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Annual Fee: $325
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Offer ends 11/6/24.
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.
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Offer ends 11/6/24.
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.
For American Express products listed in this page, 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.
The American Express Gold card has great earning potential, including 4x points on global restaurants (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x), take out and delivery (in the U.S.), and U.S. supermarket spending (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x) as well as 3x points on booked flights.
Check out our deep dive on this card to see how the Gold Card can rack up more points than almost any other credit card on this list.
Plus, you might be eligible to get an elevated welcome offer on the Amex Gold card by going through CardMatch, a simple and secure tool. Check it out here!
[.redeem] 4x [.redeem]per $1 for purchases at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x after that) and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x after that)
[.redeem] 3x [.redeem]per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amex Travel
[.redeem] 2x [.redeem]per $1 on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on Amex Travel
[.redeem] 1x [.redeem]per $1 on everyday purchases
For American Express products listed in this page, 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.
🏆 Best for flexible bonus earning
🏆 Best for flexible bonus earning
Annual Fee: $375
Best for 2X on Everyday Spending
Best for 2X on Everyday Spending
Annual Fee: $95
🏆 Daily Drop's Most Popular Card
🏆 Daily Drop's Most Popular Card
Annual Fee: $95
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Offer ends 11/6/24.
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.
Folks, we have yet another “keeper card” on our hands. In other words, the American Express® Gold Card plays well with others. The main reason I love this card is because it earns more at restaurants than almost all the others. The average American spends about $300 per month on eating out. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends $475.25 per month on groceries. If the Amex Gold Card earns 4X per $1 for purchases at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x after that) and at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x after. And if you fall into the “average” category, that’s just over 3,100 points in your pocket per month. I mean… a girl’s gotta eat 💅
Ok, I promise I’ll wrap it up here soon, but let’s do a little more math. The Gold Card is currently offering 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months of Card Membership (plus receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of card membership, up to $100). If you were to make that minimum spend and spend the “average” amount of moolah on dining and groceries, you’d be sitting on 97,200 Membership Rewards points after a year of holding the Amex Gold Card. The current value of Amex points is about 2.8 cents each when transferred to partner programs.
This means — those 97,200 points could be worth about $970 when used to book travel through Amex’s travel portal. Those points could be worth about $2,720 when maximized through Amex’s transfer partners. Maybe it’s just me? But $2,720 feels like a whooooole lot for a mere $325 annual fee (rates and fees). Brendan recently renewed his Gold Card membership for the fourth year and is still getting seriously great value. Check out why he loves to keep this card in his wallet 👇
[.pro]Solid earning potential, specifically when dining out or buying groceries[.pro]
[.pro]Access to 17 airline and three hotel transfer partners[.pro]
[.pro]Up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.)[.pro]
[.pro]Elevated earnings on travel booked through Amex’s travel portal [.pro]
[.con]This card does come with a $325 annual fee[.con]
[.redeem] 4x [.redeem]per $1 for purchases at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x after that) and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x after that)
[.redeem] 3x [.redeem]per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amex Travel
[.redeem] 2x [.redeem]per $1 on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on Amex Travel
[.redeem] 1x [.redeem]per $1 on everyday purchases
This was my third points and miles card and is my absolute favorite. I live in a city and find it easy to use the credits to offset the annual fee. I spend most of my money on groceries and dining out so this is my most solid earner card. And the 3x earn on flights is terrific! I've redeemed points from this card for 2 one-way business class tickets DFW > HND, and 1 business class ticket NRT > BOS on Japan Airlines via a British Airways ticket; as well as to help cover 1 round trip economy ticket.
When it comes to Membership Rewards points, the best way to maximize your points is to redeem them with travel.
[.dontreco] We don’t recommend: Redeeming your points for cash back [.dontreco]
While you can use your Membership Rewards points for a statement credit, essentially getting cash back, those points are typically worth just 0.6 cents each. This simply doesn’t provide the best value for your points.
[.sometimesreco] We sometimes recommend: Booking through the AmEx travel portal [.sometimesreco]
You can redeem your points for flights, hotel stays, and car rentals through Amex Travel, but this usually gives you a value of 1 cent per point or less, which is at least 50% lower than the normal value of points. While this is a decent option, it’s still not the best.
[.alwaysreco] We always recommend: Using points to book with transfer partners [.alwaysreco]
The bottom line is — if a flight or hotel room can be bought with cash, you can use your points to book it. Transferring your Amex points can score you more than 1.25 cents per point by moving rewards to Amex'’s super-duper-wonderful airline and hotel partners. Top picks include Delta, Emirates, Qatar, Hilton, Marriott, and so many more. Taking advantage of these transfer partners is one of the best ways to justify your AmEx Gold Card.
