American Express® Green vs Bilt Obsidian
Side-by-side comparison
| American Express® Green | Bilt Obsidian | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $95 |
| Welcome offer | 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points | $200 Bilt Cash + 50,000 points |
| Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Groceries | 1x | 3x |
| Gas | 1x | 1x |
| Travel | 3x | 2x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $402 | $490 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Transfers to airlines & hotels |
| Network | Amex | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | American Express® Green | Bilt Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points | $200 Bilt Cash + 50,000 points |
| To earn it | $3,000 in 6 months | $4,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $851 | $1,395 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $451 | $695 |
The Bilt Obsidian wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | American Express® Green | Bilt Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | ~$199/yr (1 credits) | ~$300/yr (2 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable to airline & hotel partners | Transferable to airline & hotel partners |
On perks and redemptions, the Bilt Obsidian carries the heavier credit stack (about $300 a year). Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
The American Express® Green earns Amex Membership Rewards, which transfers to Delta, ANA, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, plus Hilton and Marriott. The Bilt Obsidian earns Bilt Rewards, reaching Alaska / Atmos, Air Canada, World of Hyatt, American Airlines, and Turkish. Most transfers are 1:1 on both, so the partners themselves, not the ratios, are what separate them.
The standout difference is the crown-jewel partner: for the American Express® Green it is ANA and Virgin Atlantic, the routes behind the famous business- and first-class sweet spots to Asia; for the Bilt Obsidian it is Alaska and Hyatt, a rare pairing that covers both a top airline and a top hotel program. Pick the program whose best partners match the trips you would actually book.
One ratio note: on a few shared partners like Cathay Pacific and Emirates, Amex transfers at a slightly worse rate (5:4) than Citi, Capital One, and Bilt, which move 1:1, so those programs stretch a little further there.
Both earn transferable points and 3x on dining, but the Green leans travel and transit while the Obsidian rewards rent and groceries, at a lower fee.
The Green is a broad travel earner, 3x on travel, dining, and transit, feeding the deep Amex transfer network. The Obsidian’s edge is rewarding rent, which almost nothing does, plus 3x groceries, transferring to a strong Bilt partner list. Travel-and-transit points vs rent-and-grocery points.
Pros and cons
- 3x on travel, dining, and transit
- Transferable Membership Rewards to many partners
- A CLEAR Plus and LoungeBuddy credit
- Broad travel earning
- $150 fee, higher than the Obsidian
- No rent earning
- 1x on groceries and general spend
- Credits are narrow
- Transferable points on rent, plus 3x dining and groceries
- Transfers to strong airline and hotel partners
- Lower $95 fee
- Great for a renter who cooks and dines out
- No transit multiplier and only 2x travel
- Best value needs Bilt’s ecosystem
- 1x on gas and general spend
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | Bilt Obsidian | Points on rent the Green can’t earn. |
| Travel & transit | Amex Green | 3x on travel and transit vs the Obsidian’s 2x travel. |
| Groceries | Bilt Obsidian | 3x vs the Green’s 1x. |
| Dining | Tie | Both 3x. |
| Annual fee | Bilt Obsidian | $95 vs $150. |
The verdict
If you spend on travel and transit, the Green is the better earner, 3x on travel, dining, and transit into the strong Amex transfer network makes it a solid mid-tier travel card, though $150 asks for real category spend to justify past year one.
If you rent, the Obsidian is hard to beat at $95, it rewards rent, pays 3x on dining and groceries, and transfers to premium partners. For a renter who cooks and eats out, it captures more of everyday life than the Green. The split: travel-and-transit spenders lean Green, renters lean Obsidian, and both earn transferable points so either can anchor a points strategy.