American Express Gold Card Review: The Best Starter Card for Earning Points

If you're new to the world of points collecting and wondering where to start when it comes to a credit card, there's one card that stands head and shoulders above the rest: the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card.

This is not to say there is a wrong-way. Hell, I started with the free British Airways American Express!

But this is the card that strikes the perfect balance between accessible entry requirements, value, and flexibility that makes it ideal for beginners. Whether you're looking to fly to New York in Club World or fancy a weekend break in Europe, the Gold Card gives you the chance to make it happen without overwhelming you with complexity.

Here's why the Amex Gold is the best starter card for earning points, what it offers, and whether it's right for you.

Just a quick heads-up: Points Well Made is here to dish out the juicy details on miles and points, but we’re not your financial advisers. Any decisions you make regarding products featured on this site are your own responsibility, and you should always consider whether a product suits your personal circumstances. While we chat about all manner of lender goodies, we’re not a lender ourselves. Remember, you know you best.

Why the American Express Gold Card?

The first year is free

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card has an annual fee of £195, but the first year is completely free. This gives you 12 months to essentially test drive a premium credit card without any real financial commitment.

For someone new to points, this is a steal. You can earn a substantial welcome bonus, rack up points on your normal spending, and get a proper feel for whether this style of spending is for you, all without paying a penny in fees.

If you decide it's not for you after the first year? Cancel before the fee kicks in. No harm done, and you'll have pocketed thousands of points in the process.

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Membership Rewards: The best flexible currency

Here's where the Gold Card really shines in our opinion compared to other starter options. The card earns Membership Rewards points rather than airline-specific points like Avios.

Membership Rewards points are American Express' own points scheme, which can be converted into other programmes. For instance, Membership Rewards convert 1:1 into Avios, which you can use with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Qatar Airways, and a host of other airlines. But they also convert into Virgin Points, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Emirates Skywards, and more.

This means you're not locked into one airline or loyalty programme. If you change your mind about where you want to go, or if British Airways doesn't have availability for the dates you want, you've got options.

You can even use Membership Rewards points for hotel stays, shopping, or statement credit. Although we'd generally recommend saving them for travel, where they deliver the best value.

A solid welcome bonus

The standard welcome bonus on the Amex Gold is 20,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend £3,000 in your first three months. That's 20,000 Avios if you choose to convert them to British Airways. That's enough for a return flight to most European cities or a decent chunk towards a long-haul redemption.

American Express also regularly runs enhanced welcome bonuses, often doubling the standard offer to 40,000 points or more (like this recent one!). Keep an eye out for these promotions, and of course, we will bring them too you when there is a good bonus on offer.

How the earning rate works

The American Express Gold earns Membership Rewards points at the following rates:

• 1 point per £1 on all spending

• 2 points per £1 on airline bookings made directly with airlines

• 3 points per £1 on bookings made through Amex Travel

The base rate of 1 point per £1 is solid for a free-first-year card, and the bonus rates on airline spend are a nice touch if you regularly book flights.

On top of this, you'll earn bonus points based on your annual spending:

• 5,000 bonus points when you hit £10,000 in annual spending

• Another 5,000 bonus points when you reach £20,000 in annual spending

This means if you spend £20,000 in a year, you're effectively earning 1.5 points per £1 on your first £20,000, which is a brilliant rate for what's essentially a free card in that first year.

The benefits beyond points

The Gold Card isn't just about earning points. It comes with a range of perks that add some decent value, especially for aspiring travellers.

£120 Deliveroo credit

You'll get £5 back on your first two Deliveroo orders each month when you pay with your Gold Card. That's £10 per month, or £120 per year. If you already use Deliveroo occasionally, this perk alone covers a significant chunk of the £195 annual fee (which, remember, you don't pay in year one anyway).

You do need to enrol for this benefit, so don't forget to activate it after you get your card.

Four Priority Pass lounge visits

The Gold Card includes four complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per year, giving you access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. If you're flying from a major airport, this means pre-flight drinks, snacks, and a comfortable place to wait rather than hunting for the one available seat to eat your overpriced Pret sandwich.

Four visits isn't as much as you'd get with the Platinum Card (which is unlimited), but for someone starting out, it's more than enough to make a few trips each year significantly more comfortable.

The Hotel Collection

Book two nights or more through Amex Travel at participating hotels and you'll unlock perks like late checkout, possible room upgrades, and a US$100 credit to spend on extras like dining or spa treatments.

