AMEX Gold Preferred Japan
Complete Referral Guide
¥39,600/year | Free Hotel Stay | Dining Perks | Priority Pass
If you’re living in Japan and looking for one credit card that does it all — solid point earnings, 1:1 ANA mile transfers, dining perks, and travel benefits — this card is hard to beat.
Meet the AMEX Gold Preferred Card, one of the most popular premium cards in Japan’s credit card scene.
Here’s the deal: just by applying through a referral link instead of the regular website, you’ll earn 30,000 extra points. Same card, same benefits — but a much better welcome bonus.
In this guide, I’ll break down everything that makes this card worth it and show you exactly how to maximize your sign-up bonus.
What Is the AMEX Gold Preferred?
The AMEX Gold Preferred Card is American Express’s premium gold card for the Japanese market, and it occupies a unique sweet spot: 3x points at popular stores, 4x on AMEX Travel bookings, 1:1 ANA mile transfers, generous dining perks, and an annual free hotel stay.
Think of it as a do-everything card that covers daily spending, travel, and dining. It’s made of metal and comes in two colors — classic gold and rose gold.
AMEX Japan’s tagline puts it well: “The brilliance of gold isn’t just one thing” — and this card truly delivers on multiple fronts.
Card Overview
| Feature | Gold Preferred |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee (tax included) | ¥39,600 (~$265 USD) |
| Family Cards | First 2 free, ¥19,800 each after that |
| Point Earn Rate | 1% standard / 3% at partner stores / 4% on AMEX Travel |
| ANA Mile Conversion | 1:1 ratio (requires ANA Course, ¥5,500/year) |
| Point Expiry | Never expire |
| Free Hotel Stay | Complimentary 1-night stay for 2 with ¥2M annual spend |
| Travel Credit | ¥10,000 travel credit upon renewal (for prepaid hotel bookings) |
| Membership Rewards Plus | Included free (normally ¥3,300/year) |
| Dining Perks | 20% Starbucks cashback / Shotaibiyori buy-1-get-1-free / 15% off hotel dining |
| Airport Lounges | Major domestic airports + Hawaii (1 guest free) |
| Priority Pass | 2 free visits/year (1,300+ VIP lounges worldwide) |
| Overseas Travel Insurance | Up to ¥100 million (usage-triggered) |
| Shopping Protection | Up to ¥5 million |
| Referral Rewards | 15,000 points per successful referral (up to 150,000/year) |
| Card Material | Metal (gold or rose gold) |
| Card Network | American Express |
9 Reasons This Card Stands Out
1. 3x Points at Popular Stores — Rack Up Points on Everyday Purchases
Gold Preferred cardholders are automatically enrolled in two bonus point programs: Membership Rewards Plus and the Partner Merchant Bonus Point Program.
When you shop at partner merchants, you’ll earn 3 points per ¥100 spent (1 base + 2 bonus) — that’s 3 to 6 times what most Japanese credit cards offer.
- Amazon.co.jp
- Yahoo! Shopping / Yahoo! Auctions
- Yodobashi Camera (major electronics retailer)
- Ikyu.com (hotel & restaurant reservations)
- Uber Eats
- Apple Services (iTunes Store, App Store, etc.)
- JAL Official Website
- HIS (travel agency)
2. 4x Points on AMEX Travel + ¥10,000 Travel Credit
Book domestic flights, car rentals, or prepaid hotels through AMEX Travel Online and you’ll earn an even better rate: 4 points per ¥100 (1 base + 3 bonus).
Even better, you can redeem your accumulated points on AMEX Travel at 1 point = 1 yen for hotel and flight bookings.
For a trip to Thailand, 130,000 points could cover either:
- A 1-night stay for 2 at Bangkok’s Sofitel or JW Marriott
- Round-trip flights for 1 from Haneda to Bangkok (including taxes & surcharges)
On top of that, when you renew your card (pay the annual fee), you’ll receive a ¥10,000 travel credit that can be used for hotel bookings of ¥20,000 or more on AMEX Travel.
