Points · American Express · $325 annual fee
Last verified 2026-09-09. Review issuer source
The Gold card is the strongest earner on food: 4x at restaurants worldwide and 4x at U.S. supermarkets, each with an annual cap high enough that most households never hit it. Points are Membership Rewards, with a long list of airline transfer partners. The $325 fee is the problem, and Amex answers it with monthly dining and Uber credits that only help if you would have spent that money anyway.
For a household that spends $500 a month on groceries and $300 at restaurants, the 4x categories alone return about $380 a year at a cent a point, past the fee before any credits. It is a category card, though: 1x on everything else, so pair it with a flat-rate card.
Amex pays a welcome bonus on a given card once per lifetime, so wait for a strong offer rather than taking the first one you see.
3x on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
2x on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel purchases, booked through AmexTravel.com
Cap: $50,000 per annual
4x at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year
Cap: $25,000 per annual
4x on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership + 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. Offer ends 11/6/2024.
Enroll and get up to $50 back semi-annually in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.
Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations.
Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll automatically get $10 in Uber Cash each month for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. Plus, you'll earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for each Uber Eats purchase on your Card.
Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Dunkin' locations.
With Preferred Access, you will have access to premium seats for select cultural and sporting events, based on availability.
Travel more comfortably knowing you can be covered for lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage when you purchase the Entire Fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) on an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage. For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
Getting into your Rental Vehicle can be the start of a great vacation. When you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental Company counter, you can be covered for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.
Whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, Global Assist® Hotline is available for 24/7 medical, legal, financial and other select emergency assistance and coordination services, such as medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Other terms and conditions apply.
Delight your senses when you book The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel. Get a $100 experience credit to use during your stay. Minimum 2-night stay is required.
Benefit descriptions are the issuer’s and network’s own wording, trimmed for length. Limits and exclusions are in the guide to benefits.
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards earned | Net after fee | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express® GoldThis card · 4x on dining | $325 | $594 | +$269 | 547th of 1,291 |
| Blue Cash Preferred®6% at U.S. supermarkets as cash, for $95 · 6% on grocery stores | $95 | $714 | +$619 | 8th of 1,291 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card3x on dining with a $95 fee and easier redemptions · 3x on dining | $95 | $510 | +$415 | 450th of 1,291 |
| The Platinum Card®More credits and lounges at $895, weaker on food · 5x on airfare | $895 | $366 | −$529 | 1287th of 1,291 |
Reference budget: groceries $6,000, dining and restaurants $3,600, gas and ev charging $2,400, travel and transit $3,000, online shopping $2,400, entertainment and streaming $1,200, everything else $6,000. Points are valued at 1¢ unless the program is worth less; statement credits, welcome bonuses, and perks are left out. Run it with your own spending.
