American Express Gold Credit Card (1% Moneyback)
Flat 1% Moneyback on everything you buy
at American Express's secure site
No welcome offer is currently advertised. Moneyback terms apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
The Moneyback Gold Credit is the Amex to pick if you'd never learn points transfers: 295 for a flat 1% back, five lounge visits and decent insurance, with no enrolment fee. Just know that free Visa and Mastercard cashback cards pay more, and Amex's agreement credits the rebate only once every 14 months.
Earning and receiving Moneyback
The card earns 1% Moneyback on all purchases — 1 back for every 100 — up to the assigned monthly credit limit for you and your supplementary cardmembers. There is no enrolment fee and no category to track; cash withdrawals, fees, interest and balance transfers earn nothing.
The part the page does not spell out: under Amex's credit-card Cardmember Agreement the rebate is credited to your card account once every 14 months from the card's issue date, nothing is paid for a month in which you exceed your limit or miss the minimum payment, and the whole period's Moneyback is forfeited if you cancel before the period ends or have amounts overdue for two or more months.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 295 ( 309.75 incl. VAT). No separate rewards-programme fee — Moneyback is included.
- Interest rate
- 3.60% per month fixed (43.20% annual). Up to 56 days interest-free on purchases.
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.94% (3.087% incl. VAT) on non- transactions.
- Cash advance
- 3% or 100 (whichever is higher; 3.15%/ 105 incl. VAT). Withdrawals limited to 40% of credit limit.
- Late payment fee
- 230 ( 241.50 incl. VAT); dishonoured cheque or direct debit 100 ( 105 incl. VAT).
- Overlimit fee
- 275.50 ( 289.28 incl. VAT).
- Minimum payment
- 5% or 35, whichever is higher.
- Supplementary cards
- Free, up to 9 cards.
- Plan It instalments
- 3, 6, 9 or 12-month plans at up to 1.50% per month (18% a year); plan closure fee 1% of the remaining balance (1.05% incl. VAT) or 900 ( 945 incl. VAT), whichever is lower.
Rates from the American Express Schedule of Fees and Charges (05-2025). Fees shown exclude 5% VAT unless noted; VAT-inclusive figures in brackets.
Card benefits
5 Priority Pass visits a year
Complimentary lounge visits shared between you and one supplementary cardmember; additional visits and guests are charged per visit.
1% Moneyback on everything
1 back per 100 on all purchases up to your monthly credit limit, supplementary card spend included — credited to the card account.
Travel cover to 350,000
Travel accident insurance up to 350,000 on public transport paid with the card, plus travel inconvenience cover: 750 each for delays, missed connections and luggage delay, 4,000 for lost luggage.
Retail & fraud protection
Retail Protection against theft or damage within 90 days of purchase, up to 3,000 per occurrence ( 180,000 a year), plus a Fraud Protection Guarantee on unauthorised charges.
Up to 9 free supplementary cards
Add family members at no charge; their spend earns the same 1% Moneyback within the monthly credit limit, and one of them shares your lounge visits.
Virtual card and Plan It
An instantly issued virtual card with spending limits you set and digital wallet compatibility, Plan It instalments over 3 to 12 months, and account management in the Amex MENA app.
Pros and cons
- Flat 1% Moneyback on all purchases — no enrolment fee, no categories to track
- 100 cheaper than the points Gold Credit Card, with no 95 Membership Rewards fee
- 5 Priority Pass lounge visits a year, shareable with one supplementary cardmember
- Up to 9 free supplementary cards, and their spend earns Moneyback too
- Travel accident insurance to 350,000, travel inconvenience cover and retail protection to 3,000 per claim
- Plan It instalments over 3–12 months, plus a Fraud Protection Guarantee and an instantly issued virtual card
- 1% is no better than free cards — ADCB's Essential Cashback pays 1–1.25% and RAKBANK Red up to 1.5% with no annual fee
- Moneyback is capped at your assigned monthly credit limit and, under the Cardmember Agreement, credited only once every 14 months
- No welcome offer — the points Gold Credit Card gives 15,000 Membership Rewards points
- 2.94% foreign transaction fee (3.087% with VAT)
- 43.2% annual interest if you carry a balance, and a 230 late fee
- Amex acceptance in the UAE is narrower than Visa or Mastercard
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You want a simple first Amex without learning a points programme
- A few lounge visits a year cover your travel pattern
- You want free supplementary cards for the family, with their spend earning too
Consider skipping it if
- You want the most cashback per — free Visa and Mastercard cards pay more
- You expect a monthly rebate on your statement — this one is credited once every 14 months
- You spend a lot in foreign currency — the 2.94% fee wipes out the 1%
Alternatives to consider
The Membership Rewards version costs 395 plus 95 a year to enrol and earns 1 point per 4 — the same five lounge visits and insurance, plus 15,000 welcome points. Only worth the extra 195 if you will transfer points to airline or hotel partners.
Best travel cards →
ADCB's Essential Cashback pays 1% on most spend — 1.25% in months you put through 5,000 or more — with no annual fee ever and lounge visits included, on a Mastercard accepted everywhere.
Best no-annual-fee cards →
Citi Cash Back pays 2% on groceries and 1% on everything else with no cap, first year free and 300 after that — on a Mastercard, so no acceptance worries.
Best cashback cards →Not sure which way to go? Put them side by side in our card comparison tool or browse the full ranked list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the annual fee of the Amex Gold Credit Card (1% Moneyback)?+
AED 295 a year (AED 309.75 including VAT), with supplementary cards free up to 9. Unlike the points version of the Gold Credit Card there is no separate rewards-programme fee — the 1% Moneyback is included.
How does the 1% Moneyback work?+
For every AED 100 you spend you get AED 1 back, on all purchases up to your assigned monthly credit limit, including spend on supplementary cards. Cash withdrawals, fees, interest and balance transfers do not earn. Under Amex's credit-card Cardmember Agreement the rebate is credited to your card account once every 14 months at the end of each payment period, and nothing is paid for a month in which you exceed your credit limit or miss the minimum payment.
What is the minimum salary for the Amex Gold Credit Card (1% Moneyback)?+
American Express does not publish a minimum income on this card's page. The points version of the Gold Credit Card requires AED 15,000 a month and the lowest band on this card's enquiry form is AED 15,000–25,000, so expect a similar floor. You must be a UAE resident aged 21 or over.
Does the card include airport lounge access?+
Yes — 5 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits, shared between you and one supplementary cardmember. Extra visits and guests are charged per visit; the rate is not published on this card's page (Amex quotes US$35 per person on the points Gold Credit Card).
How is it different from the regular Amex Gold Credit Card?+
This version costs AED 295 and pays a flat 1% Moneyback with no programme fee. The points version costs AED 395 plus AED 95 a year for Membership Rewards enrolment, earns 1 point per AED 4, and currently advertises 15,000 welcome points. Lounge visits and insurance are identical on both.
What insurance does the card include?+
Travel accident insurance up to AED 350,000 while travelling as a passenger on licensed public transport (including taxis) with the fare charged to the card; travel inconvenience cover on scheduled flights paid with the card — departure delays of 4+ hours, cancellation or denied boarding up to AED 750, missed connections AED 750, luggage delayed 6+ hours AED 750, luggage lost AED 4,000; and retail protection against theft or damage within 90 days of purchase, up to AED 3,000 per occurrence and AED 180,000 a year. There is no travel medical cover.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.