Why We Gladly Spend $2,000 a Year on Amex Card Annual Fees

Updated: May 28, 2025, 8:30am CDT

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Table of Contents

Overview of Our Amex Cards
Why We Keep the Amex Green Card
Why We Keep the Amex Gold Card
Why We Keep the Amex Platinum Card
Why We Keep the Amex Business Platinum Card
Final Thoughts

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If you had told me 5 or 10 years ago that my wife and I pay nearly $2,000 in American Express card annual fees, I would’ve laughed in your face. Now, though, it makes sense to us.

From cardholder perks to complementary earning rates across the Amex cards we keep, we earn more points, enjoy discounts or freebies, and save money on travel by holding the American Express^® Green Card*, the American Express^® Gold Card, The Platinum Card^® from American Express, and The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express.

We don’t use every perk on these cards, but we get about $2,500 in value from them each year.

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

Overview of Our Amex Cards

My wife and I hold additional co-branded American Express cards beyond those discussed here, earning rewards with Marriott and Delta, for example. Today, though, I want to focus on our cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards and how they work together to benefit us enough to justify paying their annual fees.

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Card Name	Annual Fee	Current Welcome Offer	Key Perks*	Earning Rates We Value
Amex Green card	$150 (rates & fees)	Earn 40,000 points after spending $3,000 within the first 6 months.	Annual CLEAR Plus membership credit	3x points on travel and transit (including hotels, tours, cruises, and more)
Amex Gold card	$325 (rates & fees)	Earn 60,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months.	Annual Uber Cash credit Annual dining credits with select merchants Annual Dunkin’ credits	4x points at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 of these purchases annually (then 1x) 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 of these purchases annually (then 1x)
Amex Platinum card	$695 (rates & fees)	Apply and find out if you're eligible for as high as 175,000 points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.	Lounge access benefits Annual prepaid hotel credit Annual digital entertainment credit Walmart+ membership benefit Annual airline fee credit Annual Uber Cash credit Annual CLEAR Plus membership benefit Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee benefit Rental car and hotel elite status	5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com, up to $500,000 of these purchases annually (then 1x) 5x points on prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com
Amex Business Platinum card	$695 (r ates & fees)	LIMITED TIME TRAVEL OFFER: Earn 150,000 points after spending $20,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel in the first 3 months. Offer ends 6/30/25.	Lounge access benefits Annual Dell credits Annual airline fee credit Annual CLEAR Plus membership benefit Annual wireless credit Annual Hilton statement credit Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee benefit Rental car and hotel elite status	5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com 1.5x points in key business categories and purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million of these purchases annually, then 1x)
*Note that some benefits require enrollment and terms apply.

Why We Keep the Amex Green Card

The key benefit of the Amex Green card is the CLEAR Plus credit offering up to a $199 statement credit annually after paying for a membership with this card. That said, we have this benefit from other cards, so my wife doesn’t hold the Amex Green card for its perks. Instead, this card is a medium-priced workhorse that helps us earn Amex Membership Rewards points quickly.

American Express^® Green Card

U.P. Rating

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 OfferEarn 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*:
$880

Annual Fee

$150

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

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 $199 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.
$199 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $199 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

The 3x earning categories help us rack up points from spending on tolls, campgrounds, subway rides, trains, buses, and more. If it’s a travel or transit expense, you can bet we’re pulling out the Amex Green card. Plus, the 3x categories here are much broader than most other cards on the market, often providing 3x points only on hotels or airfare.

My wife and I conservatively value the extra points earned with this card annually at $220, based on earning 1 extra point per $1 spent on $10,000 of purchases. This is from our valuation of Amex points at 2.2 cents each, allowing us to justify paying the $150 annual fee.

Why We Keep the Amex Gold Card

We enjoy the mix of perks and earning power that justifies keeping the Amex Gold card in my wallet year after year. When dining out, ordering food delivery (in the U.S. only), or purchasing groceries at U.S. supermarkets, we enjoy the earning power on this card. Its earning caps and limitations haven’t hindered us, and we find just enough value in the card’s benefits to tolerate the $325 annual fee.

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

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 OfferEarn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
60,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

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

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
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 at 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.
$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.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

The 3 perks we use from the Amex Gold card include:

Up to $120 in Uber Cash annually, received as $10 in our Uber account each month when this card is listed as a payment method in our account (valid on rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S.)
Up to $84 in Dunkin’ credits annually, available as a $7 monthly statement credit for purchases at U.S. locations (enrollment required)
Up to $120 annual dining credit, available as $10 in statement credits monthly. Enrollment is required, and eligible merchants include Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys.

