American Express® Gold Card Review

For many, the American Express® Gold Card is a symbol of financial success. Pull out the Gold Card on a date, and you’ve made a statement. We here at allCards think a fat bank account is THE sign of financial success. Yet we also know that a lucrative rewards card can add bank to our accounts. So in this American Express® Gold Card review, we dive into the rewards, benefits, and fees to see how the card stacks up.

The American Express® Gold Card is designed for travelers and culinary enthusiasts, particularly those with a family. Why? It pays up to 4x Membership Rewards points on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

In addition, members can earn an intro offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $10 in statement credits each month when using your card for dining at certain restaurants (see limitations below). Of course, this is after you enroll in the Dining Credit program. There’s also $10 a month in U.S. Uber Cash, which can be used for U.S. Uber Eats as well when you add your American Express® Gold Card to the Uber app (an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit).

The Gold Card does have a high annual fee. So let’s dive into the details to see whether the card is worth the cost.

American Express® Gold Card Rewards

Welcome Offer

So, you have signed up and are now an official Gold Card member. You are now able to begin earning those rewards points in a number of ways, including a welcome offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

It will take between 8-12 weeks for you to receive these points. It is rare, but if there is a delay in receiving your Gold Card you may end up with less time to earn these points. Some purchases may fall outside of the intro offer purchasing period as well. For example:

• If a merchant has a delay in submitting transactions to American Express, or
• if the sale date is different from the transaction date. (This means if you bought items online, the sale date could be the date the items get shipped).

So if you plan to earn the welcome offer, don’t wait until the last minute.

Earning Rewards

Gold Card members can earn ongoing Membership Rewards at four different levels:

• 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 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Assuming a 1.0 cent valuation, U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide earn 4% (subject to the limitations noted above). Flights booked directly with the airlines or at the amex travel website earn 3%, prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com earn 2%, and other eligible purchases earn 1%.

You can’t earn any extra points for purchases at restaurants located within other establishments. For example, purchases made at a restaurant located within a hotel may be recognized as a purchase at a hotel, not a restaurant. 

Approved purchases that earn rewards do not include the following:

• fees or interest charges
• cash advances
• person-to-person payments
• gift card purchases
• travelers checks
• purchasing or reloading of prepaid cards

Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. Any purchases will not qualify for extra points if the merchant’s code is not eligible.

Redeeming Rewards

Gold Card members can redeem their rewards through a variety of options. The key is to remember that the value of the Membership Rewards points vary based on how they are used. Here’s a summary of the redemption options, along with an estimate of the Membership Rewards points value:

Redemption Method	Valuation
Redeem at Checkout	0.7 to 1.0 cents
Gift Cards	up to 1.0 cents
Transfer to Airline Partners	1:1 point to point ratio (but varies)
Transfer to Hotel Partners	1:1 point to point ratio (but varies)
Statement Credit	up to 1.0 cent per point

Redeem at Checkout

You can redeem points at checkout with the following services:

(These websites have a current points value of $70.00 with the exception of NYC Taxi which has a value of $100.00, based on a Membership Rewards point total of 10,000. This means that each point is worth 0.7 cents. Points used at NYC Taxi are worth 1 cent each.) Values may change. Check out the Amex Rewards Calculator for the latest values.

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Dell.com
• Grubhub
• JustGiving
• Newegg
• NYC Taxi
• PayPal
• Rite Aid
• Saks Fifth Avenue
• Seamless
• Staples

Gift Cards

If you are looking to find a gift card, you can choose from a wide variety of merchants with your rewards. What follows are the gift card values based on spending 10,000 Membership Rewards points. Keep in mind that these values can and do change, so be sure to confirm the value before purchasing a gift card.

