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American Express Gold Card: Earn Top Rewards Whether You Cook or Dine Out

The annual fee may be higher than other midtier cards, but the Gold Card is like two rewards cards in one.

American Express® Gold Card

7.5/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
CNET’S PICK
American Express® Gold Card
Learn More

American Express® Gold Card

7.5/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Intro Offer
60,000 Membership Rewards® Points Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual fee
$250
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards rate
3x – 4x Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.; Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).; Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
Rewards Rate
4x
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4x
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
3x
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more

With inflation costing people hundreds of dollars more on basic necessities per month, it’s a good time to look for ways to save on parts of your budget. Some credit cards are specifically positioned to maximize your rewards on groceries or restaurants, but typically not both. The American Express® Gold Card’s** unique offer includes substantial rewards on your meals no matter where they come from.

This is also a great combo card for avid travelers, offering top value when points are redeemed for flights or transferred to airline partners. It also boasts no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) and a few additional travel perks.

While the $250 annual fee (see rates and fees) is higher than comparable cards, if you’re able to use the Gold Card’s annual credits or qualify for the welcome offer, it becomes more reasonable. Read on to learn more about the rewards program and credits -- and to make sure you get the best value for your points.

Rewards program

The Gold Card focuses its reward structure on dining and travel categories. Cardholders earn 4x Membership Rewards points (Amex’s reward currency) on restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4x points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x), 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 1x points on all other eligible purchases.

If you were to redeem those Membership Rewards points toward flights booked through the American Express travel portal, receiving 1 cent per point, that would translate into 4% back on restaurants and U.S. supermarket purchases, and 3% on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. That’s usually the highest redemption rate you can get with most cards -- but the Gold Card’s rewards program isn’t as lucrative for other redemption methods.

Welcome offer

The current welcome offer for the Gold Card is 60,000 points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of account opening, which is worth $600 when redeemed toward flights through American Express Travel. On average, this requires $1,000 of spending each month for six months to unlock the reward -- not an unreasonable amount given the U.S. supermarket, restaurants and flight categories. 

Points redemption

There are a variety of ways to redeem Membership Rewards points, but only some will help you maximize their value. 

The two best ways to redeem your points are using them to book travel through the American Express Travel portal and transferring them to one of over a dozen partner airlines. When booking flights through American Express Travel, you’ll get a 1 cent per point redemption rate on flights. At that rate, 4x points earns you 4% back on U.S. supermarket and restaurant purchases (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in U.S. supermarket purchases, then 1x), and 3% on flights (booked directly with an airline or through amextravel.com).

When you transfer your points to an airline partner, you’ll usually get a one-to-one transfer value, so MR points are worth 1 point or mile of the partner’s currency, whether that’s Delta SkyMiles, British Airways Avios, etc. (I personally tend to favor Delta Economy when I fly, and I can usually get 1 cent per mile or a little more when I redeem SkyMiles.) Redeeming your points for gift cards will also yield 1 cent per point.

Meanwhile, the redemption value is only 0.7 cent per point for prepaid hotels, cruises and prepaid rental cars booked through American Express Travel. And if you want to redeem your Membership Rewards points as a statement credit, they’re only worth 0.6 cent each. 

You can also donate your points to eligible charitable causes with JustGiving or use them to shop on Amazon for a rate of 0.7 cent per point. At a rate of 0.7 cent per point, 4x points earns you 2.8% back on U.S. supermarket and restaurant purchases (up to $25,000 per calendar year in U.S. supermarket purchases, then 1x) -- not a great rate, all things considered.

Amex Gold credits

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

The Gold Card has two dining credits you can take advantage of. 

The up to $120 dining credit can be earned in increments of up to $10 each month, and will be applied to your account as a statement credit when you use your Gold Card at a participating vendor, such as Grubhub, Seamless, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, select Shake Shack locations and The Cheesecake Factory. Note that you must enroll for the credits to appear.

Basically, if you already spend at least $10 at one of the above partners each month, this card could earn you a $10 statement credit every month.

The second credit is for Uber. When you add your Gold Card to your Uber account, you’ll get $10 in Uber Cash each month, for a total of up to $120 per year. You can use that cash for Uber Rides or UberEats orders in the U.S., and while you need to add your Gold Card to your account, you can still use other methods of payment and earn the benefit. 

If you use Uber at least once or twice a month, and eat at one of the participating dining partners, that’s up to $240 back a year. For a card with a $250 annual fee, those credits can just about mitigate its cost, making the rewards net-positive.

Additional travel benefits

In addition to the rewards, credits and welcome offer, the Gold Card offers a few other notable benefits. They include no foreign transaction fees, a few forms of travel insurance and some hotel benefits.

