AmEx Business Green Card Unveils Limited-Time Rewards Boost

» This offer has expired

The limited-time offer described in this article expired in November 2019. For more information, see our full review of the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express.

The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is getting a temporary makeover.

Instead of a traditional upfront welcome offer, the small-business card now comes with the following:

Limited Time Offer: Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on your combined eligible purchases on the Card, up to the first $50,000, at U.S. restaurants, on hotel stays booked directly with hotels, and on airfare purchased directly from airlines in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 11/6/2019.

Previously, the card offered new cardholders 5,000 Membership Rewards points after the first purchase, but that opportunity isn't part of this new offer. The other change is that the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express will also no longer waive its first-year annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95 (This offer is no longer valid on our site.).

The card will continue to earn:

• 2 Membership Rewards points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases at amextravel.com.

• 1 point for each dollar you spend on other eligible purchases.

• Terms apply.

Since the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is a charge card, you generally must pay in full each month and cannot carry a balance.

» MORE: Full review of the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express

Is this a good deal?

It depends. NerdWallet values Membership Rewards points at an average of a penny each, so this new offer has the potential to earn you as much as 150,000 points, worth about $1,500 when redeemed.

But to hit that maximum, you would have to spend $50,000 combined in the bonus categories in only three months. The previous bonus of 5,000 Membership Points was worth about $50 — but it could be earned with any amount of spending on your first purchase made with the card.

If you're already planning some large upfront purchases for your small business and you know you can pay the balance in full each month, the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express could be a decent choice to stockpile rewards relatively quickly. But if you're looking for a card with better long-term earning potential, or you want a break on interest charges, look elsewhere.

One card that offers better all-around rewards is the Capital One Spark Cash for Business. It earns an unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase and has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95. There's also a nice sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $500 cash bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

If you typically carry a balance, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express offers ongoing earnings of 2X the points on your first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year and 1X points on spending above $50,000. Terms apply. Plus, the card offers a 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 18.49%-26.49% Variable APR. That could give you some breathing room to tackle a big purchase or pay down some debt.

For other options, see NerdWallet's best small-business credit cards