Name: American Express® Gold Card
Brand: American Express

Quick summary

FoundersCard is a paid membership program offering over 500 benefits, including travel discounts, elite status with hotels and rental car companies, and special pricing with select brands.
Membership is open to anyone, not just entrepreneurs, and provides perks similar to those found with premium travel rewards products, but without requiring a credit card application.
There are two membership tiers with different benefit levels, and occasional discounted rates are available.
Key benefits include airline discounts, complimentary subscriptions, preferred pricing at select merchants, and exclusive access to event tickets.

What to consider

The full list of benefits is only accessible after paying for membership, making it difficult to assess value beforehand.
Many perks are highly targeted, so the average member may not use most of them, and some top benefits require the higher-tier membership.
Membership fees are comparable to premium travel cards, and some benefits overlap with those offered by such cards.

What you'll miss from the article

A detailed breakdown of specific FoundersCard benefits, real-world savings examples, and strategies for pairing membership with other travel rewards products.

Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.

Surprisingly, I pay an annual fee for one card that is not a credit card: FoundersCard.

FoundersCard provides access to a membership community offering discounts and benefits in many different lifestyle categories. The card has many benefits, discounts and amenities that make travel easier and enhance my lifestyle, including unmatched airline discounts and up to 50% off on shipping at FedEx and UPS.

You can get these benefits without applying for a credit card — but is the card worth the membership fee? Let's investigate.

The information for the FoundersCard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

What is FoundersCard?

FoundersCard is a membership program that offers elite status, travel discounts, complimentary subscriptions and special pricing with lifestyle brands. It is not a credit card, and you can't make any purchases with it.

Despite the name, you don't have to be a "founder" or entrepreneur to have this card; anyone is welcome to apply. The application process is short, and a decision is usually provided within two days (though some can be approved instantly).

How much does a FoundersCard membership cost?

There are two membership tiers:

Standard: $595 a year
All Access Elite: $995 a year

You must also pay an additional $95 initiation fee.

Occasionally, discounted membership offers are available. I've seen the standard membership go for as low as $295 a year for life. In fact, I was able to secure that rate.

TPG credit cards writer Augusta Stone received a one-year trial membership through Clear+. This trial membership, which she was targeted for via email, offers fewer perks than the Elite membership.

Clear+ email about Founderscard — CLEAR+

Here are the differences between the two membership tiers:

Screenshot of Founderscard Elite — FOUNDERSCARD

The standard membership is more than adequate for my needs, and all the benefits, credits and discounts I receive more than cover the annual membership fee.

However, I have also been offered an upgrade to elite membership for just $100. I am considering the upgrade, since elite membership includes a $250 JSX flight credit, which I can use to book a semiprivate flight on one of JSX's many routes. Upgrading would essentially save me $150 on any JSX flight.

Benefits of FoundersCard

FoundersCard has more than 500 benefits that are broken into categories such as travel, shopping subscriptions and business services. Membership gives you elite status and benefits similar to those offered by premium travel rewards credit cards, without adding another credit card to your wallet.

It's worth noting that many FoundersCard benefits overlap with benefits I receive from The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, such as Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment is required) and Hertz Five Star status (enrollment is required) — but there are distinct benefits I use that are only available with FoundersCard.

My favorite benefits

Out of the 500-plus benefits on the FoundersCard, a few of my favorites include:

Complimentary TripIt Pro membership: A useful app for planning a trip and keeping your itinerary all in one place, this flight-tracking feature comes in handy for frequent flyers like me.
Discounts on Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines: Depending on which airline I book with, I can receive between 5% and 20% off my purchase.
Preferred pricing on Dell: I often stack this discount with the Amex Business Platinum card's up to $150 in statement credits on U.S. purchases made directly at Dell and an additional $1,000 statement credit after spending $5,000 or more at Dell each calendar year. This also helps offset the Amex Business Platinum's $895 annual fee (see ; enrollment required).
Preferred pricing on Equinox: I used to be an Equinox member, and this preferred pricing saved me around $100 off my monthly membership. If you have the American Express Platinum Card®, you could pair this discount with the up-to-$300 Equinox statement credit you receive each calendar year (subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required).
Shipping discounts at FedEx and UPS
Sonesta Travel Pass Gold status: I have stayed at a few Sonesta hotels, but I am not a frequent visitor, so having some extra perks for these occasional stays is an added benefit for me.
Tickets by FoundersCard: Members receive access to preferred pricing on sports and live event tickets with no service fees. I used this once to buy football tickets and saved nearly $50 by avoiding service fees.

