The Platinum Card® from American Categorical packs numerous punch into its metallic shell. That should not come as a lot of a shock, on condition that it is among the many heaviest and costliest of the publicly obtainable premium playing cards.
Whereas the present welcome supply alone is price as much as $3,500 (based mostly on TPG’s September 2025 valuations) and the posh perks — together with journey credit, elite standing and lounge entry* — can add a number of hundred {dollars} or extra a yr to its long-term worth, most individuals contemplating the Amex Platinum will fixate on one quantity: the $895 annual payment (see charges and costs).
It is simple to make the case that the Amex Platinum will pay for itself over time, however that does not essentially imply it is the suitable card for you. So, let us take a look at who ought to — and should not — get the Amex Platinum.
*Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
Key advantages
Proper now, you’ll find out your supply and see in case you are eligible for as excessive as 175,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases on the cardboard in your first six months of card membership. Welcome provides differ and you could not bot be eligible for a suggestion.
In response to TPG’s valuations, Membership Rewards factors are price 2 cents every, making that bonus price as much as $3,500. That is a superb return in and of itself.
Irrespective of which bonus give you get, all Platinum cardmembers take pleasure in the identical priceless perks. To offset the annual payment, Amex provides a number of assertion credit, with some notable ones together with (enrollment is required for choose advantages):
- As much as $600 lodge assertion credit score per calendar yr on eligible Positive Resorts + Resorts and The Lodge Assortment bookings (as much as $300 semi-annually; minimal two-night keep required for The Lodge Assortment)
- As much as $400 each calendar yr (as much as $100 every quarter) for purchases at U.S. Resy eating places. No reservation is required
- As much as $300 per calendar yr (as much as $25 month-to-month) in digital leisure assertion credit for eligible subscriptions
- As much as $200 assertion credit score every calendar yr for airline incidental fees, similar to seat project, lounge entry and checked bag charges with a choose qualifying airline
- As much as $200 in Uber Money every calendar yr in increments of as much as $15 monthly, plus an as much as $20 bonus in December (for U.S. providers). You can even use these credit to order meals from Uber Eats. Uber Money will solely be deposited into one Uber account if you add the Amex Platinum as a fee technique and redeem with any Amex card
- As much as a $120 Uber One assertion credit score that totally covers an auto-renewing $96 annual or $9.99 month-to-month membership
- As much as $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credit (as much as $50 semi-annually)
- As much as $120 for International Entry/TSA PreCheck: Both a $120 assertion credit score obtainable each 4 years after you apply for International Entry or an as much as $85 assertion credit score obtainable each 4½ years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck
- As much as $300 every calendar yr (as much as $75 quarterly) Lululemon assertion credit score for U.S. shops (excluding retailers) and on-line
The Amex Platinum additionally provides 5 factors per greenback spent (or a ten% return based mostly on TPG’s valuations) on airfare booked straight with the airline, in addition to on airfare booked by way of American Categorical Journey® (on as much as $500,000 per yr, 1 level per greenback spent thereafter). You will additionally earn 5 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go lodges booked by way of Amex Journey (together with pay as you go Amex Positive Resorts + Resorts bookings).
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That is the most effective return you will get wherever on shopping for airline tickets, in accordance with our valuations.
Frequent vacationers may even admire that the Platinum provides the most complete lounge entry of any card, together with a Precedence Cross™ Choose membership (enrollment required), Amex’s rising international assortment of Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Golf equipment when flying Delta (restricted to 10 annual visits, limitless visits could be unlocked by spending $75,000 or extra in your card in a calendar yr ), Aspire, Escape and choose Lufthansa lounges. Enrollment could also be required; entry is proscribed to eligible cardmembers.
Rounding out the listing of advantages are Gold elite standing with Hilton and Marriott and Leaders Membership Sterling standing (enrollment is required), entry to a premium concierge service, journey protections, automotive rental insurance coverage*, baggage insurance coverage** and a number of different lesser-known perks.
*Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Not all car sorts or leases are coated, and geographic restrictions apply. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Protection is obtainable by way of American Categorical Journey Associated Companies Firm, Inc.
**Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.
Who ought to get the Amex Platinum?
People who find themselves over Chase’s 5/24 rule
When folks come to me on the lookout for starter card suggestions, I am going to nearly all the time counsel both the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) or the Chase Freedom Limitless® (see charges and costs).
Chase Final Rewards factors are barely extra priceless than Amex Membership Rewards factors — TPG’s September 2025 valuations peg Final Rewards at 2.05 cents and Membership Rewards factors at 2 cents — and Chase’s “5/24 rule” offers me loads of purpose to advocate getting your Chase playing cards first.
If you happen to aren’t conversant in this rule, it implies that candidates who’ve opened 5 or extra playing cards within the final 24 months throughout all issuers might be routinely rejected for many Chase playing cards. Because of this you must often prioritize Chase playing cards as you begin increase your pockets with our greatest rewards bank cards.
Nevertheless, after you max out your 5 Chase slots, what comes subsequent? The Amex Platinum is an ideal reply, and it will probably even assist you get extra worth out of your Chase factors.
The opposite advantages of the Amex Platinum may also complement a rewards technique that began with Chase. In contrast to the Platinum card, Chase playing cards do not supply Uber Money or as many choices for airport lounge entry.
