American Express Gold Card review

The Gold Card is a food card that also earns travel points. American Express pays 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 a year and at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 a year, then 1X. Travel earning is 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 5X on prepaid hotels through AmexTravel.com and 2X on prepaid car rentals and cruises through Amex Travel. The annual fee is $325 for the Basic Card, and the first five Additional Cards have no annual fee. Credits are mostly about food: $10 in Uber Cash each month, up to $10 a month at dining partners, up to $100 a year at Resy restaurants and up to $7 a month at Dunkin'. Bookings in The Hotel Collection come with a $100 property credit. There are no foreign transaction fees, but American Express says the card does not currently have lounge access. For a traveler who does not eat out or cook a lot, the fee is hard to justify.

Who it is for

Food spenders who want to earn Membership Rewards points for travel.

Price

$325 annual fee for the Basic Card.

The annual fee for the American Express ® Gold Card is $325
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• 4X points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 a year and at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 a year
• 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
• 5X on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
• $120 in Uber Cash, a $120 dining credit, a $100 Resy credit and an $84 Dunkin' credit
• No foreign transaction fees

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 4X on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets is the best food earning here
• Strength: Up to five Additional Cards at no annual fee
• Strength: No foreign transaction fees
• Weakness: No lounge access, as American Express states
• Weakness: Credits are monthly or semi-annual and need enrollment
• Weakness: $325 fee is high without the dining credits

Key facts

• Annual fee: $325
• Food earning: 4X at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, with caps
• Travel earning: 3X on flights, 5X on prepaid Amex Travel hotels
• Lounge access: None
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Where it ranks

American Express Gold Card is No. 10 in our Best Travel Credit Cards verdict.