Link: Learn more about the American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card is one of Amex’s most compelling cards for earning Membership Rewards points. We’re continuing to see a great welcome offer on this card (with a twist), making it a great time to apply, if eligible. In this post, I’d like to go over all the details of the current deal.
Best Amex Gold Card welcome offer details
The Amex Gold Card currently has a lucrative welcome offer, marketed as being as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards bonus points after spending $8,000 within the first six months. Amex notes how the welcome offers vary, and applicants may not be eligible for that welcome offer.
The way this works, you can apply for the card, and then find out your offer amount. Then you can decide whether you want to accept the offer or not. That’s an unconventional approach for a welcome offer. At least Amex has the “apply with confidence” feature, so there won’t be a hard pull unless you accept the offer.
Personally, I value Membership Rewards points at 1.7 cents each, meaning that to me, 100,000 points are worth $1,700. Of course that assumes you’re eligible for this offer, which not everyone will be. There are lots of great uses for Amex points, as they can be transferred to all kinds of useful airline and hotel partners.
As a point of comparison, previously the card’s standard welcome offer was for up to 60,000 points, so this is potentially a lot better.
Who is eligible for the Amex Gold Card offer?
In line with Amex’s “once in a lifetime” rule, the welcome offer on the Amex Gold Card isn’t available to those who currently have the card, or those who have had the card (or previous versions of the card) in the past. On top of that, you may not be eligible for the welcome offer on this card if you have or have had American Express Platinum Card® (review).
This is a reason to pick up the Amex Gold Card before you pick up the Amex Platinum Card. That’s because you’re potentially eligible for the Amex Platinum Card welcome offer if you have or have had the Amex Gold Card, while the inverse may not be true.
On top of that, Amex’s general card restrictions apply. There are a couple of additional things to note:
- While Amex typically has a limit of letting someone have at most five Amex credit cards (including personal and business cards), that doesn’t include this product, since it’s not a traditional credit card
- There’s a mystery to Amex card approvals, as you may sometimes receive a pop-up when applying for cards, indicating that you’re not eligible for the offer
Read more about Amex Gold Card application tips.
Why the Amex Gold Card could be worth it
The Amex Gold Card has a $325 annual fee (Rates & Fees). This is one of the most popular Amex cards for earning Membership Rewards points, given its excellent rewards structure and credits.
For one, it’s an amazing card in terms of the return on spending. The card offers bonus categories, such as 4x points at restaurants (on the first $50,000 spent each calendar year, then 1x points), 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 spent each calendar year, then 1x points), and 3x points on airfare booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. This card is hard to beat for anyone who loves to eat (and who doesn’t?).
On top of that, the card offers up to $424 in credits annually, which can help offset the annual fee (or more than offset the annual fee, in some cases). These credits are with Uber, Resy, Dunkin’, and more.
Essentially, if you spend a lot on food (whether at restaurants or supermarkets) and if you can get some value out of the credits, I tend to think this is a card that’s quite easy to justify.
Read a full review of the Amex Gold Card here.
Amex Gold Card frequently asked questions
Bottom line
The Amex Gold Card has an excellent welcome offer that’s as high as 100,000 points upon completing minimum spending. The way this works, you have to full out the application, and then you’ll see exactly what offer you’re eligible for. Then before there’s a hard pull, you can decide if you want to submit the application or not.
If you are eligible for such a big welcome offer, this card is absolutely worth picking up. Beyond the huge welcome offer, this is one of the most rewarding cards for earning Membership Rewards points, and the card also offers credits and benefits that can help offset the annual fee. Amex doesn’t have that many super lucrative cards in terms of the number of points you can earn, and this is among my favorites.
Do you plan on picking up the Amex Gold Card with this welcome offer?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees).