Aside from the reward points and AirMiles you can collect, there are many other benefits to being an AMEX cardholder. Here are the benefits of using the American Express Gold Rewards Card and the American Express Business Gold Rewards Card.
American Express Business Gold Rewards Card
$250 Annual Fee Min.
Credit Score - GOOD
1% Reward Return
Here’s what you need to know about the American Express Business Gold Rewards Charge card. There is a $250 annual fee. Because this is a charge card, the balance must be paid in full at the end of each month. If, for some reason, you cannot pay the balance in full, an interest rate of 30% will apply.
The American Express Business Gold Rewards card comes with all sorts of rewards and bonuses – more than I’ve ever seen with any business credit card. First, you get rewards on every purchase, which amounts to 1 membership reward point for every dollar spent. After charging $5,000 on your card within the first three months, you’ll receive a bonus 30,000 Membership Reward Points as well.
The more you spend, the more you earn. This charge card is especially handy if your business spends a lot annually, as you get additional points for reaching the $50,000 (15,000 points) and $100,000 (25,000 points) mark.
Once you’ve accumulated enough points – and they rack up pretty quickly – you can transfer them to Aeroplan miles instantly without penalty. Conveniently, you can also transfer your points to Delta Air Lines, Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles and 27 other airline partners. When you book your trip or vacation you can pay for all or part in points, and there are no vacation blackouts – a personal pet peeve of mine.
Other benefits include:
- Travel accident insurance
- Trip interruption or cancellation insurance
- Travel medical insurance
- Rental vehicle insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Baggage insurance
- Purchase protection and extended warranty
American Express Gold Rewards
$150 Annual Fee Min.
Credit Score - GOOD
2% Reward Return
Here’s what you need to know about the American Express Gold Rewards Charge Card. New cardmembers can earn 25,000 Membership Rewards points on the first $1,500 spent within the first three months. The American Express Gold Rewards card has an annual fee of $150.
Since this card is a charge card, it acts a bit differently than a regular credit card. Your balance, for instance, must be paid in full at the end of each month. If it is not, a 30% interest rate applies to the unpaid portion. So this type of card is more for someone who regularly pays their balance each month and is only interested in racking up the rewards.
As with the previous card, you can charge your vacation to your card and choose to pay for it partially or in full with points. You can also transfer your points to any other frequent flyer rewards programs, including Aeroplan.
As a bonus, earn double the points when you charge eligible travel purchases on your card, including flights, hotels and car rentals. You also earn double points for every dollar you charge for eligible gas, grocery and drugstore purchases. On everything else, earn one point for every dollar spent.
Other benefits include:
- Out of province/country emergency medical insurance
- Trip interruption insurance
- Travel accident insurance
- Car rental theft and damage insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Baggage insurance
- Purchase protection and extended warranty
What is the AMEX Front of the Line service?
As if all of the rewards weren’t enough, American Express offers one more membership benefit – the Front of the Line Service. Simply subscribe, and you’ll be notified of exciting upcoming events in your area.
Members get first dibs on hard-to-get tickets – sometimes before they even go on sale to the public. Never miss another main event again. American Express cardholders have purchased early bird tickets to the likes of Rod Stewart, Beyoncé, Depeche Mode and even shows like Mamma Mia! and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Get your card and move to the Front of the Line!
