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Copenhagen rewards eco-friendly travelers with free kayak tours, ice cream and more
July 10, 2024
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4 min read
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Travelers to Copenhagen can soon pay for perks at some of the Danish capital’s coolest attractions by going for a bike ride, showing a train ticket and partaking in other climate-friendly activities.
The barter system is part of a new initiative called CopenPay, which the city is piloting this summer from July 15 through Aug. 11, Wonderful Copenhagen (the city’s tourism organization) shared with TPG. As part of the project, travelers can trade sustainable actions for free perks at dozens of attractions throughout the city, including complimentary ice cream at the National Museum of Denmark, free coffee at the Museum of Copenhagen and more.
“It is a core task for us to make travelling sustainable. And we will only succeed if we bridge the large gap between the visitors’ desire to act sustainably and their actual behaviour,” Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, the CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, said in a statement shared with TPG. “We want visitors to make conscious, green choices and hopefully end up getting even better experiences while they visit.”
The pilot project aims to showcase Copenhagen’s extensive sustainability efforts (Denmark was TPG’s most sustainable destination in 2022) and allows travelers to use green actions as currency.
It also comes as Copenhagen is easier to get to than ever thanks to a pair of new nonstop flights launched last month on both American Airlines, which will fly to the city from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and Scandinavian Airlines, which will fly from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
Here is what travelers need to know to take advantage of the CopenPay program.
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Which green actions count as currency?
Tourists and residents are eligible to redeem rewards when they ride public transportation, walk or bike to an attraction. Other eligible actions include volunteering in an urban garden, collecting trash and helping with cleaning up a beach. Different attractions require different actions.
How do you show proof of a green action?
Travelers can show proof of train tickets or photos of themselves biking or participating in a cleanup effort, but Wonderful Copenhagen said mostly “CopenPay is built on trust.”
What can travelers score?
Travelers can get a variety of different free perks that vary by attraction. The full list is available online. Some highlights include:
- A free vegetarian lunch by volunteering in the urban garden Oens Have
- A free glass of rosé and a free rental of petanque balls when arriving on foot or by bike at the Skurets Vinsalg wine store at Langelinieskuret, the city’s historic former customs house
- A free kayak rental when collecting waste on the water with GreenKayak
- Free admission to the Karen Blixen Museum when helping to tend the historic garden
- A free cup of coffee with the purchase of an entry ticket to the Museum of Copenhagen when arriving on foot, by bike or by metro
- A free ice cream with the purchase of an entry ticket to the National Museum of Denmark when arriving by bike or by metro
Related reading:
Featured image by VISIT COPENHAGEN
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.