Rewards cards aren’t guaranteed to earn and keep their stripes, but the American Express® Gold Card endures. Its shiny gold (or rose gold, if you prefer) finish suggests a card that offers attractive perks and appealing rewards rates.
The Amex Gold was the fourth credit card I added to my wallet, and it remains there because it delivers exactly the level of benefits you’d expect at first glance. It’s one of the best rewards cards currently available, but like every other card on the market, it isn’t for everyone.
Here’s a breakdown of every feature on this card, how it plays its role in my wallet and why (or why not) it may be for you. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Amex Gold: The basics
The anatomy of the Amex Gold breaks down into two parts: statement credits and Membership Rewards points. This card has a $325 annual fee (see rates and fees), so it’s important to make sure you can recoup that value through its benefits.
You can get up to $424 in value each year from your Amex Gold. Cardmembers will likely find the most value in the up to $10 monthly Uber Cash credit for U.S. Uber and Uber Eats orders*, the up to $10 monthly dining statement credit with select partners and the up to $50 biannual statement credit at U.S. Resy restaurants. (Enrollment is required for select benefits.)
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While the Amex Gold’s lack of lounge access may be disappointing given its price tag, you’ll get access to its impressive roster of 20 transfer partners. We at TPG recommend redeeming points through transfer partners to get maximum value for them.
Earning points with this card is easy, particularly for people like myself who enjoy dining out. The Amex Gold earns 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $50,000 and $25,000 in spending each calendar year, respectively, then 1 point per dollar).
The Amex Gold is at its most powerful in the hands of someone who travels at least a couple of times each year and spends a lot of their budget on food.
Amex Gold pros and cons
ProsCons<ul>
<li>Stellar earning rates on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (spending caps apply)</li>
<li>Useful statement credits</li>
<li>Access to Amex’s 20 transfer partners</li>
</ul><ul>
<li>Not as effective for those living outside the U.S.</li>
<li>High annual fee</li>
<li>Certain statement credits may be hard to use</li>
</ul>
Amex Gold benefits
Unlike its older sibling, the Amex Gold‘s benefits are relatively easy to keep track of. By taking advantage of just a few statement credits, you should be able to get more than the Gold’s annual fee in value each year.
Statement credits
With this card, you’ll receive the following perks (enrollment required):
- Up to $10 monthly in Uber Cash for U.S. Uber and Uber Eats orders (*Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Gold as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card)
- Up to $10 monthly in dining statement credits with select partners
- Up to $50 biannually in statement credits for U.S. Resy purchases
- Up to $7 monthly for U.S. Dunkin’ purchases
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As a foodie living in a major U.S. city, I can easily use all these benefits except the Dunkin’ statement credit since my city doesn’t have any locations. Fortunately, I can get around this with the Dunkin’ reloading hack.
If you aren’t the type of person to use food delivery services or Uber or go out to restaurants at least semifrequently, you’ll struggle to get real value out of this card. If that sounds like you, your main source of value from this card will come from its earning rates (more on that later).
That may or may not be enough to compensate for this card’s annual fee, depending on how much you spend each month in its bonus categories.
Hotel benefit
By booking a minimum two-night stay with Amex’s The Hotel Collection, Amex Gold Card members receive a $100 credit toward eligible charges, such as spa visits and dining. (Eligible charges vary by property.)
As a personal tip, make sure to always double-check that a service will be charged to your room before swiping your card. Otherwise, you may not receive a credit toward that purchase from your Gold.
While staying at the Moxy NYC Lower East Side, I made the mistake of assuming I could order via my table’s QR code and request the meal be charged to my room. It turns out that wasn’t an option, so I missed out on my credit.
Other benefits
The Amex Gold also features several travel and purchase protections.
And cardmembers will be charged no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), though keep in mind that many of the Amex Gold’s perks are restricted to the U.S.
How to earn and use your rewards
Earning and effectively using Membership Rewards points is a huge part of getting the most value out of your Amex Gold. Thanks to its strong bonus categories for food purchases, it’s been one of my most used cards since I opened it.
