American Express Gold Card review 2024: Stellar rewards rate on dining and groceries at U.S. supermarkets

The American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, rates & fees) supercharges your everyday spend, offering an outstanding 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point), 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. Read more in our full American Express Gold Card review.

American Express Gold Card basics

• Annual fee: $250. 
• Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership. 
• Rewards: Earn 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point), 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR.
• Perks/benefits: Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash for U.S. purchases, up to $120 dining statement credit for eligible dining, travel benefits includinglike baggage insurance and secondary car rental loss and damage coverage, access to The Hotel Collection with American Express and no foreign transaction fees. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
• Does the issuer offer a pre-approval tool? Yes, you can check if you pre-qualify for the American Express Gold Card (and other Amex cards) on Amex’s prequalification website. This will not have an impact on your credit score.
• Recommended credit score: Very good to excellent.

American Express Gold Card review

While the $250 annual fee might cause some sticker shock at first, you’ll quickly realize that the American Express Gold Card is one of the most rewarding cards on the market. For starters, the card offers 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership. 

Additionally, cardholders can effectively earn their annual fee back by taking advantage of two types of annual statement credits on the card: up to $120 in Uber Cash ($10 a month for purchases in the U.S.; card must be added in Uber account to receive benefit) and up to $120 in select dining awarded as up to $10 monthly statement credits. If you can remember to use these credits, you can get back up to $240 in value each year — and that’s before you consider the Amex Gold Card’s remarkable earning rate of 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point), 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. Enrollment is required for select benefits. 

Flexibility and value are the name of the game when it comes to the American Express Membership Rewards® program. Your points never expire as long as you keep your Amex Gold account open and you can redeem your rewards at any time for travel, cash back, gift cards or use Amex’s Pay with Points feature.

As with all cards, you want to be extra careful to not miss a payment on the Amex Gold Card as no amount of rewards earned is worth amassing debt. However, if you’re able to keep up with your spending wisely, most people can benefit from the great perks of the American Express Gold Card.

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BLUEPRINT RATING

Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.

Rates & fees / Terms apply

Rates & fees / Terms apply

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On American Express’s secure website

BLUEPRINT RATING

Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 60,000 points

Annual fee

$250

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit score

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

(700 – 749) Good, Excellent

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.; Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com; Earn 1X points on other eligible purchases

Editor’s take

Pros

• Up to $240 in combined credits for Uber Cash and on select dining.
• High rewards rate on restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and travel.
• Generous welcome bonus.

Cons

• $250 annual fee.
• Minimal travel perks.
• Complex rewards structure.

If eating and travel are your priorities, the American Express® Gold Card could be ideal for you for its generous rewards on spending in those areas. Plus it comes with valuable perks that could offset the annual fee, if fully maximized.

Card details

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Terms Apply.

Pros

• Up to $120 annual Uber Cash: You’ll receive $10 in monthly Uber Cash deposited into your Uber app, which you can then use for Uber rides in the U.S. or on UberEats orders. Heads up: monthly credits don’t roll over, so be sure to use each credit every month. The card must be added to your Uber account to receive this benefit. 
• Up to $120 annual dining credit: You’ll receive up to $10 in statement credits at GrubHub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Like the Uber Cash benefit, the dining credit does not roll over monthly. Enrollment is required.
• No foreign transaction fees: American Express waives those pesky fees when swiping your card internationally.
• Global Assist Hotline¹: In case of travel emergencies, you can contact the Global Assist Hotline for 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services.
• Baggage insurance plan²: You can receive reimbursement for your lost, damaged or stolen baggage when you pay for your entire fare with your Amex Gold on airlines, trains, ships and more.
• Car rental loss and damage insurance³: When you pay for your entire car rental with the Amex Gold, you’ll be covered for damage or theft in certain countries. This coverage is secondary to any other car rental insurance you may have.
• Purchase protection⁴: Get extra protection for items you buy with your Amex Gold, including purchase protection and extension of the manufacturer warranty.

Cons

• High annual fee: $250 annual fee that will be charged in full when you open your account.
• No intro APR deal: Doesn’t have an introductory APR and charges a high ongoing APR on purchases and balance transfers.
• Limits to supermarket rewards: Elevated earning rate only applies to supermarkets in the U.S. and doesn’t apply to supermarket spending abroad and is capped at $25,000 in annual spending at the bonus rate.
• Less-than-flexible dining credit: The dining statement credit is limited to a handful of specific merchants.

American Express Gold Card rewards

The American Express Gold Card earns 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point), 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. 

There’s also a sizable welcome offer for new applicants that will help boost your points balance. You can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership. 

Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has $29,525 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a card. 

