5 Amex Business Platinum Card Purchases That Earn Tons of Points

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is one of our favorite business cards around for a multitude of reasons. 

Not only does the card offer a long list of valuable perks to cardmembers, but it also features an earning scheme specifically tailored for business owners, offering bonus points in several key spending categories. 

Maximizing these categories — if your business’s spending profile is conducive to it — can result in earning tens of thousands of points monthly (and potentially many more), leading to numerous incredible travel experiences funded by the rewards earned from spending on the card. 

Today, we’ll look at some of the purchases you can make with the Amex Business Platinum card to maximize its bonus-earning categories and earn tons of points in the process. 

Amex Business Platinum Card — Overview

Before we delve into real-world examples of how to maximize the earning potential of the Amex Business Platinum card, let’s take a high-level look at the card’s welcome bonus offer, perks, and earning structure.

ELEVATED WELCOME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business 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.

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

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The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 200,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.

150,000 200,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $4,400

Annual Fee

$895

APR

17.74% - 28.49% Variable

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 Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,550 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on eligible travel purchases like flights, prepaid hotels, and prepaid short-term rentals booked through AmexTravel.com
• Access to over 1,550 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Earn 2x Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million per calendar year)

Cons

• High annual fee of $895 (rates & fees)
• Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

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Card Highlights

• Elevated Welcome Offer: Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Business Platinum Card^® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card company on the market as of 07/2025.
• See how you can unlock over $3,500 in business and travel value annually after meeting qualifying spend thresholds on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply.
• New! Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using the Business Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• No Preset Spending Limit: The spending limit on the Business Platinum Card is flexible, so unlike a traditional credit card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history.
• Make the Business Platinum Card^® work even harder for you. Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Benefit enrollment required.
• Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
• Use the Business Platinum Card and get up to $209 back per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
• Maximize your time away with Fine Hotels + Resorts through Amex Travel™.
• New! Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
• New! Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
• Get up to $90 in statement credits quarterly for purchases with Indeed on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $360 back per year. Enrollment required.
• Get up to $10 in statement credits per month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $120 back per year. Enrollment required.
• Enhanced! 2X points on purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
• 1X points on other eligible purchases
• $895 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 17.74% - 28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Amex Business Platinum Card Welcome Bonus Offer

The Amex Business Platinum card offers an impressive welcome bonus offer that’s among the best in its class, providing cardmembers with hundreds of thousands of points worth thousands of dollars when redeemed for travel experiences. 

The current public welcome offer is:

• Earn 150,000 200,000 points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months.

We value American Express Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents apiece, which means the welcome offer could be worth up to $4,400. However, if you leverage the lengthy list of American Express hotel and transfer partners, you can redeem those points for far greater value with premium travel experiences. 

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 250,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum card. The current public offer is 150,000 200,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Amex Business Platinum Card Perks and Benefits

The Amex Business Platinum card received a major refresh in 2025, making the card even more appealing to cardmembers in exchange for the $895 annual fee (rates & fees). 

To understand the complete value of the Amex Business Platinum card, you have to grasp the incredible list of perks and benefits it offers to cardmembers. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather a look at the highlights:

• Up to $600 annual hotel credit: Book prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection booked through AmexTravel.com, split into up to $300 in statement credits semiannually. Note that The Hotel Collection requires a 2-night minimum stay.
• Up to $1,150 in Dell credits: Up to $150 statement credit on U.S. purchases directly with Dell Technologies and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more per calendar year. Enrollment required.
• $250 Adobe credit: Received after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year. Enrollment required.
• Up to $209 CLEAR^® Plus membership credit (subject to auto-renewal)
• Up to $360 Indeed credit: Get up to $90 per quarter on purchases made directly with Indeed. Enrollment required.
• Up to $120 wireless credit: Get back up to $10 per month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. Enrollment required.
• Up to $200 Hilton credit: Receive up to $50 per quarter for Hilton purchases. A Hilton for Business membership and enrollment are required.
• Up to $200 airline fee credit: Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per calendar year on baggage fees and other incidentals. Enrollment required.

The card offers numerous other perks, including complimentary Gold elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, as well as Sterling status with Leading Hotels of the World (enrollment required).

You can also get complimentary elite privileges with 3 different car rental agencies upon enrollment: Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive.

The Amex Business Platinum card offers the most extensive airport lounge access of any business card on the market. Cardmembers have access to the following lounge networks:

• Aspire Lounges
• Centurion Lounges (both in the U.S. and abroad)
• 10 visits a year to Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta, same-day, plus the ability to unlock unlimited visits)
• Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner
• Select Lufthansa Lounges (when flying Lufthansa same-day)
• Plaza Premium Lounges
• Priority Pass lounges (upon enrollment)
• Select Virgin Clubhouses

Again, this isn’t a comprehensive list of everything the Amex Business Platinum card offers, but you can see how the card is packed with value for cardmembers.

