The American Express® Gold Card is frequently considered one of the best cards for foodies due to its exceptional rewards rate for restaurant and U.S. supermarket spending. It earns Amex Membership Rewards points, which also means it can work for anyone who travels, or wants to travel, and prefers to have some flexibility when it comes time to redeem their rewards.
But, how do you maximize the benefits of the Gold Card? To get more bang for your buck, and to make the card’s $250 annual fee (see rates and fees) worthwhile, you’ll want to use all the card’s statement credits and cardholder protections throughout the year.
How the Amex Gold Card works
- Intro Offer
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60,000 Membership Rewards® Points 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.
- Annual fee
- $250
- APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
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670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
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3x – 4x Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.; 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.
The American Express® Gold Card starts new cardholders out with 60,000 Membership Rewards points if they can spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. Additionally, members can earn:
- 4x points on restaurants
- 4x points on up to $25,000 in spending at U.S. supermarkets annually (then 1x)
- 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com
- 1x points on other purchases
Amex Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for travel through AmexTravel.com or for point transfers to Amex airline and hotel partners. Other ways you can redeem rewards include statement credits, gift cards and merchandise.
But, how much will your rewards be worth? That really depends. While Amex points are worth less or more depending on how they’re redeemed, you can often get on average 2 cents per point by using point transfers to Amex transfer partners, according to The Points Guy.
Meanwhile, you’ll get a flat 1 cent per point when redeeming for airfare through Amex, 0.7 cent per point when redeeming for prepaid hotels, cruises and other travel, 0.7 cent for eligible “Pay with Points” redemptions, 0.6 cent per point for statement credits and anywhere from 0.5 to 1 cent per point for gift cards.
The Gold Card’s benefits
To extract the most value from the American Express® Gold Card, you’ll want to take advantage of all the cardholder perks and statement credits you get automatically as a cardholder. Here’s a rundown of the perks you get, what they’re worth and how you can use them.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Uber Cash
Value: Up to $120 per year ($10 per calendar month)
The American Express® Gold Card offers up to $120 in Uber Cash per year, which can be used for U.S. ride shares or U.S. purchases through Uber Eats. These credits are doled out on a monthly basis ($10 a month), and they do not roll over if you don’t use them.
To maximize this perk, you’ll want to connect your American Express® Gold Card to your Uber account and do your best to order food through Uber Eats or take an Uber ride at least once a month.
$120 Dining Credit
Value: Up to $120 a year ($10 per calendar month)
This card’s dining credit is also offered in monthly increments of up to $10, and it only works for dining purchases at Grubhub (including Seamless), The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Unlike the Uber Credit, which is deposited in your Uber account, the dining credit takes the form of a statement credit on your monthly statement for the value of the purchase or $10 (whichever is less) when you use your card to pay for purchases at the above retailers. Once again, this monthly credit does not roll over if you don’t use it.
The limited number of participating retailers can make the dining credit more difficult to use, but remember that GrubHub can deliver food from a range of restaurant options all over the country depending on where you live. Whichever establishment you choose, make sure you pay with your American Express® Gold Card so the dining credit applies.
Note that if you make a purchase at the end of one month but the transaction isn’t processed until the next month, the purchase will trigger the dining credit in the month it was processed.
Hotel Collection perks
Value: Up to $100
The Hotel Collection lets American Express® Gold Card holders score exclusive benefits when they book a two-night stay or longer at eligible properties with American Express Travel. These benefits can include an experience credit of up to $100 (experience credit varies by property), room upgrades based on availability and other amenities.
To maximize this benefit, make sure you book an eligible hotel and pay with your American Express® Gold Card.
Amex Offers
Value: Varies
Amex Offers provides rewards and savings opportunities with specific retailers you can add to Amex credit card accounts, and they change every now and again.
To maximize offers, you have to manually add them to your card in your online Amex account, or from your Amex app. From there, you’ll use your card to make an eligible purchase within the time limit stated on the offer, and the rewards points or cash back you’re offered will be automatically applied to your account.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Value: Up to $50,000 per account per calendar year
The American Express® Gold Card also comes with purchase protection* and extended warranties*, both of which can insure your purchases and help you get some money back if something goes wrong.
For example, purchase protection covers a purchase against damage or theft for up to $10,000 per eligible item and up to $50,000 per account each calendar year for 90 days from the purchase date. Meanwhile, the extended warranty protection on this card adds up to one year of extended warranty benefits on items with an eligible manufacturer’s warranty. This benefit is also good for up to $10,000 per eligible purchase and up to $50,000 per account each calendar year.
For these protections to apply, you have to pay for the item with your American Express® Gold Card.
Travel Insurance Benefits
Value: Varies
You can also consider paying for travel with your American Express® Gold Card, though the card doesn’t offer significant rewards in that category. This card comes with secondary car rental loss and damage insurance* and a baggage insurance plan* when you pay for your trip with your Amex card.
With the baggage insurance plan specifically, your baggage is insured for up to $1,250 per covered traveler for carry-on luggage, and up to $500 per covered traveler per eligible checked bag.
Cards that pair well with the Amex Gold
While the American Express® Gold Card is a solid standalone rewards card, you can pair it with other cards to earn more rewards over time. Consider how the following cards might help you maximize your spending even more.
- Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: To earn a great rewards rate on spending not covered by the Gold card, consider picking up the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It offers a flat rate of 2% cash rewards on your purchases with no annual fee, and it even has an introductory APR offer for purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card**: The Capital One SavorOne features bonus categories that pair well with the American Express® Gold Card, as well as an introductory APR offer and no annual fee. You can use this card to earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®) after you surpass the annual limits for bonus rewards at U.S. supermarkets with the American Express® Gold Card.
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express earns bonus rewards in a few different categories you might appreciate, and with no annual fee (see rates and fees) to boot. Specifically, you can earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000 in U.S. online retail purchases per year (then 1% back) and 3% back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. gas stations per year (then 1% back). Once you max out the U.S. supermarket bonus rewards on the American Express® Gold Card, you can also use this card to earn 3% back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year (then 1% back). Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Intro Offer
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$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
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2% Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
- Intro Offer
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$200 Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
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1% – 8% 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply); 3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®); 1% Cash Back on all other purchases
- Intro Offer
-
Earn $200 Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.24% – 29.99% Variable
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% on Purchases for 15 months
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 3% 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.; 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.; 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.; 1% Cash Back on other purchases
The bottom line
The best ways to maximize the American Express® Gold Card are to use it for all your food and airfare spending to rack up points, then redeeming those points for travel via transfer partners to maximize their value. Try to use all the annual credits if you can, but don’t make purchases you otherwise wouldn’t have just to use up the credits.
Using your card for travel will also mean you get the included insurance perks, though this card isn’t the best for earning rewards on travel purchases outside of airfare bought directly with airlines or through Amex. Finally, keep an eye on Amex Offers in your account so you can add them quickly and use them to earn even more rewards.
For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express, click here.
*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.
**All information about the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
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