You can also take advantage of “The Hotel Collection” benefit: book 2+ nights at select luxury hotels through AMEX Travel and you’ll get a $100 hotel credit + early check-in + late check-out + room upgrade.
3. 1:1 ANA Mile Transfers — The Best Way to Earn Free Flights
Gold Preferred cardholders automatically get Membership Rewards Plus for free (normally ¥3,300/year), which unlocks the premium 1:1 mile conversion rate.
To actually transfer points to ANA, you’ll also need to register for the Membership Rewards ANA Course (¥5,500/year, tax included). Yes, there’s an extra fee — but a 1:1 conversion ratio is essentially unmatched among Japanese credit cards. And since your points never expire, you can stockpile them and convert in bulk whenever you’re ready.
For other airline miles (not ANA), no extra fee is required, and the conversion rate is 1,250 points = 1,000 miles. See ANA Mile Conversion below for the full breakdown.
4. Free Hotel Stay Every Year — Just Spend ¥2 Million
This benefit is officially called the フリー・ステイ・ギフト (Free Stay Gift) program.
Spend ¥2 million or more during your card year (calculated from your enrollment or switch date), and you’ll receive a complimentary 1-night hotel stay for 2 guests at participating hotels across Japan.
The ¥2 million threshold is much more achievable than the Marriott AMEX’s ¥4 million requirement — it works out to about ¥170,000/month. A single hotel night is worth ¥20,000-40,000, so this one perk alone can offset half the annual fee or more.
- Marriott hotels
- Seibu Prince Hotels
- Okura Nikko Hotels
- Hyatt hotels
- New Otani
- Royal Park Hotels
For consecutive-night stays, you’ll receive a ¥5,000 hotel credit for the second night.
5. Dining Perks — From Daily Coffee to Fine Dining
The dining benefits on the Gold Preferred are genuinely impressive. They cover everything from your morning latte to upscale restaurant dinners.
- Starbucks Card online reload: 20% cashback (up to ¥5,000/year)
- Pocket Concierge restaurant bookings: 20% cashback (up to ¥10,000/year)
- Hotel dining: 15% off (e.g., ¥6,000 off a ¥40,000 dinner)
- Gold Dining by 招待日和 (Shotaibiyori): Book for 2+, get 1 person free (e.g., a ¥10,000 course meal — 1 person’s portion is complimentary) — available at ~250 restaurants nationwide, limited to once per restaurant per 6 months
- TRANSIT GENERAL OFFICE restaurants: 15% off (e.g., ¥3,000 off a ¥20,000 meal)
Starbucks and Pocket Concierge alone can return up to ¥15,000/year. Throw in the Shotaibiyori buy-one-get-one-free deal, and if you eat out regularly, the dining perks can practically pay for the annual fee on their own.
6. Airport Lounges + Priority Pass — Travel in Comfort
Gold Preferred cardholders get free access to airport lounges at major domestic airports, and and notably, one guest gets in free too.
New Chitose, Haneda, Narita, Chubu, Itami, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Naha + Hawaii
On top of domestic lounges, you’ll also get Priority Pass with 2 free visits per year to 1,300+ VIP lounges worldwide. Family cardholders can use this too. For anyone who travels internationally even occasionally, this is a serious perk — a standalone Priority Pass membership costs over ¥30,000/year.
7. Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
The Gold Preferred comes with robust insurance that covers travel, shopping, and even your smartphone.
| Insurance Type | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Overseas Travel Insurance (usage-triggered) | Up to ¥100 million | Injury/illness treatment: ¥3M each, personal items: ¥500K |
| Domestic Travel Insurance (usage-triggered) | Up to ¥50 million | — |
| Shopping Protection | Up to ¥5 million | Covers damage/theft of purchased items |
| Smartphone Protection | Up to ¥50,000 | Covers phone damage |
| Cancellation Protection | Up to ¥100,000 | Hotel/travel cancellation fees |
| Online Fraud Protection | Up to ¥5 million | Unauthorized online transactions |
| Return Protection | Up to ¥30,000 | When a merchant refuses your return |
Note: Travel insurance is “usage-triggered” — you must pay for travel expenses with this card to activate coverage. Family members also receive coverage (at slightly lower amounts).
