American Express® Gold Card Review
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"Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets."
This is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants worldwide and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
The release of the Amex Gold Card is definitely a game-changer.
With this card, you can earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide— but it doesn’t end there!
In addition, earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this!
Of course, there are a number of other benefits as well, including extra monthly dining rewards, and more!
Pro's
- 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery
- 4x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases. Earn 1x thereafter.
- 3x points per $1 on flights purchased directly with 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, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to the American Express Hotel Collection
- Access to American Express Transfer Partners
Con's
- $250 annual fee
- Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
- No lounge access
Card Snapshot
- Welcome Bonus & Info (Partner Content)
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points on Restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
- Card Type:Charge Card
- Card Categories:
- Rewards Center
- Customer Service Number1-800-528-4800
- Login Link
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The Ideal Cardholder
The Amex Gold card is an ideal option for semi-frequent or frequent travelers who also regularly spend money on dining and grocery purchases.
With 4x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year) and restaurants worldwide, and 3x points per $1 airfare, you can earn more value for the money you’re already spending — each purchase getting you closer to your next vacation.
Great Card If
- You want a card with flexible redemption options
- You spend a lot on groceries, dining out, and airfare
- You can make use of the annual dining credit
- You want a card with no foreign transaction fees
Don't Get If
- You don’t enjoy traveling
- You don’t spend much money on dining out, airfare, or groceries
- You prefer a card with no-annual-fee
- You prefer a card with increased offerings like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
Card Fees
- Annual Fee
- $250
- Foreign Transaction FeesNone
- Late fees
- Up to $40
- Cash Advance APR
- 25.24% Variable
- Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Additional Info
See Rates & Fees
How to Earn More Points
Dining Purchases
With the Amex Gold card, you earn 4x Membership Reward points per $1 on all dining purchases worldwide. These points can certainly add up quite quickly if you’re someone who dines out semi-regularly.
Supermarket Purchases
The Amex Gold card also earns 4x Membership Reward points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases. This could be very lucrative if have a significant level of spending at grocery stores each month. In fact, if you were able to hit the $25,000 cap, you would earn 100,000 Membership Reward points!
Airline Purchases
With the Amex Gold card, you will earn 3x Membership Reward points per $1 spent directly with airlines and amextravel.com, so the Amex Gold card is a fantastic option to use for all of your airfare purchases. If you’re someone who travels often, this will allow you to earn a ton of points.
Amex Offers
By virtue of being an American Express cardholder, each month you’ll receive dozens of Amex offers that you can attach to your Amex Gold card, which helps you earn more Membership Reward points.
These offers can provide you with some excellent value by allowing you to earn additional points or cash-back for shopping with select merchants. Simply add your offers of choice from the bottom of your card’s home screen, and you’re ready to start earning.
Refer-a-Friend
American Express allows you to earn points for referring your friends to their credit cards. Just send your friend your unique link — if they are approved, you’ll receive a point bonus added to your account.
Hot Tip: You can receive a bonus even if your friend doesn’t apply for the card you hold. For example, if you have the Amex Gold card and you refer a friend who decides to apply for The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll still receive the point bonus.
Adding More Membership Rewards Cards
If you’re a fan of the American Express Membership Rewards ecosystem, adding more Membership Rewards cards to your wallet is a no-brainer.
Take the Amex Platinum card for example, which earns 5x Membership Reward points per $1 on airfare purchased directly with airlines, and travel purchases at amextravel.com. With this 2-card combo, you’ll be earning tons of points for all your airfare, dining, and U.S. supermarket purchases.
There are plenty of American Express cards with varying bonus categories; including Amex business cards as well.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for even more ways to earn more Membership Rewards points for your next redemption, check out our comprehensive guide on the best ways to earn Membership Rewards points!
How to Use These Points for Max Value
When it comes to using your Membership Rewards points, there are quite a few different redemption options that all vary in value.
Travel Partners
American Express Membership Rewards points are easily one of the most valuable travel point currencies due to their ability to be transferred to one of Amex’s many travel transfer partners.
This is easily the best option to get the maximum value out of your hard-earned points, as you could use them to purchase business and first class flights that would otherwise cost you thousands of dollars!
Hot Tip: If you’re under the impression that using transfer partners are way too complicated, check out our detailed guide to Amex transfer partners and how to use them.
Amex Travel
Cardholders also have the option of using points to offset airfare and hotel purchases made through the Amex Travel portal (though the value is not great).
When using your points toward an airline ticket you’ll receive just 1 cent per point — and an abysmal 0.7 cents per point when redeeming toward a hotel stay.
Statement Credit
American Express gives you the option to use your points to cover eligible charges you’ve made with your card. However, when doing so your points will only be valued at 0.6 cents each — which is terrible for points as valuable as Membership Rewards!
