MoneyGeek's Take

Mastercard® Gold Card™ Review

The Mastercard® Gold Card™ is for the affluent traveler who wants to access luxurious travel perks and first-class benefits. It earns you one point for every dollar spent and provides exceptional concierge services.

Advertising & Editorial DisclosureLast Updated: 1/20/2023
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Mastercard® Gold Card™

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

As one of the most expensive luxury cards on the market, the Mastercard® Gold Card™ has a list of luxurious first-class travel benefits and access to members-only perks. If you don’t mind paying higher annual fees in exchange for luxury concierge services, then this card might be for you. The actual gold-plated card might be a flashy bonus. However, it is not for the average consumer. Other high-end cards offer better benefits and allow more flexibility in terms of using earned points.

Card Details to Know Up Front
  • Bonus, Fee or Feature
    Has or Not
  • Has Annual Fee
  • Has Balance Transfer Offer
  • Has APR Offer
  • Cash Back Rewards
  • Travel Rewards
Click to see this card’s rates, fees and how they compare to other cards in our dataset.
OUR REVIEW AT A GLANCE

Mastercard® Gold Card™ at a Glance

The Mastercard® Gold Card™ is a reward-earning travel card that comes with a 24/7 concierge as well as travel benefits and perks. Frequent international travelers will find the most value in this card as it comes with no international fees. Points don’t expire and can be redeemed in several ways. You may qualify for this card as long as you have a very good to exceptional credit score.


  • Mastercard® Gold Card™

    A great card for people who’re looking at premium benefits

    • ExcellentRecommended Credit
    • $995Annual Fee
    • 2% Cash BackRewards Rate
    • 2xRewards Rate on Air Travel
    • 2xRewards Rate on Dining
    Mastercard® Gold Card™

    Terms, rates and fees apply

    Compare this credit card with other top-rated cards from our partners.

Pros & Cons Explained

To determine whether or not the Mastercard® Gold Card™ fits your needs, understanding the benefits and drawbacks of the card can be beneficial.

Pros

  • Benefits
    Description
  • Heavy metal, 24K-gold plated
    This card is plated with actual 24-karat gold. The Luxury Card also brags about its 64 patented card designs issued globally. In addition, it also weighs the heaviest at 22g.
  • Annual airline credit
    Members will receive up to $200, automatically credited in their account, for flight-related purchases like airline tickets, baggage fees, seat upgrades, etc.
  • Fancy Perks
    From VIP airport lounge access, travel accident and baggage delay, first-class travel assistance services and more, Mastercard® Gold Card™ members are able to travel in style.
  • 0% foreign transaction fee
    The card is ideal to use when making international purchases as it comes without foreign transaction fees.

Cons

  • Drawbacks
    Description
  • High annual fee
    The Mastercard Gold card comes with an annual fee of $995. Plus, it costs an additional $295 for each authorized user.
  • High interest rate
    Compared to the average APR, the card charges a high regular APR of 14.99%. Cash Advance APR is even higher at 25.24%.
  • Low rewards rate
    When compared to other luxury or travel cards, the 2% rewards redemption rate is not as high as the card issuer makes it seem. Since each point is valued at 2 cents and one point is earned through every dollar spent, you would need to charge a hefty amount of $50,000 on your card to earn $1,000.
  • No sign-up bonus
    Many credit cards have a welcome bonus. However, the Mastercard® Gold Card™ does not offer any sign-up bonuses.
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LOOKING FOR THE BEST CREDIT CARDS OF 2022?

If you’re looking for the best travel card that can earn you higher points at a lower annual fee, you can check out MoneyGeek’s best travel credit cards page. You can also explore our list of credit cards for excellent credit to see what generous perks and rewards you can take advantage of if you have a solid credit history.

Bonuses & Rewards Explained

With the Mastercard® Gold Card™, you can earn one point for every dollar spent on net purchases. Points can be redeemed in several ways.

1

Travel Redemptions

This includes airfare, hotel and car rentals. You can use your earned points on any airline with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. Redemptions start at 50 points for $1.

2

Cash Back Redemption

Cash can be redeemed at 2% value for every transaction and can be deposited directly into a U.S. bank account or applied as a statement credit.

3

Gift Card/Gift Certificate, Merchandise and Experience Redemption

Using the card’s app, members can see partner merchants where they can use points in exchange for gift cards or certificates, buy merchandise or book experiences. However, these are subject to availability. Additionally, the value of points can change.

Other Features Explained

The Mastercard® Gold Card™ has an extensive list of features and benefits to consider that set it apart from other cards in the space.

