AMEX Offer: Earn up to 60,000 points with the American Express Gold Rewards Card
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American Express® Gold Rewards Card
Earn up to 60,000 Membership Rewards points with this welcome offer for the American Express Gold Rewards Card®. That’s a value of $600 for travel or for any purchase charged to the Card:
- 5,000 Membership Rewards points per month when you charge $1,000 in net purchases to your Card, for 12 months (a total of 60,000 points in the first year).
You can also transfer your points to airline partners like Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways, Qatar Airways, Finnair) and Flying Blue, and to hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).
For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you could get up to:
- 60,000 Aeroplan points
- 60,000 Avios
- 60,000 Flying Blue Miles
- 72,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
With this Card, you get many benefits, such as:
- $100 annual travel credit
- A Priority Pass membership and 4 annual lounge visits at Plaza Premium
- $50 NEXUS credit
You earn 2 points per dollar on travel purchases, as well as at:
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Drugstores
And 1 point per dollar everywhere else.
As with all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.
- Annual fee
- $250
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,020Total$1,020Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,020
- Welcome offerAfter $12,000 in 12 months
- Up to 60,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
American Express Gold Card – How to maximize the welcome offer
Most of the welcome offer is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You’ll earn 5,000 Membership Rewards points for every $1,000 in purchases charged to your card during the month.
For the monthly welcome bonus, it’s best to shop at stores offering 2 points per dollar:
- 5,000 points for the monthly welcome bonus
- 2,000 points for these purchases in a 2 points per $ category
- That’s 7,000 points per month between the welcome bonus and the points earned through your purchases
That’s a minimum return of approximately 7% for the first 12 months on each of your first $1,000 in purchases in 2 points-per-dollar categories such as groceries, gas stations, drugstores and travel purchases.
Here’s how you could earn 84,000 points in your first year by optimizing your purchases in the 2X categories:
| Months | Purchases | Category 2x | Bonus | Total |
| 1 | $1,000 $ | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 2 | $1,000 $ | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 3 | $1,000 $ | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 4 | $1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 5 | $1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 6 | $1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 7 | 1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 8 | 1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 9 | $1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 10 | $1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 11 | $1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| 12 | $1,000 | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | 7,000 points |
| Total | $12,000 | 24,000 points | 60,000 points | 84,000 points |
84,000 points for $12,000 in purchases over 12 months, that’s a minimum return of about 7% if you use your points for a statement credit on any purchase. That’s a value of $840!
If you subtract the cost of the card’s membership fee ($250), you are left with a net value of around $590 in the first year. However, don’t forget that this card comes with annual benefits, such as a $100 travel credit or four complimentary access visits to Plaza Premium lounges in Canada.
How the welcome bonus is paid out
This bonus does not land all at once. It pays out month by month over the first year, which completely changes how you should plan for it:
| Component | Requirement | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly bonus | $1,000 in purchases that month | 5,000 |
| Over 12 consecutive months | $12,000 in total purchases | 60,000 |
Potential earnings in year one
Here is the breakdown behind those 84,000 points, placing the full $1,000 monthly spend in the 2 points per dollar categories:
| Category | Rate | Annual spending | Points earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | 2 points/$ | $4,800 | 9,600 |
| Travel purchases | 2 points/$ | $3,600 | 7,200 |
| Gas | 2 points/$ | $2,400 | 4,800 |
| Drugstores | 2 points/$ | $1,200 | 2,400 |
| Purchases subtotal | – | $12,000 | 24,000 |
| Welcome bonus (5,000 × 12 months) | – | – | 60,000 |
| Total in the first year | – | $12,000 | 84,000 |
Every $1,000 therefore returns 7,000 points: 5,000 from the bonus and 2,000 from earning. That is what drives the roughly 7% return over the first 12 months.
What About Aeroplan?
With the American Express® Gold Rewards Card, you can transfer your points to Air Canada’s loyalty program: Aeroplan. The conversion rate is 1:1. Thus, 10,000 points = 10,000 Aeroplan points.
The welcome bonus of up to 60,000 points is equivalent to 60,000 Aeroplan points.
What About Flying Blue?
With the American Express® Gold Rewards Card, you can transfer your points to the Air France KLM loyalty program: Flying Blue. The conversion rate is 1:1. Thus, 10,000 points = 10,000 Flying Blue Miles.
The welcome bonus of up to 60,000 points equals 60,000 Flying Blue Miles.
What About Marriott Bonvoy?
