You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Find out your offer. Terms apply.
Key facts
The American Express® Gold Card is a heavy hitter for those with a lot of spend on dining, groceries, and airline tickets.
Get the American Express® Gold Card in either the Gold or Rose Gold metal design.
Min. Credit Score for Approval:
Good *Ongoing APR:
See Pay Over Time APRForeign Transaction Fee:
0%Get 30% more Hilton Honors Points when you transfer Membership Rewards® points through 10/14/2026.
Historically, which we can see in our master list of past transfer bonuses from Amex to Hilton, the offers tend to range from 25% – 40% (with 40% being extremely rare and 30% as the best of the regular offers). We have seen a few this year already but at only 20%.
Despite devaluations, Hilton points can be quite valuable, especially using the 5th night free on awards if you have Silver Elite status or higher as that increases your value both by giving the 5th night free and because resort fees and room tax are waived on award stays.
Data point: We just stayed 5 nights in Lake Como at the Grand Hotel Victoria (SLH). It was 130,000 points a night, 5th night free. 520,000 points total and the room was 1,500 Euro a night. That’s about $8,700 in value (and whatever you think of the cash rate, the hotel is impeccable and perfectly located and that is what it costs!) for 520,000 points. So we got 1.7 cents per Hilton point in value in this case. (Note, I believe that particular hotel is now 170,000 points a night.)
Generally, we value an Amex point at 1.7 cents and a Hilton point at 0.5 cents and while those values are an average, with a 5th night free award you can definitely do well transferring 1,000 Amex points for 2,600 Hilton Honors points as I showed you above.
Our advice is to run some sample searches for potential redemptions to see the value you’re likely to get before transferring. Note that Standard Reward night rates can be as high as 250,000 points / night. That said, at the 30% level is where I personally am comfortable transferring at least some speculatively.
Keep in mind that if you have any Free Reward Night Certificates (valid on any Standard Reward night) which can be earned with a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (each anniversary year and after $30,000 and also after $60,000 spent in a calendar year) or the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (earned after $15,000 spent in a calendar year), you can add before or after a 5th night free award for a longer stay.
There are identical transfer bonuses on now to both British Airways and Aer Lingus Avios and British Airways are the most common / easy to use and link directly with Qatar so there are few people that would want to transfer to Iberia directly.
They ripped out their award charts in May 2025 and replaced them with new higher ones and the biggest Iberia Sweet Spot of US East Coast to Madrid in business class off peak for 34,000 Avios is now 40,500 Avios and at peak times it’s now 50,000 to 59,000 Avios. This is the 3,001–4,000 mileage band.
This still remains about the only award you would book with Iberia (you may find other instances where Iberia remains cheaper on its own metal) but keep in mind the biggest flaw of the Iberia program:
Award travel on partner airlines booked with Iberia Avios is non-refundable!!
That said, generally you want to move your points to British Airways first for the most flexibility – since you can move from there to Finnair, which has some great redemptions, or Qatar (note new restrictions on booking Qatar awards beyond yourself). I just booked an actual Iberia award and I’ll add that the website is full of glitches that can make booking even an Iberia award on Iberia quite painful.
See this post on the transfer bonus to British Airways Avios for more on the Finnair program.
Reminder: We now maintain an incredibly comprehensive Transfer Partner Matrix that tracks not just where every currency transfers but also notes any current transfer bonuses.
Aer Lingus has some sweet spots as well, like the US to Ireland for 13,000 – 16,250 Avios with no surcharges or 50,000 Avios – 62,500 Avios each way in Business Class. This would be if you find space on Aer Lingus metal. The lower pricing is from the East Coast, the higher is West Coast.
Combinable with other Avios programs like BA on the avios.com website.
That said, generally you want to move your points to British Airways first for the most flexibility – since you can move from there to Finnair, which has some great redemptions, or Qatar – (note new restrictions on booking Qatar awards beyond yourself) – or Iberia.
See this post on the transfer bonus to British Airways Avios for more on the Finnair program.
Reminder: We now maintain an incredibly comprehensive Transfer Partner Matrix that tracks not just where every currency transfers but also notes any current transfer bonuses.
