29 Benefits and Perks of the Amex Gold Card [Over $5,100 Value]

Earn Valuable Membership Rewards Points Plus More

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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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.
• 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.
• $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.
• Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star^® Status 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.
• Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide.§ *Eligible charges vary by property.
• 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

Benefits Summary

The Amex Gold card is strong as both an everyday earning card and a travel rewards card, offering earning elements for both and a strong redemption value for the traveler.

Here’s a quick summary of the card’s benefits (note that some require enrollment):

1. A Generous Welcome Offer [$2,220]

The current welcome offer is:

• 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.

Check for the latest welcome bonus offer and review rates and fees before applying.

2. Generous Earnings at Restaurants, Supermarkets, and for Airline Flights [$2,200]

With this card, you earn:

• 5x points on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com and the Amex Travel App
• 4x points at restaurants. Up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; after that, earn 1x
• 4x points at U.S. supermarkets. Up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; after that, earn 1x
• 3x points on flights booked directly with the airline, as well as airfare booked through AmexTravel.com
• 2x points on prepaid car rentals and cruises via AmexTravel.com
• 1x points on all other purchases

Membership Rewards points are valuable because they are flexible and can be redeemed in several different ways. Your Membership Rewards points also don’t expire as long as you have an active Membership Rewards-earning credit card open.

If you spent $25,000 in a year on 4x earning bonus categories alone, you would earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points. Given we value Membership Rewards Points at 2.2 cents per point, 100,000 Membership Rewards points would be valued at $2,200.

Bottom Line: The Amex Gold card offers tremendous earning potential, both initially with the generous welcome offer and ongoing with dining, U.S. supermarket, and airline flight bonus category earnings.

Shopping Discounts, Perks, and Credits

3. Monthly Dining Credits [Up to $120]

In addition to earning Membership Rewards points on your purchases, you’ll enjoy up to $120 per year in dining statement credits (up to $10 per month) at participating restaurants, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonder, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.

4. Semi-Annual Resy Credits [Up to $100]

Enjoy an annual statement credit of up to $100 ($50 semiannually), redeemable at any U.S. Resy restaurant and other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment is required through your Amex account. Simply add your Amex Gold card to your Resy wallet and make your purchase at a U.S. restaurant that participates in Resy.

5. Monthly Dunkin’ Credits [Up to $84]

Treat yourself to coffee and a donut every month with the Amex Gold card’s Dunkin’ credit. Receive an up to $84 annual statement credit (up to $7 per month), redeemable at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment is required.

6. Uber Cash [Up to $120]

Add your Amex Gold card to your Uber wallet to receive up to $10 Uber Cash each month for U.S. Eats orders and rides. Note that any Amex card can be used as payment to redeem the Uber Cash.

7. Amex Offers [$200]

Believe it or not, some American Express cardholders aren’t aware of Amex Offers — but they should be! Amex Offers can save you hundreds of dollars a year or more.

When you log in to your card account online, you’ll find the Amex Offers and Benefits listed below your account information and current summary. Just add the offer you think you might use to your card by clicking the Add to Card button.

For the full list of offers, click “View All,” then click the “+” next to each offer to save it.

When you use your card at that merchant, the offer will automatically be applied as a statement credit, or, if the offer is for bonus Membership Rewards points, those points will be added to your account after the purchase is verified.

Amex Offers can be quite lucrative! Previous offers have included $75 back for spending $75 or more at AT&T and 10% back on every Sam’s Club purchase (the Sam’s Club offer even applied to gift cards!).

Hot Tip: Adding Amex Offers to one of your American Express cards can remove it from the list of Amex Offers for other cards. Be sure to review the offers on each card so you’ll add the best offers to your desired cards!

Shopping Protections [Value Varies]

Hopefully, these are protections you never have to use, but if you do, you’re sure to find economic value in having these coverages.

8. Extended Warranty

Warranties always seem to expire just when you need them. With extended warranty coverage, you’ll receive up to 1 additional year of coverage for eligible purchases with a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less.

Coverage is limited to the amount you charged on your Amex Gold card, and only up to $10,000 per item (maximum $50,000 per year).

9. Purchase Protection

Eligible purchases are protected when accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost. Purchase protection provides coverage for eligible items purchased on the card within the past 90 days and may even include your cell phone.

There is a $10,000 limit per occurrence and a $50,000 limit per calendar year.

Travel Benefits That Add Value

10. The Hotel Collection Benefits [$100]

Cardholders of the Amex Gold card will enjoy an elevated travel experience when booking a 2-night stay at properties included in The Hotel Collection, including perks like:

• Upgraded room at check-in, when available
• $100 credit to use at the hotel
• Ability to pay with points
• Double points for prepaid bookings

Cardholders must book a minimum of 2 consecutive nights and pay with their card or Membership Rewards points. The $100 credit can be used toward eligible purchases, which vary by property and will be applied at checkout.

You can book up to 3 rooms per stay through AmexTravel.com or The Hotel Collection website. The $100 credit applies per room per 2-night stay, so your total credit could be $300 if booking 3 rooms.

