The American Express® Gold Card is a great card for earning points at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights booked directly with airlines. Cardholders can also enjoy up to $424 in annual credits and nice travel and purchase protections.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let's dive right in.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- 4x Points at U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- 4x Points at Restaurants Worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- Up to $424 in Annual Credits
- $325 Annual Fee (Rates and Fees)
Welcome Bonus
The Amex Gold currently offers the following welcome bonus:
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Earning Membership Rewards Points
The Amex Gold earns Membership Rewards points and offers some very nice points multipliers to help you earn a lot of points:
- 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ .
- 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x points).
- 4 points per dollar U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year (then 1x points).
- 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly from the airline or booked on AmexTravel.com or via Amex Travel App™ .
- 2 points per dollar on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
This earning structure positions the Amex Gold Card as a top contender for your everyday spending, especially for food-related purchases. The 4x categories can help you accumulate points quickly, potentially earning you up to 200,000 points annually on dining alone if you max out the $50,000 limit. Similarly, you could earn up to 100,000 points on grocery purchases if you reach the $25,000 annual cap.
The 3x category on flights adds extra value for frequent travelers, allowing you to boost your point balance with every trip. Whether you book directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, you’ll be nicely rewarded for your air travel expenses.
The 1x earning rate on all other purchases ensures that you’re always earning something, no matter where you shop. However, for non-bonus categories, you may want to consider pairing this card with another offering higher general spending rewards, such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
Annual Fee
The American Express Gold has a $325 annual fee (rates and fees), which is offset by up to $424 in annual credits, trip and purchase protections, and extra points on dining, flights, and U.S. supermarkets.
American Express Gold Benefits
The American Express Gold card offers the following benefits for its cardholders:
$120 Dining Credit:Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$120 in Uber Cash: Get up to $10 monthly Uber Cash for U.S. Uber Eats orders and rides when you add your American Express Gold Card as a payment method. Your Uber Cash can be redeemed using any American Express card.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $50 semi-annually in statement credits after you pay with the Amex Gold to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment is required.
$84 Dunkin’ Credit: You can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.
Up to $100 in Hotel Credits: Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. Eligible charges vary by property. The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
No Foreign Transaction Fees (rates & fees): The Amex Gold’s lack of foreign transaction fees makes it an ideal choice for international purchases, especially considering you can earn 4 points per dollar at global restaurants (on the first $50,000 spent per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).
Travel and Purchase Benefits
Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.*
Baggage Insurance Plan covers your baggage if it is lost, damaged, or stolen and you purchase your ticket with this card.*
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.*
Extended Warranty Protection: When you purchase items with your credit card, you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage on eligible items that have original manufacturer warranties of up to five years. This valuable perk means you can protect expensive electronics and appliances that come with longer manufacturer warranties without paying extra for store protection plans*
Return Protection allows cardholders to receive a refund for purchased items within a certain timeframe for items that merchants may not accept for return.*
ShopRunner Membership: As a cardholder, you’ll enjoy a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free 2-day shipping and free returns at over 100 participating online retailers. This benefit can help frequent online shoppers save on shipping costs and streamline the return process.
Amex Offers: As an American Express cardholder, you can access Amex Offers. These targeted, limited-time promotions provide discounts or bonus points on purchases with select merchants. Offers are added to your card, and you’ll receive either a percentage or dollar amount back as a statement credit when you meet the offer terms. While offers vary and may not always align with your spending habits, this perk can be valuable when an offer matches your preferences.
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Redeeming Amex Membership Rewards Points
American Express Membership Rewards points shine brightest when you transfer them to airline and hotel partners. You can also book travel through Amex Travel at 1 cent per point, but transfers usually deliver far more value.
You can transfer Membership Rewards points to 16 airline partners: Aer Lingus AerClub, Aeromexico Rewards, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, ANA Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Club, Cathay, Delta SkyMiles, Emirates Skywards, Iberia Club, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Three hotel partners round out the list: Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Most transfers are 1:1, but a few aren't. Aeromexico transfers at 1:1.6, Cathay and Emirates at 5:4, JetBlue at 250:200, and Hilton at 1:2.
These partners span all three major airline alliances, so you can reach almost any route worldwide.
A few standout redemptions worth chasing:
- Fly Iberia business class to Madrid from 40,500 Avios each way on off-peak dates.
- Book Singapore's business or suites class on ultra-long-haul flights through KrisFlyer.
- Reach Europe on Flying Blue from 60,000 miles, with monthly Promo Rewards trimming prices further.
- Fly Qatar Airways' Qsuites from North America starting at 70,000 Avios.
- Book United Polaris business class to Europe for 50,000 miles through ANA.
Just confirm your award space before you move any points, since every transfer is irreversible.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
Excellent Earning Rates: The 4x points on dining and U.S. supermarkets make this card a top earner for food-related spending. If you frequently dine out or cook at home, you’ll accumulate points quickly. The $50,000 annual cap on restaurant spending and $25,000 cap on U.S. supermarket spending are generous enough that most cardholders won’t be affected.
Valuable Credits: If maximized, the various statement credits can potentially offset the entire annual fee. The dining credit, Uber Cash, Resy credit, and Dunkin’ credit provide up to $424 in value annually, which more than covers the $325 annual fee. If you can use all these credits, this effectively makes the card “free” to hold.
Flexible Redemptions: With numerous transfer partners and redemption options, you can get great value from your points. The ability to transfer points to airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio (with occasional transfer bonuses) allows for potentially outsized value when redeeming for premium cabin flights or luxury hotel stays.
Premium Travel Benefits: From travel insurance to The Hotel Collection credit, the card offers several travel perks that can enhance your trips and provide peace of mind. The absence of foreign transaction fees makes this an excellent card for international travel.
Cons:
High Annual Fee: At $325, the annual fee is significant and may not be worthwhile for those who can’t maximize the benefits. If you don’t travel frequently or spend heavily in the bonus categories, you might struggle to extract enough value to justify the fee.
Spending Caps: The 4x earning rates on dining and U.S. supermarkets are subject to annual spending limits. While these limits are high ($50,000 for restaurants and $25,000 for U.S. supermarkets), very high spenders might find themselves limited by these caps.
Complex Credits: The various statement credits are often distributed in small monthly increments, which can be challenging to track and use. You’ll need to be organized and intentional about using these credits to maximize their value. Some credits, like the Uber Cash, expire monthly if unused.
No Lounge Access: Unlike some premium travel cards, the Amex Gold doesn’t offer complimentary airport lounge access. For frequent travelers, this could be a significant drawback.
Is the Amex Gold Worth It?
Yes, the American Express® Gold Card can be incredibly valuable if you frequently dine out, cook at home, and travel. Its high earning rates on dining and groceries, travel perks, and flexible redemption options make it a strong contender for a place in your wallet. The various credits can effectively offset the annual fee if you’re able to maximize them, potentially making this a “free” card to hold.
However, to truly justify the $325 annual fee, you’ll need to make use of the various statement credits and spend enough in the bonus categories to earn substantial rewards. If you don’t spend heavily on dining and groceries, or if you can’t easily use the Uber, dining, Resy, and Dunkin’ credits, you might struggle to extract enough value from this card.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- 4x Points at U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- 4x Points at Restaurants Worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- Up to $424 in Annual Credits
- $325 Annual Fee (Rates and Fees)
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here. 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.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here. 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.
