American Express® Gold Card benefits: An estimated $419 in value

Written by: Eric Freeman
• Updated •4 min read
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Young couple drinking wine in a fancy bar and maximizing the benefits of the Premier Rewards Gold Card from American ExpressImage: Young couple drinking wine in a fancy bar and maximizing the benefits of the Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express
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The American Express® Gold Card offers valuable perks to go with its considerable rewards.

The card is worth an estimated $419 per year as of May 2022, based on Credit Karma’s Total Benefit Value. While that doesn’t rank as one of the most valuable premium rewards cards we review, this annual value covers the $250 annual fee and doesn’t even feature the value you’ll get from maximizing American Express Membership Rewards® points.

Other cards may offer more potential value from their benefits, but the American Express® Gold Card’s combo of credits and rewards makes it a strong choice for those who aren’t ready to shell out for a card with a pricier annual fee.

The 2 most valuable American Express® Gold Card benefits

Uber Cash credits: $120

The American Express® Gold Card offers $10 in Uber Cash each month to be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. To earn the credit, cardholders need to add their card to their Uber account.

If you already use Uber on a regular basis, you’ll see a straightforward $120 in value every year. If you don’t use the service, though, keep in mind that Uber Eats orders and Uber rides could often cost more than $10 apiece, which might mean you end up spending more than you would otherwise just to use the credit.

Dining credits: $120

The American Express® Gold Card features another $10 per month in dining statement credits on specific purchases (with enrollment in the program also required). Currently, the monthly credit applies to purchases with Grubhub (including Seamless), The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations.

If you use any of these services or eat at any of these restaurants on a monthly basis, that monthly credit adds clear value.

But keep in mind that the credits don’t carry over if you fail to use them in a particular month. That means you’re able to get $10 in credits in January and a separate $10 in February, not $20 in February if you skip January.

More American Express® Gold Card benefits

The American Express® Gold Card also offers a handful of other benefits that might interest you.

  • The Hotel Collection — When you book a stay of at least two nights through American Express Travel at properties included in The Hotel Collection, you’ll get a $100 experience credit for use on qualifying purchases, like dinners or spa bookings. Not every hotel is part of the collection and you might not want to take advantage of every offered experience, but it’s a nice bonus when you can use it.
  • ShopRunner free shipping — ShopRunner offers free two-day shipping on eligible items at a network of online stores, and cardholders can enroll for a complimentary membership.
  • Travel insurance and protections — When you book trips with your card, you’ll get trip delay insurance and coverage for lost, damaged or stolen luggage. You’ll also get primary coverage for theft or damage to rental cars when you book with your card. We don’t value these perks as part of Total Benefit Value, but they could save you a lot if you happen to need them.
  • No foreign transaction fees — Like most quality travel cards, this one comes with no foreign transaction fees.

Is the American Express® Gold Card worth the annual fee?

The American Express® Gold Card doesn’t feature as many notable perks as other premium rewards cards, like the Platinum Card® from American Express, but its monthly credits make it simple to determine if you’ll get enough value to make the $250 annual fee worth it.

With a potential total of $240 in annual credits via Uber Cash and the monthly dining credit’s restaurant partners, you can get very close to the annual fee just by taking advantage of those two $10 credits every month. With a Total Benefit Value measured at $419, you might find enough value elsewhere to exceed the annual fee from perks alone.

Plus, it’s important to remember that these perks are only one way to get value from the card. We often recommend the American Express® Gold Card to people who want to earn points from restaurant and grocery purchases because there are plenty of ways to redeem your rewards through the American Express Membership Rewards® program.

Alternatives to the American Express® Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card may not be for you. But if you’re still interested in getting a premium rewards card, here are a few more that might be a better fit.

About the author: Eric Freeman is a writer and editor at Credit Karma, specializing in credit cards and credit scores and reports. He strives to make personal finance relatable for readers and to ground complicated issues in everyday e… Read more.