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Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
If you're looking for a new mid-range card with food and travel perks, you may want to consider the American Express® Gold Card. Unlike other American Express cards with high annual fees, the annual fee for Gold Card members is $250 (see rates and fees). This makes the American Express® Gold Card an excellent rewards card option for food and travel spending. Terms apply.
The American Express® Gold Card also has more benefits and offers better rewards when compared to the less-expensive American Express® Green Card. If you care about how your card looks and feels, you'll appreciate that this is a sturdy metal card. It comes in both a gold and a rose gold card option. So you'll be able to spend in style while earning plenty of rewards. Keep reading to learn more about the American Express® Gold Card benefits.
Amex Gold Card benefits
The American Express® Gold Card has no shortage of perks. If you dine out at restaurants, get takeout regularly, or spend a lot of money on U.S. supermarket expenses each month, this may be the right card for you. It offers high reward rates on U.S. supermarkets, restaurant, takeout, and delivery purchases. Check out some of the top American Express® Gold Card benefits. Terms apply.
A generous welcome offer
For starters, the American Express® Gold Card offers a hefty welcome offer of 60,000 bonus Membership Rewards points to new cardmembers. You will earn these bonus points after meeting the minimum spend requirements of $6,000 within the first 6 months of account opening.
The value of the 60,000 Membership Rewards points depends on how you use them. If you redeem for flights through the American Express Travel portal, the value is $600. You can instead redeem your points for other travel needs through the portal for $420 in value. The welcome offer is valued at $360 if you redeem it for statement credit.
Another option for Gold Card members is to transfer their points to one of Amex's many transfer partners. If you do this, you could get more than $600 in value from your points. Terms apply.
Earn 4 points at restaurants
Another one of the excellent American Express® Gold Card benefits is the ability to earn 4 points per $1 at restaurants. An eligible purchase can include worldwide restaurant purchases and U.S. takeout and delivery expenses charged to your card. This is a significant reward rate compared to other dining and restaurant credit cards. Terms apply.
Earn 4 points at U.S. supermarkets
When you use this American Express card, you'll earn 4 points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets. This is an excellent rate when compared to grocery credit cards. Earnings for this spending category are capped at $25,000 per year. Terms apply.
Earn 1 point on all other purchases
The American Express® Gold Card offers 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases that you make with your card. Don't spend what you can't afford, because the American Express® Gold Card functions differently than other credit cards. While this card offers Pay Over Time and Plan It payment options for some of your purchases, you'll need to pay most credit card charges in full each month. Terms apply.
$120 annual dining credit
American Express® Gold Card users also receive a $120 annual dining credit. You'll earn $10 in statement credit each month, and you can use the credit at participating dining partners, which include GrubHub, Goldbelly, The Cheesecake Factory, Milk Bar, Wine.com, and select Shake Shack locations. This is not an automatic perk; you'll need to enroll first. You can do this in your Amex account. Terms apply.
$10 per month in Uber credit
Another one of the American Express® Gold Card benefits that you won't want to miss out on is the monthly Uber cash credit. Each month, you'll get access to $10 to redeem on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. This credit is loaded into your Uber account wallet at the beginning of each month. Be sure to use this credit because each month's unused credits will expire. You'll need to add your American Express® Gold Card to your Uber wallet to use this perk and get your credits. Terms apply.
Free ShopRunner subscription
As an Amex cardmember, you'll also receive a complimentary membership to ShopRunner. This service provides free two-day shipping and free returns at select retailers. ShopRunner is currently available at more than 150 stores. You must enroll to take advantage of this perk. Once you do, you can use this service for free for as long as you remain an Amex cardmember. Terms apply.
Amex Gold Card travel benefits
The American Express® Gold Card provides cardmembers with plenty of food and shopping perks, but that's not all. With this card, you'll also be able to take advantage of travel benefits. To utilize these perks, you must make sure that you charge your travel expenses to your American Express® Gold Card. Here are some of the best American Express® Gold Card travel benefits.
