8 Min Read | Last updated: June 2, 2022
Amex Gold rewards new Members with a welcome offer and versatile value, including 4X points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, dining credits, and Uber Cash.
At-A-Glance
Gold Card rewards include 4X bonus points on dining and supermarket spending.
Card Members can also enroll in the $120 Dining Credit benefit to earn up to $10 a month in credits at participating partners, along with $10 a month in Uber Cash totaling up to $120 every year.
The Gold Card gives Card Members financial flexibility and flexible repayment options to support their changing lives, with tools such as Pay Over Time and Pay It/Plan It.
Thinking about going for the Gold? Here’s an in-depth look at what the American Express Gold Card offers – plus an explanation of its unique-to-Amex approach to credit limits. It’s important to note that terms apply to all benefits listed below and all offers are subject to change.
Ways to Earn Points with Your Gold Card
The Gold Card has a $250 annual fee1 and offers a number of accelerated points-earning opportunities, especially for food lovers:
- 4 points per dollar on supermarket spending, on up to $25,000 in purchases each year.
- 4 points per dollar on restaurant purchases, whether you choose takeout or delivery in the U.S., or dine out at restaurants worldwide - with no annual cap.
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
And when you’re ready to travel – whether you’re taking a last-minute trip or planning a vacation a year in advance – the Gold Card also gets you 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel.2
Ways to Redeem Rewards with Your Gold Card
Once you’re ready to use the Membership Rewards points you earned by paying with your Gold Card, there are several redemption options:
- Pay with Points at Checkout: Use Membership Rewards points at the checkout of 15 different online retailers. One of those 15 is PayPal, which lets you use Pay with Points at millions of online stores around the world.
- Redeem for Gift Cards: Redeem points for gift cards at a number of retail, dining, air, and lodging companies.
- Cover Your Card Charges: You can redeem points for a credit equal to one or more eligible charges on your monthly Gold Card statement.
- Book or Upgrade Travel: Find flights, plan vacations, reserve hotels, or redeem points to upgrade flights when available.
- Transfer Points: Transfer points to various airline and hotel frequent traveler loyalty programs.
- Go Shopping: Shop with American Express’ merchant partners through the Membership Rewards portal.
Note that the value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you redeem them. Points can typically be redeemed for anywhere from 0.5 cent per point to 1 cent per point.
American Express Gold Card’s Extra Dining and Travel Perks
Rewards aren’t all the Gold Card has to offer. Its dining, hotel, and Uber Cash credits help you save a little extra when doing the things you love.
- $120 Dining Credit: 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.
- $120 in Uber Cash: Gold Card Members will automatically receive $10 a month in Uber Cash after adding their Gold Card to their Uber account, for up to $120 a year that can be spent on Uber Eats and Uber rides in the U.S.
- $100 Hotel Credit: If you book at participating “Hotel Collection” properties through American Express Travel and stay for two consecutive nights, you earn a $100 credit that can be spent on any qualifying dining, spa, or resort activity.
The Gold Card also can help you get room upgrades when available at participating hotels – though some hotels and resorts have fees that may apply. And when you’re traveling abroad, the Gold Card doesn’t incur the foreign transaction fees that some other credit cards charge.2
The Gold Card Has Your Back
Beyond rewards and credits, the Gold Card offers a variety of additional shopping and travel benefits. This includes the opportunity to sign up for a free ShopRunner membership, which gets you complimentary two-day shipping on eligible items. Minimum order may be required. Enrollment required.
How American Express Gold Card’s Spending Limit Works
Unlike typical credit cards that have a credit limit, the Gold Card has no preset spending limit. This can allow Card Members more purchase flexibility and increase rewards-earning potential. Of course, no preset spending limit doesn’t mean you’ll have access to unlimited spending, but rather that the spending limit is flexible. Purchases are approved based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit histories.
In addition, the Gold Card comes with flexible payment options that are similar to credit card features, including:
- With Pay Over Time, you can carry a balance with interest and pay down the balance at your own pace, as long as you pay at least your minimum due each month. When it’s time to pay your bill, you can pay your Account Total New Balance in full each month, the minimum due, or any amount in between. Balances may incur interest.
- Pay It®: Only available through the American Express® App, Pay It lets you make small payments under $100 to pay off individual purchase amounts throughout the month, while still earning points on your Card. The payments are deducted from your outstanding balance.
- With Plan It, you can split up large purchases into monthly payments for a fixed fee.
What If I Already Have Another American Express Card?
American Express’ many different credit cards are meant to match various lifestyles. But sometimes one card isn’t a perfect match. If you already have an American Express cash back card, for example, you can still get a Gold Card for earning Membership Rewards points.
The Takeaway
The American Express Gold Card offers plenty of ways to earn points – including 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year) and restaurants – and redeem rewards. Plus, the Gold Card includes up to $120 in Uber Cash, up to another $120 in dining credits with participating partners, and a number of other perks.
1For more on Rates and Fees for the American Express Gold Card, clickhere.
2For more on Offer and Benefit Terms for the American Express Gold Card, clickhere.
Megan Doyleis abusiness technology writer and researcher whose work focuses on financial services and cross-cultural diversity and inclusion.
All Credit Intelcontent is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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