This isn't something you'll use on every trip, but when you're booking a special occasion stay, these benefits add up.

Amex Experiences

You'll get priority access to presale tickets for concerts, sporting events, and other exclusive experiences. The Amex Gold also gives you access to the Amex Lounge at The O2 in London if you're attending an event there.

Amex Offers

This is one of the most underrated benefits of holding any American Express card. The Amex Offers programme regularly features cashback deals with retailers, restaurants, hotels, and travel brands. We've covered some decent savings on easyJet Holidays, and Virgin Atlantic.

These are statement credits that automatically apply when you use your registered card at participating merchants. You need to manually add offers to your card before making purchases, but it takes seconds through the Amex app.

Who should get the Amex Gold?

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card is ideal for:

• Complete beginners who want to dip their toes into travel rewards without paying upfront fees

• People who value flexibility and don't want to be locked into one airline programme

• Moderate spenders who can hit £3,000 in three months for the welcome bonus

• Anyone who wants solid everyday earning

It's also brilliant if you want to test whether points and miles are for you before committing to higher annual fees on premium cards like the Platinum.

Who should probably skip it?

The Gold Card might not be the best fit if:

• You've held any personal American Express card in the last 24 months – you won't qualify for the welcome bonus

• You don't think you can hit the minimum spend for the bonus

• You want unlimited lounge access – the four annual visits are nice, but limited

• You exclusively fly one airline, in which case, a co-branded airline card might serve you better, like the British Airways Premium Plus American Express, or the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard.

The eligibility rules

To get the welcome bonus on the American Express Gold, you must not have held any personal American Express card in the last 24 months.

If you currently have or previously had any personal Amex card – even a free one like the Nectar American Express or the free BA Amex – you'll need to wait 24 months from when you closed it before you're eligible for a new welcome bonus.

You can still apply for the card and be approved, but you won't receive the bonus points. Given that the welcome bonus is a huge part of the card's value, it's usually worth waiting until you're eligible rather than applying early.

Standard eligibility requirements also apply: you need to be 18 or over, have a UK address and bank account, and have a good credit history.

The card has a Representative APR of 86.3% variable (including fee), with 29.4% variable on purchases. This is eye-wateringly high, which is why you must pay your balance in full every month. If you don't pay it off every month, the interest charges will quickly wipe out the value of any points you've earned.

How to maximise the card

Once you've got your Amex Gold, here are some tips to get the most out of it:

• Hit the welcome bonus spend requirement first – this should be your top priority in the first three months. The bonus is worth far more than any everyday earning.

• Enrol in the Deliveroo benefit – don't let £120 per year go to waste just because you forgot to register.

• Check Amex Offers regularly – new deals are added constantly, and some can save you serious money on purchases you were going to make anyway.

• Use it for airline bookings – the 2x earning rate on direct airline bookings (this means don't use Kayak, Expedia etc) is a nice bonus when you're buying flights.

• Plan ahead with Priority Pass – four visits isn't loads, so save them for trips where lounge access will make the biggest difference.

• Always pay in full – never, ever carry a balance on this card. The APR is astronomical, and interest charges will dwarf any points value.

After the first year

Once your free first year is up, you'll need to decide whether the £195 annual fee is worth keeping the card.

If you've been using the Deliveroo credit (£120), made use of the lounge visits, and taken advantage of Amex Offers, the fee can easily pay for itself. Add in the ongoing earning rate of 1 point per £1 (plus bonus points at £10,000 and £20,000 spend), and there's a strong argument for keeping it.

However, if you're not using the benefits and just want to earn points, you might be better off downgrading to a free American Express card or cancelling and moving to a different strategy.

The beauty of the Gold Card being free in year one is that you have 12 months to figure out whether it's worth keeping long-term.

So, is this the best starter American Express?

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card is, quite simply, the best starter credit card for earning points in the UK. It's free for the first year, earns flexible Membership Rewards points that transfer to multiple airlines and hotels, comes with a decent welcome bonus, and includes benefits that add real value without being overwhelming.

For someone brand new to collecting points, it's the perfect entry point. You get to experience premium credit card perks, learn how to maximise points earning, and figure out whether this whole game is for you. And this is all without paying a penny upfront.

If you decide it's not your thing after 12 months, cancel before the fee kicks in. If you love it, keep the card or upgrade to something like the Platinum for even more benefits.

Either way, you'll have earned thousands of points. Not bad for that free first year.

Sam

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