How I Earned as High as 500,000 Points From Just 2 Amex Cards

American Express Membership Rewards points are a favorite here at Upgraded Points. They are extremely versatile and offer numerous redemption options — over the years, I have redeemed many of these valuable rewards points for incredible travel experiences.

Now, there’s a way to earn as high as 500,000 Amex Membership Rewards points relatively easily. You now have the chance to find out your version of the welcome offer on 2 popular business cards: The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express and the American Express^® Business Gold Card. Here’s how the application process works and how you can check your eligibility.

Amex Business Platinum Card Overview

The Amex Business Platinum card has long been considered the premium business travel rewards card, and one I’ve used extensively as a business owner who spends heavily and travels frequently.

It offers several travel benefits that help justify its hefty $895 annual fee (rates & fees). This includes elite status across 3 major international hotel brands, rental car elite status, comprehensive airport lounge access, and consumer and travel protections (many benefits require prior enrollment).

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you’ll earn 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com, 2x points on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (up to $2 million in these purchases per calendar year), and 1x points on other purchases. However, arguably the most valuable benefit from account opening may just be the card’s massive welcome offer:

As High As 300,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $20,000 in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

NEW 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!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

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

As High As 300,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.  

As High As 300,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $6,600

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 Amex Business Platinum Card is a premium travel rewards card tailored for business owners who are frequent travelers with high 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 and numerous 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)
• Up to $200 annual airline fee credit on your selected qualifying airline
• Generous statement credits on select purchases with your card (including credits for airline incidentals, prepaid hotels, CLEAR, Dell, and Hilton)
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Access to Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program
• Hotel elite status with Hilton, Marriott, and Leading Hotels of the World upon enrollment

 

Cons

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

 

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• As High As 300,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
• 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.
• 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. Gift cards are not an eligible purchase. 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+ Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
• Maximize your time away with Fine Hotels + Resorts through Amex Travel™.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

 

This is an absurd number of Amex Membership Rewards points, worth up to $6,600.

To see your version of the personalized welcome offer, you’ll complete the application as normal. American Express will determine your approval or denial using a soft credit check, so your credit score won’t be impacted at this stage.

If approved, you’ll then be shown your welcome offer, which could potentially be as high as 300,000 points. If you choose to accept the bonus offer and open the account, a hard inquiry may be performed to finalize the process.

However, if you exit the application — at any point before accepting the account — there will be no impact to your credit. It’s worth applying to see what offer you may be eligible for now that the process uses an initial soft credit check.

Amex Business Gold Card Overview

The Amex Business Gold card is a tremendous business card with some serious rewards-earning potential to complement the Amex Business Platinum card. The Amex Business Gold card has an annual fee of $375 (rates & fees), but its benefits help justify that ongoing cost.

It earns a whopping 4x points on the 2 highest purchase categories each month, on up to $150,000 spent each calendar year, from a variety of categories, including: transit purchases, U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, U.S. gas stations, U.S. restaurants, among others. It also earns 3x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com.

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Business 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.

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

American Express^® Business Gold Card

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Welcome Offer

As High As 200,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $15,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

As High As 200,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $4,400

Annual Fee

$375

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 American Express^® Business Gold Card is excellent at racking up rewards for your business spend.

The card earns a whopping 4x points per $1 in the 2 categories (from a list of 6) that your business spends the most money on each month. With no need to opt-in or preselect your categories, so you can focus on what matters most — running your business.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar spent on your 2 highest purchase categories each month up to $150,000 each calendar year in purchases; categories include:
  • Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
  • U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
  • Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
  • U.S. purchases at gas stations
  • U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
  • Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, plus TV and radio)
• 3x points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card
• Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection

Cons

• $375 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access or elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• As High As 200,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $15,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ using your Business Gold Card.*
• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.*
• Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
• The Business Gold Card comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and White Gold. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
• *Terms Apply

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

The Amex Business Gold card also features a giant welcome offer:

As High As 200,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $15,000 in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Like the welcome offer on the Amex Business Platinum card, the Amex Business Gold card’s welcome offer is a fantastic way to earn a large number of Membership Rewards points.

Fortunately, the application process remains the exact same as the Amex Business Platinum card, with an initial soft credit check.

When applying for the Amex Business Gold card, you could be eligible to earn as high as 200,000 bonus points after meeting the minimum spending requirements — the highest welcome offer we’ve seen.

What Are 500K Amex Membership Rewards Points Worth?

We value Amex Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents per point, the highest of any transferable points currency. This means that earning 500,000 points is worth approximately $11,000 based on our valuations.

How you redeem points ultimately determines how much value you get. There are numerous ways to redeem Amex Membership Rewards points, including statement credits, gift cards, and booking travel through AmexTravel.com.

However, the best way to redeem them is to transfer them to Amex’s extensive list of airline and hotel transfer partners. This is the only way I redeem my Amex Membership Rewards points, as this consistently nets me more than 3 cents per point, far higher than our valuation.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Business Platinum card and the Amex Business Gold card are 2 of American Express’ most popular and rewarding cards for business owners. When used together, they offer a powerful combination of strong rewards — as high as 500,000 points from the welcome offers alone — and valuable travel perks and benefits.