American Express is offering 75,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points for new Card Members of the American Express Gold Business Card who apply, are approved and spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 2 months from the approval date.
The American Express Gold Business Card is aimed at business owners who want to earn Membership Rewards on their business-related expenses but don’t want or need all the benefits of the Platinum Business Charge card.
The card includes complimentary Travel Insurance and Card Members can also add up to 99 Employee Cards to help keep track of expenses.
It is worth knowing that Membership Rewards Ascent points are transferable to 11 key frequent flyer programs, including Velocity, KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, Etihad Guest and more.
Card Details
| Card | American Express Business Gold Card |
|---|---|
| Loyalty Program | American Express Membership Rewards |
| Points earned from spend | Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, except for those in the 1 point category such as government bodies |
| Included Insurance | Travel Insurance (PDS) |
| Overseas transaction fee | 3% of the converted amount |
| Mobile wallet | Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay |
| Minimum income requirement | Annual business revenue of $75,000 or more |
| Annual Fee | $169 p.a. (plus optional $80 Membership Rewards fee) |
Effective Frequent Flyer Program Point earn Rates
| Frequent Flyer Program | All spend except on government bodies |
|---|---|
| Qantas Points | 1.125 points / $ |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1.125 miles / $ |
| Singapore Airlines Krisflyer miles | 0.5 miles / $ |
Benefits of the Gold Business Card
The benefits of the Gold Business Card include:
- Able to earn Membership Rewards points on spend (additional $80 Membership Rewards fee on top of annual fee)
- Up to 99 Employee Cards ($119 per card)
- Up to 51 cash flow days
- Flexible Payment Option
- Travel Insurances (read full PDS here)
Gold Business Card is a charge card
This is a charge card, which means that the balance of the card must be paid for in full each month, as opposed to a credit card, where you can carry your balance over to the next month.
American Express offer some more detailed information regarding the differences between a charge and credit card here.
Earning points from spend on the Gold Business Card
With the American Express Gold Business Card, you will be able to earn Membership Rewards Ascent points on spend if you decide to enrol to the program.
Membership Rewards partners with the major frequent flyer programs in the region as a flexible points program, which allows on-demand transfers of your points over to the frequent flyer program at your request.
The American Express Gold Business Card earn rates are as follows:
- Earn 1.5 points per $1 on all purchases, except those in the 1 point category
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent with government bodies
The ability to earn 1.5 points per $1 on utility transactions including gas, water, electricity providers and insurances is a big advantage of the card. You can also earn 1 point per $1 on all government spend such as the Australian Taxation Office, Australia Post, federal/state and local government bodies.
Flexible Payment Option
Business owners can free up their cash flow with an instant line of credit on their Charge Card. Instead of paying off the balance in full each statement period, it can be paid off over time.
How it works:
- The Card Member will receive a statement at the end of each statement period summarising their spend
- They can choose to pay the Closing Balance, the minimum amount due, or any amount in between (up to their Flexible Payment Option Limit).
- They can carry over any unpaid amount to their next month’s balance. Any amount not paid in full will incur interest at a rate of 21.99% p.a. until repaid.
Travel Insurance
Given that each person’s insurance needs are different, we will list down the coverage that comes with the card but make sure to check out the full Gold Business Card Insurance PDS and assess whether it will cover your needs.
Know you’re covered both domestically and internationally with complimentary Travel Insurance for you, your spouse, and your Employee Card Members when you pay for your return trip with your American Express Gold Business Card.
The insurances included are:
- Cover for business travel
- Business trip completion Cover
- Travel Cancellation and Amendment Cover and Travel Inconvenience Cover
- Baggage, Money and Documents Cover
This guide references some of the benefits of insurance policies provided with this card. You should read the PDS and obtain independent professional advice before obtaining this product.
Unparalleled mobile wallet integration
American Express cards support Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, meaning you can use this card on your smartphone for easier payments.
Read the Point Hacks guide to using Apple Pay or for using Google Pay and Samsung Pay, including instructions on how to add your American Express card to those services.
With this feature set up, it means you could still use your NFC-enabled phone to make purchases with your American Express account, even if your physical card is lost or stolen and pending replacement.
Key eligibility requirements for the American Express Gold Business Card
- Must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident
- Have a personal gross (pre-tax) annual income of $75,000 or more
- Operate a trading ABN or ACN
There are no requirements for the self-employed to have been trading for 18 months or 12 months if they hold another American Express card when considering the Gold Business Card. Therefore, this card could be an alternative to the featured-packed high annual fee Platinum Personal or Business Charge cards.
Summing up: American Express Gold Business Card
If you just need a no-frills business card to be used for business-related expenses, then the American Express Gold Business Card might be worth considering, given its low ongoing annual fee.
It is worth noting though that if you would like to earn Membership Rewards Points on your business-related spend, then you will have to pay for the $80 enrolment fee.
If you are after a business card with more features and options, the American Express Platinum Business Card might fit the bill better, even with its high ongoing annual fee.
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