American Express Gold Card Review: Up To 4x Amex Points For Foodies

I wanted to get this card for the SUB, but I can’t make the numbers work. I already have the Capital One Venture X and Savor, so I get 3 points per dollar on restaurants and supermarkets that I can transfer to CapitalOne miles. I spend about $1000 per month on the Savor, or about $12,000/year. The difference between the AMEX Gold’s 4x and the Savor’s 3x would be about 12000 points per year, worth (according to Ben) $204, which doesn’t offset the annual fee, unless I change my spending to use the credits. Oh well.

Had it, canceled it earlier this year. Now using Cit Custom Cash for supermarkets, and CSP at restaurants.

Ha, same here (almost). CC for supermarkets, WF Autograph for restaurants.

I was right at the break point of slightly coming out ahead-enough-to-justify prior to the fee hike, whereas now I am almost certainly not. Such a shame. 4x really is nice.

Reshuffling the deck thanks to Chase fee hike on CSR.

AMEX GOLD's 4X points on things you eat (dining and groceries) nets me about 75K AMEX MR points a year, about 19K more than I would get with cards earning 3X and a a wider range of good transfer partners. That said 3 Chase Points (on dining but not groceries) are worth about the same to me as 4 AMEX MR points as I move most Chase points to Hyatt unless topping off another partner for an award.

Now that the GOLD's annual fee is $325....

Like other posters, I downgrading CSR to CSP (Still 3X dining) , and could CITI Strata for groceries (3X). Sure I use most of the GOLD's $84 Dunkin credit, and the $100 Resy credit is easy. So about 10K extra from Groceries (over CITI) - value about $150 and the $184 of credits makes AMEX GOLD break even for me.

I'll hold for now, as any Uber credits are a plus. I don't use Uber often to be honest, maybe once or twice a year.

Using Wells Fargo Autograph Journey for general travel (Cruises, Trains, Tours) -

Yeah, that analysis makes sense, although if you've never had Gold before I would probably churn it just for that SUB... we honestly might not see a SUB like that again.

Are you accounting for card benefits, offers, transfer timing/infrastructure, customer support? I got the Venture SUB of 100k a couple years back, earned and burned, closed it out. Amex is a level above Capital One IMO. The numbers look good but you have to factor the intangibles.

Also the numbers can always work if you do the diligence to stack.

With a family we probably earn most points with this card on an ongoing basis with 4x on groceries and dining. The benefits take some effort to track but at least we don't have to go out of the way to use them; getting about $300-350 back per year.

I find that Amex's definition of "restaurant" is way too restrictive. Other cards like Chase use the more expansive "dining" category to qualify for the points. The claim that the bonus is tied to how the merchant codes the transaction is true but how would anybody know that? I've been to places where I make a reservation, get seated by a host, order a full meal from a server, and pay for it with the Amex. Then I get the bill: "Category: Cafe - 1x points". Ridiculous. Never happens with Chase.

I got the Gold a few months ago for the 100K points offer. Probably will downgrade to cheapest Amex points card or upgrade to Platinum if I have another big points offer. Hard for me to make any higher annual fee card work with the constant Shop Your Way card gas, groceries, restaurant $100/month statement credit for $1k spend that has been going on for years. None of the points and miles sites push the Shop Your Way card, the best rewards card of the last 5 years running, I assume because there is no referral commission.

Yeah, that analysis makes sense, although if you've never had Gold before I would probably churn it just for that SUB... we honestly might not see a SUB like that again.

Are you accounting for card benefits, offers, transfer timing/infrastructure, customer support? I got the Venture SUB of 100k a couple years back, earned and burned, closed it out. Amex is a level above Capital One IMO. The numbers look good but you have to factor the intangibles.

Also the numbers can always work if you do the diligence to stack.

Ha, same here (almost). CC for supermarkets, WF Autograph for restaurants.

I was right at the break point of slightly coming out ahead-enough-to-justify prior to the fee hike, whereas now I am almost certainly not. Such a shame. 4x really is nice.