What is the actual benefit of the Amex Green card?

[FretlessMayhem]

I've been running most of my day to day expenses through this card, and I can't seem to figure out what benefits it has that the other Amex cards don't have. Why does it cost $95? It has to provide some sort of valuable services.

I called CS and the CSR told me all about the purchase protection and rental car protection and whatnot, but the other cards have those without an AF.

Can anyone shed some light on what this card is actually good for?

[Anonymous]

It's an AmEx (green) - it says "I have arrived!"  Okay, that was the theory in the 1970's, then Plat became the goal in the 1980's then black in the late 1990's...

without perks (and those are perks available on many cards nowadays) - none.

[Creditaddict]

well if your only other Amex is a blue lets say. Adding the green to the mix allows your blue to step up to the same rewards level as the green, about double the points I believe. (1.5 points maybe it is, I forget but it's better)

[FretlessMayhem]

I had a Blue card first, and then added a Green and a Clear. Do I get double points or something?

[Creditaddict]

I would call the number from your amex blue and just make sure you are on rewards "PLUS' because of green.

[haulingthescoreup]

Hi, Fretless, I agree, I think that a lot of other cards have caught up with and (gasp) passed AmEx in the rewards department, as far as everyday usefulness goes. As best as I can tell, most of the rewards are beneficial to travelers, because they seem to help you with airline miles and so forth.

Here's a sort of summary. This is a press release that one of our new members found and posted a couple of months ago. The green and gold rewards are in the middle section. Maybe this will help you wade through the rewards swamp:

http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp/pc/2007/mrtier.asp

I hope that I have annoyed and provoked AmEx hounds into posting back with the real-world usefulness of the entire AmEx rewards line-up, keeping in mind that most of us don't routinely fly back and forth across the Pacific or lease fractional jets or whatever. I will now go hide.

[Anonymous]

IMO- The rewards are free-

Besides Amex is the only card i have that gives any real rewards besides Wamu Bunus bucks and my Cu "rewards" are a joke.

I use my green as is does not mess up my UTL-

I use my Delta where I get extra points- 

My Highest CL is 10K- if I were to put though the 5K I put though Amex green last month my score would have suffered-

I want my grace period !!!!!!!!!! Amex green does that for me.

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haulingthescoreup wrote:
Hi, Fretless, I agree, I think that a lot of other cards have caught up with and (gasp) passed AmEx in the rewards department, as far as everyday usefulness goes. As best as I can tell, most of the rewards are beneficial to travelers, because they seem to help you with airline miles and so forth.

Here's a sort of summary. This is a press release that one of our new members found and posted a couple of months ago. The green and gold rewards are in the middle section. Maybe this will help you wade through the rewards swamp:

http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp/pc/2007/mrtier.asp

I hope that I have annoyed and provoked AmEx hounds into posting back with the real-world usefulness of the entire AmEx rewards line-up, keeping in mind that most of us don't routinely fly back and forth across the Pacific or lease fractional jets or whatever. I will now go hide.

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Message Edited by Timothy on 03-17-2008 08:16 PM

Message Edited by Timothy on 03-17-2008 08:17 PM

[haulingthescoreup]

So the green (and gold, whatever) can function as a parking lot for debt for a little extra time, as you don't have to worry about it affecting your util? OK, I can see that, makes sense.

But the overall rewards program, what are people using it for? And I'm asking this out of honest curiosity, as every time I go to their site, my eyes cross PDQ. If you don't have the chance to travel much, and double your frequent flyer miles or whatever, what's a good way to use your rewards?

Any info appreciated! (They finally sent me The Letter for a greenie, a month too late.)