Over the past few years, I’ve had a variety of credit cards, using them to accumulate cash back and travel rewards that have led to exciting journeys around the globe. However, I’ve come to realize that certain cards align better with my goals, particularly those that allow me to earn flexible rewards points.
At this stage in my rewards journey, my husband and I have concentrated our efforts on accumulating points through two popular rewards programs: Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards.
One card we’ve grown fond of for this purpose is the American Express® Business Gold Card. It enables us to optimize our Amex points by leveraging our everyday spending and consolidating them with points earned through our other Amex credit cards.
Amex Business Gold Card details
Rewards Rate: You’ll earn 4X points in two select categories based on your business’s highest monthly spending (then 1X points; 4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined categories per year). Additionally, you’ll earn 2X points on eligible travel booked through AmexTravel.com and 1X point on other eligible purchases.
Welcome Offer: Enjoy 70,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases during the initial three months of card membership.
Annual Fee: The annual fee for this card is $295.
Purchase Intro APR: There is no introductory APR for purchases.
Balance Transfer Intro APR: There is no introductory APR for balance transfers.
Regular APR: The regular APR ranges from 19.49 percent to 27.49 percent and is variable based on your Pay Over Time status.
5 reasons to love the Amex Business Gold
Having acquainted you with the key card particulars, let me now share the leading reasons why I hold the Amex Business Gold Card in high regard:
1. Generous bonus offer for new customers
The Amex Business Gold Card offers a highly enticing welcome offer that’s well worth pursuing if you’re looking to swiftly accumulate rewards.
Upon making eligible purchases totaling at least $10,000 within the initial three months of opening your account, you’ll be rewarded with a generous sum of 70,000 American Express Membership Rewards points.
According to Bankrate’s recent valuations, these Amex Membership Rewards points hold an approximate value of 2.1 cents each when transferred to partner programs. This equates to a potential value of up to $1,470 from this welcome offer alone.
However, it’s advisable to ensure that the $10,000 spending requirement aligns with your business budget before applying. To meet this threshold within three months, you’ll need to maintain an average monthly expenditure of over $3,333.
2. Flexible rewards program
Similar to many Amex cards, one of the standout features of the Amex Business Gold Card is the access it provides to Amex Membership Rewards.
You have the flexibility to choose from a selection of 20 partners, which includes 17 airlines and 3 hotel brands, for transferring your points. For instance, Amex’s transfer partners encompass esteemed hotel chains like Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, along with renowned airlines such as JetBlue TruBlue, Delta SkyMiles, and Singapore Airlines. These transfers typically maintain a 1:1 ratio, although it can vary depending on your chosen program.
In our case, as frequent Delta flyers and Delta Medallion members, we greatly value the ability to transfer points to the Delta program. Additionally, we find it advantageous to transfer points to Air France’s Flying Blue program for international flights in premium cabins.
However, what we appreciate most is the array of options available for redeeming rewards. Beyond transferring points to partners, you can opt for various redemption avenues, including travel bookings via AmexTravel.com, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and more. While these alternatives may not always offer the highest value per point, they grant you added flexibility to utilize your points in a manner that best suits your preferences.
3. Bonus categories
Another feature I genuinely appreciate about the Amex Business Gold Card is how it caters to our specific spending patterns. Like many businesses, ours allocates significant expenditures to certain categories while being more conservative in others.
The card’s core rewards stem from a generous 4X points on up to $150,000 in combined spending annually within the two categories where your business’s monthly spending is the highest (after which it reverts to 1X points). Additionally, you’ll earn 2X points on eligible travel purchases made through AmexTravel.com and 1X points on other qualifying purchases. This tiered rewards structure ensures that our top two earning categories each month receive the rewards they deserve, aligning perfectly with our diverse spending habits.
You have the flexibility to choose from the following categories where you can earn 4X points (up to the specified cap):
- Airfare purchased directly from airlines.
- U.S. expenditures on advertising in select media channels, including online, TV, and radio.
- U.S. transactions made directly with designated technology providers offering computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions.
- U.S. purchases at gas stations.
- U.S. expenditures at restaurants, encompassing both dine-in and takeout, as well as delivery services.
- U.S. payments for shipping services.
4. Flexible points pooling
Another notable advantage of this card, which makes it an excellent choice for our business, is the capability to consolidate Membership Rewards points from various Amex credit cards. This feature proves highly beneficial to us, given that my husband and I also possess other credit cards issued by Amex, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Pooling rewards from all our Amex card accounts streamlines the process of redeeming points for maximum value. Moreover, it enables us to track the growth of our rewards stash over time, ensuring that we make the most of our expenditures.
5. Valuable consumer protections
Lastly, there are several Amex Business Gold benefits that I, as a business owner, truly appreciate.
Firstly, I benefit from purchase protection, which safeguards my purchases against damage or theft. This coverage applies to items acquired within 90 days from the date of purchase, with a maximum benefit of $1,000 per incident and $50,000 per card account per calendar year. Additionally, the card provides one year of extended warranty coverage for eligible items with a manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less. This extended warranty coverage is applicable to purchases of up to $10,000 per item and up to $50,000 per account each calendar year.
These benefits provide me with valuable protection against potential losses in cases where products do not meet expectations or need replacement due to loss, theft, or damage within a specific timeframe.
The bottom line
The Amex Business Gold Card could be a suitable choice if you’re seeking a business credit card that offers versatile rewards, much like it works for me, allowing me to optimize my expenditures and reward redemptions alongside the other cards I carry.
However, it’s important to note that the card comes with a $295 annual fee, which can be substantial. Additionally, you’ll need to engage in a substantial amount of business spending to meet the $10,000 spending requirement within the initial three months to qualify for the welcome bonus. Nevertheless, if this aligns with your business’s budget, the 70,000-point welcome bonus offered by this card could easily be valued at $1,470. Furthermore, with the benefit of earning 4X points on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each year in your two highest monthly spending categories, you may swiftly recoup the annual fee’s value.
That being said, there are other Amex credit cards designed for business owners to consider, such as The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. It’s advisable to thoroughly compare all your options before making a decision, ensuring that you choose the ongoing rewards and benefits that best align with your business’s needs and spending habits.