American Express Gold Card overview
The American Express® Gold Card desires a seat at your desk, whether or not you are eating at eating places around the globe or shopping for groceries at U.S. supermarkets to cook dinner at dwelling. You may additionally profit from its varied assertion credit to economize all through the calendar yr. If you are a meals lover, the Amex Gold could also be a fantastic possibility on your pockets. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Card score relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the card issuer.
Although its annual payment of $325 (see charges and charges) may appear dear to some, the Amex Gold recurrently ranks as certainly one of our high rewards playing cards due to a few key options.
With stellar incomes charges on eating and U.S. grocery store purchases and month-to-month credit that may web you a whole lot of worth if you happen to make the most of them successfully, the Amex Gold constantly ranks as a TPG employees favourite.
This is likely one of the finest playing cards you may add to your pockets, due to its whopping 8% return (based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations) on eating and U.S. grocery store purchases (4 factors per greenback on as much as $50,000 per calendar yr for eating places worldwide and as much as $25,000 per calendar yr for U.S. supermarkets, then an estimated 2% return, or 1 level per greenback).
Plus, the patron Amex Gold is available in two colorways: shiny yellow gold or an attention grabbing rose gold.
If you’ve got a very good or glorious credit rating (670 or above) and are contemplating becoming a member of the Amex Gold membership, here is every thing it’s essential know.
Amex Gold execs and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
Amex Gold welcome provide
New Amex Gold cardmembers can earn 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases inside the first six months of card membership.
Based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations, this bonus is price as much as $1,200. This is the usual welcome provide on the Amex Gold, although it is price noting that we have beforehand seen limited-time presents that function elevated welcome bonuses.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily e-newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists
However, the CardMatch software might assist you to get an excellent greater welcome provide, so it is at all times a good suggestion to examine there to see if you happen to’re focused (presents are topic to vary at any time and never everybody will likely be focused for a similar provide).
Related: The finest time to use for these American Express playing cards primarily based on provide historical past
Amex Gold advantages
The Amex Gold presents a number of glorious perks for cardmembers, however listed below are the primary ones to concentrate on and to maximise (enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply):
- Up to $120 annual eating credit per calendar yr: Earn as much as $10 in month-to-month assertion credit while you pay with the Amex Gold at taking part eating companions, together with Five Guys, Grubhub, the Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly and Wine.com.
- Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash per calendar yr: Earn as much as $10 in Uber Cash month-to-month for Uber Eats and Uber rides within the U.S. Uber Cash will solely be deposited into one Uber account while you add the Amex Gold as a fee methodology and redeem with any Amex card.
- Up to $100 annual Resy credit per calendar yr: Earn as much as $100 in Resy assertion credit each calendar yr. This credit is damaged down into two as much as $50 assertion credit biannually. This perk is just like the Resy credit accessible on the Delta Amex playing cards. To use the credit, all it’s a must to do is dine at a taking part U.S. Resy restaurant (or make different eligible Resy purchases) and pay with an Amex Gold card. No reservation is required.
- Up to $100 in lodge credit per calendar yr: Cardmembers who use their card to e-book a keep of two nights or extra via Amex’s The Hotel Collection* obtain an as much as $100 on-site credit for qualifying actions. Depending on the property, this might embrace eating, spa therapies or different actions.
- Up to $84 annual Dunkin’ credit per calendar yr: Earn as much as $7 in month-to-month assertion credit while you pay with the Amex Gold at U.S. Dunkin’ places.
*Eligible expenses fluctuate by property.
- Baggage insurance coverage: If your baggage is misplaced, stolen or broken while you’re touring with a typical service and you’ve got bought your ticket with the Amex Gold, you may be eligible for as much as $1,250 in protection for carry-on baggage and as much as $500 for checked baggage. For New York State residents, there’s a $10,000 combination most restrict for all lined individuals per lined journey.*
- Purchase safety and prolonged guarantee: You’ll get buy safety and an prolonged guarantee on eligible purchases made in your Amex Gold. There are exclusions to what kinds of purchases are lined, which areas or territories protection is out there in and different circumstances to concentrate on, so you’ll want to learn your advantages information.*
- No international transaction charges (see charges and charges): This card’s lack of international transaction charges makes it a fantastic selection for worldwide purchases, particularly since you’ll nonetheless earn 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide (on the primary $50,000 spent per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback).
- Send & Split: Amex’s Send & Split function makes splitting purchases with a gaggle even simpler. It connects to your PayPal and Venmo accounts to assist you to request fee via these apps and apply the fee on to your Amex account.
The standout advantages are the Uber, eating, Dunkin’ and Resy credit. By maximizing these every month, you may glean a full $424 in worth yearly, which implies you may be web constructive $99 in worth.
The as much as $10 Uber Cash profit and as much as $10 eating credit profit you obtain every month do not roll over, so it is necessary to make use of these advantages every month. The Resy credit are extremely straightforward to make use of, and you could not even understand you might be utilizing them as you simply must eat at a restaurant registered with Resy. No reservation is required.
