Amex Green for Military
The American Express Green Card® is an iconic rewards card that offers exceptional perks for frequent travelers, especially those in the military. With generous travel rewards, statement credits, and flexible […]
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The American Express Green Card® is an iconic rewards card that offers exceptional perks for frequent travelers, especially those in the military. With generous travel rewards, statement credits, and flexible redemption options, this card is an attractive option for active-duty servicemembers.
For military members who travel frequently, the Amex Green Card provides valuable benefits, including travel protections, rewards on transit and dining, and waived foreign transaction fees. Below, we explore why this is one of the best military credit cards, including key benefits, perks for military personnel and how to apply while ensuring fee waiver eligibility.
Related: Best Military Credit Cards for 2025
Amex Green Benefits for Military Travelers
The Amex Green Card’s perks can provide exceptional value for military members stationed abroad or within the U.S. Even retired veterans can benefit from the card’s reward structure and recurring perks. The card offers generous travel, transit, and dining rewards, along with an annual statement credit that offsets the $150 annual fee (ideal if you don’t qualify for the fee waiver). Here’s a closer look at the benefits you can expect with the Amex Green Card:
- Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in the first six months of card membership.
- 3X Membership Rewards Points on travel, transit, and dining purchases; 1X on all other eligible purchases.
- $209 CLEAR+ Credit per year to help expedite airport security.
- Flexible redemption options, including a wide range of airline and hotel transfer partners.
- Comprehensive travel insurance, including trip delay, baggage insurance, rental car coverage, and access to the Global Assist hotline.
- Complimentary ShopRunner membership (valued at $79 per year).
- Access to bonus rewards and savings at select merchants is available via Amex Offers.
- No foreign transaction fees on purchases originating abroad.
Welcome bonus
The Amex Green Card offers valuable incentives right out of the gate. The card’s welcome bonus consists of 40,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in the first six months of card membership. You can redeem this bonus for travel, cash back, gift cards, and many other options. You’ll get about 0.5-1 cent per point in value. That makes the card’s 40,000-point welcome bonus worth $200-$400.
The best option for redeeming Amex points is to transfer them to one of Amex’s 21 airline or hotel airline partners. Here are some ways you can redeem 40,000 Amex points via Amex transfer partners:
- Aer Lingus AerClub: Three one-way economy class tickets from the East Coast to Ireland (13,000 Avios each)
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue: A round-trip economy class ticket from the mainland U.S. to the Caribbean (from 25,000 miles)
- British Airways Avios: A one-way economy class ticket to Japan (from 25,750 Avios)
- Singapore Krisflyer: A one-way business class ticket on United Airlines within the U.S. (26,000 miles each way)
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: Two round-trip economy class between the East Coast and the UK (20,000 miles each)
As you can see, transferring points can be a great way to maximize their value. You can get much more than $200-$400 out of your welcome offer by redeeming them for international flights using one of these transfer partners.
Transferring Amex points to hotel partners isn’t always the best option. For example, Amex points transfer 1:1 to Marriott Bonvoy, where a free night ranges from 10,000 to 100,000 points or more. While the 1:2 transfer to Hilton Honors is slightly better, Hilton charges upwards of 125,000 points for a standard award night at a luxury hotel.
Transfers to Choice Privileges might be a good idea, with free nights starting at 6,000 points per night. When redeeming points, be sure to compare the transfer partner’s rates against the redemption required through Amex Travel. This way, you’ll get the best value and stretch your points further.
3X Membership Rewards Points on Travel, Transit, and Dining
The Amex Green Card’s reward structure is ideal for active-duty military members and veterans alike. The card offers elevated rewards on both travel and everyday spending categories. Cardholders earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel, transit, and restaurants worldwide. All other purchases earn 1 Amex point per dollar spent.
Military personnel who travel for assignments, training, or leisure will find the travel category especially rewarding. The bonus extends to airfare, hotels, tours, rental cars, cruises, vacation rentals and more. Transit includes trains, cabs, rideshare services, tolls, parking, and ferries. The dining category includes restaurants worldwide, making it an excellent choice for servicemembers stationed overseas. Within the U.S., the 3X dining bonus includes takeout and delivery services.
If your spending habits fall within the Amex Green’s category bonuses, this could be a great card. If you can accrue lots of valuable rewards and maximize the card’s other perks, it can be worth holding onto long-term.
$209 CLEAR+ Credit
The Amex Green Card offers a $209 annual statement credit for CLEAR+, a program that provides expedited security screening at major U.S. airports and stadiums. Since military members frequently travel for deployments, training, and assignments, this perk can make their airport experience much smoother.
Furthermore, if you ever leave the military or don’t requalify for a fee waiver, this benefit alone can offset the Amex Green Card’s $150 annual fee.
Travel Insurance and Protections
The Amex Green Card includes comprehensive travel protections that can provide peace of mind during deployments and leisure trips. Benefits include the following:
- Trip Delay Insurance: Reimbursement for up to $300 in expenses if a trip is delayed more than 12 hours. This benefit is restricted to two claims per card every 12 months.
- Baggage Insurance Plan: Provides up to $1,250 in coverage for lost, damaged, or stolen carry-on luggage or up to $500 for checked bags. The benefit applies to luggage checked in on planes, trains, ships, or buses.
- Rental Car Insurance: Secondary coverage for rental car damages in case of an accident or theft. This benefit only kicks in after your primary insurance rejects your claim. Coverage is not applicable in Australia, Italy, or New Zealand. You can upgrade to primary coverage through Amex’s Premium Car Rental Protection program for $19.95-$24.95 per rental period.
No Foreign Transaction Fees for Deployed Servicemembers
Deployed military members and those stationed overseas won’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees when using their Amex Green Card for purchases in other countries. Whether you’re on vacation or simply paying for household expenses while stationed abroad, an extra 3% fee can eat into your budget and offset the value of rewards earned.
The Amex Green Card waives foreign transaction fees, ensuring you can earn rewards on all purchases without a penalty.
Related: Are credit card rewards and frequent flyer miles taxable?
Discover the best credit cards for military personnel and veterans. Use our Card Finder tool to easily compare rates, fees, and everyday rewards to find the perfect card for your lifestyle.
Amex Green vs. Other Military-Friendly Travel Cards
While the Amex Green card is a great option for military members, it’s not the only card eligible for a fee waiver. Nor is it the best card option for everyone. Depending on your spending habits, you might be better off with a different Amex Card.
The American Express Platinum Card® is a popular option for servicemembers. Packed with luxury travel perks like 1,550+ airport lounges and up to $3,500 in annual statement credits, it’s a great choice for active-duty.
Those who prefer a card with elevated rewards and perks for everyday spending might appreciate the American Express® Gold Card. It offers bonus points on dining, groceries, and travel. It also comes with over $400 in annual statement credits toward travel and dining.
All three cards waive foreign transaction fees, so you can continue earning rewards domestically and abroad without a penalty. Here’s a closer look at how the Amex Green compares to other travel Amex cards available for military personnel:
| Amex Green Card | Amex Platinum | Amex Gold Card | |
| Normal Annual Fee | $150 | annual_fees | annual_fees |
| Welcome bonus | Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership | bonus_miles_full | bonus_miles_full |
| Travel Rewards | 3X points on travel and transit | – 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year – 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel | – 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel – 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel purchases booked through AmexTravel.com |
| Dining Rewards | 3X points on dining worldwide | 1X point | 4X points on dining worldwide (up to $50,000 per year) |
| Other rewards | 1X point on other purchases | – 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year) – 1X point on other purchases | |
| Trusted Traveler Program Credits | $209 annual CLEAR+ credit | Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit every four years | None |
| Annual Credits | None | – Up to $200 Uber Cash annually (up to $15/month + $20 in December) + up to $120 Uber One credit annually – Up to $300 digital entertainment credit annually (up to $25/month; enrollment required) – Up to $600 hotel credit annually (up to $300 semi-annually on eligible Amex Travel bookings) – Up to $400 Resy credit annually (up to $100 quarterly; enrollment required) – Up to $209 CLEAR+ credit annually – Up to $200 airline fee credit annually (select airline; enrollment required) – Up to $300 lululemon credit annually (up to $75 quarterly; enrollment required) – Up to $155 Walmart+ credit annually (monthly membership credit; enrollment required) | – Up to $120 Uber Cash annually (up to $10/month) – Up to $120 dining credit annually (up to $10/month; select partners; enrollment required) – Up to $100 Resy credit annually (up to $50 semi-annually; enrollment required) – Up to $84 Dunkin’ credit annually (up to $7/month; enrollment required) |
| Travel Perks | No foreign transaction fees | – Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors Gold status – Access to 1,550+ lounges worldwide (Centurion, Priority Pass, Delta Sky Club® — capped at 10 visits/year starting Feb. 1, 2025 unless $75K spend) – Access to the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts® No foreign transaction fees – Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite Status, Hilton Honors Gold, and Leaders Club Sterling (LHW). | – Access to Hotel Collection benefits through Amex Travel (up to $100 credit on two-night stays at participating hotels, plus other perks) – No foreign transaction fees |
| Travel Protections | – Trip delay insurance – Baggage insurance – Secondary rental car insurance | – Trip delay insurance (eligible delay required; terms apply)** – Trip cancellation and interruption insurance (eligible reasons and limits apply)** – Car rental loss and damage insurance (secondary coverage; terms apply)** | – Baggage insurance plan – Secondary rental car coverage |
*Enrollment required for select benefits. Terms apply. Some credits require prepaid bookings, auto-renewing subscriptions, or eligible purchases with your enrolled Amex Card. Airline Fee Credit applies to one selected airline. Lounge access and guest policies vary; Delta Sky Club® visits are limited to 10 per year starting Feb. 1, 2025 unless $75,000 annual spend is met. See American Express for full details and terms.
**Travel protections apply when eligible travel is purchased with the card and are subject to terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions.
Related: Amex vs. Chase Trifecta: Which is Best for Military Members?
Is Amex Green Right for You?
The Amex Green Card is a fantastic card for military members who frequently travel, dine out, and use public transit. The card provides exceptional value without added costs with 3X Membership Rewards points and excellent travel perks.
However, if you prefer higher-end travel perks and elevated rewards on travel spending, the Amex Platinum might be a better fit. The card has a larger welcome bonus than the Amex Green and offers up to 5X points on travel spending. With up to $3,500 in annual credits if fully used, the Amex Platinum is a great choice for those who want premium travel perks and the highest possible value while on active duty.
On the other hand, if you prioritize earning rewards on everyday spending (and you’re stationed in the U.S.), the Amex Gold might be a better fit. Its spending categories and statement credits focus on dining and grocery spending, though it offers its own valuable travel protections, while the Amex Platinum provides the most comprehensive coverage.
When choosing between these cards, consider your spending habits, travel needs, and whether you’ll be primarily stationed in the U.S. or abroad. The great thing about Amex is that you can always product-change from an Amex Green to a Platinum or Gold (and vice versa). In fact, Amex sometimes issues bonus point incentives for doing so. This flexibility makes Amex a great choice for servicemembers looking for valuable rewards and waived annual fees.
