Who should (and who shouldn’t) get the Amex Gold?

When it comes time to apply for your first (or fifth) travel rewards card, don’t ignore the American Express® Gold Card.The Amex Gold has popular bonus categories, such as dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, and earns valuable American Express Membership Rewards points.And its $325 annual fee (see rates and fees) can be more than offset if you fully use the various dining and delivery-related statement credits each year.Let’s explore the reasons why the Amex Gold is a great card to consider, along with who should — and shouldn’t — apply for it.Key Amex Gold benefitsThe Amex Gold’s $325 annual fee might seem steep initially, but it can be fully offset if you take advantage of the card’s up to $424 in annual value (enrollment required for select benefits).You’ll get up to $10 monthly in dining statement credits at participating locations such as Buffalo Wild Wings, The Cheesecake Factory, Five Guys, Goldbelly, Grubhub, Wine.com and Wonder (up to $120 per calendar year).As part of the card’s recent refresh, Buffalo Wild Wings and Wonder were added as new partners, while Wine.com and Goldbelly will only be available through June 30 before being removed.The update also introduced automatic Hertz Gold+ Five Star status, which includes benefits such as space-available upgrades and 25% more points earned on all rentals, totaling 1.25 points per dollar spent. Enrollment and registration are required for this benefit.FIVE GUYS/FACEBOOKYou’ll also receive up to $10 per month in Uber Cash (up to $120 per calendar year), which can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. (Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Gold as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.)Additionally, you’ll receive up to $50 biannually in Resy statement credits (up to $100 per calendar year). These credits can be used when you pay your bill with the Amex Gold at any U.S. restaurant enrolled in the Resy program. (No reservation is required for the statement credit to trigger.)Lastly, you can earn up to $7 in Dunkin’ statement credits each month (up to $84 per calendar year). Just use your Amex Gold when you pay at a U.S. Dunkin’ location.The Amex Gold also has impressive earning categories:5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com and the Amex Travel App™4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in spending per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent)4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in spending per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent)3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline, through AmexTravel.com or on the Amex Travel App2 points per dollar spent on prepaid car rentals booked on AmexTravel.com and the Amex Travel App2 points per dollar spent on cruises and other eligible travel booked through AmexTravel.com1 point per dollar spent everywhere elseZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUYTo celebrate its 60th anniversary, the Amex Gold is also rolling out a suite of limited-time perks. Cardmembers can enroll and get a one-time statement credit of up to $96 toward an annual Uber One membership (through Oct. 30), and a 20% transfer bonus when moving Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors (through May 30).There are also targeted Amex Travel offers at more than 250 Hotel Collection properties worldwide, which can include complimentary third or fourth nights, room discounts or on-property credits (minimum two-night stay required; available through July 15).Eligible cardmembers may also see additional Amex Offers as part of the anniversary celebration (enrollment required; not everyone will be targeted for the same offers). Together, these promotions can further boost the card’s value — especially for frequent travelers.If you’re interested in applying for the Amex Gold, find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. (Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.)This welcome offer is worth up to $2,000 based on TPG’s May 2026 valuations.Who should get the Amex Gold?People who spend a lot on dining at restaurants and at U.S. supermarketsMost people spend much of their budget at restaurants and grocery stores. If you want to up your points and miles game, you need a card in your wallet that earns a lot of rewards in these categories.The 4 points per dollar spent earned on dining at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent) and U.S. supermarket purchases (up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent) amount to an impressive 8% return based on TPG’s valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each.The 8% return potential makes this card a no-brainer for those who spend heavily on dining out and at supermarkets.People looking to complete the Amex trifectaWhile the Amex Gold is strong on its own, it’s even better as part of the Amex trifecta, alongside the American Express Platinum Card® and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.To learn more, check out our full guide to the Amex trifecta.Related: This might be the best Amex card combo: Amex Gold and Amex Business PlatinumPeople who can maximize the annual statement creditsOne of the greatest ways the Amex Gold adds value is through its dining statement credits and Uber Cash. If you can max them out, you’ll cover the card’s annual fee and come out ahead (enrollment required for select benefits).OSCAR WONG/GETTY IMAGESIf you eat out or get takeout from one of the partner dining merchants, you should easily maximize the up to $10 monthly dining statement credit.Additionally, when you add your card to your Uber account, you’ll