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

One of the best premium travel rewards cards available is the Platinum Card^® from American Express — a card we discuss often because of its plethora of benefits and perks. However, unlike typical credit cards, the Amex Platinum card allows you to carry a balance for certain charges, but not all. And, while the card has rightly earned its reputation, there are other cards that vie for the same space.

Today we’re going to discuss one of those competitors, the Mastercard^® Black Card™. On the surface, the card appears to be a premium travel rewards card ready to prove itself as a worthy challenger to the Amex Platinum card.

Our objective with this article is to dig deeper into the benefits of the Mastercard Black card, compare it to the Amex Platinum card, and reveal the actual bottom line value for a cardholder.

Key Takeaways

• The Mastercard^® Black Card™ offers 1x points on all purchases with cash-back and airline redemptions.
• 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, and has travel benefits and statement credits.
• The Amex Platinum card outshines the Mastercard Black card with flexible rewards, valuable statement credits, and extensive lounge access, justifying its higher annual fee (rates & fees).

Overview

Before we get into the details of how each card works, it can be helpful to look at a summary of the features and benefits offered by each card.

Here’s a high-level overview of how the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card compare overall.

Value of a Welcome Offer

A credit card welcome offer is an incentive to use your card immediately after card approval to meet minimum spending requirements within a specific period and receive bonus rewards.

While the Mastercard Black card does not have a welcome offer, the Amex Platinum card does come with the opportunity to earn a bonus. We value Membership Rewards points at approximately 2.2 cents each, which would result in the current welcome offer being worth up to $3,850.

Welcome offers do change, so be sure to check for the most current offer before applying for any card.

+ NEW BENEFITS

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 spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

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 cardapplication.

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

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 $8,000 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.
• More Value! 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.
• More Value! $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.
• More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card^® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
• More Value! $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.
• New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card^® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. 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, enrollment required.
• More Value! $209 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the 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 upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
• New! $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.
• $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card^®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
• 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. These points are not created equal, however, as the value of each type of point differs.

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

While neither the Mastercard Black card nor the Amex Platinum card have a robust earning structure, if you spend a lot on travel, earning a capped 5x Membership Rewards points on flights with the Amex Platinum card could help you accumulate rewards quickly.

However, earning points is just half of the equation. Let’s look next at the potential value you can receive at redemption time with each card.

Hot Tip:

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

Redemption Options

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 Amex Platinum card:

Both the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card earn 1x points on nearly every purchase.

The Amex Platinum card, however, earns the capped 5x points on flights booked directly with the airline or via AmexTravel.com. If you spend a lot on flights, the Amex Platinum card has the edge in earnings.

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 allow you to realize greater value when transferred to travel partners, which is why we value Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents each. For example, you can transfer 50,000 Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic to fly in Delta Air Lines business class from the U.S. to Europe — a flight that normally costs thousands of dollars.

The Mastercard Black card does offer good value when you redeem for cash-back at 1.5 cents per point. The Amex Platinum card does not have this option and only provides 0.6 cents per point in value when you redeem for statement credits.

Bottom Line:

The Amex Platinum card has better earning potential than the Mastercard Black card. Membership Rewards points earned on the Amex Platinum card also offer greater potential value at redemption time when transferred to airline and hotel partners. 

Air Travel Advantages

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

• Worldwide airport lounge access: One of the most valuable benefits provided by both of our featured cards is access to airport lounges worldwide. The Mastercard Black card comes with complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, while the Amex Platinum card comes with access to an expanded collection of lounges detailed below.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: Receive a statement credit for reimbursement of up to $120 when you use your card to pay for your application fee or renewal. The Mastercard Black card reimburses up to $120 once every 5 years, while the Amex Platinum card reimburses up to $120 for Global Entry every 4 years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck every 4 1/2 years.

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 $100 each calendar year.

Amex Platinum Card

• American Express Global Lounge Collection: Get access to over 1,550 airport lounges, including the prestigious Amex Centurion Lounges, Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner, Priority Pass lounges (upon enrollment), Plaza Premium Lounges, 10 visits a year to Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta, plus the ability to unlock unlimited access), and more.
• Amex International Airline Program: Enjoy special pricing when using AmexTravel.com to shop for 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 Plus membership credit: Pay for CLEAR Plus membership with your card to get expedited security clearance and a statement credit of up to $209 for your purchase.

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 Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection stay (must be 2 or more nights).
• Hotel program elite status: Get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Leaders Club Sterling, and Hilton Honors Gold status, which come with 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, onsite amenities, and more. This benefit can be realized in conjunction with the annual up-to-$600 hotel statement credit.

Car Rental Perks

Both the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card come with car rental insurance when you reserve and pay for your rental car with your card. Decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW coverage and receive secondary coverage for damage or theft of the rental car. Secondary coverage means you must first file a claim with any other applicable insurance before car coverage kicks in.

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: Knowledgeable experts can help you 24/7 to elevate your travel, dining, and entertainment experiences or assist with everyday challenges such as getting flowers delivered for that special birthday you remembered at the last minute. The Mastercard Black card comes with the Luxury Card Concierge, while the Amex Platinum card has the Platinum Card Concierge.
• No foreign transaction fees: Both the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card work well when traveling, as 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

As you’d expect, premium travel rewards credit cards also have premium protections. Here are some of the travel protections and benefits on both the Mastercard Black card and the Amex Platinum card:

• Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance: The Mastercard Black card comes with coverage of up to $5,000 per covered person for reimbursement of eligible nonrefundable expenses when a round trip is paid for with the card. With the Amex Platinum card, the maximum amount of coverage is $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per eligible card account per 12-month period. The terms and conditions for each policy are spelled out in each card’s guide to benefits.
• Baggage insurance: If your baggage is delayed more than 4 hours, the Mastercard Black card could reimburse you for incidentals up to $100 per day for 3 days. The Amex Platinum card does not have baggage delay coverage but does offer coverage for baggage theft or damage up to $3,000 per person for each trip.
• Travel and emergency assistance services: The Mastercard Black card provides emergency assistance services during your travels via its MasterAssist Travel Assistance Services. The Amex Platinum card comes with the Premium Global Assist Hotline. Both cards offer referral services for emergency transport, lost passport, legal or medical referrals, emergency funds, translation services, and more.

