

Both the Amex Gold Card and Amex Green Card can be extremely lucrative if you are able to use their annual credits, but you may find one card could help you earn more points each year depending on how you spend. Make sure you compare both cards in terms of their earning rates, welcome bonuses, and ongoing benefits before you decide.

The Amex Green Card is more beneficial for travelers who spend a lot on travel bookings. Plus, if you can use the $189 statement credit for a CLEAR® membership and LoungeBuddy credits, this card will be a great fit. 

Otherwise, the Amex Gold Card is the better card for folks who spend a lot at restaurants and US supermarkets, and don't mind paying the high annual fee.

If you're unsure about either of these cards, it also makes sense to compare other travel credit cards and general rewards cards before you pull the trigger.