American Express® Green Card Update: New Features & Details

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The iconic American Express® Green Card turned 50 this year. And, until now, it hadn’t received a makeover like some of the other charge cards offered from American Express.

But it turns out that you can teach an old card new tricks. The refreshed American Express® Green Card comes with a redesigned look and revamped benefits.

Here are some of the key features of the updated American Express® Green Card.

• 30,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $2,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of membership
• Up to $100 in statement credits on eligible purchases made directly with Away within the first three months of card membership for new cardholders who apply by Jan. 15, 2020
• Up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year for purchases with LoungeBuddy
• Up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year toward purchase of Clear membership
• 3X Membership Rewards® points on restaurants worldwide and eligible travel expenses including transit
• No foreign transaction fees

The new American Express® Green Card will also be “greener” than before — since it’s made primarily out of reclaimed plastic with the nonprofit Parley for the Oceans.

American Express is also unveiling a new digital membership experience offering things like a mobile assistant to book travel, integration with PayPal and Venmo, and flexibility to either pay in full or carry a balance with interest on eligible charges.

All these new features come with a new price tag to match, however. The new annual fee is $150 — up from $95.

You can apply for the new card as of Oct. 24.

Want to know more?

• Is the refreshed American Express® Green Card worth it?
• What else should you keep in mind?

Is the refreshed American Express® Green Card worth it?

Before this revamp, the American Express® Green Card was a fairly basic charge card. The old version offered only two points back for each dollar spent on travel through the Amex travel portal and one point back on everything else.

Charge card vs. credit card: What’s the difference?

Frequent travelers could be enticed by the new American Express® Green Card’s addition of up to $100 in statement credits toward Clear membership, up to $100 in statement credits toward purchases with LoungeBuddy and a limited-time offer of up to $100 in statement credits for eligible purchases made with Away within three months of card membership. Plus, cardholders earn three points for each dollar spent on restaurants and travel including transit. This card’s perks don’t come with the price tag that may come with other travel cards.

At the same time, if you’re more than an occasional traveler or want to earn rewards for your travel with no annual fee, there are some no annual fee travel rewards card options as well.

What else should you keep in mind?

Before deciding whether to apply for the revamped American Express® Green Card, it’s important to keep in mind how you’ll use the card if you’re approved.

If you do apply for the card, make sure you also read all of the card’s terms and conditions carefully.