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The Business Platinum Card ®

Annual Fee: $695 ¤

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How You Earn

[object object] [object object] [object object] on flights & prepaid hotels, [object object] [object object] [object object] on eligible purchases, [object object] [object object] [object object] on other eligible purchases ‡, [object object] [object object] [object object] 5x, on flights & prepaid hotels, [object object] [object object] [object object] 1.5x, on eligible purchases, [object object] [object object] [object object] 1x, on other eligible purchases ‡, unlock over $1,000 in business & travel value annually.

Enroll in each of the below and get statement credits of up to:

$200 back semi-annually for U.S. purchases with

See Details

Shop Dell Technologies

Upgrade your tech, enhance your business. Enroll and get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually on U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card through 12/31/24. That's up to $400 back. ‡

$90 back per quarter for purchases with

Build Your Team with Indeed

Build your team, grow your business. Enroll and get up to $360 in statement credits(up to $90 back per quarter) for purchases with Indeed on the Card through 12/31/24. ‡

$150 back per year for select business subscription purchases with

Adobe Creative Solutions

Get the creative solutions your business needs. Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits for eligible annual prepaid business plan purchases of Adobe Creative Cloud for teams or Adobe Acrobat Pro for teams on the Business Platinum Card through 12/31/24. 1 ‡

1 Annual prepaid business plans automatically renew each year on your annual subscription date until cancelled.

$10 back monthly for select purchases with U.S. wireless phone service providers

Wireless Credit

Enroll and get up to $120 in statement credits per year for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $10 back per month. ‡

$200 back per year for baggage fees and other incidentals with one qualifying airline

$200 Airline Fee Credit

Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Business Platinum Card Account. 1‡

1 American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.

$189 back per year for your CLEAR ® Plus Membership

$189 CLEAR® Plus Credit

CLEAR ® uses unique attributes, such as eyes or fingerprints, to digitally verify identity to help its members move faster through security at select airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership 1 with up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with your Business Platinum Card. ‡

1 Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.

$400 Statement Credit

Up to $400 back (up to $200 semi-annually) on U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies through 12/31/24. Enrollment required. ‡

$360 Statement Credit

Get up to $360 back (up to $90 quarterly) for purchases with Indeed on the Card through 12/31/24. Enrollment required. ‡

$150 Statement Credit

Enroll and get up to $150 back for select auto-renewing annual business subscription purchases with Adobe on the Business Platinum ® Card through 12/31/24. ‡

$120 Statement Credit

Get up to $120 back per year for purchases with U.S. wireless telephone service providers on the Business Platinum Card. Enrollment required. ‡

$200 Statement Credit

Select one qualifying airline and receive up to $200 in credits per year for baggage fees and more. ‡

$189 Statement Credit

Breeze through security with CLEAR ® Plus. CLEAR lanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership when you use the Business Platinum Card. Learn More. ‡

Featured Benefits

The Global Lounge Collection ®

The American Express Global Lounge Collection ® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market ‡ 1 . 1 As of 3/2023

American Express Global Lounge Collection ®

Enjoy complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion ® Lounge, Escape Lounges - The Centurion ® Studio Partner, Delta Sky Club ® when flying Delta, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass ™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges. Lounges may have their own rules, like age restrictions and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express ® App ‡ or visit americanexpress.com/findalounge . ‡

Marriott Bonvoy ® Gold Elite Status

As a Business Platinum Card Member, you can upgrade to Marriott Bonvoy ™ Gold Elite status without meeting any stay requirements. Terms and limitations apply. ‡

Business Platinum Card Members and Additional Business Platinum Card Members may enroll (or upgrade an existing membership) directly into Marriott Bonvoy ® Gold Elite Status, bypassing the usual annual minimum night/stay requirements. Once enrollment is completed, the Card Member may take advantage of the Gold Elite benefits at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy and booked with a Qualifying Rate. ‡ With Gold Elite status, members enjoy: 1. 25% bonus points on eligible hotel purchases 2. A Welcome Gift of Points and Complimentary In-room Wi-Fi Access 3. Enhanced Room Upgrades at select properties (when available) 4. 2pm Late Checkout (when available)

Fine Hotels + Resorts ® Program

For every type of traveler and every type of trip, find your stay with American Express Travel. For hotels that are destinations unto themselves, there’s Fine Hotels + Resorts ® . ‡

Fine Hotels + Resorts Program

When you're ready to relax and need an escape, enjoy an unforgettable experience with Fine Hotels + Resorts ® . When you book through American Express Travel, you'll receive an average total value of $600 1 in perks, like daily breakfast for two, 4pm check-out, and more. Plus, book on AmexTravel.com and you can earn 5X Membership Rewards ® points ® , or use Pay with Points ® , on prepaid stays with a minimum 2-night stay required to be eligible for the benefit. 1 Average value based on Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings in 2022 for stays of two nights. Benefits include daily breakfast for two, room upgrade upon arrival when available, $100 amenity, guaranteed 4PM late checkout, and noon check-in when available. Certain room categories not eligible for upgrade. $100 amenity varies by property. Actual value will vary based on property, room rate, upgrade availability, and use of benefits.

All Benefits & Features

5x membership rewards ® points, the global lounge collection ®, $189 clear plus credit, fine hotels + resorts ® program ‡, fee credit for global entry or tsa precheck ®, no foreign transaction fees ¤, marriott bonvoy ® gold elite status, hilton honors ™ gold status, premium car rental privileges, business platinum travel service, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

• Cash Flow Flexibility
• Expense Management
• Additional Services

Business Platinum Card ®

Annual fee: $695 ¤, get a decision in as little as 30 seconds.

• ♦︎ ‡†Offer & Benefit Terms
• ¤Rates & Fees

Amex Business Platinum benefits guide

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Key takeaways

• The Business Platinum Card from American Express offers a wide range of benefits, including a slew of travel benefits and purchase protection benefits.
• The card also offers different kinds of insurance and multiple business statement credits.
• These benefits can make the steep annual fee worth it, but there's a lot of fine print you have to pay attention to if you're going to take advantage of them.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is considered one of the top premium credit cards for small business owners and entrepreneurs. This is partly due to the fact that cardholders can earn American Express Membership Rewards points, which are incredibly valuable and versatile. However, the Amex Business Platinum also offers a range of important benefits that can help users save money on business-related purchases, and even on credit card interest for the first year.

If you’re considering this business credit card from Amex , you’ll want to make sure you can get plenty of value in exchange for its $695 annual fee. Fortunately, the card’s welcome offer, ongoing rewards, Amex Business Platinum travel benefits and statement credit offers more than make up for this fee — especially in the first year.

Amex Business Platinum benefits highlights

Before we explain how Amex Business Platinum benefits work, here’s a rundown of this card’s current offer, including details on its welcome bonus, ongoing rewards rate, introductory APR and more:

• Welcome offer  — 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within three months of account opening.
• Rewards  — 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com, 2X points on prepaid rental cars booked through AmexTravel.com, 1.5X points per dollar spent (on up to $2,000,000 per calendar year) on purchases of $5,000 or more on select category purchases, 1X points on all other purchases

Amex Membership Rewards points are incredibly flexible, so you can use them in more than one way. For example, you can redeem Amex points for gift cards or merchandise, or you can use them to pay for purchases as you shop. You can also redeem your rewards for travel directly through the Amex travel portal , and you can transfer them to Amex travel partners, including Air France / Flying Blue, Delta SkyMiles, the Hilton Honors program, Marriott Bonvoy and more.

It’s also important to note that points earned in the American Express Membership Rewards program can be worth up to 2 cents each when transferred to travel partners and used for premium redemptions. That means the welcome offer on this card could be worth up to $2,400.