To be fair, we struggle to get the exact value of these benefits without spending over the maximum credit amount, so I assign them 75% of their value — $243 in value, with the annual fee justified by additional earnings in this card’s bonus categories.

Why We Keep the Amex Platinum Card

The list of benefits available on the Amex Platinum card is long, and I definitely don’t use all of them. Even still, I can justify paying the card’s $695 annual fee.

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

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.

The 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 OfferYou 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

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

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 1,400 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

$695 annual fee (rates and fees)
Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

Read Full Review

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.
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.
Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club^® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
$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^® 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.
$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
$199 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. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card^®.
Receive either a $120 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.
Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
$695 annual fee.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Perks we find valuable on the Amex Platinum card include:

Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection and Priority Pass lounges upon enrollment
Up to $199 annual credit covering a CLEAR Plus membership
Up to $200 in Uber Cash annually, received in our Uber account when this card is listed as a payment method (receive $15 monthly, plus an extra $20 in December)
Up to $200 in annual airline fee credits with a preselected airline
Up to $200 annual prepaid hotel credit for Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection reservations (the latter requires a minimum stay of 2 nights)

Up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit, available as $20 per month with select streaming providers (enrollment required)
Up to $155 Walmart+ credit, covering the $12.95 (plus taxes and fees) monthly membership fee paid with this card
Hilton Honors Gold status, as we don’t qualify otherwise and we’re able to enjoy complimentary status by enrolling through our Amex account.
Up to $120 statement credit for Global Entry application fee every 4 years or up to $85 for a TSA PreCheck application fee every 4.5 years
Rental car elite status (upon enrollment) with Hertz, Avis, and National

We also love earning 5x points on airfare, covering flights purchased directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 of these purchases annually) plus 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com.

It’s tough to quantify the value of zipping through airport security or relaxing at a lounge. Still, these combine with rental car benefits, complimentary streaming services, and other perks to create roughly $1,000 in annual value between benefits and bonus points.

Why We Keep the Amex Business Platinum Card

The Amex Business Platinum card also comes with a $695 annual fee. Still, it has a long list of valuable benefits — many of which overlap with the Amex Platinum card above. However, I hold the Amex Platinum card and my wife has the Amex Business Platinum card, so the repeats are OK for times we travel independently.

LAST CHANCE

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

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 OfferEarn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel with your Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends 6/30/25.
150,000 points + $500 statement credit

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $3,800

Annual Fee

$695

APR

18.49% - 27.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Pros & Cons

Pros

5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights, prepaid hotels, and short-term rentals and prepaid flight and hotel packages booked through Amex Travel
Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection (as of 10/2024).
Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) 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 $695 (rates & fees)
Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Limited Time Travel Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Business Platinum Card^® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel with your Business Platinum Card^® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends 6/30/25.
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 10/2024.
Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card^®. 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.
NEW! 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.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® points for flights, prepaid hotels, and short-term rentals and prepaid flight + hotel packages booked at AmexTravel.com. 1X points on other eligible purchases.
Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
$199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card^®.
$695 Annual Fee.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Key perks we utilize on this card include:

Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection and Priority Pass lounges upon enrollment
Up to $199 annual credit covering a CLEAR Plus membership
Up to $200 in annual airline fee credits with a preselected airline
Up to $120 annual wireless credit, available as $10 per month (enrollment required)
Up to $200 back semi-annually with Dell (enrollment required)

Up to $200 in Hilton statement credits annually, available as up to $50 per quarter (enrollment required)
Enrollment for Hilton Honors Gold status, as we don’t qualify otherwise
Up to $120 statement credit for Global Entry application fee every 4 years or up to $85 for a TSA PreCheck application fee every 4.5 years
Rental car elite status (upon enrollment) with Hertz, Avis, and National

The most unique perk on this card is its 35% points rebate. Amex Business Platinum cardholders can use Pay with Points to book flights through AmexTravel.com and get 35% of their points back — up to 1 million points back annually. This benefit applies to flights in any cabin with your preferred airline or flights in first or business class with any airline. If there’s a great deal on a flight, booking with points (rather than a transfer partner) and getting a rebate is awesome.

Combining this perk with the card’s 5x and 1.5x earning rates helps us build and maintain our Amex points balance year after year.

Like the Amex Platinum card, the Amex Business Platinum card offers my wife intangible value with travel perks, plus savings on items for our home with Dell, complimentary onboard Wi-Fi with airline credits, and the points rebate — giving us roughly $1,000 in annual value.

Final Thoughts

My wife and I have a wide-ranging card portfolio that earns Amex Membership Rewards points. As crazy as it may sound, we are willing to pay nearly $2,000 in annual fees to keep these cards in our wallets year after year. That’s because of the perks and complementary earning rates the cards provide, which we conservatively value at about $2,500 annually.