Last month, I wasn’t convinced that renaming the existing American Express Green Card the “Classic Green Card” meant Amex was preparing to launch a new version. Now that the card has disappeared from the Amex website, I’m taking the possibility much more seriously.
In June, I wrote about a notice my wife Sharon received regarding her longtime American Express Green Card. Beginning August 20, 2026, the card will officially be called the American Express® Classic Green Card.
At the time, the obvious question was why Amex needed to call the existing product “Classic.” That name seemingly leaves room for another Green Card to sit alongside it.
Still, I wasn’t ready to assume that a refreshed card was coming. Amex hadn’t announced anything beyond the name change, and speculation about a possible August launch seemed to be based mainly on reading between the lines.
A month later, there are more reasons to believe something may be happening.
The Amex Green Card Is No Longer Available
Both Doctor of Credit and Frequent Miler reported that the personal American Express Green Card is no longer available for new applications.
The card has also disappeared when searching through the personal credit cards on the American Express website. Existing direct links to information about the card’s benefits may still work, which makes sense because current cardholders will continue to have the product after it becomes the Classic Green Card.
However, applications appear to be gone.
I also checked Sharon’s Refer a Friend page. Since she has the Green Card, she can refer friends to a variety of other American Express products. The choices include several personal and business cards, including the Business Green Rewards Card.
The personal Green Card is nowhere to be found.
That doesn’t prove that Amex is launching a replacement. Credit cards occasionally disappear temporarily, and issuers don’t always explain why. But when a card vanishes shortly before its existing version receives a new name, it becomes harder to dismiss the timing as a coincidence.
I’m Increasing The Odds Of A New Green Card
When the Classic Green Card name change was first announced, some people predicted that Amex could launch a new version on or around August 20.
I didn’t put much faith in that prediction. The name change alone wasn’t enough evidence, and there was no guarantee that Amex would do anything beyond placing a new label on the existing card.
I’m still not predicting an August 20 launch. Amex could introduce something before then, after then or not at all.
But with that date now less than a month away, the personal Green Card unavailable to new applicants and the card removed from Amex’s regular card listings, I’m increasing the odds that a refreshed Green Card is coming.
All that remains to be seen is when it might arrive and what Amex would do with its annual fee, earning categories and benefits.
What Could A New Amex Green Card Look Like?
One possibility would be a simple card earning 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar on most or all purchases. Personally, that’s the direction I’d find most interesting, since that type of consumer card is notably missing from the American Express lineup.
Amex offers the Blue Business Plus Credit Card, which earns 2X Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases up to its annual spending limit, but there isn’t a comparable personal Membership Rewards card for consumers who want straightforward earnings without managing numerous bonus categories.
A new Green Card could fill that gap.
Another possibility would be a lower-priced travel card for people who want Membership Rewards points and useful travel benefits but don’t want the Platinum Card’s high annual fee and coupon book. That would probably make more sense for many travelers than adding another collection of monthly credits to keep track of.
The current Green Card already earns 3X Membership Rewards points on travel, transit and restaurants worldwide. That’s a useful combination, especially because its travel category is broader than the categories offered by many competing cards.
Its weakness is that the $150 annual fee has become increasingly difficult to justify. After the LoungeBuddy credit disappeared, the up to $209 CLEAR+ credit became the card’s main recurring benefit. That may be valuable to someone who already pays for CLEAR, but it does little for everyone else.
It could also follow the path of the Gold and Platinum Cards by adding several merchant-specific credits, although I’d prefer that it remain the relatively simple member of the Amex charge card family.
We’ll Know Soon Enough
For now, existing Green Card members don’t appear to have anything to worry about. Sharon’s card will continue working after it becomes the American Express Classic Green Card on August 20, and Amex hasn’t announced any changes to its current benefits or earning rates.
The more interesting question is what happens next.
Last month, calling the card “Classic” was an intriguing clue. Now the personal Green Card has disappeared from new applications and from Amex’s card listings.
That still isn’t confirmation of a refreshed card, but the pieces are starting to fit together.
We’ll have to wait to find out whether Amex is preparing a new Green Card, what it will cost and whether it will be compelling enough to earn a place beside the Gold and Platinum Cards.
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