Mastercard Black Card vs. Amex Platinum Card [Detailed Comparison]

Key Takeaways

• The Mastercard^® Black Card™ earns 2x points on airfare and hotel bookings made through LuxuryCardTravel.com and 1x points on all other eligible purchases. Points can be redeemed for cash-back and airfare.
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express earns 5x points on flights (up to $500,000 per year, then 1x) and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com.
• The Amex Platinum card has a higher annual fee, but outperforms the Mastercard Black card with flexible rewards, valuable statement credits, and extensive lounge access.

With extensive lounge access, valuable statement credits, and flexible rewards, the Platinum Card^® from American Express is the benchmark by which all other high-end cards are measured. The Mastercard^® Black Card™ is positioned as a luxury alternative with a simpler rewards structure.

This comparison breaks down how the Mastercard Black card stacks up to the Amex Platinum card, from earning and redemption to travel benefits and credits.

Hot Tip:

The Mastercard Black Card, which is issued by Barclays, is not to be confused with the Centurion^® Card from American Express, commonly known as the Amex Black Card.

Overview

Before we get into the details of how each card works, let’s quickly compare the Mastercard Black card and the Amex Platinum card.

Value of a Welcome Offer

The Mastercard Black card does not have a welcome offer, but the Amex Platinum card does. We value Membership Rewards points at approximately 2.2 cents each, which would make the current welcome offer worth up to $3,850.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted. 

As High As 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$895

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

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 1,550 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash and Uber One, Resy, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, lululemon 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 and Amex International Airline Program
• Access to Amex transfer partners
• No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

 

Cons

• $895 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

 

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards^® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel^®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts^® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel^® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
• With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection^®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club^® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges.* As of 07/2025.
• $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card^® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card^® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
• $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card^® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
• $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel^® using the Platinum Card^®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card^® to make eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card^®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you.
• $209 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card^®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card^® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
• Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts^® through American Express Travel^®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
• $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card^® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card^®.* Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• $895 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

 

Hot Tip: Apply and find out if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of as high as 175,000 points with the Amex Platinum. Welcome offers may vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

 

Mastercard Black Card Points vs. Membership Rewards Points

The Mastercard Black card earns Black Card points, while the Amex Platinum card earns Membership Rewards points. Let’s look closer at how rewards are earned and the choices you have at redemption time for each of our featured cards.

Earning Potential

If you spend a lot on travel, earning 5x Membership Rewards points on flights with the Amex Platinum card could help you accumulate rewards quickly.

Hot Tip:

Referral bonuses are a good way to earn additional rewards points. Check out our guide on how to earn referral bonuses on the most popular credit cards. 

Redemptions

It’s good to have multiple options when you’re ready to redeem your points. Here’s how you can redeem rewards earned on the Mastercard Black card and the Amex Platinum card:

Although the Mastercard Black card allows you to redeem points for 2 cents each in value for flights, the flexible Membership Rewards points earned on the Amex Platinum card can be more valuable when transferred to travel partners.

The Mastercard Black card offers good value when you redeem for cash-back at 1.5 cents per point. The Amex Platinum card only provides 0.6 cents per point when redeemed for statement credits.

Air Travel Advantages

Both the Mastercard Black card and the Amex Platinum card offer air travel benefits:

• Worldwide airport lounge access: Both cards give cardholders access to airport lounges worldwide. The Mastercard Black card grants complimentary access to over 1,700 airport lounges and travel experiences in more than 600 cities across 145 countries with with Priority Pass™ Select. Access includes unlimited visits for yourself as well as your guests. The Amex Platinum card’s American Express Global Lounge Collection offers access to more than 1,550 airport lounges.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: Receive a statement credit of up to $120 when you use your card to pay your application or renewal fee.

Mastercard Black Card

• Airline credit: Pay for airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades, and more with your Mastercard Black card and receive statement credits of up to $200 each calendar year.

Amex Platinum Card

• Amex International Airline Program: Get special pricing when you use AmexTravel.com to book your next first-class, business-class, or premium economy international airline ticket.
• Airline incidentals statement credit: Preselect the airline of your choice and receive up to $200 back in statement credits each year for qualifying incidental purchases made with that airline.
• CLEAR+ membership credit: Pay for CLEAR+ membership with your card to get expedited security clearance and a statement credit of up to $209.

Hotel Program Privileges

Mastercard Black Card

• Luxury Card travel benefits: Get an upgraded room at check-in when available, free Wi-Fi, daily breakfast for 2, and a resort credit (or a welcome amenity) at more than 3,000 properties worldwide.

Amex Platinum Card

• Prepaid hotel statement credit: Receive up to $600 back in statement credits (up to $300 semiannually) when you book a prepaid stay via AmexTravel.com for a stay at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (must be 2 or more nights for the latter).
• Hotel program elite status: Get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Leaders Club Sterling, and Hilton Honors Gold status, which offer room upgrades, late checkout, and more. Enrollment is required.
• Additional elite-style hotel benefits: Make a prepaid booking with your card or Membership Rewards points via AmexTravel.com for Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (2-night minimum stay for the latter), and receive benefits such as room upgrades, breakfast, on-site amenities, and more. This benefit can be used in conjunction with the annual hotel statement credit.

