How To Upgrade or Downgrade the Amex Platinum Card [2026]

The Platinum Card^® from American Express is one of the top cards on the market, ideal for those seeking a premium card with numerous luxury travel and lifestyle benefits.

However, this card may not be for everyone. It has a high annual fee, and it takes some effort and attention to ensure you’re maximizing the perks and obtaining value. If you gave this card a shot but realize it wasn’t the right one or want to swap it out before your annual fee hits, there are many other Amex cards that may work better for you.

In this guide, we’ll compare the benefits of the major Amex flexible rewards cards and show you how you can downgrade or upgrade your Amex Platinum card to another product.

Amex Platinum Card: Overview

Before we dive into how to downgrade or upgrade your Amex Platinum card, let’s take a quick moment to review the card and the benefits you receive as a cardholder.

+ 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.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

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 card application.

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 our favorite perks (some of which require prior enrollment) include:

• Up to $200 in airline incidental credit 
• Up to $400 in Resy credit (up to $100 per quarter) 
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash ($15 per month, plus an additional $20 in December; valid on U.S. Eats orders and rides, and you must add your card to your Uber account and pay with an Amex card to redeem this benefit)
• Up to $120 in Uber One credit
• Up to $300 in digital entertainment credit (up to $25 per month) 
• Up to $600 in prepaid hotel credit, with up to $300 between January and June and $300 between July and December, on prepaid bookings through AmexTravel.com with Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection, that latter of which requires a minimum 2-night stay 
• Up to $155 in Walmart+ credit (with complimentary, same-day delivery and no shipping charge)
• Up to $300 in Equinox credit annually
• Up to $300 in lululemon credit (up to $75 per quarter) 
• Up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credit ($50 from January to June and $50 from July to December)
• Up to $209 in CLEAR^® Plus credit 
• Up to $200 for an Oura Ring credit 
• 5x points on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 spent per year, then 1x points) and on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Access to over 1,550 lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Elite status and benefits with National, Avis, and Hertz (upon enrollment)
• Hilton Honors Gold status, Leaders Club Sterling status, and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (upon enrollment)
• Impressive travel insurance, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, and more

Amex Membership Rewards Cards

From most premium to least premium, here are the cards in the personal Membership Rewards family:

• Centurion^® Card from American Express (by invitation only)*
• Amex Platinum card
• American Express^® Gold card
• American Express Green Card^®**

You should be able to downgrade your Amex Platinum card to the Amex Gold card or Amex Green card without issue as long as your card has been open for at least 12 months. But you can only upgrade your Amex Platinum card to the Centurion card if you get invited.

*The information regarding the Centurion^® Card from American Express was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

**The information regarding the American Express Green Card^® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Benefits Comparison

Below you can compare the benefits of each card side by side:

Downgrading Your Amex Platinum Card

We recommend that your Amex Platinum card be at least 1 year old before you downgrade to another Amex card product. The top cards are the Amex Gold card or the Amex Green card.

Amex Gold Card

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

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.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $6,000 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 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

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 card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 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.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Amex Green Card

American Express Green Card^®

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.

This card can provide a great way to accumulate Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit, and at restaurants.

All information about American Express Green Card^® has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express Green Card^®

This card can provide a great way to accumulate Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit, and at restaurants.

Welcome Offer

Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your American Express Green Card^® within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

40,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $880

Annual Fee

$150

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 card application.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express Green Card^® is an excellent all-around travel rewards card thanks to earning 3x Membership Rewards^® points on eligible travel and transit purchases and at restaurants, access to American Express transfer partners, and a reasonable annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide, on all eligible travel purchases, and transit purchases
• Up to $209 per calendar year in statement credits after you pay for a CLEAR^® Plus membership with the Card.
• Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

• $150 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your American Express Green Card^® within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on travel, including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® Points on transit purchases, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.
• $209 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $209 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express Green Card^®.
• Payment Flexibility: When it comes to paying your bill, you have options. You can always pay in full. You also have the flexibility to carry a balance with interest or use Plan It^® to split up large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, up to your Pay Over Time Limit. You may be able to keep spending beyond your limit – you’ll just need to pay for any new purchases in full when your bill is due.
• Trip Delay Insurance: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per eligible account per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: No matter where you’re traveling, when you use your American Express Green Card^® there are no foreign transaction fees.
• $150 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

These are the 2 ways you can downgrade your card:

1. Call the number on the back of your Amex Platinum card and request a downgrade.
2. Start a chat conversation after logging in to your Amex online account to request a downgrade of your Amex Platinum card.

Hot Tip:

When you downgrade your Amex Platinum card, you may be eligible for a prorated refund of the annual fee you paid.

4 Reasons To Downgrade Your Amex Platinum Card

Below, we’ll focus on reasons why you might consider downgrading your Amex Platinum card to either the Amex Gold card or the Amex Green card.

1. You Don’t Travel Much Anymore

The Amex Platinum card is first and foremost a travel card, which means its benefits will help frequent travelers the most. It comes with a $895 annual fee (rates & fees), but also a bevy of travel perks.

If you’re able to use most of these benefits, particularly the statement credits, then their value easily outweighs the annual fee — but that’s only if you can actually use them.

