Amex Gold vs Bonvoy Brilliant
Side-by-side comparison: signup bonus, annual fee, benefits, transfer partners. Updated daily from issuer pages.
Quick Answer
For year-one net value (welcome bonus minus annual fee), Amex Gold comes out ahead at ~$1,675 at a lower $325 annual fee vs $650. Amex Gold sits in Amex MR; Bonvoy Brilliant sits in Marriott Bonvoy. The right pick still depends on which credits and category multipliers fit your spending pattern — full breakdown below.
Bonvoy Brilliant
Highest first-year value among the 2 cards you're comparing — $2,375 after annual fee.
Amex
Amex Gold
Annual Fee
$325/yr
Signup Bonus
100,000 Membership Rewards
Bonus Value
~$2,000
Benefits Value
~$644/yr
Spend Req.
$8,000 / 6mo
Rewards Currency
Amex MR
Network
Amex
Card Type
Personal
Benefits
✈️ travel credit
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit
$120/yr
🍽️ dining credit
Dining Credit
$120/yr
Uber Cash
$120/yr
Resy Restaurant Credit
$100/yr
Dunkin' Credit
$84/yr
🏨 hotel credit
Hotel Collection Credit
$100/yr
Amex
Bonvoy Brilliant
Annual Fee
$650/yr
Signup Bonus
185,000 Marriott Bonvoy
Bonus Value
~$1,480
Benefits Value
~$1,545/yr
Spend Req.
$6,000 / 6mo
Rewards Currency
Marriott Bonvoy
Network
Amex
Card Type
Personal
Benefits
✈️ travel credit
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck
$120/yr
🍽️ dining credit
Dining Credit
$300/yr
🏨 hotel credit
Property Credit
$100/use
Annual Free Night Reward
$425/yr
🏛️ lounge
Priority Pass Select
$200/yr
⭐ status
Marriott Platinum Elite
$400/yr
25 Elite Night Credits
Quick winners by category
The fast answer if you came here looking for one specific thing.
Best for Travel
Bonvoy Brilliant
Wins on bigger travel credit ($300 vs $200) you can actually spend on flights and hotels.
Best for Dining
Amex Gold
Dedicated dining credit plus strong restaurant earning multiplier.
Best for Lounge Access
Bonvoy Brilliant
Includes Priority Pass access — the other card has none.
Best for Transfer Partners
Amex Gold
Amex MR has 21+ transfer partners — better redemption flexibility.
Best for Beginners
Amex Gold
Lower $325 annual fee makes the math safer for newer cardholders.
Best Overall Value
Bonvoy Brilliant
~$2,375 of first-year value after annual fee — wins the math.
Best for Premium Travel
Bonvoy Brilliant
Premium hotel credits, top-tier lounge access, and travel insurance built in — the luxury-travel pick.
Biggest Credit Stack
Bonvoy Brilliant
Bigger statement-credit stack (~740/yr in tracked credits) — high ceiling if you use them.
What it's worth for your spending
Estimated first-year value (welcome bonus + benefits − annual fee) for four common spending profiles.
| Profile | Amex Gold | Bonvoy Brilliant |
|---|---|---|
| Light spender, building credit | $2,657 | $2,641 |
| Everyday family ($40K/yr spend) | $3,399 | $3,221 |
| Frequent traveler (2-3 trips/yr) | $3,453 | $3,329 |
| Premium traveler (5+ trips/yr) | $4,191 | $4,031 |
Year-one value = welcome bonus + tracked benefits + estimated points value from spending − annual fee. Points valued at 1.5¢ each (transferable) or 1¢ each (cashback). Real-world value depends on how you redeem.
Side-by-side: every spec that matters
Higher value highlighted in green per row.
| Amex Gold | Bonvoy Brilliant | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 100,000 Membership Rewards (~$2,000) | 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy (~$1,480) |
| Annual fee | $325/yr | $650/yr |
| Authorized user fee | $0 | $0 |
| Transfer partners | 21+ partners (Amex MR) | None (single program) |
| Travel credits | $120/yr | $120/yr |
| Lounge access | None | Priority Pass only |
| Dining rewards | 4x 4x at restaurants worldwide | 4x 4x at restaurants worldwide |
| Grocery rewards | 4x 4x at US supermarkets, capped at \$25,000/year then 1x | 2x |
| Hotel rewards | $100/yr 2x on prepaid hotels via amextravel.com | $525/yr 6x at Marriott Bonvoy hotels |
| Travel insurance | Limited | Comprehensive |
| Cell phone protection | Included | Included |
| Foreign transaction fee | $0 | $0 |
| Mobile wallet | Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay | Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay |
| Network | Amex | Amex |
Who should get the Amex Gold?
