35 Benefits of the American Express® Business Gold Card
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The American Express® Business Gold Card isn’t one of those showy new credit cards with a giant welcome bonus, hotel elite status, and airport lounge access (Priority Pass, Amex Centurion, etc.) — you’ll have to dig deeper to find the real value your business can use with this card.
Fortunately, though, for the right business, the value is definitely there. In fact, if your business can use the offered benefits, you can save thousands of dollars during your first year of card membership.
But with that being said, this card isn’t going to be valuable to all businesses.
Just like any business credit card, your spending categories need to align with the bonus categories, you’ll need to use the offered benefits, and you have to find enough value in the benefits to offset the annual fee.
But with up to 4x earnings, rebates on airfare, and the ability to transfer points to travel partners, the card still offers plenty of value.
So that begs the question: does this card offer enough to be a valuable asset to your business?
We’ll help you find the answer to that question in this article. Here, we’ll take a look at all of the Amex Business Gold card‘s benefits and help you see if it delivers enough value for your business to justify applying.
Let’s get started!
Table of contents
- Earning Valuable Membership Rewards Points
- Transfer Membership Rewards to Travel Partners
- 25% Airline Redemption Rebate on Amex Travel
- Amex Offers
- The Hotel Collection
- The Travel Collection
- Business Expense Management Tools
- Additional Travel, Entertainment, and Transportation Perks
- Additional Shopping Benefits
- Cash Flow and Finance Benefits
- Final Thoughts
Table of Contents
- Earning Valuable Membership Rewards Points
- Transfer Membership Rewards to Travel Partners
- 25% Airline Redemption Rebate on Amex Travel
- Amex Offers
- The Hotel Collection
- The Travel Collection
- Business Expense Management Tools
- Additional Travel, Entertainment, and Transportation Perks
- Additional Shopping Benefits
- Cash Flow and Finance Benefits
- Final Thoughts
Earning Valuable Membership Rewards Points
Earning rewards may not be the most important reason to acquire a business credit card, but it’s always near the top of the list of card benefits.
That’s because rewards can help offset bottom line costs such as travel expenses, or even fund an annual vacation you’d otherwise pay cash for.
Membership Rewards points earned on this card are some of the most flexible and valuable points you can earn — and there are plenty of ways to earn them.
| CREDIT CARD | BENEFITS |
|---|---|
American Express® Business Gold Card |
|
Accelerated Earnings in 2 Business Spending Categories
There are 6 business expense categories that are eligible to earn 4 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent:
- Airfare purchased from airlines directly
- Online, TV, and radio advertising purchased from U.S. media
- Select technology purchases of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions from U.S. providers
- Purchases at U.S. gas stations
- Purchases at U.S. restaurants
- Purchases for U.S. shipping
Hot Tip: For more information on how this card can earn bonus points on advertising expenses, check out our run-down here – the 6 Best Business Credit Cards for Advertising Purchases.
Customized Business Spending Categories
American Express will examine your spending at each statement closing and automatically apply the 4 points per dollar earning rate to the 2 categories you spent the most in. This means that you don’t have to pre-select the bonus category you’d like to earn in.
$150,000 Bonus Spending Limit
The card comes with a generous $150,000 limit on purchases for combined 4 points/$1 categories. This means that you can earn 4 points/$1 spent on up to $150,000 in total purchases for 4x qualifying business bonus spending categories each calendar year.
Elevated Earning on Amex Travel Purchases
Qualifying purchases made on Amex Travel using the card receive 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent.
Unlimited Earnings on Every Purchase
All purchases earn at least 1 Membership Reward point per $1 spent, including bonus category spending that exceeds the annual $150,000 limit. There is no limit on how many points you can earn.
Transfer Membership Rewards to Travel Partners
One of the best features of Membership Rewards points is that you can transfer your points to airline and hotel partners. You can use these transfer partners to redeem for luxurious travel experiences like ANA first class to Tokyo or a long weekend in Hawaii.
Below you’ll find all of the Membership Rewards transfer partners:
Transfer to Airline Partners
| Amex Airline Transfer Partner | Min Transfer | Transfer Ratio (Amex > Partner) | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| AeroMexico | 1,000 | 1:1.6 | 2-12 days |
| Air Canada | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Alitalia | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Aer Lingus | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| ANA | 1,000 | 1:1 | 3 days |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost instant |
| British Airways | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Cathay Pacific | 1,000 | 1:1 | Up to 1 Week |
| Delta Air Lines | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| EL AL | 1,000 | 50:1 | Almost Instant |
| Emirates | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Etihad Airways | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| FlyingBlue AirFrance/KLM | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Hawaiian | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Iberia | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1-3 days |
| JetBlue | 250 | 1:0.8 | Almost Instant |
| Qantas | 500 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Singapore Airlines | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1-2 days |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1-2 days |
Transfer to Hotel Partners
| Amex Hotel Transfer Partner | Min Transfer | Transfer Ratio (Amex > Partner) | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choice Privileges | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Hilton Honors | 1,000 | 1:3 (Bonus Ends 4/14) | Almost Instant |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
While you have the ability to transfer your Membership Rewards points to hotel partners, it’s not the best value for your points. Having the option is a positive though — especially if you need to top off your hotel rewards account for a specific redemption.
25% Airline Redemption Rebate on Amex Travel
You can redeem Membership Rewards points at 1 cent per point on Amex Travel. Using this booking portal, you can book airfare, hotels, cruises, and more with your Membership Rewards points.
