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Traveling? Understand Amex Platinum Card’s International Fees

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Jessica Merritt
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Jessica Merritt

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A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little ca...
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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. These rewards and benefits can easily offset the card’s $695 annual fee, particularly if you travel often (rates & fees).

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS
The Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

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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.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points
$1,760
$695
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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 (670-850)

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
  • 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 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
  • $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, 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.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
  • $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. Terms Apply.
  • $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
  • Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
  • $695 annual fee.¤
  • Terms Apply.
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  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

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

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.

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

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.

Hot Tip:

The Amex Platinum card is one of many cards that waive foreign transaction fees. Read our guide to the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees.

Dynamic Currency Conversion Fee

Currency
Paying in the local currency can help you avoid a conversion fee. Image Credit: Wara1982 via Shutterstock

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).

Hot Tip:

Getting a cash advance from your Amex Platinum card should be your last resort for getting cash, especially when traveling internationally. You’ll pay high a high interest rate and fee, so it’s best to get cash before you leave home.

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.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Amex Platinum card work internationally?

The Amex Platinum card has global acceptance, covering over 80 million locations across 160+ countries. While Amex doesn’t have the massive international acceptance footprint of Visa or Mastercard, the Amex Platinum card is accepted in many countries. If you’re concerned about acceptance, you can plan to use your Amex Platinum card, but bring a Visa or Mastercard as a backup.

Does the Amex Platinum card have foreign transaction fees?

The Amex Platinum card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee.

Do I need to tell Amex I'm traveling internationally?

You don’t need to notify Amex of upcoming international travel. Amex uses fraud-detection technology to recognize when you’re traveling. However, Amex recommends updating your contact information in case the issuer needs to contact you while traveling.

What countries is American Express not accepted?

While Amex acceptance varies between merchants, there are some countries where Amex isn’t accepted at all, including Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Russia, and Sudan.

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About Jessica Merritt

A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little cash as possible.

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