The American Express® Gold Card being held up in front of a bright blue wall

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

When you run a business, every dollar counts. Having the right credit card can not only help you pay the bills, but it can go a long way to help you actually save money.

As a business owner, you can qualify for cards that offer better rewards and perks than most personal travel cards.

(And don’t forget: freelancers, side hustlers, and really anyone with a bit of income on the side can qualify for business cards too. You don’t need to be an LLC or have a formal business setup!!)

One of the cards I love is the American Express® Business Gold Card. It’s simple and straightforward, offering flexible bonus categories that actually match your spending habits (something I wish more cards did), and is especially good if you do a lot of paid online ads.

Here’s everything you need to know about the American Express® Business Gold Card to see if it’s right for you:

 

What is the American Express® Business Gold Card?

The Business Gold Card is an easy-to-use business card issued by American Express. Its best feature is the ability to earn 4x points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month, from six eligible categories (more on those below).

I like that this keeps things simple, instead of offering a laundry list of statement credits to keep track of (though if you are interested in a card that does, check out my review of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express).

As an Amex card, you’ll also get access to fantastic customer service, Amex Offers, and some travel protections.

Here’s a glance at some of the benefits this card offers:

  • Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first three months of Card Membership
  • Earn 4x Membership Rewards points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month, from six eligible categories. While your top two categories may change, you will earn 4x points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1x). Only the top two categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap
  • Earn 3x Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card
  • Earn 1x on all other purchases
  • Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores (that’s up to $240 per year)
  • Earn up to a $12.95 (plus applicable taxes on one membership fee) statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card (that’s up to $155 per year)
  • No foreign transaction fees (See Rates & Fees)
  • Extended warranty, purchase, and cellphone protection*
  • Secondary car rental and baggage insurance*

The card does come with a $375 annual fee (See Rates and Fees).

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
 

Earning Membership Rewards Points

As I mentioned, the best feature of this card is the ability to earn 4x in the two categories where your business spends the most (on your first $150,000 of spending each year). It’s important to understand that this doesn’t include all spending categories though, just these six eligible categories:

  1. Purchases at US media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
  2. U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
  3. U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
  4. U.S. purchases at gas stations
  5. Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
  6. Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.

The nice part about this benefit is that your top two categories can change from month to month, reflecting your real-time business needs. But one of the ways to really maximize this benefit is that you can get 4x on online ads while most other cards offer a max of 3x. So, if you put all your online ads on this card and keep it as one of your top categories, you can get more points per dollar spent on ads than any other card!

And don’t worry about keeping track of which categories are your most used. The card automatically figures out your top two spending categories and awards points accordingly (you’ll see them as 1x until your statement closes, after which your top categories will be determined and points awarded).

To me, this is a huge perk because it keeps things simple. After all, as a business owner, you already have enough on your plate.

On the flip side, your regular business spending might not align with these categories. If that’s the case, I’d recommend a business card that has an increased earning rate on the ones that you do spend in, or one that earns more across all categories (you can check out which ones I recommend in this post on my favorite business cards).
 

Using Your Membership Rewards Points

With the Business Gold Card, you’ll earn Membership Rewards® points, which you can transfer to any of Amex’s 21 airline and hotel partners. Since Amex has a well-rounded suite of travel partners, Membership Rewards points are some of the most valuable points out there.

These are Amex’s current travel partners:

  • Aer Lingus AerClub (1:1 ratio)
  • Aeromexico Rewards (1:1.6 ratio)
  • Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 ratio)
  • Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio)
  • ANA Mileage Club (1:1 ratio)
  • Avianca LifeMiles (1:1 ratio)
  • British Airways Club (1:1 ratio)
  • Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 ratio)
  • Choice Privileges (1:1 ratio)
  • Delta SkyMiles (1:1 ratio)
  • Emirates Skywards (1:1 ratio)
  • Etihad Guest (1:1 ratio)
  • HawaiianMiles (1:1 ratio)
  • Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio)
  • Iberia Plus (1:1 ratio)
  • JetBlue TrueBlue (250:200 ratio)
  • Marriott Bonvoy (1:1 ratio)
  • Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1 ratio)
  • Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1 ratio)
  • Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1 ratio)
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 ratio)

Most transfers are instant, though some can take up to 48 hours. Remember to only transfer the exact number of points that you need to book your flight or hotel. Transfers are one-way only.

You can also use your Membership Rewards points to book flights and hotels in the Amex Travel portal. I would advise against it though. It’s not as good a value as transferring your points to partners.
 

Up to $395 Per Year in Flexible Credit for Business Purchases

The Business Gold card offers statement credits in two categories, adding up to a potential annual savings of $395 per year (effectively paying for the cost of the card).

First, you can earn up to $20 in statement credits each month after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores.