With the 35 percent Airline Bonus points feature offered by the Amex Business Platinum, you can get 42,000 points back when you use your points to pay for airfare through amextravel.com. That would be a value of up to $840.

Travel perks and statement credits

The Amex Business Platinum offers a ton of benefits for cardholders who travel often for business or for leisure.

Global Lounge Collection access

$200 credit for airline incidentals, $189 clear® plus credit, 35% airline bonus, fee credit for global entry or tsa precheck membership, amex business platinum hotel benefits, amex business platinum car rental benefits, travel insurance benefits.

Business owners who choose the Business Platinum Card from American Express also receive some complimentary travel insurance protections when they pay for travel on a common carrier with their business card.

Baggage insurance plan

Secondary auto rental coverage, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, benefits for business.

In addition to all the Amex Business Platinum travel benefits you can qualify for, there are several business-related perks and statement credit offers available.

Up to $400 in Dell credits

Up to $360 in indeed credits, up to $150 in adobe creative solutions credits, up to $120 in wireless credits, security and protection benefits.

There are plenty of Amex Business Platinum additional card benefits to be aware of, including perks that help you save money when your most expensive purchases break down or become lost or stolen.

Cellphone insurance

Extended warranties, purchase protection, how to maximize the benefits offered by the amex business platinum.

When it comes to the Business Platinum Card from American Express, or really any American Express credit card , you’ll want to pay extremely close attention to the fine print. That’s because Amex tends to create quite a few hoops for members who want to use their perks. This doesn’t mean Amex Business Platinum benefits aren’t worth it; you just need to know the rules ahead of time so you can follow them.

As an example, the $200 airline incidental credit only applies to purchases made with an airline you select. Not only that, but you have to go out of your way to select an airline each year you have the card, and you can only change your selected airline once per year during the month of January.

You’ll also notice the 35 percent airline bonus only applies to either first and business class flights, or any fare with this same selected airline. This means other airline purchases won’t earn these bonus points unless you’re flying first or business class, so you could be stuck having to choose between a flight you really want and the one that will earn bonus points back.

Also, note all the business statement credit offers from companies like Dell, Indeed and Adobe Creative Solutions require enrollment ahead of time. If you forget to enroll before you make eligible purchases, you won’t get any money back.

The bottom line

Amex Business Platinum benefits can easily be worth thousands of dollars. After all, the card’s business statement credits alone are worth up to $1,030 if you use all of them, and Priority Pass Select membership has a retail value of $429. Add in the $200 airline incidental credit, the $189 CLEAR credit and the up to $100 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck you receive, and you’re already at $1,938 in value before you even get to your rewards.

This is part of the reason the Amex Business Platinum is often well worth its annual fee . With plenty of statement credit offers and travel perks, plus rewards points that can be worth up to 2 cents each, among the top business credit cards , this one is hard to beat.

Why I love the Amex Business Platinum Card

Why small businesses should consider the Amex Business Platinum

10 things to do when you get the Amex Business Platinum Card

The Platinum Card from American Express vs. The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Is the American Express Business Platinum worth it?

American Express Business Platinum Credit Card Review

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How to Maximize the AmEx Business Platinum Card

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The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers an excellent combination of rewards, benefits and premium travel perks in exchange for a $695 annual fee. It regularly ranks among the top luxury travel credit cards for business owners thanks to benefits like airport lounge access, hundreds of dollars in annual credits for travel and other purchases and extensive built-in protections. Terms apply.

Whether you have the card already or you’re considering signing up, these power user tips can help you maximize The Business Platinum Card® from American Express .

How to get the most from The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Score the sizeable welcome offer.

If you are new to The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , you can start with a new cardmember welcome offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Not all businesses spend $5,000 per month on average, so to help you earn the bonus, consider whether you can prepay some expenses on the card during the first three months. Insurance, quarterly estimated tax payments, inventory and supplies are common purchases you might have to make in the near future that could help you hit the minimum spend.

» Learn more: AmEx Membership Rewards: How to earn and use them

Earn maximum points for regular spending

Valuable Membership Rewards points are one of the biggest reasons to sign-up for this card. When you use the card, you earn 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com, 1.5 points per dollar on large purchases of $5,000 or more (up to one million extra points per year) and purchases at U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers. You'll earn 1 point for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Terms apply.

The 5x rate for flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel is particularly lucrative. If you’re shopping around for flights and hotels, be sure to check on prices here to potentially earn more rewards.

Turn your points into miles for higher redemption values

If you redeem points through the American Express portal, you’ll likely find redemption offers that give you a value of around 0.5 to 1 cent per point. Savvy cardholders can sometimes get even more value per point by transferring them to the loyalty programs of a long list of airline and hotel partners . Terms apply.

For example, you could transfer points to Avianca LifeMiles and use those miles to book flights on United or Lufthansa. Bookings for a United flight in the U.S. on Avianca are available for 10,000 LifeMiles or less in some cases. If you use them well, you can get a great value per point. In the example below, an economy-class flight on United from Denver to Santa Barbara, California, costs $249 in cash.

But you could book that same flight on United for 10,000 Avianca LifeMiles. Because American Express Membership Rewards points can be converted to Avianca LifeMiles program at a 1:1 transfer rate, using miles for this flight gets you a value of about 2.5 cents per point.

Other Membership Rewards transfer partners include Delta, British Airways, Singapore Airlines and Etihad.

» Learn more: Advanced tips for using American Express Membership Rewards points

Take full advantage of the $200 airline fee credit

For regular travelers, this card’s annual $200 airline fee credit is almost as good as cash. Once you have your card, pick one airline where you’ll get up to $200 back in the form of statement credits for incidentals like baggage fees and inflight purchases every year. And you can change your preferred airline in January of each year. Terms apply.

You can use the credit to pay for checked bags, upgrade your seat, buy a snack on the plane, or any of a number of other incidental purchases from your airline.

Access airport lounges

If you prefer the sanctity of an airport lounge to hanging out in a busy terminal, this credit card may be your best choice. This card includes access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide, including the American Express Centurion Lounge network and the International American Express Lounges.

The card also includes a Priority Pass Select membership, which you need to activate first, and access to Delta Sky Club lounges when flying on Delta Air Lines. Terms apply.

Take the express lane with Global Entry or TSA PreCheck

Standing in lines is one of the worst parts of airport travel, but you can take a fast lane in many airports when you have a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership. If you pay for a membership with your card, you’ll get a credit worth up to $100 up to once every four years for Global Entry or $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck. Note that the TSA PreCheck application fee was recently lowered to $78 . Terms apply.

Global Entry includes PreCheck benefits, so it’s worth signing up for the more expensive program, effectively for free, if you travel internationally.

Activate elite hotel status

When checking into a hotel, it’s nice to hear you got a room upgrade or other elite traveler perk. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express includes complimentary upgrades to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Hilton Honors Gold Status, which come with benefits like accelerated points earning on every stay and space-available late checkout. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

Enroll in both hotel programs, request Gold elite status and American Express will confirm your eligibility to the hotel loyalty programs, getting you a more luxurious experience nearly anywhere you travel. Terms apply.

Take advantage of travel and purchase protections

AmEx cards often come loaded with premium purchase and travel benefits — and this card doesn’t disappoint. Benefits include trip delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, rental car insurance, baggage insurance and other protections to save you money and help ensure smooth travels. Terms apply.

When swiping, tapping, dipping or using your card to pay in any other way, eligible new items are covered by purchase protection and an automatic extended manufacturer’s warranty.

