What Credit Score Do You Need For The American Express Gold Card?

For the past seven years, Kat has been helping people make the best financial decisions for their unique situations, whether they're looking for the right insurance policies or trying to pay down debt. Kat has expertise in insurance and student loans.

For the past seven years, Kat has been helping people make the best financial decisions for their unique situations, whether they're looking for the right insurance policies or trying to pay down debt. Kat has expertise in insurance and student loans.

For the past seven years, Kat has been helping people make the best financial decisions for their unique situations, whether they're looking for the right insurance policies or trying to pay down debt. Kat has expertise in insurance and student loans.

For the past seven years, Kat has been helping people make the best financial decisions for their unique situations, whether they're looking for the right insurance policies or trying to pay down debt. Kat has expertise in insurance and student loans.

Caroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.

Caroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.

Caroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.

Caroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.

| Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel Rewards

Updated: Jul 26, 2024, 10:45am

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

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Table of Contents

• What Credit Score Do You Need for Amex Gold?
• Requirements for Amex Gold Credit Card Pre-Qualification
• How To Improve Your Credit Score To Get Approved for the Amex Gold Card
• American Express Gold Card Rewards and Benefits
• Drawbacks of the American Express Gold Card

For those who love dining out, the American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) could be a worthwhile addition to your wallet. Although it does have a relatively high annual fee, it allows you to earn valuable Membership Rewards® points, especially at restaurants and grocery stores, and it offers added benefits like dining credits and Uber Cash.

If you’re not sure if you can qualify for the American Express Gold card, here’s what you need to know.

American Express® Gold Card

Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.

Up to 4X Reward Rate

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X; Earn Read More

Welcome Bonus

Earn 60,000 points + earn up to $100 back

Annual Fee

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Score

Excellent/Good (700 - 749)

Foodies and travelers can leverage the American Express® Gold Card to the hilt, earning up to 4x points. The annual fee may seem intimidating, but by using the included benefits and doing some spending, it’s easy to come out ahead.

• High rewards earnings possibilities
• Points transfer option to many partners
• Add up to five authorized users for no additional annual fee
• Can choose from regular, white gold or rose gold versions

• Most credits are doled out monthly and can be cumbersome to redeem
• Limited options to carry a balance
• High APR for pay over time feature *

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
• Get the American Express® Gold Card in either the Gold, Rose Gold or Limited-Edition White Gold metal design. White Gold design is only available while supplies last.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Dunkin’ locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

What Credit Score Do You Need for Amex Gold?

American Express doesn’t disclose its minimum credit score requirements. However, premium cards like the American Express Gold card generally require good to excellent credit. According to Equifax, one of the three main credit reporting bureaus, that means you’ll need a credit score of 670 or higher.

Requirements for Amex Gold Credit Card Pre-Qualification

Although American Express doesn’t disclose its minimum credit score or income requirements, you can check your eligibility for the Amex Gold without impacting your credit.

Amex offers an Apply with Confidence preapproval tool which allows you to fill out a prequalification form. With a soft credit pull, Amex will tell you your likelihood of being approved. Keep in mind you will still need to submit a formal application and preapproval does not guarantee your application will be approved. Your credit score may be impacted if you are approved and choose to accept the card.

The new application experience is available for individuals applying for a U.S. personal card via Forbes Advisor, at AmericanExpress.com/us/credit-cards, or by calling American Express and is not available if you apply for a card after you log into an existing account.

How To Improve Your Credit Score To Get Approved for the Amex Gold Card

If your credit is less-than-perfect, you can improve your credit profile over the next few months by following these steps:

• Review your credit report. Errors on credit reports are common, and incorrect information can damage your credit. You can review your credit reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. If you find inaccurate information, you can file disputes directly with the major credit bureaus.
• Make all of your payments on time. Your payment history is the most significant contributor to your credit score. Sign up for automatic payments so you don’t miss any.
• Pay down existing balances. Your amount of available credit—known as your credit utilization—has a substantial impact on your credit. You can improve your credit by paying down your credit card balances.
• Limit credit inquiries. Limit inquiries for new credit, including credit cards and loans, to when you really need them. Each credit card inquiry can cause your score to temporarily drop, so limiting inquiries can help you maintain good credit. You can usually shop around within a short period of time for the same loan product, like a mortgage, with the impact of only one inquiry.

