Amex Platinum Card review: Luxury benefits and premium perks for frequent travelers
The is a powerhouse for travelers who enjoy premium benefits, broad airport lounge access and valuable statement credits.
Those benefits come at a cost: The Amex Platinum charges a $895 annual fee (see rates and fees), but for frequent travelers who maximize its benefits, the value can easily outweigh the cost.
Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Amex Platinum: The basics
The offers a long list of premium travel benefits. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll get:
- Rewards: The Amex Platinum earns transferable American Express Membership Rewards points, worth 2 cents apiece per TPG’s September 2026 valuations.
- Airport lounge access: Eligible cardmembers receive access to a vast network of airport lounges through the American Express Global Lounge Collection.
- Travel statement credits: Multiple travel statement credits can help offset the annual fee.
- Lifestyle statement credits: Additional statement credits are available for select lifestyle purchases.
- Elite status perks: You’ll receive complimentary elite status across various hotel and car rental programs.
Related: Get instant Hilton, Marriott and LHW hotel elite status with the Amex Platinum Card
Amex Platinum pros and cons
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Related: Amex Platinum cardmembers can save hundreds with these new Amex Offers
Amex Platinum benefits
The is loaded with valuable benefits. Here’s what cardmembers need to know.
Lounge access
With the American Express Global Lounge Collection, you’ll receive access to the following lounges as an eligible cardmember:
- Centurion Lounges (complimentary guest access after spending $75,000 in a calendar year)
- Aspire lounges
- Delta Sky Clubs (eligible Platinum cardmembers will receive 10 visits per eligible Platinum Card, per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go locations when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight (excluding basic economy), unless they spend $75,000 or more on their card to unlock unlimited visits)
- Escape lounges
- Lufthansa lounges (until Oct. 1)
- Plaza Premium lounges
Cardmembers also receive complimentary Priority Pass Select (enrollment required). Two guests can come with you to Priority Pass lounges at no charge.
Guest access policies vary across the other lounges.
The breadth of the Global Lounge Collection network makes the Amex Platinum my top choice for an airport lounge card since it’s great for both primary cardmembers and authorized users.
Statement credits
The Amex Platinum offers one of the most extensive collections of statement credits among travel rewards cards. One of the best ways to offset the card’s $895 annual fee is to take advantage of the credits that align with your spending habits.
Travel and dining statement credits
- Hotel credit: Receive up to $600 in hotel statement credits per calendar year (allotted as up to $300 biannually) on prepaid American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings made through American Express Travel® when you pay with your Amex Platinum. Hotel Collection stays require a two-night minimum. TPG credit cards editor Olivia Mittak recently used this statement credit for a one-night stay at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix, an FHR property.
- Resy: Receive up to $400 per calendar year in Resy statement credits (distributed as up to $100 per quarter). Simply pay with your Amex Platinum at an eligible U.S. Resy restaurant; no reservation is required.* Resy partners with thousands of restaurants across the U.S., and I find this credit easy to redeem each quarter, regardless of my travel plans.
- Clear+: Receive up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year to cover your Clear+ annual membership (subject to auto-renewal).*
- Airline incidental credit: Receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by one eligible airline you select.* This year, I selected American Airlines. I used part of this statement credit for a day pass to the Admirals Club lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) during a layover.
- Uber: Receive up to $200 in Uber Cash per calendar year (split into monthly up to $15 credits plus an up to $20 bonus in December), valid on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S. Note: Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Platinum as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
- Uber One: Receive up to $120 in statement credits per calendar year toward an Uber One membership to fully cover an auto-renewing $96 annual or $9.99 monthly membership
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck: Receive a $120 statement credit for Global Entry or up to an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck every four years (depending on which application fee is charged to your card first).
Fitness and lifestyle statement credits
- Digital entertainment: Receive up to $300 per calendar year in statement credits for digital entertainment (disbursed as up to $25 monthly statement credits).*
- Oura: Receive up to a $200 Oura statement credit per calendar year (valid only for hardware purchases).* I used this statement credit to buy one for my sister as a birthday gift this year.
- Equinox: Receive up to $300 in Equinox statement credits per calendar year to use on Equinox gym and Equinox+ app memberships (subject to auto-renewal).*
- SoulCycle: Receive up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year toward the purchase of a SoulCycle bike (up to 15 bikes per calendar year); must be enrolled in an Equinox+ membership to be eligible for this benefit.*
Shopping statement credits
- Lululemon: Receive up to a $300 Lululemon statement credit per calendar year at U.S. stores (excluding outlets) and online (allocated as up to $75 per quarter).*
- Walmart+: Receive up to a $155 Walmart+ statement credit per calendar year (up to $12.95 monthly, plus applicable taxes) that covers the cost of a monthly membership when paying with the Amex Platinum (on one membership, subject to auto-renewal; Plus Ups excluded).* TPG partnerships and newsletter editor Emily Thompson has enjoyed getting her groceries delivered from Walmart with her Walmart+ membership.
