No trip cancellation coverage. This benefit is not included with the Amex Green card. All non-refundable trip costs are the cardholder's responsibility.
Are the Amex Green card benefits worth the $150 annual fee?
American Express·$150/year·American Express·AMEX Assurance Company / New Hampshire Insurance Company (AIG)
Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviewsUpdated June 11, 20268 min read
1,2/5Independent review · verified June 2026
1,0
3,1
1,0
Our Verdict · Travel Insurance
Our opinion on American Express Green Travel Insurance
Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews
So you have heard that Amex Green card travel benefits are a starting point, not a full suite. That is accurate. The one active travel coverage is trip delay: activates after 12 hours, pays up to $300 per trip for meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and personal items. Two claims per 12 consecutive months is the ceiling. No cancellation. No interruption. No emergency medical abroad. File delay claims through americanexpress.com/benefits/travel. Keep itemized receipts and the carrier's written delay notice. Standalone travel insurance for a $3,000 trip starts at $80 to $150 and covers all three gaps.
What works on travel
- $300 trip delay reimbursement: activates at 12 hours and covers meals, lodging, and personal items for each covered cause
- $1,250 lost baggage protection for carry-on bags: secondary coverage through AMEX Assurance Company, with a $500 sub-limit for checked bags
- No deductible on trip delay: the full $300 is available with no amount withheld
Where travel breaks down
- No trip cancellation: illness, family emergency, weather, none of these trigger any reimbursement before departure
- No trip interruption coverage: cutting a trip short for any covered reason returns zero from this card
- No emergency medical abroad: a single ER visit outside the US runs $10,000 to $80,000, this card pays zero
- 12-hour delay threshold: most premium travel cards trigger at 4 to 6 hours, you have already paid for several meals by the time this benefit activates
- 2 claims per 12 months ceiling: light protection for travelers who take more than 2 trips per year
Our methodology
Every score is derived from official bank documents: terms and conditions, benefit guides, and claim procedures. No commercial relationship influences our ratings.
Travel Insurance · 11 guarantees
What does American Express Green Travel Insurance actually cover?
Quality, not just caps
No trip cancellation on the Amex Green. A $3,000 non-refundable trip is entirely at your expense if you cancel for illness, weather, or any reason.
No emergency medical coverage. Every dollar of any hospital bill abroad is yours. A serious ER visit in Europe or Japan runs $10,000 to $80,000.
No emergency medical coverage abroad. The Global Assist Hotline (1-800-228-6855) provides referral and coordination services only. All medical costs abroad are the cardholder's responsibility. A single ER visit in Japan or Europe typically runs $10,000 to $80,000.
No emergency evacuation coverage. Global Assist coordinates logistics and referrals only. All evacuation costs are the cardholder's responsibility. Air ambulance transport from remote international locations typically costs $100,000 to $300,000.
No trip interruption coverage. This benefit is not included with the Amex Green card. Costs from a trip cut short are the cardholder's responsibility.
12-hour trigger is one of the highest thresholds at the premium card level. Most premium travel cards activate at 4 to 6 hours: you have already incurred several meals and a hotel night before this benefit starts.
Full trip cost charged to the Eligible Card Delay of more than 12 consecutive hours from scheduled departure or arrival Delay due to a covered cause: inclement weather, terrorist action or hijacking, Common Carrier equipment failure, or lost or stolen passports or travel documents
Reimburses reasonable additional expenses incurred when a Covered Trip is delayed more than 12 hours due to a covered cause. Maximum reimbursement is $300 per Covered Trip, limited to 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive months. Covered expenses include meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal-use items. Coverage is secondary to any other applicable insurance or carrier-provided credits.
What's not covered
- Losses known to the cardholder prior to departure
- Expenses paid prior to the Covered Trip
- Intentional acts by the Eligible Traveler
- Expenses reimbursable by the employer on a commercial card
No missed connection coverage. This benefit is not included with the Amex Green card. Rebooking costs and expenses from a missed connection are the cardholder's responsibility.
No early return benefit. This benefit is not included with the Amex Green card. Additional transportation costs from cutting a trip short are not reimbursed.
