American Express Gold Card review 2024
Published 2:24 PM EDT, Thu July 25, 2024
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
CNN Underscored Money editors awarded this card 4.1 stars as the best American Express card for foodies.
Pros and cons of the Amex Gold Card
Pros:
- Earn up to $120 in dining credits, up to $100 in Resy credits, up to $84 in Dunkin’ credits and up to $120 in Uber Cash credits every year, effectively offsetting the annual fee. (You must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express? Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex benefit may only be used in the United States.)
- Earn 4 points for every dollar you spend on dining worldwide (on up to $50,000 per year, and 1 point per dollar thereafter, starting Jan. 1, 2025)
- Earn 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per year (and 1 point per dollar thereafter)
- Earn 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
Cons:
- Credits require planning and strategy to maximize
- Other cards may be better for everyday purchases
- Spending caps on categories that earn 4 points per dollar may not suit big spenders
- $325 annual fee (recently increased from $250)
Current welcome bonus: 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.
Best for: Points-minded travelers who spend significant money each month on dining, groceries and travel.
American Express Gold card overview
The Amex Gold card caters to those who spend nontrivial amounts at restaurants and on groceries, offering 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases each year, then 1 point per dollar starting Jan. 1, 2025) and at supermarkets in the U.S. (on up to $25,000 in purchases each year, then 1 point per dollar). You’ll also net 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines, which isn’t too shabby.
For a limited time, new card holders can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards? points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases worldwide (up to $100 back) within the first six months of card membership (offer ends 11/6/24). The points from the welcome bonus are more than enough for multiple domestic flights.
Those American Express Membership Rewards points are worth at least $600 when you redeem them via Amex Travel for airfare, and potentially a lot more than that with Amex’s airline and hotel transfer partners.
Amex also offers some snazzy card designs for the Amex Gold card — but don’t let these convince you to open the card if you otherwise wouldn’t. In 2018, American Express introduced a limited-edition rose gold design, which is now a permanent option along with the original gold design. Through Nov. 6, 2024, new and existing card holders can opt for a white gold design while supplies last.
Advantages of the American Express Gold card
The biggest long-term advantage of the Amex Gold card is its superior earning rate at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide — it may be worth holding this card even if you only ever use it for dining and groceries. With no foreign transaction fees, this could be your go-to card for dining at restaurants everywhere you go.
Given that this is very much a food lover’s card, it comes as no surprise to see up to $120 in annual statement credits (up to $10 each month) for select dining spots as well. Eligible merchants include Five Guys, Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly and Wine.com.
The Amex Gold card also comes with two new perks added in the card’s recent refresh. Coffee and donut lovers can earn up to $7 in statement credits each month (up to $84 per year) toward purchases at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. And for more of a fine-dining experience, the card now offers up to $100 per year ($50 from January to June and $50 from July to December) in credits toward Resy restaurant purchases.
That’s on top of receiving $10 in Uber Cash each month. Uber Cash can be used either for Uber rides in the U.S. or food delivery orders made with Uber Eats. Add it all together, and you’re getting up to $424 in value every 12 months (up to $120 dining credit, up to $120 Uber Cash, up to $100 Resy credit and up to $84 Dunkin’ credit). Since the Amex Gold card has an annual fee of $325, if your regular spending would earn you all the credits, you’re effectively receiving more back from the card than you pay for it each year.
And then there are the points. How much potential value can you get with the Membership Rewards points you earn with the Amex Gold card? It depends on how you redeem. When you redeem for cash to pay down your balance, each point nets you 0.6 cents.
You can also shop at Amazon with Amex points at a rate of 0.7 cents apiece, or redeem for an array of gift cards or for airfare at Amex Travel at 1 cent per point. Plus, Amazon sometimes offers additional discounts on purchases when using Amex points to pay for even a part of your order.
But while the above options are easy — and yes, it’s important to have easy options — savvy travelers will want to utilize Amex’s transfer partners for remarkable redemptions. For example, you can redeem rewards to book some of the best first- and business-class seats in the sky for under 100,000 points when you leverage transfer partners.
