American Express Gold Card
| Annual fee | $325 Fact |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Rewards currency | Membership Rewards points |
| Est. point value | 2.00¢ Estimate |
Last updated Sep 6, 2026
Checked Sep 6, 2026
Before you apply
General American Express policies as commonly reported by applicants, not a prediction about your application.
📈 Sign-up bonus history
5-year best: 100,000 pointsView as a table
| Period | Bonus | Spend requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2021 to Aug 2024 · 2.9 yr | 60,000 points | $4,000 |
| Aug 2024 to Jan 2025 · 5 mo | 60,000 points plus $100 statement credit | $6,000 |
| Jan 2025 to Jul 2025 · 6 mo | 60,000 points | $6,000 |
| Jul 2025 to now · 14 mo | 100,000 points Best | $6,000 |
Historical levels reconstructed from periodic snapshots of public offer pages; short-lived offers between samples may be missing. Elevated or targeted offers are not shown.
How you earn
| Category | Rate | Currency | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | 4x | Membership Rewards points | $25,000/yr |
| Restaurants | 4x | Membership Rewards points | $50,000/yr |
| Travel | 3x | Membership Rewards points | No cap |
| Everything else | 1x | Membership Rewards points | No cap |
Your elite status
Recurring credits
Estimated value| Get $10 in Uber Cash each month when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account. Usable on orders and rides with Uber in the U.S. | $120/yr (Monthly) |
| Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. Annual savings of up to $120. | $120/yr (Monthly) |
| Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when booking The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App. Requires two-night minimum stay. | $100/yr (one-time/annual) |
| Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. | $84/yr (Monthly) |
| Get up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 from July through December at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. | $50/yr (one-time/annual) |
Credit value depends on whether you use each credit; treat these as potential value.
Benefits & protections
Card factsComplimentary upgrade to Hertz Five Star Status as a Gold Card Member, plus 2X Membership Rewards points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
Enjoy every trip abroad with no foreign transaction fees from American Express.
24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services when traveling more than 100 miles from home, including medical/legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. Third-party costs are Card Member's responsibility.
Enhanced experience at select stadiums and arenas with dedicated entrances or fast lanes. Enroll and get 10% back on qualifying concessions purchases up to $250 per calendar year. Limit one enrolled Card per Card Member.
Access to Amex Presale Tickets and Amex Reserved Tickets for select sports, music, and other events, plus additional perks at select events.
Send money and split purchases with Venmo or PayPal users in the American Express App, without standard Venmo/PayPal credit card fee. Enrollment required.
Adds up to one extra year to the original manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases (warranties of 5 years or less), up to $10,000 per item, not to exceed $50,000 per calendar year.
Covers eligible purchases for up to 90 days from purchase date if accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost; up to $10,000 per purchase, up to $50,000 per calendar year.
Coverage for damage to or theft of a rental vehicle when using your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire rental and declining the CDW. Secondary coverage, no liability coverage. Not available in Australia, Italy, New Zealand.
Covers lost, damaged, or stolen baggage when the Entire Fare for a Common Carrier ticket is purchased with the Card; up to $1,250 for carry-on and $500 for checked baggage.
If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, reimbursement up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.
Transfer partners
Alliance reach: Oneworld, SkyTeam, Star Alliance. Points transferred to a member can often be redeemed across the alliance.
News on this card
-
Article Aug 22, 2026Is Cash Back Better Than Points? Amex Gold vs. 2% Cash Back
Points do convert to money, at 0.6 cents each. Where a flat 2% card wins, where the Amex Gold wins, and why most people should carry both.