Air & Lodging

• AirBnB ($70.00)
• Best Western® Hotels & Resorts ($85.00)
• Delta ($70.00)
• Fairmont Hotels & Resorts ($100.00)
• Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts ($70.00)
• Hilton ($70.00)
• Hotels.com ™ ($70.00)
• Mandarin Oriental ($85.00)
• Marriott® ($70.00)
• The Ritz-Carlton ($70.00)

American Express

• American Express® Baby ($50.00)
• American Express® Birthday Candles ($50.00)
• American Express® Blue Balloons ($50.00)
• American Express® Classic Gold ($50.00)
• American Express® Gold Sparkle ($50.00)
• American Express® Home Improvement ($50.00)
• American Express® Pet ($50.00)
• American Express® Rose Gold ($50.00)
• American Express® Shop Small ($50.00)
• American Express® Thank You Teal ($50.00)
• American Express® White Metal ($50.00)

Car and Rail

• Uber ($70.00)

Dining

• Bahama Breeze® ($100.00)
• Benihana® ($100.00)
• Bloomin’ Brands Multi-Brand ($85.00)
• Bonefish Grill® ($85.00)
• California Pizza Kitchen ($100.00)
• Carrabba’s Italian Grill® ($85.00)
• Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen® ($100.00)
• Chili’s® Grill and Bar ($100.00)
• Darden Restaurants ($100.00)
• Del Frisco’s ($100.00)
• Eddie V’s® ($100.00)
• Fleming’s® Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar ($85.00)
• Hard Rock Cafe® ($100.00)
• Home Chef ($85.00)
• Instacart ($70.00)
• Lettuce Entertain You® Enterprises, Inc. ($100.00)
• Longhorn® Steakhouse ($100.00)
• Maggiano’s Little Italy® ($100.00)
• Morton’s® The Steakhouse ($100.00)
• Olive Garden® ($100.00)
• Outback Steakhouse® ($85.00)
• Panera Bread® ($85.00)
• Ruth’s Chris® Steakhouse ($100.00)
• Seasons 52® ($100.00)
• Starbucks Card ($70.00)
• Subway® ($85.00)
• The Capital® Grill($100.00)
• The Cheesecake Factory® ($85.00)
• Yard House® ($100.00)

Other

• Apple ($85.00)
• Aspen Snowmass ($70.00)
• Regal Cinemas Gift Card ($85.00)
• Soothe ($100.00)

Retail

• 1-800-Flowers ($100.00)
• Adidas ($100.00)
• American Express® Gift Card (Resy) ($50.00)
• American Express® Gift Card (Wedding) ($50.00)
• Athleta ($100.00)
• Banana Republic ($100.00)
• Barnes and Noble ($100.00)
• Bath and Body Works® ($100.00)
• Bergdorf Goodman ($100.00)
• Best Buy ™ ($70.00)
• CB2 ($100.00)
• Coach ($100.00)
• Crate and Barrel ($100.00)
• Crate and Kids ($100.00)
• Fanatics ($100.00)
• GAP ($100.00)
• GAP Brands Options ($100.00)
• Harry and David ($100.00)
• Lululemon ($85.00)
• Macy’s ($85.00)
• Neiman Marcus ($100.00)
• Nike ($85.00)
• Nordstrom ($85.00)
• Nordstrom Rack ($85.00)
• Old Navy ($100.00)
• PetSmart ($85.00)
• PBteen ($100.00)
• Pottery Barn ($100.00)
• Pottery Barn Kids ($100.00)
• REI ($70.00)
• RH ($100.00)
• Saks Fifth Avenue ($100.00)
• Saks OFF 5th ($100.00)
• Sam’s Club® ($70.00)
• Sam’s Club® Gift of Membership-Club Level ($70.00)
• Sam’s Club® Gift of Membership-Plus Level ($70.00)
• Sephora ($85.00)
• Staples® ($100.00)
• Target GiftCard ™ ($70.00)
• The Home Depot® ($100.00)
• TJX Multi-Brand ($85.00)
• Under Armour® ($85.00)
• Walmart ($70.00)
• Wayfair ($85.00)
• West Elm® ($100.00)
• Williams-Sonoma ($100.00)

Transfer Points

Planning on taking a flight soon? You can transfer Membership Rewards points to airline miles programs. This can be the most valuable use of Amex points. The value, of course, depends on how you use the miles after the transfer.

