The Amex Platinum – The Best Card for Worldwide Lounge Access [By Far]

If The Platinum Card^® by American Express is not already in your wallet, here’s a quick overview of the card below. It’s our favorite card for luxury perks and benefits, which of course includes lounge access!

Amex Platinum

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

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This card is undoubtedly the #1 card for luxury travel benefits. From the best lounge access (of any card) to statement credits, to complimentary elite status, you can’t go wrong.

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

This card is undoubtedly the #1 card for luxury travel benefits. From the best lounge access (of any card) to statement credits, to complimentary elite status, you can’t go wrong.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per $1 spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit)
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card^®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card^®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card^®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card^®. Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card^®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

(If you’re a business owner, The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express offers the exact same lounge access benefits.)

The American Express Global Lounge Collection

You don’t have to fly a specific airline or purchase a premium class of service to have worldwide lounge access.

Your Amex Platinum card comes with complimentary lounge access to over 1,400 different lounge properties worldwide, including the vast network of Priority Pass lounges.

You’ll have access to any of the lounge networks within the American Express Global Lounge Collection:

• Airspace Lounge
• The luxurious Centurion Lounges (both in the U.S. and abroad)
• Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta same-day)
• Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner
• Select Lufthansa Lounges (when flying Lufthansa same-day)
• Plaza Premium Lounges
• Priority Pass lounges
• Select Virgin Clubhouses

We’ll discuss the details of these lounge networks later in this article but first, let’s look at the potential value of the Amex Platinum card’s complimentary lounge access benefit.

Hot Tip: With over 1,400 lounges worldwide, the Amex Platinum card offers the most comprehensive lounge access benefit of any travel credit card. 

The Value of Complimentary Lounge Access

The cost of purchasing an airport lounge membership is constantly increasing. It’s not unusual to see $600 annual membership fees for access to a single lounge network.

To understand the value of the complimentary lounge membership that comes with the Amex Platinum card, let’s look at what membership would cost for a typical airport lounge network.

Yes, annual lounge membership can be expensive. However, with a yearly fee, is the complimentary lounge access that comes with the Amex Platinum card worth it?

Let’s do the math.

Value for Family Lounge Access

Beginning February 1, 2023, complimentary guest access for Amex Platinum cardholders will be eliminated. The fee per guest will be $50 per adult or $30 per child between 2 to 17 years old. Complimentary guest access will be reinstated once you’ve spent $75,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year.

Until then, if you frequently travel with a large family, it can be frustrating when lounge access is denied to more than 2 guests. Sure, you and your partner could each be primary cardholders with your own individual cards, but fortunately, that’s not necessary.

For $195 per card, you can add authorized users to your Amex Platinum card. Each authorized user receives the same lounge benefits as the primary cardholder (see rates and fees).

Remember that authorized users don’t have to be traveling with you to have lounge access.

Value for the Delta Air Lines Traveler

Without the Amex Platinum card, a frequent Delta traveler without high-level elite status would need to purchase a Sky Club membership to have lounge access.

A Delta Sky Club membership that allows 2 guests would cost $845 annually. A single membership is $545.

For $725 annually, the Amex Platinum card could secure access for an entire family to over 1,400 lounges worldwide, not just Delta-affiliated lounges.

Bottom Line: The Amex Platinum card, with an annual fee near the same cost of a single Sky Club membership, deliver far more value for the Delta traveler. Plus, you’ll receive all the additional benefits of the card, including the initial sign-up bonus, statement credits, hotel/rental car elite status, and access to more than Delta-affiliated lounges. 

Value for the Leisure Traveler

If you currently pay for lounge access, having the Amex Platinum card for complimentary lounge access as a leisure traveler makes sense. If you’d simply like to add the luxury of having airport lounge access to your travels, it also makes sense.