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

Mastercard Black Card

• Travel accident insurance: The card comes with a benefit of up to $250,000 for accidental death or dismemberment when your trip is paid for with your card.

Amex Platinum Card

• Emergency evacuation: Have peace of mind that if you need emergency evacuation during your trip, you’ll have access to coverage via your card.
• 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.

Please keep in mind that we abbreviate the benefits and protection descriptions and do not include every benefit or protection available on each card. Review each card’s guide to benefits for terms, conditions, and full descriptions.

Bottom Line:

The lists of travel benefits and protections that come with the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card are significant. The Amex Platinum card does have the edge in this category, however, as it has more benefits, many of which are in the form of statement credits that can help offset the annual fee on the card. 

Shopping Benefits and Protections

Shopping benefits can save you money and provide coverage should something happen to an eligible purchase. Both the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card come with several valuable shopping benefits and protections.

Let’s start with a key protection on both featured cards:

Cell phone protection: Pay for your entire cell phone bill with your card and receive coverage for damage and theft. The Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card each provide cell phone coverage for up to $800 per claim, with a maximum of 2 claims per account per 12-month period. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. The Mastercard Black card has a coverage limit of $1,000 per card per 12-month period.

In addition to cell phone protection, here are the additional shopping benefits and protections on each featured card.

Mastercard Black Card

• Mastercard shopping benefits: Receive statement credits or discounts when using your card for Lyft rides, a Peacock subscription, or Priceless Golf reservations.

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. Enrollment required.
• Uber Cash: Add your Amex Platinum card to your Uber account to receive VIP status plus $15 in Uber Cash deposited into your account each month from January through November. In December, you receive $35, for a total of $200 in Uber Cash each calendar year. Uber Cash can be used for rides or for Uber Eats in the U.S. An Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• Uber One credit: Receive up to $120 annually to reimburse the cost of 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. Enrollment required.
• Equinox credit: Receive up to $300 in credits each year when you use your card for Equinox or Equinox+ memberships. Enrollment required.
• Oura Ring credit: Receive up to $200 annually toward the purchase cost. Enrollment required.
• Resy credit: Receive up to $400 annually (available as $100 per quarter) for qualifying purchases. Enrollment required.
• lululemon Credit: Receive up to $300 annually (available as $75 per quarter) for qualifying purchases. Enrollment required.
• Amex Offers: Log in to your online Amex Platinum card account, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and select from up to 100 offers for bonus points or cash-back for shopping at retailers and service providers. Enrollment required.
• 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 manufacturer’s warranties of 5 years or less receive 1 additional warranty year.
• Return protection: If a merchant will not accept a return of an eligible item purchased with your card within 90 days from the date of purchase, you could receive up to $300 per item, up to $1,000 per card account per calendar year.

Bottom Line:

While the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card both come with cell phone protection, the Amex Platinum card is loaded with far more additional shopping benefits, credits, and protections.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

The Mastercard Black card charges an annual fee of $495 while the Amex Platinum card charges $895.

You pay an annual charge of $195 each year for every authorized user you add 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.

Everything Else You Need To Know

Card Design

Both the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card are made with metal. According to the Luxury Card website, however, the Mastercard Black card wins the title of the heavier of the two credit cards at a full 22 grams.

Introductory 0% APR: Mastercard Black Card

The Mastercard Black card comes with a nice introductory 0% APR period for balance transfers. If you have high-interest credit cards with balances you wish to pay back over time, the 0% APR period, which begins after card approval and continues for 15 billing cycles, may save you money on interest charges. To get the 0% introductory APR, your balance transfer must post to your account within 45 days of account opening. There’s a fee of $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Card Requirements

Both the Mastercard Black card and Amex Platinum card require that the card applicant be 18 or older and have at least a good — though preferably excellent — credit score. Those with modest credit scores are less likely to be approved.

The Mastercard Black card requires that you be a U.S. resident_, while the Amex Platinum card requires a U.S. address. Both cards require an ITIN or Social Security number.

The Mastercard Black card is issued by Barclays Bank, while the Amex Platinum card is issued by American Express.

Final Thoughts

It doesn’t take an extensive analysis to determine which card offers the better value for a frequent traveler. Let’s just start with the fact that the Mastercard Black card does not offer a welcome bonus and earns just 1x points on all spending, and its points have limited redemption options. The Amex Platinum card, in contrast, has a generous welcome offer, earns 5x points on select flights, and earns flexible points that can be transferred to travel partners for greater potential value.

The Mastercard Black card charges a hefty annual fee yet offers few benefits to offset that fee. While the Amex Platinum card has a steep annual fee, you could easily offset it by utilizing just a few of the extensive statement credits or perks. The value of access to its worldwide lounge network, for example, nearly accomplishes that alone.

If we just compare annual fees, $495 for the Mastercard Black card and $895 for the Amex Platinum card, it’s clear the Amex Platinum card could provide value that far exceeds the pricing difference.