Probably the most widespread premium bank cards is The Platinum Card® from American Specific. Whereas it has a excessive annual payment (see charges and charges), it may possibly provide a ton of worth for the proper of traveler.
It prices $195 for every further Platinum cardmember you add to your account (see charges and charges). However, these further cardmembers could also be asking an essential query: Ought to I keep as a certified consumer or get a Platinum Card of my very own?
Here is some steerage that can assist you make that call.
Overview of Amex Platinum charges
The Amex Platinum has an annual payment of $695 (see charges and charges). Should you’re a certified consumer, you will pay a further $195 in annual charges.
It is very important weigh the associated fee distinction between holding your personal Amex Platinum and being a certified consumer on another person’s account. In consequence, it’s possible you’ll wish to crunch the numbers to see which makes essentially the most sense.
When you must get your personal Amex Platinum
There are a number of arguments in favor of getting your personal Amex Platinum. Not surprisingly, they begin with the welcome provide.
You will not earn your personal welcome provide if you’re added as a certified consumer. Nonetheless, if you happen to apply (and are accepted) for the Platinum Card as the first cardmember, you’ll be able to earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. This bonus is price $1,600 primarily based on TPG’s January 2025 valuations, due to the array of helpful methods to make use of Amex factors.
(Professional tip: Make sure to examine the CardMatch instrument to see if you happen to’re focused for an even greater welcome provide, although these are topic to alter at any time.)
The welcome provide is a one-time perk just for the first yr. Past that, there are a couple of essential advantages on the Amex Platinum which are granted as soon as per account. Should you can maximize any of the next, you could possibly be a very good candidate for getting your personal Platinum Card:
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- Month-to-month Uber Money:* Stand up to $15 in month-to-month Uber Money (plus a $20 bonus in December), if you add your Amex Platinum as a fee methodology to your Uber account. The credit score can be utilized for Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S. Even if you happen to’re an occasional Uber buyer, this may end up in as much as $200 in whole worth annually. As soon as your Amex Platinum is added to your Uber account, you’ll be able to redeem Uber Money with any Amex card at fee.
- Digital leisure credit score:* The Amex Platinum provides you as much as $20 in assertion credit every month if you use the cardboard for subscriptions to choose digital leisure suppliers, together with Disney+ and The New York Occasions. Should you max out these credit, you will take pleasure in as much as $240 in worth per calendar yr.
- Clear Plus assertion credit score:* Get as much as $199 in annual assertion credit if you cost the price of a Clear Plus membership to your Amex Platinum.
- Lodge assertion credit score: As an Amex Platinum cardmember, you’ll be able to entry luxurious resort perks by Tremendous Inns + Resorts and The Lodge Assortment (the latter of which requires a two-night minimal keep). If you make a pay as you go reservation with a taking part property in both of those applications, you will take pleasure in as much as $200 in assertion credit per calendar yr.
- Airline assertion credit score:* The Amex Platinum additionally comes with as much as $200 in annual assertion credit for incidental charges charged to your card with an airline you designate per calendar yr. This could cowl baggage charges, seat assignments, or visitor passes to go to an airline lounge.
*Enrollment required; phrases apply for these advantages.
Whereas your spending as a certified consumer can set off these perks for the first Platinum Card account, you aren’t getting your personal set as a further Platinum cardmember. Should you’re usually utilizing these perks, it is perhaps price getting your personal Platinum card.
Put a concrete greenback quantity to those advantages primarily based by yourself utilization over the subsequent 12 months. If that quantity is bigger than $500, you are a good candidate for getting your personal Platinum Card.
Between the welcome provide and these assertion credit — together with some that will let you double up in yr one — now could also be a good time to develop into a main cardmember on the Amex Platinum.
Associated: 10 issues to do if you get the Amex Platinum
When you need to be a certified consumer
Being a certified consumer can nonetheless make sense in some conditions.
Most clearly, if you happen to’re beneath the age of 18, your solely actual possibility is to be a further Platinum cardmember. And even if you flip 18, the Amex Platinum has some fairly strict necessities to get accepted. Latest highschool graduates with restricted credit score histories will seemingly have to be licensed customers for a number of years (and construct up their very own credit score rating) earlier than contemplating getting the Amex Platinum in their very own proper.
Past that, staying (or changing into) a certified consumer seemingly makes essentially the most sense for individuals who extremely worth the perks that stretch to further Platinum cardmembers — however do not care concerning the above advantages. In any case, entry to the American Specific International Lounge Assortment, the assertion credit score for International Entry or TSA PreCheck, and complimentary Gold standing with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors all prolong to licensed customers. And for frequent lounge guests or common Marriott and Hilton company, paying $195 a yr can nonetheless be a discount. Enrollment required; phrases apply for choose advantages.
Should you’re nonetheless on the fence, crunch the numbers by placing greenback quantities to those advantages. For instance, how a lot would you pay to enter an Amex Centurion Lounge? Friends of the first Platinum cardmember are $50 (except they unlock visitor privileges by spending $75,000 on the cardboard in a calendar yr), so if you happen to agree with that worth, you’ll be able to greater than cowl the $195 licensed consumer annual payment with 4 (or extra) visits.
Associated: Is the Amex Platinum well worth the annual payment?
When neither possibility is sensible
In fact, for some clients, neither one in every of these is sensible. Possibly you beforehand had the Amex Platinum and thus aren’t eligible for a welcome provide. Maybe you solely entry an airport lounge a couple of instances a yr or use the resort elite standing perks sometimes.
Once more, crunch the numbers primarily based on the real-world worth you get from annually’s included advantages. If the worth is beneath $195, you are higher off canceling your licensed consumer card.
Backside line
The Platinum Card from American Specific fees $195 for licensed customers, and whereas some might think about eradicating further Platinum playing cards from their accounts, others might wish to think about when it is sensible to develop into a main cardmember.
Begin by wanting on the welcome provide, particularly if you happen to’re focused for an elevated provide. Then, establish the worth of these further perks you’d unlock with your personal Amex Platinum Card — protecting in thoughts that some are primarily based on a calendar yr. It doesn’t matter what you select, be sure you’re getting sufficient worth to justify the associated fee.
To be taught extra concerning the card, learn our full evaluate of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: Amex Platinum
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
