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MoneyGeek’s Take
American Express® Gold Card Review
The American Express® Gold Card offers great value to those who eat out and travel often. It lets you earn reward points for dining, shopping and flights, which you can redeem for your subsequent travel expenses.
Updated: October 24, 2024
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- PROS
- Top-tier rewards on dining and groceries
- Great annual bonus credits
- Transfer points to multiple airline partners
- No foreign transaction fees See Rates and Fees
CONS- High annual fee
- Limited premium travel perks
- No rewards on hotel stays or car rentals
- -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, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
- Choose from Gold, Rose Gold, or Limited-Edition White Gold metal designs for your American Express® Gold Card. The White Gold design is available while supplies last.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points.
- 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® points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Get $120 Uber Cash annually by adding your Gold Card to your Uber account. Receive $10 in Uber Cash each month for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. To receive this benefit you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment on your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.
- Earn up to $84 in statement credits annually at Dunkin' locations. Get $7 in monthly statement credits after enrolling and paying with the Amex Gold.
- Receive up to $100 in statement credits annually for dining at U.S. Resy restaurants or other eligible Resy purchases. Get $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Get up to $120 in dining credits annually. Earn $10 in monthly statement credits when you pay with your Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- 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.
- No foreign transaction fees. See Rates and Fees
- The annual fee is $325. See Rates and Fees
- Terms apply.
- See Rates and Fees
The American Express® Gold Card provides a range of rewards and perks, particularly in the areas of dining and travel. For individuals who frequently dine out or travel, the rewards earned in these categories can generate significant value. Beyond rewards, this card also offers a suite of services and protections that enhance the cardholder's experience. However, it's important to note that the benefits it provides come with certain costs, namely a sizable annual fee.
American Express® Gold Card Overview
The American Express® Gold Card is designed to help you earn bonus points at restaurants, supermarkets and on select travel purchases. Additionally, it offers some useful annual credits for everyday expenses to help you offset the cost of the annual fee. Here's an overview of the card's details.
- Rewards rate: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. 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® points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Welcome offer: Earn 90,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases worldwide within the first 6 months, up to $100. The offer ends on November 6, 2024.
- Regular APR: 20.74% to 28.74% See Rates and Fees
- Annual fee: $325 See Rates and Fees
- Intro APR offer: None
- Terms Apply
Amex Gold Points Estimator
Estimate the value of the rewards you could earn with the Amex Gold card. Input your spending to see how many points you can accumulate. For restaurants and U.S. supermarket rewards, enter spending over the respective bonus spending cap ($50,000 and $25,000) in the 'other purchases' line.
Important Disclaimers:
- This calculator is for planning and evaluation purposes and is not sponsored or endorsed by American Express.
- Some of your purchases may not be eligible for earning points.
- The value of points at redemption will vary.
How much do you spend at restaurants worldwide per MONTH? (4X points, upt o $50,000/year)
How much do you spend at U.S. supermarkets per MONTH? (4X points, up to $25,000/year)
How much do you spend on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com per YEAR? (3X points)
How much do you spend on other purchases per YEAR? (1X points)
Important Card Details
The American Express® Gold Card has a lot to offer, but its high annual fee means it may not be right for everyone. It's important to make sure the features of this card align with your lifestyle and spending patterns in order to get the best value.
Rewards For Foodies
Whether you're a fan of dining out or eating in (or both!), this card has you covered on the rewards front, offering 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points, and 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. You'll also get a decent rewards rate on eligible flights, although it's not the highest around. It's worth noting that the cap for supermarket spending is pretty high and, depending on how much you spend on groceries, may yield considerably more in rewards than a card with a higher rate and lower cap.
Good Welcome Offer
While it's not the highest welcome offer we've seen for this card, you can currently earn 90,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on all eligible purchases within the first six months. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases worldwide within the first 6 months, up to $100. The offer ends on November 6, 2024. This is not an unreasonable spending requirement given you have half a year to earn it.
Regular APR
The APR for the American Express® Gold Card is 20.74% to 28.74%. See (terms) for details.
High Annual Fee
This card has an annual fee of $325, which is on the higher side. However, you can more than offset the cost by making the most of the bonus reward categories and utilizing the additional credits.
Entertainment Credits
With annual credits for Uber, dining at eligible restaurants and various activities at The Hotel Collection, it's clear this card was made with luxury entertainment in mind. You'll also get access to presale event tickets, preferred event seating and discounts on select dining and entertainment offers.
No Foreign Transaction Fee
With no foreign transaction fees, you can easily use the card while on an international trip and earn points at the same time. See Rates and Fees
High Customer Satisfaction
According to J.D. Power's 2022 Credit Card Satisfaction Study, American Express scored the highest customer satisfaction rating among all major issuers.
How the American Express® Gold Card Compares To Other Cards
With its high rewards rate and no foreign transaction fees, the American Express® Gold Card holds its own against the competition. However, assessing how it compares to other rewards cards comes down to what you're looking for in a card.
How This Card Compares
American Express® Gold Card
- Rewards rate: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year. After that, earn 1X points. 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® points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Welcome offer: Earn 90,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases worldwide within the first 6 months, up to $100. The offer ends on November 6, 2024.
- Regular APR: 20.74% to 28.74% See Rates and Fees
- Annual fee: $325 See Rates and Fees
- Intro APR offer: None
- Terms Apply
- Best for: Foodies who like to travel
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Rewards rate: Earn 10X Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X Miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
- Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
- Regular APR: 19.99% – 29.99% (variable)
- Annual fee: $395
- Intro APR offer: None
- Best for: Great travel bonus categories and a generous flat rewards rate
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
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