Additionally, when you pay for your room with your Amex Gold card, you receive 5x Membership Rewards points.

Keep in mind that booking through any third party (including AmexTravel.com) rather than directly on the hotel’s website may result in you not receiving your elite hotel loyalty program benefits or stay credit.

Bottom Line: Cardholders can enjoy unlimited savings since the $100 hotel credit can be used each time you book a 2-night stay at The Hotel Collection properties. This is an especially good value as there are plenty of hotels in The Hotel Collection that are conservatively priced (not just high-end expensive properties). 

11. Hertz Five Star Status

Cardholders can receive Hertz Gold Star Five Star status, a midtier elite level, after enrollment. Five Star elites can skip the line at pickup — going straight to the car instead — receive car class upgrades, and access a wider range of cars at some locations.

Travel Protection

12. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance [Varies]

The Amex Gold card comes with secondary car rental insurance but offers the option to purchase primary Premium Protection for 1 low fee that covers the entire rental period. Prices range from $12.95 to $24.95, depending on location and coverage selected.

Car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This coverage does not include liability coverage, and unfortunately, not all vehicle types or rentals are covered.

If you rent a vehicle just 10 days each year, you could pay $200 or more for car rental protection — Amex Premium Protection could save you plenty.

Bottom Line: The Amex Gold card delivers hundreds of dollars in additional dining and travel benefits each year, with high points-earning rates on everyday spending. 

13. Global Assist Hotline

Having access to 24/7 medical, legal, financial, or emergency assistance services when traveling more than 100 miles from home can save the day. Examples of these worldwide services include passport replacement, wire transfers, and assistance with lost luggage (note that the cardholder is responsible for any costs charged by service providers).

14. Baggage Insurance Plan

Never worry about lost, damaged, or stolen luggage when you purchase your plane, train, ship, or bus ticket with your Amex Gold card. Coverage is provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and $500 for checked baggage. Limits, exclusions, and restrictions apply.

Costs and Fees

15. Negating the Annual Fee

While the card does charge an annual fee, the generous earnings rate makes it easy to accumulate Amex points quickly. The value you receive for Membership Rewards points when redeemed for travel contributes to a very low break-even point for owning this card.

For example, you would need to spend just $8,125 per year in 4% earning categories to offset the annual fee. This assumption is based on a conservative value of 1 cent per Membership Rewards point, but it’s possible to receive much more value when transferring points to travel partners.

Bottom Line: U.S. supermarket spending alone can more than offset the cost of the annual fee, but the welcome offer, additional earning potential in bonus categories, credits, and benefits can deliver value far beyond the cost. 

Redeeming Valuable Membership Rewards Points [Value Varies]

With so many ways to earn Membership Rewards points, they’ll add up quickly. Now, let’s take a look at the options available and the level of value you can expect when redeeming your points.

16. Redeem Points With AmexTravel.com

The AmexTravel.com website is simply an online travel agency booking site similar to Orbitz or Kayak. However, since the portal caters to American Express cardholders, you’ll find its customer service exceptional.

Below is the value of 10,000 Membership Rewards points when redeemed on AmexTravel.com:

Note that the best use of your Membership Rewards points is to book flights. There are fees for using AmexTravel.com, but they are minimal compared to the peace of mind that comes with knowing the customer service team will help make it right if something goes wrong during your trip.

The fee for domestic flights is $6.99, or $10.99 for international flights.

Hot Tip: When you’re not using Membership Rewards points to book with AmexTravel.com, you’ll want to use your Amex Gold card to pay for your flights — you’ll be earning 3x points!

17. Transfer Points to Airline Partners

Having choices when it comes time to redeem your Membership Rewards points is a good thing! However, the value you receive for different redemption options varies greatly. When redeeming your points for airline miles, you’ll notice that transfer ratios depend on the frequent flyer program you’re transferring points to.

You’ll find plenty of opportunities for good deals when transferring Membership Rewards points to airline partners.

One sweet spot is transferring Membership Rewards points to British Airways for Avios, BA’s term for redeemable frequent flyer miles. Its award chart is distance-based and offers some great opportunities for short-haul flights. For instance, outside of the U.S., flights that are 650 miles or less can cost as few as 4,000 Avios. You can actually build an open-jaw itinerary by flying into 1 city, returning from another, and using short-haul flights to journey between them.

If you’d rather fly in premium class, consider transferring your Membership Rewards points to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program and booking with a domestic airline partner such as United Airlines. Both airlines are Star Alliance members, but Singapore Airlines charges less for some business and first class award tickets.

Bottom Line: Airline partners within the same alliance can charge different amounts for award flights on the same route. Check award charts on partner airlines within the same alliance to find the best award ticket pricing. Utilize that airline’s frequent flyer program for your Membership Rewards points transfer to make your points go further!

