The American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) is one of the few cards between midtier and premium. The card is considered midrange since it carries a $325 annual fee. As such, it doesn’t have the same travel perks as its counterpart, The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees), but it nonetheless offers rewarding perks you can use daily.
Between a top earnings rate on common spending categories and monthly dining credits, the card is an excellent choice for anyone looking to earn rewards at an accelerated rate. Here are the top benefits of the American Express® Gold Card.
Amex Gold Card Spending Benefits
1. Amex Gold Welcome Offer
The American Express® Gold Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.
Keep in mind that Amex has a once-per-lifetime rule in place, meaning you can’t get the welcome bonus for an Amex card more than once (though there are occasional exceptions). Because of this limitation, it might be to your benefit to hold out for the highest bonus possible. For example, the card has offered a welcome bonus of 90,000 bonus points in the past. If you opt-in to receive notifications from American Express, you may be targeted for a higher offer.
If you do apply for the American Express® Gold Card (or any Amex card), you should familiarize yourself with the various Amex application rules. These include the five-card limit and the two-in-90 rule, restricting the number of card approvals to two per 90-day period.
Also, for a limited time, new applicants have access to a White Gold version of the card.
American Express® Gold Card
Up to 4X Reward Rate
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X; EarnRead More
Welcome Bonus
Earn 60,000 points
Annual Fee
$325
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Credit Score
Excellent/Good (700 - 749)
Foodies and travelers can leverage the American Express® Gold Card to the hilt, earning up to 4x points. The annual fee may seem intimidating, but by using the included benefits and doing some spending, it’s easy to come out ahead.
This card makes it easy to earn Membership Rewardspoints while doing regular grocery shopping since the card earns bonus points at supermarkets. And for the nights that cardholders don’t want to cook, they can make use of the monthly dining and Uber credits (which can be used on Uber Eats orders).
- High rewards earnings possibilities
- Points transfer option to many partners
- Add up to five authorized users for no additional annual fee
- Can choose from regular or rose gold versions
- Most credits are doled out monthly and can be cumbersome to redeem
- Limited options to carry a balance
- High APR for pay over time feature*
- 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.
- 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.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $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.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® 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.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
2. High Earnings on Dining, Groceries and Flights
The American Express® Gold Card is great for everyday spending. The card earns 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 3 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on American Express Travel, 2 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. Other cards like the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees) offer a higher initial return on groceries—for example the Blue Cash earns 6 points per dollar up to $6,000 in spend each calendar year at U.S. supermarkets and 1% after that until your card year resets. If your regular grocery spend exceeds that number, the American Express® Gold Card is easily the better option.
Amex Gold Card Dining Benefits
3. $120 Dining Credit
Get up to $10 in statement credit each month when you use your Amex Gold Card for purchases at participating partners like Grubhub (including Seamless), The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and select Five Guys locations. Note that enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
4. $120 Uber Cash
Add the American Express® Gold Card as a payment method to your Uber account to get up to $10 in Uber Cash each month. The $10 monthly credit can be applied to orders from Uber Eats and Uber rides within the U.S. only. An Amex card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem this benefit. Terms apply.
5. $84 Dunkin’ Credit
Each month you’ll get up to $7 statement credits at Dunkin’ locations across the U.S. While mostly located on the East Coast of the U.S. You can find a list of Dunkin’ locations here to see if there’s one near you or if you’ll be near one in your travels. Note that enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
6. $100 Resy Credit
Some of the best restaurants in the United States can be found on Resy, and if you pay with your Amex Gold card you’ll receive up to a $100 statement credit, issued in two $50 semiannual chunks. This means that you can go once in the first half of the year and again in the second half of the year, and have some or all of your dinner covered by your Amex Gold. Note that enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
Amex Gold Travel Benefits
7. $100 Credit on The Hotel Collection Stays
If you’re planning a trip, the Amex Gold Card can save you money on hotel expenses. Cardholders get access to The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel, which includes a credit for up to $100 towards eligible charges on hotel stays of two nights or longer. The credit can be applied to room upgrades, experiences or amenities when available. Eligible charges vary by property.
8. Lucrative Redemption Opportunities
The American Express® Gold Card earns Amex Membership Rewards®, which is one of the most valuable rewards currencies. Membership Rewards can be used for virtually anything, but the best value is generally found by transferring them to Amex travel partners. Amex points can be transferred to over 20 airline and hotel loyalty programs, most of them at a 1:1 ratio or better.
American Express also runs occasional bonus points promotions, so you can get 20% or more miles when transferring them to specific partners. Transfer bonus promotions can be an excellent way to save on award bookings and stretch your rewards even further.
Amex Gold Protection and Insurance Benefits
9. Trip Delay Insurance
Use the card to purchase travel and receive up to $300 toward expenses incurred on a covered trip during a delay of 12 hours or more¹. A covered trip could mean a flight that is delayed due to severe weather. Get reimbursed for expenses like meals, lodging, toiletries, medication and other personal use items.
10. Baggage Insurance Plan
If your luggage is lost, damaged or stolen during the trip, Amex will reimburse you up to $1,250 per carry-on and $500 per checked bag². This could add significant peace of mind when traveling.
11. Car Rental Loss and Damage
Even your rental car is covered with secondary collision coverage, which you can upgrade to primary coverage for $19.95 to $24.95 per rental period (depending on state of residence, enrollment required). Upgrading gets you up to $100,000 in coverage³.
12. Extended Warranty
Extend warranty coverage on purchases made with the card add up to one additional year of coverage after the manufacturer’s warranty ends. Get up to $10,000 back per covered purchase and up to $50,000 annually⁴.
13. Purchase Protection
The card’s purchase protection coverage will reimburse the replacement cost up to $10,000 per covered item for up to 90 days from the time of purchase⁵. Protection is limited to tangible items, so services are not covered, but coverage does extend to merchandise received through Membership Rewards redemptions.
Other Amex Gold Benefits
14. Free Authorized Users
If the welcome bonus spending requirement seems out of reach or you just want help with earning more Membership Rewards, you can add up to five authorized users for free. More players means more points. This is in stark contrast to the premium sibling of the Amex Gold, The Platinum Card® from American Express, which charges $195 per additional card. The primary cardholder is on the hook for any charges made on the authorized user account, so make sure to choose any extra cardholders carefully.
15. No Foreign Transaction Fees
The card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, so you can use it abroad to your heart’s content without worrying about incurring extra costs. This is especially valuable since you still earn 4% back at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point). But be aware that American Express isn’t accepted everywhere, so it may be wise to carry a Visa or Mastercard as a backup option.
16. Amex Offers
Amex Offers are an underrated benefit that all Amex cardholders can access. These deals offer cash back or bonus points at hundreds of popular merchants. Through Amex Offers, you might get bonus points at Amazon, get statement credits on your hotel stay or save on your utility bill, as just a few examples.
Find The Best Credit Cards For 2025
No single credit card is the best option for every family, every purchase or every budget. We've picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers.
Bottom Line
The American Express® Gold Card is an excellent option if you want to earn generous rewards on dining, groceries and flights. The benefits are ideal for those who want a card that rewards them for everyday use. You may not receive thousands of dollars in annual travel credits, but the statement credits this card offers can reduce your actual spending and leave more budget for travel.
To view rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.
¹Up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
²Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. 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.
³Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
⁴When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. 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.
⁵Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. 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.
Explore The Benefits Of the American Express® Gold Card
On American Express's Website
