American Express Gold Card review: Impressive rewards for foodies and travelers

American Express Gold Card: Overview

APR

• Intro: None
• Purchase: 20.99%–28.99% Variable
• Cash advance: 29.99% APR, plus a fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
• Penalty: 29.99% APR

Annual fee: $250

Foreign transaction fee: None

Late payment: up to $40

Pay Over Time: monthly fee up to 1.33%

The American Express® Gold Card is a premium credit card that’s widely recognized for its lucrative rewards on dining, grocery, and travel spending. The Gold Card is designed for frequent spenders and travelers, known for its rich rewards structure and flexible redemption options. It provides 4X Membership Rewards® points on restaurants worldwide, as well as U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 1X points on all other eligible purchases.

One of the most notable features of the American Express Gold Card is the dining credit, which offers up to $120 back at selected restaurants and food delivery services annually, in monthly increments. Additionally, you can receive up to $120 Uber credit to use towards rides and food delivery. These perks, along with no foreign transaction fees, make the card appealing for travelers and food enthusiasts. The card also includes comprehensive travel and purchase protections, further adding to its value. 

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, see this page.

American Express Gold Card: Rewards

The Gold Card from Amex provides a generous, tiered rewards structure:

• 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X)
• 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
• 1X points on all other eligible purchases

New cardholders also have the opportunity to earn 60,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $4,000 within the first six months of owning the card.

How to redeem American Express Gold Card membership rewards points

American Express offers several options for redeeming your membership rewards points earned with the Gold Card. The issuer notes that the value of points varies depending how you choose to redeem them. Typically, points can be redeemed for 0.5 cents to 1 cent per point.  .

Book or upgrade travel

One of the best ways to get the most value out of your membership points is by using them to book flights and hotels, or redeem for upgrades (when available) through Amex or directly with travel partners.

Transfer points

American Express allows you to transfer membership points to various airline and hotel frequent traveler loyalty programs, including British Airways, Delta Skymiles, Hilton Honors, and more.

Pay with points

You can als use your points when checking out at 15 different online retailers. You can also redeem points through PayPal, which allows you to use pay with points at millions of online stores around the world.

Redeem for gift cards 

You also have the option of redeeming points for gift cards at a number of retail, dining, air, and lodging companies. These include Amazon, Hotels.com, Ticketmaster, and more.

Cover your charges

Another way to redeem points is by requesting a credit equal to one or more eligible charges on your monthly Gold Card statement. You must have a minimum of 1,000 points to use this option.

Additional benefits

• $120 dining credit: You can earn up to $10 in statement credits each month when you pay with your American Express Gold Card at certain restaurants and delivery services, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Wine.com, and more. Enrollment is required.
• $120 Uber Cash: Once you add your Gold Card to your Uber account, you will automatically receive up to $10 in Uber Cash each month, which can be redeemed for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S.
• The Hotel Collection: Get up to $100 experience credit to use during your stay when you book The Hotel Collection. A minimum 2-night stay is required.
• Global Assist Hotline: If you’re traveling more than 100 miles from home, you can rely on the Global Assist Hotline for 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services (card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers).
• Baggage insurance plan: By purchasing your entire fare for a common carrier vehicle ticket (plane, train, ship, or bus), you’ll receive up to $1,250 in coverage for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Carrier.
• Car rental loss and damage insurance: When you use your card to reserve and pay for the entire rental, and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the rental company counter, you can be covered for damage to or theft of a rental vehicle in a covered territory.
• American Express Experiences: You’ll gain exclusive access to ticket presales and local member-only events, including Broadway shows, concert tours, sporting events, and more.
• American Express Preferred Access: Get access to premium seats for select cultural and sporting events, based on availability. 

Is the American Express Gold Card right for you?

The Amex Gold card is designed for people who do a lot of spending on travel and food purchases. If the rewards structure aligns with your spending habits, the Gold Card can be a great option that provides value far beyond its $250 annual fee.

Credit cards similar to American Express Gold Card

There are many rewards cards on the market, many of which offer similar benefits to the Gold Card. So before applying, consider comparable alternatives first.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. American Express Gold Card

For those who are looking for a travel and dining rewards card without the high annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card may be a good alternative to the Amex Gold Card. It offers a solid rewards program with 5X points on travel booked through Chase and 3X points on dining and groceries purchased online, as well as the ability to transfer points to multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs. The Sapphire Preferred also provides a range of travel benefits, including a $50 annual hotel credit, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and primary rental car insurance. 

Frequently asked questions

Is it hard to get a Gold American Express card?

The American Express Gold Card isn’t particularly hard to get, but you will need good to excellent credit to qualify. That means applicants with a credit score below 670 might have a hard time getting approved.

Is American Express Gold Card a good card?

The Gold Card is considered a top-tier rewards card for those who are able to spend strategically and get more value out of this card than they pay in the annual fee.

How much is the limit on a Gold American Express card?

The Amex Gold Card does not have a preset spending limit. The spending limit is flexible and unlike a traditional card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history. The American Express® Gold Card allows you to carry a balance for certain charges, but not all.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.

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.

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.