American Categorical Gold bank card assessment: Full particulars

American Categorical Gold Card overview

The American Categorical® Gold Card desires a seat at your desk, whether or not you are eating at eating places world wide or shopping for groceries at U.S. supermarkets to cook dinner at dwelling. You may additionally profit from its varied assertion credit to economize all through the calendar yr. In the event you’re a meals lover, the Amex Gold could also be an ideal possibility to your pockets. Card Ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card ranking relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

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Though its annual charge of $325 (see charges and costs) may appear dear to some, the Amex Gold often ranks as one in all our prime rewards playing cards because of a few key options.

With stellar incomes charges on eating and U.S. grocery store purchases and month-to-month credit that may internet you quite a lot of worth should you make the most of them successfully, the Amex Gold constantly ranks as a TPG workers favourite.

This is without doubt one of the greatest playing cards you may add to your pockets, because of its whopping 8% return (in response to TPG’s Might 2025 valuations) on eating and U.S. grocery store purchases (4 factors per greenback on as much as $50,000 per calendar yr for eating places worldwide and as much as $25,000 per calendar yr for U.S. supermarkets, then an estimated 2% return, or 1 level per greenback).

Plus, the buyer Amex Gold is available in two colorways: shiny yellow gold or an attention-grabbing rose gold.

If in case you have an excellent or wonderful credit score rating (670 or above) and are contemplating becoming a member of the Amex Gold membership, here is all the things you could know.

Amex Gold execs and cons

Amex Gold welcome supply

New Amex Gold cardmembers can earn 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.

Based mostly on TPG’s Might 2025 valuations, this bonus is price as much as $1,200. That is the usual welcome supply on the Amex Gold, although it is price noting that we have beforehand seen limited-time affords that function elevated welcome bonuses.

Nevertheless, the CardMatch device might permit you to get a fair larger welcome supply, so it is at all times a good suggestion to test there to see should you’re focused (affords are topic to vary at any time and never everybody will probably be focused for a similar supply).

Associated: The perfect time to use for these American Categorical playing cards primarily based on supply historical past

Amex Gold advantages

The Amex Gold affords a number of wonderful perks for cardmembers, however listed below are the primary ones to concentrate on and to maximise (enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply):

• As much as $120 annual eating credit score per calendar yr: Earn as much as $10 in month-to-month assertion credit if you pay with the Amex Gold at taking part eating companions, together with 5 Guys, Grubhub, the Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, Goldbelly and Wine.com.
• As much as $120 in annual Uber Money per calendar yr: Earn as much as $10 in Uber Money month-to-month for Uber Eats and Uber rides within the U.S. Uber Money will solely be deposited into one Uber account if you add the Amex Gold as a fee technique and redeem with any Amex card.
• As much as $100 annual Resy credit score per calendar yr: Earn as much as $100 in Resy assertion credit each calendar yr. This credit score is damaged down into two as much as $50 assertion credit biannually. This perk is just like the Resy credit score obtainable on the Delta Amex playing cards. To make use of the credit score, all it’s a must to do is dine at a taking part U.S. Resy restaurant (or make different eligible Resy purchases) and pay with an Amex Gold card. No reservation is required.
• As much as $100 in resort credit per calendar yr: Cardmembers who use their card to e book a keep of two nights or extra via Amex’s The Lodge Assortment* obtain an as much as $100 on-site credit score for qualifying actions. Relying on the property, this might embody eating, spa remedies or different actions.
• As much as $84 annual Dunkin’ credit score per calendar yr: Earn as much as $7 in month-to-month assertion credit if you pay with the Amex Gold at U.S. Dunkin’ areas.

*Eligible costs differ by property.

• Baggage insurance coverage: In case your baggage is misplaced, stolen or broken if you’re touring with a typical service and you’ve got bought your ticket with the Amex Gold, you may be eligible for as much as $1,250 in protection for carry-on baggage and as much as $500 for checked baggage. For New York State residents, there’s a $10,000 mixture most restrict for all lined individuals per lined journey.*
• Buy safety and prolonged guarantee: You will get buy safety and an prolonged guarantee on eligible purchases made in your Amex Gold. There are exclusions to what varieties of purchases are lined, which areas or territories protection is on the market in and different circumstances to concentrate on, so you should definitely learn your advantages information.*
• No overseas transaction charges (see charges and costs): This card’s lack of overseas transaction charges makes it an ideal selection for worldwide purchases, particularly since you’ll nonetheless earn 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide (on the primary $50,000 spent per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback).
• Ship & Cut up: Amex’s Ship & Cut up function makes splitting purchases with a gaggle even simpler. It connects to your PayPal and Venmo accounts to permit you to request fee via these apps and apply the fee on to your Amex account.

The standout advantages are the Uber, eating, Dunkin’ and Resy credit. By maximizing these every month, you may glean a full $424 in worth yearly, which implies you may be internet optimistic $99 in worth.

The as much as $10 Uber Money profit and as much as $10 eating credit score profit you obtain every month do not roll over, so it is necessary to make use of these advantages every month. The Resy credit are extremely straightforward to make use of, and chances are you’ll not even understand you’re utilizing them as you simply have to eat at a restaurant registered with Resy. No reservation is required.

