American Express Gold Card Calculator: Is It Worth $250
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The American Express® Gold Card offers competitive point multipliers when it comes to purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and it also has a handful of other benefits offered by Amex that make it stand out in compared to other premium cards.
Is the American Express® Gold Card worth the $250 annual fee?
Important note: the American Express® Gold Card is NOT the same card as the Platinum Card® authorized user Gold card. They are two completely different cards, and you will not receive the same benefits.
The Additional Perks Also Suited My Lifestyle
The Amex Gold Card also comes with a few additional perks like $120 in annual Uber credits and $120 in annual dining credits . Enrollment required.
The dining credit can be applied to Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. I thought this was an appealing perk, especially since I know that every once in a while I get the urge to treat myself to cheesecake or a milkshake, or get food delivered to me. Depending on what I order, the $10 monthly credit could mean that I can walk out of The Cheesecake Factory or Shake Shack with a completely free dessert or menu item once a month!
And, the $10 monthly Uber credit comes in handy for me since I don’t have a car and sometimes need to go places that require driving. It’s nice knowing that my trip can cost a little bit less thanks to the card.
Plus, Amex is one of few card networks to provide exclusive shopping discounts and deals at select retailers through Amex Offers. This is yet another way for me to save money on the brands and services I love. For example, I can earn a large amount of additional rewards points for spending on my favorite high-end perfume brand. Or, I can receive $20 in cash back for spending $100 for groceries at an online store that I already shop at.
American Express Gold Card
If you consider yourself a foodie or spend a lot at U.S. supermarkets, you stand to earn a load of Membership Rewards points with the American Express® Gold Card. Cardholders earn
- 4 points per $1 spent at restaurants
- 4 points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 3 points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
- 1 point per $1 spent on purchases everywhere else
Although the cards $250 annual fee is a bit pricey, several benefits quickly make up for it. For instance, youll earn dining credits worth up to $120 combined at popular restaurants and with food delivery services. Plus, card members can earn a 60,000-point welcome bonus after spending at least $4,000 on purchases within the first 6 months of account opening.
Learn more with our review of the American Express® Gold Card.
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American Express Gold Card: Earn Top Rewards Whether You Cook Or Dine Out
The annual fee may be higher than other midtier cards, but the Gold Card is like two rewards cards in one.
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People Who Spend A Lot On Dining And At Us Supermarkets
Statement credits are a great way to offset a high annual fee on a credit card, but you dont apply for a new rewards card to break even. You do it to get ahead.
The 4 points per dollar earned on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarket purchases amounts to an 8% return based on TPGs valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each. It almost goes without saying that people who spend heavily in these categories will get the most value out of this card.
The Amex Gold is not the first credit card to offer bonus categories on dining at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets, but it might be the most valuable one. Earning 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar beats out the 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on dining offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Its possible to end up with a slightly higher return on purchases at U.S. supermarkets by using the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express, but the bonus categories on the Gold Card dont require you to jump through any hoops, such as a minimum number of transactions per month, to earn the highest earn rates. The Amex Gold also doesnt have any foreign transaction fees if you decide to travel with it .
The information for the Amex EveryDay Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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Use The $10 Monthly Uber Cash And $10 Monthly Credits For Select Dining Services
The American Express® Gold Card comes with several hundred dollars in credits, including up to $120 annually in dining . Terms apply.
American Express also added a new benefit to the American Express® Gold Card in 2021 that includes an additional $10 per month in the form of Uber Cash, which can be used for either U.S. rides or Uber Eats orders. You have to add the card to your Uber account to begin collecting the benefit. Terms apply.
If you make use of the full amount of all three credits, you’ll pick up $240 worth of value, reducing the annual fee to $10.
Alternatives To No Preset Spending Limit
What is an annual fee on a credit card?
A credit card annual fee is the minimum cost of keeping the account open for a year. It helps the issuer afford any rewards or promotional financing the card may offer as well as general account services, such as billing and customer support. The average credit card annual fee is about read full answer$19, but many cards have no annual fee. A credit cards annual fee typically is charged on the account anniversary or the month after it. It will show up on the credit card statement like a normal purchase.
An annual fee on a credit card isnt necessarily a bad thing. Lots of credit cards with annual fees more than make up the extra cost with better rewards and supplemental perks such as travel insurance. Others, however, try to seem prestigious by charging a big fee without offering nearly enough in return. Thats why its important to do your research before applying.
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Who Is The American Express Gold Card For
The ideal cardholder is someone who spends a lot of money at restaurants and grocery stores. The card earns 4x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year . It also includes up to a $120 yearly dining credit for purchases made at participating restaurants . Another benefit is up to a $120 yearly Uber Cash credit for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. Finally, it includes up to a $100 onsite credit for qualifying activities at The Hotel Collection resorts for two-night stays. Those credits easily offset the $250 annual fee .
While the 3x points earned per dollar spent on flights is solid, The Platinum Card® from American Express earns 5x points per dollar spent on flights on up to $500,000 per calendar year booked directly with airlines and amextravel.com. It also earns 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked via amextravel.com. Finally, it features a variety of other premium travel benefits that the Gold Card does not have. For those reasons, I recommend pairing the American Express Gold Card with another travel-focused credit card like The Platinum Card for maximum value.
