American Express® Gold Card
Basic Information
Program ID: gold-card
Issuer: American Express
Card Type: Charge
Network: American Express
Card Tier: Gold
Data Complete: Yes
Created: 01/07/2026 07:30
Last Scraped: 01/15/2026 05:26
Fee Structure
| Annual Fee: | $250.00 |
| Year 1 Waived: | No |
| Effective Annual Fee: | $10.00 |
| Authorized User Fee: | $0.00 |
| Penalty APR: | 30.00% |
Additional Fees
| Late Fee: | $40.00 |
| Returned Payment: | $40.00 |
| Balance Transfer: | N/A |
| Cash Advance: | Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater |
| Foreign Transaction: | 0.00% |
Interest Rates
Purchase APR Range: 2,124.00% - 2,924.00%
Intro Purchase APR: 0.00%
Intro APR Duration: 0 months
Intro BT Duration: 0 months
Sign-Up Bonus
Bonus Amount: $75,000.00
Spending Requirement: $6,000.00
Time Period: 180 days
Bonus Timing: Bonus points are typically credited to your account 8-12 weeks after you meet the spending requirement, though they often appear sooner.
Rewards Program
Reward Type: Membership Rewards Points
Base Reward Rate: 1.00%
Bonus Reward Rate: 4.00%
Bonus Categories: 4x U.S. Supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year), 4x Restaurants Worldwide, 3x Flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
Point Value Estimate: 0.0200 cents/point
Expiration Policy: Points do not expire as long as account is active and in good standing.
Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, ANA, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, JetBlue, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Choice Hotels, Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy
Card Benefits
Protection Benefits
- Extended Warranty
- Purchase Protection
- Cell Phone Protection
- Price Protection
Travel Benefits
- Travel Insurance
- Primary Rental Protection
- Trip Delay Coverage
- Lost Luggage Coverage
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Premium Benefits
- Airport Lounge Access
- Concierge Service
- Global Entry Credit: $0.00
- TSA PreCheck Credit: $0.00
Approval Criteria
Recommended FICO Range: 690 - 850
Approval Odds Category: Excellent
Pre-qualification Available
Soft Pull Supported
Hard Pull Bureau: Varies (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax)
Issuer Rules
Rules: Eligibility requires being 18+ years old, possessing a valid SSN/ITIN, and having a good to excellent credit history (typically FICO 700+). The welcome bonus rule is 'one welcome bonus per specific card product per lifetime'. If you have previously held the American Express Gold Card, you are generally not eligible for a new welcome bonus. The application rule is a '2/90 rule', meaning a maximum of 2 credit card applications (including charge cards) are allowed within a 90-day period.
Maximum Cards Per Issuer: 5
Minimum Spend Interval: 6 months
Shutdown Risk Triggers: Manufactured spending (MS), suspicious spending patterns inconsistent with income/profile, rapid application for multiple cards or frequent account opening/closing, abuse of welcome offers or return policies, high cumulative credit limit across multiple Amex products, failure to pay bills on time, or triggering a 'Financial Review' (FR) due to unusual activity.
International Friendly
User Analytics & Insights
User Ratings
Average Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Top Positive Feedback:
Exceptional rewards on everyday spending categories like dining and groceries, valuable statement credits for dining and Uber, and strong travel benefits.
Top Negative Feedback:
High annual fee that requires active use of benefits to offset, and American Express acceptance can still be limited in some international locations.
Approval Experience Score: 85.0 / 100
Recommended Alternatives
- American Express Platinum Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Card Value Score: 88.0 / 100
Est. Annual Rewards: $1,430.00
User Portfolio Metrics
Avg Portfolio Size: 5 cards
Avg Portfolio Age: 84 months
Store vs Co-brand: 60% General / 40% Co-brand/Store
Risk Assessment
Default Risk Group: Low
Predicted Approval Probability: 85.0%
Terms Version Control
Version ID: 2024-01-01