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If you love traveling, cooking or dining out, we think the American Express® Gold Card is worth considering. It would be great for families, as it earns points generously in everyday categories like U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide. Plus, it comes with perks that may make you swoon: Dunkin’ credits for coffee (or donut) lovers, dining credits for date nights and more.
But there’s a catch (besides the $325 annual fee (see rates and fees))— travel is the only worthwhile redemption option. Redeeming Membership Rewards points for the equivalent of cash back only nets a 0.6 cent per point value, whereas transferring to certain travel partners can give you a value of over 2 cents per point.
That’s just the beginning. Keep reading to learn what the Amex Gold Card offers and why you may want to add this one to your wallet.
Note: Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
More details from American Express
Up to $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card as a payment method on your Uber account and automatically receive $10 in Uber Cash each month for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. (Up to $120 annually.) To receive this benefit you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment on your Uber account. This benefit may only be used in the United States.
Up to $120 Dining Credit: Enjoy up to $10 in monthly statement credits when you use your American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys locations. Enrollment required.
$100 experience credit: Receive a $100 experience credit when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit amounts vary by property, and are given only with a minimum two-night stay.
Up to $100 Resy credit: Receive up to $50 in statement credits every 6 months (up to $100 per year) when you use your Gold Card at U.S. Resy restaurants or other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment required.
Up to $84 in annual Dunkin’ credits: Get up to $7 back per month in credits after you enroll and pay with your Amex Gold card at Dunkin’ locations
Customize your card to fit your style: Gold, Rose Gold, or White Gold. White Gold is only available as supplies last.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X. Earn 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per dollar), 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases
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The basics
Is the American Express® Gold Card worth it?
The American Express® Gold Card is worth it for people who spend a lot at the supermarket or love dining out. If this describes you, the Gold Card should offer more than enough benefits to justify the $325 annual fee.
Earning 4X Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases at restaurants (on up to $50,000 per year, then 1X) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1X) makes it easy to rack up rewards on these everyday purchases. Although the Gold Card has fewer travel perks than some other Amex products, it also offers triple points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel.
If you’re a traveler at heart, the benefits only get sweeter— transferring your points to Amex travel partners can get you over 2 cents per point in redemption value. Bottom line: If you’re a travel-happy foodie looking for a restaurant card or you want to earn rewards from your grocery bill, the Amex Gold card is definitely worth considering.
Essential info
Welcome offer:
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases during the first six months of card membership. Plus, for a limited time, you can earn 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases made in the first 6 months. Offer ends 11/6/24.
Rewards:
Earn 4X points on up to $50,000 of eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide per calendar year, then 1X.
Earn 4X points on up to $25,000 of eligible purchases at U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 1X.
Earn 3X points on air travel booked directly with an airline or American Express Travel.
Earn 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
Rates and fees:
Annual fee: $325
APR: If you use the Pay Over Time feature, you’ll have a variable APR of 20.74% to 28.74% on carried balances.
One of the main features of the Gold Card lies in its statement credits. While it does have a high annual fee, the credits more than make up for it if you can utilize them.
With Amex Gold, you can access the following credits:
Up to $120 yearly dining credit. You’re eligible for up to $10 in statement credits each month (up to $120 per year) when you use your Gold Card to pay at a participating restaurant partner. American Express has many dining partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Up to $120 yearly in Uber Cash. Statement credits aren’t the only reason to enroll in the Membership Rewards program. After adding your Gold Card to the Uber app, you can get $10 per month in Uber Cash, for a total of $120 per year. The good news is that you don’t have to use your Uber Cash just for rides. You can also use it to order food via Uber Eats. This benefit is only applicable to rides and Eats orders in the U.S.
Up to $84 yearly Dunkin’ credit. You can get up to $7 per month in statement credits (up to $84 per year) to use at Dunkin’ when you enroll and pay with your Gold card at Dunkin’.
Up to $100 yearly Resy credit. Enjoy up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year ($50 semi-annually) when you dine at U.S. Resy restaurants and pay with your Gold card.
$100 hotel experience credit. The Gold Card even offers a $100 experience credit when you book a two-night stay with the Hotel Collection through American Express Travel.
Add the value of those together and you’re sitting at over $500 worth of available credits. That far outweighs the annual fee if you use these benefits to their fullest extent.
Everyday bonus categories
You can earn Membership Rewards points on many of your everyday purchases, with bonus rewards on restaurant purchases worldwide, U.S. supermarkets, and air travel. This can make it easier to maximize your reward potential than some cards with exclusively travel-based categories. However, keep in mind that the best redemption value only comes from travel, since the cash-back equivalent redemption method effectively cuts the value of your points in half.