Amex also includes some travel insurance with the Amex Gold card, including a baggage insurance plan2 covering eligible lost, damaged or stolen baggage when you purchase the entire fare for a plane, train, ship or bus ticket with the card. In addition, you’ll receive secondary rental car loss and damage insurance3 for most vehicle types and in most countries.
Another benefit of the Amex Gold card is trip delay insurance, meaning if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours due to a covered reason, you can get up to $300 in reasonable expenses reimbursed.1
A couple of overlooked but useful perks: American Express cardholders are often eligible for early access to tickets through Ticketmaster. Getting a head start on ticket sales might be the difference between an enviable seat and a chair in the nosebleeds. You’ll also receive a $100 experience credit with a two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel (experience credit varies by property).
Amex Offers are also quite useful. This is a rotating selection of discounts, covering everything from clothing to tax preparation software to travel. Those who make a habit of watching new ones pop up can save hundreds per year on purchases they were planning to make anyway.
Disadvantages of the American Express Gold card
The Amex Gold card is a specialized card. Beyond dining, supermarkets and airfare, you’ll earn only 1 point for every dollar you spend on everything else. This means the card works best when paired with a card like the Citi Double Cash? Card * The information for the Citi Double Cash? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. for purchases that don’t fall into its bonus categories.
While the included credits are worth more than the annual fee each year, they take a bit of strategy to use, and likely aren’t worthwhile for consumers who don’t already spend with the merchants in question. The credits are capped monthly (or semi-annually, in the case of the Resy credit), so you can’t just use them in one fell swoop. Plus, the list of eligible merchants for the dining credit is small.
If you live in an urban area where Grubhub and Seamless are available, using this credit is easier since you can order delivery or takeout from any participating restaurant. But if you don’t have this option, maximizing the dining credit might be a challenge. The same goes for Resy restaurants, which are typically only in larger cities, and for Dunkin’, which doesn’t have a large presence in many states.
While this won’t impact many families, the 4x return at U.S. supermarkets is capped at $25,000 per calendar year with the Amex Gold card. If you spend more than that on groceries in a year, you’ll earn just 1 point per dollar after that. Similarly, Amex will start capping the 4x restaurant category at $50,000 per calendar year (then you’ll earn 1x) starting Jan. 1, 2025.
Finally, Membership Rewards points take some studying and effort to really maximize. Managing transfer partners and dealing with dynamic award charts may feel like too much work for many, and you can’t easily transfer Amex points to friends who may view this as a hobby. If you’re looking for travel rewards that are easier to redeem, consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card as alternatives.
Other credit cards similar to the Amex Gold card
Foodies should also consider the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. This cash back credit card has no annual fee and offers unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, eligible music and video streaming services, and grocery store spending, plus 1% cash back on all other purchases. You’ll also earn 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases and get a monthly statement credit toward Uber One membership through Nov. 14, 2024.
If you prefer cash back over travel points or miles, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card may be the way to go — particularly if you can’t easily leverage the annual credits on the Amex Gold card. However, while cash back is more flexible than travel rewards — you can spend cash anywhere — you also can’t increase the value of cash back the way you potentially can with points or miles.
Also, although it may not be immediately apparent, folks who are fond of the bonus categories on the Amex Gold card and regularly stay with Hilton should also look at the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass? Card. With a $150 annual fee (terms apply, see rates and fees), this card earns 6 Hilton Honors points for every dollar you spend at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations.
But keep in mind that points aren’t all created equal. According to the July 2024 point valuations from travel website The Points Guy, American Express points are worth 2 cents apiece, while Hilton points are only worth 0.6 cents each. That makes 4 points on the Amex Gold card worth 8 cents, while 6 Hilton points are worth just 3.6 cents.
Should you get the American Express Gold card?
The Amex Gold card is a great choice for those who know they’ll spend heavily at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and who also have the patience to maximize their Membership Rewards points through Amex’s transfer partners.
While cards like the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card have no annual fee and no hoops to jump through to redeem your cash back, the Amex Gold card can be worth more than the annual fee.
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.
3Eligibility 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.
To view rates and fees for American Express? Gold Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Hilton Honors American Express Surpass? Card, please visit this page.
All information about Citi Double Cash? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