Earn 3 points per $1 on airline purchases
This perk will pay off if you do a lot of air travel. With the American Express® Gold Card, you'll earn 3 points per $1 on airline purchases made directly at AmexTravel.com and directly with airlines. When compared to airline credit cards, this is an excellent rewards rate. Terms apply.
Get $100 credit to The Hotel Collection
Another one of the notable American Express® Gold Card travel benefits is $100 credit for activities at The Hotel Collection. You must book two consecutive nights or more at a participating property to qualify for this perk. You must also make the booking through the American Express Travel portal, and you must charge your American Express® Gold Card. The $100 credit will be applied to eligible charges.
Eligible activities vary by property, so check to see what qualifies. This card membership perk can make your next hotel or resort stay more memorable and enjoyable. Terms apply.
Rental car insurance
This American Express card also offers rental car insurance*. Amex refers to this coverage as car rental loss and damage insurance. It's secondary to any other insurance you have, such as your car insurance policy -- but this can provide an extra layer of security when you're traveling and need to rent a car.
You'll need to pay for the entire rental with your American Express® Gold Card to use this benefit. You'll also need to decline the collision damage waiver the rental car company offers. When you do both of these things, you'll be covered for damage or theft to a rental vehicle in a covered territory. The maximum coverage amount is $50,000. Be sure to review your card's terms and conditions, as this coverage has some exclusions. Terms apply.
Baggage insurance
Another one of the American Express® Gold Card benefits that you won't want to miss out on is baggage insurance**. You'll be covered if your bags are lost, damaged, or stolen. The maximum coverage is as follows:
- $1,250 for carry-on baggage
- $500 for checked baggage
If you have baggage issues while traveling, you can use your coverage to take care of replacement costs. You'll need to pay the full fare of a common carrier vehicle ticket with your card to be able to use this perk. Common carrier vehicles include air, land, and water vehicles. Terms apply.
No foreign transaction fees
Like other travel credit cards, taking this card with you when traveling abroad is no problem. That's because no foreign transaction fee is charged when using your card to make purchases outside of the U.S. Foreign transaction fees are typically 3%, which can add up, so this is a big deal. Terms apply.
Access to the global assist hotline
American Express® Gold Card users can access the Global Assist Hotline***. This resource provides 24/7 medical, legal, financial, and other emergency assistance and support. You can use this service if you're traveling more than 100 miles from home. Cardmembers can call 1-800-333-AMEX to get help. While this resource is available to you, it's important to note that you will be responsible for any third-party costs.
The American Express® Gold Card benefits are plentiful. As you consider the best credit cards, don't rule out the American Express® Gold Card. This card has an affordable annual fee and offers impressive perks. This includes impressive rewards for food purchases, air travel purchases, and some nice travel and food credits. Terms apply.
Still have questions?
Some other questions we've answered:
FAQs
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Yes, the American Express® Gold Card is a rewards credit card. Here's an overview of how you can earn rewards when using your credit card:
- Earn 4 points per $1 on purchases made at eligible U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases annually).
- Earn 4 points per $1 on worldwide restaurant purchases and eligible takeout and delivery purchases made within the U.S.
- Earn 3 points per $1 on flight purchase when booked directly with airlines or Amextravel.com.
- Earn 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
- Terms apply.
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Yes, the American Express® Gold Card includes valuable travel benefits like no foreign transaction fees, baggage insurance, rental car insurance, and a $100 experience credit when making eligible The Hotel Collection bookings through the Amex travel portal. Terms apply.
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As an American Express® Gold Card holder, you'll be eligible to receive $10 per month in Uber cash credit, which can be used for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. This card also offers up to $10 per month in statement credit when you use your card to pay for eligible dining purchases at GrubHub, The Cheesecake Factory, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Terms apply.
Our Credit Cards Experts
Natasha has been a freelance writer since 2015. She specializes in credit card and credit card rewards content. When not busy writing, she's either dreaming up her next credit card rewards redemption or traveling the globe. Her goal is to encourage more people to experience the world around them while making smart financial choices.
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.
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For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
*Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Baggage 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.
***You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
The American Express® Green Card is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.
American Express is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Natasha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Uber Technologies and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, click here
For rates and fees for the American Express® Green Card, click here