American Express® Gold Card Review

The American Express® Gold Card (rates & fees) is a compelling rewards card for those looking to earn points quickly.

It has generous point multipliers for home chefs and restaurant-goers as well as dining credits for takeout enthusiasts. Because it’s a travel rewards card, it also offers rewards on flights and hotel bookings to help offset the cost of your vacations.

Let’s look at what the Amex Gold card has to offer and where it could fit into your card strategy.

Amex Gold Bonus Categories

The Amex Gold Card (rates & fees) offers the following bonus spending categories:

• 5X points on prepaid hotel bookings made through American Express Travel® or Amex Travel App™
• 4X points at restaurants on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter)
• 4X points on groceries at United States supermarkets on up to $25,000 per year (1X points thereafter)
• 3X points on flights purchased directly with airlines or via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™
• 2X points on prepaid car rentals and cruises booked through AmexTravel.com
• 1X points on all other purchases

If you like to dine out, purchases in these categories will earn 4X points per dollar spent, which is a generous return. Paired with the 4X points on U.S. supermarket spending, this card is built with foodies in mind.

The fact that you can earn 4X points on restaurants worldwide instead of being limited to the U.S. elevates the rewards earning potential of this card, particularly for frequent travelers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024 Consumer Expenditures survey, the average American household spends $10,169 on food-related purchases annually, which would net you 40,676 Membership Rewards points if charged to the Amex Gold Card. If you’re a foodie, you’ll likely earn even more points, as your spending will be above the average.

The Amex Gold also doesn’t hold back when it comes to rewarding travelers. You’ll earn 5X points per dollar spent on prepaid hotel bookings made through American Express Travel® or the Amex Travel App, 3X points on flights purchased directly with airlines or via American Express Travel® and 2X points on prepaid car rentals and cruises booked through Amex Travel.

If you don’t mind funneling your spending through Amex Travel, these are some competitive rates on travel-related purchases. However, if you prefer booking directly with travel merchants, you’ll benefit only from the 3X multiplier on direct airline purchases.

Overall, the Amex Gold offers some of the strongest and most diverse spending categories of any Amex credit card, making it easy to offset its annual fee through spending alone.

How Much Are Membership Rewards Points Worth?

With the Amex Gold, you’ll earn Membership Rewards points that you can redeem in a number of ways.

The two main ways to redeem your rewards are for travel components booked through Amex Travel and for flights and hotel rooms booked by transferring points to one of Amex’s travel partners.

American Express Travel

Membership Rewards points redeemed through Amex Travel hold specific values calculated based on the travel component you’d like to book.

Here’s an overview:

These point valuations aren’t ideal. In most cases, you’d be better off transferring your points to one of Amex’s airline or hotel partner programs.

Transfer Partners

American Express partners with many airline and hotel loyalty programs. However, not all transfer ratios are 1:1.

Here’s an overview of Amex’s current transfer partners and ratios:

It’s best to transfer your points to partners when you want the greatest value for them. That’s especially true when you want to book a business- or first-class flight. When you book premium-cabin tickets through Amex Travel, your redemption rate is just 1 cent per point.

When you transfer points to a partner, you can increase the redemption rate to 5 cents, 8 cents or even 15 cents per point in some cases. Your individual valuation will vary, but you can easily get more than 1 cent per point by transferring to Amex’s airline partners.

If you don’t mind flying in economy, you can still get good value by booking an award economy ticket with miles when cash ticket prices are high.

Another thing to note is that American Express charges an excise tax fee of $0.0006 for every point transferred to domestic airlines. For example, transferring 10,000 Membership Rewards to Delta SkyMiles or JetBlue TrueBlue will cost you $6. Fortunately, the fee is capped at $99 no matter how many points you transfer.

In comparison, neither Citi nor Chase charge these fees to transfer their flexible points to partner airlines. The fact that American Express passes the tax on to the consumer is less than ideal. For that reason, you may be better off using your Citi ThankYou Points or Chase Ultimate Rewards when transferring to domestic partner airlines.

