Gold
Amex
Gold
Offer Strength
Great offer$160 above typical value
Show breakdown
Estimated bonus value: ~$1,600
Base score: 55
Hotel boost: +15
Ongoing hotel value (conservative): ~$254
• $424 annual credits
Current $1,600 vs typical $1,440
Net value after annual fee: ~$1,529
Estimate based on our value hints; not financial advice.
Annual Fee
$325/yr
Gold
Welcome Offer
Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months.
Eligibility Rules
These issuer rules may affect your approval or bonus eligibility.
Membership Rewards family rule (personal)
Personal Amex MR cards are generally observed to follow ascending order (Green → Gold → Platinum) for bonus eligibility. Opening a higher tier first appears to block bonuses on lower tiers. Business MR cards are treated separately.
Amex lifetime bonus rule
Historically, Amex appears to block welcome bonus eligibility if you've previously earned one on the same card product. This applies per product, not across card families.
Amex credit card soft cap
Amex generally appears to limit revolving credit cards to around 5. Charge cards are evaluated separately and typically don't count.
Amex approval velocity pattern
Community data suggests Amex may limit new approvals to about 1 card per 5 days and 2 credit cards per 90 days. This is not an official Amex policy.
Bonus cooldown policy
Some cards appear to enforce a waiting period between bonuses. The cooldown varies by issuer — from 24 to 60 months depending on the card.
Lifetime bonus rule
A fallback check for cards with explicit lifetime bonus language not covered by issuer-specific rules.
Duplicate ownership rule
Most banks are observed to decline applications for a card you already hold.
Rules reflect community-reported patterns, not official issuer policies.
Check your eligibilityEarning Rates
Dining
4x points
Restaurants worldwide (up to $50k/year)
Groceries
4x points
U.S. supermarkets (up to $25k/year, then 1x)
Flights
3x points
Booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com
Prepaid hotels
2x points
Booked on AmexTravel.com
Everything else
1x points
Key benefits
4x on dining worldwide
Up to $50,000 spent per year at restaurants.
4x at U.S. supermarkets
Up to $25,000 spent per year, then 1x.
3x on flights
Booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
$120 Uber Cash
$10 monthly credit for Uber rides or Uber Eats.
$120 dining credit
$10 monthly at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Five Guys, Goldbelly, and more.
$100 Resy credit
$50 semi-annually at eligible Resy restaurants.
Perks
$424+ in annual credits
Uber, dining, Resy, Dunkin', and Hotel Collection experience credits.
Hotel Collection perks
$100 experience credit, room upgrades, and late checkout on 2+ night stays.
No foreign transaction fees
Use worldwide without extra charges.
Transfer partners
Move points to airline and hotel partners for maximum value.
Travel protections
Car rental insurance, baggage insurance, and trip delay coverage.
Ongoing Value
Annual benefits that offset the fee year after year.
Annual Credits
$424 in statement credits per year
$120 Uber Cash ($10/mo), $120 dining credit ($10/mo), $100 Resy credit ($50 semi-annually), $84 Dunkin' ($7/mo).
Annual Fee Breakeven
Good fit for
About this card
The Amex Gold is widely regarded as the best card for dining and grocery spending, earning 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000/year). It includes up to $120 in annual dining credits and $120 in Uber Cash, significantly reducing the effective annual fee.
Best for
Food enthusiasts and families with high grocery spending who want to accumulate transferable points. Excellent for anyone who spends $500+ per month on dining and groceries combined.
Key considerations
The $250 annual fee is effectively much lower after credits. Not a Visa or Mastercard, so acceptance can be limited at some merchants. Subject to Amex lifetime language.
Downgrade Options
If you decide to cancel, consider product-changing to keep your account history.
Retention Offers
Reported offers when calling to cancel or downgrade. Your offer may vary.
30,000 MR points after $2,000 spend in 3 months
PhoneReddit · 2026-01
$120 statement credit
PhoneFlyerTalk · 2025-11
20,000 MR points, no spend requirement
PhoneReddit · 2025-08
Tip: Call retention after your annual fee posts. Amex Gold retention offers have become more generous since the fee increase to $325.
Last updated: 2026-03. Not guaranteed.
Card analysis
Offer analysis
The current offer on the Gold awards 100,000 points after spending $6,000 within 180 days of account opening.
Annual fee value
The $325 annual fee is more than offset by ongoing benefits including annual statement credits ($424), with an estimated total value of ~$424 per year.
In the first year, the sign-up bonus alone delivers approximately $1,699 in net value after the annual fee and benefit credits.
Application strategy
American Express lifetime language likely applies. If you have previously held the Gold and received the welcome bonus, you are generally not eligible to earn the bonus again — even if you closed the card years ago. Make sure this is your first time earning this specific card’s bonus.
Community data suggests Amex may limit new approvals to 1 card every 5 days and 2 credit cards within 90 days. These are not official Amex policies — approval outcomes may vary. If you recently opened an Amex card, consider spacing out your next application.
Analysis is auto-generated from card data and known issuer rules. Not financial advice.
Similar Cards
Green
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Platinum
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Business Platinum
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Earn 200,000 points100/100
Business Gold
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