The Amex Gold just went through a surprise update as part of its 60th anniversary celebration. On top of all the existing features this card already offers, American Express is introducing what it calls new and enhanced benefits that it believes could bring card members even more value in 2026 and beyond.
With this update, there are now 10 things you should be doing with the Amex Gold card if you want to get the maximum value out of it.
1. Take Advantage of the Welcome Offer
Right now, the offer on this card is that you can earn as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
The important words here are “as high as 100,000 points.”
American Express advertises 100K as the maximum amount of points available, but the offer you receive can vary from person to person and from day to day based on different factors.
Amex allows you to see your offer before officially applying through its Apply With Confidence feature. This lets you find out whether you’re approved with no credit score impact, see the offer amount, and then decide whether you want to accept it.
If you’re offered 100,000 points, those points could be worth anywhere from around 0.6 cents per point to more than 2 cents per point depending on how you redeem them.
That means 100,000 Amex points could be worth between $600 on the low end and around $2,000 or more on the high end.
In year one, that alone can more than offset the card’s $325 annual fee.
2. Understand the Good and Bad Redemption Options
Earning points is straightforward, but turning those points into real-world value is what matters.
That’s where calculating cents per point comes into play.
For example:
- Redeeming points at checkout for Amazon purchases gets around 0.7 cents per point.
- Redeeming points for a statement credit gets around 0.6 cents per point.
At those rates:
- 100,000 points would be worth about $700 through Amazon.
- 100,000 points would be worth about $600 as a statement credit.
Anything below 1 cent per point is generally a poor redemption value.
At a minimum, you could use 100,000 points through the Amex Travel portal at 1 cent per point and get $1,000 in value.
Transferring points can provide even more value.
One example is booking a $400 American Airlines award flight by transferring 20,000 Amex points to Qatar Airways, an Amex transfer partner.
That redemption would provide a value of 2 cents per point.
Getting $400 in travel value from 20,000 points is significantly better than getting $120 as a statement credit from those same points at 0.6 cents per point.
Understanding these redemption options can make a huge difference in the value you get from the Amex Gold card.
3. Use the Spending Multipliers
One of the strongest features of the Amex Gold card is its spending multipliers.
The most popular ones are:
- 4x points at restaurants worldwide on up to the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year.
- 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year.
The card also offers travel-related multipliers:
- 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel app.
- 3x points on flights booked through Amex Travel or booked directly.
- 2x points on prepaid car rentals and cruises booked through Amex Travel.
The 5x points on prepaid hotels is one of the new enhanced benefits included in the recent update.
These travel multipliers, combined with the food spending categories, make the Amex Gold a strong option for earning points from everyday spending and occasional travel purchases.
4. Use the Annual Credits
The value of the Amex Gold card depends heavily on whether you’re using the annual credits that help offset the $325 annual fee.
American Express highlights up to $500 in annual value through four major credits.
Dining Credit
The card offers up to $120 per year in dining credits.
You can receive up to $10 in statement credits each month with eligible partners:
- Grubhub (including Seamless)
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Five Guys
- The Cheesecake Factory
- Wonder
Enrollment is required.
These monthly credits do not roll over.
Buffalo Wild Wings and Wonder were added as part of the new update. Goldbelly and Wine.com will no longer be dining credit partners after June 30, 2026.
Uber Cash
Cardholders receive $10 in Uber Cash each month.
This can be used for Uber rides or Uber Eats.
The credit does not roll over and is only available in the United States.
To receive it, simply add your Amex Gold card to your Uber account and pay with any Amex card at checkout.
Resy Credit
The card includes up to $100 in annual statement credits at qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants.
The credit is split into:
- Up to $50 from January through June
- Up to $50 from July through December
Enrollment is required.
Dunkin Credit
Cardholders can receive up to $7 in monthly statement credits at Dunkin locations in the United States.
Enrollment is required.
The value of all these credits will depend on your spending habits, but using them consistently can significantly improve the value of the card.
5. Book Hotels Through The Hotel Collection
The Hotel Collection can provide additional value when booking certain stays through Amex Travel.
Properties in the Hotel Collection are generally upscale hotels selected by American Express.
When booking eligible properties with the Amex Gold card, benefits can include:
- 12 p.m. check-in when available
- Room upgrades when available
- Late checkout when available
- A $100 property credit for eligible charges
Eligible charges may include dining, spa treatments, and other resort activities.
American Express says there are more than 1,300 hotels in this program.
One important limitation is that Hotel Collection bookings require a two-night minimum stay.
Combining this benefit with the new 5x points on prepaid hotel bookings can provide additional value.
However, redeeming points directly for Hotel Collection bookings generally provides only around 0.7 cents per point.
6. Take Advantage of Hertz Five Star Status
Another new benefit introduced as part of the 60th anniversary update is Hertz Five Star status.
This is Hertz’s mid-tier status level.
Benefits include:
- Better member rates
- Ability to skip the line and choose a vehicle
- Access to a wider selection of premium vehicles
- Complimentary upgrades when available
For people who rent cars frequently, this can be a useful addition to the card.
7. Consider Premium Car Rental Protection
The Amex Gold card includes secondary rental car coverage.
However, Amex also offers optional Premium Car Rental Protection plans.
These plans cover theft or damage to rental vehicles.
Coverage starts at $19.95 per rental and can provide up to 42 consecutive days of coverage.
For some travelers, this can be significantly less expensive than purchasing similar protection directly from a rental car company.
8. Understand the Travel Protections
The Amex Gold card includes several travel protections.
These include:
- Trip delay insurance
- Baggage insurance
- Car rental loss and damage insurance (secondary coverage)
It’s important to review the specific terms and coverage limits to understand exactly what is included.
While there are cards with stronger travel protection benefits, the Amex Gold still provides useful coverage for many travelers.
9. Use Amex Offers
Amex Offers can provide additional savings throughout the year.
These offers are available inside your Amex account through a dedicated section.
Examples include:
- 500 Membership Rewards points after spending $50 with Amazon, up to three times
- $15 back after spending $75 with Chewy
- 15% back at Shake Shack
- 15% back at Qdoba
Other offers may include brands such as Topgolf, Ray-Ban, and Fanatics.
Additional 60th anniversary offers are also available, including select wine offers and an HBO Max discount.
American Express also announced a special offer available through October 30, 2026, where cardholders can receive a one-time statement credit of up to $96 when using the Gold card to pay for an annual Uber One membership.
Checking Amex Offers regularly can lead to meaningful savings throughout the year.
10. Earn More Points With Rakuten
Rakuten is a shopping portal that offers additional rewards when shopping with participating brands.
Users can earn extra cash back by clicking through Rakuten’s links before making purchases.
Instead of receiving rewards as cash back, Rakuten also allows users to receive rewards in the form of Amex Membership Rewards points.
By selecting Amex points in account settings, rewards are paid out as additional Amex points every three months.
In many cases, it’s also possible to combine a Rakuten deal with an Amex Offer, creating an opportunity to stack savings while still earning at least the base 1x Amex point per dollar spent with the Gold card.
For anyone looking to maximize the value of the Amex Gold card, Rakuten can be another way to increase the number of Membership Rewards points earned throughout the year.