When Should I Get the Amex Premier Rewards Gold Card?
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
TPG reader Mark messaged me to ask a question about getting the Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express card:
"With the new perks recently announced for the Amex Premier Rewards Gold card, is now a good time to get it? I currently have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card."
It's always refreshing when credit cards add benefits instead of taking them away, and Amex just did that with the Premier Rewards Gold card, adding a $100 airfare rebate as well as double points on all dining, which is clearly a swipe at the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
The new benefits of the Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express card (which went into effect this month) are as follows:
• A $100 annual airline fee credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• Receive triple points on airfare
• Receive double points on purchases at US gas stations, US restaurants and US supermarkets
To answer Mark's question, I think now is a great time to get the card, especially if you spend a lot in those bonus categories. If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Premier Rewards Gold card is a good way to diversify and have both Ultimate Rewards and Membership Rewards, which frequently offer transfer bonuses to partners such as Aeroplan and British Airways.
Right now the public offer has a welcome bonus of 25,000 points when you spend $2,000 in the first three months, but that could go up to 50,000 points if you've received a targeted offer. You can use the Card Match tool to see if you're eligible. And don't worry — using the tool won't have any effect on your credit; it will just check to see if Amex has targeted you for a higher welcome bonus. My sources at Amex say they've recently added many targeted offers into the Card Match tool, which is great for consumers.
Even if you haven't received a targeted offer, 25,000 Amex Membership Rewards points is still a great deal, and is worth about $500. Also, there is a $0 Intro Annual Fee for the 1st year, then $195 (increased from $175), and the $100 airline credit can be used each calendar year (so you can use it twice in your first year of cardmembership). If you can get a higher welcome bonus, even better!
You also earn three points per dollar spent on airfare, or four points per dollar when you book through Amex Membership Rewards Travel, which is pretty hard to beat. Even the double points on travel from Chase Sapphire Preferred doesn't compare. Amex Travel also recently waived a lot of fees for members; while those pertain to the Platinum card, it's not crazy to think they might extend a similar benefit to Premier Rewards Gold cardholders down the road.
In summary, if you know how to leverage the card and you tend to spend a lot in the bonus categories, then you should absolutely get the Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express card ASAP!
If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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 | Earn 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- 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.
- Earn 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.