Benefits of the American Express Gold Card
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For serious foodies, the benefits of the American Express® Gold Card are tailor-made for your wallet.
If you can take full advantage of everything this card offers, you'll easily be able to offset the $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).
The main course: elevated rewards for dining in, dining out and grocery shopping. But the card also serves up healthy side portions of airline benefits and other perks.
Here are the benefits of the American Express® Gold Card:
Points: Spending rewards
1. Bonus rewards on dining, supermarkets and certain travel
The American Express® Gold Card earns:
4 Membership Rewards points when you dine at restaurants. This includes takeout.
4 points at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per year in purchases. After that, 1X back.
3 points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
1 point on all other spending.
Terms apply.
2. A sizable welcome offer
American Express describes it this way: "Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply."
3. Flexible reward redemptions
The Membership Rewards points you earn with the American Express® Gold Card can be redeemed several ways, including for statement credits, gift cards or on Amazon.com. But transferring points to AmEx's multiple airline and hotel partners will almost always net you the most value per point. AmEx features more such travel partners than any other major U.S. credit card loyalty program. Here’s the list of Membership Rewards partners and transfer rates.
Travel and entertainment perks
4. $120 Dining credit
Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Milk Bar, Wine.com and participating Shake Shack locations.
5. Up to $120 a year in Uber cash
Add your American Express® Gold Card to your Uber account and automatically receive $10 per month in Uber Cash, good toward U.S. Uber Eats orders or Uber rides. Unused Uber Cash from this benefit does not roll over from one month to the next.
6. $100 "experience" credit
Book a room through American Express Travel that's part of the Hotel Collection, stay two consecutive nights and get a $100 hotel credit to spend on qualifying resort experiences. Terms apply, and experiences may differ by property.
7. Presale and preferred event tickets
For select events, cardholders will have access to presale and/or preferred seating tickets purchased with their American Express® Gold Card.
8. No foreign transaction fees
Some credit cards add an additional 3% to 5% for using your card outside the U.S., but the American Express® Gold Card does not.
Terms apply.
Protection and insurance benefits
Travel
9. Rental car insurance
When you use your American Express® Gold Card to reserve and pay for your car rental, and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental car counter, you can be covered if the car is damaged or stolen. This coverage is secondary, meaning it kicks in after your personal auto insurance. Learn more about credit card rental car coverage. Terms apply.
10. Baggage insurance plan
You can be covered for lost, damaged or stolen baggage when you purchase your entire ticket on your card. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage. Terms apply.
11. Return protection
If you try to return an eligible item within 90 days from the date of purchase and the merchant won’t take it back, American Express may refund the full purchase price, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per account per calendar year based on the date of purchase. Terms apply.
12. Complimentary two-day shipping
If you enroll in AmEx's ShopRunner service and use your card to pay with a participating merchant, you'll get complimentary two-day shipping and free returns. Terms apply.
More about the card
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