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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.
Let's take a look the American Express® Gold Card and American Express® Business Gold Card benefits and other AmEx cards that’ll get you into a lounge .
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
Annual fee
American Express® Gold Card
$325.
American Express® Business Gold Card
$375.
Welcome offer
American Express® Gold Card
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
American Express® Business Gold Card
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
American Express® Gold Card
• 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 through American Express' travel portal.
• 2 points per $1 on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases made through American Express' travel portal.
• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
American Express® Business Gold Card
• 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 through American Express' travel portal.
• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
Select benefits
American Express® Gold Card
• $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, and you must pay with an AmEx card. Enrollment required.
Terms apply.
American Express® Business Gold Card
• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub and Office Supply Stores.
Enrollment required.
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 (see rates and fees). 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' locations in the U.S.
- $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 through American Express' travel portal.
• 2 points per $1 on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases made through American Express' travel portal.
• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
Trip insurance
American Express has some fairly generous travel insurance on its 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 American Express Platinum Card®. Terms apply.
» Learn more: The guide to American Express travel insurance
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 portal, you'll receive a room upgrade when available, and a $100 credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa, and resort activities.
» Learn more: What to know about the AmEx travel portal
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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:
Annual fee
- $895
- $650
- $895
- $650
🤓 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 American Express Platinum Card®, 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 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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