American Categorical Inexperienced Card evaluation: Precious rewards for a modest price

Why we like this card: The American Categorical® Inexperienced Card gives a priceless rewards construction on journey and eating bills, in addition to broad travel-related perks, with a mid-range annual price. 

American Categorical® Inexperienced Card

Intro Bonus

Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your new card in your first 6 months of card membership.

Annual price	$150
Common APR	See Pay Over Time APR

American Categorical Inexperienced Card: Overview

Card kind: Journey

APR

• Intro: None
• Buy: See Pay Over Time APR
• Annual price: $150
• Overseas transaction price: 0%

The American Categorical Inexperienced Card gives a spread of options and advantages that make it a compelling selection for individuals who need a versatile and rewarding bank card. Cardholders can maximize their spending on journey, eating, and extra with as much as 3x factors again on purchases.

The American Categorical Inexperienced Card additionally gives a number of journey advantages, together with as much as $189 per calendar 12 months in assertion credit for CLEAR Plus, as much as $100 in assertion credit yearly for lounge entry, journey delay insurance coverage, automotive rental protection, and extra. Moreover, the cardboard gives no international transaction charges, making it a terrific selection for worldwide vacationers. Cardholders additionally obtain entry to the World Help Hotline, which supplies help in case of emergencies whereas touring overseas. Cardholders who reap the benefits of these advantages ought to obtain much more worth than they spend on the $150 annual price.

American Categorical Inexperienced Card: Rewards

The Inexperienced Card from American Categorical supplies beneficiant rewards factors throughout a number of classes:

• 3x Membership Rewards® factors on journey, together with flights, inns, trip leases, and extra
• 3x Membership Rewards® factors on transit, together with trains, buses, ferries, subway, and extra.
• 3x Membership Rewards® factors on eating worldwide, in addition to takeout and supply within the U.S.
• 1x Membership Rewards® factors on all different purchases

Moreover, new cardmembers can earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your new card in your first 6 months of card membership.

The best way to redeem American Categorical Inexperienced Card membership factors

When you’ve earned membership factors in your Gold Card spending, American Categorical supplies a variety of methods to make use of them. Remember that the worth of your factors will fluctuate relying the way you redeem them. Generally, factors are price 0.5 cents to 1 cent every. 

Ebook or improve journey

To get probably the most worth out of your membership factors, use them to e-book flights, reserve inns, or redeem for upgrades (when accessible) via the American Categorical web site or instantly with journey companions.

Switch your factors to companions

One of many perks of incomes membership factors with American Categorical is you can switch them to different airline and resort frequent traveler loyalty applications. These embrace Air Canada, Emirates, JetBlue, and extra.

Pay with factors

An alternative choice is to make use of your factors as cost when trying out at 15 totally different on-line retailers. You too can pay with factors when trying out via PayPal, primarily permitting you to make use of factors at hundreds of thousands of on-line shops world wide.

Cowl your expenses

Sure expenses in your card are eligible to be paid off by way of factors. Merely request a press release credit score equal to a number of eligible expenses in your month-to-month assertion. Observe that you simply want a minimal of 1,000 factors to make use of this selection.

Redeem for present playing cards 

Lastly, it’s potential to redeem membership factors for present playing cards at a variety of retail, eating, air, and lodging firms. These embrace Amazon, Resorts.com, Ticketmaster, and extra.

