Amex Business Platinum Card and Amex Business Gold Card: Why You Should Have Both

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express and the American Express^® Business Gold Card are 2 of the best business credit cards on the market thanks to their combination of perks, protections, business benefits, and rewards ecosystem.

A common question from Upgraded Points readers is which card is better: the Amex Business Platinum card or the Amex Business Gold card. Truthfully, neither card is necessarily better than the other, but one card might be better suited for you based on your business needs and spending habits.

That said, we often find that many business owners could benefit greatly by having both cards, and in this guide, we will cover some of the top reasons why you might want to consider holding both cards in your wallet.

Card Snapshots

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 170,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum. The current public offer is 150,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 110,000 points with the Amex Business Gold card! The current public offer is 70,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Large Welcome Bonus Offers

One of the best parts of holding 2 cards is the opportunity to earn 2 separate welcome bonus offers. Fortunately, both the Amex Business Platinum card and the Amex Business Gold card come with large welcome offers, often ranging from 70,000 to 110,000 points on the Amex Business Gold card, and a whopping 120,000 to 170,000 on the Amex Business Platinum card.

Even at the lower end of both of these ranges, the welcome bonus offers of both cards would net you over 200,000 Amex Membership Rewards points after completing the minimum spend requirements. Thanks to the plethora of high-value redemptions you can make with Amex points, we value Membership Rewards at 2.2 cents per point, which would make 200,000 points worth $4,400.

Increased Point-Earning

A great rewards card can help you earn tons of points, and 2 great cards with contrasting bonus categories can help you ensure that you’re always earning as many points as possible on all of your business expenses. Here is a look at how the Amex Business Platinum card and Amex Business Gold card can help you do just that.

Bonus Category	Amex Business Platinum Card	Amex Business Gold Card
Flights and Prepaid Hotels at AmexTravel.com	5x	3x
U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers	1.5x	1x
Non-bonused purchases larger than $5,000	1.5x	1x
Electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers	1.5x	4x*
Shipping providers	1.5x	4x* (through January 31, 2024)
U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)	1x	4x*
U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery	1x	4x*
U.S. purchases at gas stations	1x	4x*
Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways	1x	4x*
Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.	1x	4x*
Airfare purchased directly from an airline	1x	4x* (through January 31, 2024)
All other purchases	1x	1x

* 4x rewards are applied to the top 2 categories where your business spends the most in each billing cycle from the eligible categories, and on up to $150,000 in spend per calendar year.

Fortunately, there isn’t much overlap in bonus categories between the 2 cards, which makes it fairly easy to assign each card to certain purchases so that you can always earn as many points as possible.

For instance, one strategy could be to use your Amex Business Gold card on 2 of the eligible bonus categories in which your business spends the most, like U.S. media providers for advertising and electronic goods retailers, software, and cloud system providers to earn 4x points on these expenses.

From there, you could use your Amex Business Platinum card to earn 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels at AmexTravel.com, along with 1.5x points on U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers and non-bonused purchases larger than $5,000.

Combined together, this gives you at least 5 different bonus categories where you are earning 1.5x to 5x points, and remember, you can adjust your 4x categories on your Amex Business Gold card month to month based on your business needs. For businesses with large monthly expenses, having the ability to earn 1.5x to 5x points on a wide variety of expenses can amount to some serious point earning.

Over $1,900 in Annual Credits

Without a doubt, the 2 biggest pain points of the Amex Business Platinum card and Amex Business Gold card are their annual fees of $695 (rates & fees) and $375 (rates & fees), respectively.

However, both cards come loaded up with hundreds of dollars in various statement credits to help take the sting out of the annual fees. Note that enrollment is required through your American Express account.

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you’ll receive:

• Up to $400 in statement credits per year toward U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies
• Up to $360 in statement credits per year (up to $90 back per quarter) for purchases with Indeed
• Up to $150 in statement credits per year for eligible annual prepaid business plan purchases with Adobe
• Up to $120 in statement credits per year for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S.
• Up to $200 annual airline fee credit
• Up to $189 annual CLEAR Plus credit
• Up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit

Enrollment required for statement credits above.

Plus, with the Amex Business Gold card, you’ll receive up to $240 in statement credits per year (enrollment required) for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores, along with a Walmart+ statement credit of up to $155 annually.

Altogether, this amounts to over $1,900 in annual statement credits. Even if you personally only valued each of these credits at 60% of their stated value, it would still be enough to eclipse the annual fees of both cards combined.

