Amex Gold: A Traveler's Best Friend?

The American Express Gold Card is a great option for earning travel rewards at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. It offers bonus points on food-related purchases, dining and travel credits, and rewards are transferable to travel partners. The card also offers exclusive travel perks and benefits like complimentary hotel upgrades and access to airport lounges.

The card has a $325 annual fee, which can be offset by taking advantage of the various benefits and credits on offer. These include up to $120 in annual dining credits, up to $120 in Uber Cash credits, up to $100 in credits with The Hotel Collection, and up to $100 in credits for Resy restaurants and other eligible purchases.

In addition to the credits, the American Express Gold Card also offers a generous rewards program with 4X points on dining and U.S. supermarket purchases (up to a certain amount per year), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel, and 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases via Amex Travel.

Overall, the American Express Gold Card is a great choice for those who frequently dine out, order takeout, or shop at U.S. supermarkets and are looking to earn travel rewards. The card's benefits and rewards can easily offset the annual fee, making it a valuable option for those who can maximize its perks.

Amex Gold Card offers bonus points on food-related purchases

The Amex Gold Card is a great option for earning travel rewards at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. It offers bonus points on food-related purchases, as well as dining and travel credits.

Here's a breakdown of the bonus points and credits you can earn with the Amex Gold Card:

Bonus Points on Food-Related Purchases:

• 4X points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1X points)
• 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1X points)

These bonus points can be especially valuable for foodies or those who frequently dine out or shop at U.S. supermarkets. The points can be redeemed for travel bookings or transferred to Amex's travel partners, often providing a higher value than redeeming for statement credits or gift cards.

Dining and Travel Credits:

In addition to bonus points, the Amex Gold Card offers a variety of dining and travel credits that can help offset the annual fee:

• Up to $120 in annual dining credits for purchases with GrubHub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys (enrollment required)
• Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash (provided as $10 monthly credits) for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S.
• Up to $100 in credits towards eligible charges with The Hotel Collection when booking two or more consecutive nights through Amex Travel
• Up to $100 in credits each calendar year for Resy restaurants in the U.S. and other eligible Resy purchases (up to $50 semi-annually; enrollment required)
• Up to $84 in credits each year for U.S. Dunkin' purchases (up to $7 monthly statement credits when you enroll and use your Amex Gold to pay)

These credits can be easy to utilize for those who frequently dine out or use ridesharing services, further enhancing the value of the Amex Gold Card for travellers and food enthusiasts.

It has dining and travel credits

The American Express Gold Card offers a variety of dining and travel credits that can help offset its $325 annual fee. Here are the details:

Dining Credits:

• $10 monthly dining credit: Cardholders can get up to $10 towards their meal every month at select restaurants and delivery services, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required for this benefit.
• $7 monthly statement credit for U.S. Dunkin' locations: Cardholders can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits when they use their Amex Gold Card to pay at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required.
• $100 Resy Credit: Cardholders can get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year when they use their Amex Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. This benefit is provided semi-annually as a $50 statement credit, and enrollment is required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Cardholders can earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when they pay with their Amex Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required.

Travel Credits:

• $100 Hotel Collection Credit: When booking a stay of two consecutive nights at a participating property through the Hotel Collection, cardholders receive a $100 hotel credit to spend on amenities like dining, spa, or other leisure facilities.
• Travel Protection Benefits: The Amex Gold Card also offers travel protection benefits, including up to £200 for flight delays, overbooking, or missed connections, and up to £200 for baggage delayed by the airline for 4 hours or more. Additionally, cardholders can receive an additional £200 for extended baggage delays.
• Hertz Gold Plus Rewards: Amex Gold Card members can enrol in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty programme and enjoy benefits such as 10% off standard car rental rates, a one-car-class upgrade for rentals of 5 or more days, and a waived additional driver fee.
• Avis Preferred Programme: Cardholders can enrol in the Avis Preferred programme and receive benefits such as car upgrades (subject to availability) and a free additional driver.
• Deliveroo Credit: Cardholders can enrol to receive £5 back (up to twice every month) when they spend £5 or more on Deliveroo orders. Terms apply, and enrolment is required.

