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American Express Green Card vs The Platinum Card

Both are American Express cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Sep 14

Everything else

  1. Green Card 1.6% 1x base rate
  2. The Platinum Card 1.6% 1x base rate

Dining

  1. Green Card 4.8% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 1.6% 1x base rate

Flights

  1. The Platinum Card 8.0% 5x, capped
  2. The Platinum Card · American Express Travel 8.0% 5x
  3. Green Card 4.8% 3x

Hotels

  1. The Platinum Card · American Express Travel 8.0% 5x
  2. Green Card 4.8% 3x
  3. The Platinum Card 1.6% 1x base rate

Public transit

  1. Green Card 4.8% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 1.6% 1x base rate

Rideshare & taxis

  1. Green Card 4.8% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 1.6% 1x base rate

Tolls

  1. Green Card 4.8% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 1.6% 1x base rate

What the numbers are doing

The Platinum Card's 5x on flights runs out: it applies to the first $500,000 of flights spend a year, and everything past that earns 1x.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Green Card $150 and The Platinum Card $895 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: Green Card takes dining, public transit, rideshare & taxis and tolls; The Platinum Card takes flights and hotels.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseGreen Card1.6%
DiningGreen Card4.8%
FlightsThe Platinum Card8.0%
HotelsThe Platinum Card · American Express Travel8.0%
Public transitGreen Card4.8%
Rideshare & taxisGreen Card4.8%
TollsGreen Card4.8%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. Green Card — 1.6%
  2. The Platinum Card — 1.6%

Dining

  1. Green Card — 4.8%
  2. The Platinum Card — 1.6%

Flights

  1. The Platinum Card — 8.0%
  2. The Platinum Card · American Express Travel — 8.0%
  3. Green Card — 4.8%

Hotels

  1. The Platinum Card · American Express Travel — 8.0%
  2. Green Card — 4.8%
  3. The Platinum Card — 1.6%

Public transit

  1. Green Card — 4.8%
  2. The Platinum Card — 1.6%

Rideshare & taxis

  1. Green Card — 4.8%
  2. The Platinum Card — 1.6%

Tolls

  1. Green Card — 4.8%
  2. The Platinum Card — 1.6%

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