American Express - green card Review

I've been an American Express cardholder since 2004. I have the basic, no-frills Green Card, which costs me $39 annually, but I'm completely happy paying for it. I earn 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on most purchases, but sometimes American Express runs promotions that can earn me up to 10 points per dollar. The great thing about these points is that you can use them for a variety of things. Over the years, I've gotten Longhorn Steakhouse gift cards, Delta SkyMiles, a $100 Holiday Inn waiver, and several other rewards with Membership Rewards. There aren't any blackout dates for using them on travel, and if you want to pay for part of a ticket you book through American Express with cash and part with reward points, you can. Their program is so flexible!

Their customer service is also great. I've been contacted several times about potential fraudulent activity, and I've never had to pay any of the fraudulent charges (I live in a big college town, and credit card number theft is high here). Someone stole my card in Italy, and I had a replacement overnighted to me at no cost; I didn't have to pay any of the thief's charges, and I didn't even have to pay the overnight postage. 

The only big pitfall of this card is that, until the recent economy woes, there wasn't a credit limit, so it can be easy to run up a big bill and forget that you have to pay the bill in full every month. I had this happen to me last year when I didn't have a job and had to put my car payment and bills on the card, and when I contacted American Express they worked with me to give me a 90 day grace period with no ramifications on my credit score. I was able to pay the balance within that time, and it never hurt my credit. This card costs more than some of the others, but the customer service and rewards program are totally worth it.