Is the American Express® Gold Card worth the annual fee?
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.
This card doesn’t feature as many notable perks as other premium rewards cards, 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.
The most valuable American Express® Gold Card benefits
Uber Cash credits
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.
Dining credits
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.
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.
- 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.
- No foreign transaction fees — Like most quality travel cards, this one comes with no foreign transaction fees.