Review of the American Express Gold Card
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Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. This page does NOT include all card companies and all available card deals. Select American Express offers and benefits may require enrollment. Learn more at americanexpress.com. I’ve used them to travel the world and save a lot of money on flights, hotels and other travel benefits. I’m never bored comparing the perks of different cards, applying for them, or optimizing my rewards. There are two main types of travel reward cards that attract attention today: those with low annual fees or none at all, which are great for beginners, and the premium cards that cater to jet-setters, who are looking for luxury benefits and high fees. There aren’t many cards in the middle. Today, I’d like to discuss a card which falls in between: the American Express Gold Card. While it is a favorite of avid point and mile collectors, the card gets overlooked in larger conversations. This card is a great option. I think it’s a card that more travelers should have in their wallet and one I use. Here’s what you need to consider before deciding if the Amex Gold is right for you. The American Express(r), Gold Card, is issued by American Express. It’s great for those who like to dine out. You can earn up to $50,000 in points per year by dining at restaurants. With this card, you will earn Membership Rewards(r), which you can then transfer to one of 21 airline or hotel partners. This card offers:
Earn up to 60,000 Membership Reward(r) points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first six months of your Card Membership. Get up to $100 in statement credits back on purchases at restaurants around the world within your first six months of Card membership. Offer ends 11/6/24.0 Offer ends 11/6/24.
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 points for the rest of the year
Earn 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
Earn 2x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com
Earn 1x Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Up to $524 worth of statement credits (which I’ll break down below)
No foreign transaction fees
The card comes with a $325 annual fee (See Rates and Fees).
Breaking Down the Amex Gold’s Statement Credits
- American Express is known for offering a lot of perks and benefits with its cards (that’s why I love their cards). The card has a $325 annual fee (See Rates and Fees).
- Breaking down the Amex Gold’s Statement Credits
- American Express is known for offering a lot of perks and benefits with its cards. You can use them to more than offset the annual charge if you take full advantage. There are many different credits, each with its own fine print. I will break them down. This benefit is the most popular. Add your Uber Gold Card and you will receive $10 Uber Cash each month (adding up $120 in a year). It can be used for Uber Eats or rides, but I dislike that it is only available in the U.S. Before you make a purchase, toggle Uber Cash on as a method of payment. After your purchase, the credit will appear on your app receipt. You must have the most recent version of the Uber App, and your American Express Gold Card has to be set up as a payment method in your Uber account. Amex Dining Credits up to $120
- On a negative note, I find it a little difficult to use. Amex Gold Card holders can earn $10 monthly in statement credit when they pay at Grubhub.com, The Cheesecake Factory Goldbelly Wine.com and Five Guys. It’s a pretty random collection of companies but if you’re a frequent customer of any of them, it could be worth an extra $120 yearly.
- Up To $84 Dunkin’ Credit
- This was added to the card with its recent refresh. This credit is for Dunkin’ fans. You can earn up $7 per month in statement credits when you pay with your Amex Gold card at Dunkin’. It’s most beneficial to East Coasters since most of the locations are located on the U.S. East Coast. (New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut have the most locations.)
- Up To $100 Resy Credit
This benefit was added recently. Resy is a restaurant-reservation website (owned by Amex) where you can make reservations at over 16,000 restaurants around the world. You can receive up to $100 as statement credits every calendar year if you use your Gold Card for dining at U.S. Resy Restaurants (or other Resy purchases that are eligible). This benefit, unlike most other statement credits on the card, is only rolled out every two years. You will receive up to $50 in credit during the first half of the calendar year and the remaining $50 during the second. You can check your progress on the app or website :
. I like semi-annual credit statements because they offer a little more flexibility. Resy does not require you to make a Resy reservation. The restaurant must offer Resy reservations. If you frequently visit or live in a large city with many restaurants listed on Resy, it’s easier. This is the only credit available on your travel statement. This benefit allows you to receive $100 in credit toward eligible charges for every two-night booking made through AmexTravel.com. The eligible charges will vary depending on the property but could include spa treatments or dining credits.
