American Express Platinum assessment: Full details

The Platinum Card from American Express overview

The Platinum Card® from American Express is likely one of the high premium journey rewards playing cards available on the market. As a cardmember, you may earn priceless Membership Rewards factors, obtain priceless annual assertion credit (so long as you may make the most of them, which we are going to focus on later) and acquire entry to an intensive community of airport lounges worldwide. Card ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

*Card ranking relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

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Nowadays, each financial institution, airline, and lodge appears to supply a premium journey rewards card. But for a very long time, the Amex Platinum was the one premium rewards card available on the market. With its smooth design and hefty steel weight, there was a little bit of status connected to being an Amex Platinum cardmember.

That nonetheless exists, though just a few rivals within the luxurious card class have emerged in recent times, together with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. When you stack them up in opposition to each other, the Amex Platinum shines in methods the others do not. Then once more, it falls flat in some areas, too.

The Amex Platinum has undergone important adjustments in recent times and carries a steep $695 annual price (see charges and charges) — one of many highest available on the market. That’s why folks typically ask whether or not the Amex Platinum remains to be well worth the annual price, even with the perks.

TPG recommends a very good to glorious credit score rating earlier than making use of for this card. It ranks as probably the greatest journey playing cards, however that does not imply it is proper for each traveler.

Let’s study the details and advantages to see whether or not having the Amex Platinum in your pockets is sensible.

Amex Platinum professionals and cons

Amex Platinum welcome provide

New Amex Platinum cardmembers can discover out their provide and see in the event that they’re eligible to earn as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases in your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. Welcome affords range and also you might not be eligible for a proposal.

This is now the usual welcome provide.

According to TPG’s July 2025 valuations, Amex Membership Rewards factors are price 2 cents every, making this bonus price as much as $3,500. That’s greater than 5 occasions the cardboard’s $695 annual price.

Related: How to redeem Membership Rewards factors for max worth

Amex Platinum advantages

What really units the Amex Platinum aside is that it confers many priceless perks and journey advantages. Let’s have a look:

• Up to $200 in assertion credit per calendar yr for incidental charges charged by one airline you choose*
• Up to a $200 annual lodge credit score per calendar yr, within the type of a press release credit score, on pay as you go Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel® portal if you pay together with your Amex Platinum (Hotel Collection stays require a two-night minimal)*
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash per calendar yr, legitimate on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S. (cut up into month-to-month as much as $15 credit plus an as much as $20 bonus in December).* Uber Cash will solely be deposited into one Uber account if you add the Amex Platinum as a fee methodology and redeem with any Amex card.
• Up to $199 in assertion credit per calendar yr to cowl your Clear Plus annual membership*
• Up to $240 per calendar yr in annual digital leisure credit score — disbursed as as much as $20 month-to-month assertion credit if you pay for eligible purchases with the Amex Platinum at eligible companions*

• Up to $300 in Equinox credit score per calendar yr on Equinox health club and Equinox+ app memberships (topic to auto-renewal)*
• Up to $300 in assertion credit per calendar yr towards the acquisition of a SoulCycle bike (as much as 15 bikes per calendar yr); have to be enrolled in an Equinox+ membership to be eligible for this profit.
• Up to a $155 assertion credit score per calendar yr (as much as $12.95 month-to-month, plus relevant taxes) that covers the price of a month-to-month Walmart+ membership when paying with the Amex Platinum (on one membership, topic to auto-renewal); Plus Up excluded.
• A $120 assertion credit score for Global Entry each 4 years or an as much as $85 price credit score for TSA PreCheck each 4½ years (relying on which software price is charged to your card first)
• Up to a $100 per calendar yr in Saks Fifth Avenue credit score, cut up into two as much as $50 assertion credit between January and June, then July by way of December*
• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection (for eligible cardmembers), together with Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Airspace lounges, Escape lounges, Plaza Premium lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (when touring on same-day Delta flights; Eligible Platinum Card Members will obtain 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per yr to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when touring on a same-day Delta-operated flight).*
• Complimentary Gold standing with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy*
• Complimentary automobile rental standing: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle, Avis Preferred Plus and National Emerald Club Executive*
• Access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection
• Terms apply to the advantages listed

The Amex Platinum additionally features a vary of journey and buy protections:

• If your journey is delayed by greater than six hours due to a lined cause, you could be eligible to be reimbursed as much as $500 per lined journey for affordable extra bills**
• If it’s essential cancel or interrupt your journey due to a lined cause, you could be eligible for reimbursement of as much as $10,000 per lined journey**
• Extended guarantee profit extends eligible producers’ warranties of 5 years or much less by as much as one extra yr***
• Purchase safety protects latest purchases in opposition to theft, unintended injury or loss for as much as 90 days from the acquisition date***
• Complimentary Shoprunner membership (Enrollment closed March 31, 2025; cardmembers who enrolled by this date will proceed to obtain a complimentary membership by way of their remaining membership yr and two years thereafter)*
• Terms apply to the advantages listed

*Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.

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

***Eligibility and profit ranges range by card. Terms, situations and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Even should you can solely use only a handful of those perks, it is simple to cowl most (or all) of the Amex Platinum’s annual price.

