The American Express® Business Gold Card lets you earn 4X points (on up to $150,000 per year, then 1X points) in the 2 categories from among a list of 6 in which your business spends the most each billing cycle.
It also gives cardholders the opportunity to rack up points in the American Express Membership Rewards program, a versatile credit card rewards program that offers excellent value when it comes to travel redemptions.
While the Amex Business Gold annual fee is relatively high, it can be well worth the cost in many cases due to the welcome offer and rewards rate.
The American Express® Business Gold Card is unique for a few reasons, including that you can earn 4X points (on up to $150,000 per year, then 1X points) in 2 categories (from a list of 6 eligible categories) in which your business spends the most each billing cycle. This card also lets you rack up points in the American Express Membership Rewards program, which is one of the most versatile and lucrative rewards programs for travel available today.
The Amex Business Gold does charge a $375 annual fee, but the first-year welcome offer and ongoing rewards rate can make paying this fee well worth it. When you add in the Amex Business Gold benefits you’ll receive, it’s easy to see why this card could be the only business credit card you need.
Highlights of the Amex Business Gold
Here are the card’s key features at a glance:
Category highlights
Amex Business Gold details
Welcome offer
Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Rewards rate
4X points in the top 2 categories from among a list of 6 eligible categories in which your business spends the most each billing cycle (on up to $150,000 in combined purchases per year, then 1X points)
3X points on eligible travel purchases, including flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel
1X points on general purchases
Annual fee
$375
Regular APR
18.49% to 27.49% (variable Pay Over Time APR)
The categories that are eligible for the Amex Business Gold card’s generous 4X rewards rate include:
Advertising in select media (purchased from U.S. media providers to promote your business online, on TV or on the radio)
U.S. gas station purchases
U.S. restaurant purchases, including takeout and delivery
U.S. computer software, hardware and cloud data purchases made directly from select providers
Select transit purchases, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses and subways
Wireless phone service from a U.S. wireless telephone service provider
Amex Business Gold travel benefits
American Express Business Gold travel benefits can make travel safer or easier to book. You’ll receive the following benefits as a cardholder.
This hotline can provide you with assistance if you’re more than 100 miles from home and need medical or legal referrals. Other types of assistance offered include lost passport replacement, help with lost luggage, translation services and more.
Get coverage for carry-on luggage (up to $1,250 per covered person) when you pay for a trip with your credit card. The card also comes with up to $500 in coverage per covered person when checked baggage is lost during travel on a common carrier vehicle. Other restrictions apply.
Get secondary auto rental coverage when you pay for your entire car rental bill with your credit card. This coverage is good for rental periods of up to 30 days for covered renters with a cap of $50,000 per eligible rental agreement. Other restrictions apply.
The Amex Business Gold card’s trip delay insurance is good for up to $300 per covered trip, although you’re limited to 2 claims per 12-month period. Coverage applies when you pay for a trip with a common carrier with your credit card and when eligible trips are delayed for 12 hours or more. You can use this coverage to pay for incidental expenses caused by your trip delay, such as meals, hotel stays or toiletries.
Amex Business Gold protection and insurance benefits
Cardholders also receive a handful of benefits that help protect purchases they make.
American Express purchase protection will repair or replace eligible items in the event they are damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchasing. Coverage is good for up to $1,000 per covered purchase with a cap of $50,000 per account per calendar year. Cardholders also receive $500 in coverage for natural disasters.
Cardholders receive 1 year of additional warranty protection on eligible purchases that come with a manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less. This coverage is good for up to $10,000 per eligible purchase (up to $50,000 per card per calendar year).
When you pay your prior month’s cellphone bill using your Amex Business Gold, your cellphone is covered by the card’s cellphone protection plan. You may be eligible to get reimbursed for the cost of repairing or replacing your damaged cellphone (up to $800 per claim). However, you are limited to 2 approved claims per 12-month period, and each approved claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Other terms and conditions apply.
Amex Business Gold dining and entertainment benefits
The Amex Business Gold comes with a handful of benefits that can elevate your next event, dining experience or hotel stay.
If you book a stay of 2 consecutive nights or more with an eligible property in The Hotel Collection via Amex Travel, you’ll receive a $100 experience credit for use toward various hotel property activities (like spa visits or dining, for example). You may also qualify for room upgrades when you check in.
This premium business card also comes with American Express Preferred Seating, a complimentary benefit that can help cardholders secure preferred seating at concerts, performances and sporting events. Cardholders can also get presale access to select events before tickets are available to the general public.
As an American Express cardholder, you’ll also be able to take advantage of Amex Experiences, which includes access to invitation-only and early-access events. Events include music, theater, sports, dining, fashion and more.
Amex Business Gold business benefits
There are also a few perks that can help you better manage your business expenses.
With the Amex Business Gold, you’ll get access to a year-end summary, provided at the start of the new year. Simply log in to your online account to view, with the option of downloading the information as an Excel file or PDF.
You can connect your Amex Business Gold account to your Intuit QuickBooks account to automatically categorize your transactions and more.
When you enroll your Amex Business Gold with Vendor Pay by Bill.com, you can earn Membership Rewards points on bills you pay through the platform. If you enroll in the Basic plan, you won’t have to pay a monthly fee for the first user, and the second user won’t have to pay a monthly fee for 6 months. After 6 months, the second user will have a monthly fee of $15.
Earn Membership Rewards on your employee’s business purchases by utilizing employee cards. You can set limits on the amount they are able to spend, and you can even receive real-time alerts when purchases are made. The annual fee is $95 for the first 5 employee cards and $95 per card after that (limit of 99 cards).
How to maximize Amex Business Gold perks and benefits
You can maximize your Amex Business Gold by using it for all of your business-related purchases throughout the year. You should especially use it for purchases in bonus categories that will net you 4X points (on up to $150,000 in combined purchases per year, then 1X points).
Other ways to maximize your rewards include pairing Amex cards together and taking advantage of Amex Offers.
Consider combining your Amex Business Gold with a few other American Express credit cards that can help you rack up more points. A good option to consider is The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, which charges no annual fee. You can easily pair this card and use it for all non-bonus spending on the Amex Business Gold. It provides 2X Membership Rewards points on up to $50,000 in spending per year, then 1X points. You can also consider pairing your Amex Business Gold with any number of consumer American Express credit cards that earn points in the American Express Membership Rewards program. Popular options include The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card.
Check your account regularly for Amex Offers so you can earn more rewards on eligible purchases with participating retailers, restaurants, travel brands and more. This free program requires activation per individual offer, meaning you have to keep track of promotions and add them to your card before you can use them.
The bottom line
Amex Business Gold benefits can make the annual fee on this card a spectacular deal, especially when you add in the value of the rewards you can earn each year. After all, maxing out the annual spending limit with this card’s 4X bonus categories would net you 600,000 American Express Membership Rewards points over the course of a year.
Amex Membership Rewards points are worth about 2.0 cents each when redeemed with high-value transfer partners, according to Bankrate valuations. Therefore, these bonus categories could offer an annual value of about $12,000 when redeemed with high-value transfer partners.
Still, you should never sign up for the first credit card you come across. Make sure you compare all of the other business credit cards American Express offers, as well as business cards from other issuers, before you decide.
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.