Reward multipliers
Beyond the large welcome bonus offer, the most important thing to know about your new Amex (or any credit card!) is how many Membership Rewards bonus points you earn per dollar on key bonus categories – and the Amex Gold card has got some good ones. It also does not charge any foreign transaction fees.
You’ll earn:
- 4X American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 a year; 1X thereafter)
- 4X Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on U.S. Supermarkets* (up to $25,000 a year; 1X thereafter)
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App™
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
* American Express defines a supermarket as offering a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies. (Superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are NOT considered supermarkets.)
If you spend a lot of money each month on groceries and dining, the American Express Gold Card packs a tremendous 1-2 punch.
Earns bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
4X Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on U.S. Supermarkets* (up to $25,000 a year; 1X thereafter)
Estimated Rewards Value: 6.8%
At restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 a year; 1X thereafter)
Estimated Rewards Value: 6.8%
5X Membership Rewards® points only on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App™
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.7%
2X Membership Rewards® points only on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.7%
2X Membership Rewards® points only on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.7%
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.7%
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
Rose Gold Color Option
At long last, American Express is once again offering both new and existing cardholders the opportunity to get the Rose Gold version of the Gold Card.
American Express Gold Card – Rose Gold Color Option
When you apply, simply select the Rose Gold option. If you are an existing Cardmember, you can call the number on the back of your Gold Card and ask to be switched to the Rose Gold version (your card number will not change). You can also do this via chat in your online American Express account.
The White Gold version has been discontinued.
The Hotel Collection
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Part of the Corporate Advantage Program
If you have a Corporate American Express card and have that linked to your Gold Card, American Express will credit back $125 of your annual fee within 2-3 statement cycles of your annual fee posting, as long as you have signed up for the program. Call the number on the back of your Gold Card to enroll.
Enrollment Required for Some Benefits
Please note that you will need to login to your credit card’s online account after receiving your Card and “activate” most benefits under your Card Benefits page.
Earns Transferable Points
Hotel and Airline Transfer Partners
The best use of American Express Membership Rewards points is to transfer them into an airline partner.
The option to transfer into hotel points exist, but they’re typically at a disadvantageous rate.
Here’s a complete list of Membership Rewards Airlines and Hotel transfer partners:
| American Express Membership Rewards Transfer Partners | ||
|---|---|---|
| Transfer Ratio | Approximate Transfer Time * | |
| Aeromexico | 1:1.6 (1,000 Amex = 1,600 Aeromexico) | ~4-7 days |
| Aer Lingus | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air France Flying Blue | 1:1 | Instant |
| ANA | 1 : 1 (transfers only from Amex and Marriott) | ~2-3 days |
| Avianca | 1:1 | Instant |
| British Airways Avios | 1:1 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1:1 | ~1-2 days |
| Delta | 1:1 (subject to excise tax) | Instant |
| Emirates | 5:4 | Instant |
| Iberia Avios | 1:1 | ~1-2 days |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 250 : 200 (subject to excise tax) | Instant |
| Qantas | 1:1 | Instant |
| Qatar Airways Avios | 1:1 | Instant |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | ~ 1-2 days |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1:1 | Instant |
| Choice Hotels | 1:1 | Instant |
| Hilton | 1:2 (frequent transfer bonuses – look for a better ratio if considering) | Instant |
| Leading Hotels of the World | ✅ 4:1 | Up to 72 hours |
| Marriott | 1:1 | Instant |
Whether you are looking fly economy, Business Class, or even First Class, there are ways to make that happen. You could transfer your Amex points to ANA and fly around the world in Business Class with up to 8 stopovers and spend just 125,000 Amex points or less.
Note: If you are transferring Membership Rewards points into a US airline, Amex will charge you $.0006 per point, up to a maximum of $99. American Express explains that this charge is to offset excise taxes that the airlines charge.
Annual Statement Credits
Credits Get You Back Most of the Gold Card’s Annual Fee
Each month you get up to $27 in statement credits if you are enrolled and use the credits in the month given. That’s in addition to $50 in bi-annual Resy credits ($50 each, January to June and July to December – Enrollment required; terms apply.)
The first is $10 in monthly dining statement credits when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
On top of that, you’ll automatically get $10 in Uber Cash
Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
Up to $100 in annual Resy credits: $50 to use January to June and $50 to use July to December at restaurants on the Resy platform (you do not need to book the reservation with Resy – just pay with your enrolled card. (Enrollment required; Terms apply)
Up to $84 in annual Dunkin’ Donuts credits: $7 per month (Enrollment required; Terms apply)
If you used ALL of the available statement credits, you’d get back $424 for your $325 annual fee – a net gain!