Car Rental Perks

Both the Mastercard Black card and the Amex Platinum card offer secondary car rental insurance when you reserve and pay for your rental car with your card and decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW coverage.

Amex Platinum Card

• Car rental program benefits: Receive discounted rental rates, priority service, and car upgrades with Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, and National Car Rental Emerald Club.
• Car rental elite status: Receive Hertz President’s Circle status.
• Access to Premium Protection car rental insurance: As a card member, you have access to primary Premium Protection for $12.25 to $24.95, depending on your state of residence, covering the entire rental period of up to 42 consecutive days.

Other Travel Benefits

Both the Mastercard Black card and the Amex Platinum card offer:

• Travel concierge services: The Mastercard Black card includes the Luxury Card Concierge, while the Amex Platinum card includes the Platinum Card Concierge.
• No foreign transaction fees: Neither card charges foreign transaction fees.

Mastercard Black Card

• Luxury Card VIP services and discounts: Receive discounts and perks on streaming services, online shopping, medical evacuations, golf experiences, wellness experiences, cellular phone protection, gift purchases, online classes, and more.

Travel Insurance and Protection Benefits

Premium travel rewards credit cards also have premium protections. Both the Mastercard Black card and the Amex Platinum card offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage insurance, and travel and emergency assistance services.

You’ll find these additional travel benefits and protections unique to each card:

Mastercard Black Card

• Travel accident insurance: The card offers up to $250,000 in accidental death or dismemberment coverage when your trip is paid for with your card.

Amex Platinum Card

• Emergency evacuation: The Premium Global Assist hotline offers emergency medical transportation or evacuation at no cost.
• Trip delay insurance: The Amex Platinum card provides up to $500 per covered trip for eligible additional expenses if your trip is delayed more than 6 hours for a covered reason. There is a limit of 2 claims per consecutive 12-month period.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

Both the Mastercard Black card and the Amex Platinum card offer several valuable shopping benefits and protections.

Both cards have cell phone protection for up to $800 per claim. In addition to cell phone protection, here are the additional shopping benefits and protections on each featured card.

Mastercard Black Card

• Dining credit: Use your card at qualifying restaurants and get up to $100 back in statement credits annually.
• Mastercard shopping benefits: Receive statement credits or discounts when using your card for Lyft rides, a Peacock subscription, or Instacart.
• 0% APR period for balance transfers: Use a 15-month, 0% APR for balance transfers posted within 45 days of opening your account. There’s a fee of $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Amex Platinum Card

• Saks Fifth Avenue credit: Receive up to $100 in statement credits each year — $50 January through June, and $50 July through December — for purchases made with your card.
• Uber Cash: Add your Amex Platinum card to your Uber account to receive $15 in Uber Cash each month from January through November and $35 in December, for a total of $200 each calendar year, good for rides or Uber Eats as long as you use your card as the payment method.
• Uber One credit: Receive up to $120 in annual credit to reimburse your membership fee.
• Walmart+ credit: Use your Amex Platinum card to pay for your monthly Walmart+ membership and receive up to $12.95 each month as a statement credit, up to $155 each year.
• Digital entertainment credit: Receive up to $25 each month for purchases made with Disney+, the Disney+ Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, Paramount+, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV, up to $300 each year.
• Equinox credit: Receive up to $300 in credits each year when you use your card for Equinox or Equinox+ memberships.
• Oura Ring credit: Receive up to $200 in annual credit toward the purchase price.
• Resy credit: Receive up to $400 annually (available as $100 per quarter) for qualifying purchases.
• Credit for lululemon: Receive up to $300 annually (available as $75 per quarter) for qualifying purchases.
• Amex Offers: Log in to your online Amex Platinum card account to enroll in offers for bonus points or cash-back with retailers and service providers.
• Purchase protection: Use your card to purchase an eligible item and receive coverage for damage or theft for up to 90 days from the date of purchase, up to $10,000 per purchase, and $50,000 per card account.
• Extended warranty: Eligible items purchased with your card that have a manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less receive 1 additional year of warranty.
• Return protection: If a merchant will not accept a return of an eligible item purchased with your card within 90 days of the purchase date, you could receive up to $300 per item, up to $1,000 per card account per calendar year.

Enrollment is required for some benefits.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

The Mastercard Black card charges an annual fee of $699, while the Amex Platinum card charges $895.

You pay an annual fee of $249 per authorized user added to the Mastercard Black card. The Amex Platinum card charges $195 per Additional Platinum Card. You can add Companion Platinum Cards for no additional fee.

Final Thoughts

The Mastercard Black card can be appealing if you want simple earnings and fixed redemptions, but it has a high annual fee with no welcome offer and limited redemption options. The Amex Platinum card is a stronger card with a generous welcome offer, extensive statement credits and benefits, 5x points on select flights, and points that can be transferred to travel partners for greater potential value.