The American Express Gold Card edges out the Southwest Premier Business for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers 100,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 4x vs 3x). The Southwest Premier Business is the better choice if you want no or lower annual fee.
American Express Gold Card vs Southwest Premier Business
Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.
Comparison Method
CardCurator compares measurable differences first: annual fee, current welcome offer, top-end earning, and recurring credits. If the cards are close, the right answer depends on spending pattern and perk usage rather than headline prestige.
- Restaurants (Worldwide) 4x
- U.S. Supermarkets 4x
- Flights (Direct or Amex Travel) 3x
- Southwest Purchases 3x
- Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental Partners 2x
- All Other Purchases 1x
- Uber Cash $10
- Dining Credit $10
- Resy Credit $100
- +1 more
- The Hotel Collection Access
- Baggage Insurance Plan
- Trip Delay Insurance
- 2,000 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List statusAfter $5,000 spend
- Flying Blue
- Delta SkyMiles
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Qatar Avios
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- +13 more
Quick summary
A short version of the comparison with the main differences at a glance.
The American Express Gold Card edges out the Southwest Premier Business for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers 100,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 4x vs 3x). The Southwest Premier Business is the better choice if you want no or lower annual fee. On raw upside, American Express Gold Card tops out at 4x versus 3x for Southwest Premier Business. Current signup bonus values are roughly $1000 for American Express Gold Card and $840 for Southwest Premier Business. Updated May 30, 2026. Source: https://cardcurator.ai/compare/american-express-gold-card-vs-southwest-premier-business
- American Express Gold Card wins 3 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: American Express Gold Card reaches 4x; Southwest Premier Business reaches 3x.
- Annual fee: American Express Gold Card is $325/yr; Southwest Premier Business is $149/yr.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $1000 and $840.
Common Questions: American Express Gold Card vs Southwest Premier Business
Is the American Express Gold Card or Southwest Premier Business better for dining?
American Express Gold Card earns 4x on dining; Southwest Premier Business has no dining bonus.
Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?
American Express Gold Card currently offers 100,000 pts signup bonus (spend $6,000 in 6 months). Southwest Premier Business offers 60,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). American Express Gold Card has the larger bonus.
Which card is better for international travel?
Both cards charge no foreign transaction fees, making either a solid choice for international travel.
Can I hold both the American Express Gold Card and the Southwest Premier Business?
In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. American Express Gold Card is from American Express and Southwest Premier Business is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.