No baggage delay coverage. This benefit is not included with the Amex Green card. Essential purchases during a baggage delay are the cardholder's responsibility.
$500 sub-cap on checked bags is low relative to a full trip's worth of luggage. Cameras, electronics, and jewelry may be subject to additional sub-limits.
Trip charged to the Eligible Card Coverage applies to lost or stolen baggage File a Property Irregularity Report with the carrier before leaving the baggage claim area
Lost or stolen baggage coverage through AMEX Assurance Company. Carry-on bags covered up to $1,250 per bag. Checked bags covered up to $500 per bag. Coverage is secondary to any carrier-provided reimbursement. File a Property Irregularity Report with the carrier immediately at time of loss.
What's not covered
- Cameras, electronics, and jewelry may be subject to additional sub-limits per benefit terms
- Items not reported to the carrier at time of loss
- Damage from intentional acts
No travel accident insurance. This benefit is not included with the Amex Green card. Accidental death and dismemberment risk during travel is uninsured by this card.
No hotel theft protection. This benefit is not included with the Amex Green card. Personal belongings stolen from a hotel room are not covered.
Policy document
We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?
Coverage Radar
Where the American Express Green wins, where it loses
Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.
Compare
GreenThis card1.2/5?
$150/yrWith travel insuranceIdeal
Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5Premium card avg.
$150 avg. annual feeClick a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.
Side-by-side comparison
How the American Express Green stacks up against the alternatives
Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Green shoppers also consider.
| Card | This card Green American Express · $150/yr 1.2/5? | Hilton Honors Aspire American Express · $550/yr 2.9/5? | Aeroplan Chase · $95/yr 3.2/5? | Sapphire Reserve Chase · $795/yr 3.9/5? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap | Not covered Cover this gap → | $10,000 per trip 7 covered reasons | $1,500 per person All prepaid travel | $10,000 per person 13 covered reasons |
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad | Not covered Cover this gap → | Not covered | $2,500 Reimbursement only | $2,500 | $50 deductible $50 deductible |
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation | Not covered Cover this gap → | Not covered | $100,000 Pre-auth required | $100,000 | pre-auth required Pre-authorization required |
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in | 12h / $300 Trigger: 12 hours | 6h / $500 Trigger: 6 hours | 12h / $500 Trigger: 12 hours | $500 after 6 hours Trigger: 6 hours |
Rental CDW Primary or secondary | Secondary / $50,000 Secondary CDW | Primary (intl) / $75,000 Primary outside US | Secondary / $75,000 Secondary CDW | Primary / $75,000 Primary coverage |
StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered
Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.
Cardholder reviews
What cardholders say about the American Express Green
Real experiences with the trip delay and CDW benefits 4 reviews
CH
ChicagoFlyer_amex
$280 delay reimbursement after 13-hour delay
For a $150 card, the trip delay benefit is a nice surprise. Got delayed 13 hours in Chicago, filed the claim online, received $280 reimbursement for meals and transport. Took 4 weeks.
UP
UpgradedPointsReader
Secondary CDW saved me on two rentals
I mainly use the Green as my everyday Amex for MR points. The CDW coverage has come in handy twice for car rentals, secondary but still useful.
CR
CreditCardOptimizer
Bare-minimum travel protection
The Green card has essentially no serious travel insurance. No cancellation, no interruption, bare-minimum delay coverage. It is not a travel protection card. It is a rewards card that happens to have a little delay coverage.
ME
MexicoTrip2024
Cancelled trip due to illness, zero coverage
I trusted the Green card for a trip to Mexico and had to cancel due to illness. Zero coverage. Would never book an international trip on this card without separate insurance.
Emergency · Card assistance line
How to contact American Express Green assistance?
Trip delay claims handled by American Express Benefits
Card assistance (US)
1-800-228-6855
Free · 24/7
Global Assist Hotline (international)
+1-715-343-7977
Collect call, free for cardholders · 24/7
Benefit administrator: AMEX Assurance Company (baggage, car rental). New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company (trip delay).
