American Express® Gold Card

The American Express Gold Card is the ultimate credit card for foodies and travelers. This card will give you 4 points per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide, 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 spent per year), and 3 points per $1 spent on flights booked directly through airlines or through amextravel.com. All other purchases made on this card will get you 1 point per $1 spent. Cardholders can take advantage of these rewards bonuses each year so whether you’re cooking at home, going out to eat or want loaded travel perks, the American Express Gold Card should be at the top of your list.

The Amex Gold card will give you $100 per year in statement credits for fees charged by airlines and up to $120 in credits each year for dining purchases from partners like Grubhub and Seamless. Also, as an intro bonus, if you spend $4,000 within three months of opening the American Express Gold card, you’ll receive 35,000 points.

The Amex Gold Card has an annual fee of $250. If you take advantage of all the rewards and perks the annual price can be justified. Check out our summary on the Amex Gold Card below, we will highlight the pros and cons.

American Express Gold Card Review Highlights:

• Annual Fee: With a $250 annual fee, the Amex Gold could still be worth it to cardholders that will use the card’s rewards and other perks each year.
• Initial Bonus: 35,000 points for spending $4,000 within three months. That’s worth roughly $300, depending on how you redeem.
• Airline Fee Credits: Up to $100 per year from one airline. You get to choose your airline when you open an account, and you’ll have the opportunity to switch each January.
• Dining Credits: Get up to $10 per month ($120 per year) with eligible dining partners like Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations.
• Restaurant Rewards: Get 4 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide. This is one of the highest earning rates available from a credit card for restaurant purchases.
• Rewards on Groceries: Get 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 spent per year, then 1 point per $1). The average person spends just north of $4,100 per year on groceries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Airfare Rewards: 3 points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. So, if you’re into shopping around for flights on third party websites you’ll have to change your ways to get airfare rewards with this card.
• No Foreign Transaction Fee: Travel at ease with no foreign transaction fees.
• “Pay Over Time” Feature: $100+ purchases are eligible to be paid down over an extended period, for a fixed fee. Amex must approve transactions for Pay Over Time status.
• Good or Excellent Credit Needed: For high approval odds, you’ll want a credit score of 700 or higher.

The bottom line: The American Express Gold Card is one of the best cards for food lovers and travelers. The annual fee can be easily justified if you do the bulk of your spending on food and travel, and take advantage of the yearly statement credits.