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Take away housing and transportation, and Americans spend more money on food than anything else. Lo and behold a card that speaks right to the need of most Americans: How do I earn great points on what I spend the most?
Enter the American Express Gold card with 4x points on restaurants, 4x points supermarkets, and a $120 annual dining credit.
They didn’t just stop at food either – they’ve kept the $100 flight credit and you’ll earn 3x points on flights purchased directly with the airline or Amex travel. The benefits continue on so let’s take a look at the American Express Gold Card. Last year I named this card the most compelling card of 2018. Halfway through 2019, and in my opinion, it’s still the best all around card on the market.
The Benefits are truly incredible:
- 4x points at restaurants worldwide
- 4x points at US supermarkets ( up to $25k a year )
- 3x points on flights purchased directly with the airline or Amex Travel
- 1x on all other purchases
- $120 Dining Credit at select restaurants
- Grubhub, Boxed, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and participating Shake Shack locations. Excludes Shake Shack locations in ballparks, stadiums, airports and racetracks.
- $100 Airline Fee Credit
- Annual Fee is $250
- 35k point welcome bonus after $4k spend in 3 months
If you have multiple credit cards, it can be overwhelming, annoying, and discouraging trying to discern which card to use and where. This card alleviates that stress.
With all this bonus category spend and the immense amount of Membership Rewards transfer partners…holding one of these cards means you’re essentially taking the stress out of your payment decision. While there isn’t a card out there that offers the best in every single category of spend, this new American Express Gold card does an incredible job at competing across the board.
An average family of 4 spends $547.80 a month on groceries.
That’s almost 2200 points a month or over 25k points a year simply by spending what you’d normally spend a month on groceries.
I know quite a few people that when you combine dining out and groceries are easily spending a $1k a month. That’s nearly 50k points a year.
4x on dining everywhere
When the card was first introduced last year, the 4x on dining was limited to US restaurants. That is no longer the case, and as long as the restaurant codes as dining, you’ll earn 4x on dining anywhere in the world. That is incredible.
$120 Dining credit
I’ve found that on months where I’m not going to hit one of the listed restaurants I can simply buy a gift card for that restaurant, in store, and use it down the road. These have been crediting, and after a few months I can go in and enjoy $20 or $30 all at one time. Or…I just have GrubHub deliver and enjoy $10 off my food. Win-win.
Annual fee is $250
The fee has increased from the American Express Premier Rewards Gold card which was $195, but the benefits have increased way more. The old card didn’t earn 4x on restaurants nor 4x on dining – it also didn’t have a $120 annual restaurant credit. If we only analyze the 4x vs 2x on restaurants and assume the same $1k a month you’ll be earning an extra 24k points a year without changing your spend habits whatsoever.
24k Membership Rewards are worth a minimum of $360.
3x points on airfare
Sure there are Platinum variants that offer 5x, but this card offers you a great 3x earn rate on airfare purchased directly from airlines or Amex Travel and is $300 less than an Amex Platinum.
$100 Airline fee credit
Amex discerns what counts as a fee credit and what doesn’t. Recently they’ve changed their analytics a bit, and have gotten more specific. Change fees, bag fees, etc are pretty much what’s crediting now. So while it’s listed at $100, I would personally value this benefit at less than face value due to its narrowed window of qualification.
Welcome offer: 35k
The public 35k welcome offer alone is worth $525 if you value Membership Rewards at just 1.5c. If you end up getting targeted for anything more than this, or a referral is populating 40 or 50k – seriously…what are you waiting for?
The best part – What can you do with Membership Rewards? The Transfer partners are amazing – and we included some aspirational redemptions
Lufthansa First Class for 70k points when transferred to Aeroplan.
How incredible is that redemption? 70k points to fly a ticket that would set you back 5 figures?! The only downside is surcharges will be added, but trust me…they’re worth it. Aeroplan is also an instant transfer partner, meaning once you see the space, wham, bam, transfer your points and book your ticket.
Emirates First Class for 85k points when transferred to Emirates
One little “suite” spot of the Emirates chart is flying from Milan to New York on their A380, or Athens to Newark on their 777-300ER for 85k points. You’ll enjoy a suite with doors that close, top shelf champers, pjs, a vanity, and if your heart desires…a shower at 7 miles in the sky ( on the A380 ).
