Rewards Rates
*Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Current Intro Bonus
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Key Cardholder Benefits
- $120 in annual Uber Cash, split up into $10 per month.
- $120 in annual Dining credit, split up into $10 per month good at select retailers. Enrollment required.
- Access to The Hotel Collection. Book 2-night minimum stays for a $100 hotel credit and room upgrade upon arrival (when available).
- Complimentary ShopRunner membership for 2-day shipping and free returns at 100+ stores. Enrollment required.
- $7 back per month in the form of a statement credit towards The Disney Bundle which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.
- Complimentary ShopRunner membership for 2-day shipping and free returns at 100+ stores. Enrollment required.
Rewards Value
| Redemption Option | Average Value (in cents) |
|---|---|
| Point transfers to airline and hotel partners | 0.6 - 2 |
| Booking flights through American Express Travel | 1 |
| Booking other travel through American Express Travel | 0.7 |
| Paying with points at checkout | 0.7 |
| Using points for card charges (statement credit) | 0.6 |
| Redeeming points for gift cards | 0.5 - 1 |
Membership Rewards points earned with the American Express Gold Card are easily redeemed for 1 cent each towards airfare booked through the American Express Travel portal. You can obtain higher values transferring points to AMEX's airline and hotel partners.
| Redemption Option | Average Value (in Dollars) |
|---|---|
| $1 Rewards Dollar | $1 in statement credit |
Rewards Dollars earned with the Blue Cash Preferred Card are worth face value. So 1 Rewards Dollar is equal to a $1 statement credit.
Transfer Partners
Membership Rewards points can be transferred to over 20 travel partners while Rewards Dollars can only be redeemed for statement credit towards card purchases. This generally puts the American Express Gold Card far ahead of the Blue Cash Preferred when it comes to redeeming rewards towards airfare and hotel bookings.
Annual Fees
The American Express Gold Card has an annual fee of $250. Additional users can be added at a cost of $0 for the first five cards, then $35 per card for the sixth card onward.
The annual fee of the AMEX Gold is significantly higher than the Blue Cash Preferred, but the $240 in annual credits, high earning rates, and valuable points can easily offset the cost.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. There's no credits to make up for the annual fee, but the high earning rates will more than make up for it if you make use of them.
Card Value Calculator
Calculate how many Membership Rewards Points you can earn with the AMEX Gold and how much cash back you can earn with the Blue Cash Preferred. Compare the results side by side and see how much your rewards are worth when redeemed.
