Is the New ‘As High as 100K’ Amex Gold Welcome Offer Worth It?

The American Express^® Gold Card now features a variable welcome offer, which means the amount of points you can receive isn’t revealed until after you apply.

The current public offer is: 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.

In other words, Amex tailors its welcome offers based on factors including your credit score and income, so not everyone will get the full 100,000 points. But if you do, you’re looking at one of the best Amex Gold card welcome bonus offers we’ve seen.

Here’s the upside: Applying for the Amex Gold card won’t ding your credit immediately. If approved for the card, you’ll see your personalized welcome bonus offer. Then, you can decide whether to move forward (which would trigger a hard inquiry) or back out with no harm done.

Let’s examine the details of the new, as high as 100,000-point welcome bonus offer on the Amex Gold card.

Amex Gold Card’s Welcome Offer

The Amex Gold card features the current public welcome offer:

• 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.

The application process hasn’t changed. You’ll still enter your legal name, address, income, monthly rent or mortgage info, and other standard information to qualify you for this card. What’s new is that Amex will show you a targeted welcome bonus offer upon approval based on your application information.

Regardless of your bonus amount, you’ll still need to meet the spending requirement within the stated time of card membership to earn this welcome offer.

Amex runs a soft credit check when you apply, so there’s no initial impact on your credit score.

If approved, you’ll see your welcome offer. Only if you accept the card will a hard inquiry and new account appear on your credit report.

Is the Amex Gold Card Worth It?

According to our monthly points and miles valuations, American Express Membership Rewards points are worth 2.2 cents each when redeemed for travel. This high valuation comes from the flexibility to transfer Amex points to over 20 airline and hotel loyalty programs, though the exact value you get will depend on how you redeem them. That means, this welcome offer is worth up to $2,200.

This generous welcome offer is a compelling reason to apply, but is the Amex Gold card worth keeping in the long run, especially with its $325 annual fee (rates & fees)?

NEW OFFER

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 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 cardapplication.

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

Beyond the welcome bonus offer — a one-time opportunity to seize a ton of points at once — the Amex Gold card is easily the best Amex card for earning Membership Rewards points. That’s because it earns 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year) and restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year). In terms of travel, you can earn a respectable 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, as well as 2x points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel reservations through AmexTravel.com (1x points on all other purchases).

For instance, a family that spends $2,000 at U.S. supermarkets and $500 at restaurants monthly can earn an easy 10,000 Membership Rewards points a month. That adds up to an additional 120,000 Membership Rewards points per year, worth $2,640 according to our valuations!

Best Ways To Redeem 100,000 Amex Points

You can earn thousands of points with everyday spending on the Amex Gold card, so here are some ways to make the most of 100,000 Amex points.

Score 200,000 Hilton Honors Points

Hilton Honors is unique among Amex transfer partners for giving you double the points. Every Amex point becomes 2 Hilton points, even more during transfer bonuses. 100,000 Amex points could turn into 200,000 Hilton points, enough for several nights at a range of Hilton hotels, from beach resorts to city properties.

Score United Flights From 7,500 Points

While United Airlines isn’t an Amex transfer partner, Avianca Lifemiles is. As a Star Alliance airline, you can book domestic United flights for as little as 7,500 points one-way, which is often cheaper than United charges at any given moment with its miles.

With 100,000 Amex points, you can book as many as 13 one-way or 6 round-trip flights for your next vacation!

Book Business Class Flights to Europe for 60,000 Points

Looking to fly business class to Europe? Air Canada Aeroplan is one of Amex’s most valuable transfer partners, offering access to top airlines like Lufthansa, United, and SWISS Air.

With 100,000 points, you’ll have more than enough for a one-way business class seat and be close to covering the return flight, too.

Final Thoughts

American Express has changed up its welcome bonus offer approach for new applicants for the Amex Gold card. Rather than giving all applicants a set amount of points to earn upon meeting minimum spending requirements, the welcome offers will vary based on various application factors. While not everyone will qualify for the very best offer, this allows you to see what you’re targeted for before formally opening an account.