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Amex Gold vs Iberia Visa Signature: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- The American Express® Gold Card is a powerhouse for foodies and travelers, offering high reward rates for dining, U.S. supermarket purchases, and flights.
- The Iberia Visa Signature® Card is tailored for earning Avios, making it a strong choice for flights with Iberia and its partners or for direct hotel bookings.
American Express® Gold Card Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Let's dive into the specific benefits and features that make the American Express® Gold Card (See Rates & Fees) a standout option.
- You’ll earn generous rewards on your everyday spending, from restaurants worldwide to U.S. supermarkets.
- Monthly statement credits for dining and Uber can provide significant value throughout the year.
- It’s a great companion for travel, offering bonus rewards on flights and the flexibility to transfer points to airline and hotel partners.
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.
Pros
- Strong rewards on everyday spending, including at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.
- Valuable monthly credits for dining and Uber.
- Flexible rewards program with a wide array of airline and hotel transfer partners.
Cons
- A significant annual fee.
- Statement credits are broken down into monthly increments, which can be inconvenient.
- Not as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard.
Iberia Visa Signature Breakdown
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Why We Like It
The Iberia Visa Signature® Card packs a lot of value for the right traveler; here's a closer look at the benefits we think are most compelling.
- The card's welcome offer can give your Avios balance a significant boost right from the start.
- Cardholders receive a discount on Iberia flights and can earn a valuable discount voucher for companion travel each year.
- Avios can be earned on travel and everyday spending, with flexible redemption options across Iberia and its partner airlines.
Pros
- A generous welcome offer provides a substantial boost to your Avios balance from the start.
- Cardholders receive a discount on Iberia flights and can earn a valuable discount voucher for companion travel each year.
- Avios can be transferred to other airline partners, offering flexible redemption options.
Cons
- The card lacks common travel perks often found on other airline cards, such as priority boarding or a free checked bag.
- Key benefits like the annual discount voucher come with restrictions, and Avios can expire after a period of inactivity.
- It is subject to the issuer's application rules, which can make it difficult for some applicants to be approved.
Iberia Visa Signature vs American Express® Gold Card
Categories
Deciding which is better, Amex Gold or Iberia Visa Signature, depends entirely on your spending habits and travel goals. One card excels at rewarding everyday purchases like dining and groceries, while the other is tailored for loyalists of a specific airline alliance.
- American Express® Gold Card is designed for those who spend heavily on dining out and at U.S. supermarkets. It's also a great fit for travelers who book flights directly with airlines and want flexible point redemption options.
- Iberia Visa Signature® Card is best for travelers looking to earn Avios points for flights and upgrades within a specific group of airline partners. It's particularly valuable for those who frequently fly with Iberia or its partner airlines.
Redemption
American Express® Gold Card: Points are redeemed through the versatile Membership Rewards program, which allows you to transfer them to numerous airline and hotel partners or use them for other travel and statement credits.
Iberia Visa Signature® Card: Rewards are earned as Avios points, which are best used for booking flights and securing upgrades with Iberia and its partner airlines in the Oneworld alliance.
Travel Perks
- American Express® Gold Card: The travel ecosystem is centered around the American Express Travel portal. The card has no foreign transaction fees. Cardholders get access to The Hotel Collection, which provides an experience credit to use on amenities during eligible hotel stays. It also includes travel protections like a baggage insurance plan and car rental loss and damage insurance.
- Iberia Visa Signature® Card: This card's ecosystem is built around Iberia and its Oneworld partners. It has no foreign transaction fees. Perks include a discount on flights purchased on iberia.com. After meeting an annual spending requirement, cardholders receive a discount voucher for a companion ticket. The card also comes with travel protections, including baggage delay insurance and lost luggage reimbursement.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
If you're still unsure, a tool like Kudos can help you compare thousands of cards using your real spending data to find the perfect match.
- Test drive credit cards to see potential earnings based on your actual spending history before you apply.
- Receive a detailed analysis of your approval odds for different cards.
- Track your sign-up bonus progress for free.
- Monitor your transactions, spending habits, and credit score.
- Get a welcome offer guarantee, where Kudos will match a better offer if you find one within three months.
- Unlock a $100 Kickstart+ Reward by adding select approved cards to your Kudos Wallet.
Who Should Choose the American Express® Gold Card?
The American Express® Gold Card is tailor-made for food enthusiasts who split their budget between dining out and cooking at home. It rewards these habits with 4X points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1X), plus up to $120 in annual dining credits and up to $120 in Uber Cash annually. Beyond the kitchen, the card also appeals to frequent flyers by offering 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Who Should Choose the Iberia Visa Signature?
The Iberia Visa Signature® Card is an ideal choice for U.S.-based travelers who want to earn Avios and frequently fly with Iberia or its Oneworld alliance partners. It's especially well-suited for those already invested in the Avios program, as it boosts earning on purchases with airlines like British Airways and Aer Lingus. The card also appeals to savvy travelers who can leverage the flexibility of transferring Avios between partner airlines to unlock high-value redemptions, from short-haul flights to premium cabin seats to Spain.
Alternatives to Consider
If our American Express® Gold Card vs. Iberia Visa Signature® Card comparison has left you feeling that neither option is the perfect fit, don't worry. There are plenty of other excellent travel rewards cards to explore that might better suit your wallet.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score: Most rewards cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
- Plan your spending: Make sure you can comfortably meet the minimum spending requirement to earn the welcome offer.
- Know the rules: Be aware of issuer-specific application rules, like Chase’s 5/24 rule, which could affect your eligibility.
Application Strategy
- Time your application: Time your application before a large planned purchase to help meet the spending requirement.
- Mind the rules: Be mindful of issuer-specific rules, like the Chase 5/24 rule, which can impact your approval.
- Don’t settle: Don’t settle for a subpar offer, as some issuers let you decline and try again without impacting your credit score.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a co-branded card and a general travel card?
A co-branded airline card like the Iberia Visa Signature® Card earns rewards primarily for one airline's loyalty program. In contrast, a general travel card like the American Express® Gold Card earns flexible points that can be transferred to many different airline and hotel partners.
Can I use points from the Amex Gold Card for Iberia flights?
Yes, American Express Membership Rewards is a transfer partner of the Iberia Plus program. You can move points earned on your American Express® Gold Card to your Iberia account to book award flights.
Do both the Amex Gold and Iberia Visa Signature have annual fees?
Yes, both cards typically come with an annual fee, which is common for premium travel rewards cards. These fees help cover the cost of the valuable benefits and rewards offered by each card.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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