Pick your favorite card? That is like picking a favorite kid.
I have one child.
I have 27 cards.
But the Amex® Gold Card wins. Hands down. It is the daily driver. The workhorse.
Right now, applicants can snag up to 100,00 points if they spend $8k in six months. (Check your own eligibility; offers change.)
Here is why this card lives in my pocket while the others gather dust.
Points for Real Life
The earning rates got refreshed. Look at them:
- 5 points/$1 : Prepaid hotels via amextravel.com
- 4 points/$1 : Restaurants globally ($50k annual cap)
- 4 points/$1 : US supermarkets ($25k annual cap)
- 3 points/$1 : Flights (via app, site, or direct with airlines)
- 2 points/$1 : Prepaid cars/cruises via amex platforms
Food matters.
We eat out. We also cook at home. Our grocery bill? High, but not $480/week high. The $25k supermarket cap feels infinite.
Restaurants abroad? No foreign transaction fees. 4 points. It works.
Credits That Stack
Earning points is cool. Getting cash back on things you buy anyway is better.
Enrollment is required for most of this. Do it.
Uber: $10 monthly credit for rides or Eats. Plus a targeted 60th-anniversary offer for one year of Uber One.
Dining Partners: Another $10 monthly statement credit at spots like Five Guys or The Cheesecake Family.
We love Five Guys. Saving $10 while earning 4x on the rest? Easy money.
Resy: Up to $100 a year ($50 twice a year). Great for splurging on a nice dinner when traveling.
Dunkin’: $7 a month.
My daughter and I hit Dunkin’ on Saturday mornings when my wife is at work. The credit waits there.
Offers Worth Activating
Ignore Amex Offers, you leave money on the table.
Since 2021: $575 in credits. ~7k points.
Added an authorized user in 2023? Got 10k points. Referred a friend? Another 20k. (These specific bonuses vary.)
Current 60th-Anniversary deals (check dates):
– Clear+: 50% back, up to $30 total. Stack that with other promo codes.
– Uber One: Up to $96 back for annual membership.
– HBO Max: $50 back after $99 spend.
I check the app once a week. If I’m buying it anyway, I click activate.
Where the Points Go
Amex Membership Rewards are liquid gold.
TPG values them at ~2 cents each. Why? Transfer partners. Air Canada. Air France-KLM.
Transfer bonuses happen often.
Recent redemptions:
* 42,500 pts -> Avios: Miami to Madrid, Business Class. Nonstop.
* 70,000 pts -> Aeroplan: Florida to Europe on LOT Polish. Business Class.
* Sad note: 95k pts to ANA for NY-Philippines used to work. Not anymore. But the value remains high for other routes.
The Bottom Line
Twenty-seven cards is a lot.
I only use three or four daily.
The Gold fits because the two categories I bleed money in (groceries, dining) earn 4x. Add the monthly credits for Uber, coffee, and Resy dinners. Add the transfer partners that unlock cheap business class flights.
It earns its spot. It keeps it.
Check the full review if you need the fine print.
Or just apply.
Apply: American Express Gold Card
