3 Genius Reasons to Upgrade to a Premium Credit Card in 2025
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Let's be real -- you don't need a premium credit card to live a great financial life.
But if you've got the right situation lined up, a luxury card can be way more valuable than people think. We're talking airport lounges, free hotel upgrades, and welcome offers that can drop $900+ worth of travel into your lap.
The key is knowing when to pounce. Here are three such situations.
1. You're planning a big trip and want VIP treatment
A buddy of mine just flew business class to Italy with his wife (and baby!). And they booked it all with points from a premium travel card.
But their favorite part wasn't flying in the front of the plane. It was breezing through airport security with CLEAR®, changing their baby in a comfy airport lounge (while drinking free mimosas), and even scoring a room upgrade at their hotel in Florence.
If you've got travel plans brewing this year, this might be the best time to go premium.
Cards like the American Express Platinum Card® are packed with travel perks like:
- Lounge access to Centurion, Priority Pass™ Select, and Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta, terms apply)
- Gold status at Hilton and Marriott (late checkout, room upgrades when available)
- CLEAR® Plus credit to skip airport lines
- Fine Hotels & Resorts® benefits like upgrades and free breakfast
- $200 airline credit to cover incidental fees and in-flight snacks
- TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry credit
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
The annual fee is steep at $895 (see rates and fees) -- no sugarcoating that. But if you're gonna use the perks, there's $3,500+ in annual value you can squeeze out of it.
It might not make sense for small trips. But for big travel with multiple stops or international destinations, premium cards like this are amazing. Read our full Platinum Card® review to learn more and apply today.
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Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards 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®. 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms apply.
1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points
Annual Fee
$895
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.
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The American Express Platinum Card® isn’t just a credit card — it’s a status symbol. With over $3,500 in annual credits like $400 for dining with Resy, $600 in luxury hotel stays, and $300 in digital entertainment, plus VIP access to 1,550 airport lounges and automatic Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy elite status (enrollment required), it delivers prestige few cards can match. The fee is steep, but for those who want the best, the Platinum Card® can more than pay for itself — starting with a powerful welcome offer. Terms apply.
Read Full Review -
- Big welcome offer
- Substantial spending credits
- Airport lounge access
- Hotel benefits
- Flexible travel points
- Annual fee
- Limited bonus categories
- Spending credits can be complicated to manage
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- 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.
2. Snagging a big sign-up bonus (with regular spending)
Got a wedding, home reno, or big family trip on the horizon?
This is the perfect time to open a premium card and hit a massive welcome bonus. Some offers can be worth up to $1,500 or more if you meet the minimum spend (and you were planning to spend the money anyway).
Seriously. If you're already spending $4,000 or $6,000 in the next few months, you might as well earn a ton of points while you're at it.
For example, my wife and I typically spend around $3,000 to $4,000 a month on our credit cards (more if we've got a big bill in the pipeline). So when a card requires $8,000 in spending over three months, that's totally doable without changing our habits.
We'll open a new premium card every so often when a big bonus pops up. And honestly, the cards we go for usually end up being ones we wanted to test out anyway -- even without the bonus.
Check out today's best credit card welcome offers.
3. Your work life just changed
If your job now involves more travel, client meals, or expenses you're paying upfront, this is the move.
I used to be in outside sales and paid for everything with my own card (then got reimbursed). I racked up thousands in rewards just living my normal work life -- and premium cards made that experience 10x better.
If your job changed recently, or you have the option to use a personal card for work stuff, this might be the right time to level up.
You earn the points. The company foots the bill. Win-win.
If the math checks out, go for it
Premium cards are fun to flash, sure. But the real value is in the perks, protections, and points.
If one of these situations applies to you, this might be the perfect time to add a premium card to your wallet.
Explore the best premium credit cards for 2025 and see which one lines up with your life.
Our Research Expert
Joel O’Leary is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, mortgages, and other personal finance topics. Joel has been writing about personal finance since 2018, previously leading editorial content for the How To Money podcast and serving as a resident writer at Budgets Are Sexy. He bought his first rental property at age 18, funding the down payment with savings from his high school job at McDonald’s -- a testament to his lifelong passion for smart money decisions. His work aims to make personal finance accessible and actionable for everyday readers. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys surfing and spending time with his family.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by American Express. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express.
For rates and fees for the American Express Platinum Card®, click here