Welcome bonus
The Amex Gold Card boasts a hefty welcome bonus to help you boost your rewards quickly. Currently, you can earn a bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases during the first six months of card membership. Plus, for a limited time, you can earn 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases made in the first 6 months (Offer ends 11/6/24).
As Membership Rewards Points can be redeemed at a 1 cent per point for certain travel through the portal, this offer has a standard value of roughly $600. However, transferring points to select travel partners can net a significantly higher value.
Other benefits
American Express travel insurance. Amex Gold comes with $500,000 worth of travel accident insurance, including flight delay insurance, baggage delay insurance and trip cancellation and interruption insurance. It also covers car rental theft and damage, lost or stolen baggage and hotel burglaries. Each type of insurance protects you under specific circumstances, limiting your losses in the event of an emergency.
No foreign transaction fees. You can swipe your Amex Gold Card freely overseas without worrying about incurring expensive fees on your purchases. However, Amex cards aren’t as widely accepted internationally as Visa or Mastercard, so it’s best to keep another card in your back pocket if you’re traveling abroad.
Purchase protection. When you use your Gold Card to make an eligible purchase, you get the benefit of Amex purchase protection. American Express offers up to $10,000 per covered purchase and up to $50,000 per calendar year for most covered events. If the loss occurs due to a natural disaster, Amex only provides up to $500 in purchase protection per event.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
What we don’t like
High annual fee
While $325 per year is lower than some premium cards, it’s still steep. If you can maximize the statement credits and bonus categories, you’re set. The statement credits alone can more than outweigh the cost. Some other cards offer similar rewards with lower or no annual fees, which may be a better bet if you’re not sure whether you can justify the $325 yearly cost.
For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers 6% back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year (then 1%), and has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, rising to only $95 thereafter (see rates and fees). Or the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 3% back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®) and 3% back on dining, and it doesn’t charge an annual fee at all.
Complicated benefits
The $120 per year in dining credits is great if you love going out to eat, but it’s not as simple as that. These credits are only doled out in $10 monthly increments and are only usable at select restaurants. Enrollment required.
If you already like to go to one of American Express’ restaurant partners, this might be an okay deal. Sure, $10 won’t get you very far, but it adds up over time. However, if you can’t utilize this perk, there’s a lot more of the annual fee you’ll still have to make up for.
Currently, new cardholders can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points when they spend $6,000 on eligible purchases during the first six months of card membership. This could be worth up to $1,200, depending on how you redeem your points. Plus, for a limited time, you can earn 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases you make in the first 6 months of owning this card. Offer ends 11/6/24.
Whereas the 60,000-point bonus is available to every approved applicant, American Express often sends better welcome offers to targeted individuals, with some new members earning 75,000 in bonus points. You may even see a welcome offer of 90,000 Membership Rewards points or more.
Earning points
4X points at restaurants. Earn 4X points on eligible purchases at restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) on up to $50,000 per year, then 1X. For example, if you treat yourself to a $500 steak dinner at Morton’s in Los Angeles, you’ll receive 2,000 Membership Rewards points (500 x 4).
4X points at U.S. supermarkets. Earn 4X points on purchases made at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 spent per year, then 1X. So for example, if you spend $100 on organic greens and fresh fruit, you’ll get 400 bonus points (100 x 4).
3X points on air travel. Earn 3X points on air travel booked directly with an airline or with American Express Travel. For example, if you’ve been eyeing a $5,000 trip to Las Vegas, you can earn 15,000 points (5,000 x 3).
1X points on all other eligible purchases. Even if your purchase doesn’t fall into one of the bonus categories, you’ll still earn 1 point per dollar. For example, if you spend $49 on books and magazines, you’ll get 49 points.
Amex offers
As part of the Membership Rewards program, Gold Card members also receive special offers from American Express. All you have to do is browse the list of available offers, activate the ones you plan to use and collect Membership Rewards points on each purchase.
Amex partners with a wide range of brands to provide discounts and limited-time offers on everything from streaming services to designer duds.
Referral bonus
With the Amex Gold referral bonus, you can earn points even if you don’t spend any money. Here’s how it works:
Use the American Express website to enter a friend’s name and email address.
Amex sends that friend a link to the Gold Card application.
If your friend completes the application and qualifies for a Gold Card or another American Express card, you’ll get a referral bonus. They’ll also get a welcome bonus to sweeten the deal.
Pay Over Time APR: If you use the Pay Over Time feature, you’ll have a variable APR of 20.74% to 28.74% on any balance you carry.