» Learn more: You can now use AmEx points to bid on flight upgrades

Get to know your other credits and perks

A few more valuable features included with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express are below.

Up to $400 Dell statement credit: Get up to $400 back every year ($200 in the first half of the year and $200 in the second half of the year) for eligible purchases from Dell Technologies. Enrollment required.

Up to $360 Indeed statement credit: Get up to $300 back every year for purchases with the job search company Indeed. Enrollment required.

Up to $150 Adobe statement credit: Get up to $150 back every year on select subscription plans with Adobe. Enrollment required.

Up to $120 in statement credits for wireless telephone service: Get up to $10 back each month on your cell phone bill. Enrollment required.

Fine Hotels & Resorts : When you book a hotel in this program you can get benefits like free daily breakfast for two, room upgrades, late check-out, early check-in, free Wi-Fi internet or a hotel amenity valued at $100.

Card concierge: Outsource your to-do list with this complimentary benefit. A card concierge can make bookings, shop for deals and more for you and your business.

No foreign transaction fees: As one would expect with a premium travel rewards card, this card charges no foreign transaction fees when you use it outside of the United States.

35% airline bonus: When you redeem Membership Rewards for an eligible first class or business class flight, you’ll get 35% of your points back up to 500,000 points per year.

Terms apply.

The bottom line

This credit card has so many benefits, it’s almost overwhelming. To make sure you don’t miss out, take time to review all of the card’s benefits.

The $695 annual fee isn’t negligible, but when you take a few simple steps to get the most from The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , the benefits can add up to well over the annual cost. Terms apply.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Amex Business Platinum review: Luxury travel benefits for business owners

The business platinum card® from american express is a great rewards card for luxury travel..

Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit  americanexpress.com  to learn more.

Business owners who frequently travel for work can benefit greatly by having a luxury travel business card in their wallet. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers a long list of premium perks that can make travel for business owners and their employees simpler and more comfortable, with perks such as access to more than 1,400 airport lounges in 140 countries, private jet discounts, *rental car insurance and airline fee credits, just to name a few.

Even when you aren't traveling for work, The Business Platinum Card provides lucrative points-earning opportunities, convenient concierge services and spending credits for business tools that assist with work-related needs. Keep in mind that small business cards such as this also provide budgeting and spending management tools, making it easier than ever to track employee travel expenses.

Below, Select breaks down the rewards, benefits and fees associated with The Business Platinum Card to help you decide if it's the right choice for all your business needs.

Amex Business Platinum Card review

Welcome bonus, benefits and perks, how to earn and redeem membership rewards® points, rates and fees, card comparison.

• Who The Business Platinum Card® is best for

Bottom line

Once you're approved for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you'll be able to earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. New cardholders can also take advantage of an introductory 0% APR offer for 12 months starting on the day you open your account (after that, it's a 17.24% - 25.24% variable APR; see rates and fees) for any purchases eligible for the card's Pay Over Time feature.

After meeting the minimum-spending threshold, you'll end up with at least 135,000 Membership Rewards® points. These points can be transferred to several different airline and hotel partners making them quite valuable. Many travel rewards experts actually value Amex points at two cents each, giving your welcome bonus offer and associated spending a potential value of $2,700. However, since the $15,000 spending threshold is quite high, make sure you and your budget will be able to meet that requirement before you apply for the card.

The Business Platinum Card® offers a long list of cardholder benefits and chances are, you won't be able to use them all — just make sure you'll utilize enough of them to justify paying the card's steep $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Here's a look at the perks cardholders can expect to receive.

Earning points when spending on the Business Platinum Card®:

• Earn 5X points per dollar for flights and pre-paid hotels booked directly through AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1.5X points per dollar for up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year in eligible purchases made with electronics retailers, software and cloud service providers, construction materials, hardware suppliers and U.S. shipping services and providers, as well as any eligible business-related purchases over $5,000 anywhere else
• Earn 1X points per dollar for all other eligible purchases

Statement credits

• $400 annual statement credit (up to $200 semi-annually) for Dell purchases. Enrollment required. 
• $360 each year, up to $90 per quarter, for all Indeed products and services
• Up to $150 for select Adobe prepaid annual plans for teams with Creative Cloud and Acrobat Pro DC. Enrollment required. 
• $120 each year (up to $10 per month) for purchases made directly with any U.S. wireless telephone provider. Enrollment required. 
• $189 annually for a CLEAR® membership
• A $200 airline fee credit per calendar year to reimburse you for incidental fees charged by your selected qualifying airline

Up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees (in a 4 to 4.5-year period, depending on which one you choose)

Additional cardmember benefits

• Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, with entry to 1,400 airport lounges in 140 countries.
• A 20% discount on Wheels Up Connect and a 40% discount on Wheels Up Core memberships, plus a credit of $500 or $2,000 to put toward your first flight
• Earn 35% of your points back (up to one million points per calendar year, broken out as 3.5 extra points per 10-point redemption) when they're used to purchase a first or business class flight as part of the card's Pay with Points feature (you must redeem at least 5,000 points to use this benefit)
• Cell phone protection to help cover repair or replacement costs after damage or theft occurs, up to $800 per claim with a limit of two approved claims per year — note that each claim will also incur a $50 deductible charge
• Payment flexibility via the Pay Over Time feature, which gives business owners the option to either maintain a balance with interest on eligible purchases of $100 or more or simply pay the full balance off each month
• Access to American Express Preferred Seating for sporting, entertainment and cultural events
• Specialized American Express concierge services 
• Global Dining Access by Resy
• Access to the prestigious Fine Hotels + Resorts program, including benefits such as room upgrades, late check-out, early check-in, complimentary breakfast for two and a $100 hotel credit (based on availability)
• Complimentary Gold status for Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy members
• *Comprehensive travel insurance , including trip cancellation and interruption coverage, trip delay and baggage insurance and car rental loss and damage insurance
• Complimentary car rental loyalty program status, upgrades and discounts (details vary depending on whether you go with Avis, Hertz or National)
• Purchase protection and extended warranty coverage
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)

The more you spend with The Business Platinum Card®, the more Membership Rewards® points you'll earn. Unlike other travel rewards credit cards , which tend to earn rewards that are tied to one airline or hotel, these are transferable rewards points , which can be transferred to American Express' various airline and hotel loyalty program partners at a 1:1 ratio, except where noted otherwise: 

• AeroMexico (points transferred at a 1:1.6 ratio)
• AirFrance/KLM
• Avianca Life
• British Airways
• Delta Air Lines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue (points transferred at a 1.25:1 ratio)
• Singapore Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Choice Hotels
• Hilton Honors (points transferred at a 1:2 ratio)
• Marriott Bonvoy

The Business Platinum Card isn't the only American Express card that earns Membership Rewards® points either — a few others that do include the American Express® Gold Card , American Express® Green Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Keep in mind that you are allowed to have more than one American Express card that earns Membership Rewards® points. If you're a business owner, consider applying for a small business credit card such as The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express in order to continue earning even more of them. You can earn the welcome bonus as well as bonus points for spending in certain categories that your card may not cover.

Once you have racked up a significant amount of points, you can start thinking about transferring them to any of the American Express transfer partners mentioned above. While each airline or hotel will have different processing times and points-transfer ratios (noted above), sending points to your preferred airline or hotel loyalty program is relatively simple. Be aware that you may need to pay an excise tax to do so (depending on the partner), and your points may take up to two days to transfer over.

The Business Platinum Card® has a hefty $695 *annual fee. It does not have any foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).

As part of the card's Pay Over Time feature, cardholders can take advantage of a 0% introductory APR on eligible purchases for up to 12 months starting the date you open the account. After that, the APR will be 17.24% - 25.24% variable based on your credit worthiness and other factors determined at the time of card membership.

