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The Amex Platinum Card – Full Review [2022]

Name: The Amex Platinum Card – Full Review [2022]
Item: The Amex Platinum Card
Rating: 4.59
Author: Jarrod West

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"Luxury travel benefits and 5x points!"

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

Learn More (at Amex's secure site)

Jarrod West

- UPDATED: June 29, 2022 |

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 over $1,400 worth of annual card credit, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

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 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 (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/Global Entry credit
Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
Access to Amex International Airline Program
No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)

Cons

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

Amex Platinum Card — Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info (Partner Content)
- Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 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.
- Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. And if you fly, you can receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year after you select a qualifying airline and incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership 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 Ups are excluded.
- American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. There are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.
- $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 $25 back each month on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
- $189 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. CLEAR® is available at select airports and stadiums.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Card Categories:
Rewards Center
American Express Membership Rewards
Customer Service Number
800-528-4800 (Available 24/7)
Login Link
https://www.americanexpress.com/
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Great Card If

You travel often enough to take advantage of all the travel perks
You’re able to use the annual credits (airline, Saks Fifth Avenue, prepaid hotels) and monthly credits (Uber, Equinox, digital entertainment)
You want complimentary airport lounge access (globally)
You want hotel elite status
You want a luxury card with luxury benefits
You’re an active-duty military member who wants access to exclusive card perks and benefits

Don't Get If

You don’t travel often
You aren’t interested in the perks and annual credits
You prefer a card with more bonus categories

Amex Platinum Card — Fees

Annual Fee
- $695
Foreign Transaction Fees
None
Late fees
- Up to $40
- Penalty APR: 29.99% Variable
Cash Advance APR
- 26.74% Variable
Additional Info
Rates & Fees

Amex Platinum Card - Is It Worth It For The Yearly Fee?

Couple Eating Breakfast Poolside — Make luxury travel possible with points earned from your Platinum Card. Image Credit: fokke baarssen via Shutterstock

The Amex Platinum card is well worth it for frequent travelers who want luxury travel and lifestyle perks, and who can regularly take advantage of the card’s premium benefits.

When you combine best-in-class airport lounge access with 5x earnings on airfare and prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel, Gold elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, and access to Amex’s Fine Hotel & Resorts program, you’ve got a package that makes for one of the best travel cards in the industry.

While it’s true that the annual fee might initially give you pause, when you consider the bevy of credits (amounting to over $1,500 each year!) that come with the card, the math starts to come out in your favor.

Virtually every benefit offered with the card is tailored toward enhancing your travel experiences, and it shows, making it a perfect complement to any traveler looking to upgrade their travels.

Active-duty Military? You can access exclusive military perks and benefits as an Amex Platinum cardholder.

Amex Platinum Card Top Benefits

Annual Credits

One of the easiest ways to determine how worthwhile the Amex Platinum card will be to you is to consider how much value you’ll get out of the card’s annual credits, and whether or not that figure exceeds the annual fee you pay. These credits include:

Up to $200 airline incidental credit (good towards items like baggage fees, seat selection fees, etc.)
Up to $200 Uber Cash credit ($15 per month and $35 in December)
Up to $240 digital entertainment credit ($20 per month)
Up to $200 prepaid hotel credit on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel
Up to $155 Walmart+ credit (offers free same-day delivery and free shipping on orders)
Up to $300 Equinox credit ($25 each month)
Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit ($50 from January to June and $50 from July to December)
$189 CLEAR credit

Note that some credits require enrollment, so be sure to explore your American Express account to make the most of your card.

Lounge Access

By far one of the best benefits of the card is the level of airport lounge access that it offers via the American Express Global Lounge Collection.

Not only do you get access to Priority Pass lounges that many other premium credit cards offer, but you also get access to swanky Amex Centurion Lounges, International Centurion Lounges, Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner, Plaza Premium Lounges, Airspace Lounge, select Virgin Clubhouses, select Lufthansa lounges when flying with Lufthansa Group the same day, and Delta Sky Clubs when flying with Delta the same day.

This means that no matter what airport you find yourself in, you’ll almost always have a lounge that you can kick back and relax in thanks to your Amex Platinum card.

Hotel Elite Status

Cardholders get an automatic boost to Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status within each program upon enrollment.

Both status levels will earn you extra points on stays, space-available room upgrades, late checkout if available, and much more.

Rental Car Elite Status

If you regularly rent cars during your travels, you’ll love that the Amex Platinum card gets you automatic National Emerald Club Executive status, along with Avis Preferred and Hertz Gold Plus benefits.

Perks from each company include, but aren’t limited to, vehicle upgrades, discounts, expedited pickup lanes, and convenient dropoff locations.

Travel Protections

If anything goes wrong during your travels, your Amex Platinum card keeps you covered with the following travel insurance benefits:

Trip Delay Insurance — Get reimbursed for up to $500 per ticket in covered expenses if your flight is delayed by 6 hours or requires an overnight stay. This includes items like lodging, food, etc.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance — If you need to cancel a trip due to a covered cause, like server weather, you’ll receive a reimbursement of up to $10,000 per trip, and $20,000 per year, towards non-refundable travel expenses if you need to cancel your trip or end it early.
Rental Car Insurance — Your card gives you secondary rental car insurance, which covers up to $75,000 towards accidental damage or theft of the vehicle.
Baggage Insurance — If your baggage is lost or damaged while in transit with the carrier, you’re covered for up to $2,000 towards checked baggage and $3,000 towards carry-on baggage.

