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The Platinum Card from American Express

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The Platinum Card from American Express

Updated June 2026 · 3 min read
Quick verdict

The Platinum Card is the benchmark for premium travel perks. The $895 fee is only justified if you actively use the credits. For frequent travelers in major cities, the lounge access and stacked credits can clear $1,500 in annual value.

8
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
American Express - Premium Travel Card
No card comes close to the Platinum's lounge footprint. Over 1,550 locations including Centurion, Priority Pass, and 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year. For travelers who live near Resy restaurants and use Uber regularly, the credits alone can offset most of the $895 fee.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you apply for a credit card through our links, we may receive a commission from the issuer at no additional cost to you. We maintain editorial integrity; all opinions expressed are our own and are not provided or influenced by the card issuers. For more information, please see our Financial & Affiliate Disclaimer.
Welcome offer
As High As 175,000 Membership Rewards Points
Earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $12,000 on your new Card within the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary.
Annual fee $895
Minimum spend $12,000
Approx. signup value $5,000
Yearly recurring value $1,500
Apply now →
Rates & fees · Terms apply

Pros & cons

Pros
  • Best lounge access of any personal travel card.
  • $600 hotel credit usable at 3,000-plus FHR and Hotel Collection properties
  • 5X points on flights
  • $209 CLEAR+ credit covers the full membership
  • $400 Resy credit
Cons
  • $895 annual fee requires active credit tracking to justify
  • 175,000-point offer requires $12,000 spend in 6 months
  • Many credits require separate enrollment and expire monthly or quarterly
  • lululemon, Oura Ring, and Equinox credits only useful for specific spending habits

Who this card is for

✓ Good fit

Frequent travelers who fly 8-plus times per year and value premium lounge access

✓ Good fit

City dwellers near Resy restaurants who dine out regularly

✓ Good fit

Cardholders who already use CLEAR, Uber, and Walmart+

✕ Skip it

Occasional travelers who won't use more than two or three credits

✕ Skip it

Cardholders who prefer simple cash back or flat-rate rewards

✕ Skip it

Those who can't hit $12,000 spend in 6 months for the welcome offer

Earning rates

5X
Points on Flights booked directly with airlines
5X
Points on Prepaid Hotels.
1X
Everything Else

Benefits breakdown

The Platinum stacks more than a dozen credits across travel, dining, and wellness. Each requires enrollment and most expire monthly or quarterly if unused.

$600 Hotel Credit
Up to $300 semi-annually on FHR or Hotel Collection bookings via Amex Travel. Hotel Collection requires a 2-night minimum.
$600
$200 Airline Fee Credit
Up to $200/year in statement credits for incidental fees with one selected qualifying airline.
$200
$200 Uber Cash
$15/month plus $20 bonus in December, applied automatically when you add your Platinum to Uber.
$200
$120 Uber One Credit
Statement credits after purchasing an auto-renewing Uber One membership.
$120
Global Lounge Collection
Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year when flying Delta, and Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required for Priority Pass.
$850+
Fine Hotels + Resorts
Average $550 in perks per stay — breakfast for two, $100 property credit, room upgrade when available, guaranteed 4pm checkout.
Varies
$400 Resy Credit
$100/quarter at over 10,000 U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required.
$400
$300 Digital Entertainment Credit
$25/month at participating streaming and digital partners. Enrollment required.
$300
$209 CLEAR+ Credit
Annual credit covering a CLEAR+ membership at airports and entertainment venues.
$209
$300 lululemon Credit
$75/quarter at U.S. lululemon stores and lululemon.com (excluding outlets). Enrollment required.
$300
$155 Walmart+ Credit
Monthly credit covering one Walmart+ membership up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes.
$155
$200 Oura Ring Credit
Annual credit for Oura Ring purchase at ouraring.com. Enrollment required.
$200
$300 Equinox Credit
Annual credit for Equinox+ or Equinox club membership. Enrollment required.
$300
Estimated value $1,500
After $895 fee ~$605 net

What to look out for

Delta Sky Club visits capped at 10

After 10 visits per year you pay $50 each. Spend $75,000 on the card annually to unlock unlimited access.

Credits require enrollment and expire

Most credits are monthly or quarterly — unused value does not roll over. Use the Amex app to track.

High spend threshold for welcome offer

$12,000 in 6 months is a steep requirement. Plan large purchases or tax payments around the opening window.

Welcome offers vary by applicant

Not everyone sees the same offer. Apply through CardMatch first to preview your targeted offer without a hard pull.

Our take

The Amex Platinum is the right card for travelers who live in the credits. The $895 fee clears itself when you combine the $600 hotel credit, $200 airline fee credit, $200 Uber Cash, and $400 Resy dining credit. That's $1,400 before you touch the lounge access. Learn how to stack these benefits in our American Express card overview.
The 175,000-point welcome offer is one of the highest we've seen on this card. At a conservative 1.5 cents per point through transfers, that's $2,625 in potential travel value. For a full breakdown of where Membership Rewards points go furthest, see our Membership Rewards guide.
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Sid

I'm Sid, the traveler behind this site. My journey started as a simple "back-up plan" to help pay for expensive personal travel. I realized that with the right strategy, this hobby scales incredibly well. Since then, I have earned and spent over 15 million miles across nearly every major global loyalty program. This blog is where I share what I've learned about this hobby (and ramble a bit), hoping it will also help you travel and see the world. Learn more about me. Want to get in touch? Drop me a line.

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