The American Express® Gold Card just got a major facelift, with a higher fee and some additional credits. One thing didn't change: It's still one of the best all-around cards to rack up points on everyday spending. And better yet, all those changes led to one of the biggest welcome offers we've ever seen on the card.
It's hit or miss, but some applicants can get an offer to earn up to 100,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership … plus 20% back on restaurant spending worldwide (for up to $100 back).
The only problem is that unlike the usual credit card links you see through the bank or travel sites like ours, this one is only available through a referral link from a friend or family member (or from us). But even with a friend referral, there's no guarantee you'll see the bigger offer. Many applicants are seeing a 90,000-point offer, plus up to $100 in restaurant credit for the same amount of spending – which still beats the public, 60,000-point offer by a long shot.
Click here to see if you're targeted for this referral offer!
If you don't see the bigger bonus at first, try opening the link in an incognito window, use a different browser, or even a different device.
All information about the American Express® Gold Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Just remember: Credit cards are serious business, and no big bonus is worth going into debt over. If you're already in debt or can't afford to pay off a new card in full each and every month, this big welcome offer simply isn't worth it.
But if you can spend responsibly, this is a truly fantastic offer. While it's not uncommon to see bigger referral offers on the Gold Card, we've never seen a point bonus quite this big.
And there's even something in it for the person referring the card, too. By having a friend or family member apply for the Gold card through your referral link, you'll get 10,000 Membership Rewards points. Talk about a win, win!
Just know that if you've got a lot of friends, the amount of points you earn through referrals is capped at 100,000 per calendar year.
Related reading: 10 Amazing Ways to Redeem Amex Membership Rewards Points
How to Check for the 100K Referral Offer
Unfortunately, these referral offers are targeted – not every current Amex Gold Cardholder will be able to generate this huge 100,000-point referral offer. Some may see a 90,000-, 75,000-, or even the standard 60,000-point bonus instead.
But even if the 100,000-point offer isn't being generated for you, it might still be worth trying it in an incognito windows to see if you can get it to trigger.
Of all the Thrifty Traveler team members who hold the Gold Card, just a few of us were able to generate a new 100,000-point referral link. If you've already got an Amex Gold Card and want to check, you can head to the American Express Refer a Friend homepage to see if you have the offer.
If you have more than one American Express card, make sure you select your Amex Gold Card. Again, you might need to open your own link in an incognito browser to pull up this 100,000-point offer – and ensure your friend or family member does the same.
But be warned: In recent years, American Express has been treating points earned from referral bonuses as taxable income. For tax purposes, Amex values each point earned at one cent each. So earning 100,000 points for a referral means you are going to get a 1099 tax form for $1,000 early next year.
Related Reading: Are Credit Card Rewards Taxable? Here's Why You Got a 1099 for Earning Points
Don't have the American Express Gold yet? You can use our personal referral link to try to pull up the 100,000-point offer. This is truly one of the best offers we have ever seen on this card!
Remember: You may need to open the link in an incognito or private web browser or even try different devices.
Bottom Line
American Express just revamped the Gold Card and now they're out with a massive targeted referral offer to earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership, plus get 20% back on restaurant spending worldwide (up to $100).
If you don't yet have the Amex Gold Card, you can use our personal referral link here to try for a bigger bonus. And if you already have the Amex Gold Card and want to spread the love, you'll get 10,000 points for each successful approval (up to 100,000 points per year).