Consumer Protections

The doesn’t just offer travel protections though. You’re also covered with the following consumer protections:

Cell Phone Insurance — Receive coverage for accidental damage caused to your cell phone, with up to $800 in coverage, up to 2 times per year, with a $50 deductible.
Purchase Protection — If an item you’ve purchased gets stolen, accidentally damaged, or lost within 90 days of purchase, you’re covered for up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per year.
Return Protection — If you try to return an item within 90 days of purchase, and the merchant won’t accept it, you can be refunded by Amex for up to $300 per item, and up to $1,000 per year.
Extended Warranty Coverage — This protection adds 1 year of extended warranty coverage to standard warranties that are 5 years or less.

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Amex Points

Naturally, aside from using your card for your daily purchases, you’ll want to learn how you can earn as many Amex points as possible. Fortunately, we have a comprehensive guide covering all the best ways to earn Amex Membership Rewards points.

From there, you’ll want to learn about all the best ways to redeem your Amex points. This will help you start traveling like a pro while getting huge value out of your hard-earned points.

Some of our favorite ways to redeem our Amex Membership Rewards points include utilizing select Amex travel transfer partners to book business and first class tickets for a mere fraction of the typical cash price!

Alternative Cards to the Amex Platinum Card

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers 3x points per $1 spent on all travel and dining purchases, with the travel definition being extended to include airfare, hotels, Airbnb, Uber/Lyft, and more.

Combine that with a $300 travel credit and a Priority Pass membership, and it makes for a compelling option.

While the Chase Sapphire Reserve card doesn’t feature nearly the level of elite benefits that the Amex Platinum card does, this could be a good option for you if you’re after a more well-rounded travel card.

Check out our head-to-head comparison of the Amex Platinum card vs. the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

If you prefer a premium rewards card that offers airport lounge access at a lower annual fee, then the CapOne Venture X card could be a perfect option.

With its $395 annual fee, you’ll get Priority Pass lounge and restaurant access, access to Capital One Lounges, 10,000 anniversary miles, a $300 annual travel credit, and much more.

The card earns 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5x miles per $1 on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases.

Which card is right for you? See our detailed comparison of the Amex Platinum card vs. the CapOne Venture X card.

We’ve also compared the Amex Platinum card to a number of other popular cards:

The information regarding Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Centurion® Card from American Express, and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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

Featured Image Credit: American Express

Frequently asked questions

Is the Amex Platinum card hard to get?

Most travel credit cards require applicants to have good credit in order to be approved. American Express does not publish a required benchmark score, but if you have a strong credit score it’s likely your application will be approved.

However, keep in mind that the annual fee will be due on your first billing statement — so if that isn’t something you can afford, you should consider another card.

Why get the Amex Platinum card? Is it worth it?

While the annual fee is high, the number of benefits received from the card makes it “worth it” to many people.

The card comes with up to $200 in airline incidental credit, up to $200 on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel, up to a $240 digital entertainment credit, up to a $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit, and up to a $300 Equinox credit (among others), all of which effectively cancel out much of the annual fee.

Then add in the 5x earnings on flights and prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel, Gold status with Hilton and Marriott hotels, and access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.

Given the number of luxury benefits you receive from having the card, it’s definitely worth it if you can afford the annual fee.

What is the Amex Platinum card annual fee? Can I add authorized users?

See the card summary table listed above for the annual fee. If you wish to add authorized users to the account, you can add up to 3 for an additional $175 per year. Each authorized user of the card will receive all of the same benefits as the main cardmember. You also have the option of adding up to 99 Amex Gold cards for no additional annual fee. Keep in mind that while these cards have the same earning rate as the Amex Platinum card, they receive none of the elite benefits (see rates and fees).

What airport lounges do you get access to with the Amex Platinum card?

The card gets you access to all of the American Express Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta the same day), Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, Airspace Lounge, select Lufthansa lounges when flying with Lufthansa Group the same day, select Virgin Clubhouses, and Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner.

This is by far the most extensive list of eligible lounges you can visit offered by any travel credit card on the market.

Note: Priority Pass memberships from U.S.-issued American Express cards no longer include restaurants (“non-lounge airport experiences”).

Is the Amex Platinum card metal?

Yes, it’s a metal card.

About Jarrod West

Jarrod has been writing about credit cards and loyalty programs, along with various travel and finance topics, for over 5 years. As an expert in the field, he is regularly called upon to comment on the latest news in the space, and has been featured in publications like the New York Times, Matador Network, and Yahoo Finance. With a B.S. in Economics earned from Northern Kentucky University, Jarrod uses his experience to analyze the best credit cards and rewards programs for readers. He also regularly attends conferences to learn and share ideas with fellow travelers. So, if you see him at conferences like TravelCon, CardCon, or Frequent Traveler University, be sure to stop and say hello!

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2 comments

Noirin garrett November 30, 2020
Very upset and disappointed that Amex is corrupting the insurance policy by hopping on the back of covid. The insurance policy says rental car excess insurance is covered by Amex. Now Amex informs they will not cover this excess during Covid. Why are we paying such high membership with this corrupt insurance coverage change?
Sanjosemike June 18, 2021
I called up Amex recently (6/18/21) and they affirmed that they will be making their excess liability coverage available now.

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