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Quick Answer

In the USA, the Amex Platinum costs $895 a year and suits frequent flyers who’ll use its lounge access (Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, up to 10 Delta Sky Club visits a year when flying Delta) and statement credits (up to $600 in hotel credit, up to $400 in Resy dining credit), while the Gold at $325 a year is the stronger value pick for heavy dining and grocery spenders, earning 4X points on dining worldwide (up to $50,000/year) and at US supermarkets (up to $25,000/year). The Green Card is no longer open to new applicants as of July 2026 and was renamed the Classic Green Card in August 2026, with no replacement announced. Anyone who wants zero annual fee can instead get a no-fee cash-back Amex like Blue Cash Everyday, which costs $0 and earns 3% cash back at US supermarkets, gas stations and online retail (each up to $6,000/year, then 1%) instead of Membership Rewards.

The honest US verdict first

The Amex Platinum costs $895 a year, and the internet is full of people defending a fee they don’t come close to earning back. So I’ll say it plainly: most Americans reading this should not pay $895 for a credit card. The Platinum is a phenomenal card if you live in airports and burn its credits; for everyone else it’s an expensive flex. Here’s the full US lineup, ranked by who it actually fits, checked against the official Amex product pages on 18 August 2026.

The US Amex lineup compared

Fees and credits change, so confirm current terms on the application page before you apply.

CardAnnual fee (US)RewardsBest for
Platinum$895Membership RewardsFrequent flyers (lounges, status, credits)
Gold$325Membership RewardsDining & US supermarkets
Green$150Membership RewardsClosed to new applicants (July 2026)
Blue Cash Everyday$0Cash backNo-fee everyday spend

What changed with American Express in the USA in 2026?

Two things older comparisons still get wrong:

  1. The Green Card is gone. American Express pulled it from new applications around 23 July 2026 (its product page now redirects to the general American Express card list) and renamed existing cards the Classic Green Card on 20 August 2026. No replacement has been announced, so it is not a card you can currently apply for. If you want a lighter, cheaper points card, compare the Gold or Blue Cash Everyday instead.
  2. The Platinum’s $895 fee is a September 2025 change, not a 2026 one. American Express announced the higher fee (up from $695), alongside “$3,500+” in stated annual value, on 18 September 2025. New applicants paid it immediately; existing cardholders only saw it at their first renewal on or after 2 January 2026, which is why some cardholders are only now noticing the new number on a 2026 statement.

How much does the Amex Platinum cost in 2026?

$895 a year. That fee rose from $695 with the refresh American Express announced on 18 September 2025 (new applicants paid it immediately; existing cardholders saw it at their first renewal on or after 2 January 2026). In exchange you get the American Express Global Lounge Collection (“over 1,550 airport lounges”, per Amex), including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass membership and up to 10 Delta Sky Club visits a year when flying Delta, plus Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. There’s also no foreign transaction fee and a stack of annual statement credits: up to $600 in hotel credit (Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection), up to $400 in Resy dining credit, up to $200 in Uber Cash, an airline fee credit up to $200, and CLEAR Plus up to $219, among others. Welcome offers are personalised; check the offer shown on the Platinum product page for your own. See the Amex Platinum review.

Is the Amex Gold worth $325 a year?

For heavy dining and grocery spenders, yes. The Gold earns 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year) and 4X at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year), plus dining and Uber Cash credits worth up to $120 each and a Resy credit. Like the Platinum, it charges no foreign transaction fees. For anyone who spends heavily on food and everyday life, it quietly out-earns the Platinum without the $895 price tag. Read the Amex Gold review.

The Green Card is gone. Here’s the lighter alternative.

The Green Card is no longer open to new applicants: American Express pulled it from the website around 23 July 2026 and renamed existing cards the Classic Green Card on 20 August 2026, with no replacement announced. If you want a lighter, cheaper card than the Gold or Platinum, look at a no-fee cash-back Amex like Blue Cash Everyday instead. It costs $0 and earns 3% cash back at US supermarkets, US gas stations and US online retail (each up to $6,000 a year, then 1%), with 1% on everything else. Unlike the Platinum and Gold, it does carry a foreign transaction fee, so pair it with a no-fee card for spending abroad.

The one-question test

Count last year’s airport visits. Double digits → Platinum. You spend big on dining/groceries → Gold. You wanted a lighter points card → the Green is no longer available, so compare the Gold or Blue Cash Everyday instead. You want zero fee → Blue Cash Everyday. Torn between the top two? Amex Platinum vs Gold.

Pair it with a no-fee FX card

Even in the US, Amex isn’t universal, and abroad it’s accepted less than Visa/Mastercard. Blue Cash Everyday also carries a foreign transaction fee, unlike the Platinum and Gold. Pair any Amex with a no-fee multi-currency card. See Revolut’s USD plans and the full Amex vs Revolut breakdown. The complete lineup across every market lives in our credit cards guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Amex card is best in the USA?

The Platinum ($895/year) for frequent flyers who use lounges and credits, the Gold ($325/year) for heavy dining and grocery spend, and a no-fee cash-back Amex (like Blue Cash Everyday, $0) if you don’t want a fee. The Green Card is no longer open to new applicants as of July 2026, so it isn’t an option: match your card to where your money actually goes instead.

Is the $895 Amex Platinum fee worth it in 2026?

Only if you use the lounge access (Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, up to 10 Delta Sky Club visits a year when flying Delta) and the annual statement credits, including up to $600 in hotel credit and up to $400 in Resy dining credit. The September 2025 refresh added more credits but also raised the fee to $895, and that higher fee reached existing cardholders’ renewals starting in January 2026, so the math only works if you’ll redeem the credits; otherwise the Gold or a no-fee card is smarter.

Is there a no-annual-fee American Express card?

Yes, Amex offers no-fee cash-back cards in the US, such as Blue Cash Everyday. It earns 3% cash back at US supermarkets, US gas stations and US online retail (each up to $6,000 a year, then 1%) instead of the flexible Membership Rewards points the Gold and Platinum earn, it carries a foreign transaction fee unlike the Platinum and Gold, and it costs nothing to hold.

Is the Amex Green Card still available in the USA?

No. American Express pulled the Green Card from new applications around 23 July 2026 and renamed existing cards the Classic Green Card on 20 August 2026. No replacement has been announced, so it is not a card new applicants can get; readers who want a lighter points card should compare the Gold or Blue Cash Everyday instead.

Verdict

In the US it’s simple: frequent flyer → Platinum; food-and-everyday spender → Gold; fee-averse → Blue Cash Everyday. The Green Card is retired for new applicants, so it’s off the table. Compare the current offers below.