The underrated Ship & Cut up function might be my second favourite profit. I was torn when it got here to placing a complete group dinner on my card — I wished to earn the factors however did not need to cope with the effort of gathering fee from everybody else.

This function permits me to simply request fee from my associates and apply it to my stability, with no chasing down funds or multi-step account transfers wanted.

Cardmembers can observe progress towards assertion credit in the advantages tab on the Amex app and web site.

*Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

Associated: Is the Amex Gold well worth the annual charge?

Incomes factors on the Amex Gold

The Amex Gold impresses on the subject of its bonus classes and long-term incomes potential. It accrues factors on the following charges (phrases apply):

• 4 factors per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide on as much as $50,000 per calendar yr (then 1 level per greenback)
• 4 factors per greenback spent on as much as $25,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per calendar yr (then 1 level per greenback)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on flights booked immediately from the airline or via amextravel.com
• 2 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go lodges and different eligible purchases booked via amextravel.com
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases

These are a number of the most beneficiant incomes charges of any rewards card. Incomes 4 factors per greenback on eating worldwide (as much as that $50,000 annual cap) and groceries at U.S. supermarkets (as much as that $25,000 annual cap) is equal to an 8% return on spending, primarily based on TPG’s Might 2025 valuations.

And whereas the Amex Gold does not supply essentially the most substantial incomes charges on common journey, that 3-point-per-dollar incomes price on eligible flights is good for many who haven’t got one other journey card.

Redeeming factors on the Amex Gold

The American Categorical Membership Rewards factors you may earn with the Amex Gold are among the many most respected rewards factors round.

Transferring your Amex factors to a journey associate usually supplies essentially the most worth, though that is not your solely redemption possibility.

You should utilize factors to purchase reward playing cards, cowl costs in your billing assertion or to buy with Amazon. You may also use factors to e book journey immediately via Amex Journey.

Nevertheless, selecting a redemption possibility aside from transferring your factors to a journey associate means you may fall in need of TPG’s Might 2025 2 cents-per-point valuation.

Associated: Why the Amex Gold is the proper ‘in-between’ card

Transferring factors on the Amex Gold

Cardmembers can switch their factors to this system’s many airline and resort companions for wonderful journey choices. This features a handful of U.S.-based applications — like Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue — however you may usually get much more worth by leveraging worldwide airline applications.

For instance, Virgin Atlantic can present some improbable redemptions — comparable to the power to attain round-trip, first-class flights on ANA between the U.S. and Japan.

One other wonderful redemption possibility is transferring factors to Avianca LifeMiles for affordable Star Alliance premium cabin awards.

TPG senior factors and miles author Ben Smithson likes to switch his Membership Rewards to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program for the large vary of airline redemption companions at smart fastened award chart charges, in addition to the power to switch them to British Airways Government Membership to e book short-haul flights from the UK to Europe for underneath 5,000 factors every means.

On the resort aspect, you may switch Membership Rewards factors to Alternative Privileges Motels and Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio and Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio.

American Categorical additionally often affords switch bonuses, which might be an effective way to squeeze much more worth out of your factors.

Associated: Redeeming American Categorical Membership Rewards for max worth

Which playing cards compete with the Amex Gold?

The Amex Gold’s $325 annual charge locations it between mid-tier and premium-level playing cards. Though there is not any direct comparability on the annual charge entrance, a number of playing cards supply comparable bonus classes and perks.

• If you wish to earn rewards on eating and journey with a decrease annual charge: The Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) has strong earnings charges on eating and journey. Plus, the cardboard grants entry to an ideal slate of switch companions. It has a $95 annual charge, making it an ideal possibility for anybody seeking to maintain their annual charges low. To study extra, try our full assessment of the Chase Sapphire Most popular.
• If you wish to earn a flat price on all of your purchases: The Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card earns a minimum of 2 miles per greenback on all purchases, making it an excellent possibility for anybody who spends quite a lot of their finances outdoors of particular bonus classes. Capital One additionally has some strong switch companions. To study extra, try our full assessment of the Capital One Enterprise Rewards card.
• If you would like extra premium journey rewards: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical comes with a slew of perks like airport lounge entry and complimentary resort elite standing (enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply). It earns 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked immediately with the airline and American Categorical Journey® (on the primary $500,000 spent per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback), plus 5 factors per greenback spent on lodges booked via Amex Journey. Whereas the cardboard boasts a steep $695 annual charge (see charges and costs), it’s an attractive possibility should you worth extra premium journey advantages. To study extra, try our full assessment of the Amex Platinum.

For extra choices, try our full checklist of one of the best playing cards for journey and eating.

Associated: Does it make sense to carry an Amex Platinum and Amex Gold card?

Backside line

The Amex Gold is not only a fairly card. The incomes charges at eating places worldwide and U.S. supermarkets make it a standout for all meals purchases — whether or not you steadily order supply or prefer to chef it up at dwelling. For foodies, this card is price its weight in gold.

Plus, should you can take full benefit of them, this card’s assertion credit add much more worth and make the $325 annual charge simply price paying.

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Apply right here: American Categorical Gold Card

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For charges and costs of the Amex Gold, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.