Overseas travel insurance covering up to ¥100 million with ¥3 million for injury/illness treatment is top-tier for a gold-level card. You’re also covered for flight connection delays and lost/delayed baggage.
8. 2 Free Family Cards — Pool Points Across Your Household
The first 2 family cards are completely free (¥19,800 each after that). Your spouse’s and children’s spending all earns points that flow into the primary account, boosting your point earnings.
A family of three spending ¥4 million/year combined? You’ll be racking up points twice as fast.
9. Premium Metal Card — Gold or Rose Gold
The Gold Preferred is a metal card available in classic gold or rose gold. It has real weight and a premium feel that plastic cards simply can’t match.
Gold Preferred vs. Marriott AMEX
| Feature | Gold Preferred | Marriott AMEX Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | ¥39,600 | ¥82,500 |
| Free Family Cards | 2 free | 1 free |
| Point Earn Rate | 1-3% (3% at partners) | 3-6% (6% at Marriott hotels) |
| ANA Mile Conversion | Yes — 1:1 | Not directly |
| Free Hotel Stay | ¥2M spend | ¥4M spend |
| Hotel Status | — | Marriott Gold/Platinum |
| Dining Perks | Yes — extensive | — |
| AMEX Travel | 4x points + ¥10K travel credit | — |
| Airport Lounges | 1 guest free + Priority Pass (2/year) | 1 guest free |
| Overseas Travel Insurance | Up to ¥100M | Up to ¥100M |
| Best For | Everyday spending + flights + dining | Hotel enthusiasts |
The bottom line: If you’re a frequent Marriott guest chasing hotel elite status, go with the Marriott AMEX. If you want strong everyday point earnings, ANA miles, and dining perks at a lower annual fee, the Gold Preferred is the clear winner. Holding both? That’s the best strategy.
Who Should Get This Card?
- Want to earn ANA miles for free flights
- Shop regularly on Amazon.co.jp, Yahoo!, and other partner stores
- Love dining out and want Starbucks cashback + Shotaibiyori’s complimentary meal deal
- Have a family and want to pool points with 2 free family cards
- Travel annually and want to maximize AMEX Travel earnings
- Want premium AMEX benefits and travel protection at a reasonable annual fee
On the other hand, if your main priority is hotel VIP perks (like Marriott Platinum status), the Marriott Bonvoy AMEX Premium would be a better fit.
Referral vs. Standard Application
There are two main ways to apply for the AMEX Gold Preferred, and the point difference is significant.
| Application Method | Points Earned | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Referral Program (limited-time) | 130,000 points | +30,000 |
| Standard application (AMEX website) | 100,000 points | — |
*Referral program requires ¥1.5 million in spending within 6 months. Offer valid through May 26, 2026.
That’s a 30,000-point gap. Converted to ANA miles, that’s 30,000 miles — nearly enough for a round-trip economy flight between Japan and South Korea or Shanghai. All you have to do is use a different sign-up link. There’s no reason not to.
Why the Referral Deal Is Better
The referral program works like this: an existing AMEX cardholder shares their unique referral link, and you apply through that link.
AMEX rewards existing cardholders for bringing in new members, so they sweeten the deal with extra bonus points for anyone who signs up through a referral.
- Benefit 1: 20,000 bonus points — Spend ¥500,000 within 3 months of enrollment
- Benefit 2 (referral exclusive): 95,000 bonus points — Spend ¥1.5 million within 6 months of enrollment
- Regular spending points: 15,000 points — Standard earn on ¥1.5M spend (1 point per ¥100)
- Total: 130,000 points
*During non-promotional periods, the referral program offers 100,000 points (Benefit 2 = 65,000)
At a value of 1 point = 1 yen, 130,000 points is worth more than 3 years of annual fees. You’re essentially earning back over 3 years of membership costs in one go.