There are *no balance transfers available with this card and late payment fees are $39 or 2.99% of any past due amount, whichever is greater.

*See rates and fees.

The Business Platinum Card vs. The Platinum Card

While both Amex Platinum Cards seem similar in terms of looks and features, The Platinum Card® from American Express does stand out from the business version.

With The Platinum Card®, you'll be able to earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $8,000 within 6 months of of card membership. 

Note that the spending categories are a little different than those of The Business Platinum Card® and you'll be able to earn:

• 5X points for flights booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year) 
• 5X points per dollar for prepaid hotels booked via American Express Travel
• 1X points per dollar for all other purchases

While there is some amount of crossover when it comes to benefits — both cards offer the same airport lounge access, travel insurance protections, hotel elite status benefits and luxury concierge services, Global Dining access and statement credits for airline fees and CLEAR® membership — The Platinum Card® is more of an upscale lifestyle card, offering additional perks such as:

• Up to $200 annual statement credit for prepaid hotel bookings made through American Express Travel
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash ($15 per month, with a $20 bonus in December) to use toward ridesharing services or Uber Eats
• Up to $300 credit each year for Equinox+ digital fitness app or club memberships
• Up to $240 digital entertainment credit ($20 credit each month) for streaming services such as Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM ( benefit will no longer be after May 8 th , 2024 ) and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
• Up to $155 credit to put toward a monthly Walmart+ membership. Plus Ups are excluded.
• Up to $100 in statement credits for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com

Both Platinum cards also have the same hefty $695 annual fee, so when it's time to decide between the two cards, be realistic about how often you'll use the unique spending credits and benefits of each card. (See rates and fees ; See rates and fees)

If you're a small business owner, however, leaning toward The Business Platinum Card® for its larger welcome bonus offer, widespread spending categories and business-related spending credits would likely be more fruitful than signing up for the consumer version of the card.

The Business Platinum Card® vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is another consumer premium travel rewards card loaded with benefits. Cardholders can earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which, similar to Amex Membership Rewards®, are transferable among its 14 travel partners at a 1:1 ratio, including the following airline and hotel loyalty programs:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Flying Blue (KLM and Air France)
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United Airlines MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• IHG Rewards Club
• World of Hyatt

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, new cardholders can earn 50,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards ® points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of card membership, which translates to a value of $750 toward travel when you redeem them directly through Chase Travel℠. You'll also be able to earn:

• 10X points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked with Chase Travel℠ after spending $300 on travel (per year)
• 10X points per dollar when you make prepaid reservations, order takeout, participate in virtual cooking classes and make Chase Dining purchases through Chase Travel℠
• 5X points per dollar for flights booked through Chase Travel℠ after spending $300 on travel (per year)
• 3X points per dollar on travel-related purchases worldwide after spending $300 on travel (per year)
• 3X points per dollar when you dine at restaurants (including takeout) or use certain delivery services
• 1X point per dollar for all other purchases

While The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has a seemingly unending list of benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers a more concise list, including a $300 annual travel credit, comprehensive travel insurance coverage, Priority Pass Select membership — providing access to more than 1,300 airport lounges around the world — a $100 statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years, spending credits and discounts with partners like GrubHub and Peloton and no foreign transaction fees.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee, which is slightly lower than that of The Business Platinum Card®. If you're trying to decide between the two, the better choice in the first year is The Business Platinum Card®. For an extra $145, you'll be getting a much more valuable welcome bonus and a significantly larger list of benefits. After the first year of card membership, it's a little more complicated, but if you find value in the spending credits and benefits of The Business Platinum Card®, that may be the better choice for your situation.

The Business Platinum will win if you want more widespread airport lounge access, as you'll get access to Amex Centurion Lounges and Delta SkyClubs when flying Delta Air Lines.

Who The Business Platinum Card is best for

The Business Platinum Card is best for small business owners who need spending flexibility, as well as anyone who can realize the value of its long list of cardholder benefits. If you are someone who travels regularly, whether for business or pleasure, and can make use of its many travel benefits, such as airport lounge access and airline fee statement credits, this card can be a great match.

That said, truly maximizing the value of this card will require a bit of organization. Keep in mind that the hefty $695 annual fee is meant to offset the card's benefits package. Before you apply, take a few minutes to list out each of the benefits and make sure you are realistically able to use as many of them as possible each year. If so, this card will very likely be a smart and enjoyable tool for your business.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a standout card for business owners who want to take advantage of premium travel benefits. With more than $1,000 in annual statement credits, exclusive airport lounge access and automatic Gold status in the Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors loyalty programs, among other perks, you should be able to get enough value from this card to justify the stiff $695 annual fee.

Paying a high annual fee isn't for everyone, however, and if you don't plan on taking full advantage of all the card's perks, it might be worth considering a low or no annual fee business card , such as the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express . With this card, there is no annual fee and you'll be able to earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases on the first $50,000 in purchases each year, then 1X point per dollar (see rates and fees ).

Chase also offers three business cards with annual fees ranging from $0 to $95 that still offer competitive rewards and cardholder benefits, such as the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card ($0 annual fee), Ink Business Cash® Credit Card ($0 annual fee) and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card ($95 annual fee).

Information about the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, click here.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here .

For rates and fees of Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here .

For rates and fees of American Express® Gold Card, click here .

For rates and fees of American Express® Green Card, click here .

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14 lesser-known benefits of the American Express Business Platinum Card

Editor's note: This post has been updated with the latest credit card information and benefits.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , despite its $695 annual fee (see rates and fees ), routinely ranks as one of the best business cards thanks to its outstanding travel benefits.

It's also offering a welcome bonus of 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership — worth a whopping $2,400, according to TPG's latest valuations .

But the card also offers a slate of perks that might not be as familiar to cardholders or those considering getting the card . Here's a list of some of the card's best benefits, including some you might not have noticed before.

The card's well-known benefits

As a reminder, here's the current offer on the card and some of its more notable travel benefits.

The Business Platinum Card is currently offering 120,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first three months of card membership.

The card's well-known benefits include:

• Annual airline-fee credit of up to $200 on charges by the airline you select .*
• Annual credit of up to $400 with Dell on U.S. purchases.*
• Annual credit of up to $150 on Adobe purchases.
• Up to $360 in statement credits per year for purchases with Indeed. That's up to $90 back per quarter.
• Up to $120 in statement credits per year for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That's up to $10 back per month.
• 5 points per dollar on flights and eligible hotels booked directly on amextravel.com.
• 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on each purchase of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
• 35% Pay with Points bonus when booking airfare with points through Amex Travel (up to 500,000 points per calendar year).
• Up to $100 fee credit for Global Entry or an $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every four years (4.5 years for PreCheck).
• Up to $189 Clear annual statement credit per calendar year.
• 20 airline and hotel transfer partners.
• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection , which includes Centurion Lounges , Priority Pass lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (limited to 10 annual visits from Feb. 1, 2025)
• Register for complimentary Gold elite status at Hilton and Marriott Hotels. *
• Complimentary car rental status: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President's Circle , Avis Preferred Plus and National Emerald Club Executive .*
• Ability to book stays through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts with value-added perks.
• International Airline Program airfare purchase discounts.
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees ).
• $695 annual fee (see rates and fees ).

Terms apply.

*Enrollment required for select benefits.