Some other notable FoundersCard benefits include discounts on business services, elite status with Hilton and Marriott, shopping discounts and discounts for select luxury hotels.

Pairing FoundersCard with credit cards is where you can really get outstanding value. Some credit cards offer automatic elite status or corresponding perks, which you can then pair with FoundersCard's airline and hotel discounts.

Woman using a credit card at her desk — FRESHSPLASH/GETTY IMAGES

Airline discounts and perks

In addition to the airline discounts I mentioned above, FoundersCard offers airfare discounts and special offers with many airlines around the world, including:

Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: Up to 10% off fares originating from the U.S., Canada and Mexico
Air New Zealand: Up to 11% off most fares
Etihad Airways: Up to 5% off select fares
JSX: $250 flight credit (requires elite membership)
Qantas: Up to 15% off fares between the U.S., Australia, Canada and New Zealand (in both directions)
Qatar Airways: Up to 7% off flights originating from the U.S. and Canada
Virgin Atlantic: Flying Club Silver Elite Status upgrade after completing one round-trip flight, and a fast track to Gold Status (earn 500 Tier Points within six months)

You can book any cabin for these airlines and receive a discount. It's important to note that, with these discounts, you will still earn miles and meet spending requirements toward elite status with the airline.

If you frequently fly one of these airlines and book expensive fares, you could easily recoup the cost of a FoundersCard membership with just one flight purchase. For example, United is my preferred airline, and I hold United MileagePlus Premier Gold status with the carrier. Every time I use my FoundersCard discount, I get 20% off flights.

You can further maximize this discount by using a cobranded airline credit card to earn miles.

Downsides of FoundersCard

Despite FoundersCard having many great perks and benefits, there are some downsides, including:

FoundersCard is not a credit card: Since it is not a credit card, you can't make purchases or earn any miles while still paying a hefty annual fee.
Many benefits are very niche: Despite FoundersCard having over 500 benefits, most are highly targeted, so the average person will not benefit from them. For example, the card offers many discounts at less popular retailers. While the discounts can be quite substantial, I won't shop at most of these stores, so they're useless to me.
Offers many benefits that credit cards offer: If you have a premium travel card like the Amex Platinum, you might notice that some of the benefits overlap.
Some benefits require a FoundersCard Elite membership. The Elite plan includes benefits like Omni Select Guest® Champion Status, Wynn Rewards Platinum status, higher savings with select brands and higher-tier elite rental car and hotel status.
Steep annual fees: The card has an annual fee similar to that of premium credit cards.
The full list of benefits isn't viewable before membership: You have to sign up for membership and pay before you can get the full list of benefits and features, so it can be tough to determine how much value you will get from each benefit.

FoundersCard is best paired with a travel rewards card to maximize its discounts while earning points and miles.

My verdict on FoundersCard

While many FoundersCard benefits can be accessed with premium cards like the Amex Platinum or the Amex Business Platinum, the program's lifestyle and travel benefits still provide outsize value worth the $295 I pay annually.

You may also find great value in having the card if you run a business and can take advantage of the various business discounts and benefits.

That said, I would not recommend relying on FoundersCard in a strictly non-business capacity unless you spend a lot at some of the retailers that offer a substantial discount. Otherwise, you're better off saving the annual fee to get a premium credit card.

If you feel FoundersCard is right for you, I recommend aiming for a rate under the standard membership cost.

Bottom line

FoundersCard is a membership card that provides many benefits and discounts for travel and retail. Top benefits include automatic elite status with hotels and rental car companies and discounts with major airlines, retailers and luxury hotels around the globe.

If you're a business owner or someone who can make use of many of FoundersCard's benefits, you might want to consider adding this membership card to your wallet.

For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click .

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

TPG editor's rating

Pros + cons

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

More details

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.
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.
$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.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status 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.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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.