You’ll be covered by a baggage insurance plan* for lost, damaged or stolen baggage -- up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and $500 for checked baggage. You also get car rental loss and damage insurance*, so you won’t need to pay extra for collision insurance with your rental car company in most cases.

When you book within “The Hotel Collection” program from Amex, which includes more than 600 properties worldwide, you get up to a $100 experience credit (experience credit varies by property) to spend on certain qualifying hotel activities like food or spa services. You must book at least two nights through American Express Travel to qualify for this benefit. American Express Gold Card holders are also eligible for a room upgrade, when available.

Alternative cards

The Gold Card is fairly unique in that premium cards tend to have an annual fee closer to $400 and up, while midtier cards are typically $95 to $100 per year. That being said, there are a few comparable options that offer similar reward categories you should consider before applying.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card** earns 4% cash back on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, as well as 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Target and Walmart). The annual fee is $95 and the current welcome bonus is $300 cash after spending $3,000 within three months from account opening.

The Savor Rewards is a great option if you prefer cash rewards over the hassle of travel rewards, and if you’d prefer a lower annual fee. Capital One also has a no-annual-fee version, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card**, which offers 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Target and Walmart), and a $200 cash bonus if you spend $500 in the first three months.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

If you eat at home much more often than at a restaurant, the Blue Cash Preferred** is a good option. 

The Blue Cash Preferred offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on the first $6,000 of eligible purchases in a calendar year (then 1%), 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% on transit, 3% on gas at U.S. gas stations and 1% on all other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. You won’t find a better rate for U.S. supermarkets. There is a $95 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year), and the welcome offer is currently a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first six months of account opening.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Check out our full review of the Blue Cash Preferred Card for more details.

How American Express® Gold Card compares to other cards

CNET’S PICK
American Express® Gold Card
Learn More

American Express® Gold Card

7.5/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
See Rates & Fees Terms apply
Intro Offer
60,000 Membership Rewards® Points Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual fee
$250
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Rewards rate
3x – 4x Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.; Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).; Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Learn More

The Platinum Card® from American Express

8/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
See Rates & Fees Terms apply
Intro Offer
Earn 80,000 points Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual fee
$695
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Rewards rate
5x – 5x Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.; Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Learn More

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

7.5/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Intro Offer
75,000 miles Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Annual fee
$95
APR
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Rewards rate
2x – 5x Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options; Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day.

FAQs

Deciding which grocery credit card is right for you will depend largely on your shopping habits. Make sure any spending caps on grocery rewards exceed your budget so you can maximize your rewards, and verify that where you shop for groceries is included in the credit card issuer’s definition. Keep in mind that most major credit card companies do not consider wholesale clubs and big-box stores like Walmart and Target to be grocery stores, so your purchases there might not qualify for the same rewards.

Choosing the right restaurant credit card starts with knowing your budget. Figure out how much you spend on dining out and delivery. Multiply your annual restaurant budget to a card’s restaurant rewards rates to find out how much you can earn over the course of a year, and subtract the annual fee to see if it would be worth it. Be mindful of any spending caps imposed on restaurant rewards rates. You’ll also want to consider if there are any credits or other perks that you’ll be able to take advantage of.

The points and travel benefits that you accrue through a travel rewards program are often redeemed through your credit card issuer’s website (or app) or appear as a statement credit that reimburses you for past travel-related and everyday purchases you made with your travel credit card. Points or miles can also be transferred to travel partners -- mostly hotels and airlines -- at a fluctuating conversion rate, where they can then be used to book a flight or hotel room.

To choose the best travel credit card, there are a few key factors to consider:

  • Annual fees: Every single travel rewards program reviewed here has annual fees, with some climbing as high as $695, but those fees are usually mitigated by monthly or annual credits.
  • Exclusive perks: Some of these travel rewards card options also grant access to exclusive travel perks, like airline lounges, priority boarding or VIP welcomes at hotels. The value of those perks is subjective and something you’ll have to evaluate based on your needs and wants.
  • Foreign transaction fees: None of the best travel cards makes users pay a foreign transaction fee, so a foreign transaction fee is not something you have to worry about with any of the credit cards recommended here.

Our methodology

CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different -- and the designated function of a card. 

For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, click here.

*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.

**All information about the American Express Gold Card, Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, The Platinum Card from American Express, Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, and Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

Joe Van Brussel is a freelance writer for CNET Money, where he deciphers obfuscatory credit card offers and breaks them down so consumers actually know what belongs in their wallet. He also covers other aspects of personal finance, from life insurance and loans to tax software and the impact of broader economic trends on individuals. Joe believes the United States will win the World Cup in his lifetime, and wishes New York City apartments came standard with thick, noise-reducing windows.