Traveling? Understand Amex Platinum Card’s International Fees

If you’re about to embark on an international trip, take a moment to consider your credit cards. Some credit cards charge foreign transaction fees when you make a purchase in a foreign currency, which can add up quickly. 

But there’s good news if you’re a cardholder of the Platinum Card^® from American Express: this card doesn’t have a foreign transaction fee (rates & fees) and is an excellent choice for international travel.

Still, it pays to be aware of all the fees you may encounter as you use this card at home or abroad and understand how the Amex Platinum card can be helpful for international travel. Read on to understand international transaction fees with the Amex Platinum card and what you need to know about using your Amex abroad.

Why We Like the Amex Platinum Card for International Travel

You can use your Amex Platinum card overseas, with global Amex acceptance reaching more than 80 million locations. 

In fact, the Amex Platinum card is one of the best travel credit cards, offering rewards and benefits that can make travel more comfortable and save you money, while, unlike typical credit cards, it allows you to carry a balance for certain charges, but not all. These rewards and benefits can easily offset the card’s $895 annual fee, particularly if you travel often (rates & fees).

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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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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

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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

Some of the international travel benefits of the Amex Platinum card include:

• No foreign transaction fee
• Membership Rewards points that transfer to major airline and hotel partners
• Up to $600 annual hotel credit on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings when you book through AmexTravel.com using your Amex Platinum card
• Access to the Global Lounge Collection of more than 1,550 airport lounges in 140 countries
• Up to $200 annual airline fee credit 
• Up to $200 annually in Uber Cash
• Up to $209 CLEAR Plus credit, which can help you get through domestic airport security quickly
• International airline program offering lower fares for international seats on up to 8 tickets per booking
• Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck to expedite your security experience
• Platinum Travel Service offering custom itineraries and recommendations for travel
• Elite status including Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Hilton Honors Gold, Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus, and National Car Rental Emerald Club
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• Travel coverage, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance and trip delay insurance
• Global Assist hotline

Note that some benefits require enrollment through your American Express account.

Whether you’re amassing points to redeem with airline or hotel partners, using travel credits, visiting lounges, taking advantage of elite status, using travel insurance coverage, or making foreign transactions, the Amex Platinum card can come in clutch on your next international trip.

International Transaction Fees

When you travel internationally, there’s always a possibility you’ll have to pay international transaction fees. These can include foreign transaction fees charged by your credit card or dynamic currency conversion fees charged by merchants or ATMs. And if you need to get cash using your credit card, you’ll pay a cash advance fee and APR.

The Amex Platinum card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, but it does have a cash advance fee and APR. Although dynamic currency conversion fees don’t originate from the Amex Platinum card, you should also understand how to avoid them.

Foreign Transaction Fees

Many travel rewards cards, including the Amex Platinum card, don’t charge a foreign transaction fee. 

Foreign transaction fees are paid when you buy something in a foreign currency or when a foreign bank processes your transaction. Usually, foreign transaction fees are 3% of your total transaction. When you have to pay a 3% foreign transaction fee, spending $500 quickly turns into $515 just for using your card.

Using an Amex Platinum card with no foreign transaction fees can save you money when you travel internationally.

Dynamic Currency Conversion Fee

Although you can avoid a foreign transaction fee by using the Amex Platinum card, you might be hit with a dynamic currency conversion (DCC) fee when you make an international transaction. Amex doesn’t charge the DCC fee; rather, it’s charged by the ATM or merchant you transact with.

You may encounter a DCC fee if a merchant offers to process your payment in your home currency rather than the local currency, or an ATM in a foreign country may offer to lock in your rate. This might sound like a good idea, but you’ll pay a hefty fee for it. 

Generally, DCC fees range from 2.6% to 18%. It’s best to decline the offer to use your home currency when you travel internationally. Always choose to pay in the local currency.

Cash Advance Fee

You’ll be charged for a cash advance if you use an ATM with your Amex Platinum card.

The Amex Platinum card charges either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater. Cash advances carry a 29.99% APR, which starts accruing the day you make a transaction (rates & fees).

Final Thoughts

Not having a foreign transaction fee is one of the many ways the Amex Platinum card can enhance your international travel plans. With no foreign transaction fee and a long list of travel benefits, you can find savings and travel better with this card. 

But while you can avoid the foreign transaction fee with the Amex Platinum card, beware of cash advances and ATMs and vendors that offer to process your transaction in your home currency — you’ll pay hefty fees for convenience.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Platinum Card^® from American Express, 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 trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Platinum Card^® from American Express, 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 Platinum Card^® from American Express, 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.