Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

17 Benefits of the Amex Business Gold Credit Card [$8,000+ Value]

Christine Krzyszton's image
Christine Krzyszton
Christine Krzyszton's image

Christine Krzyszton

Senior Finance Contributor

305 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 98U.S. States Visited: 45

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, deta...
Edited by: Keri Stooksbury
Keri Stooksbury's image

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

29 Published Articles, 3029 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 45U.S. States Visited: 28

With years of experience in corporate marketing and as the Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, Keri is now Editor-in-Chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and r...
& Kellie Jez
Kellie Jez's image

Kellie Jez

Director of Operations & Compliance

1 Published Article, 1166 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 10U.S. States Visited: 20

Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s c...

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

The American Express® Business Gold Card isn’t necessarily one of those showy new credit cards with a giant welcome bonus. It doesn’t offer flashy benefits like hotel elite status or airport lounge access, so you’ll have to dig deeper to find the real value of this card.

Fortunately, though, the value is there for the right business. If your business can use the offered benefits, you can save thousands of dollars during your first year of card membership. That said, this Amex business card isn’t going to be valuable to all businesses.

Like any business credit card, your spending categories need to align with the Amex business gold bonus categories, you’ll need to utilize 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?

Today, we’ll try to answer that question. We’ll 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!

Earning Valuable Membership Rewards Points

Membership Rewards points earned on the Amex Business Gold card are some of the most flexible and valuable points you can earn — and there are plenty of ways to earn them.

Earning rewards may not be the only reason you decided 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 like travel expenses or even fund an annual vacation you’d otherwise pay cash for.

1. A Generous Welcome Offer — [$1,540]

You can earn the bonus by meeting minimum spending requirements within the first 3 months after card approval. With the current offer valued at $1,540, this is an imperative benefit to consider when evaluating the card.

BEST FOR BONUSES
American Express® Business Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express® Business Gold Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

American Express® Business Gold Card

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).
Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership
70,000 points
$1,540
$375
19.49% - 27.49% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The American Express® Business Gold Card is excellent at racking up rewards for your business spend.

The card earns a whopping 4x points per $1 in the 2 categories (from a list of 6) that your business spends the most money on each month. With no need to opt-in or preselect your categories, so you can focus on what matters most — running your business.

Pros

  • 4x points per dollar spent on your 2 highest purchase categories each month up to $150,000 each calendar year in purchases; categories include:
    • NEW! Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
    • NEW! U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
    • NEW! Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
    • U.S. purchases at gas stations
    • U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
    • Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, plus TV and radio)
  • 3x points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card
  • Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
  • Purchase protection and extended warranty protection
  • Trip delay insurance
  • Car rental insurance
  • Cell phone insurance

Cons

  • $375 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access or elite status
  • Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
  • Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
  • Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. $12.95 plus applicable taxes.
  • Your Card – Your Choice. Choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
  • *Terms Apply

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 19.49% - 27.49% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 110,000 points with the Amex Business Gold card! The current public offer is 70,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

2. Accelerated Earnings in 2 Business Spending Categories — [$4,400]

This card earns 4x Membership Rewards points on the top 2 categories in which your business spends the most every month (up to $150,000 in combined purchases every calendar year):

  • NEW! Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
  • NEW! U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
  • NEW! Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
  • U.S. purchases at gas stations
  • U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
  • Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)

If your business spends $50,000 in 4x bonus categories in a year, you’ll earn 200,000 Membership Rewards points worth approximately $4,400.

3. Elevated Earnings on AmexTravel.com Purchases — [$660]

Flights and prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com using the card receive 3x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent. If you were to spend $10,000 on travel, you would earn 30,000 Membership Rewards points on your purchases.

4. Unlimited Earnings on Every Purchase — [$440]

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. If your business spent just $10,000 in non-bonus category spending or in 4x bonus purchases above $150,000 in a calendar year, you would earn 20,000 Membership Rewards points.

Hot Tip: From how to qualify to benefits and perks, our guide will walk you through all the frequently asked questions about the Amex Business Gold card.

Receive Big Value on Membership Rewards Redemptions

5. Transfer to Airline and Hotel Partners

ANA New 777 The Room Business Class
ANA New 777 The Room Business Class. Image Credit: All Nippon Airways

One of the best features of Membership Rewards points is that you can transfer your points to the Amex transfer 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 airline and hotel transfer partners:

Airline Transfer Partners

SCROLL FOR MORE
Amex Airline PartnerMin TransferTransfer Ratio
(Amex > Partner)
Transfer Time
Aer Lingus1,0001:1Almost Instant
Aeromexico1,0001:1.62-12 days
Air Canada1,0001:1Almost Instant
ANA1,0001:13 days
Avianca LifeMiles1,0001:1Almost Instant
British Airways1,0001:1Almost Instant
Cathay Pacific1,0001:1Up to 1 Week
Delta Air Lines1,0001:1Almost Instant
Emirates1,0001:1Almost Instant
Etihad Airways1,0001:1Almost Instant
Flying Blue Air France/KLM1,0001:1Almost Instant
Hawaiian1,0001:1Almost Instant
Iberia1,0001:11-3 days
JetBlue2501:0.8Almost Instant
Qantas5001:1Almost Instant
Qatar Airways1,0001:1Almost Instant
Singapore Airlines1,0001:11-2 days
Virgin Atlantic1,0001:11-2 days

Hotel Transfer Partners

SCROLL FOR MORE
Amex Hotel PartnerMin TransferTransfer Ratio
(Amex > Partner)
Transfer Time
Choice Privileges1,0001:1Almost Instant
Hilton Honors1,0001:2Almost Instant
Marriott Bonvoy1,0001:1Almost Instant

While you can 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.

