[YMMV] American Express Gold Pre-Approved 50,000 Points Signup Bonus with No ‘Lifetime’ Language

Update 4/9/19: This deal is also being sent out via e-mail. Subject line is ‘<name>, what would you do with 50,000 Membership Rewards® Points?’

The Offer

Direct Link to offer (this might work – requires login)

Some people are seeing in their American Express login within the Amex Offers section an offer to ‘Go Gold’ and signup for the American Express Gold card. The offer shows them as ‘pre-approved’ and the terms show no lifetime language.

• Get a 50,000 points signup bonus when spending $2,000 within 3 months.

Card Details

• Annual fee of $250 NOT waived first year
• Card will earn at the following rates:
  • 4x points at U.S. Restaurants
  • 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in spend per calendar year)
  • 3x points for flights booked directly with airlines
  • 1x points on all other purchases
• $120 dining credit. This is a $10 monthly credit that can be used at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Shake  Shack
• $100 airline fee credit
• No foreign transaction fees

Full American Express Gold card review can be found here.

Our Verdict

Reader OC saw this ‘Go Gold’ offer on their Amex Blue Cash card, and I checked and see the same thing on my personal Amex Blue Cash cards. Not sure if it’s specific to Blue Cash or it’s showing on all personal Amex cards. YMMV, it may only be showing for some people. You can also try using this link after logging in, let us know if it works.

The Gold card is still available with the 50,000 points signup bonus on $2,000 spend (that seems to be the regular offer now), but of course it has the lifetime language. If you find this Go Gold offer in your login, it would appear to be exempt from the lifetime language. In the past, there was a similar offer available, with the addition of 20%/$100 back at restaurants; that additional restaurant bonus is no longer around.

Typically, you’d do better applying via referral link, even self-referral, but if you’ve already had the Premier Rewards Gold card and thus aren’t eligible for the signup bonus on the Gold card, this is a good option. Readers confirm that in the past whenever you get targeted with a no lifetime offer, it actually works in practice. Just be sure to double-check for yourself that there is no lifetime language showing. And check out these Things to Know about American Express before applying.