How the Amex Gold Card Can Easily Pay for Its Annual Fee Almost 5X Over

The American Express® Gold Card is one of American Express’s most compelling cards. Any time a card can pay for its own annual fee in the free perks it dishes out, it’s worth pausing and asking if it’s right for your wallet. 

With generous rewards on worldwide restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, yearly statement credits, and a welcome offer, the American Express® Gold Card can easily pay for its annual fee of $325 more than fivefold (see rates and fees). Here’s how. 

The annual fee is covered by the card’s perks 

First, let’s talk about the free perks. As an Amex Gold Card holder, the following credits are at your disposal: 

• $120 in annual Uber Cash: Cardholders get $10 in monthly Uber Cash by adding their Gold Card to Uber, eligible for use on Uber rides and UberEats orders in the U.S. Terms apply. 
• $120 in annual dining credits: Get $10 in monthly dining credits when you use your American Express® Gold Card at select participating restaurants and food delivery services, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required. Terms apply. Enrollment required. 
• $100 hotel experience credit: When you book The Hotel Collection properties with American Express Travel for stays of at least two nights, you can receive a $100 onsite credit to use toward certain qualifying activities, like dining or spa treatments. Terms apply. Benefit varies by property. 

The two statement credits add up to $240 in annual value. If you were to take advantage of one hotel experience credit within a given year, that would add another $100 of value. The statement credits, plus one hotel experience credit, would cover the card’s $325 annual fee, plus put you $90 ahead (see rates and fees). 

The card’s welcome offer could add $600 in value 

New cardholders of the American Express® Gold Card can earn 60,000 after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership. Terms apply. If you were to get $0.01 per Membership Rewards® Point, this would equal $600 in value. 

Foodies and travelers could earn a lot of points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets 

Yes, if you eat food and travel, this card was made for you. 

As an Amex Gold Card holder, you’ll earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants worldwide, 4X Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets up to $25,000 each year in purchases, and 3X Membership Rewards® Points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Terms apply.

How much are points worth?

Like other travel cards that earn points or miles, the value of your Membership Rewards® Points will depend on how you use them. Typically, if you redeem your points through the American Express travel portal, the value will be $0.01. But if you transfer your points to one of Amex’s transfer partners, you could get more value. 

In fact, it’s not unheard of to get $0.02 per point when you transfer your points to certain partners. Terms apply. 

So, let’s say I spend $1,000 at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets each month, or $12,000 each year. By putting all this spending on the Amex Gold Card, I’ll earn 48,000 Membership Rewards® Points. I’m going to transfer these points for a valuation of $0.02 apiece. That gives me $960 in value.

This plus the card’s statement credits and one onsite experience credit would cover the card’s annual fee more than fivefold. That’s without the welcome offer, too. 

Now, let’s say I redeem these points through the American Express Travel Portal for $0.01 apiece. That gives me $480 in value. This would become $1,080 in total value if I also got the card’s public welcome offer of 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points when spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months and $1,420 if I added in the statement credits and onsite experience credit.

That, too, is more than five-times the card’s annual fee of $325! 

As you can see, if you spend a lot on food, it’s not hard to make this card pay for its fee five-times over. Plus, with the welcome offer and added benefits, the American Express® Gold Card stands out as a top choice for foodies seeking value and versatility. Compare it with other great American Express cards and do the math to see if it’s worth applying.