The Hotel Collection
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
Limited Time Benefit through October 30, 2026 – Uber One Membership Credit
Enroll and get a one-time statement credit of up to $96 when using the Gold Card to pay for an annual Uber One membership, unlocking savings and exclusive benefits on Uber and Uber Eats. Available today through October 30, 2026.
Has No Preset Spending Limit
While the American Express Gold Card used to be referred to as a charge card, it is no longer actively referred to in that way.
Unlike a typical credit card that has a Credit Limit, this Amex card has No Preset Spending Limit.
No Preset Spending Limit means your spending limit is flexible. Unlike a traditional card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.
It’s also important to note that as a card product that American Express used to classify as “charge” – meaning that it has No Preset Spending Limit – so it is not counted against your 5 Amex credit card limit.
The Gold Card will still be in the category of cards (former charge products) in which you can have up to 10. Those include the American Express Green, Gold, Platinum, and Centurion cards.
The reason it is no longer referred to as a Charge card is because the card now offers you the option to “Pay Over Time” if you opt into that card feature.
Grants Car Rental Status
Hertz Five Star® Status:
Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost and vehicle upgrades when available. Enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration is required. Terms apply.
Trip Protections
Trip Delay Insurance
If you book your entire trip (round trip) with your American Express Gold Card (cash or American Express Membership rewards points, but no other points), you will have Trip Delay Insurance which will reimburse you for reasonable additional expenses (including but not limited to meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal use items) incurred if you are delayed more than 12 hours for a covered loss.
Terms:
Up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
• Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
• Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company
Baggage Insurance Plan
The American Express Gold Card and Rose Gold card also offer the Baggage Insurance Plan. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. See the American Express website before applying for all details.
Terms
Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
• Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
• Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
The American Express Gold Card’s CDW (collision damage waiver) is secondary to your personal car insurance and covers Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory when you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the Rental Company counter. Not all cars are covered so call in advance of your rental if you are unsure. Does not cover vehicles in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This benefit does not include liability coverage.
Terms
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
• Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
• Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Extended Warranty
You’ll get one extra year of coverage when the manufacturer offers a warranty of 5 years or less; additional terms apply which you can when filling out your application. The limits are $10,000 per covered purchase and $50,000 per year.
Terms
When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
• Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
• Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Purchase Protection
For up to 90 days from making a covered purchase with your Card, you may be covered for up to $10,000 per occurrence ($50,000 per year). Additional terms apply which you can when filling out your application. Please read important exclusions and restrictions at the American Express website before you apply for all details.
Terms
Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
• Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
• Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
The Amex Gold Card doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees.
No Fees for Authorized Users
Additional cards are free for anyone you choose, like your child (aged 13+), spouse, or employee.
Metal Card
The American Express Gold Card is made of metal and weighs 18.5 grams.
Amex Offers
Card membership comes with access to Amex Offers, a free offering of discounts on assorted eligible purchases. They often offer things like up to 20% off an airline purchase or cash back for dining at a specific restaurant. They also often offer bonus points per dollar at select stores.
Earn more rewards by combining credit cards
Pros & cons
- For a pure combination of spending on dining, groceries, and airfare, the American Express Gold card is unmatched
- Although the annual fee seems high, you can actually come out ahead by using available monthly statement credits
- Earns valuable American Express Membership rewards points and card membership includes the highly regarded American Express customer service
- The annual fee of $325, despite the statement credits that can offset it, is steep for some
- Bonus categories are limited to just three
- Car rental CDW coverage is secondary to your own auto insurance
Our review
💳 This card earns American Express Membership Rewards points. American Express often runs transfer bonuses where you can get even more points when you transfer to airline or hotel partners at designated times. Transfer bonuses are awesome. Get 20%, 30%, 40% or more bonus miles when you transfer points at the right times. But they are easy to miss!
You can see all past Transfer Bonuses from American Express Membership Rewards here.
Even better? Get notified when a new transfer bonus comes out and again before it ends (either or both, your choice). Sign up for free alerts right here. 🔔
The American Express Gold Card (and the Rose Gold version of the Amex Gold Card) is one of my favorite credit cards on the market.