receive $10 in Uber Cash deposited to your account monthly to use on U.S. rides and U.S. Uber Eats orders.Furthermore, you’ll receive up to $50 in Resy statement credits biannually. These statement credits are incredibly easy to use, given no reservation is required.Related: 8 ways to make the most of the Amex Gold Card’s benefitsPeople who are over 5/24 with ChaseAt TPG, we almost universally recommend that you prioritize applying for Chase credit cards because of the issuer’s pesky 5/24 rule. Simply put, this rule means you will be automatically rejected for most Chase cards if you’ve opened five or more cards in the last 24 months.FRESHSPLASH/GETTY IMAGESDeciding what to do after you’ve filled your five Chase slots can be tricky, but the Amex Gold could be a strong next move.Not only will you immediately begin earning a valuable transferable rewards currency, but the bonus categories will also help you earn toward your next award flight or hotel stay much faster.Related: Ignoring Chase’s 5/24 rule? Here’s how that could cost you hundreds of thousands of pointsPeople targeted for a great welcome offerSince Amex has a once-per-lifetime policy with welcome offers, it always makes sense to try for the highest offer possible. The welcome offer on the Amex Gold can vary, so try different methods until you find the best offer.Related: The best credit card welcome bonusesWho shouldn’t get the Amex Gold?The Amex Gold has the potential to be a very lucrative card, but several groups of people might struggle to get good value from it.People who are under 5/24 and want more Chase cardsAs mentioned above, Chase’s 5/24 rule is one of the most important considerations in building a starter strategy for cards. Five cards can seem like a lot to someone who has never had one before, but those slots fill quickly. Once you’ve used them up, it takes a while to get them back.The Amex Gold will probably be around for a while, so there’s no reason to fire off an application for it right now if it means compromising your strategy with Chase.If you want a card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) or Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) in the near future, you should consider locking those in first.Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex GoldPeople who live outside the U.S.If you’re outside the U.S., this card is far less valuable, as its U.S. supermarkets bonus category and most of its statement credits are not useful abroad.URBAZON/GETTY IMAGESThe card’s other perks, such as 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly through the airline, through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and an up to $100 statement credit each calendar year when booking through The Hotel Collection* (with every booking of two nights or more), are easily trumped by other premium rewards cards.*Eligible charges vary by property.Related: Earning points and miles as an expatPeople who won’t max out the statement creditsThe up to $10 monthly Uber Cash benefit, up to $10 in monthly dining statement credits, up to $50 biannual U.S. Resy statement credit and up to $7 monthly U.S. Dunkin’ statement credit you’ll get on the Amex Gold can be easy for many people to use, but no card perk is a great fit for everyone.If it sounds like you’ll end up spending money you otherwise wouldn’t to take advantage of the Amex Gold’s benefits, you’re better off getting a card that comes with perks you’ll more naturally use.It’s also worth checking to see if any Dunkin’ locations exist in your area. Certain states and territories like Puerto Rico, Oregon and Washington don’t have any Dunkin’ locations, so if you live in one of those areas, that statement credit will be fairly useless for you.Those who live in more rural areas may find it difficult to use the Resy statement credit.Enrollment is required for select benefits.Related: A complete guide to the Amex Gold dining creditPeople who’ve previously had an Amex GoldAmex’s rule on bonus eligibility states that if you have previously received the bonus on a card, you will not be eligible to receive it again. This includes the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card, the old version of the Amex Gold, as it is still technically the same product despite undergoing a heavy makeover.If you’ve had the card before, you’ll likely want to get a different card that allows you to earn a welcome bonus.The information for the Amex Premier Rewards Gold has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.People who want more comprehensive travel protectionsThe Amex Gold isn’t among the best cards with travel protections. For example, the rental car insurance* you get with the card is secondary, which means it only applies to expenses not covered by other insurance you have.OSCAR WONG/GETTY IMAGESIf travel protections are important to you, you’ll be better off with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve, which all feature impressive travel coverage.*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.Bottom lineThe Amex Gold is a valuable option for U.S.-based consumers who spend heavily on food and are looking for an in-between, premium-lite card that offers good returns without a hefty price tag.If you can maximize all the benefits this card offers, it might become a cornerstone of your wallet. But if you live or frequently travel outside of the U.S. or can’t max out its statement credits, you may prefer one of our other favorite travel credit cards.To learn more, read our full review of the American Express Gold.Apply here: American Express GoldFor rates and fees of the Amex Gold, click here.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.