- ✓You spend $4K+/year at U.S. supermarkets and at least $3K/year at restaurants — at 4× the points stack pays back fast.
- ✓You'll actually order DoorDash / Uber Eats to use the $10/month Uber Cash and $10/month Resy dining credits — they expire if you don't.
- ✓You hold or plan to hold an Amex Plat or Biz Plat too — Gold's 4× dining + Plat's 5× flights is the classic Amex stack.
- ✓You're a frequent traveler willing to absorb a $325 annual fee for premium credits and lounge access.
- ✓Travel is one of your top 3 spending categories and you want to earn faster on flights, hotels, and ride-shares.
- ✓You eat out regularly and want bonus points on restaurants worldwide.
- ✓Groceries are a major monthly line item and you want grocery-specific earning.
Who should get the Bonvoy Brilliant?
- ✓You're a frequent traveler willing to absorb a $650 annual fee for premium credits and lounge access.
- ✓You eat out regularly and want bonus points on restaurants worldwide.
- ✓You stay at a specific hotel chain enough that loyalty-status perks compound.
- ✓You book aspirational hotels and want elite status, suite upgrades, and resort credits without earning them through stays.
- ✓You fly enough that airport lounge access alone justifies the annual fee.
- ✓You take 10+ flights a year and want Centurion / Priority Pass / Sapphire / Capital One Lounge access — not just the marketing line, but actually visiting lounges.
- ✓You enjoy stacking multipliers, calendaring statement credits, and treating your wallet like a small portfolio — the extra cognitive load is worth real $ to you.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a better welcome bonus, Amex Gold or Bonvoy Brilliant?
Amex Gold currently offers the stronger welcome bonus by estimated cash value (~2,000 vs ~1,480). Welcome bonus offers change frequently — check the current offer on each card's detail page before applying.
Is the Amex Gold worth the 325 annual fee?
For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~2,000) and statement credits alone typically cover the 325 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.
Is the Bonvoy Brilliant worth the 650 annual fee?
For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~1,480) and statement credits alone typically cover the 650 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.
Can I have both the Amex Gold and the Bonvoy Brilliant at the same time?
Yes — Amex allows holding both Amex Gold and Bonvoy Brilliant simultaneously. Each card has its own welcome bonus and statement credits, so they don't conflict. Amex's welcome bonus eligibility rules may require waiting between applications; check current policy before applying for the second card.
Which card is better for transferring points to Hyatt?
Neither card transfers points to World of Hyatt. Only Chase Ultimate Rewards, Bilt Rewards and the co-branded World of Hyatt card transfer to Hyatt at 1:1. To stack Hyatt points without leaving these two ecosystems you'd need to add a Chase Sapphire or Bilt card alongside.
Which card has better airport lounge access?
Bonvoy Brilliant includes Priority Pass. Amex Gold doesn't include lounge access — you'd need to pay for it separately or upgrade to a premium card.
Which card has the better overall value?
Based on first-year math (welcome bonus + tracked statement credits − annual fee), Bonvoy Brilliant comes out ahead at ~2,375 of net value vs ~2,319 for the other card. After year one, the better card for YOU depends on how naturally you'll use the credits and category bonuses.
Which card has the easier minimum spend requirement?
Bonvoy Brilliant has the easier bar — 6,000 in 6 months — vs 8,000 in 6 months for Amex Gold. Don't manufacture spend just to hit a higher threshold — if you can't reach it through normal spending, the card isn't the right fit right now.
Ready to apply?
Click through to the issuer's secure application page. Welcome bonus offers are confirmed at the time of approval, not at click time.
Amex
Amex Gold
Welcome: 100,000 Membership Rewards · ~$2,000 est. value
Amex
Bonvoy Brilliant
Welcome: 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy · ~$1,480 est. value
Run your own numbers
These calculators use the same data this comparison runs on — plug in your spending and see net value.
Last reviewed
2026-05-29
Data sources
Issuer pages (verified via Playwright on this date), TPG monthly valuations, public award charts.
Methodology
Editorial note: CreditPoints may earn a commission when you apply through some of the links on this page, but the side-by-side ranking, Quick Winners and Real-World Scenarios are algorithmic and identical for all readers. We never accept payment to change ordering.
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