Second, you can earn up to $12.95 in statement credits each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. (Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible.)

I find these statement credits a bit random, and they’re not the most helpful if you have an online business like me. I usually max out on the Grubhub credits though!
 

Access to Amex Offers

The Business Gold Card also has access to Amex Offers, an ever-changing roster of deals where you can save money or earn bonus points with select retailers. The offers are targeted, so every cardholder has their own unique array of offers at any given time. For these offers, you do have to add them to your card before making a purchase (or you won’t get the deal).

Usually, they’re structured as “spend X, get Y amount back as a statement credit” though sometimes they’ll offer bonus points or a percentage back. While you probably won’t be able to take advantage of most offers, the more you can, the more you can offset the card’s annual fee.

New offers get added as old ones expire, so it’s worth checking back every so often so you can add any offers to your card that you might use.
 

Who is the Business Gold Card for?

The Business Gold card is best for business owners who have regular spending in the six categories where you can earn 4x points. This card is especially ideal for entrepreneurs who don’t want to worry about rotating or pre-selecting bonus categories. All you have to do is use it for your regular business spending and you’ll get your points.

Like with any card, if you’re carrying a balance — or think you might — you shouldn’t get this one. Travel cards like this come with high interest rates, and the rewards you earn won’t make up for what you’ll lose in interest charges. Trust me, no amount of points is worth going into debt over!

This card is also not for anyone with poor credit, as you need excellent credit to qualify. (If that’s you, check out the best credit cards for improving your score.)

***

The American Express Business Gold Card is one of my favorite business cards. The ability to automatically earn 4x points on your top two spending categories each month keeps things simple and helps you rack up points quickly. And more points equals more trips.

While it’s not as flashy as its more premium counterpart the Business Platinum, I like to keep the Business Gold in my wallet because it works hard behind the scenes. If you’re looking for a solid business card that works as hard as you do, this one’s worth a closer look.

Click here to learn more and sign up!

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It’s how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I’ll show you:

  • How to Pick a Credit Card
  • How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
  • How to Redeem Your Points
  • And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Points and MilesPoints and Miles

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

Want to Travel for Free?
Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need a Rental Car?
Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip?
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

By admin

You missed

var placeAdEl = document.getElementById(“td-ad-placeholder”); if (null!== placeAdEl & td_screen_width Toggle Kotishwara Kala BhairavaKotishwara Kala Bhairava Kotishwara Kala Bhairava It was when we reached there, I saw numerous individuals, numerous using the sacred saffron, carrying water from their rivers to do Abishek at Unakoti. It was the Monday of Shravana month. All of a sudden, the meaning of the location changed. It was not a dead archaeological location but a living breathing Tirtha. What is referred to as Kanwar Yatra in North India is followed practically in every part of the country. Young men and even females bring water from far-off places, numerous bring them in pots tied to a rod and pour it on Shiva in the spiritual month of Shravan.

Unakoti literally suggests one less a Koti or a Crore, or 10 million. It is among the most beautiful historical sites that is lying huge open in the hills of North Tripura. It is a living Tirtha that comes alive for Ashoka Ashtami throughout Chaitra Navaratri when a fair happens here. This made me believe if it was when a Shakta website as Ashtami, that too during Navaratri, is one of the most advantageous days for Devi worship. And, as I saw during Sharavan Somvars or Monday people visit it in numbers.

Legends of Unakoti

The popular legend goes that as soon as Shiva was on his method to Kashi in addition to Koti or One crore other devatas and his ganas. They made a night halt at this place with a promise to leave early morning. However, in the morning only Shiva got up and everyone else kept sleeping. So, Shiva turned all of them into rocks and he carried on to his favorite city on the banks of Ganga. This is how the sculptures became and they continue to be in the rocky region of Tripura. Since Shiva left and the rest 99,99,999 stayed here, the place happened known as Unakoti. Irony is that there are popular Shiva sculptures and lots of Shivalingas spread across the website, so did Shiva actually leave?

Anuradha Goyal at UnakotiAnuradha Goyal at Unakoti Anuradha Goyal at Unakoti Another legend states when there was a carver who worshipped Parvati and wished to accompany her and Shiva to Kailash and live with them. When Shiva-Parvati was passing by Unakoti hills, he expressed his desire however Shiva was not in a state of mind to take him along. So, he put a condition that if he can create a Koti sculpture in a night, he will permit him to come to Kailash with him. However, in the morning his sculptures fell short by one and the location got its name as Unakoti. Unakoti TirthaUnakoti Tirtha< img src ="// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20427%20640'%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="Unakoti Tirtha "width =" 427" height="640"/ >< img src= "https://inditales.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/unakoti-tirtha.jpg"alt ="Unakoti Tirtha"width ="427 "height=" 640"/ > Unakoti Tirtha You can choose the story that appeals more to you. Nobody has counted the sculptures, but it is true that all over you look there are sculptures. Big rocks are sculpted in-situ– as in where they are. Apart from them, there are sculptures in the form of Murtis and lingas. Much of these are still worshipped. On top of the hill, there is a shed like museum where some of the big life-size sculptures are kept. I found Vishnu, Hanuman, Sri Ram and Uma Mahesh here in the forms that tells me that Ramayana was probably shaped together with other

puranic stories of Vishnu and Shiva. Visiting Unakoti As soon as you go into the website through a security gate, and stroll towards the primary site, you see a beautiful lavish green valley in front of you. Neat and high staircases assure to take you down and then bring you up. As quickly as you start decreasing, the giant sculptures of Shiva and Parvati glace at you, like the prelude of a musical. You doubt the giant Shiva bas relief, with flowing Jatas as if Ganga is eager to fall totally free, huge earrings and necklace. As soon as you take your eyes off Shiva, you satisfy his consort Uma, similar in size and style. Giant Shiva Face at UnakotiGiant Shiva Face at Unakoti Huge Shiva Face at Unakoti From here when you look down you see a waterfall that gathers into a pond at regular intervals. The very first one is at the crossway of stairs originating from either side of hill. This is where there is another big bas relief of Shiva, who is also referred as Kotishwara Kala Bhairava in some cases. Surrounding him are a number of Nandi Murtis in various states of decay. In front of the rock sculpting are various lingas in stone that are still worshipped. Given that it was the Shravan Somvar, great deals of people were worshipping, doing abhishek and telling their dreams in the ears of Nandi. A pandit ji was assisting individuals with formal puja. Boy were swimming in the pond while females in their red and white saris lit incense sticks while stating their prayers. Ganesha Sculpture at UnakotiGanesha Sculpture at Unakoti Ganesha Sculpture at Unakoti The water flows downstream and about 100 meters down; it goes through an enormous Ganesha sculpture that is surrounded by elephants. The circulation is practically like the genes that

pass from parents to the child. Subrai Khung is another name of Unakoti in regional Kokbrok language, that you check out composed just before the first Shiva sculpture you meet. When you stand next to this board, you see the sharp rocks standing high and you wonder how someone would have shaped at such heights. Some sculptures are visible only when you go around it, which basically means you need to go around the entire website. There are some damaged pieces lying around and one questions if it is a crown or a neckpiece.

Living Temples of Unakoti

Throughout the valley, you need to climb up another hill to reach the top. En route I discovered numerous Shivalingas underneath the trees, a lovely Chaturmukhlinga in a little mandapa. Near it on the rocks I saw Lajja Gauri and another female figure that I might not understand. On top, there is shed with numerous large sculptures.

Lajja Gauri at UnakotiLajja Gauri at Unakoti Lajja Gauri at Unakoti Here I found a platform, with temple like steps resulting in it, where the Murtis and lingas was being worshipped. A narrow anxiety on the rock, that was filled with milk, is believed to be the footprint of Vishnu. On the other side was a small Goria Baba temple where a priest informed me that this is the initial Kailasg where Shiva lived. Certainly, the town close by is called Kailashahar. I would later learn that Goria baba is the Kuldevata of some people in Tripura. ChaturmukhlingaChaturmukhlinga< img src ="https://inditales.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/chaturmukhlinga-unakoti-tirtha.jpg"alt="Chaturmukhlinga"width="427"height=" 640 "/ > Chaturmukhlinga As you fluctuate the hills, wherever you look there are sculptures. Some you determine, others keep teasing you. You wonder if this was when the biggest outdoor temple. Was this actually something linked to Kashi or the migrants out of India, probably towards South East Asia, planted and brought stories from Indian Itihasa-Purana. Vishnu Foot that is still worshippedVishnu Foot that is still worshipped Vishnu Foot that is still worshipped Historians date these sculptures to a minimum of 7-9th CE but that is just a guess based upon style. It might be much older. An engraving only points out a see in 11-12th CE showing it existed before that. To me, these sculptures inform us the deep historical roots of our Puranik stories.

Travel Tips

Puranik Tales Carved in Stone at UnakotiPuranik Tales Carved in Stone at Unakoti Puranik Tales Sculpted in Stone at Unakoti is excellent 5-6 hours drive from Agartala. You can remain either at Dharamnagar or Kumarghat and go to Unakoti from there. It has to do with 45 minutes from either location.

Budget excellent 3-4 hours for the site. Wear comfy shoes and bring your water.

Food is offered outside the gate.

Regrettably, no guides either as a book or in person are available to offer a guided trip.

You can delight in the well-known Queen Pineapple of Tripura in this region.