American Express Business Green Rewards
The welcome offer, what it earns, the insurance, and whether the $95 fee pays for itself.
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Business travel cards · American Express
Welcome offer
15,000 points
Annual fee
$95
15,000 Membership Rewards points after $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Anyone who has or has had this card may not be eligible, and offers vary by applicant and by advertisement.
Employee cards: A no-annual-fee Employee Card option; up to 99Foreign transaction fees: 2.7%Rewards: Amex Membership Rewards
The Atelier Take
Outclassed by the no-fee Blue Business Plus: for $95 it earns 1x on almost everything.
Who it suits
A business that specifically wants a charge card with no preset spending limit and books its travel through Amex Travel. It earns the same transferable Membership Rewards points as the premium Amex cards.
Who should skip it
Most businesses: the Blue Business Plus earns 2x on the first $50,000 a year with no fee, and the Business Gold earns 4x in its top two categories.
What it earns
Rewards: American Express Membership Rewards points, which transfer to 16 airline and 4 hotel programs, most at 1:1, including Delta SkyMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways and Marriott Bonvoy.
2x
Flights, prepaid hotels and other travel booked on AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App
Including prepaid car rentals and cruises
1x
Everything else
TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2.0¢ each, when transferred to airline and hotel partners, so 1x returns about 2¢ per dollar and 2x about 4¢. Transfers to U.S. airlines carry a fee of $0.0006 a point, capped at $99.
Other benefits
No preset spending limit
A charge card: the spending limit adapts to purchase, payment and credit history.
Pay Over Time
Eligible charges can be carried with interest up to a set limit, at a variable 17.99% to 28.74%.
Global Assist Hotline
24/7 help coordinating medical, legal and other emergencies more than 100 miles from home; third-party costs are the cardholder’s.
Will the $95 fee pay off?
Enter what would go on this card. The result values points at TPG’s valuation, adds the credits that would actually be used and, in year one, the welcome offer, then sets the total against a no-fee card that pays 2% back on everything.
1 · Spending on this card
Example figures are filled in; replace them with real ones.
AdvertisingOnline, social media and search engines
1x
Shipping
1x
Internet, cable and phone
1x
Office supplies
1x
Software and cloud services
1x
Flights booked on AmexTravel.com
2x
Flights booked directly with airlines
1x
Hotels prepaid on AmexTravel.com
2x
Hotels booked any other way
1x
Other travel on AmexTravel.comPrepaid car rentals and cruises
2x
Dining
1x
Gas
1x
Everything else
1x
2 · Assumptions
The result
Not counted: the insurance. Transfers to U.S. airlines carry a fee of $0.0006 a point, capped at $99, not deducted here.
Insurance and protections
Pay for the trip or purchase with the card to be covered. Cover is secondary, and there is no trip delay or trip cancellation insurance. Amex’s Guides to Benefits have the full terms.
Car rental loss and damage
Up to $50,000 for theft or damage to a rental car, for rentals up to 30 days, when the rental company’s damage waiver is declined. Not available in Australia, Italy or New Zealand, and no liability cover. Secondary.
Baggage insurance
Up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and $500 for checked bags, above what the carrier pays, when the whole fare is paid with the card. High-risk items are limited to $250. Secondary.
Purchase protection
Theft or accidental damage within 90 days of purchase: up to $1,000 per item and $50,000 a year.
Extended warranty
Adds up to one year to manufacturer warranties of five years or less: up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 a year.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Earns transferable Membership Rewards points
- 2x on travel booked through Amex Travel
- No preset spending limit
- A no-annual-fee Employee Card option
Cons
- $95 fee for 1x on nearly all spending
- 2.7% foreign transaction fee
- No credits, lounges or trip delay cover
- The no-fee Blue Business Plus earns more on everyday spending
Card terms change often and some offers are personalized; the issuer’s page is the final word.