Two strong Amex cards optimized for different spending patterns. Gold earns transferable Membership Rewards on dining + groceries; Blue Cash Preferred earns straight cash back at higher grocery rates. Pick based on whether you redeem points for travel.
American Express
Best card for dining and grocery rewards, hands down.
Pros
American Express
Best card for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services.
Pros
Pick American Express Gold Card if: People who spend heavily on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets and can use the annual credits.
Pick American Express Blue Cash Preferred if: Families with significant grocery and streaming spend who can clear the low AF hurdle after year 1.
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Amex Gold earns Membership Rewards points — transferable to 21 airline and hotel partners — at 4X on dining and U.S. supermarkets. Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns cash back directly (6% at U.S. supermarkets up to $6K/year, 3% on transit). Gold ($250 fee) is better if you'll transfer points for travel. Blue Cash Preferred ($95 fee) is better if you want straightforward cash back with no points management.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred wins on raw grocery rate: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6K/year) vs Amex Gold's 4X Membership Rewards points. However, value depends on redemption. If you transfer Amex Gold points to airline partners at 1.5–2+ cents per point, Gold's 4X can outperform Blue Cash Preferred's 6% cash back in dollar terms. If you value simplicity and don't transfer points, Blue Cash Preferred wins on grocery value.
Amex Gold is worth the $155 extra fee if you (1) earn enough in dining and grocery rewards to recover the fee gap — roughly $4K in category spend generates ~160,000 points vs 240,000 cash-back cents, and (2) you transfer points for travel rather than redeeming for cash. If you're a cash-back-only user who doesn't travel with points, Blue Cash Preferred's simpler 6% grocery and lower $95 fee is the better deal.
Amex Gold includes baggage insurance (up to $1,250 for carry-on, $500 for checked bags), trip delay insurance (up to $300 per trip for delays over 12 hours), and car rental loss and damage insurance on eligible rentals. Amex Blue Cash Preferred offers a narrower travel benefits package — generally no trip delay insurance and no trip cancellation coverage. For cardholders who travel several times per year, Gold's travel protections are a tangible benefit of the higher annual fee. Verify current benefit terms at americanexpress.com/benefits.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred periodically offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for a promotional period (commonly 12–15 months, depending on the offer at time of application) — valuable if you plan large purchases. Amex Gold operates primarily as a charge card (pay-in-full model by default); it has no traditional revolving APR, though Amex's Pay It Plan It feature allows paying for eligible purchases over time with a fixed fee. If a 0% intro APR for purchases is a priority, Blue Cash Preferred is the relevant option. Verify current promotional terms at americanexpress.com.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (no cap). Amex Gold earns 1X Membership Rewards on gas — it does not have a bonus category for gas stations. For drivers who spend regularly on fuel, Blue Cash Preferred's 3% gas-station rate meaningfully outperforms Gold's 1X on that category. The Blue Cash Preferred's $95 annual fee is often recoverable for households with combined grocery and gas spend above $6,000 per year — groceries at 6% and gas at 3% both contribute. Verify current rewards structures at americanexpress.com before applying, as category bonus terms can change.
Amex Gold earns Membership Rewards points that transfer 1:1 to 21 airline and hotel partners including Delta SkyMiles, British Airways Avios, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy. Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns cash back — there are no points to transfer; cash back redeems only as a statement credit, gift card, or deposit. The transfer partner ecosystem is available exclusively to Membership Rewards-earning cards like Amex Gold. If you want to convert everyday grocery and dining spend into transferable airline miles, Amex Gold's MR program is the only option between the two. Source: americanexpress.com Membership Rewards transfer partner list.
At a household spending $8,000/year at U.S. supermarkets: Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% on the first $6,000 ($360) + 1% on the remaining $2,000 ($20) = $380 total cash back. Amex Gold earns 4X on all $8,000 = 32,000 Membership Rewards points — worth $320 at 1 cent/point in statement credit, or $640+ when transferred to airline partners at a 2-cent average transfer value. For cash-back users, Blue Cash Preferred wins up to the $6K cap but Gold's uncapped 4X competes above $6K when MR points are transferred. Supermarket cap and reward rates subject to change — verify at americanexpress.com. (Educational comparison, not financial advice.)
Yes. American Express allows cardholders to hold both Amex Gold and Amex Blue Cash Preferred simultaneously — they are different products on different rewards systems. Holding both is a viable strategy: use Amex Gold for dining (4X MR) and U.S. supermarket spend where you'll transfer points for travel, and use Blue Cash Preferred for supermarket spend up to the $6K/year 6% cap for cash back. Amex's once-per-lifetime welcome-bonus rule applies — if you've previously received the welcome bonus on either card, you may not qualify for the bonus again. Amex limits the total number of personal credit cards per applicant; verify current limits at americanexpress.com before applying.
Both Amex Gold and Amex Blue Cash Preferred target good-to-excellent credit. Amex Gold (a higher-fee premium card) typically approves applicants with 700+ FICO; Blue Cash Preferred typically approves applicants with 670+ FICO. American Express uses a proprietary credit evaluation and looks at income, existing Amex relationship, and overall credit history in addition to FICO. Existing Amex cardholders in good standing often have a smoother approval experience. Amex offers a pre-qualification tool (soft pull) at americanexpress.com. Source: CFPB credit score consumer guide at consumerfinance.gov.
Independent editorial comparison. ClearValue Lending is not the issuer of any product compared here; affiliate links may pay a referral commission at no cost to you — selection is independent of compensation.