Enrollment is required for select benefits mentioned in this section.
Access to Amex Offers
In addition to all those statement credits, by holding an American Express card you get access to Amex Offers. The offers are constantly changing and you can earn points or save money at certain retailers. These offers are tailored to each cardholder, so they have their own set of offers. Spend X and get Y bonus points. Spend $1 at The Gap and get 5 MR Points. You may not be able take advantage of all offers but you might. This is a way to recover the annual fee for this card. You should check your card regularly to see if there are any offers that you could use. Just remember to pay for the offer with your Gold Card. With the American Express(r), Gold Card you can earn Membership Rewards points. To get the most out of your points, you’ll want to transfer them to one of Amex’s travel partners:
Aer Lingus AerClub (1:1 ratio)
Aeromexico Rewards (1:1.6 ratio)
Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 ratio)
Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio)
All Nippon Airways Mileage Club (1:1 ratio)
Avianca LifeMiles (1:1 ratio)
British Airways Executive Club (1:1 ratio)
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 ratio)
Choice Privileges(r) (1:1 ratio)
Delta SkyMiles (1:1 ratio)
Emirates Skywards (1:1 ratio)
Etihad Guest (1:1 ratio)
HawaiianMiles (1:1 ratio)
Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio)
Iberia Plus (1:1 ratio)
JetBlue TrueBlue (250:200 ratio)
Marriott Bonvoy (1:1 ratio)
- Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1 ratio)
- Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1 ratio)
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 ratio)
- Most transfers are instant, though a few (like Iberia and Cathay Pacific) can take up to 48 hours. You can use your Membership Reward points to book hotels and flights through Amex Travel. As I have said before, it’s not the best way to use your points. I wouldn’t normally do it.
American Express Restrictions on Welcome Bonuses
Unlike some companies (like Chase), American Express allows you to only earn a bonus once for each card. Ever. You can’t get a welcome offer on a new card if you have (or held) another card of a higher level in the same family. If you have The Platinum Card (r) by American Express, you will not be eligible for the Amex Gold Card welcome offer. I mention this because you should consider it if you plan to apply for other Amex credit cards in the future. It’s better to get American Express cards in ascending order (so the Gold Card first, then the Platinum Card). The Amex Gold has many benefits. This card is unique amongst cards that offer transferable points, the most valuable type of points. This card is perfect for foodies who can take advantage of the credit and other benefits. If you are an avid traveler this card should be used with other cards, rather than being the only one in your wallet. This card would be a good match with another that offers 3x points on travel (such as Chase Sapphire Preferred(r), or Chase Sapphire Reserve(r), which have more robust travel benefits). You’ll also be able to diversify your rewards between two currencies that are highly valuable: Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards. As with any other credit card, this one is not for you if you have a current balance or intend to carry one. This card has the same high interest rates as other travel credit cards. If you pay interest every month, the points are not worth it. This card is not suitable for those with bad credit. You need to have excellent credit in order to qualify. Check out the best credit cards for people with bad credit to start improving your credit score. )
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The American Express Gold Card will be a good addition to your wallet if you are a foodie, like me, and spend a large portion of your budget buying food. You can earn flights and hotel accommodations around the globe by spending more at supermarkets and restaurants in the United States and around the globe. That’s the whole point!
Book Your Flight with Skyscanner. My favorite search engine is Skyscanner because it searches all websites and airlines in the world, so I know that no stone will be left unturned. - Book Your Accommodation
- You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. Booking.com is the best option if you don’t want to stay in a hostel. It consistently offers the lowest rates for hotels and guesthouses.
- Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
- Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. This is comprehensive coverage in the event of an accident. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- Want to Travel for Free?
- Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Want to travel for free?
- Travel cards let you earn points which can be redeemed for flights and accommodations for no extra cost. Visit my guide on choosing the best card to see my favorite deals and to learn how to get started. Ready to book your trip?
- Check out my resource page to find the best travel companies. Here are all the companies I use to travel. You can’t go far wrong with them. They are top-of-the-line and the best you can get.
