Does AmEx Gold Have Lounge Access?

You won't get lounge access with the Gold card, but you will get some other strong benefits.

Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

Updated · 2 min read
Profile photo of Carissa Rawson
Written by Carissa Rawson
Profile photo of Giselle M. Cancio
Assistant Assigning Editor
Fact Checked

Who wants to hang out in an airport terminal? Whether you fly once a year or every other week, the crowds, overpriced food and general hurriedness of the airport are easy to dislike.

In response, airlines and card issuers offer airport lounge access, helping ease the path for loyal customers. But not all flights — and not all credit cards — offer airport lounge access.

AmEx Gold lounge access

In the U.S., the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Business Gold Card don't offer lounge access.

However, American Express® Gold Card holders in the United Kingdom get two complimentary lounge visits per year at over 1,200 airport lounges globally. And Canadian-based American Express® Gold Card receive complimentary membership in Priority Pass. Enrollment required.

The good news is, both gold cards provide a variety of other perks.

How the cards compare
American Express® Gold Card
American Express® Gold Card
Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees
American Express® Business Gold Card
American Express® Business Gold Card
Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees
Annual fee

$325.

$375.

Welcome offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, 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. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24. Terms Apply.

Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Earn Rates

• 4 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per year).

• 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year).

• 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.

• 2 points per $1 on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases made through American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

• 4 points per $1 on your top two business categories (on up to $150,000 in purchases per year).

• 3 points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels booked American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

Select benefits

• $120 annual dining credit (available in monthly credits on select purchases.) Enrollment required.

• Up to $120 a year in Uber Cash ($10 per month) for Eats orders and rides in the U.S. Your card must be added to the Uber app. Enrollment require.

Terms apply.

• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub and Office Supply Stores. Enrollment required.

• Get up to $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal).

Terms apply.

The American Express® Gold Card still features strong benefits

While the American Express® Gold Card can’t grant you lounge entry, it does provide a lot of material benefits in exchange for its $325 annual fee. This includes monthly statement credits, strong earnings on food purchases and complimentary travel insurance. Terms apply.

Statement credits

The AmEx Gold card has you covered if you're big into food. This is thanks to a set of monthly statement credits it offers:

  • $10 monthly at Uber or UberEats. Enrollment required.

  • $10 monthly at Grubhub, Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and Five Guys. Enrollment required.

  • $7 monthly at Dunkin'.

  • $50 semi-annually on U.S. Resy restaurants.

Bonus points

In addition to monthly credits, cardholders can expect robust earnings for food-related purchases:

• 4 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per year).

• 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year).

• 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.

• 2 points per $1 on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases made through American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

Trip insurance

American Express has some fairly generous travel insurance on its credit cards, and the American Express® Gold Card is no exception. The card offers several different types of insurance to protect you when you're traveling:

  • Baggage insurance: Up to $1,250 for carry-on luggage and $500 for checked bags.

  • Rental car insurance: Coverage is secondary to your personal insurance and does not include liability.

  • Trip delay insurance: Starting after a 12-hour delay, up to $300 per trip.

Although the card is missing features such as trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance, these are still available on higher-end cards such as The Platinum Card® from American Express. Terms apply.

Hotel Collection access

The American Express® Gold Card gives you access to the Hotel Collection by American Express, a curated list of both popular brand and boutique hotels.

When you book a stay of two or more nights through American Express travel, you'll receive a room upgrade when available, and a $100 credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa, and resort activities.

Earn up to 120,000 bonus points with our favorite American Express cards
Check out our nerdy picks for the best American Express credit cards and find the right card for you.

Other AmEx cards with lounge access

Just because the American Express® Gold Card and American Express® Business Gold Card don't come with lounge access doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. If you're looking to stick with the American Express ecosystem, there are a few different cards from which to choose that'll provide access, including:

The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
NerdWallet Rating
Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
NerdWallet Rating
Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
NerdWallet Rating
Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
NerdWallet Rating
Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees
Annual fee
$695
$650
$695
$650
Horizontal scroll
🤓Nerdy Tip

Other card issuers, including Chase and Capital One, also offer credit cards that provide lounge access. Options include the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Terms apply.

Gold card airport lounge access recapped

We don't blame you for wanting to slip into an airport lounge. Although the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Business Gold Card don't come with the ability to enter lounges, it does provide a variety of other benefits. While most of these are food-focused, the card does offer some decent travel insurance, including trip delay insurance. Terms apply.

Otherwise, consider the handful of other AmEx cards that provide lounge access.


To view rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.
To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, see this page.

Insurance Benefit: Trip Delay Insurance

  • Up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

  • Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.

  • Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

  • Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Insurance Benefit: Baggage Insurance Plan

  • Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their 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 an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.

  • Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.

  • Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

  • Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Insurance Benefit: Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance

  • Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles 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 product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply.

  • Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.

  • Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

  • Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024:

Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.