Is the Amex Gold card worth it?

The Amex Gold card is worth it if you spend in its bonus categories and use the credits. See our full Amex Gold card worth-it analysis for a breakdown.

Is the Amex Gold card metal?

Yes, the card is metal with a gold finish or a rose gold finish, but it does not contain any real gold.

Does the Amex Gold card have airport lounge access?

No, the Amex Gold card doesn’t have lounge access. If you’re looking to access airport lounges, consider a card like Amex Platinum card so you can get into more than 1,550 lounges around the world.

How hard is it to get the Amex Gold card and what do you need to qualify?

You should have a good to excellent credit score and a couple of years of clean credit history to increase your chances of approval for the Amex Gold card. You can apply for an Amex Gold card if you are 18 or older, have a U.S. address, and a U.S. Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

What grocery stores does the Amex Gold card cover?

The U.S. supermarkets where you’re eligible to earn 4x rewards with the Amex Gold card include, but are not limited to ALDI, FreshDirect, Gelson’s, Hy-Vee, Instacart, Kings Food Markets, Kroger, Meijer, ShopRite, Smart & Final, Stop & Shop, Trader Joe’s, Vons, Whole Foods, and Winn-Dixie. Merchants that are not eligible for 4x rewards include: Big-box stores (e.g., Walmart) Convenience stores Gourmet shops Liquor stores Meal-kit delivery services (e.g., HelloFresh) Natural food stores Specialty food stores Superstores, including online superstores (e.g., Amazon) Warehouse clubs (e.g., BJ’s Wholesale Club)

American Express Gold Card: Full Review [2026]

Updated: September 10, 2026, 12:19pm CDT

Edited by:

We may be compensated when you click on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened 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.

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

4.59

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Welcome Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 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.
As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.
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 card application.
Good to Excellent

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.

U.P. Rating

4.59

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Summary

With the Amex Gold 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 are several other benefits of the Amex Gold card, including monthly dining credits.

Card Details

Welcome Bonus & Info

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 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 5X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It^® lets you tap in the American Express^® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It^® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$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.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express^® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star^® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express^® service and support. Only for American Express^® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Customer Service Number

800-528-4800

Login Link

https://online.americanexpress.com/

Pros & Cons

Pros

5x points on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App
4x points at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
4x points 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
Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonder, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Amex Gold card to your Uber account.
Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection

Cons

$325 annual fee (rates and fees)
4x categories for restaurants and U.S. supermarkets have annual spend caps
No lounge access
Annual credits only apply to purchases in the U.S.

Great Card If

You want flexible redemption options.
You spend a lot at U.S. supermarkets, on dining out, or airfare.
You can use the annual dining credit.
You want a card with no foreign transaction fees (rates & fees).

Don’t Get If

You don’t travel often.
You don’t spend much money on dining out, airfare, or supermarkets.
You prefer a card without an annual fee.
You prefer a card with elevated benefits, such as airport lounge access or hotel elite status.

Is It Worth It? The Short Answer

While the Amex Gold card charges a $325 annual fee (rates & fees), cardholders receive up to $424 in annual statement credits to offset that fee.

If you can easily get good value from the dining, Uber Cash, and Resy credits, and dine out or purchase groceries often enough to make good use of the 4x rewards on these purchases, then the Amex Gold card will be worth it for you. It’s borderline if you use about half of the credits, and if you often cook at home and don’t order delivery, it’s probably not worth it.

Upgraded Points’ editor and content contributor Nick Ellis explains why the Amex Gold card maintains a place in his wallet:

“The Amex Gold card was clearly designed with foodies in mind, and this is precisely why the card remains in my wallet. A significant amount of my monthly expenses comes from eating at restaurants and bars and grocery shopping. The ability to earn 4x Membership Rewards on these purchases allows me to earn valuable Amex points at a rapid clip.”
Nick Ellis, Upgraded Points editor and content contributor

Hot Tip:

For more details, read our full breakdown of whether the Amex Gold card is worth it.

Benefits at a Glance

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Benefit	Detail
Rewards	1x-5x pointsAmerican Express^® Gold Card Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App^TM 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 car rentals and cruises booked on AmexTravel.com. Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Hotel and rental car benefits	Receive access to Hertz Five Star status upon enrollment and Amex’s The Hotel Collection
Travel and purchase protections	Receive car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty coverage (Source: American Express)
Dining and delivery credits	Get up to $424 in annual credits: Up to $120 dining credit annually, up to $120 Uber Cash annually, up to $100 Resy credit annually, and up to $84 Dunkin’ credit annually, after enrollment

Hot Tip:

Nearly 40% of American consumers order takeout or delivery at least once a week (Source: National Restaurant Association).

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Amex Points

Using the Amex Gold card for prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, dining, and U.S. supermarkets is the best way to earn Amex Membership Rewards points with the card. You have numerous ways to redeem your Amex points for maximum value, including transfers to American Express transfer partners.

Alternatives to the Amex Gold Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of the most popular travel rewards cards, with benefits including 3x Ultimate Rewards points on dining, 2x points on travel, no foreign transaction fees, and flexible redemption options (including transfer partners).

See how these 2 cards stack up: Amex Gold card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

With the Capital One Venture card, you can access Capital One airline and hotel transfer partners and earn at least 2x Capital One miles on all purchases.

If most of your everyday spending comes from purchases beyond dining and travel categories, then the Capital One Venture card might be a great option for you.

See how these cards stack up: Amex Gold card vs. Capital One Venture card.

Citi Strata Premier^® Card

The Citi Strata Premier card offers 3x points on travel purchases, including gas stations and EV charging stations, making it one of the few travel credit cards to offer a high return on gas purchases. It also earns 10x Citi ThankYou Points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel.

See how these cards stack up: Amex Gold card vs. Citi Strata Premier card.

We’ve compared the Amex Gold card to some other popular credit cards:

For a broader look, all American Express cards are compared in one place.

UP’s Card Review Methodology

Every card we review is assigned a "U.P. Rating" – our star-based system that encompasses all the key details to showcase a card’s standout features, where it falls short, and how it stacks up for travelers to maximize rewards.

These ratings range from 0 to 5 stars and are determined by carefully weighing crucial factors like:

Bonus categories
Benefits and perks
Quality of associated loyalty programs
Annual fees and other costs
Size of the welcome bonus (and relative to the annual fee)
And several more

You can learn more about how Upgraded Points reviews and rates credit cards.

American Express Gold Card: Full Review [2026]

American Express^® Gold Card

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

American Express^® Gold Card

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

Summary

Card Details

Welcome Bonus & Info

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Customer Service Number

Login Link

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

More Reads

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Great Card If

Don’t Get If

Is It Worth It? The Short Answer

Benefits at a Glance

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Amex Points

Alternatives to the Amex Gold Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Citi Strata Premier^® Card

UP’s Card Review Methodology

American Express® Gold Card

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

American Express® Gold Card

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

Summary

Card Details

Welcome Bonus & Info

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Customer Service Number

Login Link

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

More Reads

Related Articles

Great Card If

Don’t Get If

Is It Worth It? The Short Answer

Benefits at a Glance

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Amex Points

Alternatives to the Amex Gold Card

UP’s Card Review Methodology

American Express^® Gold Card

American Express^® Gold Card