American Express Gold Card

The American Express Gold Card from American Express offers a 60,000 points sign-up bonus worth approximately $720. You need to spend $6,000 in 6 months, which requires planning but is achievable with regular expenses.

Beyond the sign-up bonus, the card earns 4x restaurants, 4x groceries (up to $25k/yr), 3x flights on top of 1x on all purchases. Membership Rewards points transfer to 15+ airline and hotel partners, often yielding 1.5-2 cents per point.

The $250 annual fee is offset by the card's perks and credits — evaluate which benefits you'd naturally use. The card requires good credit (670+).