I’ve carried the American Express® Gold Card for years, which is formerly known as the Amex Preferred Rewards card. After comparing the two card offers I decided to switch my American Express® Gold Card over to the American Express® Premier Rewards Gold Card. The rewards offered with the new charge card are significantly better. We’ll look at how to convert from Gold to Premier in a minute, but first let’s look at what these two cards have to offer.
Both card offer allow you to earn points. There are three primary differences between the two cards, two of which favor Premier Rewards. First the negative–the annual fee for Premier is $175 versus $125 for the Gold Card. On the bright side, the fee is waived the first year for new accounts. The other two differences both favor Premier–initial bonus reward points and annual reward points earned. Here is a chart summarizing the differences:
| At A Glance | Bonus Points | Annual Bonus Points | 3x Points | 2x Points | 1x Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Express® Premier Rewards Gold Card  | 25,000 when you spend $2,000 in 3 months | 15,000 when you spend $30,000 per calendar year | Earn triple points on airfare and | Earn double points on gasoline at U.S. stand-alone gas stations, double points at U.S. stand-alone supermarkets | Earn single points on other purchases |
American Express® Gold Card | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1x on everything else |
Beyond the rewards, both cards are similar. Each card offers a no pre-set spending limit. This does not mean that you necessarily get unlimited spending, but instead your purchasing power gets adjusted with your use of the card. Your payment history, credit card record and other factors affect your purchasing power. All charges made on these Charge Cards are due and payable when you receive your billing statement.
Converting Your American Express® Gold Card to a American Express® Premier Rewards Gold Card
It was a snap to convert my card to a Premier Card. I simply called Amex, and they approved the conversion in about a week. It is important to note, however, that if you convert the annual fee is not waived the first year. Even though the fee was not waived I still decided to convert my card because the rewards worked better for me.
Here is a summary of both cards:
- Earn More: earn 25K Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2K during your first three months of Card membership; earn 15K points after you spend $30,000 in one calendar year>/li>
- Earn Fast: 3X points for flights booked with airlines, 2X points at US gas stations and US supermarkets, 1X points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
- Use points for gift cards for dining, entertainment, and to shop over 300 of some of your favorite brands
- Access to Benefits: Baggage Insurance Plan* when you travel, and shop with confidence with Extended Warranty* and Return Protection.*Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company
- Book two consecutive hotel nights through American Express Travel and receive $75 back at checkout. Restrictions may apply
- Access to Exclusive Benefits: Baggage Insurance Plan* when you travel, and shop with confidence with Extended Warranty* and Return Protection
- Use points for gift cards for dining, entertainment, and to shop over 300 of some of your favorite merchants
- Get discounts and low rates at hotels and resorts, plus a $75 hotel credit when you book through Gold Hotel Collection
- Introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $125
- Terms and Restrictions Apply
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