How the Amex Platinum Card Could Save You Over $3,000 on Travel in a Year
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Yes, the American Express Platinum Card® has one of the highest annual fees of any credit card: $895 (see rates and fees). But did you know it can save you a whopping $3,000 in your first year on travel alone?
It's true. If you use only the card's travel-related perks -- plus the valuable welcome offer -- you can actually cover the Platinum Card®'s annual fee three times over in your first year. Here's how.
Welcome offer: as high as 175,000 points
Right now, the Platinum Card® is offering a massive welcome bonus: 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.
A welcome bonus as high as 175,000 points is one of the largest you'll see on any card.
If you redeem those points for travel through Amex at the standard rate of $0.01 per point, that's a lucrative $1,750 in travel rewards. That's almost two times the annual fee right there. And by transferring your rewards to one of Amex's hotel or airline partners, you could get even more value.
Want to earn your bonus before it's too late? Read our full review of the American Express Platinum Card® to 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.
Over $1,250 in yearly travel perks
The Platinum Card® also comes with tons of valuable travel-related perks to help you save on your next getaway. They include:
- $600 in annual hotel credits
- A $209 annual CLEAR® Plus Credit
- $200 a year in airline fee credits
- $200 in annual Uber Cash credits
- $120 in annual Uber One Credits
- Access to over 1,550 airport lounges
- 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year
- 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
In all, that's more than $1,250 a year in quantifiable travel perks, plus less tangible benefits like the 5X earning rates, access to tons of airport lounges worldwide and more. It's no wonder the Platinum Card® is one of the most popular premium travel cards around.
Want to find out which other cards can help you save on travel? Check out our list of the best travel credit cards to compare all the top options.
Our Research Expert
Ryan Wilcox is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, auto insurance, and other personal finance topics. Ryan has been writing about credit cards and savings since 2022. Before joining Motley Fool Money, he was a full-time writer at The Points Guy, where he focused on maximizing credit card rewards and travel strategies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and American History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also spent four years reporting for The Daily Tar Heel. With a background in both journalism and consumer finance, he brings a clear and thoughtful voice to money topics. Outside of work, Ryan is likely reading, writing, or updating his Letterboxd account.
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