28 Benefits & Perks of the Amex Gold Card ($4,100+ Value)

Finding an everyday spending card that doubles as a travel rewards card and earns valuable Membership Rewards Points on all those purchases is a sweet yet productive combination.

The American Express^® Gold Card shines with strong earnings on everyday purchases at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants, a variety of ways to earn/redeem rewards, plenty of mid-tier travel benefits, perks, savings, and special offers. And this card does it all without a super-premium annual fee!

Many premium travel rewards credit cards come with annual fees as high as $550. With those cards, you typically receive a package of corresponding premium travel benefits such as complimentary lounge access, Global Entry fee reimbursement, and even a large statement credit toward travel purchases.

The Amex Gold Card strikes a perfect balance with generous earning potential, plus enough perks, benefits, credits, and protections to improve your travel experience with a lower annual fee to match — plus it’s a sleek metal credit card with a shiny finish!

Let’s dig a bit deeper into all the benefits the Amex Gold card has to offer, and see why this card is quickly earning a place in the savvy consumer’s wallet.

Benefits Summary

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American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

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American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $6,000 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.

As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

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

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• 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 US 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.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $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. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

The Amex Gold card has strengths as both an everyday earning card and a travel rewards card since it has the earning elements for both and strong redemption value for the traveler.

Here’s a quick summary of the card’s benefits:

Read our guide on how to get an American Express card here.

Earn Valuable Membership Rewards Points

1. A Generous Welcome Bonus ($1,420 Value)

While welcome bonuses can vary, the bonus you earn after meeting spending requirements can significantly jump-start your earnings. The current welcome offer is:

Apply and find out if you're eligible for as high as 100,000 points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

2. Generous Earnings at Restaurants, Supermarkets, and for Airline Flights ($2,200 Value)

With this card, you’ll earn:

• 4 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent at restaurants. Up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; after that, earn 1x.
• 4 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets. Up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; after that, earn 1x.
• 3 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline, as well as airfare booked through AmexTravel.com
• 1 Membership Rewards Point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Membership Rewards points are valuable because they are flexible and can be redeemed in several different ways. Your Membership Rewards points also don’t expire as long as you have an active Membership Rewards-earning credit card open.

If you spent $25,000 in a year on 4x earning bonus categories alone, you would earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points. Given we value Membership Rewards Points at 2.2 centers per point, 100,000 Memberships Rewards points would be valued at $2,200.

You can read our expert guide to learn more about all the ways you can earn valuable Membership Rewards points.

Bottom Line: The Amex Gold card offers tremendous earning potential, both initially with the generous welcome bonus and ongoing with dining, supermarket, and airline flight bonus category earnings.

Shopping Discounts, Perks, and Credits

3. Monthly Dining Credits (Up to $120 Value)

In addition to earning Membership Rewards points on your purchases, you’ll enjoy up to $120 per year in dining statement credits (up to $10 per month) at participating restaurants, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.

4. Semi-Annual Resy Credits (Up to $100 Value)

Enjoy an annual statement credit of up to $100 ($50 semi-annually), redeemable at any U.S. Resy restaurant and other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment is required through your Amex account. Simply add your Amex Gold card to your Resy wallet and make your purchase at a U.S. restaurant that participates in Resy.

5. Monthly Dunkin’ Credits (Up to $84 Value)

Treat yourself to a coffee and donut every month with the Amex Gold card’s Dunkin’ credit. Receive an $84 annual statement credit ($7 per month), redeemable at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment is required.

6. Uber Cash (Up to $120 Value)

Add your Amex Gold card to your Uber wallet to receive up to $10 Uber Cash each month for U.S. Eats orders and Rides. Note that any Amex card can be used as payment.

7. Amex Offers ($200 Value)

Believe it or not, some American Express cardholders aren’t aware of Amex Offers — but they should be! Amex Offers can save you hundreds of dollars a year or more.

When you log in to your card account online, you’ll find the Amex Offers and Benefits listed below your account information and current summary. Just add the offer you think you might use to your card by clicking the Add to Card button.

When you use your card at that merchant, the offer will automatically be applied as a statement credit, or if the offer is for bonus Membership Rewards points, those points will be added to your account after the purchase has been verified.

Amex Offers can be quite lucrative! Previous offers have included $75 back for spending $75 or more at AT&T, and an offer for 10% back on every Sam’s Club purchase (the Sam’s Club offer was even applicable for gift cards!).

Hot Tip: Adding Amex Offers to one of your American Express cards can eliminate it from the list of your Amex Offers for different cards. Be sure to review the offers on each card so you’ll add the best offers to your desired cards!

Shopping Protections (Value Varies)

Hopefully, these are protections you never have to use, but if you do, you’re sure to find economic value in having these coverages.

8. Extended Warranty

Warranties always seem to expire just when you need them. With extended warranty coverage, you’ll receive up to 1 additional year of warranty coverage for eligible purchases that have a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less.

Coverage is limited to the amount you charged on your Amex Gold card, and only up to $10,000 per item (maximum $50,000 per year).

9. Purchase Protection

Eligible purchases are protected when accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost. Purchase protection provides coverage for eligible items purchased within the past 90 days, and can even include coverage for your cell phone.

There is a $10,000 limit per occurrence and a $50,000 limit per calendar year.

Travel Benefits That Add Value

10. The Hotel Collection Benefits ($100 Value)

Cardholders of the Amex Gold card will enjoy an elevated travel experience when booking a 2-night stay at properties included in The Hotel Collection, including perks like:

• Upgraded room at check-in, when available
• $100 credit to use at the hotel
• Ability to pay with points
• Double points for prepaid bookings

Cardholders must book a minimum of 2 consecutive nights and pay with their card or Membership Rewards Points. The $100 credit can be used toward eligible purchases that vary by each property.

You can book up to 3 rooms per stay through AmexTravel.com or The Hotel Collection website. One $100 credit is applied per room per 2-night stay, so your total credit could be a total of $300 if booking 3 rooms.

Additionally, when you pay for your room with your Amex Gold card, you’ll receive double Membership Rewards points! That’s 2 points for every dollar spent.

Keep in mind that booking through any third party (including AmexTravel.com) versus booking directly on the hotel’s website can result in not receiving your elite hotel loyalty program benefits or stay credit.

Bottom Line: Cardholders can enjoy unlimited savings since the $100 hotel credit can be used each time you book a 2-night stay at The Hotel Collection properties. This is an especially good value as there are plenty of hotels in The Hotel Collection that are conservatively priced (not just high-end expensive properties). 

Travel Protection

11. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance (Value Varies)

The Amex Gold card comes with secondary car rental insurance but offers the option to purchase primary Premium Protection for 1 low fee that covers the entire rental period. Prices range from $12.95 to $24.95 depending on location and coverage selected.

Car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your 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 coverage does not include liability coverage and unfortunately, not all vehicle types or rentals are covered.

If you rent a vehicle just 10 days each year, you could pay $200 or more for car rental protection — Amex Premium Protection could save you plenty.

For a complete description of the rental loss and damage coverage, access the Amex Gold card benefits guide for coverage details.

Bottom Line: The Amex Gold card delivers hundreds of dollars of additional dining and travel benefits each year with high points-earning levels for everyday spending. 

12. Global Assist Hotline

Having access to 24/7 medical, legal, financial, or emergency assistance services when traveling more than 100 miles from home can save the day. Examples of these worldwide services include passport replacement, wiring money, and assistance with lost luggage (note that the cardholder is responsible for any costs charged by the service providers).

13. Baggage Insurance Plan

Never worry about lost, damaged, or stolen luggage when you purchase your plane, train, ship, or bus ticket with your Amex Gold card. Coverage is provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and $500 for checked baggage. Limits, exclusions, and restrictions apply.

Costs and Fees

14. Negating the Annual Fee

While the card does charge an annual fee, the generous earnings rate makes it easy to accumulate Amex points quickly. The value you receive for Membership Rewards points when redeemed for travel contributes to a very low break-even point for owning this card.

For example, you would need to spend just $6,250 per year in 4% earning categories to offset the annual fee. This assumption is based on a conservative value of 1 cent per Membership Rewards point, but it’s possible to receive much more value when transferring points to travel partners.