Related: Are the perks worth the price? A review of the Business Platinum Card from American Express

The card's lesser-known benefits

Now that we've got the top-banner travel benefits out of the way, let's get into the nitty-gritty perks that cardholders might not be taking advantage of, or even know they have:

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance*: If you book a round-trip flight entirely with your eligible card and the flight is canceled for a "covered reason" — including inclement weather, terrorist action, call to jury duty, sudden illness or injury to you or an eligible traveler or physician-led quarantine — you may receive reimbursement of nonrefundable travel expenses of up to $10,000 per trip, with a maximum of up to $20,000 per eligible account for each consecutive 12-month period.

Trip delay insurance*: The card's trip delay protection covers round-trip flights purchased entirely with an eligible card. (This includes using the card to pay taxes and fees on award tickets or Pay With Points tickets .) If your trip is delayed by more than six hours because of a covered reason, this perk will reimburse unexpected expenses — such as meals, lodging and personal-use items — up to $500 per trip and up to two claims per card per consecutive 12-month period.

Lost or stolen baggage insurance**: Like many other travel cards, this one offers insurance for lost or stolen bags . When you use your card to purchase the entire fare on a common carrier, coverage is provided up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage per person. For New York State residents, there's a $2,000 limit per bag/suitcase for each covered person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all people per trip.

Car rental loss and damage insurance: This is secondary rental insurance, rather than the primary insurance offered by other cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve , but will cover you up to $75,000 for damage or theft.

Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

Purchase protection**: This oft-overlooked benefit gives cardholders coverage up to 90 days from the date of purchase if an item is stolen, accidentally damaged , etc. The coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per account per calendar year to repair, replace or reimburse you for the item.

Extended warranty**: This benefit adds up to one extra year to the original manufacturer's warranty of five years or less. Coverage is up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per account per calendar year.

Return protection: Return protection provides refunds to cardholders when a merchant won't take back an eligible item up to 90 days from purchase. The benefit applies to eligible purchases charged entirely to your card up to $300 per item, and up to a maximum of $1,000 per account per calendar year, based on the date of purchase.

Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details.

Pay Over Time feature: This is especially handy for small-business owners whose cash flow might be irregular at times. If eligible, cardholders can enroll and pay certain purchases over time, though they do accrue interest on the balance, as with a credit card.

Concierge: Cardholders have access to a special phone service that can assist with tasks such as booking restaurants and events, or delivering items on demand. You must call to activate this benefit, but you can also sign up for texting for more convenience.

Preferred Seating Program: Thanks to Amex's connections, its high-end cardholders get access to premium seats for cultural and sporting events based on availability.

Premium Private Jet Program: Cardmembers who purchase a Delta Private Jets Card (now part of Wheels Up ) are entitled to a 20% discount off published fares for select fare classes in effect when booked.

Connect to QuickBooks: Amex business cardholders get this perk, which automatically logs transactions using their associated card to their Quickbooks account daily, which makes keeping track of purchases and expenses that much easier.

InCircle: This is Neiman Marcus's loyalty program. When you enroll your Business Platinum Card with InCircle, you receive 1 point for every dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Last Call, Horchow or Cusp. For every 10,000 points you earn, you'll get a $100 InCircle Point Card. Points are not awarded for the costs of sales tax, shipping, alterations, gift packaging, fur services, repair and cleaning of shoes, handbags, optical, precious jewelry, monogramming, salon products and services, and valet parking.

Departures Magazine : This is a digital luxury magazine exclusively for The Platinum Card® from American Express and Business Platinum Card members.

Related: Credit card showdown: Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Bottom line

Although the Business Platinum Card comes with plenty of widely advertised perks, there are dozens of lesser-known benefits which can add tremendous value to the card if you maximize them.

These include travel and purchase protections, as well as exclusive access to events, premium travel experiences and more. If you carry the card or are thinking of applying for it, be sure to look through the card's benefits guide in detail to make sure you will take advantage of all it has to offer.

Apply: The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Carissa Rawson.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card from American Express, click here .

Review: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

February 16, 2024

Going has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Going and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of all of the card offers that appear on this page are from advertisers; compensation may affect how and where the cards appear on the site; and Going does not include all card companies are all available card offers.

Who is The Business Platinum Card® from American Express for? 

If you’re an entrepreneur who wants to travel in luxury and style, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express may be the right fit for you. But prepare yourself for some sticker shock when you see the annual fee!

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Quick Facts

Annual fee: annual_fees ( See Rates and Fees )

Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee

Earning rate:

• 5X Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com
• 1X points per each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. 
• 1.5X points on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.

Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full

• Huge welcome offer—if you can meet the eligible spending in time
• Card gives you access to airport lounges, including the American Express Global Lounge Collection and Priority Pass Select (enrollment required for select benefits)
• Credits for travel perks like Global Entry, CLEAR Plus , airline incidental fee (enrollment required)
• Eye-popping annual fee
• Few spending categories earn bonus points
• Other American Express business cards offer higher earning rates on common spending categories

The Business Platinum Card offers an impressive range of travel benefits and business statement credits that more than offset the hefty annual fee. Outside of the card perks and welcome offer, there are other cards that are more rewarding for routine business expenses, though.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Review

card_name is an excellent option for frequent business travelers. It comes with a sizable annual fee, but this top-of-the-line luxury card comes with all the perks: You’ll get lounge access, statement credits that will let you zip through security and customs, and elite status with several major hotel chains, just to name a few. (Enrollment required.) Plus, the Amex Business Platinum offers a range of statement credits you can use to grow your business.

New cardholders can bonus_miles_full . That’s quite a steep spending requirement, but if you can swing it, the treasure trove of Membership Rewards points you’ll earn from this welcome offer could very well translate into a free flight—or two!

Earning points with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The sweet spot for earning points with the Business Platinum Card from American Express is on purchasing flights directly with airlines and on purchases through the  American Express Travel portal. Eligible purchases on those categories will get you 5X Membership Rewards points per $1 spent.

You’ll also able to earn 1.5X points on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. So, if your business spends a decent amount in these categories, this card could be a rewarding option. 

Finally, you’ll also earn 1X point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. 

Redeeming points with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The best way to redeem the Membership Rewards points you earn with your American Express Business Platinum is by transferring to American Express travel partners. American Express has 18 airline and 3 hotel partners that you can transfer points to in order to redeem for free travel. Our guide to  American Express transfer partners walks you through the process. 

You can also redeem your points through American Express Travel, the card issuer’s travel portal. This card also offers a 35% Airline Bonus (up to 1 million points per year) when you use your Membership Rewards points to pay for a flight through Amextravel.com. According to the card’s terms and conditions, the airline you select for this bonus must be the same airline you select for your $200 airline credit.  

What this means in plain English is that for every 10 points you pay for an eligible flight through American Express Travel, you’d receive 3.5 points back, getting a maximum of 1 million points back annually. In effect, it gives you a discounted rate, allowing you to purchase eligible flights with 6.5 points. If you met the terms of this Airline Bonus, for a roundtrip flight costing 100,000 points on paper, you could pay 65,000 points.   

Additional card benefits

Where the Amex Business Platinum card really shines are in the host of credits and perks that this card offers. They include:

• $189 CLEAR Plus credit 
• $200 airline fee credit
• Credit for application fee to Global Entry (up to $100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85 every 4.5 years)
• Various statement credits with Dell, Indeed, and Adobe through 12/31/24.
• Up to $10 per month wireless bill statement credit
• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection® and lounges through Priority Pass Select™  
• Access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts collection on American Express Travel
• Hotel elite status: Marriot Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold statuses

Enrollment is required for many of these benefits. 

Alternatives to The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The platinum card® from american express.

American Express offers a consumer version called card_name . Both cards have the same annual fee annual_fees ( See Rates and Fees ), access to the Global Lounge Collection, and offer comparable credits for airline fees, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and CLEAR Plus. (Enrollment is required for select benefits.) They both also earn 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked with airlines or on purchases made through American Express Travel.

