Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The American Express® Gold Card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market: Points earned with Amex Gold can be redeemed for flights, hotels and other travel activities via amextravel.com or by transferring them to any of Amex's travel partners, including Delta, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Hilton, Marriott and Choice Hotels. Transfer bonuses can stretch your points even further.
It also comes with a generous welcome offer, elevated rewards on dining out and supermarket shopping, and statement credits for dining and ride-sharing services.
In return for this bounty of benefits, however, it commands a hefty annual fee and fairly strict credit score requirements.
The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. Membership Rewards® points transfer to many of the top airline and hotel loyalty programs, which makes this card one of the best options for earning travel rewards.
- You can earn $400+ in dining and rideshare credits every year (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Exceptionally rewarding for eligible restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Large annual fee
- Credits are more complicated, you earn them monthly or semi-annually
- Spending caps on the top bonus categories
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- 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.
- See Rates & Fees
Foreign transaction fee
None
What credit score do you need for the Amex Gold Card?
FICO® scores range from poor to exceptional, with higher scores indicating a greater likelihood that a borrower can pay off their balance on time. While American Express doesn't publicize a minimum credit score for the Amex Gold Card, applicants with a good credit score are most likely to qualify.
American Express's pre-qualification service lets you see whether you qualify for the card without harming your credit score.
How is your FICO Score calculated?
Your FICO Score is based on five core factors in your credit report:
- Payment history (35%): The largest factor in your score is how well you've been about making payments on time and in full.
- Amounts owed (30%): Your credit utilization ratio, or the amount of credit you're using compared to the amount available to you, is the second largest factor in your credit score.
- Length of credit history (15%): The average age of your accounts is also considered.
- New credit (10%): How often you apply for and open new accounts. Too many in a short period can suggest financial stress or a higher risk of taking on more debt.
- Credit mix (10%): How many different types of credit to you have open, such as installment loans and revolving lines of credit
Why you might not get approved for the American Express Gold Card
While bad credit can definitely keep you from being approved for an Amex Gold card, there are other factors, too, such as your income, current debt load, the number of credit cards you have and your current or past relationship with American Express.
American Express also limits individuals to five consumer credit cards. It's possible you were rejected because you already had five American Express cards.
What to do if you don't qualify for the Amex Gold Card
If you are rejected for the Amex Gold Card, American Express must send you an adverse action notice indicating the primary reason for the denial, typically within 30 days.
You can also appeal the decision, pointing to factors like a history of on-time payments, low credit utilization or a longstanding relationship with Amex.
If you don't have a good credit score, focus on improving it by making your payments on time and in full, using as little of your extended credit as possible, and limiting the number of credit applications you put in.
Signing up for *Experian Boost®, which counts on-time payments for certain subscription services and utilities toward the calculation of your FICO® Score, could also help bring it up a few points.
Experian Boost®
Cost
Free
Average credit score increase
13 points, though results vary
Credit report affected
Experian®
Credit scoring model used
Results will vary. See website for details.
How to sign up for Experian Boost:
- Connect the bank account(s) you use to pay your bills
- Choose and verify the positive payment data you want added to your Experian credit file
- Receive an updated FICO® Score
Learn more about eligible payments and how Experian Boost works.
FAQs
What credit score do I need to get an American Express Gold Card?
American Express doesn't publicize a minimum credit score for the Amex Gold Card, but applicants with a good credit score (FICO Score of 670 or above) are most likely to qualify.
What other factors affect approval for the Amex Gold Card?
Besides your credit score, American Express may also consider your income, employment, debt-to-income ratio, payment history, existing credit accounts, recent credit inquiries and overall ability to repay.
Will applying for an American Express Gold Card hurt my credit?
Formally applying for a credit card typically requires a hard credit inquiry, which may temporarily lower your credit score by a few points. American Express offers a pre-approval tool that lets you see whether you're likely to qualify for eligible cards without affecting your credit score.
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For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/ benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
*Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.
