American Express
American Express Gold Card
Estimated value every year on typical spending
$332/ year
Every year, after the annual fee. Year one adds a $800 welcome bonus: $1,132
Based on a typical ~$2,600/month of spending. Points valued conservatively; confirm terms with the issuer.
Credits & perks, at estimated real use: Dining Credit $120 → $42 · Uber Cash $120 → $42 · Resy Credit $100 → $35 · Dunkin' Credit $84 → $29
Carry a balance? At 20%+ APR, interest usually costs more than any card earns.
Is it worth it?
On typical spending the American Express Gold Card returns about $657 a year in rewards and usable credits, which covers its $325 fee with $332 to spare. The welcome bonus adds roughly $800 in the first year.
The fine print
- Intro APR
- Not listed
- Regular APR
- 19.74% to 28.74% variable
- Foreign fee
- None
- Top perk
- $120 Dining Credit
- Approval
- Good credit recommended
- Redeem for
- Airline/hotel bookings · Loyalty program transfers · Gift cards
Rewards
- 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets
- 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
- 3X points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com or directly with airlines
Sign-up bonus
100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Best for
- Big spenders on groceries
- Travelers who redeem points
- Perk-seekers who travel often
Not ideal for
- Light or occasional spenders
- People who want plain cash back
Trade-offs: Higher annual fee ↔ richer rewards & perks; Better travel value ↔ less straightforward than cash back; Large welcome bonus ↔ higher spend requirement.
Worth knowing
- Annual fee
- $325
- Intro APR
- Not listed
- Regular APR
- 19.74% to 28.74% variable
- $500/mo on groceries earns about $192/year (3.2x).
- $1200/mo on everyday spending earns about $115/year (0.8x).
- The $325 fee pays for itself at about $1230/mo on groceries.
- You come out ahead of a no-fee 1% card after about $14800/year of groceries spending.
Offer history
No changes to the fee, welcome offer or intro APR since we started checking this card daily on Oct 26, 2026.
American Express Gold Card: questions people ask
Is the American Express Gold Card worth it?
On typical spending the American Express Gold Card returns about $657 a year in rewards and usable credits, which covers its $325 fee with $332 to spare. The welcome bonus adds roughly $800 in the first year.
What is the American Express Gold Card annual fee?
The American Express Gold Card has a $325 annual fee. On typical spending its rewards and usable credits come to about $657 a year, so it nets about $332 after the fee.
What is the American Express Gold Card welcome bonus?
100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. We value it at about $800. We check the issuer's page daily; it hasn't changed since we started tracking on Oct 26, 2026.
What does the American Express Gold Card earn?
4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com. 3X points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com or directly with airlines.
What credit score do you need for the American Express Gold Card?
The issuer recommends good/excellent credit. Checking your matches on CardFit never runs a credit check.
Does the American Express Gold Card charge foreign transaction fees?
No. The American Express Gold Card has no foreign transaction fee.
Compare American Express Gold Card
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Card details are collected from issuer websites and were last refreshed October 29, 2026. Source: American Express product page. Terms change often; confirm them with the issuer before you apply.