And those points are incredibly flexible:
¥130,000 value
AMEX Travel Online
(hotels & flights)
¥65,000 value
Amazon Shopping
130,000 miles
ANA Miles
(1:1 conversion)
How to Apply in 3 Steps
Applying through the referral program is straightforward. Here’s how:
Step 1: Get a Referral Link
First, you’ll need a referral link from an existing AMEX cardholder. Without this link, you won’t qualify for the extra 30,000 points.
Step 2: Apply Through the Referral Page
Click the referral link and you’ll land on AMEX’s dedicated referral program page.
You’ll need the following information to apply:
- Full name (in Roman letters, matching your residence card)
- Address and phone number in Japan
- Employer information
- Annual income
- Japanese bank account details (for automatic payments)
- Card color preference (gold or rose gold)
Step 3: Meet the Spending Requirements
Once you receive your card, you’ll need to hit two spending milestones:
- Milestone 1: Spend ¥500,000 within 3 months → Earn 20,000 bonus points
- Milestone 2: Spend ¥1.5 million total within 6 months → Earn 95,000 bonus points
- Plus 15,000 points from regular spending, for a total of 130,000 points
- Put rent on the card (if your landlord accepts credit card payments)
- Switch utility bills, phone bills, insurance, and subscriptions to this card
- Time big purchases (appliances, furniture, electronics) within the 6-month window
- Route all Amazon and online shopping through this card
- Book flights and hotels through AMEX Travel (bonus: you’ll earn 4x points)
- Pay national health insurance or local taxes by card (some municipalities accept this)
¥1.5 million over 6 months works out to ¥250,000/month. If family cardholders’ spending counts toward the total, a household can reach this without dramatically changing their habits.
Point Values & How to Use Them
Membership Rewards points are flexible, but their value varies significantly depending on how you use them.
| Redemption Method | Conversion Rate | Value of 90,000 Points |
|---|---|---|
| AMEX Travel Online | 1 point = ¥1 | ¥90,000 |
| ANA Mile Transfer | 1 point = 1 mile | 90,000 miles (potentially worth hundreds of thousands of yen) |
| Statement Credit / Fee Offset | 1 point = ¥1 | ¥90,000 |
| Amazon Shopping | 1 point = ¥0.5 | ¥45,000 |
| Department Store Gift Cards | 1 point ≈ ¥0.33 | ¥30,000 |
For maximum value: ANA mile transfers (especially for business class flights) > AMEX Travel bookings > statement credits. Amazon redemptions are convenient but give you half the value.
ANA Mile Conversion Explained
One of the Gold Preferred’s most compelling features is 1:1 ANA mile transfers.
What It Costs to Transfer to ANA Miles
Gold Preferred automatically includes free Membership Rewards Plus (saving you the normal ¥3,300/year fee). However, to transfer points to ANA miles, you’ll need to register for the Membership Rewards ANA Course at ¥5,500/year (tax included).
While that’s an extra cost, the 1:1 conversion rate makes it worthwhile. If you transfer more than 5,500 miles per year, the fee has already paid for itself (ANA miles are worth roughly ¥1.5-6 each, depending on how you use them).
| Airline | Conversion Rate | Extra Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| ANA | 1,000 points → 1,000 miles (1:1) | ¥5,500/year |
| JAL | 3,000 points → 1,000 miles | None |
| Other Partner Airlines | 1,250 points → 1,000 miles | None |
*No extra fee for non-ANA airline transfers. Points never expire, so you can accumulate and transfer whenever you’re ready.
What Are ANA Miles Actually Worth?