  • Card Feature
    Description
  • Cellular Telephone Protection
    Using the card to pay your telephone bill automatically provides coverage for damage and theft, as well as yearly coverage for phone repairs.
  • Travel Accident and Baggage Delay
    In case of baggage delay of four hours from the time of arrival, you are eligible for a reimbursement of covered items up to $100 a day for a maximum of three days. In case of a travel accident, you will receive up to $250,000 coverage at no additional cost.
  • Access to Porsche Experience Centers
    Cardmembers who book a 90-minute driving experience at either the Atlanta or Los Angeles Porsche Experience Center can take advantage of exclusive perks and personalized coaching.
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MONEYGEEK QUICK TIP

Compared to redemption rates from competitor luxury cards, Mastercard® Gold Card™’s offer is fairly low. The best way to maximize points is through airfare and cashback redemptions, which have a rate of 2%. An example used on the Luxury Card website shows that every 50,000 points equates to $1,000 in airfare. Cardmember should book arrangements using the Luxury Card Concierge and use the Mastercard® Gold Card™ to take advantage of these rewards.

Understanding the Fine Print

Before getting a credit card, you should review costs like APR, annual fees and other possible penalties that you might have to pay when you use the card.

  • Card Feature
    Amount or Rate
  • APR
    19.24% Variable
  • Annual Fee
    $995
  • Cash Back Rewards
  • Rewards Rate
    2% Cash Back
  • Airline Benefits
  • highInterestAPR icon

    Regular APR

    The Mastercard® Gold Card™ has a high variable APR of 19.24%. Non-promotional purchases and balance transfer APR have an additional 11.74% after the prime rate. Cash advance APR has an additional 21.99% after the prime rate. The prime rate varies based on the highest prime rate on the last business day of each month as listed in The Wall Street Journal.

  • lowInterestAPR icon

    0% Introductory APR for Balance Transfers

    A 0% introductory APR applies on balance transfers made within 45 days of opening. After 15 billing cycles, the APR will be 19.24%, which will vary based on the prime rate.

  • annualFee icon

    Annual Fee

    This card charges a hefty $995 annual fee. It also costs $295 for each authorized user.

  • noForeignTransactionFee icon

    Foreign Transaction Fee

    There is no foreign transaction fee for this card.

  • wallet icon

    Late Fees

    If you are late on a payment, you’ll pay a $39 fee.

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WHERE TO FIND THIS INFORMATION?

When comparing this card with other travel credit cards, take a look at the APR and other associated fees. You can review your current card to compare rates by simply going through your latest billing statement. The Mastercard® Gold Card™ ‘Terms and Conditions’ should have all the rates that apply to the card. Alternatively, you can check the information on the credit card agreement database maintained by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Who Should & Shouldn’t Consider Mastercard® Gold Card™?

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Other Considerations for Mastercard® Gold Card™

Whether it’s your first credit card or an additional card in your wallet, you should have a plan on how you will use this credit card before applying. Since issuers pull credit card reports each time you apply for a card, you should have an idea whether you may qualify for the card or not as it can have an impact on your credit score.

Things to Consider if This Will Be Your First or Only Credit Card

The Mastercard® Gold Card™ requires you to have a strong credit history in order to qualify. However, since the only way to build your credit history is to use a credit card, you may want to apply for starter cards or secured credit cards first.

As a result, this card might not be suitable as your first credit card. But, if you use it as your only credit card and are able to qualify because you have the credit history needed to do so, remember to pay off this card in full each month so that you don’t incur high fees.

Things to Consider if This Will Be an Additional Card in Your Wallet

If you will be using this card as an additional card in your wallet, it’s a great option to use when making international transactions because it has no foreign transaction fee.

You might also want to use it when traveling or paying your cell phone bill to ensure you get added protection on those purchases.

If you are looking to rack up points on your card to get free travel, you might want to consider combining this card with other travel cards which have a better reward program and higher redemption rates.

Also, remember to pay off your card in full each month. It’s wise to use a different card with a lower APR if you plan not to pay off your balance in full each month.

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WHY TRUST OUR REVIEWS

MoneyGeek follows a thorough methodology when reviewing credit cards. Our study is based on information collected from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau along with other factors such as standardized data points, estimated average spend profiles, annual and introductory bonuses and re-ranking process. We also re-rank our cards regularly to ensure our rankings are up to date.

How Mastercard® Gold Card™ Compares to Other Cards

Other travel rewards credit cards come with a cheaper annual fee or no fee. If you are really looking for experiences and first-class access, you might consider the Titanium or Black Credit Card. This offers almost the same luxury card benefits as the Mastercard® Gold Card™.

Quick Comparison of Mastercard® Gold Card™
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Mastercard® Gold Card™

  • Annual Fee: $995
  • Purchase APR: 19.24% variable
  • International Transaction Fee: 0%
  • Rewards Rate: Two cents per dollar
  • Best For: Affluent travelers looking for an exclusive card that offers luxury perks
creditCard1 icon

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

  • Annual Fee: $250
  • Purchase APR: 19.99% – 28.99% variable
  • International Transaction Fee: 0%
  • Rewards Rate: One to three miles per $1
  • Best For: Frequent Delta passengers looking to rack up points for free travel

Other Helpful Decision-Making Q&As

Here are the common questions you might have about the Mastercard® Gold Card™ that could help you decide on whether or not to apply for this credit card.

Still not sure about this card? Consider these options.

If you’re unsure about whether or not to apply for this card, consider checking out other travel rewards cards or other premium cards with better rewards rate and lower annual fees.

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*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
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