Here’s how our sample household’s rewards could break down:

SPENDING CATEGORY	SPENDING AMOUNT	POINTS PER DOLLAR	POINTS EARNED
Dining	$3,639	4 points	14,556
U.S. supermarkets	$5,703	4 points	22,812
Airfare	$1,414	3 points	4,242
Other	$18,769	1 point	18,769
TOTAL	$29,525		60,379 points

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The cardholder in this example earns a grand total of 60,379 Membership Rewards points annually, which is worth $603.79 if used to book flights through Amex Travel. If the points were used to book prepaid hotels, prepaid rental cars, cruises or vacations, the rewards would be worth $422.65 at 0.7 cents a point. When redeemed as a statement credit, the value of a point is 0.6 cents so the points would be worth $362.27.

If you love to travel, the best use of your Membership Rewards points is to book travel. You can book travel through Amex Travel (1 cent per point), use them for upgrades or transfer them to Amex’s partnering loyalty programs to maximize their value. The math is simple — most programs transfer at a 1:1 ratio. If you have 1,000 Membership Rewards points, you can turn them into 1,000 Delta SkyMiles, 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and so forth. The value here is highly variable, but can unlock some incredible redemptions for travel.

By transferring your points to travel partners, you have the ability to unlock higher value for your points of up to 2 cents apiece or more with the right redemptions. For example, you could use 50,000 points to get a one-way ticket between the U.S. and Europe in business class, which could cost you $3,000 cash or more. Finding these types of redemptions can help you greatly increase the value of your points.

How the American Express Gold Card compares to other travel rewards cards 

The Amex Gold offers top-notch bonus rewards earning and plenty of travel perks for a high annual feel that’s still lower than the cost of most premium travel cards. If you’re looking for more travel perks or a lower annual fee, you might want to consider some of these Amex Gold alternatives.

American Express Gold Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the most popular travel rewards cards thanks to its down-to-earth $95 annual fee. It earns 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per $1 on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

Compared to the Amex Gold, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers more bonus categories — but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re more lucrative. On the one hand, the travel bonus category is quite flexible, as the earning rate can be triggered by airfare, hotels, train tickets, parking fees, Uber rides and more. But the grocery store category is quite limited and only includes online grocery purchases. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns points through the Ultimate Rewards® program, which offers similar redemption options to Amex Membership Rewards — including the ability to transfer to select airline and hotel loyalty programs. Finally, there’s a $50 annual hotel statement credit when you book through the Chase Travel portal that can roughly cut the $95 annual fee by half.

American Express Gold Card vs. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you’re looking for a card with even more travel perks than the Amex Gold, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. fits the bill. Even with the $395 annual fee, the Capital One Venture X offers a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, up to $100 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every four years and unlimited access to Capital One’s airport lounges and its partner lounge network.

Capital One Venture X’s earning rate is much more geared toward travel: receive 2 miles per $1 on purchases, 5 miles per $1 on flights booked through Capital One Travel and on purchases through Capital One Entertainment and 10 miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel.

Despite being a travel card, you have the option to redeem your miles for gift cards or statement credits. You can also book travel through Capital One or transfer to the network’s airline and hotel transfer partners. 

American Express Gold Card vs. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

One of the few cards that beats the Amex Gold’s supermarket earning rate is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees). Cardholders earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Rewards Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or for eligible items at Amazon.com checkout.

The Blue Cash Preferred’s rewards rate at U.S. supermarkets is certainly industry-leading, but note that it’s limited to a spend cap per year. If your family spends more than that on groceries at U.S. supermarkets per month, the Amex Gold may be a better option in the long run.

This cash-back card comes with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee, making this an affordable pick for many households. For those who prefer the simplicity of earning cash back, rather than dealing with a library of redemption options, the Blue Cash Preferred may be better tailored to your lifestyle.

The American Express Gold Card is right for you if:

• You love to travel. The Amex Gold is geared toward frequent travelers, as it offers bonus earnings on airfare booked through airlines or Amex Travel, plus a full suite of travel protections. But keep in mind it lacks the airport lounge access found on pricier premium travel cards.
• You’re a foodie. The Gold card is centered around food, from its elevated rewards rate on dining and at U.S. supermarkets to its dining statement credit with select restaurants. If you love food, you’re likely to maximize these perks, offsetting the $250 annual fee.
• You live in a city. With its monthly Uber Cash benefit and dining rewards, the Amex Gold is likely to appeal to those living in urban areas, where ridesharing and restaurants abound. If you don’t live in a city, but travel frequently, this card may still be for you.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

^{For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.}

^{¹You 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.}

^{²Baggage 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.}

^{³Car 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.}

^{⁴Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.}