Amex Gold vs. Amex Classic Green: A popular product against an underrated choice
Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
The American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Classic Green Card are two of the most iconic cards offered — they've both been around since the 1960s.
But classic doesn't mean outdated, as these cards have received significant makeovers in recent years, resulting in two competitive products aimed at different market segments.
The Amex Classic Green is more focused on travel, while the Amex Gold is better suited for spending on groceries and dining.
The Amex Classic Green is no longer accepting applications as of July 23, 2026.
The information for the American Express Classic Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Amex Gold vs. Amex Classic Green comparison
| Benefit detail | American Express Classic Green Card | American Express Gold Card |
|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $150 | $325 (see rates and fees) |
Welcome bonus | The card is no longer accepting applications, therefore it has no welcome offer. | Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. |
Earning rates |
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Statement credits and benefits |
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*Enrollment is required; terms apply.
˜The Amex Gold Card must be added to your Uber account and you can redeem your Uber and Uber Eats transactions with any Amex card.
^Eligible charges vary by property.
Amex Gold vs. Amex Classic Green welcome offer
With the Amex Gold, you can offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Using TPG's March 2025 valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, this offer is worth up to $2,000.
The Amex Classic Green, on the other hand, is no longer accepting applications and thus does not have a welcome offer.
Note that if you've held either of these cards before, you're almost certainly ineligible for a second welcome offer. Despite the revamps both cards have received in the past few years, they're still considered the same products.
If you have or have had the Classic Green, you should be able to get the welcome offer on the Gold.
In addition, American Express also considers other factors to determine welcome offer eligibility, though it should notify you of your status before you submit your application and face a hard inquiry.
Winner: Amex Gold.
Amex Gold Vs. Amex Classic Green benefits
Both cards offer travel and shopping protections as well as access to Amex Offers. And neither charges a foreign transaction fee.
A standout benefit of the Amex Classic Green is its up to $209 annual statement credit every calendar year toward a Clear+ membership. This is enough to fully cover the cost of one adult membership. (Enrollment is required; subject to auto-renewal.)
However, the Amex Gold offers much more value to cardmembers in the form of up to $424 in statement credits every year. (Individual credits detailed in the table above.)
Winner: Amex Gold. It offers more benefits than the Amex Classic Green.
Earning points with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Classic Green
The Amex Classic Green offers:
- 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide
- 3 points per dollar on eligible travel and transit
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
The Amex Gold offers:
- 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com or through the Amex Travel App
- 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent)
- 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent)
- 3 points per dollar spent on airfare purchased directly from the airline, through amextravel.com or through the Amex Travel App
- 2 points per dollar spent on car rentals booked through amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App
- 2 points per dollar spent on cruises booked through amextravel.com
- 1 point per dollar spent on other eligible purchases
The Gold earns 33% more points for dining at restaurants worldwide than the Amex Classic Green. You'll also earn bonus points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets with the Gold, while the same purchases with the Classic Green will only net you 1 point per dollar.
Although they both offer 3 points per dollar on select travel purchases, the Amex Classic Green offers bonus points on a wider range of travel-related purchases.
Winner: Amex Gold. It earns more points on dining and groceries, although the Amex Classic Green is better for travel.
Redeeming points with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Classic Green
Your redemption options are exactly the same with both cards, which include redeeming points for:
- Amazon purchases
- Eligible charges
- Gift cards
- Shopping with Membership Rewards
- Transfer partners (best value)
- Travel bookings made through Amex
Using any method aside from transferring your points to transfer partners will cause you to fall short of TPG's March 2025 Membership Reward valuation of 2 cents per point.
Winner: Tie
Related: Everything you need to know about Amex Travel
Transferring points with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Classic Green
You'll access the same 16 airline and four hotel transfer partners with both cards.
With most programs, you can convert your points at a 1:1 ratio. Key programs include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson frequently transfers Membership Rewards points to SkyMiles whenever Delta runs award flash sales. He recently transferred just 8,000 points for a round-trip economy ticket from Seattle to Cancun.
Winner: Tie
Related: American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners
Should I get the Amex Gold or the Amex Classic Green?
The ability to earn bonus points dining at restaurants and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets makes the Amex Gold a better fit for most people. However, if you spend a lot on travel and commuting, the Amex Classic Green is the way to go.
How to switch from the Amex Classic Green to the Amex Gold
Since these two cards exist in the same ecosystem and card family, swapping between them is possible. However, you will miss out on the welcome offer if you do this.
To convert your Amex Classic Green to the Amex Gold (or vice versa), call the number on the back of your card or use American Express's online customer chat function.
We recommend waiting at least one year from the date your account was opened before requesting a product change.
Related: The ultimate guide to credit card upgrades
Bottom line
Although the Amex Classic Green has much to offer, its more upscale sibling — the Amex Gold — is a better fit for most.
Using the Amex Gold to earn more points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets will work out better for most people than earning more on travel purchases with the Amex Classic Green.
Still, the Amex Classic Green is a solid option to keep in your wallet with a lower annual fee, useful Clear+ credit and broad bonus categories.
To learn more, check out our full reviews of the Amex Classic Green and Amex Gold.
Apply here: Amex Gold
Learn more: Amex Classic Green
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, please click here.