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The American Express® Gold Card is a powerhouse when it comes to earning valuable Amex Membership Rewards points and offering premium travel benefits.
The Amex Gold card’s benefits and perks make the annual fee a no-brainer for many travelers. Applying when the welcome bonus is as high as possible is one of the keys to getting the most out of your card and getting the maximum benefit from the annual fee.
American Express only allows you to earn the bonus on a credit card once in your lifetime, so you might as well get the most bang for your buck!
In this post, you’ll find all the information you need to apply for the Amex Gold card with an elevated welcome offer.
Targeted offers are discussed in the article below. Please note that these offers are not available to all applicants. Any information related to targeted offers has been collected independently and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Amex Gold Card Snapshot
Depending on how and when you apply, you may find a variety of welcome offer bonuses for the Amex Gold card.
The current public offer is: Earn 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.
Since we value Membership Rewards points at about 2.2 cents per point, this means that an elevated offer of 90,000-point bonus offer is worth ~$1,980, where as a 60,000-point bonus offer is worth ~$1,320.
Here’s a few different methods you can try to maximize your welcome bonus offer.
Step 1: Check the American Express Website (Do This First)
As mentioned above, the current public offer is: Earn 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.
Through our research, we’ve seen that American Express will offer an elevated offer directly to targeted applicants. Since these are targeted offers, these offers won’t be available to all applicants.
However, here’s an example of a targeted offer we’ve found by applying directly through American Express.
Offer captured March 20, 2023, may not be available for all applicants and is subject to change. Image Credit: American Express
Step 2: Check the CardMatch Tool
The CardMatch tool is a web-based form that allows you to quickly see your best credit card offers from partner banks.
Keep in mind the CardMatch tool only shows you offers from banks it’s affiliated with, so you won’t see every credit card offer that’s available to you. American Express offers will show up on the CardMatch tool.
In order to review your matches, you’ll need to fill out some general personal information, such as your name, your address, and your email address.
Personal Amex Gold Referral Offers
If you know a friend or family member with an American Express card, ask them to send you their Amex Gold referral using the Amex refer-a-friend program. If your friend or family member doesn’t have the Amex Gold card, that is no problem! You can be referred to any card American Express offers from any other card type. Better yet, these targeted referral offers can sometimes include increased welcome offers!
Offer captured March 20, 2023, may not be available for all applicants and is subject to change. Image Credit: American Express
Reasons You May Not Get a Targeted Welcome Bonus Offer
Low Credit: If your credit score could use some improvement, you probably won’t get targeted offers. So, the first thing you’ll need to do is make sure your credit score is as high as possible. You should use your current credit responsibly and pay off your bill in full and on time each month. Failure to do this will make it very unlikely you’ll get a bonus offer in the mail.
You Already Have an American Express Card: According to crowdsourced data, you might be less likely to get a targeted offer like this if you already have an American Express credit card.
Final Thoughts
Getting a new credit card is fun and a great way to earn lots of points fast. But getting that same credit card with a huge welcome bonus is even better! While the welcome bonus for the Amex Gold card historically hovers around 60,000 points, there are welcome bonus offers out there for 75,000 or even 90,000 points!
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here. For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few ways you can find a link for the 75,000-point welcome offer on the Amex Gold card. First, the easiest way is to check the American Express website directly for any increased offers and use its prequalified tool. You can also get lucky and receive one in the mail or in your inbox. Or you can try out the CardMatch tool. This free service allows you to see your credit card offers (from CardMatch tool’s affiliated banks) in 1 spot — all within seconds. Finally, you could also try a targeted personal referral from a friend or family member.
At a minimum, 75,000 American Express Membership Rewards points are worth $750 when you use them in the Amex Travel portal. If you’re looking for even more value, you’ll want to transfer them out to an Amex hotel and airline partner. Due to how valuable redemptions can be through transfer partners, we value Amex Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents per point, making 75,000 points worth $1,650 in our view.
Whether or not the Amex Gold card is worth the annual fee is a personal decision. This card comes with lots of benefits and perks that can outweigh the annual fee for many travelers.
No, the Amex Gold card does not offer any sort of airport lounge access. If you’re interested in a card that offers airport lounge access, you should consider the Amex Platinum card.
Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure and Forbes Advisor.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
4 comments
Trying ToHelp
February 02, 2020
Also, if someone who already has an AMEX gold refers you, then you get a 50K offer as opposed to 35K
If you apply, are approved, and meet the minimum spend requirement for the gold card, then yes you would receive the welcome bonus. The gold authorized user version for the Amex Platinum card, and the $250 Amex Gold card are not the same card.
Any thoughts or questions? Comment below!
Email needed if you'd like comment updates. It will NOT be published.
This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.
4 comments
Trying ToHelp
February 02, 2020
Also, if someone who already has an AMEX gold refers you, then you get a 50K offer as opposed to 35K
Jarrod West
February 02, 2020
Hi Trying ToHelp,
Not necessarily. Referral bonus offers can change as frequently as sign-up offers do.
Hassan
March 07, 2022
I have a platinum card, I got the no annual fee card for wife. Do I still get the promotional rewards for the gold card?
Jarrod West
March 07, 2022
Hi Hassan,
If you apply, are approved, and meet the minimum spend requirement for the gold card, then yes you would receive the welcome bonus. The gold authorized user version for the Amex Platinum card, and the $250 Amex Gold card are not the same card.
Any thoughts or questions? Comment below!
Email needed if you'd like comment updates. It will NOT be published.
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