Top-Notch Travel Perks

While the Amex Business Gold card really shines when it comes to earning points, thanks to its 4x rewards on your top 2 spend categories each billing cycle, the Amex Business Platinum card reigns supreme when it comes to travel perks. In fact, we would argue that it is the best business card for travel perks on the market.

For starters, you receive airport lounge access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide (enrollment required), including Amex Centurion Lounges, Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, select Virgin Clubhouses, Delta Sky Clubs when flying with Delta the same day, and more.

The Amex Business Platinum card has you covered with hotel benefits, too, offering automatic Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (upon enrollment), which each include perks like bonus points, complimentary room upgrades (if available), late checkout (if available), and more.

Plus, you’ll receive access to the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program, available at hundreds of hotels worldwide with perks like room upgrades (when available), daily breakfast for 2, noon check-in (when available), guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, and a unique amenity valued at $100 (usually a food and beverage, or spa credit)

The elite status offered with the Amex Business Platinum card extends to rental cars as well, where you’ll receive benefits with Avis, Hertz, and National, each of which can offer discounted rental rates, car upgrades, and more (enrollment required).

As if all of that weren’t enough, cardholders can also take advantage of the Amex Pay With Points rebate, which gives you the ability to receive a 35% rebate when redeeming your points for business and first class flights with any airline, or toward flights in any cabin on your chosen airline. This allows you to redeem your Amex points for 1.54 cents per point towards these flights.

Currently, the Amex Business Gold card also has a 25% Pay With Points rebate, but this perk is set to be removed from the card on January 31, 2024. Given that, if the Pay With Points rebate is a perk you’d value having, that is all the more reason to hold the Amex Business Platinum card as well.

Bottom Line:

It should come as no surprise now that the Amex Business Platinum card is the benefits-rich option of this card combo. For a full look at all of the perks that the card can offer you, read through our dedicated guide on the best benefits of the Amex Business Platinum card.

Excellent Card Protections

Lastly, both the Amex Business Platinum card and Amex Business Gold card will give you excellent travel and purchase protections, including:

• Trip Delay Insurance: When you purchase a round-trip ticket with your card and the flight is delayed by more than 6 hours, you’re covered for up to $500 in reasonable expenses like meals, lodging, and personal use items.
• Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Secondary coverage to your rental car toward damage or theft
• Baggage Insurance: If your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you can receive coverage of $2,000 for checked baggage and a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage.
• Cell Phone Protection: Receive up to $1,600 in cell phone protection (2 claims per year with up to $800 for each claim) against theft and damage, including cosmetic damage (like a cracked phone screen).
• Purchase Protection: Items purchased with the card are covered for up to 90 days from the purchase date, up to $10,000 per item, and $50,000 per year, in the event of theft, loss, or damage.
• Extended Warranty Protection: Any items purchased with your card that have a manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less can be extended up to 1 additional year.

Additionally, the Amex Business Platinum card also offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance, covering flights purchased with your card that are canceled or interrupted due to an eligible reason, like inclement weather or accidental injury; coverage is up to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per year.

Final Thoughts

Either way you slice it, both the Amex Business Platinum card and the Amex Business Gold card are fantastic options and you cannot go wrong with either. However, if you really want to level up your overall points strategy, you very well might seriously benefit from holding both cards in your wallet.

The strong point-earning potential of the Amex Business Gold card and the benefits-rich Amex Business Platinum card make for a powerful 1-2 punch that can help you earn as many points as possible on your business expenses and significantly upgrade your travel experiences.

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For the trip delay insurance benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, up to $500 per covered trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card, up to $300 per covered trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, the maximum benefit amount for trip cancellation and interruption insurance is $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for covered persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per covered trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each covered person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all covered persons per covered trip. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for eligible persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a common carrier vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all covered persons per covered trip. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the cell phone protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellular wireless telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per eligible card account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per eligible card account per 12 month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the cell phone protection benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card, coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellular wireless telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per eligible card account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per eligible card account per 12 month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the purchase protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, purchase protection is an embedded benefit of your card membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases made on your eligible card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Coverage limits apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the purchase protection benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card, when an American Express^® card member charges a covered purchase with their eligible card, purchase protection can help protect their covered purchases for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the extended warranty benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, when an American Express^® card member charges a covered purchase to an eligible card, extended warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the extended warranty benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold Card, when an American Express^® card member charges a covered purchase to an eligible card, extended warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.