The Amex Platinum Is the 'It Card' Everyone's Talking About in 2025
Image source: American Express
In the world of premium credit cards, few names spark as much conversation as the American Express Platinum Card®. And thanks to its massive 2025 refresh, this iconic card isn't just back in the spotlight -- it's owning it.
The annual fee did get a glow-up, too. It now clocks in at $895 (see rates and fees), but that price tag unlocks more than $3,500 in lifestyle and travel benefits -- a serious value for those who use the perks.
If you've been waiting for a reason to upgrade your wallet, this might be it. Here's why the Platinum Card® is the "It card" right now.
Over $3,500 in value, annually
The Platinum Card® just got a major refresh. And American Express didn't just tweak a few details -- they dropped a full benefits package that rivals anything else on the market.
The perks fall into two main categories: travel and lifestyle. And if you're someone who can take advantage of both, that's where the real win-win value kicks in.
Travel perks include:
- $600 Hotel Credit -- Up to $300 back twice per year on select prepaid bookings through Amex Travel (Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection).
- $200 Airline Fee Credit -- For incidental charges like baggage fees or in-flight snacks.
- $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Previously $199, now fully covers expedited airport security enrollment. (Enrollment required.)
- $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit -- Monthly rides and food delivery savings.
- TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry Credit -- Covers the application fee for either program.
- Premium Lounge Access -- Entry to 1,550+ airport lounges, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass™ lounges, and Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta).
- Elite Hotel Status -- Enjoy Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. (Enrollment required.)
- 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
Lifestyle perks include:
- $400 Resy Dining Credit: Get up to $100 back each quarter on eligible reservations made through Resy. (Enrollment required.)
- $300 lululemon Credit: Earn up to $75 per quarter on eligible U.S. lululemon purchases. (Enrollment required.)
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Expanded to include more platforms like YouTube Premium and YouTube TV. Now $25/month. (Enrollment required.)
- $200 Oura Ring Credit: Get reimbursed up to $200 annually when you purchase this popular health-tracking wearable.
- $100 Saks Fifth Avenue Credit -- $50 semiannually (enrollment required).
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
You can see why the $895 annual fee is justified. Even if you only take advantage of a handful of these perks, you can still come out way ahead.
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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.
A luxury card that actually feels luxurious
I carried the Platinum Card® for a few years when I traveled a lot for work. And it really does give you that VIP feeling, especially at the airport.
Global Entry helped me stroll through borders in foreign countries after 15+ hour international flights. CLEAR® Plus let me skip long security lines. And the airport lounge access was my absolute favorite for grabbing free drinks, meals, fast wifi, and relaxing before boarding flights.
As for the lifestyle credits, these weren't core perks for me. But since they were included, I took advantage of them! I used the Saks credit to pick up two gifts a year for my wife, and we used the Uber credit towards Uber Eats meals when we were too lazy to cook.
You might feel the same about the new lululemon credit or the Oura Ring offer -- not must-haves, but solid extras you can use to splurge on yourself or buy gifts for friends.
Is the Platinum Card® right for you?
I've reviewed dozens of premium cards, and the truth is if you don't use the benefits, you're just paying for a shiny piece of plastic.
That's especially true here. The Platinum Card® offers big-ticket perks, but they're only valuable if they match your lifestyle.
But if you're someone who travels multiple times a year, enjoys luxury brands like lululemon or Saks, and likes getting VIP treatment at the airport and hotel, this card can pay for itself -- and then some.
It's not about using everything. It's about maximizing the things that matter to you.
It's the "It card" for a reason
If you're considering this card, there's one more perk to sweeten the deal… It comes with a generous welcome offer.
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.
You can apply to see if you're approved and check your exact welcome offer with no impact to your credit score. (If approved and you accept the card, your score may be affected.)
See our full review of the Platinum Card®, and check your welcome offer.
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