Award flights are typically much cheaper than cash fares, especially in business class:
| Route | ANA Miles (Economy) | Cash Price (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Japan (Tokyo ↔ Osaka, etc.) | 5,000-10,000 miles | ~¥15,000 |
| Tokyo ↔ Seoul/Shanghai | 12,000-20,000 miles | ~¥50,000 |
| Tokyo ↔ Bangkok | 17,000-35,000 miles | ~¥80,000 |
| Tokyo ↔ Paris (Business Class) | 75,000-88,000 miles | ~¥500,000 |
Business class award flights offer the best value, with each mile worth roughly ¥5-6. If business class travel is your goal, Gold Preferred + ANA miles is one of the most efficient paths to get there.
The 130,000-point sign-up bonus converts directly to 130,000 ANA miles — enough for a round-trip business class flight between Japan and Europe.
Things to Know Before Applying
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When do the bonus points post to my account?
A: Once you meet the spending requirement, points are credited during the next billing cycle. Note that the clock starts from your card approval date, not the date you receive the physical card.
Q: Can I convert points to ANA miles? What does it cost?
A: Yes — at a 1:1 ratio (1,000 points = 1,000 ANA miles). Gold Preferred includes free Membership Rewards Plus, but you’ll need to register for the ANA Course (¥5,500/year) to enable ANA transfers. Transfers to JAL and other airlines don’t require any extra fees.
Q: Is there a cap on the 3x bonus points?
A: Yes. Bonus points are capped at 10,000 per annual cycle (September 1 – August 31), which corresponds to ¥500,000 in partner merchant spending. After that, you earn at the standard 1x rate.
Q: How does it compare to the Marriott AMEX?
A: Different cards for different goals. The Gold Preferred is better for everyday point earning, ANA miles, and dining — at a lower annual fee. The Marriott AMEX Premium is designed for frequent Marriott guests who want elite hotel status. Many people hold both.
Q: Can foreigners apply?
A: Yes. If you’re 20 or older, have stable income, and live in Japan with a fixed address, you’re eligible. You’ll need your residence card (zairyu card) and a Japanese bank account.
Q: Are there limitations with the metal card?
A: Some automated machines (train ticket machines, gas pumps, parking meters) may not accept the thicker metal card. Just use contactless (tap) payment in those situations — it works perfectly.
Q: Is there a deadline for the referral bonus?
A: The current 130,000-point limited-time offer runs through May 26, 2026. After that, it may revert to the standard 100,000-point referral bonus. Apply sooner rather than later.
Q: Do I earn points on the annual fee payment?
A: The annual fee and certain other charges earn points at a reduced rate (¥200 = 1 point) or may not earn points at all. Check the official AMEX terms for details.
Final Verdict
The AMEX Gold Preferred is a versatile powerhouse — strong everyday earning, the best ANA mile conversion rate in Japan, generous dining perks, and a free hotel stay, all at a reasonable annual fee.
- 3x points at partner merchants, 4x on AMEX Travel
- 1:1 ANA mile conversion (Membership Rewards Plus included free)
- Free hotel stay with ¥2 million annual spend
- Dining perks: 20% Starbucks cashback, Shotaibiyori buy-one-get-one-free
- 2 free family cards — pool points across your household
- ¥10,000 travel credit upon renewal
- Airport lounges with 1 guest free + Priority Pass (2 visits/year)
- Overseas travel insurance up to ¥100 million, shopping protection up to ¥5 million
- Points never expire
- Apply via referral for 30,000 extra points
130,000 points converted to ANA miles gets you a round-trip business class flight between Japan and Europe. That’s a massive return just for choosing the right application link.
Of course, getting the most out of every benefit requires a certain level of spending and the right habits — not every perk will suit every person.
But here’s why this card has earned its reputation as Japan’s best “churnable gold card”: the sign-up bonus alone is worth 130,000 points (~¥130,000), while the annual fee is just ¥39,600. Even if you only keep the card for one year and cancel, you’ll walk away roughly ¥90,000 ahead. No matter how you do the math, that’s an incredible deal.
Information in this article is current as of March 30, 2026. Campaign details, point amounts, conditions, and partner merchant bonus programs are subject to change without notice. Please verify the latest information on the official AMEX website before applying. ANA mile transfer terms are governed by AMEX and ANA’s respective policies.