American Express® Gold vs IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Side-by-side comparison
| American Express® Gold | IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $325 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points | 125,000 points |
| Dining | 4x | 3x |
| Groceries | 4x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 3x |
| Travel | 3x | 3x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $598 | $431 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Locked to IHG One Rewards |
| Network | Amex | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the American Express® Gold earns about $598 a year in rewards and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card about $431, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The American Express® Gold charges $325, but carries about $424 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the American Express® Gold delivers more total value, about $54 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and dining. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the American Express® Gold earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the American Express® Gold if you will use travel transfers, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the American Express® Gold if your spending leans toward dining, groceries. Pick the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if your spending leans toward gas.