Here’s how TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen describes it:

“I have no use for some benefits of the Amex Platinum, and others (like Walmart+) I use just because they’re there. However, I always max out the digital entertainment credit ($240). I also easily use all $200 in Uber credits and all $200 in airline statement credits annually. In other words, just three of these perks put $640 back in my pocket every year. As a result, I think of it as paying $55 for all of the other benefits on the card — and that makes it a no brainer to keep in my pocket.”

Your actual state of affairs might range, however crunch the numbers to see how a lot real-life worth you may get from the cardboard.

Related: How to maximise advantages with the Amex Platinum Card

Earning factors on the Amex Platinum

With the Amex Platinum, you may earn 5 factors per greenback on airfare bought immediately with the airways or by way of the amextravel.com (on as much as $500,000 of airfare purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback). Plus, you may earn 5 factors per greenback on pay as you go lodges booked with Amex Travel.

These 5-point classes are a superb solution to earn plenty of Membership Rewards factors. Based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, incomes 5 factors per greenback supplies a ten% return.

All different purchases earn simply 1 level per greenback, however Amex Platinum cardmembers are eligible for focused Amex Offers that would increase incomes charges at numerous retailers (together with Amazon).

Related: The final information to saving cash with Amex Offers

Redeeming factors on the Amex Platinum

Membership Rewards factors are among the many most precious and versatile loyalty currencies ever created for redeeming factors. The greatest solution to maximize your factors is to switch them to one in every of their loyalty program companions.

You may also use your Membership Rewards factors to ebook journey immediately by way of American Express Travel. But if the private Amex Platinum is the one Amex card in your stock, utilizing factors for airfare and lodge redemptions this manner will not get you superb worth.

You’ll get only one cent per level if you redeem the factors immediately for airfare at Amex Travel and fewer than 1 cent per level when redeeming for lodge rooms.

From our expertise, 9 out of 10 occasions, it’s best to by no means redeem Membership Rewards factors for flights or lodges by way of American Express Travel, as you’ll get significantly better worth utilizing switch companions.

However, suppose you even have The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. In that case, you may get probably the greatest direct level redemptions out there. Currently, Business Platinum cardmembers obtain a 35% factors bonus for first- and business-class flights on any airline, plus economic system flights in your chosen airline (as much as 1 million bonus factors per calendar yr).

Note as of Sept. 18, the 35% factors bonus for airfare booked by way of Amex Travel will solely apply to the airline {that a} cardmember selects for his or her airline price credit score (enrollment required, phrases apply), no matter fare class.

Related: Best methods to make use of Amex Membership Rewards factors, from business-class flights to Europe to budget-friendly lodge stays

Transferring factors on the Amex Platinum

According to TPG’s July 2025 valuations, every Membership Rewards level is price 2 cents, thanks largely to this system’s airline and lodge switch companions. Those embrace at the very least one useful choice in every main airline alliance (SkyGroup, Star Alliance and Oneworld).

Notable Membership Rewards companions embrace Air Canada Aeroplan, Delta SkyMiles, ANA Mileage Club and Hilton Honors.

Transferring your factors to the precise airline or lodge program is normally one of the best ways to maximise your Membership Rewards factors worth.

Here’s how TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt likes to switch and redeem his Membership Rewards factors:

“I look out for transfer bonuses to maximize my points to book long-haul business-class flights. I often transfer to Iberia Plus for lie-flat seats to Madrid. Sometimes, I’ll transfer to Qantas Frequent Flyer to secure hard-to-find business- or first-class flights back to Australia.”

Which playing cards compete with the Amex Platinum?

Some different compelling premium bank cards go head-to-head with the Amex Platinum :

• If you need extra focused advantages: Although the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with a heftier $795 annual price, it affords a $300 journey credit score, an annual $500 The Edit by Chase Travel℠ credit score (minimal two-night keep required), a $300 eating assertion credit score and a number of the greatest journey protections out there. However, it may well’t beat the Amex Platinum relating to perks like lounge entry. To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
• If you desire a a lot decrease annual price: Capital One’s premium rewards card, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, packs a punch and comes with a extra inexpensive $395 annual price. The Venture X is probably extra profitable than the Amex Platinum relating to incomes, accruing 10 miles per greenback on lodges and automobile leases booked by way of Capital One Travel, 5 miles per greenback on flights and trip leases booked by way of Capital One Travel and a limiteless 2 miles per greenback on all the things else. To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Venture X.
• If you’d favor a mid-tier journey card: The American Express® Green Card is a good choice for younger professionals and people searching for a extra inexpensive different to the Amex Platinum. Cardmembers earn 3 factors per greenback on eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S.), journey and transit, and 1 level per greenback on all the things else. This card has a $150 annual price.

The info for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

For extra choices, take a look at our picks for the very best playing cards for journey rewards and lounge entry.

Read extra: The greatest premium bank cards: A side-by-side comparability

Bottom line

If you may take full benefit of its annual assertion credit (as talked about above), the Amex Platinum is likely one of the most compelling rewards playing cards, particularly should you journey sufficient to make the lodge statuses and lounge advantages helpful or store sufficient to get substantial worth from the procuring protections.

The Amex Platinum’s $695 annual price is steep, however the numerous annual credit can recoup the complete price (and extra), even earlier than contemplating the cardboard’s different perks.

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Apply right here: Amex Platinum

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For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here).