Comparison of American Express Gold Card and American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card [In-depth Analysis]
American Express is a well-known credit and charge card issuer, offering options for both businesses and personal spending profiles. Among its offerings are the Amex Gold Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card, both of which provide rewards for everyday purchases such as gas, groceries, and dining.
The Amex Gold Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card each have their unique benefits and drawbacks.
The Amex Gold Card offers 2x points per dollar spent when paying with the card for prepaid stays via AmexTravel.com. It also earns 4x points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year) and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year), plus 3x points on airfare and 1x points on everything else. The card also offers statement credits for Uber and dining partners, GrubHub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys, totaling up to $120 per year. The Amex Gold Card also provides primary car rental insurance, and offers up to $1,250 for lost, damaged, or stolen carry-on and $500 for checked luggage when traveling on a common carrier.
The Amex Gold card has an annual fee of $325, but it offers a welcome offer of up to 100,000 points. It also offers Extended Warranty and Purchase Protection for eligible items.
On the other hand, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card does not charge a fee for adding authorized users. It earns 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per year), 3% cash-back on transit and U.S. gas purchases, and 1% cash-back on all other purchases. The card does not offer statement credits for Uber and dining partners, but it does offer car rental loss and damage insurance and baggage insurance, similar to the Amex Gold Card.
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. It offers a welcome offer of a $250 statement credit.
In summary, the Amex Gold Card is more expensive with an annual fee of $325, but it offers greater earning potential on dining, groceries, and travel, plus extra benefits like statement credits. The Blue Cash Preferred offers lower fees and strong cash-back categories but fewer travel perks. The choice between the two cards depends on your spending habits and the value you place on travel benefits versus cash-back rewards.
- For travel-related expenses, the Amex Gold Card offers 2x points per dollar spent when booking through Amex Travel, while the Blue Cash Preferred Card doesn't have a specific category for travel.
- Both cards provide rewards for dining, but the Amex Gold Card offers 4x points at restaurants worldwide, while the Blue Cash Preferred Card offers 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to a certain limit).
- In terms of entertainment, the Amex Gold Card offers statement credits for partners such as Uber, GrubHub, and The Cheesecake Factory, while the Blue Cash Preferred Card doesn't offer such credits.
- When it comes to personal finance, the Amex Gold Card has an annual fee of $325 and offers a welcome offer of up to 100,000 points, while the Blue Cash Preferred Card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 and offers a welcome offer of a $250 statement credit.
- For lifestyle and self-development purposes, neither card offers direct rewards, but their benefits can contribute to a better financial position.
- In the realm of business and finance, both cards provide insurance for car rentals and baggage, but the Amex Gold Card offers additional benefits like insurance for carry-on and checked luggage when traveling on a common carrier.