Purchases That Will Earn You Tons of Membership Rewards Points

In addition to the long list of perks and benefits, the Amex Business Platinum card also rewards cardmembers handsomely for spending in numerous categories:

• Earn 5x Membership Rewards points on eligible travel purchases like flights, prepaid hotels, and prepaid short-term rentals booked through AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2x points on purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers.
• Earn 2x points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Earn 1x points on all other purchases.

Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.

Let’s run through some examples of purchases you can make with your Amex Business Platinum card that will maximize its bonus-earning categories and net you a massive amount of points.

1. Business Travel via AmexTravel.com (Flights, Hotels, and More)

If your business requires travel, the Amex Business Platinum card is for you. As long as you book through AmexTravel.com, and prepay for your accommodations — whether they’re hotels or short-term vacation rentals — you can earn 5 points for every dollar spent, which is a fantastic rate.

Let’s say you send 2 employees to a conference in San Diego. You pay for the flights, each of which costs $500, and book 3 nights at $300 per night for both employees. If you book all of this through AmexTravel.com and select the prepaid option for the hotel reservations, here’s what you can earn:

• 5 points per $1 on $500 for flights for 2 employees: 5,000 points
• 5 points per $1 on $900 for prepaid hotels for 2 employees: 9,000 points

In total, you’d earn 14,000 Membership Rewards points.

Obviously, this is a simple example. Your business may have more employees who travel further and more frequently. But the point remains: You can earn hefty amounts of points when you travel for work, as long as you book it correctly.

2. Expensive Equipment

Many types of businesses require expensive equipment. For example, restaurants require commercial-grade appliances such as ovens, stovetops, refrigerators, and freezers. Most of these individual pieces can easily cost $5,000, but if you were to outfit a restaurant kitchen all at once, you’re easily looking at a purchase of $15,000 — on the conservative side.

Since a purchase like this exceeds $5,000, you can automatically earn 2x points on the total, an easy way to rack up a considerable amount of points — 30,000 of them in our $15,000 restaurant example.

Similarly, you may own a medical or dental practice. Each piece of equipment required to outfit an office properly is pricey on its own, and the cost to equip the entire office will far exceed $5,000. This will earn you 2x points, potentially netting you hundreds of thousands of points in a single swipe of your Amex Business Platinum card.

Large purchases like these will only earn 2x points on up to $2 million in spend each year, so keep that limit in mind to ensure you can still earn at the elevated rate.

3. Technology Products

Essentially every business on the planet needs technology to operate effectively in today’s economy. American Express is aware of this, and it rewards Amex Business Platinum cardholders with a 2x bonus category for technology purchases.

This category pertains primarily to the physical elements of technology, such as desktop computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, mice, audiovisual equipment, and POS systems. You can even earn 2x points on purchases made from big-name retailers, such as Apple and Best Buy.

You can work with a major retailer, such as those listed above, to outfit your company with all the technology it needs to function at a high level and earn double Membership Rewards points on the total.

This is a significant win for business owners who want to be rewarded for their spending. Purchases like these are typically expensive, allowing for a substantial windfall of points in a single transaction.

4. Business Software

Similar to hardware, businesses require a robust suite of software to operate efficiently. Depending on the size and scope of your business, your software costs could run into the tens of thousands of dollars every year, due to recurring subscription fees.

If you pay for your software subscriptions — from Slack or Microsoft Teams to Zoom or Salesforce — you will earn 2x points per dollar spent, leaving you with a considerable amount of points in your account to use for incredible travel experiences down the line.

5. Shipping

Businesses selling any physical product rely heavily on shipping and mailing to deliver products to customers, process returns, and more.

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you can earn 2x points on purchases at any business that mails or ships documents or products, which means you can earn double points on any purchase you make from DHL, FedEx, UPS, the United States Postal Service, and other shipping services, in addition to expenses such as warehouse shipping fees and payments made to packaging vendors.

Depending on your business, these kinds of purchases could be made daily, which means you can rack up Membership Rewards points at a rapid clip.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the earning structure on the Amex Business Platinum card is specifically designed to reward business owners for their most common (and most expensive) venture expenses.

Whether it’s outfitting an office with the latest technology or equipping a restaurant’s kitchen with commercial-grade appliances, using an Amex Business Platinum card allows you to turn business spending into a steady stream of Amex Membership Rewards points.