Frequent Flyers Swear by This Card for Lounge Access and Luxury Hotels
Image source: Joel O'Leary
It's hard to enjoy a vacation when you're stuck at the gate next to a kid kicking your carry-on.
That's one reason why so many frequent travelers swear by the American Express Platinum Card®. It's not cheap at $895 per year (see rates and fees), but it is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market.
I've personally held this card and used it to get into lounges, earn hotel upgrades, and claw back hundreds in statement credits.
Here's why I call it the GOAT for luxury travel.
Get into 1,550+ airport lounges
One of the Platinum Card®'s biggest draws is the unmatched airport lounge access.
Cardholders can get into these lounge networks:
- Centurion Lounges (Amex's swanky lounges with gourmet food, cocktails, and comfy seating. The pic at the top of this article I took in a Centurion lounge in Dallas Fort Worth)
- Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta same-day)
- Priority Pass lounges (1,400+ locations worldwide)
- Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium, Lufthansa Lounges, and more
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
All added up, you get access to 1,550+ lounges in 140+ countries. It makes delays, long layovers, or early check-ins way more tolerable.
In many lounges, you can bring at least one guest or person you're traveling with. That's saved me and my wife so many times.
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Intro APR
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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.
Save $600+ per year on luxury hotel stays
With the recent refresh to the Platinum Card® benefits, the hotel benefits just got more generous.
Here are the main hotel perks:
- $600 annual hotel credit (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.)
- Automatic Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status
- Room upgrades when available, daily breakfast, and late checkout at many properties
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
I used the hotel credit once for my brother's wedding in San Diego -- and it basically turned the whole trip into a luxury (and more romantic) experience for me and wifey.
More travel perks beyond the lounge
The Platinum Card® doesn't just get you into lounges and fancy hotels -- it's packed with travel perks that make every trip smoother, faster, and more fun.
Here are some other handy perks for travelers:
- $200 airline fee credit per year for things like checked bags, seat selection, or in-flight snacks
- CLEAR® Plus credit (up to $209/year) to speed through airport security lanes
- TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry credit every 4-5 years (up to $120)
- $200 in Uber Cash each year -- doled out as $15/month plus a $20 bonus in December (U.S. rides and Uber Eats only)
- $120 Uber One credit, which gets you even more savings and $0 delivery fees on eligible orders
- 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
If you travel even semi-regularly, these all stack up fast. I mostly used the Uber credits for Uber Eats orders instead of rides. CLEAR and Global Entry are seriously underrated too if you hate waiting at the airport (who doesn't!).
While the $895 annual fee isn't small, the total value of benefits and credits tops $3,500+ per year if you use them.
If you're a frequent flyer, the Platinum Card® can easily pay for itself (and then some) with all the luxury perks packed inside.
That said, it's not the only premium travel card out there.
Explore more luxury travel cards and compare your top options 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 the American Express Platinum Card®, click here