The underrated Send & Split function might be my second favourite profit. I was torn when it got here to placing an entire group dinner on my card — I wished to earn the factors however did not wish to cope with the trouble of accumulating fee from everybody else.
This function permits me to simply request fee from my buddies and apply it to my steadiness, with no chasing down funds or multi-step account transfers wanted.
Cardmembers can monitor progress towards assertion credit in the advantages tab on the Amex app and web site.
*Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Terms, circumstances and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Related: Is the Amex Gold definitely worth the annual payment?
Earning factors on the Amex Gold
The Amex Gold impresses in relation to its bonus classes and long-term incomes potential. It accrues factors on the following charges (phrases apply):
- 4 factors per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide on as much as $50,000 per calendar yr (then 1 level per greenback)
- 4 factors per greenback spent on as much as $25,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per calendar yr (then 1 level per greenback)
- 3 factors per greenback spent on flights booked instantly from the airline or via amextravel.com
- 2 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go resorts and different eligible purchases booked via amextravel.com
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases
These are a number of the most beneficiant incomes charges of any rewards card. Earning 4 factors per greenback on eating worldwide (as much as that $50,000 annual cap) and groceries at U.S. supermarkets (as much as that $25,000 annual cap) is equal to an 8% return on spending, primarily based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations.
And whereas the Amex Gold does not provide essentially the most substantial incomes charges on normal journey, that 3-point-per-dollar incomes charge on eligible flights is sweet for individuals who do not have one other journey card.
Redeeming factors on the Amex Gold
The American Express Membership Rewards factors you may earn with the Amex Gold are among the many most respected rewards factors round.
Transferring your Amex factors to a journey associate usually offers essentially the most worth, though that is not your solely redemption possibility.
You can use factors to purchase reward playing cards, cowl expenses in your billing assertion or to buy with Amazon. You may also use factors to e-book journey instantly via Amex Travel.
However, selecting a redemption possibility aside from transferring your factors to a journey associate means you may fall wanting TPG’s May 2025 2 cents-per-point valuation.
Related: Why the Amex Gold is the proper ‘in-between’ card
Transferring factors on the Amex Gold
Cardmembers can switch their factors to this system’s many airline and lodge companions for glorious journey choices. This features a handful of U.S.-based packages — like Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue — however you may usually get much more worth by leveraging worldwide airline packages.
For instance, Virgin Atlantic can present some unbelievable redemptions — corresponding to the flexibility to attain round-trip, first-class flights on ANA between the U.S. and Japan.
Another glorious redemption possibility is transferring factors to Avianca LifeMiles for reasonable Star Alliance premium cabin awards.
TPG senior factors and miles author Ben Smithson likes to switch his Membership Rewards to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program for the massive vary of airline redemption companions at smart mounted award chart charges, in addition to the flexibility to switch them to British Airways Executive Club to e-book short-haul flights from the United Kingdom to Europe for below 5,000 factors every means.
On the lodge facet, you may switch Membership Rewards factors to Choice Privileges Hotels and Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio and Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio.
American Express additionally recurrently presents switch bonuses, which could be an effective way to squeeze much more worth out of your factors.
Related: Redeeming American Express Membership Rewards for optimum worth
Which playing cards compete with the Amex Gold?
The Amex Gold’s $325 annual payment locations it between mid-tier and premium-level playing cards. Although there is no direct comparability on the annual payment entrance, a number of playing cards provide related bonus classes and perks.
- If you wish to earn rewards on eating and journey with a decrease annual payment: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see charges and charges) has stable earnings charges on eating and journey. Plus, the card grants entry to a fantastic slate of switch companions. It has a $95 annual payment, making it a fantastic possibility for anybody seeking to maintain their annual charges low. To study extra, try our full evaluation of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
- If you wish to earn a flat charge on all of your purchases: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns at the least 2 miles per greenback on all purchases, making it a very good possibility for anybody who spends a whole lot of their funds outdoors of particular bonus classes. Capital One additionally has some stable switch companions. To study extra, try our full evaluation of the Capital One Venture Rewards card.
- If you need extra premium journey rewards: The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a slew of perks like airport lounge entry and complimentary lodge elite standing (enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply). It earns 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked instantly with the airline and American Express Travel® (on the primary $500,000 spent per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback), plus 5 factors per greenback spent on resorts booked via Amex Travel. While the card boasts a steep $695 annual payment (see charges and charges), it’s an attractive possibility if you happen to worth extra premium journey advantages. To study extra, try our full evaluation of the Amex Platinum.
For extra choices, try our full record of the most effective playing cards for journey and eating.
Related: Does it make sense to carry an Amex Platinum and Amex Gold card?
Bottom line
The Amex Gold is not only a fairly card. The incomes charges at eating places worldwide and U.S. supermarkets make it a standout for all meals purchases — whether or not you continuously order supply or wish to chef it up at dwelling. For foodies, this card is price its weight in gold.
Plus, if you happen to can take full benefit of them, this card’s assertion credit add much more worth and make the $325 annual payment simply price paying.
Apply right here: American Express Gold Card
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