American Express Gold Statement Credits

The American Express Gold Card offers multiple statement credits to cardholders. Let’s look at what kind of value they can add to your card membership.

Up to $120 Dining Credit

With the up to $120 Amex Gold dining credit, you can get an up to $10 discount every month you use your card to make a purchase from one of the eligible partners, including Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonder and Five Guys.

At first glance, the discount seems great. Who doesn’t love free food? However, the credit isn’t available all at once but is instead issued in up to $10 monthly increments, so you’ll need to be strategic to maximize its value. By dining at one of the aforementioned dining establishments once per month, you’ll get up to $120 back per calendar year in statement credits. The credit doesn’t roll over to the following month, which means you’ll lose it if you don’t use it.

Note that enrollment is required for this benefit.

Up to $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 Amex Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.

Up to $100 Resy Credit

You can get up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. To take advantage of this credit, just use your Amex Gold card at any restaurant listed on resy.com.

There are more than 10,000 Resy restaurants in the U.S. where you can use this credit.

Note that enrollment is required.

$100 Hotel Credit

As an Amex Gold cardholder, you have access to The Hotel Collection through Amex Travel.

You’ll get an annual $100 experience credit credit toward eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more with The Hotel Collection when made through AmexTravel.com.

This could open up a range of perks, from upgrades to late checkout and more, making for a more comfortable stay.

*Eligible charges vary by property.

$120 Uber Cash Credits

Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get up to $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 in Uber Cash annually.

To receive this benefit you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber app, and your eligible Amex Gold Card must be a method of payment on your Uber account. This Amex benefit may only be used in the U.S.

Amex Offers

Amex Offers is available to all American Express members, including co-branded cardholders, so it’s not exclusive to the Gold Card.

With Amex Offers, you’ll have access to discounts or bonus points when purchasing from a variety of merchants. The list of merchants is extensive, and new offers are added regularly. Just make sure you keep an eye on the expiration date of each offer.

With little effort, the money you save with Amex Offers could easily offset your annual card fee. Simply enroll in Offers, use your Amex card to pay and wait for the statement credit or the bonus points to post.

Hertz Five Star® Status

Amex Gold cardholders get complimentary Hertz Five Star® status, opening up a number of perks, including the ability to add a second driver for free and access a wider range of vehicles. Enrollment is required for this benefit.

American Express Travel Protections

As a travel rewards card, the Amex Gold card also comes with a host of travel protections.*

Trip Delay Insurance

If your trip is delayed for more than 12 hours, you’ll qualify for reimbursement of reasonable expenses, such as meals, lodging, toiletries and medication purchased.

You’re covered for up to $300 per trip, and you can make up to two claims per 12 consecutive months. To receive coverage, you must charge the full amount of a covered trip to your American Express card.

Baggage Insurance Plan

In the event of baggage damage or baggage loss while in transit, you’re covered for up to $500 per covered person for checked luggage and up to $1,250 per covered person for carry-on luggage. The card member, their spouse and dependent children younger than 23 are covered.

For residents of New York State, there’s an aggregate maximum limit of $10,000 for all covered persons per covered trip.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Rental vehicles are eligible for insurance for up to 30 consecutive days. Theft and damage are covered for up to $50,000 per rental agreement. The coverage is secondary, which means that American Express will cover what your personal insurance won’t.

You’ll need to decline the collision damage waiver your rental car company offers and charge the entire rental car cost to your Amex Gold card to be covered.

See terms to ensure you’re covered in a specific country and for specific types of vehicle rentals.

Global Assist Hotline

Should you need to obtain customs information for a country you plan to visit, vaccination information or foreign exchange rates, the Global Assist Hotline is there for you 24/7. The service is also available if you lose your passport, need an emergency cash wire or require medical assistance when things go wrong on a trip. The service itself is free, but you’re still on the hook for all related charges.

Amex Gold Card vs. American Express Platinum Card^®

The Amex Gold is considered a midrange card, but it packs a punch when it comes to earning points. However, it doesn’t provide many of the premium travel benefits that you might be looking for as a frequent flyer.