With the American Express® Gold Rewards Card, you can transfer your points to Marriott Bonvoy. The conversion rate is 1:1.2. Thus, 10,000 points = 12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
The welcome bonus of up to 60,000 points is equivalent to 72,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
Benefits
A new Metal Card with a Rose Gold option
In 2021, American Express Canada has decided to launch this new metal card (like the American Express Platinum Card® and the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card).
When you sign up for this card, you can choose one of two versions:
- Yellow Gold
- Rose Gold
Check your eligibility: under American Express’s current terms, the welcome offer is only available to new Gold Rewards Cardmembers. Current or former Gold Rewards Cardmembers may be approved, but they are not eligible for the Membership Rewards points offers available in the first 12 months.
$100 Annual Travel Credit
With the American Express® Gold Rewards Card you’ll receive a $100 Annual Travel Credit.
You can use this travel credit directly on the American Express Travel portal to book flights, rental cars or hotels.
Priority Pass membership and 4 complimentary Plaza Premium visits per year
This card gives you access to airport lounges worldwide.
First, it offers a Priority Pass membership (a value of about USD 99 per year). You can then pay the prevailing usage fee for each visit to one of the Priority Pass lounges worldwide.
In addition, this Card includes 4 complimentary annual visits to Plaza Premium lounges.
This is good news, since most credit cards that offered Priority Pass or LoungeKey have lost access to the many Plaza Premium lounges in Canada.
For example, you can access the excellent Air France lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.
$50 NEXUS Statement Credit
With the American Express® Gold Rewards Card, you receive a CAD 50 NEXUS credit every 4 years.
This is convenient if you regularly travel across borders.
Earning Points
With the American Express® Gold Rewards Card you get:
- 2 points per dollar on travel purchases
- 2 points per dollar on gas purchases
- 2 points per dollar on grocery purchases
- 2 points per dollar on drugstore purchases
- 1 point per dollar for other purchases
For groceries, we always recommend using your American Express Cobalt® Card which offers 5 points per dollar!
Using Points
Using Membership Rewards Points for Any Purchase
This is the easiest way to use your points: you apply them to any purchase made on the card (travel or everyday purchases).
- You buy something with your American Express® Gold Rewards Card
- You redeem your points on this purchase: 1,000 points = $10
60,000 Membership Rewards points are worth $600 here.
As you can see from the screenshot below, the exchange rate is the same for Airbnb (travel), Couche-Tard and Première Moisson.
- Annual fee
- $250
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,020Total$1,020Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,020
- Welcome offerAfter $12,000 in 12 months
- Up to 60,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Redeeming Membership Rewards points via American Express Fixed Travel Point Chart
This is one of the best ways to use Membership Rewards points from the American Express® Gold Rewards Card:
- Connect to the American Express travel portal
- You book some flights at fixed-points pricing: 15,000 points = $300!
60,000 Membership Rewards points are worth $1,200 here.
But this only applies to specific flights:
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners
Here are all the transfer partners for American Express Membership Rewards program:
| Partners | Conversion rates |
 | 60,000 Membership Rewards points = 60,000 Aeroplan points |
 | 60,000 Membership Rewards points = 60,000 Flying Blue Miles |
 | 60,000 Membership Rewards points = 45,000 Asia Miles |
 | 60,000 Membership Rewards points = 60,000 Avios |
 | 60,000 Membership Rewards points = 45,000 miles |
 | 60,000 Membership Rewards points = 45,000 miles |
 | 60,000 Membership Rewards points = 60,000 Hilton Honors points |
 | 60,000 Membership Rewards points = 72,000 Marriott Bonvoy points |
What are 84,000 points worth?
Unlike fixed-value programs, Membership Rewards points are worth whatever you make of them. The gap between the worst and the best redemption here is more than double:
| Redemption | Rate | Value of 84,000 points |
|---|---|---|
| Statement credit (any purchase) | 1,000 points = $10 | $840 |
| Fixed points travel on Amex Travel | 15,000 points = $300 | $1,680 |
| Transfer to Aeroplan | 1:1 | 84,000 Aeroplan points |
| Transfer to Flying Blue | 1:1 | 84,000 Flying Blue miles |
| Transfer to Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1.2 | 100,800 Bonvoy points |
The statement credit is therefore your guaranteed floor. After the $250 annual fee, the first year already clears roughly $590 in net value. With fixed points travel, that same balance climbs closer to $1,430.
