American Express Gold
The welcome offer, every credit and its catch, what it earns on food, the insurance, and whether the $325 fee pays for itself.
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Everyday travel · American Express
Welcome offer
As high as 100,000 points
Annual fee
$325
As high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. Amex shows the exact offer before acceptance; some applicants get less or none, including anyone who has had the Gold, Platinum or Premier Rewards Gold card.
Additional cards: No fee for up to 5; $35 each after thatForeign transaction fees: NoneRewards: Amex Membership Rewards
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The Atelier Take
For anyone who eats out often, few cards turn meals into flights as quickly.
Who it suits
Households that spend heavily at restaurants and supermarkets and want transferable points rather than cash back.
Who should skip it
Anyone who won’t use the monthly credits, or who wants points on everyday spending outside food and flights, which earns 1x.
Every credit, and the catch
Four credits worth $424 a year at face value, three of them paid in monthly slices that disappear if unused.
Dining credit
Up to $120 a year
Only Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory and Wonder. An unused month is lost.
Uber Cash
Up to $120 a year
U.S. rides and Uber Eats only; each month’s Uber Cash expires if unused.
Resy restaurant credit
Up to $100 a year
Only U.S. restaurants marked eligible on Resy.
Dunkin’ credit
Up to $84 a year
U.S. Dunkin’ locations only.
The Hotel Collection
$100 per stay
Two-night minimum, booked through Amex Travel; the $100 is a property credit for eligible charges, not money off the room.
What it earns
Rewards: American Express Membership Rewards points, which transfer to airline and hotel programs.
4x
Restaurants worldwide
Up to $50,000 a year, then 1x
4x
U.S. supermarkets
Up to $25,000 a year, then 1x
5x
Prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
3x
Flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
2x
Prepaid car rentals and cruises booked through Amex Travel
1x
Everything else
TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2.0¢ each, when transferred to partners, so 4x on food returns about 8¢ per dollar. Transfers to U.S. airlines carry a small fee of $0.0006 a point, capped at $99.
Other benefits
Hertz Five Star status
Once enrolled.
The Hotel Collection
A $100 property credit on stays of two nights or more at 1,300+ upscale hotels booked through Amex Travel.
Amex Offers and ticket access
Targeted merchant offers, presale and reserved tickets.
Will the $325 fee pay off?
Enter what would go on this card. The result values points at TPG’s valuation, adds the credits that would actually be used and, in year one, the welcome offer, then sets the total against a no-fee card that pays 2% back on everything.
1 · Spending on this card
Example figures are filled in; replace them with real ones.
RestaurantsWorldwide, up to $50,000 a year, then 1x
4x
U.S. supermarketsUp to $25,000 a year, then 1x
4x
Hotels prepaid through Amex Travel
5x
FlightsBooked with the airline or through Amex Travel
3x
Car rentals and cruises prepaid through Amex Travel
2x
Hotels booked any other way
1x
Gas
1x
Everything else
1x
2 · Credits that would be used
Tick only what would be used anyway, at full value.
3 · Assumptions
The result
Not counted: Hertz Five Star status, The Hotel Collection benefits and the insurance. Transfers to U.S. airlines carry a fee of $0.0006 a point, capped at $99, not deducted here.
Insurance and protections
Pay for the trip or purchase with the card to be covered. Travel cover is secondary: it pays after any other insurance. Amex’s Guides to Benefits have the full terms and exclusions.
Trip delay
Up to $300 per trip after a delay of more than 12 hours, for up to 2 claims per 12 months. The round trip must be paid entirely with the card. Secondary.
Car rental loss and damage
Up to $50,000 for theft or damage to a rental car, for rentals up to 30 days, when the rental company’s damage waiver is declined. Secondary.
Baggage insurance
Covers lost, damaged or stolen bags on trips paid with the card; limits are in Amex’s Baggage Insurance Plan guide. Secondary.
Purchase protection
Theft or accidental damage within 90 days of purchase: up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 a year.
Extended warranty
Adds up to one year to manufacturer warranties of five years or less: up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 a year.
Pros and cons
Pros
- 4x on both dining and groceries is among the highest returns on food spending
- Membership Rewards transfer to more than a dozen airlines
- Credits can offset most of the fee for regular diners
- No fee for up to five additional cards
Cons
- $325 fee needs the credits used to stay worthwhile
- No lounge access
- 1x outside food and travel
- Trip delay cover only after 12 hours
Card terms change often and some offers are personalized; the issuer’s page is the final word.