Is the Amex Gold worth the annual fee?

The American Express® Gold Card gets a lot of attention for its aesthetic, topping our list of the prettiest cards available. It's also heralded as the ideal foodie card for its dining-related bonus-earning categories and statement credits.

At first glance, the Amex Gold's $325 annual fee (see rates and fees) can seem steep. However, this card has some impressive bonus categories, statement credits and insurance perks that make the fee worth paying for many. Enrollment is required for select benefits, and terms apply.

Here's what you need to know to determine if this card is a good choice for you.

Welcome bonus

Find out your new Amex Gold offer and see if you are eligible to earn as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. According to TPG's June 2025 valuations, this bonus is worth up to $2,000.

This is the standard offer for the Amex Gold; we recommend waiting for an elevated offer before applying.

This welcome bonus adds a lot to the card's first-year value since you can get excellent value from your points by transferring them to one of American Express's travel partners. The welcome bonus on the Amex Gold card is a great kick-start to your Membership Rewards stash.

That said, with American Express's one bonus per lifetime rule, it's important to ensure you get the best offer available for the Amex Gold.

Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

Earning points

Whether you're dining out or cooking at home, this card will earn you some serious rewards on your food purchases. It earns 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) and 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1 point).

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Since TPG's February 2025 valuations peg Amex points at 2 cents each, you'll essentially get an 8% return on dining and supermarket spending before hitting the spending caps.

You'll also earn 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with an airline or Amex Travel and 2 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and other travel purchases booked through Amex Travel.

You'll get a better return on flights through certain other cards, but this is a decent bonus if you don't already have another card that earns more.

Related: When you should (and shouldn't) use your Amex Gold

Statement credits

In addition to its foodie earning structure, this card comes with two different types of valuable statement credits you can use for ordering in.

First, you'll get up to $10 in monthly statement credits when you use your Amex Gold to pay at participating dining partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and Five Guys (up to $120 per calendar year). Enrollment is required, and terms apply.

You'll also get up to $10 in Uber Cash monthly, which you can use for Uber Eats or Uber rides in the U.S. (up to $120 per calendar year).

Add your Amex Gold as a payment method in the Uber app to receive this benefit, and you can then redeem with any Amex card. The credit is then deposited into your account as Uber Cash each month.

Additionally, you'll get up to $100 per calendar year in annual Resy credits, which are broken down into two bi-annual up to $50 statement credits. To use these credits, all you have to do is pay your bill with your Amex Gold at a restaurant in the U.S. registered with Resy—no reservation required. Enrollment is required, and terms apply.

Lastly, you'll receive up to $7 in monthly statements when you use your Amex Gold card at U.S. Dunkin' Donuts (up to $84 per calendar year). Enrollment is required, and terms apply.

None of these credits roll over and must be used within the allotted monthly or bi-annual time frame. Here's how to maximize the credits when you're traveling abroad.

If you take full advantage of these credits, you'll get $424 worth of value annually. This easily covers the annual fee, and you'll rack up generous rewards in the process.

Related: What to do when you get your Amex Gold

Other benefits

The Amex Gold's impressive earning structure and statement credits aren't the only ways to get value from it. This card also has a handful of benefits that can make your travels easier.

When you use your card to book a stay of two nights or more through Amex's The Hotel Collection*, you'll get an up to $100 on-site credit for qualifying activities. The qualifying activities depend on the property but could include perks like spa treatments or dining.

You'll also be covered if something goes awry in your travels because this card comes with lost baggage insurance*, trip delay insurance** and rental car insurance*** when you use it to pay for your travel expenses.

*Eligible charges vary by property.

In addition to these travel benefits, you'll also get purchase protection and an extended warranty for purchases made with this card. Terms and conditions apply.*

Hopefully, you won't need to take advantage of any of the protections included with your Amex Gold, but you'll have valuable peace of mind knowing you're covered if something goes wrong.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

***Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

Related: 4 of our favorite under-the-radar Amex Gold benefits

Bottom line

The Amex Gold's $325 annual fee more than pays for itself if you can take advantage of all the credits and benefits this card offers.

If you rarely dine out or travel, we recommend calculating what you could potentially earn using the Amex Gold to decide if it's worth adding to your wallet. If your lifestyle includes a decent amount of dining out, ordering in and cooking at home, you'll likely get enough value from this card to easily justify its annual fee.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Gold.

Apply here: American Express Gold Card

For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, click here.