Daily Rewards That Add Up: How the Amex Gold Card Became My Go-To Card

Although many travel rewards cards are on the market, some offer more value than others. Holding multiple credit cards can be a strategic move for maximizing rewards — I currently have over 30 active credit cards and earn millions of travel rewards annually.

While I have a specific use for each card, arguably, no card is as valuable to me as the American Express^® Gold Card. This card is a fantastic everyday spending card and has spearheaded my rewards-earning ability.

Here’s an in-depth look at the Amex Gold card and how it has become my go-to card for everyday spending.

Amex Gold Card Overview

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American Express^® Gold Card

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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.

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 card application.

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 is one of the best on the market, particularly for everyday spending. It provides several fantastic bonus categories and is routinely on our list of best cards.

The Amex Gold card is a great hybrid between travel rewards and everyday spending cards. It also earns our favorite transferrable points currency, American Express Membership Rewards points.

The card has a sizable welcome offer of:

• 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.

However, as great as the welcome bonus, the Amex Gold card’s earning rates make it stand out.

With the Amex Gold card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants on up to $50,000 per calendar year in purchases and 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases. After the cap, the earning rate falls to 1x. The Amex Gold card also earns 3x points on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com.

It also provides additional perks and benefits, including insurance and protection, access to The Hotel Collection, and the ability to redeem Amex Offers.

The Amex Gold card has a substantial $325 annual fee to provide this much value (rates & fees). To help offset the annual fee, the card offers several credits:

• $120 Dining Credit – Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys when you pay with your card.
• $120 Uber Cash – Each month, get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Be sure to select an Amex Card as your payment method to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $84 Dunkin’ Credit – Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits for purchases at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.
• $100 Resy Credit – Get up to $100 in statement credits each year to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.

Note that enrollment is required for some benefits so be sure to enroll through your American Express account to make the most of your benefits!

Why the Amex Gold Card Is Great for Everyday Spending

Using the right card is key to maximizing rewards. The card you choose will depend on your spending habits and financial goals. For me, that is the Amex Gold card.

As mentioned, the Amex Gold card earns highly valuable Amex Membership Rewards. We value Amex Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents apiece, the highest value of any rewards currency.

Since much of my spending is food-related, the Amex Gold card is always in my wallet. It earns an incredible 4x Membership Rewards points on dining at restaurants including takeout and delivery (up to $50,000 per year) and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year). Since the Amex Gold card has no foreign transaction fees, I still earn 4x Membership Rewards points when spending at restaurants worldwide (rates & fees).

Dining and groceries are my biggest monthly spending categories. I spend about $2,500 monthly eating out at restaurants or grocery shopping at U.S. supermarkets. With the Amex Gold card, I earn about 120,000 Amex Membership Rewards points annually for these everyday purchases.

That’s an absurd amount of points for simply spending on necessities. Additionally, I utilize every credit available on the Amex Gold card, reducing the card’s effective annual fee.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Gold card is a fantastic travel rewards card with a high rewards earning potential. With its fantastic bonus categories, particularly at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, it has become my most used card.

The Amex Gold card earns me about 120,000 Amex Membership Rewards annually, which I redeem for first and business class travel and luxury hotel experiences worldwide. No other card in my wallet gives me as much value as the Amex Gold card.