That calculation deliberately ignores the annual benefits: the $100 travel credit, the 4 Plaza Premium lounge visits, the Priority Pass membership and the $50 NEXUS credit every 4 years.
Insurance
With the American Express® Gold Rewards Card you’ll benefit from a host of attractive insurance options.
Out-of-Province/Country Emergency Medical Coverage
This insurance provides coverage up to a maximum of $5,000,000 for eligible emergency medical expenses incurred by a person under age 65 while travelling outside their province or territory of residence in Canada for the first 15 consecutive days of an insured trip.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
You can be reimbursed for the non-refundable and non-transferable portion of your travel expenses when they are charged to your Card before your departure date, should you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason.
Trip Interruption Insurance
When you charge your travel arrangements to your Card, this insurance reimburses you for the unused, non-refundable and non-transferable portion of your travel arrangements paid prior to your departure date in the event your trip is interrupted or delayed for a covered reason.
Coverage is available up to $1,500 per insured person per trip, for a maximum of $6,000 for all insured persons combined.
Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance
Save when you travel with the flight and damage Insurance for rental cars included with your Card This insurance provides compensation for theft, loss and damage up to the market value of the rental car with a maximum MSRP of $85,000 depending on the year of the model.
To take advantage of this benefit, simply decline the loss/damage coverage or similar option offered by the rental company and charge the entire rental to your Card. There’s no additional charge for this coverage, and you save yourself the daily insurance fee (usually $16 to $23 per day) charged by the car rental company.
Baggage Delay Insurance
Having booked your flight with your Card, you can receive up to $500 (maximum in combination with Flight Delay Insurance) for any necessary and reasonable everyday purchases of clothing and minor items deemed essential that you make within four days, if your baggage is not returned to you within six hours of arriving at your departure flight destination.
Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance
If you charge the full cost of your airline ticket to your Card, you are covered for loss or damage to your personal effects, carry-on baggage or checked baggage while traveling, up to a combined maximum of $500 per trip .
Flight Delay Insurance
Charge your airline tickets to your Card and receive up to $500 (maximum in combination with Baggage Delay Insurance) for reasonable and necessary hotel, motel, restaurant or incidental expenses incurred within 48 hours if your flight is delayed or you are denied boarding for four hours or more without alternate transportation.
$500,000 Travel Accident Insurance
Travel Accident Insurance provides automatic coverage of up to $500,000 for accidental death and dismemberment for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when you travel on a common carrier (plane, train, boat or bus) and charge the full cost of all tickets to your Card. Supplementary Cardholders, their spouses and dependent children under 23 are also covered.
Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance
Simply pay for your hotel or motel room with your card and you will receive coverage of up to $500 in case of loss of most personal belongings in the event of a burglary at your hotel or motel room.
Buyer’s Assurance Protection Plan
Eligible items purchased on your card may be insured for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase against accidental property damage and theft up to a maximum of $1,000 per claim (all items purchased combined).
Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan
Your coverage can automatically extend the original manufacturer’s warranty for up to one additional year when you charge the full purchase price of eligible items to your Card.
If you need to review the insurance certificate, it is available at this here.
American Express Gold Rewards Card – Our review
We have followed the American Express Gold Rewards Card since it moved to metal in 2021, and several members of our team carry it. The screenshots above come from real accounts.
Its real strength is not the multiplier, which is modest at 2 points per dollar. It is the currency: Membership Rewards points transfer to Aeroplan and Flying Blue at 1:1, which very few Canadian cards allow.
The monthly structure of the bonus also deserves attention. It rewards consistency rather than one large purchase. For someone already charging everyday expenses to a card, that is comfortable; for an irregular profile, it is a bonus you never fully collect.
Who is this card for?
- Aeroplan collectors: the 1:1 transfer makes this card a direct route into Air Canada award flights.
- Steady spenders of at least $1,000 a month: that is exactly the threshold the monthly bonus rewards.
- Travellers connecting within Canada: the 4 Plaza Premium lounge visits are rare now that most cards have lost them.
- Former Gold cardholders: because the metal version is a new product, the welcome bonus becomes available again.
- Anyone chasing the best grocery rate: the American Express Cobalt Card earns 5 points per dollar against 2 here.
- Irregular spenders: every month below $1,000 cuts 5,000 points from the bonus, with no way to catch up.
- Merchants that refuse Amex: acceptance still trails Visa and Mastercard, notably at Costco.
- Anyone expecting free lounges everywhere: the Priority Pass membership is included, but each visit costs US$32 outside Plaza Premium.