Further advantages

• $199 CLEAR Plus credit score: Rise up to $199 per 12 months in assertion credit once you pay for a CLEAR Plus membership along with your card.
• $100 credit score for lounge entry: Should you use your Inexperienced Card to buy lounge entry via LoungeBuddy, you’ll be able to obtain as much as $100 in assertion credit per 12 months.
• Journey delay insurance coverage: By paying for a spherical journey along with your card, delays of greater than 12 hours for lined causes could qualify for reimbursement of as much as $300 per journey. A most of two claims are allowed per eligible account, per 12 consecutive month interval. 
• Automotive rental loss and harm insurance coverage: Use your card to order and pay for your entire rental, plus decline the collision harm waiver (CDW) on the rental counter, and you’ll be lined for harm to or theft of a rental car.
• Baggage insurance coverage plan: You’ll be lined as much as $1,250 for carry-on baggage and as much as $500 for checked baggage, in extra of protection offered by the provider, in case your baggage is misplaced, broken, or stolen. You should buy your entire fare for a typical provider car ticket (e.g. aircraft, practice, ship, or bus) along with your card.
• World Help Hotline: You might be eligible for twenty-four/7 emergency help and coordination companies once you journey greater than 100 miles from house.
• ShopRunner: Get free, two-day transport on eligible objects with ShopRunner once you enroll in complimentary membership
• Buy safety: Eligible purchases that you simply pay for along with your Inexperienced Card are protected for as much as 90 days from the acquisition date, as much as $1,000 per incidence and $50,000 per calendar 12 months.
• Prolonged guarantee: Rise up to 1 additional 12 months added to the unique producer’s guarantee on warranties of 5 years or much less once you use your card to make a lined buy.

Is the American Categorical Inexperienced Card best for you?

American Categorical gives a number of journey rewards playing cards with various ranges of rewards, advantages, and prices. General, the American Categorical Inexperienced Card is an efficient selection for those who journey usually all year long, however not extensively to the purpose that it will warrant paying the upper annual price on a luxurious card.

Bank cards much like the American Categorical Inexperienced Card

With so many journey playing cards available on the market, deciding which one is best for you takes a while and analysis. Earlier than selecting the Amex Inexperienced Card, take into account these shut alternate options. 

Capital One Enterprise Rewards Card vs. American Categorical Inexperienced Card

The Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card is one other sturdy choice to contemplate for those who’re on the lookout for a journey card with transferable factors and a modest annual price. The Enterprise card gives 5x miles on inns, trip leases and rental vehicles booked via Capital One Journey and provides cardholders the chance to earn 75,000 Miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first 3 months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Journey credit score in your first cardholder 12 months – that is equal to $1,000 in journey. It additionally gives journey perks much like the Inexperienced Card, reminiscent of an annual assertion credit score for World Entry or TSA PreCheck.

American Categorical Gold Card vs. American Categorical Inexperienced Card

Each the American Categorical® Gold Card and Inexperienced Card are mid-tier rewards playing cards supplied by American Categorical. The Gold Card, nonetheless, is geared extra towards foodies, with 4X Membership Rewards® factors per greenback spent on purchases at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1X factors for the remainder of the 12 months) The Gold Card’s annual price is a bit larger at $325 per 12 months. For more information, see our comparability of the Amex Inexperienced to the Amex Gold and the Amex Platinum.

To view charges and charges of the American Categorical® Gold Card, see this web page.

Regularly requested questions

Is the Amex Inexperienced Card higher than Gold?

Which card is healthier is determined by your spending habits. The Inexperienced Card is designed to reward frequent vacationers, whereas the Gold Card is healthier suited for individuals who spend quite a bit on journey and meals purchases. 

Do it’s important to repay the American Categorical Inexperienced Card each month?

The Amex Inexperienced Card means that you can carry a stability with curiosity on sure eligible purchases. Nevertheless, you could pay the stability in full on purchases that don’t qualify for the Pay Over Time characteristic. 

Are you able to improve Amex Inexperienced to Platinum?

If you would like the chance to earn higher rewards and revel in much more journey advantages, it’s potential to improve your Inexperienced Card to the The Platinum Card® from American Categorical. American Categorical could attain out with improve gives on occasion, or you’ll be able to request one instantly by contacting the issuer.

Please observe that card particulars are correct as of the publish date, however are topic to vary at any time on the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the cardboard issuer to confirm charges, charges, and advantages earlier than making use of.

Phrases apply to American Categorical advantages and gives. Enrollment could also be required for choose American Categorical advantages and gives. Go to americanexpress.com to be taught extra.

Eligibility and Profit stage varies by Card. Phrases, Circumstances, and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Firm.