3 Reasons to Upgrade to the Amex Platinum in 2026
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If you're planning more trips in 2026, there's a good chance your wallet needs an upgrade too.
I've been watching premium travel perks get more generous, while airline fees and hotel prices keep climbing. Lounge access, airline credits, and hotel perks aren't "nice-to-haves" anymore -- they can actually soften the costs and save you time during a busy travel year.
That's where the American Express Platinum Card® stands out. It's certainly not for everyone, but you can likely get amazing value if these three situations line up with your life in 2026.
1. You have lots of travel lined up
If 2026 includes a handful of trips (or just one really big one) you'll love having the Platinum Card®. It's basically the GOAT of premium travel cards.
Airport lounge access alone can change how flying feels. Instead of circling a crowded terminal, you've got a comfortable seat, food and drinks, and space to reset before boarding.
Here are the travel perks included:
- $600 Hotel Credit -- Up to $300 twice per year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings (The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay).
- $200 Airline Fee Credit -- For incidental charges with a selected airline.
- $200 Uber Cash -- Issued monthly for rides or Uber Eats in the U.S. (with a bonus amount in December).
- $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit -- Helps speed you through airport security.
- Access to 1,550+ airport lounges worldwide
- Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite Status
- Hilton Honors™ Gold Status
- Terms apply, enrollment may be required
The Platinum Card® does carry a $895 annual fee (see rates and fees), so the value equation matters. The good news is that the more you travel, the easier it becomes to take advantage of these perks naturally.
If flights, hotels, airport time, and rides are already part of your 2026 plans, the credits and benefits start working for you instead of feeling like extra homework.
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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.
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- 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. You want to snag a big limited-time offer
Right now, the Platinum Card® is dangling one of its strongest welcome offers in years.
Apply and find out if you are 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.
The spending requirement is a fairly reasonable target given the long runway. Most people can qualify using everyday expenses, travel bookings, or a few planned purchases.
One important nuance: welcome offers aren't one-size-fits-all. The exact offer you see can vary, and the only way to know what you're eligible for is to apply. The upside is that you can check your offer and approval status without an immediate impact to your credit score. If you're approved and decide to move forward, that's when it may affect your credit.
3. The lifestyle credits match how you spend in 2026
This is the part that surprises people the most. The Platinum Card®'s annual fee looks super intimidating… until you zoom in on the credits.
Here are a few highlights:
- $400 Resy Credit -- Up to $100 back quarterly on eligible Resy dining purchases.
- $300 lululemon Credit -- Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter for eligible lululemon purchases.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit -- More than before, covering services like Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.
- $200 Oura Ring Credit -- Up to $200 back each year when you use the Platinum Card® to purchase an Oura ring through Oura.
- $100 Saks Fifth Avenue Credit: Issued as $50 twice a year -- great for gifting, upgrading a few wardrobe staples, or just browsing the home section.
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
These credits work automatically when you enroll and use the Platinum Card® to pay. So if these are places you already spend money throughout the year, you can save a bunch of money without changing anything.
Are premium cards actually worth it?
The best credit cards reward how you already spend. They don't ask you to rearrange your habits just to match the benefits or cover the annual fee.
So if your 2026 plans include frequent travel, higher everyday spend, and lifestyle purchases that line up with the Platinum Card®'s credits, the value is definitely there.
If you want to dig deeper before deciding, it's worth seeing the full breakdown. Learn more in our complete American Express Platinum Card® review.
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 American Express Platinum Card®, click here