Further, Amex Business Gold cardmembers will receive a 25% points rebate when redeeming points for first or business class airfare through Amex Travel. This means that you can effectively redeem Membership Rewards at 1.25 cents per point through Amex Travel.
Generally, though, you’ll still find better value when transferring your Membership Rewards points to the transfer partners we mentioned earlier.
Hot Tip: Amex Travel purchases covered with points are still paid tickets. This means that you’ll earn airline miles on your Amex Travel airfare, so make sure to add your frequent flier number after booking.
Amex Offers
Too big of a deal to fall under “shopping benefits,” Amex Offers deserve their own heading. You can literally save thousands a year with the Amex Offers that are listed on your online account home page. These offers change over time and are usually business-focused.
Just add the offer to your card and follow the purchasing terms/conditions to receive statement credits or additional Membership Rewards points.
The Hotel Collection
Book a prepaid hotel stay of 2 nights or more through qualifying American Express Travel Providers, pay with your Amex Business Gold card, and receive room upgrades and a credit at checkout for select charges. Read more about Amex’s Hotel Collection here.
- Receive an upgraded room and other amenities based on availability.
- $100 hotel credit on all stays for use on dining, spa, or other on-site resort purchases.
- Bookings made on AmexTravel.com receive 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent, or the stay can be paid for with the “Pay with Points” option.
The Travel Collection
You would normally have to pay $295 for an annual membership with The Travel Collection by Travel Leaders Group. Fortunately, you’ll enjoy complimentary membership for as long as you have your Amex Business Gold card.
- Airfare discounts — Enjoy airfare discounts on several international airlines and on United Airlines. Ticketing fees are currently waived for cardholders.
- Hotel benefits — Room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and a room credit (2 night stay required).
- Travel discounts — Receive discounted pricing on car rentals, vacation packages, cruises, and escorted tours.
- Personalized travel planning — Receive professional assistance before, during, and after your travels.
You must call 877-485-8053 to register and get access to The Travel Collection members-only website.
Hot Tip: Wondering how this card stacks up against The Business Platinum Card® from American Express? Check out the comparison here: The Amex Business Platinum vs. The Amex Business Gold Card [Detailed].
Business Expense Management Tools
- Connect to Quickbooks — Transfer data from your Amex account to your Quickbooks account.
- Free employee cards — Earn rewards faster and manage every expense with extra cards for your employees.
- American Express® Business App — Add receipts and notes to your transaction via desktop or mobile device.
- Online and year-end statements — View your spending history and access reports to help at tax time.
- Mobile account management — Access your account from anywhere.
- Account alerts — Set up account alerts for unusual spending, payment reminders, or to monitor employee spending.
Additional Travel, Entertainment, and Transportation Perks
- Event and entertainment access — Ticket pre-sale privileges, VIP event access, and preferred seating.
- No foreign transaction fees — Use your card anywhere in the world with no transaction fees added.
- Global assist hotline — General travel, legal, medical, and financial assistance if things go wrong while you’re traveling.
- Baggage insurance plan — Coverage for loss, theft, or damaged luggage up to $1,250 per covered person.
- Premium roadside assistance — No-cost U.S. roadside assistance up to 4 times/year, plus towing up to 10 times/year.
- Travel accident insurance — Covers injury or loss of life due to an accident up to $100,000.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance — Secondary coverage on eligible rental vehicles for collision damage (up to 30 days).
Additional Shopping Benefits
- Extended warranty — On qualifying items, the manufacturer’s warranty of 2-5 years is extended by 2 years.
- Purchase protection — Coverage for eligible items purchased with the card for damage, theft, or loss up to 120 days (90 days for New York residents); up to $1,000/item and $50,000/year.
- Return protection — Eligible items that cannot be returned to the original merchant are covered up to 90 days from purchase (maximum $300 per item/$1,000 per year).
Cash Flow and Finance Benefits
- Pay Over Time — When this benefit is turned on, purchases of $100 or more automatically qualify to be paid over time; interest charges apply.
- No pre-set spending limit — Your spending power adjusts as you use your card.
- Vendor payment — Have American Express pay your vendors even if they don’t take credit cards, then repay American Express within 30, 60, or 90 days.
Terms and conditions apply to all protections/benefits. You can access full descriptions and links to terms/conditions for each protection/benefit mentioned here.
Final Thoughts
The Amex Business Gold card is one of the most feature-packed business cards on the market, but you should still review its benefits and earning potential carefully to see if it makes sense for your business.
You’ll find benefits with elevated earnings of 4x on select bonus categories, Amex offers, business management tools, and some ancillary travel benefits.
If you’ll spend more than $7,500/year in 4x categories, take advantage of a few Amex offers, and receive a discount on airfare through The Travel Collection, you will find plenty of value in the card.
To check out other business credit cards for comparison, we’ve put together a full line up of the Best Small Business Credit Cards for Maximum Rewards and Cash-Back.
Are you sure about JetBlue and Starwood transfer rates?? They are different on Gold Personal card…
Hi Aleks! Thank you for your insight and pointing out the changes to the transfer partners. The American Express Membership Rewards website still has Starwood listed but soon to change as well. Also, the ratio is now 1:1. We will be updating the airline transfer list to include Virgin Atlantic and jetBlue changes. As always, the Rewards section of your American Express card home page will show the most recent transfer partners and ratios. Thanks again for the information.