My Newest Card: 8% Back Every Time I Dine Out

There’s a new Amex Gold Card out there and Amex claims it’s better than ever, but frankly, I’m a bit sick of this…

Yet again, credit card issuers are raising annual fees. The Amex Gold card went from $195 per year with the first year waived and has now bumped it up to $250, which is the equivalent of a $305 increase over two years.

So let me ask you this, why did I just add this card to my wallet? Read on to know more…

Click here for more details: Top Rewards Credit Cards

Old Gold Card

The old card had the following plus points:

• $195 annual fee, waived for the first year
• 2X points on supermarkets and restaurants
• 2x points on gas stations

So, the only real change with the new card is that you won’t be getting the 2x points on gas stations. I don’t drive but even if you do, there is no point paying the $195 annual fees just for 2x points on gas stations. So, not really a big loss there!

If you have an Old Amex Gold Card, get rid of it and get a new one now.

New Amex Gold Card

On October 4, 2018, Amex rolled over their old gold card into a new (shinier) gold card. Here are some of the main benefits:

• Check the Card Page for current bonus and terms.
• 4X Membership Rewards^® points at restaurants worldwide
• 4X Membership Rewards^® points at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per year in purchases
• 3X Membership Rewards^® points for flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
• 1X Membership Rewards^® points on all other purchases^‡
• Annual Fee of $250

Other Notable Benefits

Claim $100 Annual Airline Fee Credit

I chose American Airlines but it works with any airline. So, you don’t really have to worry about which credit card you used to pay for the tickets, if you have the Amex Gold in your wallet you can use your $100 yearly credit for a meal or an upgrade.

Enroll In $120 Annual Dining Credit

One of the things that make the new Amex Gold Card really exciting is the $120 dining credit. How they do it is that they distribute $120 over 12 months with $10 each month. The participating merchants are Seamless, Grubhub, and some selected Shake Shack restaurants.

For example, after unlocking the benefits on the American Express website, which you have to do after getting the card. And by adding the New Amex card to your Seamless account. You can now have 10% off on ordering from Seamless (once you accrue that $10 credit). And not just that, but you’re also getting 4X points back.

Considering each Amex point is worth 2 cents, we are talking about 8% refund on anything that we buy from Seamless.

Add Amex Gold to Seamless

Remember to pay with the card on checkout. I just deleted my other cards to make it default

Learn New 4X categories

4x on first $25k U.S. Supermarkets then 1% and Restaurants worldwide

Points on Flights Booked Through AmexTravel

3X points on amextravel.com flights. I personally use the Amex Platinum card to get the 5x points on Amex Travel.

Travel Insurance

• Baggage insurance: This plan covers your bags if they are lost, damaged, or stolen. In order to be eligible, you need to use your Gold Card to purchase the entire cost of the ticket (plane, train, ship, or bus).
• Car rental loss and damage insurance: Pay for the entire cost of the rental with your Gold Card and decline the coverage offered by the car rental agency. You will be covered if the rental car is damaged or stolen.

Which Card Should I Get?

CSP

• 2x dining and travel –  the overall return on CSP is 4% (as each point is worth 2 cents) vs 8% return on Amex Gold.
• $95 annual fee vs $250
• 0 statement credits (vs $220)

I Don’t recommend this card over the Amex Gold

This card is only great if you are looking to upgrade CFU to unlock travel benefits.

CSR 

3x travel and dining, the 3x travel is after you earn the $300 travel credit, which is effectively a  6% return vs Amex Gold 8%.

$550 annual fee vs $250

$300 travel credit vs $220 credit

I see the CSR and Amex Gold as two different classes. I have both cards because CSR is my go-to for travel points and the $300 uber brings this down to $195 fee. However, If you do more dining than travel, then get the Amex Gold. One thing with Amex Gold though, if you are not spending money on Seamless or Grubhub then $120 credit can be really hard to get. The other participating restaurants are not much of a deal.

Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card

3X U.S. supermarkets on first $6k you spend, then 1% after, and 50% bonus if you make 30 purchases in a single billing cycle. This means a 9% return vs 8% on Amex Gold.

• Annual fee $95

Great for grocery store frequent shoppers, but you gotta really use this card a ton, almost on a daily basis. If you can do that, it beats the Amex Gold Card.

American Express Gold Card

To start with, it looks really good – but that’s a stupid benefit of course.

• You get up to $120 via Seamless
• You eat out once a week and love the points
• The 8% return means that you’re saving a lot and actually paying no taxes for dining out.
• You aren’t going to be making 30 transactions per month to max out Amex Everyday preferred

The $250 annual fee is a little high but if you use it smartly as I do, you can bring it down to $30.

Summing It Up

So, let me know which one are you buying – do you like the new Amex Gold or the old one? Or are you going to get some of these other cards? And don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

Click here for more details: Top Rewards Credit Cards