American Express recently announced that it will increase the annual fee for the American Express® Gold Card by $75 (from $250 to $325) per year (see Rates and Fees).
But the card also offers some exciting new perks that can help you quickly recoup the annual fee — and a generous welcome offer of 60,000 Membership Rewards® points on qualifying spend (terms apply; offer ends November 6, 2024).
The American Express® Gold Card was already one of the best cards for restaurants, groceries and food delivery. Now the benefits of this card have become even better.
Here are the best benefits that are worth the $325 annual fee (see pricing and fees).
1. Welcome offer: 60,000 points (or more) until November 6, 2024
When you open a new American Express® Gold Card and spend $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months, you’ll earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points (offer ends November 6, 2024; terms apply).
Those 60,000 Amex points are worth $600 when redeemed for cash back, or more when redeemed for travel through American Express travel partners.
Think of this benefit as a 10% (or more) return on your first $6,000 spent with your new American Express® Gold Card.
Some applicants may Get an even bigger welcome offer with the American Express® Gold Card. On the American Express website, some applicants are shown even higher offers.
2. Limited time: Get 20% back on your restaurant spend (up to $100)
The American Express® Gold Card is one of the best cards for dining out because you get 4x points on restaurant purchases worldwide (on purchases up to $50,000 per year). Now Amex is offering another Limited-time advantage when visiting restaurants: You can earn 20% back up to $100 in account credits on restaurant purchases worldwide for the first six months after opening your card. Terms apply.
This offer ends on November 6, 2024. So you’ll need to apply for (and get approved for) a new American Express® Gold Card by that date. But if you qualify, that $100 dining bonus can more than make up for the card’s $75 annual fee increase (see rates and fees, terms apply).
3. New Resy credit of 100 USD
Would you like even more restaurant benefits? The American Express® Gold Card also offers a new restaurant benefit: you receive up to $100 credit per year for your dinners at Resy restaurants in the U.S. or make other eligible Resy purchases (terms apply). Owned by American Express, Resy offers reservations at upscale restaurants that are otherwise hard to get into.
This Resy dining benefit is not a “limited time” benefit, but a new feature of the American Express® Gold Card. Foodies should check out Resy restaurants (resy.com) to see where they can make the most of their American Express Card benefits.
4. New Dunkin’ Credit worth $84
Love coffee and donuts? Get your daily caffeine and carb fix at Dunkin’ with your American Express® Gold Card and earn up to $84 per year ($7 per month) with this card’s new Dunkin’ credit (terms apply). If you’re a regular Dunkin’ customer, this new benefit is a clear win-win.
Why the annual fee is worth it
The American Express® Gold Card charges a $325 annual fee, a $75 increase from the previous $250 fee. But here’s a breakdown of why the fee is worth it:
|
To use |
Value |
|---|---|
|
60,000 Points Welcome Offer (limited time) |
$600 |
|
For a limited time, 20% off restaurants (first six months) |
100$ |
|
Resy credit |
100$ |
|
Dunkin’ Credit |
84 $ |
|
Total value |
$884 |
Data source: American Express and author’s calculations.
If you can maximize the value of all the new and limited-time American Express® Gold Card benefits listed above, You will receive a value of $884 within a year with this card. And that doesn’t even include your income from other everyday benefits and perks, including:
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 in purchases per year)
- 4X points for groceries in the US (up to a purchase of $25,000 per year, then 1x points)
- 3X points for flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
- 2X points for prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
- 1X points on other eligible purchases
- Up to $120 Uber Cash per year ($10 per month)
- Up to $120 in food credits (up to $10 per month) for purchases at Grubhub and other participating brands
- Conditions apply
Conclusion
When you add up all the perks and benefits, you can easily get over $1,000 in value per year with the American Express® Gold Card. If you love to eat well, spend a lot on food delivery, want to earn generous bonus points on your monthly grocery budget, and enjoy trying new restaurants, this card could be worth it.