Business owners can apply for the American Express® Business Gold Card.
Is The American Express Gold Card For You
The short answer? Probably. The American Express Gold Cards 4 points per dollar earnings rate at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets make the card a rewarding choice for many people. Membership Rewards are a versatile tool in the travel rewards toolkit. However, you will need to jump through a few hoops to make up for the $250 annual fee with the credits this card offers.
To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.
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Redeem The Welcome Bonus Strategically
Speaking of the welcome bonus, make sure to redeem the points for maximum value. Unfortunately, that eliminates the Amex Travel Portal, gift card redemptions and statement creditsall of which yield a redemption value of 0.6 cent to 1 cent per point.
You can increase that value dramatically by transferring your points to one of the travel partners and redeeming them for a flight or a hotel room through a respective loyalty program.
| Airlines |
| 1,000 : 1,000 |
Depending on a current card offer, you can earn anywhere from 40,000 to 75,000 Membership Rewards points for a welcome bonus on the American Express Gold Card. By transferring your points to one of the loyalty programs above, you can extract about 2 cents per point , which turns your bonus into at least $800 to $1,500 worth of travel.
If youre looking for ideas on how to redeem the points for maximum value, check out 5 Business-Class Award Flights You Can Book Using American Express Gold Cards Elevated Welcome Bonus.
Why It’s Not For Everyone
First, let’s go over the reasons you may want to skip the AMEX Gold.
- There is that $250 annual fee. This is on the high end for cards in general, but you may be able to justify it based on how often you’ll use the card and where you’ll use it .
If you prefer a credit card with no annual fee instead, check out this list.
Generally speaking, you need good/excellent credit to qualify for most American Express cards.
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American Express Gold Benefits
- Global Assist Hotline: 24/7 access for medical, legal, financial and other select emergency assistance and coordination services.
- Amex Hotel Collection: Get a $100 hotel credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa and resort activities, plus a room upgrade upon arrival, if available, when you book a stay of at least two consecutive nights with American Express Travel.
- Baggage Insurance: Provides coverage for eligible lost, damaged or stolen baggage. Terms Apply.
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: When you use your card to pay for a rental vehicle and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental counter, you may receive secondary auto coverage in an eligible territory. Terms apply.
Does The American Express Gold Card Have Lounge Access
You won’t get any lounge access with the American Express® Gold Card. The Platinum Card® from American Express, which comes with a steeper annual fee and additional benefits, comes with complimentary airport lounge access.
For rates and fees of American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
The information related to Citi Prestige® Credit Card and American Express® Green Card has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply to American Express credit card offers. See americanexpress.com for more information.
These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which ValuePenguin receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site . ValuePenguin does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.
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Additional Amex Gold Card Benefits
As you can see, you might have an easy time getting enough value out of the Amex Gold benefits to make up for its annual fee. If that isnt enough, though, here are some ancillary benefits that could help make the card even more worth your while.
| American Express Gold Card benefits | Benefit details |
| Gain access to premium seats for select cultural and sporting events | |
| Exclusive access to ticket presales | Get tickets before the general public for Broadway shows, concert tours, family and sporting events, and more |
| Trip accident insurance | Offers up to $250,000 in coverage if you sustain accidental death or dismemberment when traveling on a common carrier |
| Purchase protection | Get up to $10,000 per claim in coverage if a recently-purchased item is accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost |
| Return protection | Offers up to $300 per claim if you try to return an eligible item you purchased with the card within 90 days and the merchant wont take it back |
| Extended warranty protection | Youll get up to two extra years added to the original manufacturers warranty on eligible items with warranties of five years or less |
Note: Enrollment required for select benefits.
American Express Gold Card Benefits & Review 2022
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. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date however, some of our partner offers may have expired.
Highlighted by a generous welcome bonus offer, 4x point categories, and a variety of credits, the American Express® Gold Card has a lot to like. While not a travel card, it does feature numerous benefits for the frequent vacationer like 3x points for flights and trip insurance. Additionally, it allows you to transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to a variety of partner airlines and hotels for more value.
The Vacationer Recommendation
Dont have a dining-focused or travel credit card yet? Check out The Vacationers Recommended Travel and Dining Card Picks for the best offers from American Express and other top issuers. You can also check out the CardMatch Tool to see what cards and offers you may already be prequalified for.
Here is what you need to know about the AMEX Gold Card and if it is right for you.
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Shop With More Confidence
Extended Warranty
When you use your Eligible Card to make a Covered Purchase, you can get up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturerâs Warranty. Applies to warranties of 5 years or less on Covered Purchases in the United States or its territories or possessions. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
Purchase Protection
Your Covered Purchases can be covered when theyâre accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date with your Eligible Card.
Dispute Resolution
If there is a fraudulent or incorrect charge on your statement, American Express will work with you to help resolve the issue.
Does The American Express Gold Card Help Build Your Credit
Like any other card issuer, American Express will report your payments and other activity to the credit bureaus. This means that the American Express® Gold Card can help you build credit, but only if you use it responsibly and pay it off on time. Try to keep your balance relatively low and make sure to always make your monthly minimum payment on time.
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