However, the two cousins differ in terms of welcome offers and some of their other perks. The consumer Platinum’s welcome offer is somewhat lower, currently: bonus_miles_full .

 However, the consumer Amex Platinum also offers a digital entertainment credit (up to $20 per month) and Uber cash credits for $15 per month, plus a bonus of $35 in December for a total of up to $200 annual Uber savings. 

American Express®  Business Gold Card

The American Express Business Gold Card comes with a lower annual fee ( annual_fees ( See Rates and Fees ). This is significantly lower than its Platinum siblings, but as a trade-off, the welcome offer is lower. The current offer is: bonus_miles_full

However, the Business Gold card offers a much wider range of opportunities to earn points. With the Business Gold card, you’ll earn 4X Membership Rewards points in the two categories your business spends the most in each billing cycle (from six eligible categories). Your top two categories can change each month, but you’ll earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each year (then 1X afterward).

So while you give up some of the glitzy travel perks that the Business Platinum card offers, like credit for a Global Entry application (once every four years) and the $200 airline fee credit, the Business Gold card could potentially earn you more points each month to redeem for future travel.  

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card

If you’re looking for a business travel credit card that still offers a stellar welcome offer, but a lower annual fee, consider the card_name . Its annual fee is annual_fees and its current welcome offer is: bonus_miles_full . While it’s not quite as high as the Business Platinum Card, you’re also paying a much more modest annual fee.

Another benefit of the I nk Business Preferred Card is that it earns 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points in a wide range of categories. You’ll earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable, and phone services, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.

That’s a lot more bonus categories than the American Express Business Platinum, but also a lot simpler to keep track of than the Business Gold card. 

See Rates and Fees for the card_name

Published February 16, 2024

Last updated March 7, 2024

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Credit Cards

Amex Gold vs. Platinum

Harrison Pierce

Julie Sherrier

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

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Published 6:16 a.m. UTC April 15, 2024

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mrgao, Getty

The American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, rates & fees ) and The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees ) are two popular rewards cards offered by American Express. Both cards can have a place in your wallet, but should be used in different ways. The Platinum Card earns more points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or American Express Travel and prepaid hotel stays booked via American Express Travel than the Gold Card, but the Gold Card earns more at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, so you’ll want to strategize where you spend with each card. 

The Platinum Card offers over $1,500 worth of annual statement credits that can easily offset its high annual fee. There are also numerous benefits across travel, dining and entertainment. Plus, cardholders gain access to the Global Lounge Collection (including Centurion, Delta Sky Club, Lufthansa, Plaza Premium and Priority Pass Select airport lounges), which can significantly enhance your travel experience. Similarly, the Platinum Card will be the best bet for someone looking for comprehensive travel protections and insurance. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

However, if you can’t justify the $695 annual fee on Amex Platinum card and still want a card that offers some travel protections and statement credits, you can go with the Gold Card. Let’s take a deep dive into the most significant differences with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum cards. 

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The Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome Bonus

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Over $1,500 in travel and entertainment credits can offset the annual fee.
• Comprehensive lounge access benefit.
• Generous travel and purchase protections.
• High annual fee and spending requirements.
• Amex’s once-per-lifetime rule limits welcome bonus eligibility.
• Annual statement credits have limited use.

Card Details

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum

Earning rewards.

The Amex Gold Card earns 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point), 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

If you have the Platinum Card, you can earn 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. 

Winner for rewards: Tie

Redeeming rewards

With both cards, you can redeem your Membership® Rewards points when shopping at Amazon.com and other popular brands, for Airbnb gift cards, as a credit to cover a charge made on your card, as a deposit into an American Express® Rewards Checking account, for travel on American Express Travel, or transfer your points to several different travel partners. The exact value of a point will vary depending on your redemption method. 

Winner for reward redemption: Tie

Transfer partners

American Express has 11 airline partners and three hotel partners. You can transfer your Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio to Asia Miles, British Airways Executive Club, Delta SkyMiles, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Flying Blue, Iberia Plus, Qantas Frequent Flyer, SAS EuroBonus and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. 

The following transfer partners have a different transfer ratio: 

• Singapore KrisFlyer: 3 Membership Rewards points = 2 KrisFlyer mile
• Marriott Bonvoy: 2 Membership Rewards points = 3 Marriott points
• Hilton Honors: 1 Membership Rewards point = 2 Hilton Honors points
• Radisson Rewards: 1 Membership Rewards point = 3 points

Note that some partners have a minimum transfer amount, and the transfer time can vary from one business day to 15 business days. Transferring your points is typically the best way to maximize your redemption value. Consider the transfer partners before applying for either card to see if you regularly fly with these airlines or stay at these hotels. 

Winner for transfer partners: Tie

Welcome offers

The Amex Gold Card currently offers 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership.

The Platinum Card offers 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. 

As long as you can reach the spending threshold, either amount of points can undoubtedly take you places. 

Winner for welcome offer: The Platinum Card

Travel benefits

The amex gold card.

When you book a two-night minimum stay with The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel, you can receive a $100 experience credit to use during your stay. The Gold Card also offers a baggage insurance plan and car rental loss and damage insurance as secondary coverage. Note that the baggage insurance plan only covers lost luggage, not delayed. 

The Platinum Card

The Platinum Card outshines the Amex Gold Card in terms of travel benefits. First, you can receive up to $200 as a statement credit each calendar year on select prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel. Plus, you receive complimentary room upgrades and a $100 experience credit for select activities during your stay. 

When flying, cardholders can access the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes over 1,400 lounges in 140 countries. These are high-end lounges, like the Centurion Network, Delta Sky Club, Lufthansa Lounge, Plaza Premium Lounge and Priority Pass Select (enrollment required). 

One of the other travel benefits of the Platinum Card is the airline fee statement credit, which allows you to select one qualifying airline and receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when you are charged incidental fees. 

Cardholders can also quickly make it through the airport with a $189 CLEAR ® Plus credit each calendar year and an enrollment fee statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (up to $100). Platinum cardholders receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status, Hilton Honors Gold Status and premium status with popular car rental companies Avis, Hertz and National. Enrollment is required for select benefits. 

In terms of insurance coverage, the Platinum Card includes secondary car rental loss and damage insurance², trip delay insurance⁴ and trip cancellation and interruption insurance⁴. You’ll also have access to the Platinum Travel Service to help plan your trips.

Winner for travel benefits: The Platinum Card

Dining and entertainment rewards

The Amex Gold Card offers up to $10 in monthly statement credits for purchases at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations, up to $120 per calendar year (enrollment required). Cardholders also receive $10 in Uber Cash each month, up to another $120 annually (card must be added to Uber account to receive this benefit). Taking full advantage of these statement credits almost entirely covers the card’s annual fee. 

The Platinum Card offers numerous dining and entertainment benefits that can provide substantial value. Cardholders can receive up to a $20 monthly statement credit for eligible purchases from the following digital entertainment providers: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Similarly, cardholders receive $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December, for rides or UberEats orders in the U.S. Cardholders also have exclusive access to reservations on Resy. Enrollment is required for select benefits. 

Winner for dining and entertainment rewards: Tie

Shopping perks

You’ll get access to Amex Offers with both the Amex Gold and Platinum Card. 

In addition, the Amex Gold offers purchase protection¹ and extended warranty coverage¹, which can be very useful coverages, but doesn’t offer much else in terms of shopping perks.

