Choosing between the American Express Green Card ($150/yr) and the Luxury Card Mastercard Black Card ($699/yr) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value — let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.
Strongest in travel at 3%. 3X on travel, transit, and dining worldwide.
Perfect if: You want a strong rewards rate with no spending caps to worry about.
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Strongest in travel at 3%. 2x points (≈3% value) on airfare/hotels via Luxury Card Travel; up to $320 in annual credits ($200 airline + $100 dining + $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck) plus unlimited-guest lounge access. Earns a solid 1.5% on everything else.
Perfect if: You spend enough in bonus categories to easily offset the annual fee.
Beyond the points: Up to $300 in annual statement credits ($200 airline + $100 dining), plus a $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, offset a large share of the $699 fee before any points are counted — then add Priority Pass Select with unlimited guest visits and 24/7 concierge.
Apply Now| Feature | American Express Green Card | Luxury Card Mastercard Black Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $150 | $699 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 40,000 points after $3,000 spend in 6 months | None |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1.0% | 1.5% |
| Travel Rewards | 3% | 3% |
| Dining Rewards | 3% | 1.5% |
| Key Benefits | 3X on travel, transit, and dining worldwide. | 2x points (≈3% value) on airfare/hotels via Luxury Card Travel; up to $320 in annual credits ($200 airline + $100 dining + $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck) plus unlimited-guest lounge access. |
American Express Green Card pulls ahead for dining spending.
Luxury Card Mastercard Black Card wins on groceries, gas.
The $549/year fee difference means Luxury Card Mastercard Black Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
American Express Green Card carries $209/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings), while Luxury Card Mastercard Black Card carries $420/year in credits (mostly unlocked by everyday bonus-category spending). Those only count if you’d actually use them — worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Rewards rates aren’t the whole story here. Lounge access, concierge service, travel protections, and statement credits can be worth more than a fraction of a percent in earn rate — see the key benefits above and weigh them against how you travel and spend.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math — the calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.
Enter your typical monthly spending and we’ll show you exactly which card earns more — including fees and bonuses.