Is the American Express Gold card worth it?

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I’ve been earning and burning credit card miles and points for almost eight years, and the American Express® Gold Card is now my all-time favorite credit card. There’s a reason it makes our lists of the best Amex cards and the best travel cards.

It’s incredibly rewarding for foodies or if you book paid airfare. It also comes with a healthy 60,000 Amex Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening, which is more than enough for a round-trip domestic flight when you transfer points to airline partners. 

The Amex Gold Card also comes with a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees). That’s no small amount, so you may be wondering if the American Express Gold Card is worth it for you. Here’s what you need to know.

Is the Amex Gold Card worth it?

With the American Express Gold Card, you’ll earn 60,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.  

You’ll also get:

• 4 Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants
• 4 Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases (then 1 point per dollar)
• 3 Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com
• Up to $120 dining credit ($10 monthly) each year at participating restaurants (enrollment required)
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
• Terms Apply

There’s a $250 annual fee, but the perks of the Amex Gold can far outweigh the cost of keeping the card, especially in the first year.

You can read our in-depth review of the Amex Gold Card here.

Now let’s look at how the American Express Gold Card benefits add up.

Excellent earning at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and on airfare

The American Express Gold Card earns 4 Amex Membership Rewards points per $1 spent at restaurants, and 4 Amex Membership Rewards points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per $1). This offers a huge earning potential for many of us who spend a decent amount of money on groceries at U.S. supermarkets and dining out. An average family can easily spend $500 a month on groceries at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants, which adds up to 2,000 Amex Membership Rewards points per month on purchases you’d make anyway. In the course of a year you’d earn ~24,000 Amex Membership Rewards points, which is nearly enough for a round-trip flight to Ireland from the East Coast when you transfer points to British Airways.

The card also comes with a bonus spending category on flights, earning 3 Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar when you book directly with airlines or through Amex Travel. This is a great deal, especially if you don’t have other cards that offer a bonus for travel.

With these spending categories alone, you could easily offset the annual fee and then some.

Up to $120 annual dining credit

Each year, the American Express Gold Card comes with up to a $120 annual dining credit, which is broken into $10 monthly increments. You can use these credits toward merchants like GrubHub and Seamless, which deliver right to your door. Purchases at The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and participating Shake Shack locations are also eligible for the credit. Gift cards and merchandise don’t qualify.

Unused credits don’t carry over, so use them each month — or lose them.

Other ways to save money with the Amex Gold Card

Aside from the perks listed above, the American Express Gold Card gives you other ways to save money, including:

• Amex Offers
• Complimentary Shoprunner membership (free two-day shipping from dozens of online merchants)
• Rental car insurance
• Baggage insurance
• Extended warranty
• Purchase protection

These benefits can potentially save you hundreds of dollars if you make the most of them.

Bottom line

The American Express Gold Card comes with a nice welcome bonus of 60,000 Amex Membership Rewards points after you meet minimum spending requirements.

While the $250 annual fee isn’t waived the first year, you can easily offset the annual fee with perks you’ll get from the card, including:

• Outstanding earning at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and airfare
• Up to $120 dining credit ($10 per month) each calendar year at participating restaurants and services like Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and GrubHub
• Money-saving benefits like Amex Offers, purchase protection and rental car insurance

If you spend a lot on food and airfare, you’ll find the Amex Gold worth it. It’s my go-to card for lots of everyday purchases.

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