AmericanExpress Gold Rewards Card®

American Express Gold Rewards Card®

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PC World Elite Mastercard

PC World Elite Mastercard

Apply Now

American Express Gold Rewards Card® vs PC World Elite Mastercard: Which one is better?


AmericanExpress Gold Rewards Card®

American Express Gold Rewards Card®

4.2


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

PC World Elite Mastercard

PC World Elite Mastercard

3.1


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$619.03

American Express Membership Rewards


First Year Bonus

$1,260

American Express Membership Rewards


Annual Fee

$250


First Year Value

$1,629.03

$369.03 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$266

PC Financial


First Year Bonus

$100

PC Financial


Annual Fee

$0


First Year Value

$366

$266 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Insurance Included*

  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    $85K, up to 48 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to 1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days, Up to $1,000
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Out of province Medical

    15 days

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500 after 6 hour delay
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $500,000
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $500
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,500 per person, $3,000 combined
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $1,500 per person, $6,000 combined
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500 after 4 hour delay

Insurance Included

  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Up to 31 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Doubled up to a year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Out of province Medical

    $1M, Up to 10 days

Extra Benefits*

  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

  • star fall

    Status lift

    Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® loyalty program
  • reward cup

    Extra points

    Earn 2 points on Amex Travel Online purchases and extra points on American Express offers
  • travel

    Travel Credit

    $100
  • border guard

    Nexus Program Rebate

    $50 statement credit every 4 years
  • hotel

    Complimentary Hotel Benefits

    Hotels booked American Express Travel
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Priority Pass

    Pass only. No Complimentary visits!
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Plaza Premium

    4 Free complimentary visits

Extra Benefits

  • concierge

    Concierge Services

  • shield user

    Identity Theft Assistance

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

21.99%1

Cash Advance:

21.99%1

Interest Rates

Purchase:

21.99%

Cash Advance:

22.97%

Annual Fee*

$250

Annual Fee

$0

Income Required*

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

Income Required

Min Personal Income:

$80,000

Min Household Income:

$150,000

Welcome Bonus*

Earn 5,000 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $1,000 in purchases on your Card in the first Year

Welcome Bonus

100,000 PC after approval of the application

Rewards Rate*

  • 2x points per $1 spent on gas, groceries and drugstore purchases
  • 2x points per $1 spent on travel (eligible flights, hotels, tours and more)
  • 1x point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases

Rewards Rate

45 points per $1 dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart® stores
30 points per $1 dollar spent at Atlantic Superstore, Extra Foods, Fortinos, Loblaws, Maxi, Maxi & cie, no frills, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore, SaveEasy, SuperValu, valu-mart, Your Independent Grocer, Zehrs
20 points per $1 spent in PC travel
19 points per $1 dollar spent at ESSO and Mobil (it's 30 points per liter and the assumption of average gas price of $1.6 was made)
10 points per $1 dollar spent for everything else

Point Redemption Options*

  • Most Optimal

    plane

    Transfer to Airline Partners

    2.1¢ / point
  • travel - plane

    Fixed Point Travel Program

    1.66¢ / point
  • hotel

    Transfer to Hotel Partners

    1.66¢ / point
  • cash coins

    Statement Credits (Cash)

    1¢ / point
  • gift card

    Gift Cards

    0.765¢ / point
  • amazon logo

    Amazon.ca

    0.7¢ / point
  • online shop

    Merchandise

    0.63¢ / point

Point Redemption Options

  • groceries

    Groceries

    0.1¢ / point
  • gas station

    Gas (Esso)

    0.1¢ / point

Is this card worth it?

The American Express® Gold Rewards Card is an excellent choice for travelers seeking an entry-level card that offers a strong balance of generous travel benefits without excessive costs. With a relatively low annual fee, this card provides flexibility and a range of perks that make it stand out among other options. It’s ideal for those who want to maximize their travel rewards without being tied to a specific airline or compromising on the benefits offered.

Is this card worth it?

This is a great card to have in your arsenal if you frequently shop at Shoppers Drug Mart®, Loblaw's owned chains, and ESSO and Mobil gas stations, as you will earn significant rewards in these categories. The additional benefits, such as out-of-province medical insurance, car rental damage insurance, and concierge service, are impressive and typically only come with cards that have annual fees; however, you can access these benefits for free with this card. We do not recommend using this as your primary credit card but as a supplement to another primary card, especially because there are no fees. This is because the rewards on purchases outside the mentioned shops are very average, and many other cards offer much more substantial rewards for general use.

Pros

  • Flexible Rewards: Enjoy flexible Membership Rewards point conversion with up to 2 points per $1 spent.
  • Travel Perks: Includes $100 annual travel credit and 4 free passes to Plaza Premium lounges in Canada.
  • Comprehensive Insurance: Comes with 11 types of insurance coverage.
  • Multiple Redemption Options: Offers 4 ways to redeem points for maximum value.

Pros

  • Out-of-province medical insurance, concierge service, and car rental damage insurance—benefits that are usually included with cards that have fees—are included with this card.
  • Decent rewards on purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart®, Loblaw's owned chains, and ESSO and Mobil gas stations.

Cons

  • High Annual Fee: The card comes with a $250 annual fee.
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: A 2.5% fee applies to foreign transactions.
  • Limited Travel Insurance for Seniors: No travel medical insurance coverage for those over 65.
  • Lower Acceptance: As an American Express card, it may have lower acceptance compared to Visa or Mastercard.

Cons

  • Many other high-spend categories don't earn as many rewards. Shopping at any other grocery chains, gas stations, or pharmacies will only give the base reward rate, and restaurant purchases and purchases in other categories don't earn much either.

Legal


*American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment. Check here for full details and current product information.
1 If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 28.99%.

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