While many cards have more bonus categories or more features, the simplicity of a card that earns 4X American Express Membership Rewards points on both dining (up to $50,000 annually; 1X thereafter) and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 annually; 1X thereafter), given how much of my monthly spend is in one of these two categories, makes it an easy top-of-wallet choice. 3X on airfare is also nice.

It helps that I have no problem at all using the included credits, living in a major metropolitan area. In fact, I’ve generally used both of the included credits at GrubHub and Uber Eats by the fifth of each month! The Resy credits are also easy to use if you live in a major metro area (although admittedly not as easy if you don’t!). And the $7 Dunkin’ credits come in handy if you live in a Dunkin’ heavy area (which we do).
While I wouldn’t make it my only credit card, it definitely complements other cards nicely. If you already have the American Express Platinum Card, for example, you’d be better off using the Platinum card for its many benefits and 5X on airfare (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), but using your Amex Gold Card for your groceries and restaurant expenses.
Keep in mind that all of your American Express Membership Rewards points accrue to one master account. As long as you have at least one card open that earns Membership Rewards points, your points will never expire.
This includes no-annual fee cards like the Blue Business Plus.
The Amex Gold is also featured in our 5 Best Credit Cards for Groceries / Supermarkets.
Rates and Fees for the American Express® Gold Card
Frequently asked questions
Does the American Express Gold Card, the American Express Rose Gold Card or the American Express White Gold card have any differences?
Only the color! All other card features and benefits are identical. It’s just a different color on the same card.
Does American Express Gold Card get you into airport lounges?
No, the American Express Gold Card does not offer any lounge access. You would need to step up to the American Express Platinum card or consider any of the other cards we list with airport lounge access.
Is it hard to get the Gold Card?
You’ll need at least a “Good” credit score, meaning a 670+ FICO score
Is it worth getting the Amex Gold Card?
If you spend a lot at supermarkets and on dining (including takeout and delivery), card membership is absolutely worth considering.
How do I get 4X points with the American Express Gold Card?
You will earn 4X Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases at U.S. supermarkets and on dining, including takeout and delivery, up to a maximum of $50,000 per calendar year; 1X thereafter.
How do I get 3X points with the Amex Gold Card?
You will earn 3x points on airfare booked directly with airlines or at amextravel.com.
Is there a better credit card than the Amex Gold Card?
As we always say, there is no one best credit card, there is just the best credit card (or cards) for you. Use our famous Card Explorer if you are not sure which card is best for you.
Does the American Express Gold Card have Baggage Insurance?
The American Express Gold Card White Gold, and Rose Gold card also offer the Baggage Insurance Plan. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. See the American Express website before applying for all details.
Does the American Express Gold Card charge foreign transaction fees?
No, The Gold Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Does the American Express Gold card have car rental coverage?
The Amex Gold’s CDW (collision damage waiver) is secondary to your personal car insurance and covers Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory when you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the Rental Company counter. Not all cars are covered so call in advance of your rental if you are unsure. Does not cover vehicles in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This benefit does not include liability coverage.
You can optionally buy an American Express offering called “Premium Car Rental Protection” which will give you primary coverage on up to $75,000 or $100,000 depending on which option you choose. You will pay one fee per rental to get this coverage.
Does the Amex Gold Card come with any elite statuses?
No, the Gold Card does not confer elite status with any airline or hotel chain.
Does the Golds Card offer extended warranty?
The extended warranty on the Gold Card extends the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty for up to one additional year. This benefit applies to warranties of 5 years or less on Covered Purchases in the United States or its territories or possessions. Note that you must pay for the product in full with your Card. This is a reason to avoid using gift cards on eligible purchases for which you want this coverage.
What credit score do I need to get a Gold Card?
You’ll need at least a “Good” credit score, meaning a 670+ FICO score.
What can I do with the points earned for spending on the American Express Gold Card?
You will be able to redeem these points for anything from gift cards to airline miles. We suggest only using them to transfer to their airline and hotel partners. We suggest that you read our guide to American Express Membership Rewards points to maximize the value you get from your points.
Does The American Express Gold Card have Cell Phone Protection?
No, Gold Card does not offer any cell phone protection benefits.
