When it comes time to apply for your first (or fifth) travel rewards card, don’t ignore the American Express® Gold Card.
The Amex Gold has popular bonus categories, such as dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and earns valuable American Express Membership Rewards points.
And its $325 annual fee (see rates and fees) can be fully offset if you fully use the dining, Dunkin’ and Resy statement credits and the Uber Cash benefit each year (enrollment required).
Let’s explore the reasons why the Amex Gold is a great card to consider, along with who should — and shouldn’t — apply for it.
Key Amex Gold benefits
The Amex Gold‘s $325 annual fee might seem steep initially, but it can be fully offset if you take advantage of the card’s up to $424 in annual value (enrollment required for select benefits).
You’ll get up to $10 monthly in dining statement credits at participating locations such as The Cheesecake Factory, Five Guys, Goldbelly, Grubhub and Wine.com (up to $120 annually).
You’ll also receive up to $10 per month in Uber Cash (up to $120 annually), which can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. (Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Gold as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.)
Additionally, you’ll receive up to $50 biannually in Resy statement credits (up to $100 annually). These credits can be used when you pay your bill with the Amex Gold at any restaurant enrolled in the Resy program. (No reservation is required for the statement credit to trigger.)
Lastly, you can earn up to $7 in Dunkin’ statement credits each month (up to $84 annually). Just use your Amex Gold when you pay at a U.S. Dunkin’ location.
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The Amex Gold also has impressive earning categories:
- 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in spending per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent)
- 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in spending per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or through AmexTravel.com
- 2 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com
- 1 point per dollar spent everywhere else
If you’re interested in applying for the Amex Gold, find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. (Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.)
This welcome offer is worth up to $2,000 based on TPG’s February 2026 valuations.
Who should get the Amex Gold?
People who spend a lot on dining at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets
Most people spend much of their budget at restaurants and grocery stores. If you want to up your points and miles game, you need a card in your wallet that earns a lot of rewards in these categories.
The 4 points per dollar earned on dining at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar) and U.S. supermarket purchases (up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar) amounts to an impressive 8% return based on TPG’s valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each.
The 8% return potential makes this card a no-brainer for those who spend heavily on dining out and at supermarkets.
People looking to complete the Amex trifecta
While the Amex Gold is strong on its own, it’s even better as part of the Amex trifecta, alongside the American Express Platinum Card® and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.
To learn more, check out our full guide to the Amex trifecta.
Related: This might be the best Amex card combo: Amex Gold and Amex Business Platinum
People who can maximize the annual statement credits
One of the greatest ways the Amex Gold adds value is through its dining statement credits and Uber Cash. If you can max them out, you’ll cover the card’s annual fee and come out ahead (enrollment required for select benefits).
If you eat out or get takeout from one of the partner dining merchants, you should easily maximize the up to $10 monthly dining statement credit.
Additionally, when you add your card to your Uber account, you’ll receive $10 in Uber Cash deposited to your account monthly to use on U.S. rides and U.S. Uber Eats orders.
Furthermore, you’ll receive up to $50 in Resy statement credits biannually. These statement credits are incredibly easy to use given no reservation is required.
Related: 8 ways to make the most of the Amex Gold Card’s benefits
People who are over 5/24 with Chase
At TPG, we almost universally recommend that you prioritize applying for Chase credit cards because of the issuer’s pesky 5/24 rule. Simply put, this rule means you will be automatically rejected for most Chase cards if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the last 24 months.
Deciding what to do after you’ve filled your five Chase slots can be tricky, but the Amex Gold could be a strong next move.
Not only will you immediately begin earning a valuable transferable rewards currency, but the bonus categories will also help you earn toward your next award flight or hotel stay much faster.
Related: Ignoring Chase’s 5/24 rule? Here’s how that could cost you hundreds of thousands of points
People targeted for a great welcome offer
Since Amex has a once-per-lifetime policy with welcome offers, it always makes sense to try for the highest offer possible. The welcome offer on the Amex Gold can vary, so try different methods until you find the best offer.
Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses
Who shouldn’t get the Amex Gold?
The Amex Gold has the potential to be a very lucrative card, but several groups of people might struggle to get good value from it.
People who are under 5/24 and want more Chase cards
As mentioned above, Chase’s 5/24 rule is one of the most important considerations in building a starter strategy for credit cards. Five cards can seem like a lot to someone who has never had one before, but those slots fill quickly. Once you’ve used them up, it takes a while to get them back.
The Amex Gold will probably be around for a while, so there’s no reason to fire off an application for it right now if it means compromising your strategy with Chase.
If you want a card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) or Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) in the near future, you should consider locking those in first.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold
People who live outside the U.S.
If you’re outside the U.S., this card is far less valuable, as its U.S. supermarkets bonus category and most of its statement credits are not useful abroad.
The card’s other perks, such as 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly through the airline or through AmexTravel.com and an up to $100 statement credit each calendar year when booking through The Hotel Collection* (with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com), are easily trumped by other premium rewards cards.
*Eligible charges vary by property.
Related: Earning points and miles as an expat
People who won’t max out the statement credits
The up to $10 monthly Uber Cash benefit, up to $10 in monthly dining statement credits, up to $50 biannual Resy statement credit and up to $7 monthly Dunkin’ statement credit you’ll get on the Amex Gold can be easy for many people to use, but no card perk is a great fit for everyone.
If it sounds like you’ll end up spending money you otherwise wouldn’t to take advantage of the Amex Gold’s benefits, you’re better off getting a card that comes with perks you’ll more naturally use.
It’s also worth checking to see if any Dunkin’ locations exist in your area. Certain states and territories like Puerto Rico, Oregon and Washington don’t have any Dunkin’ locations, so if you live in one of those areas, that statement credit will be fairly useless for you. Those who live in more rural areas may find it difficult to use the Resy statement credit.
Related: A complete guide to the Amex Gold dining credit
People who’ve previously had an Amex Gold
Amex’s rule on bonus eligibility states that if you have previously earned the bonus on a card, you will not be eligible to earn it again. This includes the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card, the old version of the Amex Gold, as it is still technically the same product despite undergoing a heavy makeover.
If you’ve had the card before, you’ll likely want to get a different card that allows you to earn a welcome bonus.
People who want more comprehensive travel protections
The Amex Gold isn’t among the best cards with travel protections. For example, the rental car insurance* you get with the card is secondary, which means it only applies to expenses not covered by other insurance you have.
If travel protections are important to you, you’ll be better off with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve, which all feature impressive travel coverage.
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Bottom line
The Amex Gold is a valuable option for U.S.-based consumers who spend heavily on food and are looking for an in-between, premium-lite card that offers good returns without a hefty price tag.
If you can maximize all the benefits this card offers, it might become a cornerstone of your wallet. But if you live or frequently travel outside of the U.S. or can’t max out its statement credits, you may prefer one of our other favorite travel credit cards.
To learn more, read our full review of the American Express Gold.
Apply here: American Express Gold
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, click here.
