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Big changes are coming to the *biz gold*.
On Tuesday, American Express announced a handful of new benefits, including new spending categories in which you’ll earn 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent and a few new money-saving monthly statement credits, which should be familiar to many Amex cardholders. But it’s not all good news: Amex is also removing a few existing bonus spending categories on the card while nixing a valuable 25% rebate when booking select flights with points through the Amex Travel portal.
And then there’s this: The card’s current $295 annual fee (see rates & fees) will soon move up to $375.
Many of benefit changes kick in automatically, but that annual fee increase won’t take effect until early 2024 – whether you’ve already got a Business Gold Card or have been eyeing one. So for now, these changes could be a major win: You can benefit from the new perks without paying a higher annual fee.
It’s the first major overhaul of the card we’ve seen in nearly five years. Plus, American Express is now offering a new Rose Gold version of the Business Gold card – something that’s been offered on the personal version of the card for the last few years.
Read on to see what’s changing and everything you need to know about the refreshed Amex Business Gold Card.
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Learn more about the *biz gold*.
Changing Categories to Earn 4x Points
One of the absolute best benefits on the *biz gold* is the ability to earn a whopping 4x Membership Rewards for every dollar you spend in the two select categories where you spend the most each billing cycle.
Best of all, you don’t need to do anything to ensure you’re getting the 4x bonus: Amex automatically determines which two categories you spent most in and gives you the bonus Membership Rewards for every dollar you spent.
Starting today, American Express is adding a few additional categories to earn 4x points – but subtracting a few others.
Airfare purchased directly from airlines- U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
- U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers – NEW
- Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S. – NEW
U.S. purchases made directly from select technology providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutionsU.S. purchases for shipping- U.S. purchases at gas stations
- U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses & subways – NEW
No matter which categories you wind up earning 4x points per dollar spent, bonus rewards are capped at a combined $150,000 in spending each calendar year.
Amex Cuts the 25% Airline Pay with Points Rebate
One negative change stands above the rest: Amex is cutting the 25% Membership Rewards points rebate for flights booked via Amex Travel, the bank’s online travel portal.
Previously, you could use your points to book a flight through Amex Travel and cardholders would get a credit of 25% of the price you paid in points right back into your account – getting up to 250,000 bonus points per year. That rebate worked for any first or business class flight, or all flights with your chosen airline.
Butt that’s no longer the case.
Earn 3x Points via Amex Travel
Travel booked through Amex’s travel portal – Amex Travel – has historically earned only 1x point per dollar spent. Starting today, that’s changing.
As part of this update, purchases made through Amex Travel with your Business Gold card now earn 3x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent. That’s on par with what you’ll earn on the personal Amex Gold Card.
A New $240 Flexible Business Credit
The Business Gold Card is also getting a brand new annual $240 flexible business statement credit, which will be doled out in $20 increments each and every month.
You can use this new credit for purchases at the following retailers:
- FedEx
- Grubhub
- Office Supply Stores
This new credit is available today for existing cardholders. But to take advantage, you must enroll for the new benefit. You can do so by heading to your online Amex account on the benefits tab.
But this is a use-it-or-lose-it benefit. Any unused amount you have remaining at the end of each month will be forfeited.
A New Walmart+ Membership Credit
The Amex Business Gold Card is taking a page out of the playbook of *amex platinum card* by offering a new monthly credit of up to $12.95 (up to $155 annually) to cover the cost of a Walmart+ membership.
Nothing says “premium travel small business credit card” like a Walmart subscription, right? Odd or not, there are some decent perks with a Walmart+ membership that could make it worth signing up for if you hold an Amex Business Gold Card, including:
- Free next-day shipping from Walmart.com, with no order minimums
- Free local delivery of groceries and other items, with a $35 order minimum
- Discounts on prescriptions from Walmart pharmacies, with savings of up to 85% (according to Walmart)
- Save 5 cents per gallon on gasoline from Walmart and Murphy stations.
- Skip the checkout lane: Scan your items with your phone using the Walmart app, pay, and go.