How we assess this offer
Our calculations rest on three constant rules. First, we value Membership Rewards points at 1 cent, the guaranteed statement credit rate (1,000 points = $10). That is deliberately the floor, since fixed points travel and transfers push the value higher.
Second, we count only the benefits actually received during the first year. Finally, we always weigh point value against the real $250 annual fee.
The earnings table assumes a specific profile: $1,000 per month, placed entirely in the 2 points per dollar categories. If part of your spending falls outside those categories, apply the 1 point per dollar rate to it before comparing.
The offer terms come from American Express. Our analysis remains independent of the commercial agreements we hold with card issuers.
To see how this offer stacks up against the rest of the market, browse our best credit cards page. Also, sign up for our newsletter to get new welcome offers every week.
Bottom Line
The American Express® Gold Rewards Card is a very interesting Membership Rewards card.
Take advantage of the current welcome offer to get yours!
- Annual fee
- $250
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,020Total$1,020Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,020
- Welcome offerAfter $12,000 in 12 months
- Up to 60,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
This article was not sponsored. The views and opinions expressed in this article are purely my own.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or controlling the accuracy of the information published on this website. For complete and up-to-date product information, click on the Apply Now link. Terms and conditions apply.
Frequently Asked Questions about the American Express Gold Rewards Card welcome bonus
Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about this card.
How do I earn the full 60,000-point welcome bonus on the American Express Gold Rewards Card?
The public offer on the American Express Gold Rewards Card pays up to 60,000 Membership Rewards points in the first year. You earn 5,000 points for each monthly billing period in which at least $1,000 in net purchases posts to your account, for your first 12 billing periods, so the full bonus takes $12,000 in total purchases. A purchase made on the last day of a period but posted the next day counts toward the following period, so leave some margin before your statement closing date. American Express says to allow up to eight weeks for the points to be awarded. The $250 annual fee is charged in the first year; the $100 annual travel credit and the 4 complimentary Plaza Premium lounge visits offset part of it.
Can I get the welcome bonus if I already have an Amex Cobalt Card?
Yes, based on the terms American Express publishes. The exclusion applies only to current or former Gold Rewards Cardmembers: they may be approved, but they are not eligible for the Membership Rewards points offers available in the first 12 months. The American Express Cobalt Card is a separate product, so holding one does not exclude you from this offer. Keep in mind that the bonus pays out month by month over the first year and requires an account in good standing: cancelling the Gold Rewards Card before those 12 months are up forfeits the remaining monthly bonuses, while the $250 annual fee is charged in the first year. Amex also invites some Cobalt Cardmembers to upgrade to the Gold Rewards Card with a different offer; its terms list cancelling or downgrading the Card within 14 months of acquiring it as abuse.
What are 60,000 Membership Rewards points actually worth on this card?
It depends entirely on the redemption. As a statement credit, 60,000 points are worth $600, at 1,000 points = $10. Used for fixed points travel through Amex Travel (15,000 points = $300), the same points can cover up to $1,200 in flights. You can also transfer them to Aeroplan at 1:1, or to Marriott Bonvoy at 1:1.2, which turns 60,000 Membership Rewards points into 72,000 Bonvoy points. What a transfer is worth then depends on the flight or hotel you book, so always compare the points price with the cash price before you transfer.
How does the $100 annual travel credit work on the Gold Rewards Card?
The $100 annual travel credit is redeemed at the time of booking through American Express Travel Online, on a single travel booking of $100 or more charged to your Gold Rewards Card. If you choose to redeem it, the credit posts to your account within 2 business days. You get one credit per year of Cardmembership, based on your Card anniversary date, and an unused credit does not carry forward to the next year. If you cancel the booking after redeeming the credit, you cannot redeem it again in the same year, so save it for a trip you are sure to take. Once used, it brings the net annual fee down to $150, before any other benefits.
What lounge access does the Gold Rewards Card include?
The American Express Gold Rewards Card includes a Priority Pass membership, worth USD 99 a year according to American Express, and enrolment is required. Each Priority Pass lounge visit is still charged at the prevailing usage fee, for you and for your guests. The card also includes 4 complimentary visits per calendar year to Plaza Premium lounges in Canada, and you can use them for guests travelling with you. Once those 4 visits are used, entry is charged at the prevailing rate. Supplementary Cardmembers only get complimentary access when they travel as a guest of the Basic Cardmember.
For your next Hilton stay, see the Hilton Honors American Express® Card available in Canada and the terms of its current offer.