6 Things to Do When You Get the AmEx Green Card

After shopping around for a new travel rewards card, you've decided on the American Express® Green Card. Though this card has a $150 annual fee, its combination of rewards and travel perks make it a standout choice for booking trips and dining out. Terms apply.

The introductory welcome bonus offer is on par with other travel rewards cards. Currently, new members can qualify for the following welcome bonus offer: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

If you're ready to make the most of your new card, here are things to do next.

» Learn more: American Express has refreshed the Green Card. Who does it make sense for?

1. Earn the welcome bonus offer

If one of your reasons for getting the American Express® Green Card was the introductory welcome bonus offer, then there's no time to waste qualifying for it. You'll need to meet the minimum spending requirement, but you can do that by planning out your purchases.

» Learn more: NerdWallet’s full review of the American Express Green Card

2. Charge your Clear membership to the card

Clear is a travel program similar to TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, although it is run by a private company instead of the federal government. Clear uses biometrics (i.e., eye and fingerprint scans) to help you get through airport security faster.

When you use your American Express® Green Card to pay for Clear enrollment, you can receive up to $189 per year in statement credit toward the regular annual membership fee. Terms apply.

3. Hit the airport lounge

If you like to escape to the lounge between flights, the American Express® Green Card offers a nice money-saving perk. When you use your card to purchase lounge access through LoungeBuddy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each year for those purchases. Terms apply.

4. Get to know the rewards program

The American Express® Green Card is a travel rewards card, so it helps to know how the rewards work. With this card, you’ll earn 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on travel purchases, including flights, hotels, taxis and ridesharing services. You also earn 3 points per dollar on restaurants worldwide. Terms apply.

All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar, so you can rack up rewards anywhere American Express is accepted. Terms apply. Points are unlimited — the more you spend, the more you can earn.

» Learn more: Revamped AmEx Green Card: Better rewards, new credits, higher fee

5. Study up on redemption options

Membership Rewards points earned with the American Express® Green Card can be redeemed in a number of ways, but some yield more value than others. For example, 10,000 points can be worth $100 in flight credit — but if you opt to pay with points at Amazon, those same points would be worth $70.

You can compare points values and redemption options through the Membership Rewards portal. Knowing how you can use your points and what they're worth can help you stretch them as far as possible. And keep in mind that you can use your points to book travel with no blackout dates or restrictions through AmEx Travel. Plus, you have the option of transferring them to selected airline and hotel travel partners.

» Learn more: The 5 best AmEx transfer partners — and 8 to avoid

6. Check out the other card extras

While you might be focused on travel and earning points, the American Express® Green Card comes with plenty of other noteworthy perks to understand. Those include:

• Trip delay insurance.

• Car rental loss and damage insurance.

• Baggage insurance.

• Global Assist Hotline.

• AmEx Offers.

• ShopRunner membership.

• Purchase protection.

• Extended warranty protection.

• Exclusive entertainment access.

Terms apply.

All these benefits and features come together to make the American Express® Green Card even more valuable. Be sure to check out your benefits guide so you understand exactly how to use them.