Is the American Express Gold Card Worth Its Annual Fee?

This card's annual fee makes it cheaper than many premium cards and has more rewards than basic travel cards.
Elina Geller
Bethany Walsh
By Bethany Walsh and  Elina Geller 
Updated
Edited by June Casagrande
Is the American Express Gold Card Worth Its Annual Fee?

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

With lots of no-annual-fee credit cards out there, the $250 annual fee on a card like the American Express® Gold Card can be hard to justify. Plus, with the pandemic leaving so many travelers grounded, the card’s emphasis on travel rewards may be less appealing. So is the American Express® Gold Card worth the annual fee?

Well, there’s more to this card than just travel benefits. The American Express® Gold Card has an attractive 4 points per $1 dollar rewards earning structure for people who spend a lot of money at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants, in addition to some valuable dining statement credits each month. Terms apply.

So even for users who aren’t traveling much these days, the benefits could prove worth more than the annual fee. Below is a quick overview of the benefits, followed by some points to consider when deciding whether the American Express® Gold Card is worth it for you.

Perks of the American Express® Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card can be a great option during "normal times," offering the following welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Cardholders earn 4 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on dining (including international restaurants and takeout), as well as on the first $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets annually. Plus, earn 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines and amextravel.com, and 1 point per dollar on all other spending. Terms apply.

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.

The American Express® Gold Card annual fee is worth it if you...

Spend a lot of money at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants

The 4 points per dollar you earn for spending on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, dining and takeout purchases is much higher than many rewards cards. Keep in mind the 4x on U.S. supermarket spending applies to up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then it reverts to 1x. Others only offer 1 point per dollar on the same spend, so this card can provide a hefty boost for your points accrual. Terms apply.

Use the $10 monthly Uber Cash and $10 monthly credits for select dining services

The American Express® Gold Card comes with several hundred dollars in credits, including up to $120 annually in dining (up to $10 per month at specific delivery services including Grubhub, Goldbelly and a few restaurants). Terms apply.

American Express also added a new benefit to the American Express® Gold Card in 2021 that includes an additional $10 per month (up to $120 per year) in the form of Uber Cash, which can be used for either U.S. rides or Uber Eats orders. You have to add the card to your Uber account to begin collecting the benefit. Terms apply.

If you make use of the full amount of all three credits, you'll pick up $240 worth of value, reducing the annual fee to $10.

Shop abroad

This card carries no foreign transaction fees. Foreign transaction fees on other cards can add up to 3% on every transaction made outside of the states — a hefty expense for frequent international travelers. Terms apply.

🤓Nerdy Tip

AmEx is not accepted everywhere internationally, so it’s a good idea to also carry a Visa or Mastercard as a backup.

Can earn the welcome offer

Aim to hit the spending minimum without carrying over a balance or paying interest charges. You don't want to miss out on tens of thousands of points, especially on a card with a significant annual fee.

The American Express® Gold Card annual fee is not worth it if you...

  • Prefer cash back. Redeeming AmEx Membership Rewards points for maximum value can be complicated since points vary in value based on how you redeem them. Trading points for flights or other rewards can be limiting if you’re someone who prefers the simplicity of cash back or statement credits.

  • Cannot use the aforementioned $240 in dining and Uber Cash credits.

The bottom line

The American Express® Gold Card is great for some, but a money-losing proposition for others. If you’re a regular traveler who spends a lot on dining and at U.S. supermarkets, you can easily get more value out of this card than you pay in annual fees.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:

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.