American Express Gold Card Rewards and Benefits

The Amex Gold card doesn’t have a pre-set spending limit * , giving you more flexibility in using the card. Plus, unlike traditional charge cards, which require the balance to be paid in full every month, the Amex Gold offers the Pay Over Time feature. Pay Over Time enables card members to choose whether to carry a balance, with interest, up to their Pay Over Time Limit (applies to eligible charges only, and charges not added to Pay Over Time must be paid in full).

With the American Express Gold card, you can take advantage of the following benefits and rewards:

New Cardmember Offer

You can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months of card membership, plus 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of card membership, up to $100 back. Once you reach that threshold, Amex will credit the points to your account within eight to 12 weeks.

For a limited time, you also have the option to get a White Gold version of the card.

Rewards Points

With the Amex Gold card, you’ll earn 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at restaurants (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar beginning on 1/1/2025), 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 3 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on American Express Travel, 2 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Your points can be redeemed for account credits, gift cards, travel arrangements or transferred to travel loyalty programs.

Benefits

The American Express® Gold Card has several added benefits. Standout perks include:

• $120 dining credit. When you enroll and pay with your Amex Gold card for transactions through GrubHub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com or select Five Guys locations, you’ll get up to $10 in statement credits each month.
• $120 Uber Cash. Add your Amex Gold card to your Uber account and you’ll get up to $10 in Uber Cash per month. You can redeem Uber Cash for rides or UberEats orders in the U.S. Terms apply.
• $100 Resy credit. Earn up to a $50 statement credit twice annually when you use your card at a restaurant participating in the Resy program. Simply use your card and the credit will appear automatically on your statement.
• $84 Dunkin’ credit. Each up to a $7 monthly credit when you use your card at participating Dunkin’ restaurants.
• Global Assist Hotline¹. If you travel more than 100 miles away from home, you can use the Global Assist Hotline to get emergency assistance. The hotline can help with everything from medical and legal referrals to missing luggage assistance.
• Baggage insurance². When you use your card to book your fare on a common carrier, you get coverage for up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and up to $500 for checked bags that are lost, damaged or stolen.
• Car rental loss and damage waiver³. Use your card to pay for your car rental—and decline the rental company’s coverage—and you can get secondary insurance coverage for damage or theft to the rental car.
• American Express Preferred Access. Preferred Access allows you to book premium seats at select sporting events and concerts.
• Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Drawbacks of the American Express Gold Card

Despite its benefits, the American Express Gold card does some have significant drawbacks:

• High annual fee. The card has an annual fee of $325. Even if you don’t use the card or its benefits, you owe the fee simply for keeping the account open.
• Limited travel benefits. While it does offer baggage insurance and secondary car rental coverage, the Amex Gold has relatively few benefits for travelers. By contrast, cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card—which has an annual fee of just $95—includes trip cancellation/interruption insurance and trip delay reimbursement.
• Rewards are less valuable for non-travelers. To get the most value when redeeming your rewards, you have to transfer them to a frequent traveler program. Other redemption methods, such as gift cards or statement credits, have much lower values.

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Is the Amex Gold Card for You?

If you love dining out, the American Express® Gold Card could be a good fit. It offers valuable rewards at restaurants and grocery stores and includes added benefits like up to $120 in both dining and Uber credits annually.

However, the card requires good to excellent credit to be approved. It also has a high annual fee, and frequent travelers may be disappointed by the few traveler benefits it offers.

If you decide to apply for the Amex Gold card, pay attention to the welcome bonus terms and reach the spending requirement, as it will help cover the annual fee. Plus, when you pay off your balance in full every month, you can earn additional valuable rewards without paying added interest charges.

Explore The Benefits Of the American Express® Gold Card

On American Express's Website

To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.
¹You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
²Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
³Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.