Cash Advances: The Gold Card charges a 29.99% APR on cash advances.
Penalty APR: If your payment is returned or if you make a late payment, you’ll pay a penalty APR of 29.99%. This penalty rate stays active for at least six months.
Credit limit
The American Express® Gold Card doesn’t have a preset spending limit. This flexible spending limit is set monthly and depends on your credit history, debt level, income, payment history, and spending habits.
Having no preset spending limit can be beneficial to those who frequently charge high amounts and want to make the most of their reward points. However, having no preset spending limit does not mean there is no credit limit at all, and you need to be especially careful to make sure you aren’t charging more than you can afford to pay off.
Credit score requirement
American Express doesn’t publicize the minimum credit score needed for an Amex Gold Card, but we recommend a FICO score of at least 670 before you apply. Your chances of approval increase with a score of 700 or higher if you meet other eligibility requirements.
How Amex Gold compares
American Express® Gold Card vs The Platinum Card® from American Express
Simply put, the Amex Gold card is better for everyday spending with the added benefit of some travel perks, while The Platinum Card® from American Express is better for frequent travelers who want luxury benefits.
The Gold card has a lower annual fee, but the Platinum has more perks and credits. Platinum cardmembers can access over $1,500 worth of statement credits, hotel elite status, airport lounge access and more. Whether that’s enough to justify the $695 annual fee (see rates and fees) is up to you to decide.
American Express® Gold Card vs Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The big difference here is that the Amex Gold Card is a rewards card that earns membership points and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a cash-back card (received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com), so your choice comes down to what type of rewards you want. If travel benefits matter to you, the Gold Card comes out on top. If you want to save money with a lower annual fee, Blue Cash Preferred is the winner with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then only $95 after that (see rates and fees).
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X. Earn 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per dollar), 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, and 1X points on other eligible purchases.
Earn 6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year (then 1% back), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit, and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
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The bottom line
Should you get the Amex Gold Card?
If you can utilize the dining statement credits, Uber Cash, and maybe even the hotel statement credit benefit, then the American Express® Gold Card is well worth the $325 annual fee and would make a great addition to your wallet. And if you spend a decent amount in this card’s bonus categories, even better.
However, if you’re uncertain about utilizing the statement credits, you want different benefits, or you can’t maximize the reward categories, Amex Gold likely isn’t the best option for you.
• • • • •
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please visit this page.
Amex Gold Card FAQs
How do I know my American Express Gold Card limit?
The Amex Gold Card doesn’t have a preset spending limit. American Express allows you to spend as much as needed each month based on your income and payment history, giving you more control over your finances. The lack of a limit makes it easier to take advantage of statement credits and other benefits of the Membership Rewards program.
Does the Amex Gold Card have foreign transaction fees?
The American Express® Gold Card doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees.
Is the American Express Gold Card metal?
Yes! The American Express Gold Card is a metal credit card, made of stainless steel, making it more durable and sleek than traditional credit cards made from plastic.
Is the American Express Gold Card for businesses?
The Amex Gold card is a consumer credit card and is not intended for businesses. Instead, the American Express® Business Gold Card is a great option for businesses, letting them earn points in whatever 2 categories they spend the most on. It’s one of the best Amex business cards you can get.
How do you become an Amex Gold Card member?
You can learn more about the Amex Gold Card and apply online from the comfort of your own home. You’ll just need to provide all the required information, including your annual income and contact details.
The Gold Card is somewhat difficult to get as it requires a credit score of at least 670. You have a higher chance of getting approved if you have a score in the 700s or 800s. American Express also requires applicants to have plenty of income as the Gold Card has no preset spending limit and a significant annual fee. Depending on your personal details, you may be able to pre-qualify for an American Express card. If you’re interested in improving your credit score, you might find useful tips in our guide on how to raise your credit score.
American Express is more than just a credit card issuer
The first step in growing and maintaining consistent savings is to understand your personal finances through checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and more.
Leigh Morgan is a seasoned personal finance contributor with over 15 years of experience writing on a diverse range of professional legal and financial topics. She specializes in subjects like navigating the complexities of insurance, savings, zero-based budgeting and emergency fund development.
In the last five years, she’s authored over 300 articles for credit unions, digital banks, and financial professionals. Morgan is also the author of “77 Tips for Preventing Elder Financial Abuse,” a book focused on helping caregivers protect the elderly from financial scams.
In addition to her writing skills, she brings real-world financial acumen thanks to her previous experience managing rental properties as part of a $34 million real estate portfolio.
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