Credit Cards

American Express® Business Gold Card Review

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American Express® Business Gold Card

The best aspect of the American Express® Business Gold Card is the ability to earn 4x points on 2 qualifying categories where you spend most in a month, up to a combined $150k a year. It’s an absolute workhorse for your point balance.  You don’t have to select which categories you want to earn the 4x on because Amex does the work for you…whichever categories you spend most in a billing cycle will earn the 4x points. One month you wine and dine some clients and book a ton of airline tickets? BOOM! 4x. Another month, you’re buying online ads ? Boom…4x.

Let’s take a look at the American Express® Business Gold Card in further detail

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Reader Referral link

Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.

American Express® Business Gold Card

4.8
4.8/5

Earn 4x Membership Rewards on the top 2 monthly categories where you spend the most – this is why I keep the card in my wallet. Check the card benefits for more details

Welcome Offer

Referrals vary: Up to 175k Membership Rewards after $15k in 3 months 

Points Earned

Transferrable Membership Rewards

 

The American Express® Business Gold is a Membership Rewards earning machine with its 4x category bonuses.

I use this card to buy gas when on business trips, purchase online advertising to help Monkey Miles grow, and occasionally I’ll even purchase airline tickets direct from the airline. 

You can get up to $20 per month as a statement credit at FedEx, GrubHub, or Office Supply Stores and I typically use this up with GrubHub…that’s $240 of the annual fee recouped right there.

  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories.
    • While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter).
      1. Purchases at US media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
      2. U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
      3. U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
      4. U.S. purchases at gas stations
      5. Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
      6. Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
    • Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
  • Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
  • Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
  • The Business Gold Card now comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and Limited Edition White Gold. White Gold design is only available while supplies last. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
  • *Terms Apply
  • See Rates & Fees

We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.

Main Cast: 

Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.

Supporting Cast:

Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on. 

Benefit Overview

  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories.
    • While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter).
      1. Purchases at US media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
      2. U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
      3. U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
      4. U.S. purchases at gas stations
      5. Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
      6. Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
    • Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
  • Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
  • Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
  • The Business Gold Card now comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and Limited Edition White Gold. White Gold design is only available while supplies last. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
  • *Terms Apply
  • See Rates & Fees
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American Airlines 777-200 w/ B/E Aerospace Retrofit

Earning 4x points on 2 categories made simple

Look at the categories listed below. The two categories you spend the most money on in a billing cycle will earn 4x points on those purchases. No need to select or activate categories…you’ll just the get bonus points.

The combined purchases in which you’ll earn 4x on are capped at $150k/year. That means there is whopping 450k bonus points on the table. It’s pretty awesome that restaurants, transit, and gas are all included bonus category.

  • 4x on your choice of purchase at any 2 of the following categories
    • U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
    • U.S. purchases made directly electronic goods retailers and software & cloud systemrs providers
    • U.S. purchases at gas stations
    • U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
    • Transit purchases
      • including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
    • Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
    • Capped at $150k total on combined categories

Etihad flights can be booked via Aeroplan and Etihad – both Amex transfer partners. This is a photo of the Etihad Apartment

a seat in an airplane

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Learn More

Reader Referral link

Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.

American Express® Business Gold Card

4.8
4.8/5

Earn 4x Membership Rewards on the top 2 monthly categories where you spend the most – this is why I keep the card in my wallet. Check the card benefits for more details

Welcome Offer

Referrals vary: Up to 175k Membership Rewards after $15k in 3 months 

Points Earned

Transferrable Membership Rewards

 

The American Express® Business Gold is a Membership Rewards earning machine with its 4x category bonuses.

I use this card to buy gas when on business trips, purchase online advertising to help Monkey Miles grow, and occasionally I’ll even purchase airline tickets direct from the airline. 

You can get up to $20 per month as a statement credit at FedEx, GrubHub, or Office Supply Stores and I typically use this up with GrubHub…that’s $240 of the annual fee recouped right there.

  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories.
    • While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter).
      1. Purchases at US media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
      2. U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
      3. U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
      4. U.S. purchases at gas stations
      5. Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
      6. Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
    • Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
  • Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
  • Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
  • The Business Gold Card now comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and Limited Edition White Gold. White Gold design is only available while supplies last. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
  • *Terms Apply
  • See Rates & Fees

We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.

Main Cast: 

Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.

Supporting Cast:

Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on. 

Statement Credits

These statement credits need to be enrolled, and if you utilize them, can help offset much of the annual fee. Personally, I will be focused on Office Supply and Grubhub

  • Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
  • Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. $12.95 plus applicable taxes.

screens screenshot of a credit cardJust remember that you need to enroll to get these some of these credits

a screenshot of a phone

Is this the best offer we’ve seen?

This is one of the best public offers we’ve ever seen. However, some people are receiving targeted offers anywhere from 70k to 90k with the same spend requirements. Keep an eye out for those!

But I don’t have a small business, Miles. You may, and not know it. Keep reading.

American Express is very friendly to entrepreneurs and small business owners alike. In fact, if you haven’t been in business for long, or you haven’t established yourself with an EIN, you can still apply as a Sole Proprietor ( fill in your SSN ). If you run a small side business (think bloggers, ebay sellers, tutors, consultants, Uber Drivers, DoorDash, etc – people who get 1099 income) and want a card to segregate your business income from your personal income at tax time…this is a great opportunity to earn a load of points and help yourself out. Please seek the advice of a tax professional, I’m simply explaining my personal experience.

Personally, I have two businesses that I run, one has an EIN, and one doesn’t. I still need to keep all of their records separate, and so I have cards for each business. And we love to fly like this: United Polaris from Brazil to Chicago and Newark to Tel Aviv.

a stuffed animal on a seat in an airplane

American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners

This is the best part of holding Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards…the transfer partners. Amex has more than 20 transfer partners and these are the key to taking truly aspirational vacations.

a group of logos
American Express transfer partners

What are some awesome uses of Amex points?

I’d highly recommend reading our list of best uses of Amex Points, but here are a few to whet your palate

Transfer to Aeroplan to fly United’s new Polaris

Or move miles to Avianca to fly Luftahnsa First Class

You could transfer to Emirates to fly in Suites

You could also transfer to Asia miles to fly Japan Airlines First Class

Recap

This card is crucial for business owners who spend a lot of money on the listed bonus categories. The ability to earn 450k bonus points in a calendar year where you’re already pushing a ton of spend is incredible and should be heavily considered. The $295 annual fee is something that should be considered, but if your business spends a lot on the listed bonus categories, you’ll quickly realize you’re earning a lot more value than you’re spending in the annual fee.

To see the rates and fees for the American Express cards featured, please visit the following links: American Express® Business Gold (Rates and Fees)

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card


4.8
4.8/5
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is a great starter card that earns Premium Ultimate Rewards that can be transferred into over a dozen partners many of which are US based including Hyatt, Southwest, United, IHG, and Marriott.

Welcome Offer

$300 Chase Travel℠ Credit + Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 

Annual Fee

$95

Points Earned

Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards

  • $300 Chase Travel℠ Credit + Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 
    • That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel℠ purchases within your first year
  • 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
  • 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
  • 3x on select streaming services
  • 3x on online grocery purchases
    • (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
  • $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
    • The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
  • 2x on all other travel
  • 10% Anniversary Bonus
    • Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
  • Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
  • Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
    • Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
  • $95 Annual Fee

We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.

Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.

Main Cast: 

Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.

Supporting Cast:

Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.

If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex®  and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners

Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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