If you book flights frequently, the American Express Platinum Card® is loaded with perks and benefits for an annual fee of $895 (see rates and fees). It’s perfect for road warriors as well as those flying across the world, and what it lacks in earning rates it makes up for in benefits.

Here’s a summary of what the Platinum card has to offer:

• Earn 5X Membership Rewards points for flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year (1X points thereafter)
• 5X points on eligible prepaid hotel reservations when booked with Amex Travel
• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection for eligible card members, with more than 1,550 lounges across 140 countries (enrollment required)
• Access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts collection for bookings made through Amex Travel
• Complimentary Leaders Club Sterling status from The Leading Hotels of the World®, Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold™ status
• Annual credit of up to $600, issued in semiannual $300 credits, toward prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel (two-night minimum stay required for The Hotel Collection)
• Up to $300 digital entertainment credit, issued in up to $25 monthly statement credits for eligible purchases (enrollment required)
• Up to $300 Equinox credit, given in the form of statement credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $209 in CLEAR+ credit when you sign up and pay for a CLEAR+ membership
• Up to $400 in statement credits toward Resy purchases at U.S. Resy restaurants, issued in quarterly $100 credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $155 Walmart+ credit for one auto-renewing monthly Walmart+ membership, issued in monthly credits of $12.95
• Complimentary car rental privileges with Avis, Hertz and National (enrollment required)
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash, issued in monthly $15 credits with a $20 bonus in December, when you add your card to your Uber account and pay for rides or orders in the U.S.
• Up to $120 Uber One credit when you purchase an auto-renewing Uber One membership
• Up to $200 in airline incidental fee credits, given in the form of statement credits
• Statement credit toward the cost of Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee
• No foreign transaction fees

Although the higher annual fee on the Platinum card seems intimidating, you have to consider the additional travel perks that come with it. Lounge access alone can be worth its weight in gold, especially when your adventures take you to destinations across the globe. The Platinum Card offers more than $3,500 worth of value, making it more than possible to offset its annual fee by double or more.

If you’re having trouble choosing, it’s worth noting that it’s possible to hold both cards at the same time. Make one your points generator with dining and grocery purchases and the other your ticket to lounges and luxury experiences. The cards are differentiated enough in their perks to get value from both.

If you do plan on applying for both, you’re better off applying for the Amex Gold first and then the Platinum Card afterward. This is because you may be ineligible for the Amex Gold’s welcome offer if you hold or have held the Platinum card, but the reverse doesn’t apply.

Is the Amex Gold Worth the $325 Annual Fee?

The answer to this question depends on your individual spending habits.

Do you spend enough at participating restaurants to max out the $120 annual dining credit? How about at Dunkin’ and Resy locations? Will you also book a minimum stay of two nights with The Hotel Collection every year to max out your $100 experience credit? Will you get the full $120 worth of your annual Uber Cash credits?

If you’re able to redeem all of these credits, you’ll offset the annual fee.

Alternatively, if you charge $8,125 or more to the card each year in its 4X categories, you can offset its annual fee through spending alone. If you’re eyeing up the Amex Gold for its bonus spending categories, this can be another way to offset its annual fee without needing to max out its additional perks.

However, some of the credits aren’t exactly easy to use—unless you just can’t live without a slice of cheesecake every month. Consider the card’s drawbacks before making a decision.

If you’re new to points and miles or haven’t opened a new credit card in a while, you’ll want to consider Chase’s 5/24 rule, as it might make more sense to get a Chase card first.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the American Express Gold Card is a strong contender for your wallet. It offers a lucrative return on everyday spending, such as supermarket and dining purchases, as well as on travel expenses, including flight and hotel bookings. It also includes a number of statement credit perks that add up to more than $500 in value, making it easy to offset the card’s annual fee.

If you’re looking for a points powerhouse or a card that rewards your tastebuds, look no further than the Amex Gold. But if you’re on the hunt for a heavyweight travel rewards card that pulls no punches, you’d be better off with the Amex Platinum.

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.