Article first published April 21, 2017. Updated October 25, 2018 by Elisa Ortiz
[DISCLOSURE: Cards from our partners are mentioned below.]
American Express has recently upped its game with its makeover of the American Express Gold Card. The American Express Gold Card was known for its travel rewards but since re-structuring rewards, this has become the card for dining rewards (we’re talking to you foodies!)
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Previously, cardholders would earn two points per dollar spent at US gas stations, US supermarkets and US restaurants, and one point per dollar on other purchases.
But now, American Express has decided to focus on dining rewards in order to expand their appeal to Millennials. The Gold Card offers 4x the Membership Rewards at U.S. Restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 on purchases each year). So whether you’re a stay at-home chef or you like to eat out, the rewards for food purchases are unparalleled. Cardholders can also earn up to $10 in statement credits each month if they use their Gold Card with participating dining partners (you do have to enroll). That’s up to $120 per year!
American Express also offers rewards for travel. They kept their Membership Rewards the same for this category – earn up to 3X the points on flights booked with airlines or on amextravel.com. Cardholders can also earn up to a $100 airline fee statement credit. There are also no foreign transaction fees.
New applicants earn 35,000 Membership Rewards Points when they spend $2,000 with the American Express® Gold Card within the first three months of opening the account.
Earning points in the Membership Rewards Program allows you to pay with points through American Express Travel or redeem points for gift cards.
Cardholders may access the Personalized Travel Service, which can assist in planning and booking travel, along with the Global Assist Hotline, which can provide emergency referral and coordination assistance if something goes wrong while away from home. This card has a annual fee and no interest charges because you pay your balance in full each month.
Aside from the awesome dining rewards, the American Express Gold Card offers a variety of travel and shopping benefits. Cardholders may use Premium Roadside Assistance services up to four times a year at no extra cost, including tows up to 10 miles, jumpstarts and flat-tire changes. When you use the American Express® Gold Card to pay for a car rental and decline the collision damage waiver, you can be covered if the car is damaged or stolen. There is also a baggage insurance plan if your luggage is lost, damaged or stolen on a trip you booked with your American Express Gold Card.
Cardholders can get an extended warranty, and when an item is broken or stolen, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per occurrence (restrictions may apply). At the same time, if you attempt to return an item within 90 days from the date of purchase and the merchant will not accept it, you are eligible for a refund of up to $300 per item when you use the American Express® Gold Card. Cardholders will enjoy Entertainment Access, which provides exclusive tickets to events around the country.
On the downside, American Express cards are not as widely accepted abroad as Visa and Mastercard, which may make it more difficult to use this card, particularly when traveling out of the country. If you are looking for a travel rewards card that offers airport lounge access, this card will not fit your needs. In addition, this card is a charge card, so you are required to pay your statement balance in full every month. You’ll also want to make sure that the rewards you earn are worth the annual fee.
You’ll need good or excellent credit in order to qualify for this credit card. If you don’t know where you stand, you can check two of your credit scores for free on Credit.com.
This card is best for people who dine out or spend a lot on food and travel often, especially those who tend to book directly with airlines. Doing these things allows you to make the most of the rewards and balance out the annual fee. Cardholders must be able to pay the balance in full each month since this is a charge card.
For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, please click here.
At publishing time, the American Express® Gold Card is offered through Credit.com product pages, and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for this card. However, this relationship does not result in any preferential editorial treatment. This content is not provided by the card issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of Credit.com alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the issuer.
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