Ends soon: 40,000 American Express Gold Welcome Bonus (= 40,000 Avios)

Good news for points collectors! While the standard enhanced offer for the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold credit card is currently 22,000 Membership Rewards points, I'm thrilled to share that our special referral link gives you an even better 40,000 points.

This is a truly exceptional deal for a card that's completely FREE for the first year. Remember that 40,000 Membership Rewards points convert into 40,000 Avios, 40,000 Virgin Points, or numerous other valuable rewards options.

You can apply here through our exclusive referral link to secure the 40,000 point bonus - that's 10,000 more points than the public offer!

The enhanced public offer (without our special link) is scheduled to run until 27th May, but as always with these referral-enhanced deals, they could change at any time without notice.

What's the catch?

There's no real catch! To earn the generous 40,000 bonus points, you'll need to spend £3,000 within three months of your application being approved. The card is completely free for the first year (£195 thereafter), and you can cancel at any point with no penalty if you decide it's not for you.

The boring legal bit: The representative APR is 87.3% variable, including the annual fee. The representative APR on purchases, and in the first year which has no fee, is 30.0% variable.

Do you qualify for the 40,000 point bonus?

Before applying, it's important to check if you're eligible for the bonus:

• If you've never held a personal American Express card before, you'll definitely get the 40,000 point bonus

• You will receive the bonus if you haven't held a personal American Express card in the previous 24 months

• You'll get the bonus if you have a Corporate or Business American Express card via your job

• You'll receive the bonus if you're only a supplementary cardholder on someone else's American Express card

If you don't qualify for the bonus, you can still apply and receive all other card benefits. You might also want to check our guide on which Amex sign-up bonuses you could still be eligible for.

Why the Amex Gold is worth considering

Having used this card personally for several years, I can attest to its value. Here's why it's a strong contender for UK points collectors:

1. The sign-up bonus is incredibly generous

Getting 40,000 Membership Rewards points through our link (versus the standard enhanced offer of 22,000) is a significant boost to your points collection. These can be converted to:

• 40,000 Avios

• 40,000 Virgin Points

• 80,000 Hilton Honors points

• 120,000 Radisson Rewards points

• 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

• And many more options

Using our Avios Balance Booster Calculator, you can see that buying this many Avios directly would cost well over £500, making this bonus particularly valuable.

2. Valuable ongoing perks

The card comes loaded with benefits that can easily offset the annual fee (though remember, your first year is free anyway):

• Four free airport lounge visits per year via Priority Pass - perfect for making economy travel more comfortable

• £120 annual Deliveroo credit (£10 per month split as 2 x £5 credits)

• Double points on airline bookings made directly with airlines

• Double points on foreign spending (though there is a 3% FX fee)

• Triple points on bookings with Amex Travel

• Hotel benefits including $100 credit and potential upgrades at over 1,000 luxury hotels

3. Tiered bonus points based on spending

Beyond the standard 1 point per £1 spent, you can earn additional bonuses based on your annual card spending:

• 2,500 bonus points when you hit £5,000 of annual spend

• Another 2,500 points at £10,000 (5,000 points cumulative)

• Another 2,500 points at £15,000 (7,500 points cumulative)

• Another 2,500 points at £20,000 (10,000 points cumulative)

• Final 2,500 points at £25,000 (12,500 points cumulative)

These extra points can significantly boost your earning if you're a moderate to high spender.

How I've used my Amex Gold points

Membership Rewards points are incredibly flexible, which is what makes them so valuable. Personally, I've successfully used mine for:

1. Business class flights to Asia by transferring to Avios and redeeming on Cathay Pacific

2. Free hotel stays by transferring to Hilton Honors during bonus transfer periods

3. Upgrading economy tickets to premium cabins on various airlines

If you're curious about the best ways to use Avios specifically, check out our guide on how many Avios points you need for British Airways flights or try our Award Travel Finder tool to search for available award flights across multiple airlines.

Is the Amex Gold right for you?

The American Express Gold is what I consider a "gateway card" for points collecting. It's perfect if:

• You're new to points collecting and want to start with a free-for-first-year option

• You value flexibility in how you redeem your points

• You can comfortably meet the £3,000 spending requirement in three months

• You'll use at least some of the additional benefits like lounge passes or Deliveroo credits

Even if you eventually decide the miles and points hobby isn't for you, your 40,000 Membership Rewards points can still be converted to £200 of High Street gift cards - not a bad return for a free card!

How this fits into your wider points strategy

For many UK collectors (myself included), the Amex Gold serves as an excellent starting point before potentially moving to other cards like the British Airways Premium Plus American Express with its valuable 2-4-1 companion voucher.

The good news is that holding the Amex Gold won't disqualify you from earning sign-up bonuses on co-branded cards like the BA Amex in the future, giving you multiple opportunities to boost your points balance.

For business owners, you might also want to consider the business credit card options alongside your personal cards to maximize your earning potential.

Conclusion

The 40,000 point offer through our link represents one of the best Amex Gold deals I've seen. For a card that's free in the first year, the value proposition is outstanding, especially when you factor in the additional benefits.

Whether you're looking to fund your next holiday, upgrade an upcoming flight, or simply dip your toe into the points collecting world, this enhanced offer is well worth considering.

Apply for the American Express Gold with our 40,000 point offer before it potentially changes!

Remember: This exclusive 40,000 point offer is only available through our referral link - the public offer is just 30,000 points, so you're getting a significant 10,000 point boost by using our link.