Amex Gold Card Review

The American Express Gold Rewards Card is a great credit card that offers travel and other perks without a super expensive annual fee. Cardholders can earn accelerated points on both travel and everyday purchases. While travelling, Gold Rewards card members can take advantage of insurance coverage to travel with peace of mind. When you’ve earned enough points to make a redemption, you can redeem them using an array of options. To learn more about the American Express Gold Rewards Card, keep reading below.

Main Perks & Benefits of the Amex Gold Rewards Card

The American Express Gold Rewards card has accelerated earning opportunities for certain categories. There are also other non-monetary benefits associated with this card. A summary of all the perks and benefits of the Gold Rewards Card can be found below.

• Earn 2 points per dollar spent on travel, such as flights, hotels, car rentals and more
• Earn 2 points per dollar spent at American Express Travel
• Earn 2 points per dollar sent on eligible gas station, grocery and drugstore purchases in Canada
• Earn 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere
• Gain access to The Hotel Collection and have the opportunity to receive a $100 USD hotel credit
• Opportunity to enroll in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program and take advantage of car class upgrades and waived fees for additional drivers
• Access lucrative events through Front of the Line and other special offers from American Express

Fees & Welcome Bonus for Gold Rewards Card

The annual fee for the American Express Gold Rewards Card is $150. You can add one additional Gold Rewards Card for free. Other cards on the account will cost $50 each.

When you sign up for this credit card, you’ll have the opportunity to earn a welcome bonus. The welcome bonus is 25,000 rewards points which is worth approximately $250. In order to obtain the welcome bonus, you must spend $1,500 using your Gold Rewards Card within the first three months of ownership.

Redeeming Amex Gold Rewards Points

There are no shortage of redemption options with the Gold Rewards Card. The highest value is often from travel redemption from a monetary perspective, but you can take advantage of other options too.

• Fixed Points Travel Program. Use points to book flights in exchange for a fixed number of points. Unfortunately, this option only covers the base cost of the flight, not fees, taxes or other miscellaneous charges.
• Flexible Points Travel Program. Use points to book travel at a rate of 1,000 points for a $10 deduction. Under this program, fees, taxes and other miscellaneous charges can be covered using points.
• Statement Credit. Make purchases on your credit card and use your points for a statement credit. The value is 1,000 points for a $7 statement credit.
• Transfer Points. If you want to take advantage of other frequent flyer and loyalty programs, you can transfer your points to registered programs.
• Gift Cards. Purchase gift cards for premium retailers using your points.
• Purchase Merchandise. Use your points to purchase merchandise using The Membership Rewards Catalogue.

American Express Gold Rewards Travel Insurance

Since this credit card comes with many travel perks, cardholders also benefit from travel insurance so they can travel with peace of mind. Remember that you must charge travel costs to your credit card in order to qualify for insurance coverage. Check out the travel insurance coverage for the Gold Rewards Card below.

• Emergency medical insurance for out of province and country travel for cardholders under the of age 65 – maximum coverage of $5 million for the first 15 consecutive days of the trip
• Trip interruption insurance – coverage for non-refundable, non-transferrable portion of your trip, maximum of $1,500 per person and $6,000 per group for each trip
• Flight delay insurance – coverage of up to $500 for purchases within 48 hours when flight is delayed or denied for 4 hours or longer
• Travel accident insurance – coverage of up to $500,000 for accidental death and dismemberment
• Car rental theft and damage – coverage of up to $85,000 MSRP for rentals that lasted 48 days or less, must decline car rental agency insurance to be eligible
• Lost or stolen baggage insurance – coverage of up to $500 per trip for everyone on the trip
• Hotel burglary insurance – coverage of up to $500 for all stolen personal items, with the exception of cash
• Baggage delay insurance – coverage of up to $500 for purchases made within four days of arrival when your baggage is delayed for six hours or more

American Express Gold Rewards Card FAQ

What are the Gold Rewards Card approval requirements?

The two approval requirements are that you’re a Canadian resident and you’re the age of majority in the province or territory that you reside in. American Express will likely consider other factors during the application process, such as personal assets and your credit, but these requirements are not disclosed by American Express.

What is the credit limit of the Gold Rewards Card?

There isn’t a specified credit limit for this credit card. The spending limit will be determined during the application process depending on your personal finances and position.

Can I transfer Gold points to airlines?

You can transfer points to airlines that offer loyalty programs and are registered with American Express. If the airline you want isn’t registered with American Express, you can transfer your points to other loyalty programs that allow you to transfer points to the airline of your choice.

Is the Gold Rewards Card worth it?

The Gold Rewards Card offers a lot in exchange for the annual fee. If you’re interested in travel and other experiences, it’s worth looking into. However, whether the card is right for you depends on your personal finances and goals.

Is the Gold Rewards Card made of metal?

Yes, as of the last year the card is now metal like the Platinum card.