With your Amex Gold, you’ll earn at the following rates:
- 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in spending each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in spending each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com
- 2 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel booked through amextravel.com
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
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Once you’ve amassed a sizable haul of points, you have several options to redeem them. While you could use your points for a statement credit, bookings through Amex Travel, gift cards or amazon.com checkout, we don’t recommend this. Instead, your best bet is to transfer them to one of Amex’s 20 transfer partners.
I primarily use my Membership Rewards points for flights since Amex doesn’t partner with the hotel programs I tend to use.
Air Canada Aeroplan is one of my favorite partners because it has extensive award availability across both Air Canada and partner airlines like United Airlines. Last year, I redeemed just under 30,000 points total through Aeroplan for two one-way flights between Portland International Airport (PDX) in Oregon and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in British Columbia over Christmas. While this didn’t net me the most value for my points, it still saved me a few hundred dollars that I could use toward food and activities instead.
Potential drawbacks to the Amex Gold
While the Amex Gold is a fantastic card, no credit card is perfect. The Amex Gold isn’t going to be very useful in the hands of someone who has a limited grocery budget and orders out infrequently.
This card also may not be the best option for you if you already have a card with a high earning rate for groceries and dining, such as the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees).
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Additionally, you’ll have a hard time justifying the Amex Gold’s annual fee if you have to go out of your way to spend with the merchants covered by its statement credits. I find a lot of value in my Amex Gold’s Uber credit and dining statement credits. However, their lack of flexibility means they won’t work for everyone.
Credit cards shouldn’t be a headache to use. If you expect the Amex Gold to require a lot of effort, consider another card.
Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum
The Amex Gold doesn’t have a direct competitor from a major issuer, so its closest rival is its premium counterpart, the American Express Platinum Card®.
If lounge access, hotel elite status, high bonus-earning on flights and a wider array of statement credits to choose from sound up your alley, the Amex Platinum will probably be a better fit for you than the Amex Gold.
By contrast, if you don’t fly often, spend most of your budget on food or find the Amex Gold’s statement credits easier to use, stick with the Gold. Additionally, the Amex Gold is a better fit if you’re in a position where paying the Amex Platinum’s $895 annual fee (see rates and fees) in one billing cycle seems like too much of a stretch for your wallet.
If you’re all-in on Membership Rewards or you think you can easily maximize the Amex Gold and Amex Platinum’s benefits, it may be worth opening both cards.
When to apply for the Amex Gold
Currently, Amex Gold applicants can find out their offer and see if they are eligible for as high as 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. (Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.)
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According to TPG’s January 2026 valuations, 100,000 Membership Rewards points are worth $2,000. The value of your points depends on what you redeem them for, but this is a rough estimate of what this welcome offer could be worth if you transfer your points to travel partners.
If you’re targeted for any offer over 60,000 points, it’s definitely worth applying; otherwise, you may want to wait for a better offer.
Other cards to consider if you don’t want the Amex Gold
I already mentioned the Amex Platinum as a potential alternative to the Amex Gold, but if that card doesn’t feel like the right choice, here are a few other options:
- If you want a card with a lower annual fee: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) has a much lower $95 annual fee. It earns bonus rewards in similar categories, such as dining, online groceries and eligible travel. To learn more, check out our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
- If you want a card with limited bonus categories to track: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the simplest rewards cards on the market, earning at least 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases. If the Amex Gold’s bonus categories are too much to keep track of, this card may be a better fit. To learn more, check out our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards.
- If you want a one-card wallet: The Citi Strata Premier covers virtually all major everyday spending categories, whereas the Amex Gold only offers bonus categories for dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. This card also grants access to Citi’s 22 transfer partners. To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi Strata Premier.
Bottom line
For those who can easily maximize its perks, the Amex Gold is worth adding to your wallet. In the right hands, its strong earning categories, statement credits and transfer partners make it a powerful card.
That said, I generally don’t recommend the Amex Gold to those new to credit cards or young professionals just starting an entry-level job. Its $325 annual fee is nothing to shrug at, and its myriad benefits may be overwhelming for someone who has never had a rewards card before.
If you feel the Amex Gold’s benefits sound beneficial for your wallet, I say go for it. Otherwise, there are plenty of other great cards that earn well on dining and groceries.
Apply here: American Express Gold Card
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, please click here.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
