Amex Gold Card Review [2025]: Is the 100,000 Point Bonus ($1,000+) Worth the Fee?

Let’s be honest. You spend a lot of money on food.

Between restaurants, takeout, Uber Eats, and your weekly grocery runs, it’s probably your biggest monthly expense after rent.

What if you had a card that treated your food budget like a travel fund? What if every dollar you spent on a burrito or a bag of apples was earning you massive points toward your next vacation?

That is the exact promise of the American Express® Gold Card.

This card is legendary in the rewards world for one reason: it is an absolute point-earning machine for foodies. But it comes with a $250 annual fee.

Is it worth it? We’ve done the math. Thanks to an incredible 100,000-point welcome bonus and over $240 in annual credits, this isn’t just a good card; it’s arguably the best deal in rewards right now.

The $1,000+ Hook: Deconstructing the 100,000 Point Bonus

This is the main event. This is why you apply.

Right now, you can earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.

This is a massive bonus. The $6,000 spend over 6 months breaks down to just $1,000 per month—a very manageable target for most households.

What are 100,000 Amex points worth?

• $1,000 (minimum): When you book travel (like flights) through Amex Travel, your points are worth 1 cent each.
• $1,500 – $2,000+ (Pro-Level Value): The real power is transferring these points 1:1 to airline partners like Delta, Air France/KLM, or Virgin Atlantic. 100,000 points can easily be worth a $2,000+ business-class ticket.

This bonus alone pays for the $250 annual fee four times over in the first year.

The 4x “Foodie” Multipliers: How You Earn

The bonus gets you in the door. The earning rates are why you keep this card in your wallet.

This card is simple and powerful:

• 4x POINTS at Restaurants (Worldwide. No caps.)
• 4x POINTS at U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in spend per year).
• 3x POINTS on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• 1x POINT on all other purchases.

If you spend $500 a month on dining and groceries, that’s $6,000 a year. On this card, that spending earns you 24,000 points. On a normal 1.5% cash-back card, you’d only get $90. This card is built for real-life spending.

How the $250 Fee Becomes Just $10 (The Credits)

This is the secret math of the Amex Gold. The “sticker price” is $250. The real cost is $10.

Here’s how. The card gives you $240 in annual credits that are incredibly easy to use:

1. $120 in Uber Cash ($10/month): Just add your Gold Card to your Uber account. Every month, $10 in “Uber Cash” appears. You can use it for Uber rides or (our favorite) Uber Eats.
2. $120 in Dining Credits ($10/month): Just enroll on the Amex site, then use your card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, or other partners, and you get a $10 statement credit back.

If you use Uber/Uber Eats or Grubhub once per month, you are getting $240 in value back.

The Math: $250 (Annual Fee) – $240 (Credits) = $10 (Effective Annual Fee)

You are paying $10 per year for a card that gives you 4x on food and a 100,000-point bonus. It’s an unbeatable deal.

Who is the Amex Gold For? (And Who Should Skip It?)

This card is not for everyone.

✅ This card is perfect for you if:

• You are a “Foodie” who spends a significant amount on Restaurants & Groceries.
• You use Uber, Uber Eats, or Grubhub at least once a month.
• You have Good-to-Excellent Credit (Typically a FICO score of 700+).
• You want to earn high-value travel points on your everyday spending.

❌ You should probably look elsewhere if:

• You have “Fair” or “Bad” Credit (a score below 700). You will likely be denied.
• You refuse to pay an annual fee, even if the credits offset it.
• You never use food delivery apps and want simple cash back (A Chase Freedom card might be better).

Our Final Verdict

The American Express® Gold Card is the undisputed king of “foodie” cards.

For an effective annual fee of just $10 (if you use the credits), you get a card that earns 4x points on your biggest daily expenses.

And with the current 100,000-point bonus (worth $1,000+), applying for this card is the easiest financial decision you can make this year.