Amex Gold Card Hikes Minimum Spend Requirement by 33%

The American Express^® Gold Card just received new benefits for 2026 without increasing its $325 annual fee (rates & fees).

However, there is a smaller detail worth discussing: the minimum spend required to earn a welcome bonus offer has increased. Let’s take a look at the details and what it means if you’re considering applying for the Amex Gold card.

Same Bonus Points, Higher Spend

Eligible new applicants of the Amex Gold card can earn this publicly available welcome offer:

• Apply and find out if you're eligible for as high as 100,000 points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.

You’ll submit your application for the card, and if you’re approved, you can preview what your targeted welcome offer is — which could be as high as 100,000 points. If you’re not satisfied with the terms, you can exit the process with no impact on your credit score.

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

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.

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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Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

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

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 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.

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

• 5x points per dollar on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App
• 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

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 $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.
• New! 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.
• Updated! $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.
• New! As an American Express^® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star^® Status. Enjoy 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.
• Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
• 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.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

If you decide to move forward and get approved, you will likely see a hard inquiry on your credit report, just like when you apply for any other card.

Previously, earning the welcome bonus required at least $6,000 in spending within the first 6 months of account opening. Now, that requirement has been raised to $8,000 in the same 6-month window, which represents a 33% increase.

Previously, if you looked at the minimum spend requirement broken down by month, that meant spending at least $1,000 per month for the 6 months to earn the bonus. Now, it will require about $1,334 each month for 6 months to reach the minimum spending threshold.

How To Meet a Minimum Spending Requirement Without Overspending

Earning a welcome bonus offer is the best way to earn a significant sum of points in a short timeframe. If you have the means — and a plan — for doing so, there’s no reason to fear a minimum spending requirement.

The key is not to swipe your card for things you wouldn’t otherwise purchase, but rather to shift spending to your new card so you meet (or exceed) the threshold organically.

For example, you could temporarily shift recurring expenses such as streaming services, monthly subscriptions, or monthly bills to your new Amex Gold card, even if another card would be more rewarding.

You could also use your new card to make large purchases you’ve already planned. If you have the money set aside, put your appliance, electronic, or other large purchase on the new Amex Gold card to knock out a significant chunk of the spending requirement in just 1 or 2 transactions.

Amex Gold Card Overview

The new Amex Gold card benefits take effect immediately for both new and existing cardholders as of April 30, 2026. First, the Amex Gold card now earns 5x points on prepaid hotel reservations made through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel app, up from the previous rate of 2x points.

The Amex Gold card has also made positive changes to its dining-centered statement credits. It’s shuffled its eligible partners that qualify for the annual dining credits (up to $10 in value per month; enrollment required):

• New: Buffalo Wild Wings and Wonder
• Remaining the same: Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, and Five Guys
• Exiting: Goldbelly and Wine.com

You’ll also get Hertz Five Star status (enrollment required) as a perk of holding the card. While it’s not necessarily a game-changer, you can access Hertz perks such as quicker pickups, higher upgrade probability, and access to a wider range of cars at some locations — without any increase to the annual fee.

These additions enhance the card’s already strong earning structure and lineup of perks and benefits. As a reminder, you’ll earn according to the following structure with the Amex Gold card:

• 5x points on prepaid hotel reservations made through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel app
• 4x points at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x
• 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x
• 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
• 2x points on prepaid car rentals and cruises booked through AmexTravel.com
• 1x points on all other purchases

The post-refresh Amex Gold card carries over many of its valuable, easy-to-use statement credits. These include up to a $50 semiannual Resy credit and up to $7 in Dunkin’ statement credits per month (both require enrollment).

You can also link your Amex Gold card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash every month to use on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S, though you must pay for the transaction with an Amex card.

Final Thoughts

While not a top-to-bottom refresh, the Amex Gold card has been tweaked with cardmembers in mind. The additions to the card add value, and there’s no hike in the card’s annual fee.

However, there is an increased minimum spending requirement to contend with, which is impacting new applicants interested in the card. So long as you have a plan to meet it, it’s still well worth applying for an Amex Gold card to score as high as 100,000 points from its welcome bonus offer and to take advantage of its powerful earning structure and benefits suite.