The Platinum Card offers purchase protection and extended warranty coverage¹, as well as cellphone protection⁴ and return protection. It also comes with a slew of other shopping benefits such as a $155 Walmart credit to cover the cost of a Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal), plus up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases made at Saks Fifth Avenue (up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually). Cardholders also receive up to $300 in statement credits each year for an Equinox+ digital subscription or Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal), as well as a $300 statement credit towards the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike. (An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Cardholder must charge the full price of the bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment required). 

Winner for shopping perks: The Platinum Card

There’s a noticeable difference in the annual fees for these cards. The Amex Gold Card has an annual fee of $250, while the Platinum Card will cost you $695 each year. That’s more than double the cost just to hold the card. 

You can easily offset the annual fee of either card by making the most of available statement credits and cardholder perks. 

Additional cardholders on the Amex Gold are complimentary up to 5 authorized users, then $35 for additional cardholders, while every authorized user you add to the Platinum Card will cost $195.

Neither card charges foreign transaction fees.

Winner for fees: Amex Gold Card

Who should choose Amex Gold?

The Amex Gold Card may be a good fit for you if:

• You are looking for a mid-tier rewards card and want to avoid a high annual fee. 
• You regularly ride with Uber or order UberEats and dine at eligible restaurants for the dining credit and can utilize the annual statement credits.
• You spend big on restaurants, groceries at U.S. supermarkets and travel-related expenses so you’ll benefit from the high earning rates in these categories.

American Express® Gold Card

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Up to $240 in combined credits for Uber Cash and on select dining.
• High rewards rate on restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and travel.
• Generous welcome bonus.
• $250 annual fee.
• Minimal travel perks.
• Complex rewards structure.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Who should choose Amex Platinum?

The Platinum Card could be the best choice for you if:

• You will actually use all of the annual statement credits — if you take the time to enroll and maximize your credits, you can get more than $1,500 in value from credits alone.  
• You regularly book flights, hotels and car rentals and would benefit from high rewards rates in these categories.
• You’re a regular guest at Marriott, Hilton or other luxury properties where you’ll receive status and other benefits. 

Which card should you get?

Both the Amex Gold and Platinum cards are fantastic options for frequent travelers and they’re two of the most popular reward cards for different reasons. One isn’t automatically better than the other for everyone. To pick the right one for you, consider the cards you currently have in your wallet. Look for potential gaps in your points and miles strategy to see which card makes more sense. 

You should also analyze your monthly spending and your travel and financial goals. While the Platinum Card offers many more benefits than the Amex Gold Card, it also comes with more than double the annual fee. While long lists of perks can be very enticing, it’s essential to make sure you’ll actually use them in order to offset the higher cost. 

Of course, you don’t have to choose between them. These cards also pair very well together to deliver the best of both worlds. Plus, you can combine points earned from each card. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

One card is not better than the other. The best card for you will depend on your spending habits and travel needs. While the Gold Card offers bonus categories for restaurants and groceries at U.S. supermarkets, the Platinum Card is more travel-focused and offers more annual statement credits for a much higher annual fee. 

No, the Amex Gold Card does not provide any lounge access. 

American Express will consider many factors when reviewing your application. However, you should have a good to excellent credit score to improve your chances of getting approved. On the FICO model, this is a credit score of 670 or more. 

The Amex Gold Card does not have a preset spending limit , nor does the Platinum. This means the amount you can spend will adapt based on multiple factors, like your purchase, payment and credit history. 

Whether the $695 annual fee for the Amex Platinum is worth it will depend on your spending habits. If you can take advantage of the statement credits, you can likely wholly offset the annual fee. However, you might be better off with a different card if you don’t purchase many flights and hotel stays throughout the year. 

For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card please visit this page .

For rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page .

¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

²Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

³Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

⁴Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. 

Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Harrison Pierce is a freelance writer and digital nomad that is passionate about all things personal finance and travel. While traveling full-time, he refined his love for writing and now enjoys working with various brands to tell stories and create meaningful content.

Julie Stephen Sherrier is a personal finance writer and editor based in Austin, TX. She is the former senior managing editor for LendingTree, responsible for all credit card and credit health content. Before joining LendingTree, Julie spent more than a decade as the managing editor and then editorial director at Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She also served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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Should You Use a Credit Card Travel Portal?

Unlock the details of credit card travel portals and learn how to maximize your benefits.

Using a Credit Card Travel Portal

Getty Images

Using a credit card portal to book travel could help you save money and help you earn more points or redeem travel credits.

Key Takeaways

• Credit card travel portals search across multiple travel options, giving you the power to compare prices.
• You can use your credit card or rewards to book travel with your credit card issuer's travel portal.
• Some cards may offer travel credits and benefits when you book using the associated travel portal. 

You have many options for booking travel, whether you want to book directly with airlines and hotels, use an online travel agency or book with your credit card's travel portal. Using a credit card travel portal may allow you to take advantage of cardholder benefits and credits and give you additional choices for your booking.

Understand how to use credit card travel portals to save money on your next trip and maybe get some elevated perks along the way – but also recognize when it doesn't make sense.

What Are Credit Card Travel Portals?

Similar to online travel agencies, such as Expedia or Booking.com, credit card travel portals are online travel booking platforms. Cardholders can use credit card travel portals to browse and book travel options, including flights, hotels, rental cars and experiences using your credit card or rewards.

Credit card travel portals include:

• American Express Travel.
• Capital One Travel.
• Chase Travel.
• Citi Travel.

Some credit cards offer cardholder savings or perks when you book travel using the issuer's credit card portal, such as travel credits or cardholder privileges, including free breakfast or late checkout.

How Credit Card Travel Portals Stack Up

When you use a credit card travel portal, the amount and method of payment may be the deciding factors in how you book. Using a credit card travel portal to book travel can save you money, but not always.

We compared a midweek economy flight from Los Angeles to New York and a weeklong stay at a three-star hotel in Manhattan. In some cases, credit card travel portals were competitive, but Expedia had the lowest overall price for flight and hotel costs on this test trip.

Still, this is just one example, and travel prices can fluctuate depending on how you book. It's always a good idea to compare all of your options.

Benefits of Credit Card Travel Portals

Booking your travel with a credit card travel portal can help you earn more points or redeem travel credits. Some examples:

• Cardholders of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card get a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through the Capital One Travel site. When booking on the Capital One Travel site, cardholders earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar on flights. ( See Rates and Fees )
• With The Platinum Card ® from American Express , cardholders get a $200 annual hotel credit for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel and earn five points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. ( See Rates and Fees )
• Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card holders get a $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit and earn five points per dollar on Chase Travel purchases.

"Using the travel credits is huge," says JT Genter, editor in chief of rewards and travel tracking tool AwardWallet. "Card issuers are leaning more towards those only being accessible through the portal."

Credit card travel portal bookings may help your points go further, too. "Because I have a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, when I use the (Chase) portal to book travel, my points get an extra 25% bump," says Chip Chinery, personal finance blogger at Chip's Money Tips. For example, you'd only pay 100,000 points for a flight or hotel that would require 125,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book without the points boost.

Helpful features can add up to savings on credit card travel portals. For example, Capital One Travel offers a price match guarantee. Genter used the Capital One Travel price match feature on a flight from Cairo to Marrakech, Morocco. Although he booked with Capital One Travel, an online travel agency had a better price. He was able to price match with Capital One Travel to get a travel credit.

Genter points out that cardholders of The Platinum Card from American Express can take advantage of the International Airline Program for potential savings on international flights in first, business or premium economy.

