American Express® Gold Card vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express: Which Should You Pick?

The American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express are the top options in the card issuer's lineup. For that reason, consumers looking for a valuable rewards card often find themselves weighing Amex Gold vs. Platinum.

It doesn't take a jewelry expert to know that platinum tops gold. But does platinum rank above gold when it comes to these two American Express cards? Here's a full breakdown of the Amex Gold vs. Platinum in all the key categories.

Annual fees of American Express Gold vs. Platinum

Here's how the annual fees for the two cards compare:

American Express® Gold Card: $250
The Platinum Card® from American Express: $550

This aspect of the Amex Gold vs. Platinum matchup is as clear-cut as it gets.

The American Express® Gold Card isn’t cheap. At $250 per year, it lands somewhere between the many cards with $95 or $100 annual fees and the premium credit cards and charge cards that will cost you $400 or more.

But The Platinum Card® from American Express is in a whole different league in terms of cost. With a $550 annual fee, it's one of the most expensive cards out there.

Amex Gold vs. Platinum: welcome bonuses

Let's compare the welcome bonuses between these two cards:

American Express® Gold Card: 60,000 points for spending $4,000 in the first three months
The Platinum Card® from American Express: 75,000 points for spending $5,000 in the first three months

Both American Express cards offer big welcome bonuses. You get 15,000 more rewards points with The Platinum Card® from American Express, albeit with a larger spending minimum and a much higher annual fee.

Keep in mind that annual fees aren't considered eligible purchases. That means they don't count toward the spending minimum on either welcome bonus.

Amex Gold vs. Platinum: rewards

Next, let's take a look at the rewards offered on these cards.

American Express® Gold Card:

4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year)
4 points per $1 at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
1 point per $1 on all other purchases

The Platinum Card® from American Express rewards:

5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year starting Jan. 1, 2021)
5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
1 point per $1 on all other spending.

Looking at the Amex Gold vs. Platinum, the former has much more diverse bonus categories. It earns some of the highest rates for U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide. It also offers 3 points per $1 on flights booked with airlines or amextravel.com, and those rates are competitive with the very best rewards cards.

The Platinum Card® from American Express has a high rewards rate, but only for flights and hotels. Although you could pick up a lot of points this way, those limited bonus categories are a letdown on a card that costs $550 per year.

Both cards earn American Express Membership Rewards points and offer the same redemption options. The best way to redeem Membership Rewards points is by transferring them to American Express travel partners. However, you can also use rewards to purchase airfare through American Express Travel at a rate of $0.01 per point.

Amex Gold vs. Platinum: spending credits

It's also important to compare spending credits when deciding between these cards. Here's what they offer.

American Express® Gold Card:

$120 annual dining credit (up to $10 in statement credits monthly) at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
$100 annual credit for incidental airline fees, such as baggage fees or an in-flight meal, for one airline (must select a qualifying airline first to receive airline credit). This is available through Dec. 31, 2021.

The Platinum Card® from American Express:

$200 annual credit for incidental airline fees for one airline (select a qualifying airline first to receive airline credit).
$200 annual Uber credit ($15 per month and a $20 credit bonus in December).
Up to $100 fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.
$100 in annual credits for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue and saks.com (up to $50 from January through June and from July through December).
$20 per month on select U.S streaming services through Dec. 31, 2020.
$20 per month on wireless phone service charges made with U.S. providers through Dec. 31, 2020.

When it comes to spending credits, few cards match The Platinum Card® from American Express. Its standard set of credits are worth an impressive $525 per year (using a value of $25 per year for the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit).

Of course, spending credits are only helpful if you'll use them. If you never use Uber, for example, then you won't get any value from a $200 annual Uber statement credit.

Look carefully at each card's spending credits before deciding between the Amex Gold vs. Platinum. It only makes sense to apply for one of these cards if you can use its credits and maximize its value.

Amex Gold vs. Platinum: airport lounge access

Airport lounge access is usually only available with the most expensive cards, and that holds true here. You won’t get any lounge access with the American Express® Gold Card. If you spring for The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll get to enjoy the best airport lounge access of any card.

Here's what The Platinum Card® from American Express offers:

Priority Pass Select membership
Access to Delta Sky Club when flying with Delta Air Lines
Access to American Express Centurion Lounges
Access to International American Express Lounges

The Priority Pass Select membership is standard with most high-end credit and charge cards. The Priority Pass network offers good coverage throughout the United States and internationally. You'll also have access to other types of lounges, including the high-end Amex Centurion Lounges.

Amex Gold vs. Platinum: authorized users

If you're looking to add an authorized user to your credit card, consider these options.

The American Express® Gold Card has no fee for up to five additional cards. It's $35 for each card after that. Authorized user cards have the same rewards rates, but they don't have their own spending credits.

The Platinum Card® from American Express has a $175 fee for up to three additional cards, and it's $175 for each card thereafter. There's no fee to issue American Express® Gold Card (for up to 99 authorized users). However, this is a different type of American Express® Gold Card. It doesn't have any spending credits, and its rewards rate is the same as that of The Platinum Card® from American Express.

You could also get additional American Express Platinum Cards® if you're willing to pay for them. If you do, your authorized users will get their own airport lounge access and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit.

You can add authorized users to your account at no cost with either American Express card.

Choosing between the Amex Gold vs. Platinum

In the battle of Gold vs. Platinum Amex cards, each has its advantages. The American Express® Gold Card is less expensive and has more bonus categories. The Platinum Card® from American Express has far more perks, especially spending credits and luxury travel benefits.

If you're interested in either Amex card, and don't mind the annual fees, review each card's features to see which is a better fit. And, if you can use most or all of The Platinum Card® from American Express offerings, it could give you thousands of dollars in value. If not, the American Express® Gold Card has solid benefits of its own without such a high cost.