Amex Gold: Foodie Travel Card

Applying for a travel credit card is a must for all regular travelers. Whether you take trips for business, or leisure – using one of these cards could help you to cut costs and access great perks as you travel. One of the most popular travel options is the American Express Gold Card.

The Amex Gold Card is a great choice for those who want to be able to collect points on both their travel spending and everyday purchases. Whether you are dining out or buying groceries, you could be collecting Amex Gold points which can help you save money on travel, as well as accessing some cost-saving statement credits along the way.

To access these benefits and discounts, you will need to pay the Amex Gold annual fee of $250. Although this may seem a little steep for some people, the savings and statement credits make this payment a valuable investment for many travelers. Taking advantage of the card's statement benefits, for example, will bring the cost of this card down to $10!

In our article below, we will give you all the information you need about Amex Gold Travel benefits and the features of the card. This should help you to judge if this is the right travel rewards card for your lifestyle and spending habits.

What Amex Gold Travel Benefits Are Available?

When you pay the Amex Gold Annual fee, you access a wide variety of perks and benefits that can immediately outweigh the cost. These include:

· Hotel credits of up to $100 for qualifying activities for prepaid bookings with The Hotel Collection for a stay of two nights or more. This could include hotel dining, parking, or spa treatments.

· Uber Cash statement credit of up to $120. (Monthly installments of $10 to spend on Uber Rides and Uber Eats.) You need to be signed up for Uber and add your card details to unlock these Amex Gold travel benefits.

· $120 statement credit for participating restaurants. (Divided into monthly installment credits of $10.) Participating restaurants include Grubhub, Shake Shack, and The Cheesecake Factory.

· No Foreign Transaction Fees. If you travel internationally frequently, this is a great way to avoid extra costs when spending abroad.

· Insurance on your Baggage. If your baggage is stolen, damaged, or lost while are traveling on a flight you have purchased with your card, you are eligible for up to $1,250 coverage for your carry-on baggage. Your check baggage is covered for up to $500.

· Reimbursement for Travel Delays. If a trip you have purchased with your cards is delayed for over 12 months, then you are eligible for up to $300 to be spent on lodging, meals, and toiletries. (You are limited to two claims per year.)

· Insurance for your Car Rentals. If you use your card to pay for your vehicle rental, you will access secondary insurance coverage in case of theft or damage.

What is the Amex Gold Points Welcome Offer?

Currently, when you become an American Express gold card holder, you will be eligible for a welcome offer of 90,000 Amex Gold points. You can unlock these bonus points when you spend $6,000 within the first six months of opening your account. Each reward point is worth approximately 2 cents when redeemed with the card’s airline and hotel partners, so this welcome bonus has a potential value of $1,200. That makes the Amex Gold Annual Fee a valuable investment!

How Do You Earn Points on the American Express Gold Card?

When you make purchases with your card, you will be rewarded with Amex Gold points which you can redeem for future flights and hotel stays. Here is a breakdown of how many points you can earn for each spending category:

• 4x points for each dollar you spend on US and global restaurants and US takeout deliveries.
• 4x reward points for every dollar spent at US Supermarkets. (For up to $25,000 worth of purchases in a calendar year. After this, you will get 1x per point.)
• 3x points for each dollar spent on flight purchases directly from the airline with your card.
• 3x reward points for every dollar spent on flights using the Amex Travel Portal.
• 1x points for each dollar spent on your everyday eligible purchases.

These Amex Gold Travel benefits mean that you can earn points with your everyday spending, which makes it a great option for those who want to access travel discounts and perks but don’t take enough trips to justify the higher annual fee of the American Express Platinum card.

If you do book frequent flights, then the 3x rewards offer is also a great way to quickly build up points to redeem with airlines and hotels in the future.

Where Should You Redeem Your Amex Gold Points?

Amex rewards points can be valued at approximately 2 cents each when redeemed with American Express partner airlines and hotel chains. This makes them one of the most valuable options when it comes to travel card reward redemption. Airline partners include:

• JetBlue TrueBlue.
• Delta SkyMiles.British Airways Executive Club.
• Air Canada Aeroplan.
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

You can maximize the value of your Amex Gold points by leveraging them with some of the international airline programs, where you are likely to get more value per point.

You can also redeem your points with both the Hilton Honors at a 1:2 points ratio and the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty scheme at a 1:1 points ratio.

Points can also be redeemed using the American Express Travel portal, although you may not get as high a value for your redemption when compared to partner offers.

You can also use rewards points to cover Amazon purchases, Uber rides, purchase gift cards, and even card charges on your billing statement.

Takeaway – You Can Access Valuable Amex Gold Travel Benefits with a Gold Card

Amex Gold travel benefits give cardholders a great deal of value and benefits for travel, and these perks outweigh the Amex Gold Annual Fee. You can earn rewards points with both your travel and dining spending, and these can be redeemed with a variety of different airline partners. This makes it a fantastic choice for those looking to enjoy great discounts on both flights and hotel stays.