Points are transferrable to travel partners

The Amex Gold Card is a great option for earning travel rewards at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. The Membership Rewards points you earn can be redeemed in several ways, including for statement credits, gift cards, or on Amazon.com. However, transferring points to Amex's multiple airline and hotel partners will almost always net you the most value per point.

Amex features more travel partners than any other major U.S. credit card loyalty program. Their airline partners include Air Canada, Delta, JetBlue, British Airways, Emirates, and Singapore. You can also transfer points to the hotel loyalty programs of Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, or Marriott Bonvoy.

The ability to transfer points is one of the best benefits of the Amex Gold Card. The transfer partner rates are the same as those of the Platinum Card from American Express, which has a much higher annual fee. This makes the Amex Gold Card a great option for those looking to earn travel rewards without breaking the bank.

In addition to the ability to transfer points, the Amex Gold Card also offers several other travel benefits. These include car rental loss and damage insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, and travel accident insurance. The card also has no foreign transaction fees, making it a great option for international travel.

Overall, the Amex Gold Card is an excellent choice for those looking to earn travel rewards and take advantage of the ability to transfer points to a variety of travel partners.

It offers car rental loss and damage insurance

The American Express Gold Card offers car rental loss and damage insurance, providing coverage of up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles. This benefit is available when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company.

This insurance is secondary coverage, meaning it supplements your primary insurance. It will cover any costs not covered by your personal auto insurance policy, such as applicable deductibles. It is important to note that this coverage does not include liability insurance. Additionally, not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and there are geographic restrictions. The eligibility and benefit level vary by card, and terms, conditions, and limitations apply.

The American Express Gold Card's car rental insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection in the event of an accident or theft involving a rental vehicle. This benefit can be especially valuable for those who frequently rent cars or take road trips. By using your American Express Gold Card to pay for your rental car and opting out of the rental company's collision damage waiver, you can rest assured that you have a layer of protection in case of any mishaps.

The secondary coverage provided by the American Express Gold Card means that your personal auto insurance will be the primary source of coverage in the event of a claim. This can help keep your insurance rates from increasing, as you won't need to file a claim with your own insurance company. However, it's important to understand what your personal auto insurance policy covers and what it doesn't, as well as any deductibles or other out-of-pocket expenses you may be responsible for.

In addition to the car rental loss and damage insurance, the American Express Gold Card offers other travel-related benefits, such as baggage insurance, trip delay insurance, and travel accident insurance. These protections can further enhance your travel experience and provide added peace of mind while on the road.

The card has baggage insurance

The American Express Gold Card is a great option for those who want to be covered for baggage insurance. The card provides coverage for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during travel on a common carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a common carrier vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round trip) is charged to the eligible account. Coverage is provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage, in excess of the coverage provided by the common carrier. This means that if your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you can be reimbursed for the value of its contents, up to the specified limits. This coverage also extends to the cardholder's spouse or domestic partner, dependent children under 23, and certain dependent handicapped children, as long as the trip is paid for in full with the card or associated rewards.

It is important to note that there are certain exclusions to the baggage insurance coverage. High-risk items such as jewelry, gold, silver, platinum, electronics, furs, and sporting equipment are limited to a $250 per item maximum, per trip. Additionally, items such as credit cards, cash, securities, travel documents, plants, animals, glasses, prescription drugs, and property shipped prior to departure are not covered under this insurance plan.

The baggage insurance plan offered by the American Express Gold Card can provide peace of mind and financial protection in the event of lost, damaged, or stolen baggage while travelling. With this coverage, cardholders can rest assured that they will be reimbursed for their losses up to the specified limits.

Frequently asked questions