Bottom Line: U.S. supermarket spending alone can more than offset the cost of the annual fee, but the welcome bonus, additional earning potential in bonus categories, credits, and benefits can deliver value far beyond the cost. 

Redeeming Valuable Membership Rewards Points

With so many ways to earn Membership Rewards Points, they’ll add up quickly. Now, let’s take a look at the options available and the level of value you can expect when redeeming your points.

15. Redeem Points With AmexTravel.com (Value Varies)

The AmexTravel.com website is simply an online travel agency booking site similar to Orbitz or Kayak. However, since the portal caters to American Express cardholders, you’ll find its customer service exceptional.

Below is the value of 10,000 Membership Rewards points when redeemed on the AmexTravel.com website.

Note that the best value for your Membership Rewards points is to use them for booking flights. There are fees for using AmexTravel.com, but these are minimal compared to the peace of mind that if something goes wrong during your trip, you’ll have its customer service team to help make it right.

The fee for domestic flights is $6.99, or $10.99 for international flights.

Hot Tip: When you’re not using Membership Rewards points to book with AmexTravel.com, you’ll want to use your Amex Gold card to pay for your flights — you’ll be earning 3 points per dollar spent!

16. Transfer Points to Airline Partners (Value Varies)

Having choices when it comes time to redeem your Membership Rewards points is a good thing! The value you receive for different redemption options, however, varies greatly. When redeeming your points for airline miles, you’ll notice that transfer ratios depend on the frequent flyer program you’re transferring points to.

You’ll find plenty of opportunities for good deals when transferring your Amex points to the Amex transfer partners.

One sweet spot is transferring Membership Rewards points to British Airways for Avios, BA’s term for redeemable frequent flyer miles. Its award chart is distance-based and offers some great opportunities for short-haul flights. For instance, outside of the U.S., flights that are 650 miles or less can cost as few as 4,000 Avios. You can actually build an open-jaw itinerary by flying into 1 city, returning from another, and using short-haul flights to journey between them.

If you’d rather fly in premium class, consider transferring your Membership Rewards points to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program and booking with a domestic airline partner such as United Airlines. Both airlines are partner members of the Star Alliance, but United Airlines charges less for some business and first class award tickets.

Bottom Line: Airline partners within the same alliance can charge different amounts for award flights on the same route. Check award charts on partner airlines within the same alliance to find the best award ticket pricing. Utilize that airline’s frequent flyer program for your Membership Rewards points transfer to make your points go further!

17. Transfer Points to Hotel Partners (Value Varies)

In addition to transferring your Membership Rewards points to airline partners, you have the option to transfer them to your choice of a few hotel loyalty programs:

Transferring Membership Rewards points to hotel loyalty programs is not always a good value. However, knowing there are some gems to be found can make the treasure hunt worthwhile.

Hot Tip: Always check the hotel transfer partner’s website for opportunities where the cash cost of the room is high but point redemption options are relatively low. When you find this combination (and you will!), it can yield good value when transferring your Membership Rewards points to that hotel partner. 

Before transferring any Membership Rewards points to airline or hotel partners, you’ll want to be sure you have an active frequent flyer or hotel loyalty account with the program where you want the miles or points to end up.

You’ll also want to allow time for the points to transfer into the loyalty program. Some transfers happen nearly instantly, while others take a few days or more.

One of our experts has put together a strong collection of the best ways to redeem Membership Rewards points, including some creative suggestions at Choice Hotels. You’ll also find a vast selection of airline transfer partner sweet spots on the list that will help make your Membership Rewards points go further.

Bottom Line: It is possible to get substantially more than 1 cent of value per Membership Rewards point when transferring your points to travel partners. However, note that once you transfer to any of these partners, the transfer cannot be reversed!

18. When 10,000 Membership Rewards Points Are Worth $100

When you choose to redeem your points for travel, gift cards, merchandise, statement credits, services, or donate to charity, Membership Rewards points can be worth anywhere from 0.5 cents to 1 cent per point.

Let’s look at the redemption options that deliver the best value on the chart of 1 cent per point. Booking flights with AmexTravel.com, certain gift cards, NYC taxis, and charitable donations through the American Express MembersGive program all offer value of 1 cent per point.

