American Express® Gold Card

Pros

✅ Generous dining and U.S. supermarket rewards rates (terms apply)

✅ Impressive welcome offer with six months to meet spending requirements

✅ Flexible rewards redemption options and strong transfer partners

✅ No foreign transaction fees

✅ No preset spending limit; adapts based on your purchase and credit history

✅ Statement credits help offset the annual fee

✅ Option to choose between Rose Gold or Gold Card design

Cons

❌ $325 annual fee, which may be difficult to justify for infrequent users of the credits and transfer partners

❌ Limited travel perks compared to other premium travel cards (e.g., no lounge access)

❌ Points are worth less than 1 cent when redeemed for statement credits

❌ Bonus rewards categories have spending caps and restrictions

❌ Fees for transferring points to certain frequent flyer programs

❌ Not ideal for users outside the U.S. due to limited bonus category coverage