The
American Express® Gold Card is a good card to consider if you have
good credit or better and you spend a lot on travel and dining. You’ll need to take full advantage of Amex Gold’s rewards and benefits for the card to be worth its
$325 annual fee.
In addition to good rewards, Amex Gold provides a couple of other interesting perks. First of all, it gives you up to $120 per year in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders (or Uber rides) in the U.S. when you add your card in your Uber account and select it as your payment method. You can also get up to $120 in credits each year for purchases from a list of dining partners, including Grubhub and Five Guys locations, when you enroll.
What I Like About the American Express Gold Card
Find Out Your Offer - As High As 100,000 Points
You may be eligible to earn as high as
100,000 points for spending
$6,000 or more on eligible purchases within
6 months of opening an account. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
After you submit your application, American Express will tell you if you’re approved and what your exact welcome offer amount is. If you choose to accept the card with your offer and then spend at least
$6,000 within
6 months, you will receive the bonus points within 8-12 weeks after you meet the spending requirement.
For comparison, the average rewards card with points or miles gives
37,069 points/miles as an initial bonus, according to our research.
Great Restaurant Rewards
Amex Gold gives you 4 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 spent per year, then 1 point per $1. This is one of the highest earning rates available for restaurant purchases.
Bonus Rewards at U.S. Supermarkets
American Express Gold cardholders earn 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 spent per year, then 1 point per $1. The average household spends around $6,000 per year on groceries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so you should be able to earn bonus rewards on your grocery shopping.
No Foreign Transaction Fee
You won’t have to pay extra if you use the Amex Gold Card to make purchases from foreign merchants. Just make sure the merchants in your favorite international destinations accept Amex, if the Gold Card’s
0% foreign fee is relevant to your situation.
$120 Uber Cash Annually
You can get up to $10 in Uber Cash per month when you add your Amex Gold Card to your Uber account and choose it as your payment method. This applies automatically for Uber Eats orders and Uber rides in the U.S., up to $120 per year.
Dining Credits
Amex Gold gives you up to $10 per month ($120 per year), after you enroll. Eligible dining partners are Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys.
Bonus Airfare and Hotel Rewards
You will earn 3 points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com with the Gold Card. You’ll also get 2 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotel reservations and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
So, you’ll have to give up shopping around for the best deals on airfare and hotels on your favorite travel-comparison websites to get this high rate. But it can be worth it.
What I Don’t Like About the American Express Gold Card
Limited Financing Capabilities
You have to pay for most purchases made with this card in full by the due date each month. Only eligible purchases for the Pay Over Time feature can be included in an interest-accruing Pay Over Time balance to be paid down over an extended period, up to the Pay Over Time Limit. This gives cardholders more flexibility than a traditional charge card but not nearly as much as a normal credit card. Amex must also approve transactions for Pay Over Time status. All other balances must be paid in full each month by the payment due date.
No Preset Spending Limit
The Amex Gold Card’s limit varies based on each cardholder’s spending and payment habits as well as other factors. This can be helpful in some cases, but it can also create a lot of doubt about how much spending power you really have.
$325 Annual Fee
Amex Gold could still be worth it if you get at least this much value from the card’s rewards and other perks each year. But the fee is much higher than average for a credit card offer, according to our research.
Not the Easiest Card to Get
Amex Gold is available to people with
good or excellent credit. You can
check your latest credit score for free here on WalletHub to assess your chances.
Fortunately, American Express gives you the opportunity to find out if you’re approved for this card with no impact to your credit score. After you submit your application and review the terms, you'll receive a decision based on a soft credit check. If you’re approved and choose to accept the card, your credit score may be impacted.
To see how the American Express Gold Card compares to some popular alternatives, check out our editors’ reviews of the
best Amex credit cards and the
most exclusive credit cards available right now.
Note: This review is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Opinions and ratings are our own.
