New American Express Gold Card Benefits

Amex-Gold-2 (1)

When rumors about these updates first started swirling around I didn’t think they could be true! But now, with this new refresh, Amex has created one of the strongest points-earning cards to date!

Here is what you need to know about the new Amex Gold card!

Card Basics

  • Annual fee of $250 NOT waived the first year (previously $195)
  • The card will earn at the following rates:
    • 4x points at U.S. Restaurants (previously 2x)
    • 4x points at U.S. supermarkets up to $25k per year (previously 2x)
    • 3x points for flights booked directly with airlines
    • 1x points on all other purchases
  • $120 dining credit. This is a $10 monthly credit that can be used at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Shake  Shack
  • $100 airline fee credit (which can be used for airline gift cards)
  • Metal card design in gold, or limited edition rose gold until 1/9/2019
  • Keep in mind that the card previously earned 2x on gas purchases but no longer will.

F.A.Q’s

Will this be treated as a new product (e.g can I get the bonus on this card if I’ve had it before)?

You can not. Amex is treating this as a refresh of the existing card and not a new product. So if you’ve already received a sign-up bonus on the gold card in the last 7 years you will not be eligible

Should I cancel my Chase Sapphire Reserve now since it only earns 3x for dining?

I definitely would not! If you notice, the gold card benefits only include US restaurants, so if you do a lot of international travel then you’ll want to have the CSR. You should also keep in mind that not all businesses accept Amex.

Verdict

I think the new benefits make up for the $55 annual fee difference, but that will really depend on whether you can take advantage of the $120 dining credit and 4x on groceries or not. If you can utilize both credits, the cards effective annual fee is just $30. I feel the card is extremely worth it to be able to earn 4 Amex points on both dining and restaurants, two areas where most people spend a large percentage of their income.

As always if you have any questions about the new card feel free to ask!

Cheers and safe travels!

Jarrod West

Jarrod is a travel and loyalty rewards expert who loves using points and miles to visit dream destinations without breaking the bank. For the last 6 years, he has been writing about how you can save money on travel with credit card points and miles. In that time, he has visited over 20 countries, and saved tens of thousands of dollars in travel expenses in the process. His work has been featured by Upgraded Points, the New York Times, Travel+Leisure, RetailMeNot, Yahoo! Finance, and more. He has over 20 credit cards in my wallet and has tested out dozens more to vet the very best card options for readers. Jarrod also offer free credit card consultations, where he has helped readers earn over 20 million points and miles (approx. $200k+ in travel savings). Traveling has broadened his perspective, changed his values, and given him a new direction in life. He created the Freequent Flyer Blog to share his travel experiences, help others realize their travel goals, and upgrade their travel experiences — one mile at a time!

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