The American Express® Gold Card** is geared to frequent travelers who spend a lot on food each year. Not only does this card offer an exceptional rewards rate at U.S. supermarkets and on dining worldwide, but members can use their rewards for travel through AmexTravel.com or even transfer their Amex points to partners.
American Express Gold Card benefits can help make up for the card’s $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), but you’ll have to be intentional about using them to maximize their value.
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American Express® Gold Card
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- Intro Offer
-
60,000 Membership Rewards® Points Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Annual fee
- $250
- APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- 670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
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3x – 4x Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.; Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).; Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
Rewards Rate
4x
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4x
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
3x
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more
The American Express® Gold Card comes with a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points when new customers spend at least $6,000 on eligible purchases within six months of card membership.
Since the value of Amex Membership Rewards points could be worth up to 2 cents, according to The Points Guy, each when transferred to travel partners, this bonus could be worth up to $1,200 depending on how you use it.
Cardholders can redeem their rewards for statement credits, gift cards and merchandise, albeit at lower redemption rates. A more lucrative choice would be to redeem points for travel through AmexTravel.com or for point transfers to Amex airline and hotel partners.
Point transfers
Amex transfer partners are wide and varied, and they can work well for both domestic and international travel. Current Amex transfer partners are listed below, along with their transfer ratios:
Airline partners
| Airline | Transfer ratio (Amex points to airline miles/points) |
| Aer Lingus | 1,000:1,000 |
| Aeromexico | 1,000:1,600 |
| Aeroplan | 1,000:1,000 |
| Air France, KLM | 1,000:1,000 |
| ANA Mileage Club | 1,000:1,000 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1,000:1,000 |
| British Airways | 1,000:1,000 |
| Cathay Pacific | 1,000:1,000 |
| Delta Air Lines | 1,000:1,000 |
| Emirates Skywards | 1,000:1,000 |
| Etihad Guest | 1,000:1,000 |
| Hawaiian Miles | 1,000:1,000 |
| Iberia Plus | 1,000:1,000 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 250:200 |
| Qantas | 500:500 |
| Qatar Airways | 1,000:1,000 |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1,000:1,000 |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1,000:1,000 |
Hotel partners
| Hotel | Transfer ratio (Amex points to hotel points) |
| Choice Privileges | 1,000:1,000 |
| Hilton Honors | 1,000:2,000 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1,000:1,000 |
While Amex point transfers are entirely optional, cardholders may be able to get more value for their rewards if they transfer to partners before they redeem. This is especially true for flight redemptions in business and first-class cabins, as well as international itineraries.
American Express Gold Card perks
American Express Gold Card benefits include annual dining credits, annual Uber Cash and access to The Hotel Collection from Amex. Cardholders also get some travel insurance perks, such as access to a Global Assist hotline*, a baggage insurance plan* and secondary car rental loss and damage insurance*.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
How to use the Gold Card’s credits
While the value of American Express Gold Card benefits can offset the card’s annual fee, knowing how they work and when they apply is crucial if you hope to maximize them.
Dining credit
The up to $120 in annual dining statement credits on the American Express® Gold Card are doled out in monthly increments of up to $10, and they don’t roll over from one month to the next. This means you’ll need to make a qualifying purchase every month to get the full $120 in credits applied to your account.
These dining credits also apply to purchases at a select number of eateries. Specifically, you can use these credits at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment is required.
Uber Cash
The up to $120 in annual Uber Cash you get with the American Express® Gold Card are also given out in monthly increments of $10 with no option to roll over unused Uber Cash from one month into the next.
The Uber Cash applies to both Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases in the U.S. when you add your Gold card to your Uber account.
The Hotel Collection
Cardholders with the American Express® Gold Card also get access to The Hotel Collection from Amex. This selection of hotels offers cardmembers a $100 experience credit to use during eligible stays of two nights or longer.
How the travel protections could save you money
A few travel protections come standard with the American Express® Gold Card as well, which can make the card even more valuable.
Global Assist hotline
Call this hotline when you’re traveling at least 100 miles from home for help with 24/7 emergency assistance, including medical and legal referrals, emergency cash, or help with missing luggage and passports, among other things.
Baggage insurance plan
Pay for airfare with this card and automatically get baggage insurance worth up to $1,250 for carry-on luggage and up to $500 for checked baggage. This coverage amount is available for each ticket purchased with the card.
Auto rental coverage
The American Express® Gold Card also comes with secondary car rental loss and damage insurance that activates after your own coverage is exhausted when you pay for a rental with your card. Not all vehicle types and destinations qualify.
How to get the most from your card
While the benefits you get with the American Express® Gold Card can be worth hundreds of dollars per year, they aren’t necessarily easy to use. Consider these tips to maximize this card’s perks and rewards.
- Make sure to earn the welcome bonus: Make at least $1,000 per month in purchases for the first six months after account opening to earn the welcome bonus on this card. However, it’s important to spend within your normal budget to reach the bonus. If you overspend to qualify, it could cancel out any value you’d see from the bonus.
- Use the card for all your food spending and airfare: Use the card for U.S. supermarket spending and dining worldwide, as well as airfare, to earn more Amex points over time.
- Set up the American Express® Gold Card as your preferred method of payment in your Uber account: This will ensure you don’t forget to use your card when you make Uber purchases that count toward the credit each month.
- Be intentional about using the dining credit: Check for available dining destinations near you that qualify for the $120 dining credit, and use these credits when you can.
The bottom line
Because of its sky-high rewards rate for food spending and annual food-related credits, the American Express® Gold Card is best suited to people who love to dine at restaurants and order takeout. The card’s flexible rewards also make it a great choice for frequent travelers who want options when it comes to redeeming their points.
However, keep in mind, the card’s statement credits don’t roll over, which means you’ll either have to use these credits or lose them.
For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, click here.
**All information about the American Express Gold Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
*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.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