18. Find the Sweet Spot When Transferring to Hotel Partners

In addition to transferring your Membership Rewards points to airline partners, you have the option to transfer them to your choice of a few hotel loyalty programs:

Transferring Membership Rewards points to hotel loyalty programs is not always a good value. However, knowing there are some gems to be found can make the treasure hunt worthwhile.

Hot Tip: Always check the hotel transfer partner’s website for opportunities where the cash cost of the room is high, but point redemption options are relatively low. When you find this combination (and you will!), it can yield good value when transferring your Membership Rewards points to that hotel partner. 

Before transferring any Membership Rewards points to airline or hotel partners, make sure you have an active frequent flyer or hotel loyalty account with the program where you want the miles or points to be credited. You’ll also want to allow time for the points to be credited to the loyalty program. Some transfers happen nearly instantly, while others take a few days or more.

Bottom Line: It is possible to get substantially more than 1 cent of value per Membership Rewards point when transferring your points to travel partners. However, note that once you transfer to any of these partners, the transfer cannot be reversed!

19. When 10,000 Membership Rewards Points Are Worth $100

When you choose to redeem your points for travel, gift cards, merchandise, statement credits, services, or donate to charity, Membership Rewards points can be worth anywhere from 0.5 cents to 1 cent per point.

Let’s look at the redemption options that deliver the best value on the chart of 1 cent per point. Booking flights with AmexTravel.com, certain gift cards, NYC taxis, and charitable donations through the American Express MembersGive program all offer a value of 1 cent per point.

20. Booking Flights Through AmexTravel.com

AmexTravel.com is similar to other online travel agencies, such as Orbitz. You select the flights you want and pay for them with Membership Rewards points, cash, or a combination of both. You’ll receive 1 cent per Membership Rewards point when booking flights, which is among the best values for your points.

However, AmexTravel.com charges fees: $6.99 per domestic airline ticket and $10.99 per international ticket.

21. Redeeming for Select Gift Cards

Realizing a full 1 cent in value for your Membership Rewards points is easy when you redeem your points for select gift cards — you’ll find dozens of $100 gift cards available for 10,000 Membership Rewards points.

Gift card categories include Air/Lodging, American Express, Car/Rail, Dining, Experience, and Retail.

Unfortunately, the category that lets you redeem your Membership Rewards points for American Express gift cards is a poor choice, as you’ll receive only 0.5 cents per point.

You can view a complete list of gift cards available on the Membership Rewards website (even if you don’t have a Membership Rewards-earning card yet).

22. Paying for NYC Taxis

You’ll receive a value of 1 cent per point when using your Amex Gold card for rides in New York City taxis.

American Express has arranged for cardholders to be able to use Membership Rewards points when paying for VeriFone and CMT-enabled taxis in New York City. You’ll be prompted on the payment screen within the taxi to use points to pay for your fare.

23. Making a Charitable Donation

American Express offers charitable giving via its MembersGive program. You’ll receive 1 cent per Membership Reward point for donations up to 500,000 points in a calendar year. Above 500,000 points, and the value decreases to 0.5 cents each.

Hot Tip: Using a value of 1 cent per Membership Rewards point as a guideline helps you determine whether you’re getting a good redemption value for your points. 

Everyday Benefits and Protections

24. Entertainment Access

You’ll feel like a VIP with exclusive access and advance notice for shows, concerts, and sporting events near you. You’ll also get invited to cardmember-only events.

25. American Express Preferred Seating

Receive access to premium seating at select cultural and sporting events when available.

26. Personal Loans for Select Cardholders

Cardholders can be preapproved for loans ranging from $3,500 to $40,000. These personal loans come with no origination fee or prepayment penalty and have fixed rates as low as 6.98%. There’s also no credit score impact to apply.

27. 24/7 Card Member Services

Whether it’s replacing a lost card or simply asking a billing question, you can talk to a representative and get assistance 24/7.

28. Mobile Access

Get fraud alerts, find offers near you, and manage your account no matter where you happen to be with the Amex mobile app.

29. Annual Summary

Download the annual summary of your account to keep track and manage all of your expenses.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Gold card is a clear winner with strong rewards in the dining category! Consider the same level of rewards for supermarket purchases, and you’ve got an everyday spending card with serious earning potential.

Plus, if you’re a traveler, you’ll enjoy the card, earning 3x Membership Rewards points for flights purchased with the airline and with AmexTravel.com. Add in the stellar redemption options for travel, and we see this card can function as both an everyday spending card and a travel rewards card.

If you’re put off by the high annual fees of most premium travel rewards cards and fewer benefits/earnings on many cards that don’t carry an annual fee, you might find a happy medium with the Amex Gold card.

I wouldn’t struggle with this annual fee either, since most people’s yearly supermarket spending alone would easily earn enough rewards to offset its cost.

Having access to flexible reward redemption options offers a lot of value as well. Perhaps you need to top off your frequent flyer account and book a last-minute award ticket, or you choose to redeem your rewards for a Home Depot gift card to take care of that unexpected home repair. You have that option here.

For everyday spending and travel rewards you’ll use, you’ll find plenty of value in this midtier travel rewards card.