Going has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Going and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of all of the card offers that appear on this page are from advertisers; compensation may affect how and where the cards appear on the site; and Going does not include all card companies are all available card offers.
Let’s get straight to the point: When it comes to dining out or grocery shopping, there really is no travel credit card more rewarding than the American Express Gold Card. It’s my go-to recommendation for travel enthusiasts who love food (and really, who doesn’t like to eat).
It’s also a card that’s solid for earning rewards on flight purchases. If these three spending categories make up a significant chunk of your budget—-and you also value travel rewards (that are earned in the form of super-flexible Amex Membership Rewards points)—then the Amex Gold card can be an absolute no-brainer.
Overview
- $250 annual fee
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Terms and conditions apply.
- Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X points at US supermarkets (up to $25,000 annually, then 1X points), 3X points on flights purchased directly with airlines or at AmexTravel.com, 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases. Terms and conditions apply.
- Up to $120 in Uber Cash annually, up to $120 in dining credits annually (Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and Shake Shack). Terms and conditions apply. Enrollment required.
Pros
- One of the most valuable credit cards for dining out or grocery shopping.
- Amex Membership Rewards are one of the best “currencies” in the travel rewards game.
- Monthly Uber and dining credits can make the annual fee worthwhile.
Cons
- That $250 annual fee may be a deterrent (at least initially).
- It’s not a great card for spending on non-flight travel, such as hotels or rental cars.
- You don’t get premium travel perks, like lounge access or hotel elite status.
What is the annual fee for the American Express Gold Card?
Earning points with the American Express Gold Card
If you spend money on food and flights, it’ll be easy to earn points on the Amex Gold card. Let’s look at some of the details, including how many points you can earn simply by signing up and meeting the minimum spending requirements.
What is the welcome offer on the American Express Gold Card?
Amex Gold card members can earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership. Terms and conditions apply.
How do you earn points with the American Express Gold Card?
The Amex Gold isn't the only card to offer a bonus category on dining (including takeout and delivery) and grocery shopping at US supermarkets, but it might just be one of the most valuable. That’s because you’ll earn a whopping 4X Amex points on both of these categories (or in other words, four points per $1 spent).
For instance, that $7 morning latte will get you 28 Amex points. That $150 splurge at the Michelin-starred joint in town? That’s 600 points right there. And a $50 grocery bill at Trader Joe’s to stock up on a week’s supply (of snacks) gets you 200 points, too.
It’s not all just about food, though. You also will earn 3X Amex points on flights booked directly with an airline or through Amex Travel. In this case, a $400 round-trip Delta flight to see friends in LA nets you 1,200 Amex points (just make sure you use Delta.com or AmexTravel.com to book). As you can see, those points can add up fairly quickly if you play your cards right (pun intended).
Beyond that, all other types of spending (which are called “non-bonused” spending categories) will get you a run-of-the-mill one Amex point per dollar (1X). Therefore, more advanced travel rewards enthusiasts may want to use a different card for other types of spend to truly maximize their earning potential.
Redeeming points with the American Express Gold Card
In the world of travel rewards, transferable points currencies (including Amex Membership Rewards) are some of the most valuable types to earn. That’s because these credit card points are really flexible, meaning you can use your rewards in a number of ways—with some methods providing more value than others.
Since we know you’re interested in travel, let’s talk details. To redeem Amex points for travel, there are two primary methods: booking directly through Amex Travel or transferring points to a variety of airline and hotel partners. While using Amex Travel is usually way more straightforward (it operates similarly to any other online travel agency), you can sometimes unlock more value by transferring your points to nearly two dozen partners.
Let’s dive into this below.
What are the points transfer partners of the American Express Gold Card?
You can transfer Amex points to these airline partners.
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Aeromexico Club Premier
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- ANA Mileage Club
- Avianca LifeMiles
- British Airways Executive Club
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Delta SkyMiles
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- Hawaiian HawaiianMiles
- Iberia Plus
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Privilege Club
- Singapore KrisFlyer
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
First off, while this might seem obvious, you need an account with the program in order to transfer points from Amex to that program. Usually, that just requires a form and a few clicks to complete—and it’s totally free.
Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind about transferring points to partners is that once a transfer is complete, you cannot convert the points back to Amex. (Therefore, make sure you want the points in that airline or hotel account before transferring.)
With the exception of Aeromexico and JetBlue, you can transfer Amex points to airlines at a one-to-one ratio, meaning one Amex point is equivalent to one airline mile. For instance, you can convert 10,000 Amex points to 10,000 Delta SkyMiles.
Most Amex point-to-airline transfers occur instantly, but several partners do take a bit of time. These include Aeromexico (up to 12 days), ANA (up to 3 days), Cathay Pacific (up to 7 days), Iberia (up to 3 days), Singapore (up to 2 days), and Virgin Atlantic (up to 2 days). This matters because the cost in miles could change in the time it takes for the transfer to be complete.
You can transfer Amex points to these hotel partners.
- Choice Privileges
- Hilton Honors
- Marriott Bonvoy
While both Choice and Marriott have a one-to-one transfer ratio, Hilton has a one-to-two transfer ratio, meaning 1 Amex point is equivalent to 2 Hilton points. (However, don’t get too excited, as Hilton typically requires way more points to redeem for hotel stays.)
What kinds of flights can I take using the points I earn from the American Express Gold Card?
With the current welcome offer of 60,000 bonus miles, that can get you a wide variety of travel experiences. Here are some ideas of what you could do with those points.
- Take a solo vacay and fly in style one-way from the East Coast of the US to Europe (or vice versa) in business class using 60,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points. Transfers from Amex occur instantly, and you can book flights on airlines such as SWISS, United, Austrian, and more.
- Fly with your partner from the West Coast of the US to Hawai’i for 13,000 British Airways Avios per person (or 54,000 Avios round-trip for two) on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines economy. Save some cash for surf lessons and poke.
- Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of Tokyo and fly ANA’s incredible business class from the US to Japan for one (1) with 47,500 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points. Have a few points left over to help you book a hotel.
- Make a flight booking via the Amex Travel portal that would cost $600 in cash. A prepaid hotel booking would only get you a $420 stay.
That said, usually, the biggest hurdle with finding flights bookable with points is availability. At Going, you can sign up for our email alerts—available to our Elite members—when we find a deal bookable with points and miles.
What are the other benefits of the American Express Gold Card?
- One of the biggest perks of the Amex Gold is up to $120 in annual dining credit, broken down into $10 monthly statement credits. While that “dining credit” isn’t exactly as flexible as it could be, it’s still pretty easy to maximize. The following retailers qualify: Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and Shake Shack. Terms and conditions apply.
- The other primary Amex Gold perk is up to $120 in Uber Cash annually. This also comes in the form of a $10 monthly credit. The great thing is that even if you don’t take Uber rides, the credit also works for Uber Eats pickup and delivery. Again, food is king with this card. Terms and conditions apply.
If you add the total value of the credits up ($240), you’ll notice that the effective annual fee on the card is just $10. In addition to these perks, cardholders also get access to the Amex Hotel Collection, a curated list of properties through Amex Travel in which guests receive a $100 on-site credit for qualifying activities.
You aren’t charged foreign transaction fees, and there’s trip delay insurance, as well as baggage insurance of up to $1,250 in coverage for carry-ons, and up to $500 for checked bags is included (when airfare is purchased with the Amex Gold).* *Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an IAG Company.
What are the drawbacks of the American Express Gold Card?
The Amex Gold is a valuable card for its specific bonus categories, but there are better options out there for those who spend a lot of their budget outside of dining, groceries, and flights. Of note, non-flight travel—like hotels, car rentals, Airbnbs, etc. —don’t receive the same 3X Amex points per dollar. One other drawback is that there aren’t any premium travel perks, such as swanky airport lounge access or comped elite statuses (that a card like The Platinum Card® from American Express includes). This is something to keep in mind if you’re looking for a higher-end travel experience.
Who is the American Express Gold Card for?
Going has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Going and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of all of the card offers that appear on this page are from advertisers; compensation may affect how and where the cards appear on the site; and Going does not include all card companies are all available card offers.
