At typical spending, the Amex Gold Card comes out ahead by about $215 a year ($1,616 vs $1,401). The Bilt Obsidian Card earns more on rent. The Amex Gold Card earns more on dining, groceries and flights & hotels. Which one wins for you depends on where your money actually goes.
| Bilt Obsidian Card | Amex Gold Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Est. value/yr at typical spending | $1,401 | $1,616 |
| Annual fee | $95 | $325 |
| Yearly credits | $100 | $424 |
| Fee after credits | −$5 | −$99 |
| Dining | 3x | 4x |
| Groceries | 3x | 4x |
| Flights & hotels | 2x | 3x |
| Rent | 1.25x | 1x |
| Gas & transit | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Online shopping | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | 14 | 11 |
| Lounge access | No | No |
Typical spending here means our quiz defaults: $4,830 a month, including $2,500 rent or mortgage. Points are valued at 1.5¢ each (travel portal redemption); transferring to airline or hotel partners can be worth more.
They share 6 partners. Only the Bilt Obsidian Card: United MileagePlus, Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles, Avianca LifeMiles, Alaska Mileage Plan, Hawaiian Miles, American AAdvantage, World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards. Only the Amex Gold Card: Delta SkyMiles, ANA Mileage Club, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Hilton Honors.