American Specific Platinum evaluation: Full particulars

The Platinum Card from American Specific overview

The Platinum Card® from American Specific is likely one of the high premium journey rewards playing cards in the marketplace. As a cardmember, you will earn invaluable Membership Rewards factors, obtain invaluable annual assertion credit (so long as you may reap the benefits of them, which we’ll focus on later) and acquire entry to an intensive community of airport lounges worldwide. Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

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

---

These days, each financial institution, airline, and resort appears to supply a premium journey rewards card. However for a very long time, the Amex Platinum was the one premium rewards card in the marketplace. With its glossy design and hefty metallic weight, there was a little bit of status hooked up to being an Amex Platinum cardmember.

That also exists, though just a few rivals within the luxurious card class have emerged lately, together with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) and the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card. Whenever 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 vital modifications lately and carries a steep $695 annual payment (see charges and costs) — one of many highest in the marketplace. That is why individuals usually ask whether or not the Amex Platinum continues to be well worth the annual payment, even with the perks.

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

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

Amex Platinum execs 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 Factors after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases in your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. Welcome presents differ and also you will not be eligible for a proposal.

That is now the commonplace welcome provide.

In accordance with TPG’s July 2025 valuations, Amex Membership Rewards factors are value 2 cents every, making this bonus value as much as $3,500. That is greater than 5 occasions the cardboard’s $695 annual payment.

Associated: Easy methods to redeem Membership Rewards factors for optimum worth

Amex Platinum advantages

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

• As much as $200 in assertion credit per calendar yr for incidental charges charged by one airline you choose*
• As much as a $200 annual resort credit score per calendar yr, within the type of an announcement credit score, on pay as you go Amex Tremendous Resorts + Resorts or The Lodge Assortment bookings with American Specific Journey® portal once you pay together with your Amex Platinum (Lodge Assortment stays require a two-night minimal)*
• As much as $200 in Uber Money per calendar yr, legitimate on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S. (break up into month-to-month as much as $15 credit plus an as much as $20 bonus in December).* Uber Money will solely be deposited into one Uber account once you add the Amex Platinum as a cost methodology and redeem with any Amex card.
• As much as $199 in assertion credit per calendar yr to cowl your Clear Plus annual membership*
• As much as $240 per calendar yr in annual digital leisure credit score — disbursed as as much as $20 month-to-month assertion credit once you pay for eligible purchases with the Amex Platinum at eligible companions*

• As much as $300 in Equinox credit score per calendar yr on Equinox fitness center and Equinox+ app memberships (topic to auto-renewal)*
• As much as $300 in assertion credit per calendar yr towards the acquisition of a SoulCycle bike (as much as 15 bikes per calendar yr); should be enrolled in an Equinox+ membership to be eligible for this profit.
• As much as 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 International Entry each 4 years or an as much as $85 payment credit score for TSA PreCheck each 4½ years (relying on which software payment is charged to your card first)
• As much as a $100 per calendar yr in Saks Fifth Avenue credit score, break up into two as much as $50 assertion credit between January and June, then July by December*
• Entry to the American Specific International Lounge Assortment (for eligible cardmembers), together with Centurion Lounges, Precedence Move lounges, Airspace lounges, Escape lounges, Plaza Premium lounges and Delta Sky Golf equipment (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 Membership or to Seize 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 Most well-liked Plus and Nationwide Emerald Membership Govt*
• Entry to Amex Tremendous Resorts + Resorts and The Lodge Assortment
• Phrases apply to the advantages listed

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

• In case your journey is delayed by greater than six hours due to a lined motive, chances are you’ll be eligible to be reimbursed as much as $500 per lined journey for cheap extra bills**
• If you want to cancel or interrupt your journey due to a lined motive, chances are you’ll be eligible for reimbursement of as much as $10,000 per lined journey**
• Prolonged guarantee profit extends eligible producers’ warranties of 5 years or much less by as much as one extra yr***
• Buy safety protects latest purchases in opposition to theft, unintentional 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 their remaining membership yr and two years thereafter)*
• Phrases apply to the advantages listed

*Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.

