Big changes to the American Express Gold Card: New benefits and a higher annual fee

Big changes to the American Express Gold Card: New benefits and a higher annual fee


Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

The American Express® Gold Card is one of the top rewards cards for dining and grocery purchases. And now, it’s getting a facelift with new benefits, updates to existing perks and a higher annual fee. It is also offering a sleek limited-edition white gold design option, along with an elevated welcome bonus.

If you have the card or are considering getting it, CNBC Select has the details to help you decide if the Amex Gold Card is worth it.

American Express® Gold Card

On the American Express secure site

  • Rewards

    Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year, 3X Membership Rewards® points on per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

  • Welcome bonus

    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.

  • Annual fee

  • Intro APR

  • Regular APR

  • Balance transfer fee

  • Foreign transaction fee

  • Credit needed

Pros

  • Up to $120 dining credit annually (up to $10 in statement credits a month) for purchases made with Grubhub, Goldbelly and other eligible restaurants (after a one-time enrollment)
  • Up to $120 Uber Cash annually (up to $10 a month) for U.S. Uber Eats orders and U.S. Uber rides (card must be added to Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit)
  • Strong rewards program with 4X points earned at restaurants and 3X points earned on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com
  • Baggage insurance plan covers up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage that is damaged, lost or stolen (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)
  • No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.

Cons

  • No introductory APR period
  • $325 annual fee
  • Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $1,074
  • Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,969

Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus

American Express Gold Card changes

Annual fee increase

The American Express Gold Card’s annual fee has increased from $250 to $325 (see rates and fees) for new cardholders. For existing Gold cardholders, the new fee takes effect with renewal dates on or after Oct. 1, 2024.

While nobody wants a price increase, American Express is introducing new benefits to help cardholders justify the fee.

New statement credits

White gold option

Elevated welcome offer

To complement these changes, the American Express Gold Card is offering a limited-time welcome offer of 60,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases with your card in the first six months of card membership plus 20% back at restaurants worldwide for the first six months of card membership (up to $100 back).

The best way to maximize Amex Membership Rewards points is to transfer them to one of Amex’s partner travel programs. For example, you could transfer points to Avianca LifeMiles to book domestic economy flights from 6,500 miles one-way or business class flights to Europe from 60,000 miles each way.

Don’t have great credit? Here are the best travel cards for fair credit

Benefits that are changing

Benefits that are staying the same

The Amex Gold continues to be a points-earning powerhouse. In addition to the 4X Membership Rewards points at worldwide restaurants (on the first $50,000, then 1X starting on Jan. 1, 2025), you’ll earn:

  • 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X)
  • 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com
  • 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel booked through booked through Amextravel.com
  • 1X points on all other purchases
  • Terms apply

You can also receive up to $120 in Uber Cash each year (up to $10 per month and you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States).

The card will also continue to offer special perks when booking stays two nights or longer with The Hotel Collection, including a $100 experience credit, room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out (when available).

You’ll also continue to have access to a range of travel and purchase coverages, including:

*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.

**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.

***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.

Alternative cards to consider

The new American Express Gold Card offers a lot of value outside of its generous bonus spending categories, but it’s scattered across a selection of monthly and semi-annual benefits.

If you prefer a rewards credit card with a lower cost, you may appreciate the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. It has a reasonable $95 annual fee and earns at least 2X miles on every purchase. Similar to Amex Membership Rewards points, you can transfer Capital One miles to a long list of hotel and airline loyalty programs, including Emirates Skywards, Wyndham Rewards, Avianca LifeMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan and more.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

  • Rewards

    5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 2X miles per dollar on every other purchase

  • Welcome bonus

    Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel

  • Annual fee

  • Intro APR

    N/A for purchases and balance transfers

  • Regular APR

  • Balance transfer fee

    $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

  • Foreign transaction fee

  • Credit needed

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

  • Rewards

    Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases plus, 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025

  • Welcome bonus

    Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

  • Annual fee

  • Intro APR

  • Regular APR

  • Balance transfer fee

  • Foreign transaction fee

  • Credit needed

Is the Amex Gold worth it?

The American Express Gold Card’s annual fee is now $325 (see rates and fees), which is a $75 increase. This increased cost is offset by a new Dunkin’ credit worth up to $84 per year (up to $7 per month) and up to $100 in Resy credit each year ($50 semi-annually). The card continues to offer perks like a monthly dining credit and Uber Cash credit.

Overall, the pros of the Amex Gold card refresh outweigh the cons if you can fully utilize the card’s many benefits. You can now get over $400 in value with the Gold Card annually on eligible dining and travel purchases, making the card worth it for many consumers. Just remember that there are now credits that renew monthly and semi-annually and they do not roll over if unused.

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For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card®, click here.

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.





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