3 Time-Sensitive Reasons to Get the Amex Platinum Before the End of the Year
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If you've had your eye on the American Express Platinum Card®, the next few weeks are honestly one of the best times of the year to pull the trigger.
I study credit cards for a living, and I can tell you: timing matters. The Platinum Card® packs a ton of value, but grabbing it right before December flips into January lets you squeeze out hundreds more in perks that's hard to repeat at other times of year.
Here's why getting it this December makes sense.
1. Double-dip your annual credits before Jan. 1
A bunch of the Platinum Card®'s most popular credits reset every calendar year. That means if you open the card before the end of 2025, you get a short runway to use the credits now, and then a fresh set becomes available after Jan. 1.
That's two rounds of eligible credits in just a few weeks -- something you can't replicate if you open the card in early 2026.
Here are some of the perks that reset at the end of the year:
- Oura Ring (up to $200 annually)
- Fine Hotels + Resorts® / Hotel Collection bookings (up to $300 semi-annually; the Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay)
- Lululemon (up to $75 quarterly)
- Resy (up to $100 quarterly)
- Airline Fee Credit (up to $200 annually)
- Uber Cash (up to $35 in December)
- Saks Fifth Avenue (up to $50 twice per year)
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
It's hands-down the highest-value window of the year to open the Platinum Card®.
Yes, the annual fee is steep -- $895 (see rates and fees). But stacking two sets of credits this close together takes a lot of the sting out. Especially if you're already the kind of person who hits these brands, dines out, travels around the holidays, or has a big 2026 trip on the calendar.
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Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR
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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. Lock in the welcome offer before it potentially drops
Welcome offers pop up and disappear at any moment. And boosted ones especially don't stick around for long.
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.
Apply now to see if you're approved and to view your exact welcome offer -- all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and accept the card, your score may be impacted.
I always encourage people to jump on big offers if they're eyeing the card anyway. You don't want to get to January and realize the welcome offer shrank. The difference could easily be worth hundreds of dollars in points.
3. Holiday spending makes hitting the bonus (and earning rewards) way easier
This one's my favorite because it's so practical.
The holidays are actually the best time to open up any new rewards card. That's because the end of year is when people naturally spend more on gifts, travel, food, events, all the little extras that creep into your budget whether you want them to or not.
And instead of letting that cash go to waste on a random card, putting it on the Platinum Card® helps you reach the welcome-offer requirement faster -- without forcing extra purchases.
It also means rewards start showing up faster because of the wave of spending happening naturally. Membership Rewards® points are incredibly flexible, so you'll have a strong head start on flights, hotels, and upgrades for 2026.
Is the Platinum Card® right for you?
The Platinum Card® isn't for everyone -- and honestly, that's a good thing. It's one of the highest-annual-fee cards out there, and it only makes sense if you've already been eyeing it and your lifestyle naturally lines up with the perks.
Lounge access, hotel status, premium travel protections -- that stuff is incredible, but it's not universal.
If you're not going to use the credits or don't care about the luxury perks, you shouldn't force it.
This card fits a very specific type of traveler: someone who enjoys the VIP experience, values time and convenience, and wants top-tier benefits baked into every trip.
If you want to compare the Platinum Card® against other great options, check out all our top-rated travel credit cards here.
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