Claims & pre-authorizations
How to file a trip delay claim on your Amex Green
1
Step 1: Confirm the delay meets the threshold
Trip delay coverage activates after 12 consecutive hours of delay. Get a written confirmation of the delay duration and cause from the Common Carrier before leaving the airport or station.
2
Step 2: Save all itemized receipts
Keep receipts for meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and personal-use items purchased during the delay. The benefit reimburses up to $300 per trip.
3
Step 3: File at americanexpress.com/benefits/travel
Submit the carrier's written delay statement, your itemized receipts, and your card statement showing the trip charge. Or call 1-800-228-6855 to file by phone.
4
Step 4: Track the claim status
Some cardholders report approvals in 3 to 4 weeks. Others describe repeated document requests. Keep copies of everything you submit and a note of every interaction.
FAQ
What people ask about the American Express Green
- Activation is automatic when you charge the full cost of a covered trip to your Amex Green card. No enrollment, no phone call, no form required. The trip delay benefit requires that your entire transportation cost be charged to the card, or a combination of the card and accumulated Membership Rewards points. Coverage begins on the date you purchase the trip and ends when the trip is complete.
- The trip delay benefit covers the primary cardholder, family members (spouse, domestic partner, or dependent children under 19, or under 26 if enrolled full-time at an accredited college), and traveling companions who purchase a covered trip on the cardholder's account. The cardholder must be a US citizen or legal resident of the US or a US territory to be eligible.
- At the rental counter, decline the agency's collision damage waiver. The Green card then provides secondary CDW up to $50,000 through AMEX Assurance Company. Secondary means your personal auto insurance pays first if the car is damaged or stolen. The card covers the remainder up to the $50,000 cap. This coverage handles vehicle damage and theft, not liability to other vehicles or people. A secondary CDW claim can still appear on your personal auto insurance record.
- File trip delay claims through americanexpress.com/benefits/travel or call 1-800-228-6855. You will need itemized receipts for all reimbursable expenses, a written confirmation of the delay and its cause from the carrier, and your card statement showing the trip was charged to the Green card. File as soon as the delay occurs. Some cardholders report clean approvals in 3 to 4 weeks. Others describe repeated document follow-up requests before approval. Start the process the day the incident happens.
- The Green card does not cover trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical expenses abroad, emergency evacuation, baggage delay, or travel accident insurance. It also excludes purchase protection, extended warranty, and cell phone protection. The only active travel insurance on this card is trip delay, which activates after 12 hours and pays up to $300 per trip. If you plan international travel, the absence of medical and cancellation coverage is a material gap that separate insurance should address.
- Yes. The Amex Green card includes no emergency medical coverage abroad. The card provides access to the Global Assist Hotline at 1-800-228-6855, which offers referral and coordination services only, not cost coverage. A single emergency room visit outside the US can run $10,000 to $80,000. If you travel internationally, a separate travel medical policy starting at $50 to $100 per trip is the minimum protection worth carrying.
- No. Cell phone protection is not available with the Amex Green card. There is no coverage for accidental damage, theft, or mechanical failure of your device regardless of how you pay your monthly phone bill. Cards with cell phone protection typically cover $600 to $1,000 per claim when you pay your monthly wireless bill with the card. The Amex Green does not offer this benefit.
- Secondary. The Green card CDW pays after your personal auto insurance. If your car is damaged at a rental, your personal insurer is billed first. The card covers what your insurer does not, up to $50,000. For travelers renting abroad without US personal auto insurance, secondary CDW can leave a gap. Primary CDW, available on higher-tier travel cards, bypasses your personal insurer entirely and has no impact on your personal auto insurance record or premium.
- Partially. The Amex Green card includes trip delay insurance only: activates after 12 hours, reimburses up to $300 per trip for meals, lodging, and personal items, with a 2-claim-per-year cap. It does not include trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance. If you cancel a trip due to illness, weather, or a family emergency, the Green card provides no reimbursement. Separate travel insurance is required for that level of protection.
Not just American Express
Other cards worth considering
Green is a strong choice — but depending on what you prioritize, one of these may suit you better.
Sapphire Reserve
Chase
Sapphire Reserve Business
Chase
Ritz-Carlton
Chase
Prestige
Citi
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