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American Express · charge
Last updated
Typically needs excellent credit (guideline, not a guarantee)
Is the Amex Gold worth keeping when the fee hits? →
Welcome offer — Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points after qualifying spend (offer varies) Verified by source
Portal caveat — Amex Travel averages ~10.32% above booking direct; portal redemptions are worth less than the headline rate.
Worth knowing
Our assessment from this card's own published terms — vendor-neutral, never an issuer's wording. How we judge value.
Apply on American Express's siteOfficial issuer page (not an affiliate link yet) · how we earn
Personalize this for you → add your cards & memberships and we'll show what it's really worth to you.
What this card delivers across six value dimensions (0–100, normalized).
| 4× | Restaurants worldwide — Up to $50K/year, then 1x Verified by source |
|---|---|
| 4× | U.S. supermarkets — Up to $25K/year, then 1x Verified by source |
| 5× | Prepaid hotels via Amex Travel Verified by source |
| 3× | Flights (Amex Travel or direct) Verified by source |
| 1× | Everything else Inferred by source |
Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to these loyalty programs. Mostly 1:1 (Hilton 1:2). Inferred by source
| Airlines (16) | |
|---|---|
| Hotels (3) |
Recent transfer changes
| Uber Cash | $120/yr · monthly Inferred by sourceenroll |
|---|---|
| Dining Credit | $120/yr · monthly Inferred by sourceenroll |
| Resy Credit | $100/yr · semiannual Inferred by sourceenroll |
| Dunkin' Credit | $84/yr · monthly Inferred by sourceenroll |
Which of these will you actually use?
Pre-checked = a typical cardholder captures it. Uncheck the ones you won't.
No lounge access.
| The Hotel Collection | $100 property credit + room upgrade on 2+ night stays via Amex Travel Inferred by source |
|---|---|
| Hertz Five Star status | Complimentary mid-tier Hertz Gold Plus Rewards status (added in the 2026 refresh; enrollment required) Inferred by source |
| Rental car CDW | Secondary, up to $50,000 Inferred by source |
|---|---|
| Baggage | Baggage insurance up to $1,250 carry-on / $500 checked Inferred by source |
| Purchase protection | Up to $10,000 per covered purchase, $50,000/calendar year; accidental damage and theft for 90 days from purchase Verified by source |
| Extended warranty | Adds up to 1 year to original manufacturer's warranty of 5 years or less; up to $10,000/covered purchase, $50,000/year Verified by source |
| Trip delay | Up to $300/covered trip when round-trip delayed more than 12 hours; covers meals and lodging; max 2 claims per 12-month period Verified by source |
*Realized/net assume full use of non-spend-gated credits — an upper bound. Personalize it
The American Express® Gold Card has a $325 annual fee.
Using its non-spend-gated credits fully, the American Express® Gold Card returns about $424 in value against its $325 annual fee — a net of +$99 per year. It can pay for itself if you actually use the credits.
The American Express® Gold Card earns 5x on prepaid hotels via amex travel, 4x on restaurants worldwide, 4x on u.s. supermarkets.
No — the American Express® Gold Card does not include airport lounge access.
No — the American Express® Gold Card has no foreign transaction fee, so it's a good card to use abroad.
Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points after qualifying spend (offer varies). Welcome offers change frequently — confirm the current one on the issuer's page before applying.