The American Express Gold Card

An Amex charge card with no pre-set spending limit and a USD 183.75 annual fee plus a USD 26.25 yearly Membership Rewards fee, earning 1 Membership Rewards point per USD 1 on most spending (about 1.54% at Perkly's Skywards-based valuation), with 8 Priority Pass visits a year shared with 1 supplementary cardmember.

Annual fee USD 183.75 including VAT (USD 175 before VAT); Amex publishes it only in US dollars, and Perkly's conversion at the 3.6725 peg is about AED 674.82. A separate Membership Rewards fee of USD 26.25 a year including VAT (USD 25 before VAT) is charged when you enrol in Membership Rewards. Perkly counts the card's yearly cost as both fees together, USD 210 including VAT, about AED 771.23. No joining fee. Supplementary cards, up to 9 for family members over 12, cost USD 78.75 a year each including VAT (USD 75 before VAT). A charge card: the balance is paid in full each month, or part of it is converted through Pay Over Time into instalment plans of 3, 6, 9 or 12 months on a dedicated limit.

Spending in a currency other than the card's billing currency costs 3.087% all in (2.94% plus VAT); American Express runs its own network, so no separate scheme charge is added. Spending abroad earns the same 1 point per USD 1.

It is a charge card: the balance is due in full each month unless you move part of it to Pay Over Time. The fees are in US dollars and the Membership Rewards fee is extra, so the full yearly cost with points is USD 210 (about AED 771 at Perkly's conversion). The 8 Priority Pass visits a year are shared with a supplementary cardmember; once the visits or accompanying guests are used up, Amex charges USD 35 per person.