Airline	Transfer Ratio	Estimated Transfer Time
Aer Lingus	1:1	48 hours
AeroMexico	1:1.6	48 Hours
Aeroplan	1:1	48 hours
Air France KLM	1:1	48 hours
ANA	1:1	96 Hours
Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles)	1:1	48 Hours
Avianca	1:1	72 hours
British Airways	1:1	48 hours
Delta	1:1	48 hours
Qatar Airways	1:1	48 hours
Emirates	1:1	48 hours
Etihad	1:1	48 hours
Flying Blue (Air France / KLM)	1:1	48 hours
Iberia	1:1	48 Hours
Hawaiian Airlines	1:1	48 hours
JetBlue	250 points = 200 points	48 hours
Qantas	1:1	48 hours
Singapore Airlines	1:1	Up to 48 Hours
Virgin Atlantic	1:1	48 hours

Keep in mind that Amex has two lists of airline partners, one for global Amex cardholders and one for U.S. cardholders. The above list is for U.S. cardholders.

You can also transfer Membership Rewards points to one of three hotel chain partners:

Hotel Partner	Transfer Ratio	Transfer Time
Choice Privileges	1:1	Almost Instant
Hilton Honors	1:2	Almost Instant
Marriott Bonvoy	1:1	Almost Instant

Generally, you won’t get the best value with hotel transfers. Hotel rewards programs in general are not great. But it’s good to have this option if you need a few more points to book a hotel stay.

Redeem for Travel with Amex

While transferring points to partner airlines is usually the best bet, you can also book travel directly with Amex using Membership Rewards points.

Statement Credits

You can redeem points for statement credit, but it’s a bad deal. They are only worth 0.06 cents each.

Credits

$120 Dining Credit

When using the Dining Credit, members can earn up to $10 in statement credits each month when you pay with your American Express® Gold Card. This is good as it adds up to $120 in annual savings. Make sure you enroll in this credit, or it won’t be valid. You can use your Gold Card at these select establishments:

• Grubhub
• The Cheesecake Factory
• Goldbelly
• Five Guys

Up to $120 Uber Cash on Gold

Just add your Gold card to your Uber account and automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats or Uber rides in the U.S. each month. Plus, you’ll earn 4x Membership Rewards®  points on every Uber Eats purchase. Only available in the U.S. As of November 8, 2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.

$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 American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.

$100 Resy Credit

Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.

$100 Hotel Collection Credit

Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.

American Express® Gold Card Benefits

• Payment Flexibility– Members can carry a balance with interest on purchases of $100 or more that allows them more control over what they pay. Upon payment, you can choose to pay your Account Total New Balance, the minimum, or between with interest.

• Baggage Insurance Plan: Buy a Common Carrier ticket with your card and you can have coverage for up to $1,250 for carry-on items. As well as up to $500 on all checked luggage.

• Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Use your card to purchase your select rental vehicle. Make sure to decline the collision damage waiver. Then your vehicle will be covered if stolen or damaged.

• Shoprunner: Get free 2-day shipping on select purchases at over 100+ online stores.

• Amex Offers: Earn rewards when you travel, shop in-store, online, dine, and more with Amex Offers.

• Entertainment Access: Get exclusive access to pre-sales on tickets. As well as Card-Member only events near you. This includes concerts, sporting and family events, and more with Entertainment Access.

FAQs

How Does the American Express® Gold Card Stack Up

With 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year) and restaurants, and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines and at AmexTravel.com, the American Express Gold Card is hard to beat. You won’t find this combination of elevated rewards on other cards.

For those who want even more rewards from a specific category, there are other reasonable alternatives:

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on the first $6,000 spent per year, then 1%.
• Prime Visa: Unlimited 5% cash back at Whole Foods
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 3x points on travel + 50% bonus when you use the points to book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card: 4% cash back on dining and entertainment.

In the final analysis, the American Express® Gold Card offers a unique mix of elevated rewards that should appeal to a large segment of consumers. It does come with a hefty annual fee, but if used as your primary card, the rewards should more than offset the yearly cost. Below we recap the features, fees, credit score needed, and suggest additional alternatives.

Rates & Fees