Associated: 4 totally different flavors of Amex Platinum — which one is best for you?
Individuals who will use the lounge entry
If you happen to can totally use the assertion credit on the Amex Platinum every year, the out-of-pocket value for the cardboard goes down dramatically.
As a substitute of fascinated by this as an annual payment you pay to Amex for the privilege of spending cash on its hunk of metallic, give it some thought as an annual lounge membership payment.
As a reminder, the Amex Platinum comes with a Precedence Cross Choose membership (enrollment required), entry to Amex’s international Centurion Lounges and entry to Delta Sky Golf equipment (however solely when flying same-day Delta flights; restricted to 10 annual visits, except you spend $75,000 to unlock limitless visits). Lounge entry is proscribed to eligible cardmembers.
Amex at present operates Centurion lounges in greater than twenty airports, making the cardboard much more price it should you stay in or regularly transit by way of a type of places.
Individuals who keep at Hilton, Marriott or choose luxurious lodges
The Platinum Card offers Gold elite standing with Hilton and Marriott to cardmembers, together with approved customers (enrollment required).
If you do not have Gold standing or larger with these manufacturers by way of different bank cards or organically by way of stays, Gold standing with these manufacturers offers helpful advantages, together with room upgrades, factors bonuses, and welcome presents.
You will additionally obtain Leaders Membership Sterling standing from Main Resorts of the World, a set of luxurious unbiased lodges.
If you happen to like to remain at luxurious lodges, you will even have entry to the Amex Positive Resorts + Resorts (FHR) program as an Amex Platinum cardholder or approved person. If you e-book an FHR keep, you will get elitelike advantages, together with assured 4 p.m. late checkout, every day breakfast for 2 and a singular property amenity valued at $100 or extra.
Who should not get the Amex Platinum?
Individuals below 5/24
Many individuals simply beginning within the factors world underestimate the stringency of Chase’s 5/24 rule. I keep in mind once I bought my first bank card, I could not think about opening 5 or extra playing cards in two years — but I ended up opening 17 in that time-frame. I estimate I misplaced properly over $1,000 by not being eligible for an Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card throughout these early years.
Nevertheless, when you recover from 5/24, it might be exhausting to get again below, and there is a huge alternative value in doing so. Having a plan and sticking to it’ll serve you properly in the long run.
The data for the Ink Enterprise Most popular has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Individuals who e-book airfare by way of on-line journey companies
The Platinum Card offers 5 Membership Rewards factors per greenback spent on flights booked straight with airways or with American Categorical Journey (on as much as $500,000 of spending every calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback spent).
Nevertheless, should you desire to buy airfare by way of on-line journey companies (OTAs) similar to Orbitz and Expedia, you will solely earn 1 level per greenback spent with the Platinum Card. In consequence, you will do higher with a card just like the Chase Sapphire Most popular or the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and costs), which offers bonus earnings on air journey purchases with OTAs.
Individuals who cannot maximize the Platinum’s assertion credit
One of many fundamental arguments in favor of conserving the Amex Platinum long-term is that its varied assertion credit drastically scale back the out-of-pocket value you are actually paying.
If, for some purpose, you may’t take full benefit of all of those assertion credit, the mathematics will get a bit of stickier. Uber Money, for instance, can solely be used throughout the U.S., so expats like me principally waste it. Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
Possibly you don’t want an additional as much as $200 in airline credit every calendar yr — in case you have elite standing and all of your journey is roofed by factors or your job, that more money may be wasted on you, particularly given the restrictions across the credit.
Rigorously take into account simply how a lot these credit are price to you; if they supply little to no worth, one other Amex card may be a greater match.
Individuals who’d be higher off with the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card
A number of variations of the Platinum card exist, together with the non-public card and The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical. Largely, they share the identical perks and advantages, however small variations would possibly lead you to select one or the opposite.
For instance, the Enterprise Platinum additionally has an annual payment of $895 (see charges and costs), but it surely would not supply the identical as much as $200 Uber Money every calendar yr as the non-public model.
It provides one other bonus class, although — 2 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases in choose enterprise classes and eligible purchases of $5,000 or extra (on as much as $2 million of those purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback).
The Enterprise Platinum additionally offers as much as $1,150 in assertion credit per calendar yr for U.S. Dell purchases: as much as $150 every calendar yr and an extra $1,000 assertion credit score after spending $5,000 on Dell purchases with the identical card every calendar yr (enrollment required).
You can even entry the Pay with Factors redemption choice on the Enterprise Platinum card, which will get you a 35% bonus for eligible flights along with your chosen airline utilizing your Amex factors (as much as 1 million factors again per calendar yr). That is notably not obtainable on the non-public Amex Platinum.
Backside line
The Amex Platinum Card from American Categorical commonly makes the reduce as one in all TPG’s greatest journey card suggestions due to the outsize worth it will probably present, from the preliminary welcome supply to the continued luxurious perks it provides.
Nevertheless, even when a card is effective, it won’t be your best option. It’s a must to take into account how this software elements into your long-term plans, particularly because it pertains to different issuers. You even have to make sure you can maximize the advantages in your life, at the least sufficient to recoup the hefty annual payment.
The Amex Platinum can simply pay for itself by way of its priceless advantages and redemption choices, however provided that you are capable of simply and naturally use them.
To study extra, try our full evaluate of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Categorical
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on right here.