I’ve had the American Express® Gold Card for about two years because I like earning Membership Rewards points on everyday spending, especially when I’m buying groceries or eating out.

It’s not THE perfect card. The $325 annual fee is something you have to think about, and I wish the Gold Card offered stronger travel protections.

But for the way I personally use it, there are several things I really like.

What to Love About the Amex Gold Card

1. The 4X earning adds up fast

This is probably my favorite part of the Gold Card.

You earn 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide and 4X at U.S. supermarkets, subject to annual spending limits. That’s a lot of points from purchases I’m already making anyway.

I don’t have to manufacture spending just to earn points. Eating at restaurants and buying groceries are things I would be doing regardless.

And when those purchases add up throughout the year, the points balance can grow surprisingly quickly.

For someone who values Membership Rewards points for travel, this is a major reason I continue to like the card.

2. The credits can offset a lot of the annual fee

The Gold Card currently has several recurring credits:

• Up to $120 Dining Credit — up to $10 per month at participating merchants
• Up to $100 Resy Credit — up to $50 from January through June and another $50 from July through December
• Up to $84 Dunkin’ Credit — up to $7 per month
• Up to $120 Uber Cash — $10 per month for eligible Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases in the U.S.

That’s up to $424 in annual statement credits if you can use all of them. Enrollment is required for the applicable benefits.

I like these credits because they’re things I can realistically use rather than benefits that sound impressive but rarely apply to my life.

If you already use Uber, eat at qualifying restaurants, use Resy, or go to Dunkin’, the credits can be genuinely useful.

3. It feels like a card I can actually use every week

This might sound simple, but it’s important.

The Gold Card isn’t sitting in my wallet waiting for a once-a-year vacation.

I’m using it for things like:

restaurants + groceries + everyday purchases + travel-related spending.

That makes earning points feel much more natural.

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What to HATE About the Amex Gold Card

1. The $325 annual fee

This is the biggest downside.

$325 is a lot of money for an annual fee.

The card can make sense if you naturally use the credits and earn enough points from the bonus categories.

But I don’t think people should get the card simply because someone tells them:

“$424 in credits means you’re making $99!”

That’s not necessarily how it works.

If you wouldn’t normally spend money with the qualifying merchants, those credits aren’t worth their full face value to you.

For me, the annual fee is much easier to accept when I’m actually using the benefits.

2. The credits require some management

The credits are useful, but they aren’t simply $424 deposited into your account at the beginning of the year.

Some are monthly, some are semiannual, and enrollment is required for the applicable benefits.

That means you have to remember to use them.

For example, the $7 monthly Dunkin’ credit doesn’t roll over indefinitely if you don’t use it.

So there is some effort involved in getting the full value.

3. Travel protections aren’t the Gold Card’s strongest feature

This is one of my biggest complaints.

The Gold Card does have some travel protections. For example, Amex lists Trip Delay Insurance and Baggage Insurance, subject to eligibility, coverage limits and terms.

But if I’m looking for a card specifically because I want a comprehensive package of travel protections, the Gold isn’t the card I’d look at first.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a lower $95 annual fee and comes with a good amount of travel insurance. BIG one is Primary Rental Car insurance covering up to $60K for damage to own rental car. Reminder, one must still have liability car insurance.

-Bottom Line

A great earner for food lovers which most of us have to be whether eating at home or taking out. The statement credits can offset the $325 annual fee if one can use them naturally and not force it. This will be a staple in my wallet for years to come.

FINAL RATING, 9.5/10

*Credit American Express for card picture.