You may also get benefits for booking with credit card travel portals, particularly when booking hotels. For example:

• Cardholders of The Platinum Card from American Express get elite benefits at participating hotels, including early check-in, room upgrades, breakfast for two, a $100 experience credit, complimentary Wi-Fi and guaranteed 4 p.m. check-out.
• If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , you can book The Edit properties through Chase Travel and receive benefits, including daily breakfast for two, a $100 on-property credit, room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Drawbacks of Credit Card Travel Portals

Travel credits and on-property perks are compelling reasons to use a credit card travel portal. However, it pays to compare pricing among your card's portal, direct booking or an online travel agency, because the lowest-priced option depends on the trip you're taking. Also, you may forfeit some benefits, as credit card travel portals are third-party bookings.

With a third-party booking, you'll have less flexibility in customer service and cancellation than you would if you booked directly. For example, if you're dealing with a delayed flight and need service from the airline, you may be directed to the travel portal customer service. You may have limited options for cancellation and how you get your money or rewards back.

Another major point to consider with third-party bookings: You generally won't be able to earn points or miles with the airline or hotel, though you can earn points with your card. Additionally, you may not be able to use elite benefits for any status you hold. For example, if you have Hilton Honors status that entitles you to a daily food and beverage credit, you're not likely to get it when you book a stay with your credit card travel portal.

When to Use a Credit Card Travel Portal

Booking travel with a credit card travel portal can make sense in some scenarios. For instance:

• You want to compare your travel options across multiple airlines or hotels in the portal.
• You have a travel credit available that can only be redeemed through the issuer's travel portal.
• You have rewards you want to redeem on the portal, and booking this way offers a good redemption value.
• You want to take advantage of benefits, such as elite hotel perks that you can get when using a credit card travel portal.
• Your booking options on the portal are priced lower compared with other options.
• Booking on the portal earns elevated rewards, and the prices and benefits are comparable to those of other booking options.

"It makes sense if you want to take advantage of the credits but also to earn bonus points," says Genter. "And sometimes, they have promotions such as hyper-targeted offers."

Tags: credit cards

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Why the Amex Platinum Is the Only Card I’ll Use To Book Flights

Carissa Rawson

Senior Content Contributor

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The Amex Platinum Card Earns Me the Most Points

The amex platinum card has excellent travel insurance, amex’s global lounge collection is industry-leading, amex points are my favorite flexible currency, final thoughts.

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Although I’m not technically a digital nomad, I fly enough to qualify as one.

With trips taking me on roughly 100 flights per year, I’ve done a lot of research when it comes to booking airfare.

Though I have plenty of credit cards to spare, The Platinum Card ® from American Express always finds its way to the front when it comes time to pay — here’s why.

There are plenty of credit cards that earn bonus points on travel , and especially airfare. However, the Amex Platinum card personally beats out others, despite its $695 annual fee ( rates & fees ).

This is because it earns 5x American Express Membership Rewards points per $1 spent (up to $500,000 per year) on flights booked directly with the airline or via AmexTravel.com .

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

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• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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If you travel often, you know that booking with a third party , such as Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, or even an issuer’s travel portal, can save you some money. But it can also lead to huge amounts of headache s if your flight needs to be changed or canceled or if there are crazy delays and you need to be rerouted.

This is because booking through a third-party agency makes them responsible for your ticket rather than the airline, so they need to be the middleman.

Compare the Amex Platinum card’s earning rates to other premium travel rewards cards :

• Chase Sapphire Reserve ® : 5x points per $1 spent on Chase Travel; 3x points on all other travel purchases
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : 5x miles per $1 spent on airfare booked with Capital One Travel,

In order to earn these elevated rewards, you’ll need to book your flights with either issuer’s travel portal, which means you’ll be using a third party. That opens you up to issues in the event your travel plans change, which mine often do.

While the Amex Platinum card does have a limit on your 5x earnings up to $500,000 annually, I’ve never even come close to hitting the cap. This means that I’m always able to book directly with the airline while still earning the most rewards.

I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest proponent of travel insurance . I know that it’ll protect you if you get injured, lose your bags, or have travel delays, but purchasing a policy goes against my “spend as little as possible” ethos when it comes to travel.

That’s another reason why I love the Amex Platinum card and use it for my flights. As a premium travel card, it offers complimentary travel insurance . For it to kick in, I need to pay for my travel with my card and it will apply in eligible scenarios.

What kind of travel insurance is offered? A lot:

• Rental car insurance (secondary)
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Trip delay insurance
• Baggage insurance plan
• Premium Global Assist Hotline (emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport)

There are two things that really stand out when it comes to the Amex Platinum card’s travel insurance: emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport as part of the Premium Global Assist Hotline. Neither of these has a cap, which isn’t something you’ll find often, even when purchasing a policy.

There is only one exception where I’ll use a card other than the Amex Platinum card to pay for my flights, and that’s when I’ve booked an award flight.

This is because Amex has limitations on its baggage insurance plan for award flights, whereas competitors, such as the travel insurance on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card , do not. In this case, the Amex Platinum card won’t cover lost luggage unless you’ve paid the ticket in cash or you’ve used Amex Membership points for your flight. Other award flights outside of this don’t count :

“Other loyalty programs (i.e. non-American Express) do not qualify on purchases redeemed in part or full or pre-arranged travel cost,” according to the terms of baggage insurance plan on the Amex Platinum card. “An example would be common carrier frequent flyer miles point redemption.”

I’m not a snob about a lot of things, but airport lounge access is certainly one of them. I know that as more credit cards offer lounge access, they can be crowded.

That’s one reason I value the Global Lounge Collection offered by Amex’s high-end cards.

This collection includes a Priority Pass Select membership (upon enrollment), Centurion Lounges, Escape — The Centurion Studio lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa), Delta SkyClubs (when flying Delta), and more.

That’s far more than you’ll get with other credit cards and lessens the chance that you’ll find yourself in a standing-room-only situation.

This is probably not the most popular opinion, but I think Amex Membership Rewards beat out Chase Ultimate Rewards , Capital One Miles , Citi ThankYou points , and Bilt Rewards .

While each currency has their own strengths and weaknesses, Amex points fit my travel style better than the others. Sure, I love that Chase has World of Hyatt (and it’s where I use my points most often) and that Citi transfer to Choice at double Amex’s rate, but Amex has more usable transfer partners .

I’ll be even more unpopular and say that I’ll often transfer Amex points over to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, especially when they’re offering a transfer bonus . This isn’t usually a good idea, but I spend my Hilton points at high-end resorts such as the Conrad Maldives and the Conrad Bora Bora , where I can easily net 5-10 cents in value per point. That makes it worth it for me.

Other transfer partners that I frequently use include:

• ANA MileageClub : For low-cost business class flights to Europe
• Avianca LifeMiles : For Lufthansa first class
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club : For first and business class redemptions on ANA
• Qantas Frequent Flyer : For cheap Air Tahiti Nui flights to French Polynesia

Beyond transfer partners and the Amex Platinum card, I also find Amex points easier to earn . This is due to a variety of reasons, including their robust lineup of Amex point-earning cards , Amex Offers (upon enrollment), and their Rakuten partnership.

I’m not going to throw out all my other credit cards in favor of the Amex Platinum card — I love points and miles too much ever to let that happen. But there’s certainly a strong case for it sticking around in my wallet.

Sure, it offers lots of statement credits (enrollment required for some benefits) and other perks. But I’ll keep the Amex Platinum card to book my airfare. And it’ll stay that way until someone else can match the high earnings and travel insurance offerings, which I don’t anticipate happening anytime soon.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the Amex Platinum card, 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.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of the Amex Platinum card, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

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About Carissa Rawson

Carissa served in the U.S. Air Force where she developed her love for travel and new cultures. She started her own blog and eventually joined The Points Guy. Since then, she’s contributed to Business Insider, Forbes, and more.

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