American Express has just refreshed the welcome offer for the Business Gold Card®, and there’s both good and bad news. The good part is that this new version would be among the best we’ve ever seen for Business Gold, potentially offering 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after $15k in spend within the first 3 months.
The bad news is that Amex’s silly “as high as” language is part of the other, so you won’t know what you’ll get until you’ve already filled out the application.
Referrals don’t currently seem to be showing this offer, but I imagine they will soon, so if you’re in the market, it might be worth waiting a week or two to see if you can pick up some additional household points.
The Offer & Key Card Details
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
![](http://cdn.nextinsure.com/imaging/opt/49ef3906-6ee7-4f77-a40b-74728901760e.jpg?w=300" alt="American Express® Business Gold Card" />) ⓘ $2493 1st Yr Value EstimateClick to learn about first year value estimates As high as 200K points ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer You may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $15k in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$375 Annual Fee FM Mini Review: This card may be a keeper for those who use the monthly credits, but keep only if you also make good use of one or two 4X categories. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: Earn 4X in combined purchases in the two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month (capped at $150K spend per calendar year, then 1x): Electronic goods retailers or software and cloud system providers in the U.S. ✦ U.S. purchases at restaurants ✦ Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S. ✦ U.S. purchases for advertising in select media ✦ U.S. purchases at gas stations ✦ Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways. ✦ 3x on eligible purchases through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ ✦ 1x on all other purchases. Terms apply. Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Earn up to $20 in statement credits each month for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores. Enrollment required ✦ Earn up to $150 in statement credits per calendar year for eligible purchases at Squarespace. Enrollment required ✦ Up to $12.95 (+tax) credit for Walmart+ monthly membership subscription when you pay with Business Gold card. Plus Ups not eligible ✦ Terms Apply. (Rates & Fees) |
Quick Thoughts
200,000 points is a superb welcome offer for the Business Gold, but unfortunately, there’s no guarantee you’ll actually get it. Amex has been playing around with this “as high as” business for some time, applying it to more and more cards (including the Business Platinum®, which is “as high as” 300,000 points).
The reason I can’t stand them is that they pull you in with the promise of massive points or miles, but you don’t find out what Amex is willing to offer until you’ve submitted the application. You don’t get a credit pull until after you’ve accepted it, so there’s still time to withdraw the app with no ill effect, but it’s a pain in the rear. Essentially, Amex is rolling out dynamic, micro-targeted offers.
Our first-year estimated value for someone who’s offered 200,000 bonus points is ~$2,500, when taking into account the value of the points and other benefits, and after accounting for the annual fee plus the opportunity cost of the spend. That’s an amazing value, but it all depends on which offer you’re targeted for after you apply.
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Please remember to go through a family member or friends referral link!
In the post I mentioned that referral links aren’t showing this offer yet. But, once (or if) they do, I completely agree.