Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the American Express® Gold Card ($325/yr) and the IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card ($350/yr) comes down to where you spend most. IHG One Rewards Premier Select needs about $105 a month in hotels or other travel, counting that spending alone, to make up its $25 higher annual fee over Amex Gold Card. Below that, Amex Gold Card comes out ahead. Enter your monthly spending above to see which comes out ahead for you.
Strongest in dining at 4% (up to $50,000/yr). 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X on U.S. supermarkets, 3X on flights.
Perfect if: You spend enough in bonus categories to easily offset the annual fee.
Apply NowStrongest in travel at 6%. Up to 28x total at IHG hotels, 6x on dining and all other travel, 3x on everything else. Earns a solid 3.0% on everything else.
Perfect if: You spend enough in bonus categories to easily offset the annual fee.
Apply Now| Feature | American Express Gold Card | IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $325 | $350 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 100,000 points after $8,000 spend in 6 months | 200,000 points after $5,000 spend in 3 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1% | 3% |
| Flights Rewards | 3% | 6% |
| Hotels Rewards | 1% | 6% |
| Other travel Rewards | 1% | 6% |
| Dining Rewards | 4% (up to $50,000/yr) | 6% |
| Groceries Rewards | 4% (up to $25,000/yr) | 3% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
5% on prepaid hotels through AmexTravel.com Earns 5% only on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App, Amex's own booking site. Hotels booked direct earn 1%. |
12% at IHG hotels Earns 12% only on stays at IHG Hotels and Resorts. Other travel earns 6%. |
| Key Benefits | 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X on U.S. supermarkets, 3X on flights. | Up to 28x total at IHG hotels, 6x on dining and all other travel, 3x on everything else. |
American Express Gold Card pulls ahead for groceries spending.
IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card wins on travel, dining, gas.
American Express Gold Card carries $424/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings), while IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card carries $910/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.