Travel Protections and Benefits [$375]

6. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Secondary coverage on eligible rental vehicles with the option to purchase Premium Protection for 1 low fee that covers the entire rental period. Prices range from $12.95 to $24.95, depending on the location and level of coverage selected. For example, on a 10-day rental, you could save ~$200 by not having to select the agency’s LDW coverage (at $20 per day).

7. Global Assist Hotline

Receive general travel, legal, medical, and financial assistance if things go wrong while traveling.

8. Baggage Insurance Plan

You’re covered for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage up to $1,250 per covered person.

9. 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 credit at checkout for select charges.

  • 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

Hot Tip: You can learn more about The Hotel Collection in our detailed guide.

Shopping Benefits and Protections [$795]

10. Extended Warranty

The manufacturer’s warranty of fewer than 5 years on qualifying items purchased with your card is extended by 1 year.

11. Purchase Protection

Receive coverage for eligible items purchased with the Amex Business Gold card for accidental damage or theft up to 90 days from the date of purchase; coverage is up to $1,000 per item and $50,000 per year.

12. Cell Phone Protection

The Amex Business Gold card now boasts cell phone protection, and it’s the same coverage as what you’d find on The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Unlike many other credit card phone insurance policies, this particular coverage includes cosmetic damages, including cracked screens.

Amex Business Gold cardmembers can make 2 claims per year for themselves or an employee phone. Each claim covers up to $800 in damages after paying a $50 deductible. To receive coverage, your monthly cell phone bill must be paid with your Amex Business Gold card.

13. Annual Statement Credits

Amex Business Gold cardmembers receive up to $395 annually in statement credits upon enrollment, distributed according to the following breakdown:

14. Amex Offers

Amex Offers
Image Credit: American Express

Too big of a deal to miss out on, Amex Offers can literally save you thousands a year. You’ll find these offers listed on your account home page; just scroll down the page and select the offers that interest you.

Add the offer to your card and follow the purchasing terms and conditions to receive statement credits or additional Membership Rewards points.

15. Business Expense Management Tools

If time is money, having the right business management tools can deliver economic value.

  • Connect to Quickbooks —Transfer data from your Amex account to your Quickbooks account.
  • No-Additional-Fee Employee Cards — Earn rewards faster and manage every expense with extra cards for your employees (rates & fees).
  • 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.

16. Additional Travel and Entertainment Perks

Your business could realize additional savings if it makes foreign purchases, as the card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

  • No Foreign Transaction Fees — Use your card anywhere in the world with no transaction fees added (rates & fees).
  • Event and Entertainment Access — Ticket presale privileges, VIP event access, and preferred seating.

17. Cash Flow and Finance Benefits

  • Pay Over Time — When you elect to use this benefit, you get to decide whether to pay eligible purchases in full each month or pay over time with interest.
  • No Preset 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 and conditions for each protection and 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 a year in 4x categories, take advantage of a few Amex Offers, and use the points you earn for high-end travel experiences, you’ll find plenty of value in the card.

Our value estimates are based on theoretical business spending scenarios. The value you receive will depend on how you utilize the card.

To check out other business credit cards for comparison, we’ve put together a full lineup of the best small business cards for maximum rewards and cash-back.

For the Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance benefit of the American Express® Business Gold Card, the benefit can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the Global Assist benefit of the American Express® Business Gold Card, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

For the Baggage Insurance Plan benefit of the American Express® Business Gold Card, coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. 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 the Extended Warranty benefit of the American Express® Business Gold Card, when an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. 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 the Purchase Protection benefit of the American Express® Business Gold Card, when an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. 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 the cell phone protection benefit of the Amex Business Gold card, coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellular wireless telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per eligible card account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per eligible card account per 12 month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amex Business Gold card worth it?

The Amex Business Gold card is worth it if the value you receive for your business more than offsets the annual fee.

If your business cannot utilize these benefits, you need to earn rewards with a value great enough to offset the annual fee.

For example, if your business spends $20,000 per year in any of the 4x earning categories, then you’ll earn at least $800 in rewards value using a very conservative valuation of 1 cent per Membership Reward point.

How do I redeem Membership Rewards points?

Start by signing in to your American Express online account.

As soon as your Membership Rewards points appear in your account, they are ready to use.

At the top of the page, you’ll see options such as account services, benefits, and rewards. Click on Rewards.

On the next page, you’ll see the total number of points in your account, and below the total is a drop-down menu with several options.

You’ll be able to select an option to redeem your points for travel, shopping, or to redeem your points for gift cards, and much more.

This is also where you can select Transfer Your Points if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to an airline or hotel travel partner.

How do Amex Offers work?

Amex Offers are listed when you log in to your online credit card account. Offers are added frequently, so it’s good to check often.

The offers are located below your account information under Amex Offers and Benefits. Click on Select All to view the complete list of offers.

Once you find an offer you like, you should read the terms and conditions and add the offer to your card by clicking the Add to Card button.

Be sure to review the offer carefully to ensure you’re making the purchase correctly. For example, an offer can be good at samsclub.com but not at the physical store or walmart.com but not at the Walmart store.

Which is better --- the Amex Business Gold card or the Amex Business Platinum card?

Christine Krzyszton's image

About Christine Krzyszton

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse
DMCA.com Protection Status