American Express Gold Rewards Card

The annual fee is quite reasonable when you subtract the annual travel credit, making the effective annual fee substantially lower.

At Prince of Travel, our favourite tool to use with minimum spending requirements is Chexy, a Canadian platform that allows you to pay a host of bills – including rent, tuition, utility bills, car lease payments, property taxes, and much more – with a credit card and earn points. There's a processing fee for each payment, but when you consider the value of the points you earn from spending and welcome bonuses, it's easy to justify.

This card offers an accelerated earn rate for shopping at drugstores. If you have substantial drugstore spending, the American Express Gold Rewards Card can be a worthwhile addition to your wallet.

Membership Rewards points offer flexibility across all three major airline alliances. You can transfer to Aeroplan for Star Alliance airlines like Lufthansa and United, plus external partners like Etihad and Virgin Australia.

Alternatively, transfer to British Airways Avios for oneworld carriers such as Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways, with the added benefit of converting Avios into other regional versions for better redemption opportunities. Air France KLM Flying Blue provides access to SkyTeam airlines like Delta and China Airlines, plus partners like WestJet.

You can also redeem directly for flights through the Amex Fixed Points Travel reward chart, though these are limited to round-trip flights from Canada. Direct redemption against travel purchases at 1 cent per point is available but typically offers lower value compared to airline transfers.

The Gold Rewards Card offers a range of benefits that positions it as a slimmed-down version of what the Platinum Card provides.

For airport lounge access, cardholders receive complimentary visits to Plaza Premium lounges each year, a useful perk at many Canadian airports. The card also includes a Priority Pass membership, though it doesn't come with any free visits – you'll need to pay per entry.

The card provides hotel credit and a room upgrade at check-in when available on stays of two or more nights.

Cardholders can also take advantage of specially-tailored Amex Offers for extra value when used at specific dining venues, shops, and more.

If you travel frequently, this card's automatic coverage is valuable—just remember these protections typically apply only to charges made with the card itself, so ensure your entire trip is booked through your Gold account to maximize eligibility.