Plus, a Walmart+ membership now gets you free Paramount Plus for at-home streaming of popular channels like CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, BET, and Nickelodeon as well as many live sports events and movies.
This new benefit is available today. Just head to Walmart.com/plus and pay for your membership with your Business Gold Card. The statement credits should kick in automatically.
A New Rose Gold Card Design
Back in 2021, American Express announced the return of its Rose Gold card for personal *amex gold card* cardholders.
To date, it’s been a smash hit. And now, the Business Gold Card comes with the option for the Rose Gold design. As of Tuesday morning, new applicants can now select between the traditional Gold and Rose Gold finish.
If you’re an existing cardholder, you’ll be able to request the new Rose Gold design by starting an online chat when logged into your American Express account.
A New Cellphone Insurance Protection Benefit
Add the Amex Business Gold Card to the list of American Express Cards that will provide a cell phone protection benefit.
So long as your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month’s bill was paid for with your Business Gold Card, you’re set. Business Gold cardholders can get reimbursed for the lesser of your repair or replacement cost following damage, such as a cracked screen or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim. You’ll be on the hook for a $50 deductible for each approved claim, with a limit of two approved claims per 12-month period.
The Business Gold card joins the a long roster of Amex cards that already provide this benefit:
Related reading: My Experience with American Express Cell Phone Insurance Protection
A New Annual Fee of $375
As is almost always the case when banks refresh the benefits on a card, the annual fee will also be increasing.
Starting with new applications received on or after Feb. 1, 2024, the Business Gold Card annual fee will increase from $295 to $375. If you’re an existing Business Gold cardholder, you’re annual fee won’t reflect the new higher rate until your first renewal date after Feb. 1, 2024.
Interested in these new benefits? As long as you apply for the card before Feb. 1, 2024, you’ll get a full year of the new benefits at the current $295 annual fee price.
Our Analysis
Adding new monthly credits as a means for justifying an annual fee increase has been a big part of Amex’s playbook over the last handful of years. This update to the Business Gold Card fits that to a T.
Both the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum are chock full of monthly statement credits that can help cardholders justify their massive annual fees. The same goes for the personal *amex gold card* – a card in which getting value out of the $250 annual fee (see rates & fees) relies heavily on taking advantage of the monthly statement credits it provides.
If you were already getting value out of the Business Gold card at a $295 annual fee price point, these updates shouldn’t change that. You’ll just need to work a bit harder to justify that $80 annual fee increase. But remember, this higher annual fee doesn’t kick in until Feb. 1, 2024 – whether you’re applying today or an existing cardholder.
If you can take advantage of the new $20 monthly flexible business credit for purchases at FedEx, GrubHub, or office supply stores you should have no problem coming out ahead on the higher annual fee.
Unfortunately, this overhaul isn’t all good news. The loss of certain valuable 4x spending categories and the end of the 25% Pay with Points rebate could be major downgrades for some travelers who have relied on both perks over the years.
Full Benefits of the American Express® Business Gold Card
- Welcome Offer Bonus: bonus_miles_full
- 4X Membership Rewards Points: Get 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent in select business categories including airfare, advertising, technology purchases, at gas stations, restaurants, shipping, electronic goods retailers, wireless phone services, and transit purchases.
- $240 Flexible Business Credit: Get a statement credit of up to $20 each month for purchases at FedEx, GrubHub, or office supply stores.
- $155 Annual Credit for Walmart+: Get up to $12.95 to cover the cost of a Walmart+ membership.
- Cell Phone Insurance Protection
- No foreign transaction fees
- $295 Annual Fee: Starting with new applications on or after Feb. 1, 2024, the annual fee will increase to $375 each year.
Learn more about the *biz gold*.
Bottom Line
American Express is overhauling its Business Gold Card, adding new monthly statement credits and bonus spending categories in exchange for a higher annual fee. But it’s not all good news: Some other spending categories are disappearing, along with a valuable 25% rebate when using points to book select flights via Amex Travel.
Most importantly, he card’s $295 annual fee will go up to $375 a year – but not until Feb. 1, 2024. And that’s true whether you’re a new applicant or an existing cardholder.
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