American Express® Gold
American Express and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of American Express. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
How we calculate effective rate →
The American Express® Gold from American Express earns up to 2.4% effective value on dining in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Its annual fee is $325. New applicants may see: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership + 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 11/6/2024..
- Top category
- Dining
- Effective value
- 2.4%
- Annual fee
- $325
Best for dining-heavy spend when the $325 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 4x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
What does the American Express Gold earn in each category?
Dining is the strongest category at 2.4% effective value (4x points at about 0.6 cents each). That dining rate ranks higher than about 80% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how American Express Gold compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend. Catalog spend signals highlight coffee at.
Dining is the strongest category at 2.4% effective value (4x points at about 0.6 cents each). That dining rate ranks higher than about 80% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how American Express Gold compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.
| Category | Earn rate | Effective value |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Restaurants, cafes, takeout | 4x points | 2.4% Top category |
| Grocery Supermarkets and grocery stores | 4x points | 2.4% |
| Gas Gas stations and fuel | 1x points | 0.6% |
| Travel Flights, hotels, transit | 3x points | 1.8% |
| Other General everyday spend | 1x points | 0.6% |
Madeen values American Express Membership Rewards at about 0.6 cents each. Madeen compares every card using this cash-equivalent estimate while still showing the raw earn rate for context.
What are the American Express Gold reward caps and conditions?
The American Express Gold has 4 notable cap or condition rule(s) in Madeen's catalog, including activation windows, spend limits, and category exclusions. Review each bullet below before assuming unlimited earn rates.
- 3x on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2x on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel purchases, booked through AmexTravel.com
- 4x at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year Capped at $50000 per year.
- 4x on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year Capped at $25000 per year.
Who should get the American Express Gold?
The American Express Gold fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 4x points. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 4x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
American Express Gold is one of the clearest dining-and-grocery points cards when you already value Membership Rewards. Madeen compares its effective rate against the cards you carry without bank login, so you can see whether the annual fee is worth it for your actual restaurant and supermarket spend.
Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 4x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
Compare it against simpler no-fee cards if you want minimum complexity.
A common pick for frequent restaurant and grocery spend; run it through Madeen against your current wallet before you apply.
Pros
- Strong restaurant and U.S. supermarket earn rates under current issuer terms
- Flexible Membership Rewards currency when you redeem at solid value
Cons
- Annual fee hurts light spenders and casual diners
- Points value depends on redemption, not straight cash back
What is the American Express Gold welcome bonus?
In Madeen's catalog snapshot, the American Express Gold welcome offer is Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership + 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
- 60k American Express Membership Rewards (~$360 estimated)
- Terms (catalog snapshot)
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership + 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 11/6/2024.
- Minimum spend
- $6,000
- Window
- 6Months
Does the American Express Gold have an annual fee?
The American Express Gold has an annual fee of $325 and a foreign transaction fee of None. Confirm current fees on the issuer page before applying.
- Annual fee
- $325
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
What benefits come with the American Express Gold?
The American Express Gold includes $100 Resy Credit, $120 Dining Credit, $120 Uber Cash on Gold in our snapshot. Perks and benefits can change; verify coverage on the issuer site before you rely on them.
Baggage Insurance Plan
$2,000/yrTravel more comfortably knowing you can be covered for lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage when you purchase the Entire Fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) on an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage. For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
$120 Dining Credit
$120/yrSatisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations.
$100 Resy Credit
$100/yrEnroll and get up to $50 back semi-annually in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.
The Hotel Collection
$100/yrDelight your senses when you book The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel. Get a $100 experience credit to use during your stay. Minimum 2-night stay is required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit
$84/yrEarn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Dunkin' locations.
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
$40/yrGetting into your Rental Vehicle can be the start of a great vacation. When you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental Company counter, you can be covered for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.
American Express Preferred Access
$25/yrWith Preferred Access, you will have access to premium seats for select cultural and sporting events, based on availability.
Global Assist® Hotline
$25/yrWhenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, Global Assist® Hotline is available for 24/7 medical, legal, financial and other select emergency assistance and coordination services, such as medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Other terms and conditions apply.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold
Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll automatically get $10 in Uber Cash each month for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. Plus, you'll earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for each Uber Eats purchase on your Card.
Related encyclopedia topics
Common questions about the American Express Gold
Where do cardholders spend most with the American Express Gold?
Madeen's RewardsCC catalog snapshot shows the strongest bonus categories on coffee (4x), fast food (4x), groceries (4x) for the American Express Gold. These are anonymized issuer category signals, not individual cardholder transactions. Route everyday spend through categories that match your habits, then compare effective rates with Madeen at checkout.
Does the American Express Gold have an annual fee?
The American Express Gold carries an annual fee of $325 in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Issuer terms can change, so confirm the current fee on the issuer's site before you apply. Madeen does not predict approval or prequalification.
What category earns the most with the American Express Gold?
Dining is the strongest Madeen category for the American Express Gold at about 2.4% effective value, based on our catalog snapshot and standard point valuations. Other categories are listed in the effective-rate table on this page.
Does the American Express Gold charge foreign transaction fees?
The American Express Gold does not charge a foreign transaction fee in Madeen's catalog snapshot, which can make it stronger for purchases outside the U.S. Issuer terms still control international acceptance and other fees.
What is the American Express Gold welcome bonus?
The American Express Gold welcome offer in our snapshot: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership + 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.
Is the American Express Gold annual fee worth it?
Whether the $325 annual fee pays off depends on how much you spend in dining and whether you use the card's benefits. Compare effective rates across the cards you already carry in Madeen.
How does the American Express Gold compare to similar cards?
Compare the American Express Gold against Hilton Honors American Express Aspire (3.5% on Dining, $550 fee); Hilton Honors American Express Surpass (3% on Dining, $150 fee); Hilton Honors Business (3% on Dining, $195 fee). Madeen ranks effective value by category and annual fee using the same catalog snapshot dated 2026-05-01.
| Card | Top category | Effective value | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
American Express Gold This card | Dining | 2.4% | $325 |
American Express | Dining | 3.5% | $550 |
American Express | Dining | 3% | $150 |
American Express | Dining | 3% | $195 |
American Express | Dining | 2.8% | $250 |
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American Express and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of American Express. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure