Must you get each the Amex Gold and Platinum playing cards?

We all know what you are pondering: Why pay hefty annual charges on two playing cards that earn the identical sort of factors? Nicely, for us (and lots of others), it is fully worthwhile.

Certainly, the mixed $1,200-plus price ticket on The Platinum Card® from American Specific and American Specific® Gold Card could be confronting. Nevertheless, the incomes charges and perks on these playing cards differ considerably.

If you wish to speed up your earnings, maximize card advantages and defend your purchases, it could possibly make sense to carry each the Platinum and Gold playing cards. Listed below are 4 explanation why.

Earn two welcome bonuses

Through the first 12 months that you’ve a card, the welcome bonus is likely one of the most beneficial advantages, if not essentially the most helpful. Between these two playing cards, you may earn as much as 275,000 bonus Membership Rewards factors:

• Amex Platinum: Discover out your provide and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. (Welcome presents differ and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.)
• Amex Gold: Discover out your provide and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. (Welcome presents differ and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.)

TPG’s September 2025 valuations peg American Specific Membership Rewards factors at 2 cents apiece, that means these mixed welcome bonuses are price as much as $5,500.

There are a few utility restrictions to pay attention to:

• You possibly can solely earn a welcome provide on every card as soon as per lifetime.
• It is best to use for the Gold first after which the Platinum; in the event you do it the opposite method round, you will possible be ineligible to earn the Gold’s welcome provide.

Associated: A whole information to Amex’s one-bonus-per-lifetime restrictions

Speed up your earnings

You possibly can earn 1000’s of additional factors annually through the use of the proper card for every buy. A normal information is to make use of the:

Let’s dive into the numbers.

Utilizing the Platinum to guide flights, you will earn 5 factors per greenback spent straight with airways or with American Specific Journey®*, in comparison with 3 factors per greenback spent on the Amex Gold.

For pay as you go inns booked by Amex Journey, Platinum is once more the way in which to go, incomes 5 factors per greenback spent as a substitute of simply 2 factors per greenback spent with the Amex Gold.

Then, you will need to use the Amex Gold in your U.S. grocery store and eating purchases. You will earn 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide** and at U.S. supermarkets***. With the Platinum, you’d solely earn 1 level per greenback spent in these classes.

* On as much as $500,000 of those purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback
** On as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback
*** On as much as $25,000 on purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback

Associated: Find out how to earn over 300,000 factors in a 12 months

Maximize assertion credit

Each playing cards present annual assertion credit that may put lots of or 1000’s of {dollars} again in your pocket.

The Amex Gold’s $325 annual payment (see charges and costs) is greater than offset by as much as $424 in assertion credit, that are primarily targeted on eating, together with an:

• As much as $50 semi-annual U.S. Resy assertion credit score: As much as $100 per calendar 12 months to make use of at Resy-affiliated U.S. eating places; no reservation required
• As much as $10 month-to-month eating assertion credit score: As much as $120 per calendar 12 months at choose retailers like 5 Guys and Grubhub
• As much as $10 month-to-month Uber Money^: As much as $120 per calendar 12 months for Uber rides or Uber Eats orders within the U.S.
• As much as $7 month-to-month Dunkin’ assertion credit score: As much as $84 per calendar 12 months at U.S. Dunkin’ areas

Enrollment is required.

^Uber Money will solely be deposited into one Uber account whenever you add the eligible Amex card as a fee technique and redeem with any Amex card.