ANA First Class ROUNDTRIP for 110k when transferred to Virgin Atlantic.
One of the best bargains out there, and when you’re earning points in multiple programs that are partners with Virgin Atlantic, it makes access that much easier.
Singapore Suites for 76k when transferred to Singapore Airlines
Again, a mutual transfer partner of both Chase and Amex, and a great opportunity to fly in one of the world’s best first class products: Singapore Suites. For just 76k points you can fly between New York and Frankfurt sipping Krug and feasting on lobster Thermidor. Better yet…Singapore eliminated taxes and fees on their own metal. BYAH!
Fly up to 14k Miles in Business Class for 115k points when transferring to Asia Miles
Asia Miles is a transfer partner of Amex and has many hidden sweet spots. One of which is their multi-partner award chart. Check out the link above if you want to read all the ins and outs, but you can fly A LOT for just 115k miles when you use Asia miles and fly on 2 or more One World partners of Cathay Pacific.
Overall
If you already hold this card, it’s a big upgrade, but comes with $55 more in annual fees. Crunch the numbers and see what works for you, but I think this is the most compelling card of 2018. The benefits alone easily make up the difference, but considering this as a new card is well worth your time. Personally, this card will be at the front of my wallet.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
A Monkey Miles favorite for beginners and point pros alike because it earns very valuable points in both dining and travel. Enjoy an all time high sign up bonus as well!
♥ Earn 60k Bonus Points after $4k Spend in 3 months
♥2x on dining + travel worldwide without cap
♥Earns some of the most valuable points in the industry
Learn more
Do you know if they’ll allow plastic replacements for those that don’t like carrying a heavy card around in your wallet?
Tim – not sure…
What would you say has the most all around value… Chase points or Membership rewards points?
Patrick – the loss of Korean was a big hit to Chase, but Hyatt provides outsize value hotel wise. Amex also routinely has big transfer bonuses and more partners ( aero is a big pricing and routing advantage ). I try and earn both at similar rates, but I’ve certainly gone more bullish on MR this year vs UR.
Didn’t Lufthansa just blow fuel surcharges through the roof? Something like triple the surcharges? OMAAT did a post on it, but everyone else has been strangely silent on the subject.
Christian – I read the same article but haven’t seen them blown out on my end…could be there and I’m not replicating or could be similar to the Virgin/Delta fee glitch where they were currently improperly assessed.
If I add a family member /authorized user to my platinum card and opt for the gold card instead of adding a platinum, will that person get these bonus categories on spend that would be added to my account?
Ben – AUs on Plat wouldn’t have these bennies unfortunately
What are your thoughts on combining the Platinum Card with the new Gold Card to maximize MR earning? Obviously there would be a hefty annual fee expense ($800 per year), but if both cards’ benefits and credits are used, do you think the two together would be a good point-earning strategy?
Hey Sheed – Great question ( I actually have Gold + Personal Plat + Biz Plat ) So I’m in a similar situation and will definitely keep one of the platinums and quite possibly both. For me , both plats yield more value than the AF and provide different value sets
In terms of earn yield – you’d pick up 2x on airlines ( 5x vs 3x ) – but the real value of concurrently holding a plat is in the bennies – priority pass, centurion lounge, international airline program, hotel/rental elite status, fhr, boingo, etc. If you’re utilizing the airline fee credit, saks credit, and uber credit, you’re essentially getting all those free of charge. pretty good deal and you’d be earning the most points per dollar on your airline purchases.
The best company in the world…..i have it
The supermarket and restaurant premium points are limited to USA locations, correct?
Marc – ya that’s correct
If I infer correctly, my Platinum card @ $450/yr is not as good as the sexy Rose Gold $250 card? Heck I may have to agree…I need to downgrade!!! Clearly I need to ask Amex ‘what gives’ with this issue…shouldn’t I have/get more with the more expensive card?
Marie – I wouldn’t exactly say that – the Gold card does a great job at earning category bonuses – arguably the best out there – but the Amex Platinum offers a better suite of benefits than the Gold. Personally I think they complement each other quite well, but you would need to examine the benefits of each to decide which is best or both or neither