Gift Cards
American Express offers plenty of retailers where you can cash in your points and get a gift card in return. But in doing so, you’ll receive anywhere from 0.7 cents to 1 cent per point toward the gift card.
Again, this is not a method we advise, as you’ll be losing huge value in the form of travel rewards.
Shop With Points
Lastly, you can use your Membership Rewards points to offset the cost of your purchases with retailers like Apple, Best Buy, or Nike.
There are dozens of merchants to choose from, but we don’t recommend it as using this method will only earn you 1 cent or less per point in value.
Bottom Line: We highly recommend using your points with American Express transfer partners — that is where the big value is found. Due to this, we do not advise anyone to use their points for gift cards, statement credits, or any option that only earns 1 cent per point or less.
American Express Airline Transfer 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 |
American Express Hotel Transfer 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 | 1:2 | Almost Instant |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
Competitor Cards
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of the most popular travel rewards cards on the market, and with benefits like 2x points per $1 spend on dining and travel, no foreign transaction fees, and flexible redemption options (including transfer partners), it’s easy to see why the card is so popular.
For just a $95 annual fee, you’ll be able to start earning Chase Ultimate Reward points, one of the most valuable loyalty currencies available. Chase Ultimate Reward points can be redeemed for incredible value through their select transfer partners.
Curious to learn more? Have a look at our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to see what the buzz is about.
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Card
There’s a lot to love about the Venture card — newly introduced airline transfer partners, and 2x on all other purchases.
If the majority of your daily spending comes from purchases outside of dining and travel categories, then the Venture card might be a great option for you.
The Citi Premier card offers 3x points per $1 on travel purchases, including gas stations, making it one of the few travel credit cards on the market to offer a high return on gas purchases. This makes the card an excellent choice for those who drive often for work or love taking road trips. Citi Premier cardholders will also earn 2x points per $1 on restaurants and entertainment purchases.
The information presented above regarding the Citi Premier card, Capital One® Venture® Rewards Card, and Citi Premier℠ Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not reviewed by the issuer.
For the rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, please click here.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Amex Gold card worth it?
This Amex Gold card offers great earning potential at supermarkets, restaurants, and airfare expenses while offering a variety of high-value redemption options.
Points can be redeemed for a variety of travel partners and can be transferred directly to other loyalty accounts when you need points elsewhere.
Cardholders also benefit from perks like the $120 annual dining credit.
While the Amex Gold does come with a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), if you’re able to maximize the bonus categories and card perks then it may be very worth having.
Is the Amex Gold card a credit card?
The Amex Gold card is a charge card, not a credit card.
The 2 main differences between a charge card and a credit card are that charge cards have no preset spending limit and balances must be paid in full each month.
Many people think charge cards have no credit limit, but this is not true. American Express does not give cardholders a set spending limit for their charge cards, but they will start declining purchases if they believe your balance is becoming higher than you can afford to pay each month.
Similarly, with a charge card, your balance must be paid in full each month. This is not the case with most credit cards, as they allow you to make a minimum or partial payment and carry the rest of the balance over while being charged interest. However, if your charge card is not paid in full, you won’t be able to use your card for any other purchases until it is.
Does the Amex Gold card earn Membership Reward points?
Yes, the Amex Gold card earns Membership Reward points that you can use for huge value!
Do Membership Reward points expire?
No, as long as your account stays active and in good standing, you will never lose your Membership Reward points.
What is the annual fee on the Amex Gold card?
The annual fee on the Amex Gold card is $250 (see rates and fees).
Does the Amex Gold card charge foreign transaction fees?
No, there are no foreign transaction fees when using the Amex Gold card.
Is the Amex Gold card metal?
Yes, the Amex Gold card is a metal card with a gold finish.
In the past, the Amex Gold card has also been offered in Rose Gold. The Rose Gold option was a limited time offer when the card first launched, and was later brought back by referral only.
So keep an eye out in the future for details about when the Rose Gold option might be brought back!
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Is this a “new” card or precluded from getting if you have previously
had the Gold Card ?
Hey Rob, the Gold card and old PRG card are considered the same product, so you can only get the sign-up bonus once.
I recently used my boyfriend’s Gold Business card to book a trip which included 4 Delta Air Line tickets. The next day there were several charges ranging from 7.50 for trip delay insurance and 9.95 for baggage premium insurance? Is this an automatic charge? I didn’t request or need either. Is this something I can have removed off the card? It was almost 100.00?
I appreciate your help. Thank you
Hi Patricia. First, please be advised that we are not American Express or Delta. We are Upgraded Points, a blog specializing in points, miles, credit card, and travel resources. You could call American Express at the number on the back of the card and inquire about the charges in question. Sorry we can’t help you further.
You may actually get a better offer for 50,000 points if you use a referral code.