In the meantime, the Amex Platinum’s excessive $895 annual payment (see charges and costs) could be greater than offset by its assertion credit, so long as you maximize all of them. In case you use all the credit, the worth is over $3,500. The bulk are travel- and lifestyle-focused, with a few of our favorites being an:

• As much as $300 semi-annual resort assertion credit score every calendar 12 months: As much as $600 per calendar 12 months to offset pay as you go bookings with Amex Fantastic Motels + Resorts or The Resort Assortment (minimal two-night keep for THC)
• As much as $209 annual Clear Plus assertion credit score each calendar 12 months: To cowl your annual Clear Plus membership (topic to auto-renewal)
• As much as $200 annual airline payment assertion credit score per calendar 12 months: With one eligible airline of your alternative
• As much as $200 annual Oura assertion credit score every calendar 12 months: This credit score can solely be utilized to {hardware} purchases and never subscriptions
• As much as $155 annual Walmart+ assertion credit score each calendar 12 months: Walmart+ contains Paramount+ or Peacock, so do not use your digital leisure credit score on a subscription. Separate enrollment is required for the Paramount+ or Peacock subscription
• As much as $120 Uber One membership credit score per calendar 12 months: As much as a $120 assertion credit score that absolutely covers an auto-renewing $96 annual or $9.99 month-to-month membership to Uber One
• As much as $100 quarterly Resy assertion credit score: As much as $400 every calendar 12 months to make use of at U.S. Resy eating places
• As much as $75 quarterly Lululemon assertion credit score: Legitimate at U.S. shops (excluding retailers) and on-line; as much as $300 every calendar 12 months
• As much as $50 semi-annual Saks assertion credit score: As much as $100 per calendar 12 months to make use of at Saks
• As much as $25 month-to-month digital leisure assertion credit score: As much as $300 per calendar 12 months for subscriptions to streaming platforms, together with Disney+, Disney+ Bundle, Paramount+, Peacock, YouTube Premium and YouTube TV subscriptions
• As much as $15 month-to-month Uber Money^: For Uber rides or Uber Eats orders within the U.S.; bonus as much as $20 in December (for a complete of as much as $35 that month); as much as $200 every calendar 12 months

Enrollment required for a number of credit; phrases apply.

Plus, in the event you journey ceaselessly, eligible Amex Platinum cardmembers obtain unequalled lounge entry to the World Lounge Assortment. Between the lounge entry from the Amex Platinum and the assertion credit provided on each playing cards, these two playing cards create a wonderful combo.

Associated: American Specific Gold vs. American Specific Platinum: Which one is best for you?

Defend your purchases and journey

Each the American Specific Platinum and Gold playing cards provide prolonged guarantee and buy safety advantages.

Nevertheless, the Amex Platinum card presents extra complete safety advantages, particularly for frequent vacationers, whereas the Amex Gold card gives extra restricted protection.

The purchasing and journey protections that the Amex Platinum presents (however the Amex Gold would not) embody:

• Cellphone safety*
• Emergency medical transportation (if coordinated by the profit administrator)
• Journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage*
• Journey delay insurance coverage*
• Increased protection for automobile rental loss and harm insurance coverage**

*Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.
**Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Circumstances and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Automotive Rental Loss or Injury Protection is obtainable by American Specific Journey Associated Companies Firm, Inc.

When it would not make sense

Holding each the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold might not be cost-effective for everybody. Take into account the next:

• Lounge entry: In case you not often use airport lounges or will not spend sufficient on the Platinum to unlock visitor entry, it’s possible you’ll not get sufficient worth from the cardboard.
• Grocery purchases: In case you primarily store at big-box retailers like Walmart or Goal, or by grocery supply providers that do not code as “supermarkets”, you may not earn bonus factors in these classes on the Gold.
• Assertion credit: Assess whether or not you already spend on providers like Grubhub and Uber that you’re going to obtain assertion credit for. If not, it’s possible you’ll find yourself spending unnecessarily to “save” cash.

Backside line

The Amex Gold card’s decrease annual payment and bonus factors on eating and groceries could swimsuit many customers, whereas the Platinum card’s greater payment is price it for individuals who can maximize its journey perks.

Combining each playing cards can increase your Amex factors steadiness, elevate your travels and offset your spending on way of life purchases.

To study extra, learn our full critiques of the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold playing cards.

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Apply right here: Amex Gold
Apply right here: Amex Platinum

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For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, please click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold Card, please click on right here.