The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2017 classification separates the spirometric 1-4 staging from the ABCD groups defined by symptoms and exacerbations. Little is known about how this new classification predicts mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to establish the predictive ability of the GOLD 2017 classification, compared with earlier classifications, for all-cause and respiratory mortality, both when using its main ABCD groups and when further subdividing according to spirometric 1-4 staging.