American Express just unleashed one of the best bonuses we've seen on the American Express® Gold Card when you apply through a personal referral link. And it's not just the Amex Gold card: Many other American Express cards have new referral offers that sweeten the deal for the person referring a friend or family member to a new card, too.
By applying for the Amex Gold through one of these targeted referral links you'll not only get a lump of 60,000 Membership Rewards points (or more), but you'll also get 20% back in statement credits after using the card at restaurants, up to $50 in the first three months. Apply soon, though: this new limited-time referral offer is only available until May 22, 2024.
Getting a welcome offer of 60,000 Membership Rewards points, plus 20% back (up to $50) in statement credits on restaurant purchases, after spending $6,000 in the first six months is much better than the standard offer – but you shouldn't settle for that. At least not without trying for a bigger bonus first.
Members of the Thrifty Traveler team were able to pull even bigger offers by opening the referral link in an incognito or private browser window. Exactly what you'll get will vary, but we were able to find both a 75,000-point offer and even all the way up to a 90,000-point bonus by going incognito for the same $6,000 spending requirement. Both bigger bonus offers also included 20% back (up to $50) on restaurant purchases, so you don't have to sacrifice the extra cash back for more points.
Keep in mind: Credit cards are serious business. You should never open a new credit card unless you can pay off every dime you charge each month. Digging yourself into costly credit card debt isn't worth the points.
Thrifty Tip: If you don't pull a bigger offer using the referral link in an incognito window, try a different browser like Safari, Firefox, or Google Chrome. If you have a VPN installed, changing your IP address can sometimes help generate a bigger offer as well.
Have an Amex Gold, or another Amex card? There's something in it for you, too. Eligible cardmembers can earn an additional 10x points or 10% cash back per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (for three months on up to $25,000 in spending) when they refer a friend or family member and that person is approved and gets an Amex card.
That means for example, if you have the referral offer on the American Express® Gold Card which typically earns 4X Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, you can earn 14X Membership Rewards points for three months after the referral (up to $25,000 spent) – assuming your friend or family member is approved for the card. That's on top of the 10,000 points you'll also get for making the referral (you can earn up to 100,000 points per calendar year from referrals).
What American Express Cards Are a Part of This Limited Time Offer?
It's not just the American Express Gold card offering bonus points at restaurants to the person making the referral. But only the limited-time referral offer on the Amex Gold throws in something extra for the card applicant.
These are all the Amex cards with limited-time referral offers. Again, if a friend or family member applies via your targeted referral link and is approved, you can earn an additional 10x points or 10% cash back per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide for three months (on up to $25,000 in spending).
- American Express® Gold Card
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- American Express® Blue Business Cash
- American Expres® Blue Business Plus
- American Express® Business Gold
- America Express® Business Platinum
Keep in mind: These offers are targeted, so not every current cardholder will have a limited-time offer to share. If you have one of the American Express cards listed above, check Amex's referral page to see if you're targeted for bonus points when sharing your card with a friend or family member.
Related reading:Â 10 Amazing Ways to Redeem Amex Membership Rewards Points
All About the American Express® Gold Card
It may not unlock a boatload of travel perks like the Platinum Card, but we consider the Amex Gold Card one of the best for earning points for travel. This limited-time referral bonus just makes the case even stronger.
Read our full review of the Amex Gold Card!
Here's a closer look at what you get with the Amex Gold Card:
- Earn up to 90,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $4,000 within the first six months of card membership, plus up to %20 back in statement credits for spending at restaraunts worldwide in the first three months (or up to $25,000 spent). This limited-time offer ends on May 22, 2024.
- Earn 4x points at restaurants worldwide on an unlimited amount of spending.
- Earn 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 of spending per calendar year. 1x points per dollar spent after that
- Earn 3x points for flights booked directly with airlines and at amextravel.com.
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases
- Up to a $120 annual dining credit split up monthly in $10 increments for charges at GrubHub, The Cheesecake Factory, Milk Bar, Wine.com, Goldbelly & Participating Shake Shack locations
- Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash split up into $10 monthly amounts. These can be used for Uber rides or for Uber Eats food delivery.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $250 annual fee, which is not waived in the first year
All information about the American Express® Gold Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Bottom Line
There is a great new limited-time offer on the American Express Gold card available through select personal referral links allowing new cardmembers to earn up to 90,000 Membership Rewards points and get 20% back (up to $50) on restaurant purchases after spending $6,000 in the first six months. Additionally, many current American Express cardholders can generate limited-time referral offers to earn an additional 10X rewards or 10% cash back per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (for three months on up to $25,000) if a friend or family member applies through their link and is approved for the card.
Whether you're looking to earn bonus points by referring someone or hoping to get in on the new, bigger offer on the Amex Gold, you'll have to act fast. These limited-time offers end on May 22, 2024.
Kyle, I have the Gold Amex card, how does one refer a family member of the same household? Thank you
Just log into your account, find the “refer a friend” option, copy the link, send it to your family member and have them apply!
Fyi .. I tried the platinum offer using your link. Did the application and it said I was not eligible for this offer. Not sure why. I have stellar 850+ credit and high income!
I had the same, and found it was because I’ve taken an AMEX offer in the past for a different card. Not sure if that’s case for you, but thought I’d share.
its only showing up 125K for platinum, anything special I should do other than incognito?
That might be the best offer available right now. We no longer have a working 150k link.
I literally just signed up for a new gold Amex earlier this week after your post about it being the better card for dining and groceries, but didn’t know about this referral thing and my husband has this offer to refer in his account that I could have used. Will Amex let me do it after the fact since it had only been a few days, or am I too late?
It’s unlikely but it never hurts to ask them.
Any idea to whom I would direct that inquiry? Regular customer service, or is there a different line/number for new card applications/promos?
I would start with customer service and they can get you to the right spot if they can’t help get you an answer.
Does Amex let you refer “in family cards” or must be specific? Meaning if I have a Platinum can I refer P2 for Gold? Thanks
Generally yes. If you go to your refer a friend homepage and generate a link, there should be other options in which you can refer to.