2. You Don’t Want To Pay a High Annual Fee

If you’re tight on cash and don’t want to pay a large $895 annual fee, there’s a strong case to downgrade your Amex Platinum card, even though you’d lose all of its benefits.

3. You Can’t Keep Track of or Use the Statement Credits

The Amex Platinum card’s most recent refresh came with a lot of new perks, and many of them require you to shop quarterly or biannually, meaning you have to head to lululemon a few times a year, get an Oura Ring, dine out, and generally shop and spend in an organized fashion to ensure you get all the value the card is offering. If you don’t have the bandwidth for this, the Amex Platinum card may no longer be the right fit for you.

4. You Want More Rewards on Everyday Spending Categories

Getting the right card for you depends greatly on what you like to spend money on. For example, if you spend a lot of money at restaurants or supermarkets, the Amex Gold card is an excellent choice, with strong points-earning bonus categories.

For example, if you spent $3,000 per month on eating out, you could earn 4x points per $1 spent on dining with the Amex Gold card, which is 144,000 Membership Rewards points per year, worth $3,168, according to our valuations. In contrast, if you spent all that money on the Amex Platinum card, you’d only earn 36,000 Membership Rewards points a year, which are worth $792, based on our valuations.

The Amex Platinum card isn’t ideal for everyday spending, whereas the Amex Gold card and Amex Green card offer better rewards on everyday categories like dining, groceries, travel, transit, and more.

Upgrading Your Amex Platinum Card

Upgrading your Amex Platinum card is very different from upgrading a lower-tier Amex card, because the Amex Platinum card can’t be upgraded to any other card besides the Centurion card. However, you can’t upgrade to the Centurion card unless you’re invited.

The Centurion card, also known commonly as the Amex Black card, offers luxury benefits. However, it also charges an eye-popping annual fee of $5,000 per year plus a one-time joining fee of $10,000 (for U.S. users). In the past, you could request an invitation to the Centurion card, but American Express rescinded that option. Now, the only way to get invited to the Centurion card is to be a loyal American Express customer and spend a lot of money on your Amex cards.

Anecdotally, the minimum spending requirement you likely need on your Amex Platinum card to even be considered for an invite to the Centurion card is $250,000 per year. However, some say you have to spend closer to $1 million.

It’s also important to have a long, perfect payment history and relationship with American Express to be considered for the Centurion card.

Reasons To Upgrade Your Amex Platinum Card

Now that we’ve compiled all of the reasons to downgrade your Amex Platinum card, let’s take a look at all of the reasons why you might consider upgrading your Amex Platinum card to the Centurion card.

1. You Get Invited to the Centurion Card

If you’ve been invited to upgrade your Amex Platinum card to the Centurion card, you’ve essentially been invited by American Express into one of the most exclusive clubs in the world — you’re likely in the 1% of the 1%.

Typically, you’d get a package in the mail inviting you to upgrade to the Centurion card. This package may include a phone number to call and an invite code to provide to the Centurion service agent.

If one of your life goals has been to get entry to this club and you’re willing to pay thousands of dollars in annual fees and initiation fees, then you should absolutely accept an upgrade offer if you’re invited.

2. You Want Superpremium Benefits

Maybe you liked the Amex Platinum card’s travel benefits but you were left wanting for even more luxurious perks from your card.

While it’s difficult to decline an invitation to one of the most hyped financial products out there, you should still evaluate whether or not you can get enough value from the card to justify the $10,000 initiation fee and $5,000 annual fee (as well as a $5,000 annual fee for each additional cardholder for up to 2 additional cardholders).

Here’s the short list of the Centurion card’s notable perks (terms and conditions apply for all benefits):

• Access to the Centurion concierge service
• Access to Centurion New York, a luxury space on the 55th floor of One Vanderbilt in the heart of Midtown Manhattan
• Complimentary Delta SkyMiles Platinum Medallion status
• Access to the Centurion Hotel Program (includes a room upgrade at the time of booking when available and an additional property credit of around $200 per stay) at properties like Aman, Belmond, Mandarin Oriental, Oetker Collection, Peninsula Hotels, Rosewood, St. Regis, and Waldorf Astoria
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, and IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status
• Access to Centurion International Arrival Services (meet-and-greet service)
• Complimentary PS membership (private airport lounge) and an annual complimentary visit 
• Complimentary Equinox All-Access membership (up to $3,600 in credits annually)
• Up to $250 in Saks Fifth Avenue credits per quarter ($1,000 annually)

There are many more benefits associated with this card, so this is just a taste of what you could expect.

Hot Tip:

For the right person, the Centurion card could actually save money. If you use your Centurion card to get a complimentary Equinox membership, you’d be saving upward of $3,480 per year from this perk alone.

Final Thoughts

Downgrading or upgrading your Amex Platinum card is a big decision. You probably opened this card to take advantage of the travel benefits and to earn Amex Membership Rewards points. Your favorite travel companion card could potentially be no more — but if you upgraded your Amex Platinum card, you’d join the other ultrawealthy with the Centurion card.

And remember, if you downgraded your Amex Platinum card to the Amex Gold card or Amex Green card, you’d still have a fantastic card, though it’d mostly be a machine for earning lots of Amex points and offer fewer lifestyle perks.