If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.
The Platinum Card® from American Express has a huge list of features that could save you thousands of dollars. You'll get elite status with multiple hotels, great airport lounge access, and all kinds of spending credits. Select enrollment required and terms apply. But all that comes with a steep annual fee (see rates and fees) -- find out if it's worth it for you in this The Platinum Card® from American Express review.
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
The high annual fee is justifiable for frequent travelers who can take full advantage of a deep bench of valuable perks, including the big welcome bonus, robust rewards, and lucrative annual travel credits.
This card is a good fit for: Luxury travelers who want to save on high-end bookings. If you'd like to upgrade your travels, you'll get value from this card's lengthy list of benefits.
You probably won't find a card more feature-packed than The Platinum Card® from American Express.
You'll earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus points for spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of Card Membership. The offer and spending minimum are fairly competitive with popular sign-up bonuses. Terms apply.
This card earns bonus points in an array of categories:
High rates on flights and hotels, plus that fantastic welcome offer, all help to maximize your rewards.
American Express cardholders get cash toward Uber rides and an automatic bump up to Uber VIP status. Uber Cash is doled out in monthly installments of $15 each (plus an extra $20 in December). The only frustrating part is that any unused cash amount won't roll over to the next month, so you need to use Uber frequently to get the most from this benefit. Terms apply.
After you choose a qualifying airline, you'll automatically get up to $200 in annual statement credits for airline fees. This covers anything an airline classifies as a fee, such as checked luggage charges and in-flight food or beverages. Just keep in mind that the credit won't cover airfare. Terms apply.
Learn more: Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
The Platinum Card® from American Express will reimburse your membership fee for the CLEAR® program you are enrolled in, up to $189 per year. Reimbursement is in the form of a statement credit. Terms apply.
A card is only as good as its rewards program, and this one doesn't disappoint. Few issuers can rival American Express's list of airline and hotel partners. And all those partners add up to more high-value redemption opportunities for your points. Used w, e to access Delta Sky Club® lounges, International American Express Lounges, and American Express Centurion® lounge and Studio locations worldwide. The latter are known to be more luxurious than the typical airport lounge. For a frequent flyer, airport lounge access is a great way to upgrade your travels. Terms apply.
A card is only as good as its rewards program, and this one doesn't disappoint. Few issuers can rival American Express's list of airline and hotel partners. And all those partners add up to more high-value redemption opportunities for your points. Used wisely, American Express Membership Rewards points can easily be worth $0.02 per point. With some shopping around and a little luck, you could even find a redemption option that gives you $0.05 per point or more. Terms apply.
Being a Card Member entitles you to automatic Marriott Bonvoy™ Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status, so you'll get all the associated benefits. Enrollment required. Terms apply.
American Express cards generally have robust travel and purchase protections. Here are the complimentary protections that apply to every eligible purchase made with The Platinum Card® from American Express:
Avoiding extra fees is a must, especially when you're a frequent traveler. As you probably expected, American Express won't ding you with a foreign transaction fee when you use this card internationally. (See rates and fees)
If you want easier-to-use benefits: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges a high annual fee as well, bit it lets you redeem points through the Chase travel portal at $0.015 per point or transfer points to a long list of airline and hotel partners.
If you want a more affordable American Express card: You can get the American Express® Gold Card for a more reasonable annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees). Despite the lower cost, this card still offers hundreds of dollars in spending credits and an excellent rewards rate. Terms apply.
Related: Read The Ascent's guide to the Best American Express Credit Cards.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
The Platinum Card® from American Express | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | American Express® Gold Card |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50 stars
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50 stars
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50 stars
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. |
Apply Now for The Platinum Card® from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
|
||
Rates & Fees | Rates & Fees | |
Credit Rating Requirement: |
Credit Rating Requirement: |
Credit Rating Requirement: |
100,000 Membership Rewards® Points |
60,000 points |
60,000 Membership Rewards® Points |
1x - 5x points |
1x - 10x points |
1x - 4x points |
Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR |
Regular APR: 18.49% - 25.49% Variable |
Regular APR: 18.24%-25.24% Variable |
Annual Fee: $695 |
Annual Fee: $550 |
Annual Fee: $250 |
Highlights:
|
Highlights:
|
Highlights:
|
Apply Now for The Platinum Card® from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
Show More
|
Even the top card in the American Express lineup has a few drawbacks.
The Platinum Card® from American Express benefits carry a high price tag. With a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees), it's one of the most expensive cards. To decide whether that fee is worth paying, you'll need to look at how many of the benefits you can use. You could get thousands of dollars in value every year in spending credits, rewards, and travel and shopping perks. If you don't think those features will fit your lifestyle, you should look for other credit card options.
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
A FICO® Score of at least 670 is recommended when applying for The Platinum Card® from American Express, and a score of 720 or higher is even better. Since this is one of the most luxurious cards, it's targeted at consumers with good or preferably excellent credit. Keep in mind that your credit score is just one of many factors American Express will consider, so that alone doesn't guarantee an approval or a denial.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is designed for frequent travelers who have high monthly spending and prioritize luxury travel experiences. You'll probably love it if most or all of the following describe your lifestyle:
Read more: Best Rewards Credit Cards
The Platinum Card® from American Express doesn't have a credit limit or a preset spending limit. The amount you can spend is flexible based on factors that include your purchase, payment, and credit history. If you want to see if a large purchase will be approved, American Express offers a tool to check your spending power in your online account and its mobile app.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is hard to get if you don't have good or excellent credit. Most approved applicants have a FICO® Score in the 700s.
Yes, you can use The Platinum Card® from American Express internationally, and it doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
***Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
****Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, click here
For rates and fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here
The Motley Fool recommends Amex.
The Ascent is a Motley Fool service that rates and reviews essential products for your everyday money matters.
Copyright © 2018 - 2022 The Ascent. All rights reserved.