Travel and lifestyle benefits
- Complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors*
- Complimentary Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy*
- Complimentary Sterling status with Leading Hotels of the World*
- Complimentary car rental status: This perk includes complimentary Hertz Gold+ Rewards President’s Circle, Avis Preferred Plus and National Emerald Club Executive status.*
Travel and purchase protections
*Enrollment is required
**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
***Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Related: Amex Platinum tightens digital entertainment credit eligibility for Peacock subscriptions
How to earn and use Membership Rewards points
Earning Membership Rewards points
With the , you’ll earn:
- 5 points per dollar spent on airfare purchased directly with the airlines or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of airfare purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent)
- 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
The Amex Platinum earns well on airfare and prepaid hotel bookings. However, the card may not be your best overall earner, considering that most purchases net you just 1 point per dollar spent. That’s why many cardmembers pair it with another Membership Rewards-earning card for categories like dining, gas and groceries.
If you have an Amex Platinum, you’re also eligible for targeted Amex Offers that could boost earning rates at select merchants, such as Amazon.
Redeeming Membership Rewards points
Membership Rewards points are among the most valuable and flexible loyalty currencies. You have several options for redeeming Membership Rewards points, including transferring them to travel partners, booking through Amex Travel, statement credits and gift cards.
You can redeem points for airfare through Amex Travel at 1 cent apiece, while hotel redemptions generally provide less than 1 cent per point. Statement credits and many gift-card redemptions are also redemption options, but they tend to provide less value.
Generally, the best way to maximize your points is to transfer them to one of Amex’s loyalty program partners.
Related: Best ways to use Amex Membership Rewards points
Transferring Membership Rewards points
According to TPG’s September valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, largely thanks to the program’s airline and hotel transfer partners. Those include at least one helpful option in each major airline alliance: Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance.
Notable Membership Rewards partners include Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Club, Delta SkyMiles and Marriott Bonvoy, giving cardmembers plenty of options whether they prefer premium flights, hotel stays or everyday travel.
This year, I transferred 39,000 Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and redeemed them for my first business-class flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), paying $581 in taxes and fees for the one-way ticket in May.
I’ve also transferred Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors to top off my balance for hotel stays. Since Amex points transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio, I was able to turn 20,000 Amex points into 40,000 Hilton points. This helped me redeem 100,000 Hilton points for two nights at the Graduate by Hilton Chapel Hill during a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels basketball game weekend.
Those are exactly the kinds of high-value redemptions that make Membership Rewards one of my favorite transferable points currencies.
Related: Travel to Europe using points and miles: How to redeem your rewards for flights
Where the Amex Platinum could fall short
I’m a big fan of the , but it’s not for everyone. Here are some reasons the card may fall short for others.
You don’t want to pay a high annual fee
The Amex Platinum’s $895 annual fee is a primary detractor. If you don’t want to pay nearly $1,000 for a card, this one won’t be a good fit.
Related: Is the Amex Platinum worth the annual fee?
You don’t want to keep track of statement credits
Along these lines, you’ll want to maximize the statement credits to get the most value for that $895 annual fee. If you find it overwhelming to track statement credits quarterly, biannually and annually, you may want to find a simpler option.
You want a card with more bonus categories
Outside of direct airfare purchases and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, the Amex Platinum isn’t a particularly strong everyday earner. Most other eligible purchases earn just 1 point per dollar spent.
American Express Platinum vs. American Express Gold
The Amex Platinum suits frequent travelers seeking premium perks: hotel credits, lounge access and high earnings on flights and prepaid hotels.
The charges a lower $325 annual fee (see rates and fees) and prioritizes everyday rewards. It earns 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $50,000 and $25,000 per calendar year, respectively, then 1 point per dollar spent).
Choose based on your spending patterns — the Platinum if you travel frequently and maximize its credits, the Gold if you spend heavily on dining and groceries. Many cardmembers hold both, using the Platinum for travel and the Gold for everyday rewards.
Related: American Express Gold vs. American Express Platinum
When to apply for the Amex Platinum
The current bonus on the is its standard welcome offer: New cardmembers can find out their offer and may be eligible for as high as 175,000 bonus points after spending $12,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. (Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.)
This bonus is worth up to $3,500, per TPG’s valuations — more than three times the card’s $895 annual fee.
When it comes to eligibility, you may not qualify for the Amex Platinum bonus if you have previously had or held this card or another variant.
Related: American Express Platinum: Valuable benefits and an offer as high as 175,000 bonus points
Other cards to consider instead of the Amex Platinum
If you aren’t interested in the , consider these other options:
For additional options, check out our picks for the best lounge access cards.
Related: 7 cards that can replace your Amex Platinum
Bottom line
The remains one of the best premium travel rewards cards on the market.
Between its broad lounge access, extensive statement credits, elite status benefits and valuable Membership Rewards points, it delivers exceptional value for frequent travelers.
Its $895 annual fee is undeniably high, and the card isn’t a strong choice for most everyday spending. It also takes some effort to keep track of its many statement credits throughout the year.
If you’ll regularly take advantage of those benefits, the card can provide enough value to justify its premium price tag.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, click here.