**Eligibility and profit stage 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 ranges differ by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

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 payment.

Here is how TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen describes it:

“I’ve no use for some advantages of the Amex Platinum, and others (like Walmart+) I exploit simply because they’re there. Nevertheless, I all the time max out the digital leisure credit score ($240). I additionally simply use all $200 in Uber credit and all $200 in airline assertion credit yearly. In different phrases, simply three of those perks put $640 again in my pocket yearly. Consequently, I consider it as paying $55 for the entire different advantages on the cardboard — and that makes it a no brainer to maintain in my pocket.”

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

Associated: Easy methods to maximize advantages with the Amex Platinum Card

Incomes factors on the Amex Platinum

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

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

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

Associated: The final word information to saving cash with Amex Affords

Redeeming factors on the Amex Platinum

Membership Rewards factors are among the many most precious and versatile loyalty currencies ever created for redeeming factors. One of the simplest ways to maximise your factors is to switch them to one in all their loyalty program companions.

You may as well use your Membership Rewards factors to e-book journey immediately by American Specific Journey. But when the private Amex Platinum is the one Amex card in your stock, utilizing factors for airfare and resort redemptions this fashion will not get you superb worth.

You will get only one cent per level once you redeem the factors immediately for airfare at Amex Journey and fewer than 1 cent per level when redeeming for resort rooms.

From our expertise, 9 out of 10 occasions, you need to by no means redeem Membership Rewards factors for flights or motels by American Specific Journey, as you’re going to get significantly better worth utilizing switch companions.

Nevertheless, suppose you even have The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific. In that case, you will get one of many greatest direct level redemptions obtainable. Presently, Enterprise 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).

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

Associated: Greatest methods to make use of Amex Membership Rewards factors, from business-class flights to Europe to budget-friendly resort stays

Transferring factors on the Amex Platinum

In accordance with TPG’s July 2025 valuations, every Membership Rewards level is value 2 cents, thanks largely to this system’s airline and resort switch companions. These embody at the least one useful possibility in every main airline alliance (SkyTeam, Star Alliance and Oneworld).

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

Transferring your factors to the fitting airline or resort program is normally the easiest way to maximise your Membership Rewards factors worth.

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

“I look out for switch bonuses to maximise my factors to e-book long-haul business-class flights. I usually switch to Iberia Plus for lie-flat seats to Madrid. Typically, I am going to switch to Qantas Frequent Flyer to safe hard-to-find business- or first-class flights again to Australia.”

Which playing cards compete with the Amex Platinum?

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

• If you’d like extra focused advantages: Though the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with a heftier $795 annual payment, it presents a $300 journey credit score, an annual $500 The Edit by Chase Journey℠ credit score (minimal two-night keep required), a $300 eating assertion credit score and among the greatest journey protections obtainable. Nevertheless, it could’t beat the Amex Platinum on the subject of perks like lounge entry. To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
• If you’d like a a lot decrease annual payment: Capital One’s premium rewards card, the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card, packs a punch and comes with a extra inexpensive $395 annual payment. The Enterprise X is doubtlessly extra profitable than the Amex Platinum on the subject of incomes, accruing 10 miles per greenback on motels and automobile leases booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on flights and trip leases booked through Capital One Journey and an infinite 2 miles per greenback on all the things else. To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Enterprise X.
• For those who’d want a mid-tier journey card: The American Specific® Inexperienced Card is a superb possibility for younger professionals and people on the lookout for a extra inexpensive various 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 payment.

The knowledge for the American Specific Inexperienced Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

For added choices, take a look at our picks for the greatest playing cards for journey rewards and lounge entry.

Learn extra: The perfect premium bank cards: A side-by-side comparability

Backside line

For those who can 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 resort statuses and lounge advantages helpful or store sufficient to get substantial worth from the buying protections.

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

---

Apply right here: Amex Platinum

---

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