19. Booking Flights Through AmexTravel.com

AmexTravel.com is similar to other online travel agencies like Orbitz. You select the flights you want and pay for them with Membership Rewards points, cash, or a combination of points and cash. You’ll receive 1 cent per Membership Rewards point when booking flights, which is among the best values for your points.

However, AmexTravel.com charges fees: $6.99 per domestic airline ticket and $10.99 per international ticket.

20. Redeeming for Select Gift Cards

Realizing a full 1 cent in value for your Membership Rewards points is easy when you redeem your points for select gift cards — you’ll find dozens of $100 gift cards available for 10,000 Membership Rewards points.

Gift card categories include Air/Lodging, American Express, Car/Rail, Dining, Experience, and Retail.

Unfortunately, the category that allows you to redeem your Membership Rewards points for American Express gift cards is a poor choice, as you’ll receive only 0.5 cents in value per point.

You can view a complete list of gift cards available on the Membership Rewards website (even if you don’t have a Membership Rewards-earning card yet).

21. Paying for NYC Taxis

You’ll receive a value of 1 cent per point when using your Amex Gold card for rides in New York City taxis.

American Express has arranged to allow cardholders to use Membership Rewards points when paying for VeriFone and CMT-enabled taxis in New York City. You’ll be prompted on the payment screen within the taxi to use points to pay for your fare.

22. Making a Charitable Donation

American Express offers charitable giving via its MembersGive program. You’ll receive a value of 1 cent per Membership Reward point for donations up to 500,000 points in a calendar year. Above 500,000 points and the value decreases to 0.5 cents each.

Hot Tip: Using a value of 1 cent per Membership Rewards point as a guideline helps you determine whether you’re getting a good redemption value for your points. 

Additional Benefits

23. Entertainment Access

You’ll feel like a VIP with exclusive access and advance notice for shows, concerts, and sporting events near you. You’ll also get invited to cardmember-only events.

24. American Express Preferred Seating

Receive access to premium seating at select cultural and sporting events when available.

25. Personal Loans for Select Cardholders

Cardholders can be pre-approved for loans between $3,500 and $40,000. These personal loans come with no origination fee or pre-payment penalty and have fixed rates as low as 6.98%. There’s also no credit score impact to apply.

26. 24/7 Card Member Services

Whether it’s replacing a lost card or simply asking a billing question, you can talk to a representative and get assistance 24/7.

27. Mobile Access

Get fraud alerts, find offers near you, and manage your account no matter where you happen to be with the Amex mobile app.

28. Annual Summary

Download the annual summary of your account to keep track and manage all of your expenses.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Gold card is a clear winner with strong rewards in the dining category! Consider the same level of rewards for supermarket purchases, and you’ll have an everyday spending card with serious earning potential.

Plus, if you’re a traveler, you’ll enjoy the fact that the card earns 3 Membership Rewards Points per dollar for flights purchased with the airline and with AmexTravel.com. Add in the stellar redemption options for travel, and we see this card can function as both an everyday spending card and a travel rewards card.

If you’re put off by the high annual fees of most premium travel rewards cards and fewer benefits/earnings on many cards that don’t carry an annual fee, you might find a happy medium with the Amex Gold card.

I wouldn’t struggle with this annual fee either, since most people’s yearly supermarket spending alone would easily earn enough rewards to offset its cost.

Access to flexible reward redemption options also offers a lot of value. Perhaps you need to top off your frequent flyer account and book a last-minute award ticket, or you choose to redeem your rewards for a Home Depot gift card to take care of that unexpected home repair. You have that option here.

For everyday spending and travel rewards you’ll use, you’ll find plenty of value in this mid-tier travel rewards card!

If you already have the Amex Gold Card and are thinking about upgrading to Amex Platinum, we would recommend you take a look at this Amex Platinum upgrade offer.

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For the purchase protection benefit of the American Express^® Gold Card, purchase protection is an embedded benefit of your card membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases made on your eligible card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Coverage limits 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.

For the extended warranty benefit of the American Express^® 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 car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the American Express^® Gold Card, car rental loss and damage insurance 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 hotline benefit of the American Express^® 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^® Gold Card, baggage insurance plan 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.