May 7, 2026
American Express® Gold Card: 5x Hotel Earnings and New Perks for 2026
Toni Perkins-Southam
American Express is refreshing its popular mid-tier card for 2026. And like a tiny Christmas miracle, the annual fee is staying the same.
The American Express® Gold Card is best known for its strong earning rates on dining and groceries. But with this new update, it’s adding a competitive hotel earning rate and a handful of new perks, making its appeal go beyond everyday spending.
Enrollment is required for select benefits.
A Jump in Hotel Earnings
The headline change: cardholders can now earn 5 Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotel bookings made through Amex Travel. That’s up from the old 2 points per dollar rate.
This moves the Gold Card closer to premium travel cards when it comes to hotel bookings (at least within Amex’s own portal). It also creates a smoother lane if you’re already using Amex Travel for redemptions or perks like The Hotel Collection.
There’s a catch, though: the elevated rate only applies to prepaid bookings through Amex Travel, not direct hotel reservations. That limits your flexibility, especially if you prefer booking direct to utilize your elite benefits.
New perks (and a few reshuffles)
Alongside the boosted earning rate, Amex added and refreshed several benefits:
- Hertz Five Star status for rental perks like faster pickup and potential upgrades
- Expanded dining credit partners, including newer options like Buffalo Wild Wings
- Wine.com and Goldbelly removed as dining credit partners starting July 1, 2026
- Limited-time travel and lifestyle offers, such as transfer bonuses or hotel credits
The core structure of the card remains intact: 4 points per dollar spent on dining and U.S. supermarkets (up to annual caps), plus monthly statement credits that can offset much of the annual fee.
And the card’s annual_fees annual fee isn’t changing even though these benefits are.
Enrollment is required for select benefits. For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, see Rates and Fees.
Where the Gold Card Stands Now
The American Express® Gold Card has always been an “earn and transfer” workhorse, not a travel booking card. But this update moves the needle closer to it being both.
Still, the value will depend almost entirely on how you book travel. If you’re loyal to booking direct with hotel programs, the new 5x category may not mean much to you. But if you already use Amex Travel or aren’t concerned with elite hotel perks, it’s a solid upgrade.
Bottom line
This isn’t a complete repositioning of the American Express® Gold Card, but it is a notable evolution. A stronger travel earning rate, paired with incremental perks, makes the card more well-rounded—even if it still leans heavily on dining and
everyday spend for the bulk of its value.
Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply.
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Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. American Express is a Travel Mom Squad advertiser, but we always show the best public offer even when we don’t earn a commission. Terms Apply.
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