When you need to (or shouldn’t) use the Amex Gold Card

It is no secret that we’re large followers of the American Specific® Gold Card at TPG.

Whereas the cardboard was refreshed in late July 2024, it is nonetheless in a Goldilocks candy spot between premium and newbie playing cards, with sturdy earnings at eating places and at U.S. grocery store purchases and over $400 in annual worth that may assist offset its $325 annual payment (see charges and charges). Enrollment is required, and phrases apply.

On this information, we’ll spotlight methods that may enable you to earn hundreds of bonus factors annually by figuring out when you need to — and should not — use the Amex Gold Card.

Overview of the Amex Gold

The Amex Gold is the right “in-between” card, particularly because it affords some severe advantages and incomes potential for its $325 annual payment.

With this card, you will earn a powerful 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in spending per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and eating places (on as much as $50,000 in spending per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback), in addition to 3 factors per greenback on flights booked straight with an airline or by amextravel.com.

And past this incomes potential, this card comes with some severe advantages. You may rise up to $424 in annual worth by Uber Money and assertion credit for eating, U.S Dunkin’ places, Resy in addition to journey perks like baggage insurance coverage* and as much as $100 in lodge credit for stays at The Resort Assortment properties (minimal two-night keep required). Enrollment is required for choose advantages, and phrases apply. An Amex Card have to be chosen because the cost technique to your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Money profit within the US.

New Amex Gold cardmembers can earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 within the first six months of card membership.

In keeping with TPG’s March 2025 valuations, this welcome provide is value as much as $1,200.

Through the use of the CardMatch instrument, you could get a extra useful welcome provide for the Amex Gold (provide topic to vary at any time). Since American Specific solely permits cardmembers to earn one welcome provide per lifetime, it is essential to get the very best provide you possibly can.

*Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.

When do you have to use the Amex Gold?

For eating

The Amex Gold is not the one card to supply a bonus class on eating at eating places, nevertheless it would possibly simply be one of the useful.

Cardmembers earn 4 Membership Rewards factors per greenback spent on eating at eating places, as much as $50,000 per calendar yr (1 level per greenback thereafter). In keeping with TPG’s March 2025 valuations, this equates to an 8% return on spending.

For that cause, it tops our checklist of the very best playing cards for eating out at eating places.

To get essentially the most out of your Amex Gold for this class, you need to maximize its eating assertion credit.

Cardmembers can earn as much as $10 per 30 days (as much as $120 per calendar yr) in assertion credit when paying with the Amex Gold on the following eating companions:

• Grubhub
• The Cheesecake Manufacturing unit
• Goldbelly
• Wine.com
• 5 Guys

Moreover, cardmembers can obtain as much as $120 per calendar yr in Uber Money (as much as $10 every month) to make use of on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders after they pay with an Amex, so you should definitely hyperlink your Amex Gold or any Amex card to your Uber account as a cost technique.

The Amex Gold additionally affords as much as $100 in assertion credit per calendar yr for purchases made at U.S. eating places affiliated with Resy. These assertion credit are break up into bi-annual, up-to-$50 credit. Merely use your Amex Gold to pay at taking part Resy eating places; no reservation is required.

Lastly, an annual Dunkin’ Donuts credit score of as much as $84 per calendar yr is allotted in as much as $7 month-to-month increments. Simply use your Amex Gold to pay at U.S. Dunkin’ Donuts.

Associated: 5 under-the-radar methods to maximise the Amex Gold’s eating credit

For groceries

Meals is the secret with the Amex Gold. Except for eating at eating places worldwide, the cardboard earns 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar yr (1 level per greenback thereafter).

Due to this fact, you need to undoubtedly use the cardboard to your subsequent grocery store run, because it tops our checklist of the very best playing cards for groceries.

Associated: 7 of the very best playing cards to pair with the Amex Gold

For flights

Whereas not as sturdy as a few of our different favourite journey playing cards, the Amex Gold is a good card to make use of for flights if you do not have a extra premium journey card in your pockets. Its 3-point-per-dollar incomes price on flights booked straight by the airline or on Amex Journey is substantial.

Simply remember that in the event you had been to make use of The Platinum Card® from American Specific as an alternative, you may earn 5 Membership Rewards factors per greenback on flights booked by Amex Journey or straight with airways, on as much as $500,000 of such purchases per calendar yr (1 level per greenback thereafter).

That mentioned, the Amex Gold prices over $300 much less per yr versus the Amex Platinum (see Amex Platinum charges and charges), so I do not suggest opening the Amex Platinum only for the additional two factors per greenback on flights.

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

When should not you utilize the Amex Gold?

For on a regular basis spending

The Amex Gold earns a mere 1 level per greenback on spending outdoors its particular bonus classes. Different playing cards issued by Amex and different banks can provide higher incomes charges.

As an illustration, The Blue Enterprise® Plus Credit score Card from American Specific could be a greater possibility when you’ve got a enterprise. It has no annual payment (see charges and charges) and earns 2 factors per greenback on the primary $50,000 spent in purchases annually (then 1 level per greenback).

Alternatively, a card such because the Citi Double Money® Card (see charges and charges) earns 1% again if you make a purchase order and one other 1% if you pay your assertion. This implies you possibly can successfully earn 2% again.

When you even have the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, (see charges and charges) you possibly can mix your factors into absolutely transferable ThankYou factors. Primarily based on TPG’s March 2025 valuation of Citi ThankYou factors at 1.8 cents every, this implies you possibly can earn an efficient 3.6% return if you purchase and pay along with your Citi Double Money Card.

Associated: Why the Citi Double Money will all the time have a spot in my pockets

For non-flight journey, comparable to lodges or rental automobiles

Whereas the Amex Gold earns 3 factors per greenback on flights booked straight with an airline or by amextravel.com, you do not earn such a bonus on different journey bills, and it would not provide the identical journey protections as another playing cards on the market.

Provided that, utilizing another card to your non-flight bookings makes extra sense.

Probably the most fashionable journey rewards playing cards in the marketplace is the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card, with a $95 annual payment. On the journey entrance, these are the present incomes charges:

• 5 factors per greenback on journey booked by Chase Journey℠
• 2 factors per greenback on different journey

As well as, you will additionally obtain the next non-travel bonuses:

• 3 factors per greenback on eating
• 3 factors per greenback on choose streaming providers
• 3 factors per greenback on on-line groceries (excludes Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment)

Backside line

The Amex Gold is among the many most rewarding playing cards in the marketplace. However to really maximize the Amex Gold’s earnings, you will must be selective about the place you are utilizing it.

Between the Uber Money and eating, U.S Dunkin’ places, and Resy assertion credit, the cardboard’s annual payment is absolutely lined, and also you web constructive worth. Add in its bonus classes and you will be maximizing earnings like a professional very quickly.

To study extra, take a look at our full overview of the Amex Gold.

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Apply right here: American Specific® Gold Card

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Associated: This could be the very best Amex card combo: Amex Gold and Amex Enterprise Platinum

For charges and charges of the Amex Gold Card, please click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Blue Enterprise Plus Amex Card, click on right here.