Editorial take: American Express Green Card
Hard to justify vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred at $95 with stronger earning. The CLEAR credit is nice but only useful if your airport has CLEAR lines. Most people are better off with Sapphire or Amex Gold.
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Side-by-side
American Express Green Card vs Mastercard Black Card
Both are travel travel cards. The American Express Green Card comes from American Express at $150/yr; the Mastercard Black Card from Barclays (Luxury Card) at $699/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the American Express Green Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($720 more in estimated value) than the Mastercard Black Card's. Get the American Express Green Card first; revisit the Mastercard Black Card after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | American Express Green Card | Mastercard Black Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $699 |
| Sign-up bonus | 40,000 Membership Rewards points | No public welcome offer |
| Bonus value (est.) | $720 | $0 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $3,000 in 3 mo | $0 in 0 mo |
| Issuer | American Express | Barclays (Luxury Card) |
| Card category | travel | travel |
| Best earning category (Travel) | 3x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | amex-mr | None |
| Headline benefits |
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Read the full review
American Express Green Card
$150/yr · 40,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
Mastercard Black Card
$699/yr · No public welcome offer
Editorial take: Mastercard Black Card
The mid tier of the Barclays Luxury Card lineup. The $200 airline + $100 dining credits offset $300 of the $699 AF before lounge value, and the 1.5cpp cash-back rate is the best of the Luxury Card tiers. Still hard to beat Sapphire Reserve or Venture X on transferable-points flexibility, but the all-stainless body and concierge appeal to some.
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Green Card or Mastercard Black Card?
- The American Express Green Card has the bigger bonus, 40,000 Membership Rewards points, worth roughly $720, versus No public welcome offer (~$0) on the Mastercard Black Card.
- Is the American Express Green Card's $150 annual fee worth it compared to the Mastercard Black Card?
- At $150/yr, the American Express Green Card is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Mastercard Black Card's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
- Can I have both the American Express Green Card and Mastercard Black Card?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Barclays (Luxury Card)) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
- Should I get the American Express Green Card or the Mastercard Black Card first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Green Card: $3,000 spend in 3 months. Mastercard Black Card: $0 in 0 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.
Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.