Why the American Express Gold Card Is Ideal for Culinary Enthusiasts Who Travel

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The American Express® Gold Card stands out as one of the brand's favorites, and it’s easy to see why. It provides generous rewards on spending, user-friendly credits that nearly balance its annual fee, and excellent travel and shopping insurance. Even more enticing? The card currently features an impressive welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $6,000 within the first six months.

Although it carries an annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees), the card offers exceptional value, particularly with an earning rate of four points for every dollar spent in categories like restaurants worldwide, takeout/delivery within the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then one point per dollar afterward).

Here’s everything you need to understand about the American Express Gold Card and why you should think about applying for it—especially if your spending primarily revolves around food and travel.

The AmEx Gold Card provides fantastic earning rates for food and travel purchases.

The Gold Card stands out against its counterparts (such as the Platinum Card® from American Express) and rivals (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card) due to its impressive earning rates, offering four points and three points in various categories.

With the AmEx Gold Card, you earn the following bonus Membership Rewards points per dollar spent:

• 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants globally
• 4 points per dollar on takeout and delivery within the U.S.
• 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X)
• 3 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
• 2 points per dollar on travel (excluding airfare) on amextravel.com

Here’s how the points earned per dollar spent stack up against other AmEx cards:

The data shows that the Gold Card is ideal for those who frequently spend on food and beverages, whether dining out, ordering takeout, or grocery shopping. As someone who uses the Gold Card for all my food-related expenses, I can confirm that the points accumulate quickly. Earning three points per dollar on airfare is impressive, but earning only one point per dollar on other travel not booked through amextravel.com is somewhat disappointing, which is why I suggest using different cards for non-airfare travel expenses.

An attractive 60,000-point welcome bonus

At present, the American Express Gold Card is enticing new cardholders with a generous 60,000 AmEx Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 within the first six months of membership.

Once earned, AmEx points can be transferred to 17 airline partners—three domestic and 14 international—as well as three hotel partners. This makes Membership Rewards the premier loyalty program for transferable points, surpassing Capital One Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou points. Transfer partners include Delta SkyMiles, Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue, and Marriott Bonvoy, with transfers at a 1:1 ratio, while Hilton Honors transfers at a rate of two Hilton Honors points for each Membership Rewards point.

If you already hold another AmEx card and are curious about bonus eligibility, the answer is yes—you can receive the AmEx Gold bonus. You can have multiple different AmEx cards, but not two of the same. So, as long as you don’t currently possess (or have had in the past) the Gold Card, you qualify for the introductory bonus.

$240 in credits almost offsets the $250 annual fee

American Express is renowned for balancing annual fees with substantial credits, and the AmEx Gold Card follows suit. Cardholders can earn up to $120 in Uber Cash each year, credited as $10 monthly to their linked Uber account. (Note: As a holder of both the Gold and Platinum cards, I receive the $10 monthly credit for Gold and $15 for Platinum without them offsetting each other.) Additionally, there’s a dining credit of up to $120, given as $10 in statement credits each month when using the card at Grubhub, the Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. (Enrollment is necessary.) If fully utilized, these two annual credits nearly cover the $250 annual fee.

Along with those monthly credits, it’s possible to receive up to a $100 experience credit when booking a two-night stay or more at the Hotel Collection through American Express Travel.

Lastly, like all American Express cards, the Gold Card grants access to AmEx Offers, a dynamic selection of discounts and deals tailored to your location and spending habits. You can explore your personalized offers in the American Express app or online after logging in. Personally, I’ve saved $345 to date through AmEx Offers using my Gold Card.

Dependable travel and shopping insurance

In search of a card that offers robust travel insurance? The Gold Card provides several travel insurance benefits when you charge your trip to it:

• Comprehensive car rental protection (covering theft or damage, plus excess medical costs in case of injury during an accident)
• Baggage insurance (for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage)
• Trip delay insurance (for delays of 12 hours or more)

When it comes to shopping protection, the card includes two key benefits. First, it offers an extended warranty of one additional year on the original manufacturer’s warranty (for warranties of five years or less on eligible purchases in the U.S.). Second, Purchase Protection safeguards items that are accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the date of purchase.

The downside? No access to airport lounges.

Unfortunately, like many credit cards with lower annual fees, the Gold Card does not grant access to airport lounges. If you're looking for lounge access through a credit card, consider the Platinum Card from American Express ($695 annual fee, see rates and fees). It is the premier card for lounge access, featuring a range that includes American Express Centurion and Escape Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, and more.

In summary: The American Express Gold Card is a valuable option.

The American Express Gold Card is an excellent choice for those who frequently spend at restaurants and supermarkets. With a generous welcome bonus of 60,000 points, it’s a fantastic way to enhance your points balance and dream about the travel opportunities your points can provide.

While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they may change at any moment and could have already been updated or may no longer be available. Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. For more details, please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.