The Best Amex Credit Card Strategy featured by top US travel hacker, Points with Q: Amex Business Gold

AmEx Business Gold Review: Earn 4x Points on Business Spending

 

The card_name, in addition to the AmEx Business Platinum and Blue Business Plus are the three AmEx business cards you are likely to hear about the most. And there’s a good reason. Each of these cards caters to a specific type of traveler.

In this card_name Review, we’ll focus on the card details, credits, and perks, as well as how to earn and redeem points, and competing cards. All in all, the end goal is to highlight the most important aspects of the card.

Business Gold Card Details

New card_name cardmembers earn 70,000 Membership Rewards points spending $10,000 in your first three months of card membership. The card has a $295 annual fee ($375 if the application is received on or after 2/1/24) and no foreign transaction fees.

Before applying for this card, the card_name requirements include a Good, Excellent credit score to be approved. card_name credit scores in this range can be achieved by making all of your payments on time, keeping your credit usage low, and having no negative marks on your credit report.

Business Gold Perks

The 25% Airline Bonus, Trip Delay Insurance, Baggage Insurance Plan, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Amex Offers, and Employee Cards are the primary perks of the card_name.

With respect to the airline bonus, cardmembers receive 2.5 additional points for every 10 points redeemed for either a first or business class flight on any airline, or for economy flights with their selected qualifying airline up to 250,000 bonus points per calendar year. Flights must be booked through American Express Travel.

Trip delay insurance reimburses you for travel expenses including meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal use items incurred during a trip booked with your card that is delayed more than twelve hours.

Baggage insurance covers lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during your trip up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage. Like trip delay insurance, your card must be used to book the trip for your bags to covered.

Damage to or theft of your rental vehicle is covered when your card is used to pay for the entire rental. You must also decline the collision damage waiver. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance coverage is secondary and does not include liability coverage.

Amex Offers makes your spending more rewarding with offers for shopping, dining, and travel. Simply add the offers to each of your eligible AmEx cards to start earning additional rewards.

Primary cardmembers can add Employee Cards to earn rewards. There is no card_name additional card fee when adding Employee Cards.

Business Gold Credits

New cardmembers earn up to $300 back in statement credits. You receive up to $150 back on both U.S. advertising in select media and $150 in U.S shipping.

Statement credits are for purchases within the first three months of card membership. This offer offer ends 4/7/2021.

How to Earn Points with the Business Gold

You earn 4X Membership Rewards points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories in each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap. Categories include airfare purchased directly from airlines, US purchases for advertising in select media, US purchases made directly from select technology providers, US purchases at gas stations, US purchases at restaurants, and US purchases for shipping.

How to Redeem Points with the Business Gold

AmEx currently has 19 airlines and 3 hotel partners. This means you can transfer your AmEx points directly to these partners to book award flights and/or hotel stays.

Some of my favorite ways to use AmEx points with these partners include; 1) 110,000-120,000 Virgin Atlantic miles to book ANA roundtrip first class US to Japan, 2) 87,000 Avianca LifeMiles to book Lufthansa first class US to Europe, 3) 85,000 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles to book Cathay Pacific business class US to Asia. To sum up, AmEx points can provide value by booking award flights like the ones mentioned above.

Which Cards Compete with the Business Gold?

The Chase Ink Business Preferred is the closest competitor to the card_name. You earn 3x points in combined purchases on travel, shipping, Internet, cable and phone services, and on advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines with the Chase Ink Business Preferred.

Additional business cards to consider are the AmEx Business Platinum and the Capital One Spark Business. When comparing the card_name vs Platinum, AmEx Business Platinum cardmembers earn 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com. You earn 2x miles (points) on every purchase and 5x miles (points) on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel with the Capital One Spark Business.

Conclusion on the Business Gold

The ability to earn 4x points and receive a 25% airline points rebate makes the card_name interesting. However, the card does have a high annual fee. This emphasizes earning enough points and using the airline points rebate regularly to justify the annual fee. In other words, regularly earning points and using the points rebate help to justify the annual fee.


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