How To Earn The American Express Gold Card’s Welcome Offer

Ben Luthi is a freelance personal finance and travel writer. He started earning credit card rewards in 2013 and leveraged his passion into a writing career. He's contributed to dozens of other publications and companies in the financial and travel spaces.

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Dylan PearlDeputy Editor

Over a decade of editorial experience across a number of publications and more than 60 countries visited have given Dylan Pearl a wealth of travel knowledge, and the tools to effectively communicate that knowledge to others. Dylan has made it his mission to see as much of the world as possible, and strives to give everyone the tools to get out and do the same with simple, actionable information.

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Updated: Jan 30, 2024, 5:20pm

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How To Earn The American Express Gold Card’s Welcome Offer

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Despite its $250 annual fee, the American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) is an excellent card for everyday spending, offering solid rewards rates on purchases at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants.

When you first get the card, you can earn a large welcome bonus by meeting a minimum spending requirement. Here’s what to know about the Amex Gold Card’s welcome bonus, how it’s earned and how to make the most of your Amex Membership Rewards points.

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American Express® Gold Card

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On American Express's Website

Partner Offer

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Rates & Fees / Terms Apply

Up to 4X Reward Rate

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.; Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points atRead More

Welcome Bonus

Earn 60,000 points

Annual Fee

$250

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Score

Excellent/Good (700 - 749)

Editorial Review

Foodies and travelers can leverage the American Express® Gold Card to the hilt, earning up to 4x points. The annual fee may seem intimidating, but by using the included benefits and doing some spending, it’s easy to come out ahead.

Pros & Cons

High rewards earnings possibilities
Points transfer option to many partners
Add up to 5 authorized users for no additional annual fee
Can choose from regular or rose gold versions

No lounge benefits
Limited options to carry a balance
High APR for pay over time feature
High pay over time penalty APR

Card Details

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $250.
Terms Apply.

What Is the Amex Gold Card Welcome Bonus?

Card welcome bonuses often change, with card issuers regularly running limited-time promotions. Amex will often make targeted offers to its prospective customers, depending on when and how they apply.

As a result, if you see an increased welcome offer on the card’s landing page, it may not be there if you leave the page and come back. Currently, eligible cardmembers can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of card membership. We’ve seen offers ranging from 60,000 to 100,000 bonus points, which can help you determine which offer you’d like to apply for.

How To Get the Amex Gold Welcome Bonus

Based on the terms of the welcome bonus you are offered you’ll be given a minimum spending threshold you’ll need to meet to earn the bonus. Currently, eligible cardmembers can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of card membership

If you can meet that requirement without changing your spending habits, you don’t need to make any additional effort to accomplish your goal.

However, if your regular spending won’t meet that minimum, or you want to earn the bonus faster, there are some ways to make that happen, such as:

Putting all of your eligible expenses on the card.
Switching recurring monthly charges, such as streaming services, insurance premiums or utilities, to your Amex Gold Card.
Adding an authorized user to your account—there is no annual fee for up to five additional cards.
Prepaying certain expenses, such as insurance premiums.
Waiting to apply until you expect a large expense.

If you’re close to the deadline and still haven’t reached your goal, you may consider paying a convenience fee to pay your rent or mortgage payment through a service like Plastiq, which charges a 2.9% fee.

However, you should only consider these options as a last resort, as they can put some stress on your budget.

How Long Does It Take To Get Your American Express Gold Card Points?

According to American Express, it can take up to eight to 12 weeks for your Amex Gold Card welcome bonus to be credited to your account after you’ve met the minimum spending requirement. However, your points could post in as little as a few days.

Keep in mind, though, that Amex may withhold or revoke a bonus if it believes that you’re trying to game the system. As a result, it’s important to avoid:

Returning items you purchased to meet the minimum spending requirement if it puts your total charges minus credits below the required threshold.
Canceling or downgrading your card within 12 months of opening the account.
Applying for an offer that wasn’t intended for you.

How To Earn Points With the Amex Gold Card

The Amex Gold Card earns 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per dollar), 3 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.

The Amex Gold Card earns rewards in the form of Membership Rewards points, which you can redeem directly with American Express or transfer to one of the card issuer’s airline or hotel partner programs.

How To Redeem Amex Membership Rewards Points

American Express offers a lot of flexibility with its rewards program, but most redemption options give you less than the standard value of 1 cent per point:

Redemption	Value Per Point
Travel via Amex’s portal	0.5 to 1 cent per point
Statement credits	0.6 cent per point
Gift cards	0.5 to 1 cent per point
Shopping with select online merchants	0.7 to 1 cent per point
Merchandise	0.5 cent per point

You can also transfer points to one of the card issuer’s many travel partners, which could allow you to get more value out of your rewards. Most offer a 1:1 transfer ratio, but not all. Additionally, Amex sometimes offers bonuses with select partners. Here’s a list of options with nonstandard transfer ratios noted:

Is the Amex Gold Card Annual Worth the Fee?

The American Express Gold Card comes with a hefty $250 annual fee, which puts it in the mid-tier price range for rewards cards.

However, the card comes with some valuable perks that can help you make up for that cost even beyond the rewards program. The card offers up to $120 in Uber Cash each year that you can use for Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S., as well as up to $120 in annual dining credits at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. For both benefits, you’ll receive up to $10 in value each month. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

If you can maximize those two perks alone, you’ll be able to recoup up to $240, which almost covers the card’s annual fee.

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Bottom Line

The American Express Gold Card offers a lot of value, both up front and over time. Before you apply, though, make sure that you can earn the welcome bonus without overspending, and determine whether the card’s rewards rates, perks and annual fee are a good fit for you in the long run.