(New Offer!) 7 Reasons Why You Should Consider The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express has long been one of the most recognizable premium travel cards — and for good reason. With standout perks like airport lounge access, luxury hotel benefits, and built-in travel protections, it’s a favorite among frequent travelers.
That said, with a $695 annual fee, the Amex Platinum is a serious investment — and it won’t make sense for everyone. But for travelers who can take full advantage of its benefits, the value can more than outweigh the cost.
If you’re curious about what this premium card actually offers — or wondering whether the perks are worth it for you — this guide breaks it all down to help you decide if it’s a smart fit for your travel goals.
Let’s take a look at why this card is worth considering and how it might fit into a thoughtful points-and-miles strategy.
The Platinum Card from American Express current offer:
An ultra-premium card loaded with benefits and perks, especially for the frequent traveler. Terms apply.
1) “As High As” Welcome Offer (Possibly Even Bigger Than You Were Expecting)
The Platinum Card is known for offering one of the most valuable welcome offers in the travel rewards world. And with Amex’s new “As High As” offer experience, you now have the chance to see the maximum welcome offer you might qualify for — when you apply and without impacting your credit.
While exact offers vary by person, we’ve seen some applicants receive extraordinarily high welcome offers through this tool. Even if you don’t land the top-tier amount, many applicants still qualify for an offer higher than the standard public welcome offer. It’s a simple, no-risk way to check for the best possible deal before committing.
2) “No Obligation” Opportunity
Not only does Amex’s new “As High As” feature allow you to check what your offer is (and it could be a huge welcome offer!), it’s also a way to check without any risk.
Here’s why it’s a big-deal “no obligation” opportunity:
- Fill out an application to see your personalized offer before you commit.
- It uses a soft credit check only — NO impact to your credit score (NOTE: If you accept and are approved, a credit check will be run before final approval.)
- You could qualify for more than the public standard offer.
- If you don’t like the offer, you can walk away — no strings attached!
This is one of the rare times you can see your top-tier offer upfront — with no risk. Click here for our walkthrough guide on “As High As” Offers and how they work.
3) Lounge Access Galore
This is one of the best features of the Platinum Card. Eligible cardmembers get access to the Global Lounge Collection, which includes:
- Amex Centurion Lounges
- Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required)
- Delta Sky Clubs® (when flying Delta; access to Delta lounges is capped at 10 complimentary visits per program year)
- Select Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa, SWISS, or Austrian Airlines)
- Plaza Premium lounges
- Escape lounges
No other card offers this broad of a lounge network.
The Centurion Lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
4) Up to $1,500+ in Annual Statement Credits
If you’re organized, these credits can more than offset the card’s annual fee. Here’s a breakdown of the key ones:
- Up to $200 Airline Fee Credit (enrollment required; use for incidental airline fees like seat selection or baggage)
- Up to $200 Hotel Credit (on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection stays booked through American Express Travel®)
- Up to $240 Digital Entertainment Credit ($20/month toward eligible services like Peacock, Disney+, Hulu, and more)
- $200 Uber Credit ($15/month + $20 extra in December; use for Uber rides or Uber Eats)
- Up to $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit
- Up to $155 Walmart+ Credit
- Up to $300 Equinox Credit
Note: This can get overwhelming if you’re managing multiple cards to keep up with all the different perks and benefits. It’s important to know yourself, and if you don’t want to keep up with all of this, this may not be the best card for you.
Even if you don’t use every credit, you can easily make back the fee if you use just a handful of them consistently.
5) Best-in-Class Travel Benefits
This card was made for travelers. In addition to the travel credits above, key benefits include:
- Fine Hotels + Resorts perks (free breakfast, room upgrades, late checkout, and more)
- Up to $120 Global Entry fee credit every 4 years or up to $85 TSA PreCheck®
- Trip Delay Insurance: Get reimbursed up to $500 per trip (max 2x/year) for expenses if a round-trip booked with your Amex Platinum is delayed 6+ hours for a covered reason. Terms apply. This is similar to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® coverage, but is better than other cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card where the delay must be 12 hours or more for coverage to kick in. More details here.
- Cancellation & Interruption Insurance: Up to $10,000 reimbursement per trip (max $20,000/year) for non-refundable expenses if a round-trip booked with your Amex Platinum is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason. Terms apply.
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory
- Premium Global Assist (emergency help when traveling internationally, including global evacuation services) Terms and conditions apply.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite and Hilton Honors™ Gold status
- Elite Status with Top Car Rental Brands: Complimentary elite status with Avis Preferred Plus, Hertz President’s Circle, and National Emerald Club Executive — enjoy priority service, upgrades when available, and faster checkouts across all three. (enrollment required)
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
**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.
If you book luxury or international travel even a few times a year, the perks quickly add up.
Grace Bay Resort, Turks and Caicos
6) Ways to redeem points for free travel
There are 2 popular ways to redeem Amex points for free travel.
- Use points to book flights at a flat value of 1 cent per point in the Amex Travel Portal. Other redemptions — like hotels, cruises, or vacation packages — typically offer less value, around 0.7 cents per point. While this is easy and convenient, it’s generally not the most rewarding way to use your points — especially compared to booking in Chase Travel℠ which can offer 1.25–1.5 cents per point depending on your card.
- The much better value is the second option, which is to transfer points to Amex’s airline and hotel partners. You can get some great value with this strategy, including booking Delta flights using Virgin Atlantic miles, using Air Canada Aeroplan miles to book United, Lufthansa, or other Star Alliance flights and leveraging Avianca LifeMiles for cheap awards with no fuel surcharges.
For a list of transfer partners, see our American Express Membership Rewards® Guide.
Note: You may also be able to use points at certain Amex travel partners (like Fine Hotels + Resorts), but these redemptions often yield lower value unless paired with other promotions.
7) Premium Status with Hotel and Rental Car Programs
Just by holding the card, you get Gold Elite Status with both Marriott Bonvoy® and Hilton Honors™ hotel loyalty programs, and National Emerald Club Executive status (think rental car upgrades!). These perks can lead to room upgrades, late checkout, and other VIP treatment when you travel.
Application tips
Amex is generally the safest bank for trying your luck at a new welcome offer. They usually will not issue a hard pull when denying your application. Plus, they’ll now warn you during the application process if you’re not eligible for the offer. Click here for our walkthrough guide on “As High As” Offers and how they work.
To check Amex specific application rules, check out our Bank Application Rules article.
But the easiest way to check if you’re eligible is to check your CardGenie™ to see if this card is showing in your list of recommended cards.
My Application Experience
I recently applied for the Amex Platinum card. One very cool thing with Amex is the ability to get your credit card number immediately. If you literally have a purchase to make later in the day, you can make it with your brand new card.
To get this number, you will see this option to get your card number instantly on approval.
In Summary
Even with its high annual fee, the Platinum Card can be a great choice for frequent travelers for its welcome offer and ongoing perks, especially if you can use them.
Learn how to apply and find out your welcome offer. (Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.)
An ultra-premium card loaded with benefits and perks, especially for the frequent traveler. Terms apply.
