Mastercard® Gold Card™

The Mastercard Gold Card review was last updated on June 12, 2020.

Mastercard® Gold Card: Details and benefits

The patented 24-karat gold-plated front and carbon back Mastercard® Gold Card is an extravagance in the credit card world. The hefty $995 annual fee ($295 for each Authorized User) can be prohibitively expensive, unless you spend thousands every month and take full advantage of its perks, which are mainly travel-related.

With so many competitive rewards cards out there for people with excellent credit, which this card requires, it’s hard to justify — or even surpass in value — the big price tag. We didn’t think particularly highly of the other cards in this trio, either: Mastercard Titanium Card and Mastercard Black Card.

If you want a card that will turn heads, the flashy Mastercard Gold Card could be the one. Its bold look comes with an equally bold annual fee, just five bucks shy of $1,000.

Although this card offers a few exciting perks, cardholders will have to work harder to get value out of Gold than they would with other cards.

If you do want to try out this card, the easiest way to get value out of it is through travel.

Every year, Mastercard Gold Card members receive an annual travel credit up to $200 toward flight-related purchases, including tickets, baggage fees and upgrades. This credit is automatically applied to your account. Additionally, travelers will get complimentary access to more than 1,000 VIP lounges worldwide.

Although cardholders only earn 1 Gold Card point per dollar on all purchases, they can double their points if they use them for airfare on the Mastercard portal. Plus, cardholders will get 2% cash back on their points. This money can be direct deposited or received as a statement credit. This means a $100,000-yearly spend can earn cardholders $1,000 — or just enough to cover that annual fee.

Is it worth it for you?

Since the points system is pretty modest, the Mastercard Gold Card makes sense for people who spend a lot of money each year, as well as people who want VIP airport treatment. With its mixture of 2 percent value on airfare, complimentary lounge access, airport escort services, up to $200 annual travel credit, and up to $100 Global Entry application fee credit, luxury travelers might benefit from this card.

However, there’s still the $995 hurdle to clear before seeing any real value.

Get the most value from Mastercard Gold Card

One way to add value with this card is by taking advantage of its introductory balance transfer offer. New members will get a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles within the first 45 days. After that it’s a variable 14.99% APR. Still, there’s little chance people hoping to save money on interest from another loan would benefit as the interest would have to be high enough to surpass the $995 to get any real value from this offer.

You should maximize your value by taking advantage of the card’s luxury perks. Card members receive up to a $100 automatic statement credit for the cost of the Global Entry Application Fee. Enjoy the convenience of a professional representative who will save you time by meeting and escorting you through the airport process quickly and easily. Arrange a personal chauffeur service to drive you to a business engagement or to the hotel from the airport.

How much are the points worth?

You’ll earn one point for every dollar you spend with the Mastercard Gold Card and you can get the most value by redeeming them for travel. Receive 2 percent value when you redeem for airfare through the rewards program at myluxurycard.com. Airfare redemptions start at 50 points for $1.

How to redeem rewards

Points don’t expire and there are no blackout dates or limits to how many points you may earn. Redeem your points for travel or cash back and get 2 percent value on all of your points. This money can be direct deposited into a U.S. bank account or as a statement credit.