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American Express Classic 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 Oct 29

Everything else

  1. Classic Green Card 2.0% 1x base rate
  2. The Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Dining

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Flights

  1. The Platinum Card 10.0% 5x, capped
  2. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x

Flights · portal

  1. The Platinum Card · American Express Travel 10.0% 5x

Hotels

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Hotels · portal

  1. The Platinum Card · American Express Travel 10.0% 5x

Public transit

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Rideshare & taxis

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Tolls

  1. Classic Green Card 6.0% 3x
  2. The Platinum Card 2.0% 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 Classic 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: Classic Green Card takes dining, hotels, public transit and rideshare & taxis, plus 1 more; The Platinum Card takes flights.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseClassic Green Card2.0%
DiningClassic Green Card6.0%
FlightsThe Platinum Card10.0%
Flights · portalThe Platinum Card · American Express Travel10.0%
HotelsClassic Green Card6.0%
Hotels · portalThe Platinum Card · American Express Travel10.0%
Public transitClassic Green Card6.0%
Rideshare & taxisClassic Green Card6.0%
TollsClassic Green Card6.0%

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. Classic Green Card — 2.0%
  2. The Platinum Card — 2.0%

Dining

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. The Platinum Card — 2.0%

Flights

  1. The Platinum Card — 10.0%
  2. Classic Green Card — 6.0%

Flights · portal

  1. The Platinum Card · American Express Travel — 10.0%

Hotels

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. The Platinum Card — 2.0%

Hotels · portal

  1. The Platinum Card · American Express Travel — 10.0%

Public transit

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. The Platinum Card — 2.0%

Rideshare & taxis

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. The Platinum Card — 2.0%

Tolls

  1. Classic Green Card — 6.0%
  2. The Platinum Card — 2.0%
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