Under the surface, the Cobalt Card continues to earn вЂњMR Select pointsвЂќ, which is technically a lower tier of points compared to the Gold Rewards CardвЂ™s вЂњtrueвЂќ MR points. Points CurrencyД®ver since the Cobalt Card made significant improvements in mid-2021, the two cards effectively earn the same type of points currency: our beloved American Express Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to Aeroplan and British Airways Avios, a 1:1.2 ratio to Marriott Bonvoy, and many more partner programs. Verdict: Although the offers on both cards do vary over time, the Gold Rewards Card typically offers an equal or higher welcome bonus than the Cobalt Card. On top of this, weвЂ™ve seen limited-time bonuses on the Cobalt Card with a minimum spending component (typically $3,000 in the first three months), which can bring the overall welcome bonus as high as 50,000 MR points. Meanwhile, the Cobalt Card has always had a unique signup structure, in which you earn 2,500 MR points for each of the first 12 months in which you spend $500, for a total of 30,000 MR points in the first year. ThereвЂ™s typically a minimum spending requirement of $3,000 in the first three months, and some parts of the welcome bonus can also be structured as 10x points on travel or as a second-year component to be granted between months 14 and 17.

Since its relaunch in mid-2021, the Gold Rewards Card has offered a welcome bonus between 50,000 and 75,000 MR points.

LetвЂ™s compare the welcome bonuses on the two cards from a historical viewpoint, as the specific bonuses at any moment in time can always fluctuate.

Cobalt charge