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For travelers, the flagship American Express cards — the American Express® Green Card, the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express Platinum Card® — all stand out as valuable, versatile choices. And they have certain features in common: All three come with attractive perks, Membership Rewards points and three-digit annual fees.
So, which one is right for you? When reviewing the three cards, we found the American Express® Green Card offered the most compelling combination of perks. Although it doesn't offer the most luxurious benefits, it comes with robust rewards, potentially valuable credits and the lowest annual fee of the bunch.
There are good reasons you might choose to go with one of the other cards, though. Ultimately, the right choice for you depends on what you're looking for:
- For travel and dining rewards for a relatively low cost: The American Express® Green Card, which carries an annual fee of $150, is the ideal choice (see rates and fees).
- For rich dining perks: The American Express® Gold Card, which has an annual fee of $325, outshines the others (see rates and fees).
- For luxury travel perks: The American Express Platinum Card®, which has an annual fee of $895, is the superior option (see rates and fees).
- Terms apply.
How they stack up
Annual fee
Winner: American Express® Green Card
All three of these AmEx cards carry annual fees north of $100. But the American Express® Green Card is the least expensive, which might make it more attractive to some. The American Express Platinum Card® is the priciest, with an annual fee of almost $900, and the American Express® Gold Card lands in the middle.
Benefits
Winner: American Express Platinum Card®
When it comes to perks, the American Express Platinum Card® totally dominates — not just among these three AmEx cards, but among consumer cards more generally: It offers a dizzyingly long list of statement credits and perks, including access to American Express Global Lounge Collection's extensive network of airport lounges, up to $200 in Uber Cash each year, a $200 airline fee credit for purchases like checked bags and in-flight refreshments and an application fee credit for CLEAR+ and TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.* Terms apply; enrollment required. (CLEAR+ helps you speed through the prescreening line at select airports, but doesn’t shorten the actual security screening process. It also helps you get into certain venues and stadiums faster.)
The American Express® Gold Card and American Express® Green Card also offer impressive benefits, just not as many.
The American Express® Gold Card, for instance, is the only card of the three that offers $120 in annual dining credits at select locations. Plus, it offers up to $120 a year in Uber Cash ($10 a month), good toward U.S. Uber Eats orders and Uber rides when you add your card to the Uber app and use it to pay. Terms apply.
The American Express® Green Card features an annual credit for CLEAR+ membership. Terms apply.
Bonus categories
Winner: American Express® Green Card and American Express® Gold Card (tie)
When it comes to raking in the Membership Rewards points, two of these three cards really shine: the American Express® Green Card and the American Express® Gold Card. The American Express® Green Card stands out as the card with the highest rewards on most travel purchases. The American Express® Gold Card is superior for foodie rewards, offering generous bonus points on restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.
The American Express Platinum Card® is relatively lackluster when it comes to ongoing rewards, as the rewards categories are narrowly defined. That makes it considerably harder to take advantage of the card’s bonus rewards rates.
Here’s what the cards offer:
American Express® Green Card
- 3 points per $1 spent on travel including flights, hotels, transit, taxis, and ridesharing services; and at restaurants worldwide. Terms apply.
American Express® Gold Card
- 5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels booked through American Express.
- 4 points per $1 spent at restaurants (on up to $50,000 a year in spending).
- 4 points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in spending).
- 3 points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express. Terms apply.
American Express Platinum Card®
- 5 points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express on up to $500,000 in spending per year, and on prepaid hotels booked through American Express. Terms apply.
Top pick: The American Express® Green Card
Among these three AmEx cards, the American Express® Green Card offers the most value considering its rich rewards and a relatively reasonable annual fee. For many, that makes it the strongest choice — even if its side perks aren't as generous. But its sibling cards, the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express Platinum Card®, may have more appeal for those looking for richer dining perks or a more luxurious travel experience, respectively.
*More from American Express
American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details
All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The American Express® Green Card is no longer available through NerdWallet. To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, see this page.
