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Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 8 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little ca...
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...
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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.
Know if you're approved with no credit score impact
If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.
$325
See Pay Over Time APR
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
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.
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 atU.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.
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.
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.
Our seasoned and experienced team brings years of expertise in the credit card and travel sectors. Committed to integrity, we offer data-driven guides to help you find the card(s) that best fit your requirements. See details on our intensive editorial policies and card rating methodologies.
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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
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel AppTM
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.
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
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).
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.
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.
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)