Simply log into your Amex account, click on “earn and redeem,” and you’ll see Amex’s long list of transfer partners. From there, make your transfer selection based on your trip and transfer those points. And just like that, you’re on your way! ✈️
Here’s that sweet list of Amex Gold Card transfer partners we were just chatting about:
Brendan and his wife, Erin, used 500k points to take a three-month honeymoon. I mean… sign me up! They applied for three specific cards, one of which was the Amex Gold Card! Learn more about their massive points-earning spree and redemption strategies (including staying in a literal castle) in this video 👇
Why? Look. The Amex Platinum speaks for itself in more ways than one. And if you’re looking to upgrade your travel game, then this is a fantastic addition to your wallet alongside the Amex Gold. It offers higher rewards on flights and hotels, plus tons of travel perks like lounge access, elite status with Marriott and Hilton, and hundreds of statement credits. The Amex Platinum comes with a pretty steep annual fee, but its perks offset that annual fee — and then some — if you utilize said perks. Its current offer is worth over $1,500 and comes with statements galore: up to $200 annual airline fee credit, up to $200 hotel credit on Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay required), up to $200 Uber Cash annually (To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Platinum Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.), up to $189 Clear Plus membership credit, up to $240 digital entertainment credit, up to $300 Equinox credit, $155 Walmart+ membership credit, up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, and more. Enrollment required for select benefits.
Phew… I’m winded just reading that. The Gold Card has higher earning rates on Amex travel and eligible prepaid hotels booked including The Hotel Collection, which is a nice addition to the Gold Card’s earnings on everyday purchases. Again, The Amex Platinum is ideal for frequent travelers who can take full advantage, so if you can utilize the credits and value the travel benefits, it’s a great choice.
Why? If you love cash back and spend money on U.S. streaming, supermarkets, transit, and gas (and who doesn’t?) the Blue Cash Preferred is for you. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. With great rates in these categories, it's perfect for travelers who want flexible rewards and maybe aren’t traveling full-time.
The $95 annual fee is actually a $0 intro annual fee the first year (rates and fees), which is nice considering the Gold Card comes with a higher annual fee. With the Blue Cash Preferred, you’ll earn 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 6% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% on transit and U.S. gas stations, and 1% on other purchases. So, if you’re looking for flexible rewards, the Blue Cash Preferred is a great option to pair with the Amex Gold Card.
Interested in pursuing an “Amex Trifecta"? In this YouTube video, Brendan explains why he holds three cards from the same bank in his wallet 👇
Ok, if there’s one thing about me — it’s that I’m gonna eat. If you can relate even a little bit, you should consider applying for the Gold Card. It’s physically painful to watch your friend pull out their debit card to pay for a meal and earn zero points. Ugh, seriously. Painful. Because the Gold Card earns 4X per dollar at restaurants and supermarkets (see caps above), you’ll be racking up points pretty much daily. This is one of those cards that is great to pair with others. While your other cards might earn great points back on gas, Doordash, etc., you should always whip this card out to spot the bill.
Ok, so you might not be traveling every single day, but if you’re using your PTO for a few really awesome trips, this is a good card to keep around. Remember that math we did earlier about how many points you can earn in a year? With some simple miles and points strategies, you can stretch those miles to cover thousands of dollars in travel.
While the Gold Card might not be considered “luxury,” it’s not as easy to be approved for as some starter cards. It’s not super-duper difficult, but still. You need to be traveling enough to make the annual fee (rates and fees) worth it.There are several ways you can go about this. You can book travel through the Amex travel portal. You could also transfer to one of Amex’s many, many partners (this is preferred). For example, you could escape on a 7-night Spanish countryside vacation booked entirely with points. Mike breaks down exactly how to use your Membership Rewards points for just that in this newsletter. And even if you’d want to use your points another way, this example will still give you a good idea about how far you can stretch those points.
Here’s a good rule of thumb:
You probably shouldn’t own a credit card if you: (1) have a bad credit score, (2) are a non-U.S. resident (for this particular card), and (3) cannot control your spending. If your credit score is below 700, you'll need to improve it before applying for travel credit cards, as approval for the best ones, like the Gold Card, is unlikely.
Be honest with yourself: if a new credit card will tempt you to overspend, it's best to avoid it. Credit cards are crucial for earning miles and points, but they require responsible use.
A good credit score of 670 - 850 is recommended for the Amex Gold Card. But again, if you’re in a solid place with your credit and feel you are ready for a new card, don’t let the fear of being rejected keep you from applying.
We’ve known several people to be rejected on their first application, use the reconsideration line, and be granted the Amex Gold Card. While it’s not necessarily a beginner card, the worst they can say is “no.”
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