If you travel just once a quarter and pay for 2 travelers to access a lounge, you could be spending $400 a year on lounge access. Having the Amex Platinum card will add unlimited worldwide lounge access to your travels for yourself plus 2 guests. You can visit for 15 minutes or 3 hours without considering whether it’s worth the $50 day pass fee for each person.

The Global Lounge Benefit Details

Having complimentary access to a variety of airport lounges during your travels may sound very appealing. However, it’s always good to dig deeper and learn more about the actual benefits you’ll be receiving.

For a credit card benefit to have value for you, you’ll need to be able to utilize that benefit.

Let’s take a look at the impressive collection of lounges and lounge alternatives in the American Express Global Lounge Collection that you’ll have complimentary access to with your Amex Platinum card.

The Centurion Lounge Network

Membership to this elite network of luxury airport lounges is not for sale. You’ll need to have either the Amex Platinum card, Amex Business Platinum card, or the Centurion^® Card by American Express to gain access.

Centurion Lounges, both in the U.S. and abroad, are the coolest places to hang out if you’re a frequent traveler. Order from the menu, take a nap in the zen room, or relax with a premium cocktail during your visit.

You may even choose to get a manicure or massage if your schedule allows. Services and amenities vary by location, but it’s always an elevated experience.

Cardholders can bring in 2 additional guests at no charge until February 1, 2023.

Centurion Lounge Benefits

Additional Amenities Available at Some Centurion Lounges

Priority Pass Select

Priority Pass lounges seem to be available everywhere, and there’s a reason. There are more than 1,300 locations worldwide, so you’re likely to find one available during your travels.

You may also use your Priority Pass Select membership to take a nap at Minute Suites. You’ll receive the first hour free.

You must sign up for Priority Pass once you receive your Amex Platinum card welcome package in the mail. Log in to your online account and sign up under the benefits tab or call the number on the back of your card.

We’ve put together an extensive guide to Priority Pass with a list of benefits, plus lounge, restaurant, and Minute Suite locations in the U.S.

Delta Sky Club

Cardholders who are traveling the same day on Delta have unlimited access to over 50 Delta Sky Clubs.

Just show your boarding pass, ID, and your Amex Platinum card for entry.

While guests are not included for complimentary access, the cardholder may purchase discounted access for up to 2 guests for $29 each.

Lufthansa Lounges

Cardholders receive complimentary access to Lufthansa business class lounges when flying same-day on a Lufthansa Group flight (Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines). If the cardholder is flying business class, they’ll also have access to the Lufthansa Senator Lounges.

Guests may be granted access for a fee.

Virgin Clubhouses

Cardholders are eligible to visit Virgin Clubhouses in Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Washington, D.C. (IAD), and Johannesburg (JNB) in South Africa.

Plaza Premium Lounges

Based in Hong Kong, Plaza Premium Lounges has a vast network of airport lounges available to the Amex Platinum cardholder.

You’ll find 120+ lounges worldwide in the Plaza Premium Lounges network.

Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner

With 10+ locations throughout the U.S., Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner offers a place to enjoy a premium beverage, have a bite to eat, catch up on work, or relax between flights.

Cardholders may bring 2 additional guests at no charge.

Airspace Lounge

Airspace Lounge is located at San Diego (SAN) airport and offers complimentary access for cardholders. Enjoy a complimentary full bar and a $10 menu credit. A business area, Wi-Fi, conference room, and showers are on-site, and 2 guests are permitted at no additional charge.

Final Thoughts

If you currently pay for an annual airport lounge membership, you’ll be thrilled with the value you receive from the Amex Platinum card.

For less than the price of just a couple of day passes per month, you can enjoy unlimited worldwide lounge access with the card. You’ll also enjoy the long list of other premium travel benefits that come with the card.

If you’ve been without lounge membership and have considered adding lounge access to your travels, you won’t find a more cost-effective route to unlimited worldwide lounge access for you and your guests.

The information regarding the Centurion^® Card from American Express was independently collected by Upgraded Points and was not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.