Two months ago, I finally applied and was accepted for the American Express Gold Credit Card. This week, the Amex gold just got a major refresh.
So what does this mean?
About the Card & Earning Points
For those who may not be familiar, the Amex Gold credit card is one of the best rewards credit cards to use for dining. This is because it earns 4x points on groceries from U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide. It also earns 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through the Amex Travel Portal , 2x points on prepaid hotels, and 1x on other eligible purchases.
For a list of Amex’s Travel Transfer Partners click here.
Benefits
The Amex Gold offers two statement credits and a nice Sign Up Bonus for foodies:
- Up to $120 in Uber Credit – once the card is added to your Uber account, $10 will automatically be applied each month.
- Up to $120 in Dining Credit – once enrolled, you will earn $10 a month for purchases from GrubHub, Wine.com, Goldbelly, Milk Bar, The Cheesecake Factory, and participating Shake Shack locations.
- SUB – when applying for the Amex Gold, you have the opportunity to earn anywhere from 60,000 to 90,000 points as a Sign Up Bonus when you spend at least $6,000 in your first 6 months of owning the card. This is equal to $420 to $630 in value!
Plus, the original card comes in a Gold or Rose Gold design.
July 2024 Updates
Rumors have been circulating for a couple of months now that the Amex Gold card would be increasing their annual fee. Of course, with a fee increase, we were hoping this meant added benefits that were worth it.
Previously, the card had an annual fee of $250, already pretty steep. This has now increased to $325. The new benefits include:
- Five Guys as an added participant to the dining credit.
- A New $84 Dunkin Donuts Credit – once enrolled, you will earn $7 a month.
- A New $100 Resy Credit – once enrolled, you will earn up to $50 from January through June and $50 from July through December for restaurants booked through Resy.
- Added cap on earning 4x for restaurant purchases worldwide – now only eligible for up to $50k in spending per calendar year. Afterwards, restaurant purchases will earn you 1x the rest of the year.
- Added cap on earning 4x for groceries from U.S. supermarkets – now only eligible for up to $25k in spending per calendar year. Afterwards, grocery purchases will earn you 1x the rest of the year.
A new limited-edition White Gold design option is also available.
Is It Still Worth It?
Given the value of the sign up bonus when applying for the Amex Gold, it does pay for itself in the first year. After that however, whether it’s worth it for you truly depends on your spending habits, and if food purchases are a major part of it. Plus, if you stay on top of using the monthly food credits that the card offers.
If you’re still in doubt, I would recommend searching for an Amex Gold Card points or annual fee calculator to help you decide. Both Amex and Nerdwallet offer good options.
Why I’m Keeping It
Personally, as I applied and was approved for the Amex Gold just two months ago, I will be keeping it for now as I’ve yet to scratch the surface of the card’s benefits. Truthfully, I never really dine at the participating restaurants (for the dining credit) mentioned in this post. I do, however, dine out at restaurants at least 3 times a week. So the 4x points on restaurant spending was very appealing to me. To get use out of the dining credit, my plan is to use GrubHub’s take out option to pick up lunch for work once a month. This way I don’t have to pay for extra delivery fees. I also have a Dunkin Donuts right around the corner from my house, so I think I’ll be taking advantage of that credit too on my commute to work.
As for the annual fee and how that will affect us new cardholders, I received the following email update from Amex:
Since I’m still new to owning the Amex Gold, I’ll be re-evaluating its perks in another year. Keep you posted!
