Amex Gold: Travel Perks That Go Beyond Lounge Access
4 Min Read | Published: December 15, 2025
This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express products and services. Similar products and services offered by different companies will have different features and you should always read about product details before acquiring any financial product.
Wondering what Amex® Gold offers travelers? Learn what’s included, what’s not, and the rewards and credits that make this card valuable.
At-A-Glance
- The American Express® Gold Card offers great perks for travelers, including travel insurance and Uber benefits.
- With the Gold Card, you’ll get valuable dining credits, plenty of opportunities to earn points, and additional benefits at hotels.
- If you want lounge access with your card, you might want to consider the American Express Platinum Card®, which takes your travel experience to another level.
When you’re choosing a credit card, you weigh the perks and promotions that suit your lifestyle and travel habits. The American Express® Gold Card doesn’t include airport lounge access—but it offers plenty of other travel benefits that can make your trips just as rewarding. Let’s take a closer look at some of the perks that you can access with the Amex Gold Card and highlight some of the other American Express Cards that offer elevated travel experiences.
Travel Perks
A common misconception about the American Express® Gold Card is that it offers access to airport lounges, like some other Amex® Cards. While the Gold Card doesn’t include airport lounge access, it does come with one-of-a-kind lifestyle benefits that separate it from other rewards credit cards in its class. From earning rewards on hotel bookings and flights to getting hotel credits, early check-ins, late check-outs, and upgrades, your Amex Gold Card comes with plenty of perks.
What Amex Gold Can Offer
The American Express Gold Card offers plenty of lifestyle and travel benefits that keep the good times rolling. Let’s take a closer look at some of what the Gold Card can deliver:
Earning Power and Dining Rewards
With the Gold Card, you earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points on restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., on up to $50,000 in purchases each year. You can also earn 4X Points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases each year. Plus, you can earn 3X Points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com and 2X Points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel purchases booked through AmexTravel.com. Not to mention the fact that you earn 1X points on other eligible purchases with your Gold Card.
Statement Credits
The American Express Gold Card isn’t just about earning points: it also opens doors for you to elevate your lifestyle. Receive $120 annually with up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with your Gold Card at select partners like Grubhub, Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys; $84 in annual credits (up to $7 in monthly statement credits) for purchases with your Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations, and up to $100 back after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment required. Terms apply.1
Hotel Benefits
When you’re away from home, the Gold Card has your back. Receive a $100 credit to use towards eligible charges, such as food and beverage, spa, or other on-property charges, at a hotel, as well as room upgrades upon arrival (certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade) and flexible check-in options when they’re available, when you book a prepaid stay of two nights or more at any property within The Hotel Collection through Amex Travel. Please note that credit use varies by property.
Pay Your Way
The Amex Gold Card offers flexible payment options that allow you to use your card in unique ways compared to other credit cards. There’s no preset spending limit, which means that your limits are flexible and change according to your purchase, payment, and credit history.
Additionally, with Plan It®, you can split purchases over $100 into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee so that you spread your payments out over time. And with the Pay Over Time feature, you can carry a balance on your card with interest up to a certain limit.
Travel Benefits
You shouldn't have to worry about foreign transaction fees and Global Assist Hotline can give you peace of mind .2 You can also get $10 in Uber Cash when adding your Gold Card to your Uber account to use each month for an annual total of $120, perfect for when you’re traveling without a car.
Balancing Value: Gold vs. Platinum
Depending on your lifestyle priorities, the American Express Platinum Card® may be a good option if you want lounge access and other premium benefits.
If you don’t travel as frequently and want more everyday benefits, then the Gold Card might be just right for you. Its dining rewards, earning power at grocery stores, and hotel savings offer plenty to look forward to for many Card Members. One card may suit your needs better than the other, but both offer great benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
With the American Express Gold Card, you can get a $100 credit towards eligible charges (vary by property) when you book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com, plus complimentary room upgrades when they’re available. You can also earn 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com and 4X points when you dine at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year).
The Amex Gold Card doesn’t include complimentary lounge access like some other Amex Cards. That said, you may be able to purchase passes for lounges on a visit-by-visit basis, depending on the lounge and its access policies.
The Gold Card allows you to book your stay through The Hotel Collection®, which gives you an average of $150 in value for a two-night stay. Even if you only travel occasionally, the lifestyle benefits of the Gold Card alone give you access to over $500 on average in value via statement credits and benefits. See how you can unlock over $500 annually in credits on select purchases with the Gold Card here.
The Takeaway
The American Express Gold Card brings next-level value through travel perks and everyday lifestyle credits for a $325 annual fee. 3 If your heart is set on lounge access and you’re ready to take the next step toward elevating your travel experience, you may also want to consider the American Express Platinum Card. See if you qualify for the Gold Card or the Platinum Card today.
1 For more on Offer and Benefit Terms for the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
2 For more on Rates and Fees for the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
Scott Drueding Hanson is a content writer and copywriter based in Brooklyn. His work focuses primarily on personal finance.
All Credit Intel content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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