Best for Luxury Travel
- Annual Fee: $695
- Intro Offer/Welcome Offer: 125,000 Membership Rewards® Points after $6,000 spending on your card in the first six months, plus 10x points on eligible purchases at restaurants and Shop Small (only for first six months, up to $25,000)
- Intro APR: No intro offer
- Regular APR: 15.99% - 22.99%
- Credit Score Requirements: Good to Excellent (670-850)
OUR RATING: 3.95 stars out of 5
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Amex Platinum Benefits
The Amex Platinum Card® oozes travel rewards. Few cards offer better perks. Airport lounge access, Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® fee credits, and elevated hotel rewards program status are just a portion of what’s offered with this Amex card.
Highlights of the American Express Platinum Card®
- 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel
- 5x points on prepaid hotels booked via amextravel.com
- 1x points on all other eligible purchases
- $100 statement credit annually for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases
- Up to $200 annually in Uber Cash for Uber rides and Uber eats
- $300 Equinox credit
- $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel
- $240 in Digital Entertainment Credit (up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners - enrollment required).
- $179 CLEAR credit (touchless ID, which allows you to move faster through security at select airports and stadiums across the U.S.) You can cover the cost of a CLEAR membership with up to $179 in statement credits per year.
Who The Amex Platinum Card® is Best For
With one of the highest annual fees, this isn’t a rewards credit card for casual travelers or individuals new to credit card rewards: The Amex Platinum Card® is meant for high spenders who are also frequent travelers. If you’re looking for an everyday spending card, you should pass on the Platinum Card®: Although it’s loaded with perks, most non-travel spending earns a low rewards rate.
The Full Breakdown of The American Express Platinum Card®
Few luxury travel credit cards offer as much as the American Express Platinum Card®. It’s a frequent traveler’s best friend, especially for people looking for valuable airline and hotel perks. We’ve compiled all of this card’s details to help you decide whether it’s right for you.
Annual Fees
The American Express Platinum Card® carries one of the steepest annual fees around: $695. Yes, the card is packed with tons of value – including a massive bonus offer and endless travel perks – but with such a high fee, apply only if you plan on taking advantage of most of the attached benefits.
Intro APR Offer
There is no 0% intro APR offer with the American Express Platinum Card®. All of your card purchases come with the same variable APR (which is based on creditworthiness from day one).
Ongoing APR
Amex Platinum features 15.99%-22.99% ongoing APR. The variable APR is based on your creditworthiness.
Unlike most credit cards, Amex Platinum® doesn’t allow you to automatically carry over a balance month-to-month. Instead, you’re expected to pay your balance in full each month – unless you specifically opt-in for one of two other payment options:
- “Plan It” allows you to split up large purchases and pay them off over time (while paying an additional monthly fee).
- “Pay It” lets you lower your balance by making smaller payments throughout the month.
Welcome Bonus
The Amex Platinum Card® offers one of the most valuable welcome bonuses around: New members earn 125,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on their Amex card in the first six months.
Credit Score Requirements
The Amex Platinum Card® requires a good-to-excellent FICO credit score (between 670-850). If you don’t currently meet these requirements, you can opt for another rewards card. You can also raise your credit score through responsible card use (including paying off your credit card balance on time and in full each month).
Member Perks
Few credit cards offer more perks than the Amex Platinum Card®. Here’s a look at some of the most valuable benefits included with Amex Platinum:
Saks Fifth Avenue credit: Enroll to receive up to $100 in statement credits each year for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com (up to $50 in credits during January-June, and up to $50 in credits from July-December).
Uber credits: Your Platinum Card® gets you $15 in Uber Cash for rides or food each month, plus an additional $20 in December. You can also receive Uber VIP status without meeting minimum ride requirements.
Lounge access: Gain access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with The American Express Global Lounge Collection®.
Airline fee credit: Cardmembers can receive a $200 airline fee credit towards incidental air travel fees on select airlines.
Elevated hotel status: The Platinum Card® gets you automatic elevated status in two hotel rewards programs: Marriott Bonvoy™ Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status. Your elevated status unlocks even more perks and rewards earning potential.
Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® fee credit: Card members have the option to receive either a Global Entry fee credit ($100) every four years or a TSA Pre✓® fee credit (up to $85) every 4.5 years.
On top of the benefits listed above, Platinum Card® members have access to the following benefits (and more):
- International flight fare discounts
- Fine hotel & resorts perks
- Premium car rental privileges
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
- Trip delay insurance
- Trip cancellation insurance
- Platinum Card® concierge
- Purchase & return protection
- Extended warranty coverage
Foreign Transaction Fees
The American Express Platinum Card® is an excellent traveling companion since it carries no foreign transaction fees. This is an especially worthwhile perk for those who frequently travel internationally.
Reward Expiration
American Express Membership Rewards® points never expire. You could, however, lose all of your points if your card is closed for any reason (by you or by American Express).
Customer Service
This travel rewards card comes with a level of customer service you’d expect from one of the most trusted credit card issuers in the world. There are multiple ways to connect with Amex customer service, including chat, mail, and 24/7 phone support. You can also tweet questions to @AskAmex on Twitter.
Customers can redeem points online or through the mobile app. Use points to book travel, shop online, buy gift cards, and even pay for purchases through Amazon and other retailers.
How The Amex Platinum Card® Compares to Other Travel Rewards Cards
Chase Sapphire Reserve® is another luxury travel rewards credit card that rivals the Platinum Card’s perks – and hefty annual fee. The Reserve Card is Chase’s premier rewards card. It comes with a sizable welcome bonus, elevated rewards for travel and dining purchases, and a host of travel benefits. Chase Sapphire Reserve® also includes a $300 annual travel credit, a Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® fee credit, airport lounge access, and much more.
While Chase Sapphire Reserve® only gives access to Priority Pass lounges, the American Express Global Lounge Collection includes Priority Pass lounges along with Centurion, Delta Sky Club, and other lounge collections.
Here’s a breakdown of how the luxury travel cards stack up against each other.
| Amex Platinum Card® | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | |
| Welcome Bonus | 125,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in the first six months | 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 spending in the first three months |
| Reward Rates |
|
|
| Intro APR Offer on Purchases | NA | NA |
| Intro APR Offer on Balance Transfers | NA | NA |
| Annual Fees | $695 | $550 + $75 for every authorized user each year |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | None | None |
| Balance Transfer Fees | NA | Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. |
Are The Amex Platinum Benefits Worth It?
Like any credit card, the Amex Platinum Card® has benefits and drawbacks to consider
Pros
- Luxury travel benefits
- Huge welcome bonus
Cons
- High annual fee
- Low rewards rates on spending outside of travel
Our Final Take on the American Express Platinum Travel Rewards Card
The American Express Platinum Card® is a dream for frequent travelers who love luxury travel perks. This card is geared towards individuals who aren’t looking to save money but want more value for their money. If you travel often and can afford the steep annual fee, Amex Platinum® may be the perfect choice for you. Check out other rewards credit cards offers that offer valuable perks but with lower annual fees.
