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Credit Cards

American Express® Gold Card Review

Updated Jun 13, 2023   |   4-min read
Jeff Gitlen, CEPF® Author Photo
Reviewed by Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®
Jeff Gitlen, CEPF® Author Photo
Reviewed by Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®

Expertise: Student loans, personal loans, home loans, insurance, credit cards

Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®, is the director of content operations at LendEDU. He graduated from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware.

Learn more about Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®

American Express<sup>®</sup> Gold Card
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Editorial Rating

Editorial Rating

What we like:

Best overall travel card

Welcome bonus60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of account opening
Rewards rate1x – 4x
Annual fee$250
Editor’s thoughtsThis is our top-rated travel credit card thanks to high rewards rates and competitive benefits.
See how this card compares to other travel cards
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See rate and fee information.

Card Overview

Pros

  • Large welcome bonus
  • One of the higher rewards rates on dining
  • Up to $120 as an annual dining credit when eating at select restaurants
  • Contactless payment
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • High annual fee

Recommended Credit Score:

Good/Excellent

Amex Gold Card Review: Rewards from Your Favorite Restaurants and Airlines

Are you a foodie or a frequent flier? If so, you may want to consider the American Express® Gold Card, which offers generous rewards at restaurants, supermarkets, and on airline purchases. But before you apply, there are a few things you should know.

In this review:

American Express® Gold Card Benefits

The American Express® Gold Card is one of the best American Express credit cards available, thanks to these perks:

Welcome Bonus

There are numerous benefits associated with this card, and one of them is the 60,000 Membership Rewards points welcome offer, which is available after you’ve spent $4,000 in the first six months after opening your account.

Amex Membership Rewards

In addition to the one-time welcome offer, you can also earn 4x bonus points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases. The same is true for up to $25,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets.

Though dining and grocery rewards make up the primary benefit for this card, you can also earn 3x points per dollar spent when you book flights directly through an airline or on amextravel.com.

Statement Credits

With the American Express® Gold Card, you can earn $10 in monthly statement credits when you make purchases at select restaurants and food services, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations.

Travel Perks

The American Express® Gold Card also comes with all the travel perks American Express offers its cardholders, including things like baggage insurance, travel insurance, car rental coverage, and no foreign transaction fees. 

Downsides of the American Express® Gold Card

Despite some obvious perks, there are a few things you should consider before applying.  

High Annual Fee

With a $250 annual fee, the American Express® Gold Card is one of the more expensive rewards credit cards on the market, and if you don’t use it regularly, it may not be worth it. One way to ensure you’re getting your money’s worth is by taking advantage of the up to $240 statement credit that is available each year when dining at eligible restaurants.

How it Compares to Similar Cards

From a rewards standpoint, the American Express® Gold Card offers a competitive program, particularly when it comes to restaurant, grocery, and travel purchases. However, it does come with a significantly higher annual fee than some comparable rewards cards.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with 5x total points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x points on dining, certain online grocery purchases, and select streaming services, 2x points on all other travel, and 1x points on all other purchases. The annual fee is only $95.

Or, if you’re more interested in the dining rewards than travel points, the Capital One Savor card offers 4% cash back on dining, 2% on groceries, and one point on everything else.

The American Express® Gold Card really wins out for cardholders who are loyal to the Amex brand and who expect to take advantage of its annual statement credits.

Bottom Line: Is the American Express® Gold Card Right for You?

The American Express® Gold Card is frequently touted as one of the best cards for dining and travel rewards, and with up to 4x Membership Rewards points, it’s easy to see why. Plus, with Amex’s extensive list of travel partners, you may be able to further maximize the reward’s power behind everyday purchases.

However, it’s important to consider your spending habits, as you’ll need to use the card enough to outweigh the $250 annual fee.

If you dine out frequently, plan to use the card on groceries, and frequently book travel, then this card can be a great boost to your rewards earning efforts. However, if your spending habits fall outside those categories, or if you’re looking for a card to finance purchases, this card likely isn’t for you.

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