Amex Platinum Card’s Benefits Over the Years: 2017 to 2026

Although the Platinum Card^® from American Express has been around since 1984, many of the features that define the card as we know it have changed over the past decade.

Along the way, the annual fee has gradually increased while benefits have been adjusted. In this article, we’ll take a look back at what the card looked like roughly a decade ago and how it compares to what benefits are available today.

Amex Platinum Card’s Benefit Changes Since 2017

In 2016, the Amex Platinum card‘s annual fee was nearly half what it is now: from $450 to $895 (rates & fees) today.

2017 to 2021

In 2017, the card saw its first annual fee increase in a decade, jumping from $450 to $550.

So what did $550 per year get you at the time? Cardmembers received:

• Annual airline fee credit: Up to $200 per calendar year in statement credits for incidental fees (like checked bags and inflight purchases) with 1 airline upon enrollment
• Uber Cash credit: $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a $20 bonus in December, after adding the card to your Uber account for U.S. rides and orders
• Boingo Wi-Fi American Express Preferred plan: Complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi at over 1 million hot spots worldwide, with up to 4 devices connected at once upon enrollment
• Elite status perks: Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) Gold status upon enrollment
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Airport lounge access: Entry to the Amex Global Lounge Collection and partner lounges for the primary cardholder and up to 2 guests
• Earning rates: 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or via AmexTravel.com and 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com

In 2018, Amex Platinum cardmembers transitioned to being able to enroll in Marriott Bonvoy for Gold Elite status rather than SPG Gold following the merger of the programs. During the same year, the card introduced the Saks Fifth Avenue credit, giving cardmembers up to $50 in semiannual credits for eligible purchases upon enrollment.

Later in 2019, Amex eliminated the Boingo Wi-Fi perk.

2021 to 2025

In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, the Amex Platinum card underwent a major refresh. The annual fee jumped from $550 to $695, marking the largest increase in the Amex Platinum card’s history.

It was surprising to see such sweeping changes, given how travel had slowed because of global restrictions. Even so, this update marked a turning point for the card. Rather than remaining a purely premium travel card, the Amex Platinum card evolved into a luxury travel and lifestyle product.

Notably, a wave of new statement credits was introduced in 2021 that still defines the card today. While no other major benefits were removed from the previous version, Amex significantly expanded its roster of partner credits:

• Prepaid hotel credit: Earn up to $200 in annual statement credits on prepaid bookings through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection via AmexTravel.com (with The Hotel Collection bookings requiring a minimum stay of 2 nights).
• CLEAR+ credit: Receive up to $179 back per year toward a CLEAR+ membership.
• Digital entertainment credit: Get up to $20 in monthly statement credits on eligible subscriptions like Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York Times (enrollment required).
• Walmart+ credit: Receive a statement credit covering the $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership when you pay with your card.
• Equinox credit: Earn up to $25 back each month on eligible Equinox memberships (enrollment required).
• SoulCycle bike credit: Get up to $300 back as a statement credit when purchasing a SoulCycle at-home bike in a single transaction.

Amex also added an earning cap of 5x points on flights, limiting those earnings to up to $500,000 per calendar year (then 1x points).

When these credits were first introduced, some were unexpected. The contrast between perks like Walmart+ and a SoulCycle bike didn’t quite align with what you’d expect from a premium travel card. Still, many cardmembers embraced the added value, using these benefits to help justify the $145 annual fee increase.

That said, American Express has made changes to the benefit terms since its 2021 refresh. For example, the list of eligible digital entertainment services has changed multiple times since launch, dropping services like Audible and SiriusXM and later on introducing new subscriptions like The Wall Street Journal.

Another, larger change came in 2023, when Amex Platinum cardholders lost complimentary Centurion Lounge guest access by default. Since then, guest entry has been $50 per adult and $30 per child unless cardholders meet the new $75,000 annual spending threshold to unlock complimentary access.

2025 to Today

When it was officially confirmed that the Amex Platinum card would be refreshed again, it pointed to an inevitable outcome: another annual fee increase. Sure enough, the annual fee rose from $695 to $895 in September 2025.

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Platinum Card^® from American Express

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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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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.

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Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$895

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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.

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• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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The good news, though, is that no existing benefits were taken away.

Here’s the list of new or updated credits added in 2025:

• Increased value on prepaid hotel credit: Receive up to $600 per year (up to $300 from January to June and up to $300 from July to December) on prepaid bookings with Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum 2-night stay) through AmexTravel.com.
• Increased value on digital entertainment credit: Get up to $300 per year (up to $25 per month) on eligible subscriptions, including Disney+, the Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV upon enrollment.
• Resy credit: Earn up to $400 per year (up to $100 per quarter) at U.S. Resy restaurants upon enrollment.
• lululemon credit: Receive up to $300 annually (up to $75 per quarter) at U.S. lululemon stores (excluding outlets) or on lululemon.com upon enrollment.
• Uber One credit: Get up to $120 in annual statement credits toward an automatically renewing Uber One membership.
• Oura Ring credit: Earn up to $200 back as a statement credit when purchasing an Oura Ring at Ouraring.com (enrollment required).

While the 2025 refresh set another precedent with a sizable annual fee increase, it also pushed the total value of statement credits to more than $1,500.

These types of partner credits clearly aren’t going anywhere, and the update further refined the card’s positioning, leaning more into premium lifestyle, dining, and entertainment perks.

Final Thoughts

Since 2017, the Amex Platinum card has seen a major change: the addition of partner-backed credits, some with more restrictions than others. That said, American Express has worked hard to expand its lounge network, further solidifying its position as a go-to premium card for both travel and lifestyle.

Although the annual fee is higher than ever, many frequent travelers still find the benefits well worth it.