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Travel forward with Platinum

There’s no going back to travel as usual. Enjoy benefits that elevate more of life’s moments.

5X points for flights

Per dollar spent on flights purchased directly from airlines or American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year.

5X points for prepaid hotels

Per dollar spent on prepaid hotel purchases, booked, and paid in advance, online at AmexTravel.com .

1X points on everything else. Per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Enjoy Platinum benefits for every part of the journey

$200 Airline Fee Credit

Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by one selected airline to your Platinum Card Account. Airline selection required.

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.

International Airline Program

As a Platinum Card® Member, you can get exclusive access to lower fares for you and your travel companions when you book select First, Business, or Premium Economy class tickets on International itineraries with the International Airline Program through American Express Travel®.

American Express Global Lounge Collection

When you’re seeking a place to rest and recharge while traveling, enjoy access to more than 1400+ lounges across 650+ cities, and 140 countries around the world.

With Lounge Finder, you can locate and check into nearby airport lounges based on your location. To gain entry, simply use the Amex®️ App to display a QR code within Mobile Check-In.

$199 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 $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with your Platinum Card.

*Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®

Stay focused on getting where you need to go. Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Platinum Card.

If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck. Each Additional Card on eligible Card accounts is also eligible for one statement credit for an application fee for a five-year membership every 4 years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck. To receive the statement credit, the application fee must be charged on the eligible Additional Card.

To read the full terms and conditions, visit www.americanexpress.com/expeditedtravel .

Car Rental Privileges

Enjoy complimentary premium status for a number of car rental programs. Once enrolled in a program, receive upgrades when available, discounts, and priority service for your next car rental at participating locations.

Enrollment required. See terms & conditions for more details.

Premium Travel Service

Enjoy personalized travel planning from Platinum Travel Services. Call 800-525-3355 to speak with a Travel Counselor.

$200 Uber Cash

With your Platinum Card, you’ll receive $15 in Uber Cash for U.S. rides with Uber and orders with Uber Eats every month in the U.S., plus a $20 bonus in December, delivered straight through an exclusive Uber app experience. That’s up to $200 in annual savings.

Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card to your Uber account to get started.

Global Dining Access by Resy

Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card to your Resy profile.

Learn more at resy.com/globaldiningaccess , or log into the Resy app to take advantage.

Premium Events Collection

As a Platinum Card® Member, you have access to Premium Events Collection™, which allows you to purchase tickets to see inspiring exhibits, attend some of the world’s biggest sporting events, experience acclaimed restaurants and more. Premium Events Collection™ experiences are customized and are not available to the general public. Visit American Express Entertainment online for details.

Elevate your stay

$200 Hotel Credit

Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.

*The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.

Fine Hotels & Resorts

When you're ready to relax and need an escape, enjoy an unforgettable experience with Fine Hotels + Resorts®. When you book through American Express Travel, you’ll receive a suite of benefits with an average total value of $550* in perks, like daily breakfast for two, 4pm check-out, and more. Plus, book on AmexTravel.com and you can earn 5X Membership Rewards® points, or use Pay with Points, on prepaid stays.

*Average value based on Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings in 2023 for stays of two nights. Benefits include daily breakfast for two, room upgrade upon arrival when available, $100 credit towards eligible charges (which vary by property), guaranteed 4PM late checkout, and noon check-in when available. Certain room categories not eligible for upgrade. Actual value will vary based on property, room rate, upgrade availability, and use of benefits.

Complimentary 3rd Night at Select Hotels

Celebrate your membership and 40 years of the Platinum Card® with access to a complimentary 3rd night at 200+ Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection properties booked through American Express Travel®. Travel dates and terms apply.

The Hotel Collection

Enhance your stay with a complimentary $100 credit* to use towards eligible dining, spa, or other on-property charges when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com**.

*Eligible charges vary by property. *The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.

Hilton Honors Elite Status

With Hilton Honors Gold status, you can enjoy benefits at hotels and resorts within the Hilton Portfolio and earn reward stays faster with Hilton Honors Bonus Points. Terms apply.

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status

Upgrade to Gold Status. With Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status, you can receive upgrades to enhanced rooms upon check-in when available.*

Plus, earn 10 points per eligible U.S. dollar spent and a 25% bonus over base-level members. Late checkout up to 2pm, subject to availability at resort and conference center hotels. Receive a welcome gift of points upon arrival.

*Subject to availability at check-in for the length of the stay, provided the room was not booked through a pre-paid third-party channel.

Explore Cruises and Custom Vacations with American Express Travel

Platinum Destinations® Vacations

Craft the adventure of a lifetime with American Express Travel®. From safaris on the Serengeti to sailing in Santorini, savor the wonders of the world with custom itineraries and personalized service, and earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on eligible bookings made through American Express Travel®. With Platinum Destinations® Vacations, each trip you take gets you closer to the next.

Custom Travel Planning

Enjoy personalized itineraries, world-class service, and get one extra Membership Rewards® point for every eligible dollar you spend on a qualifying vacation package.

Plan, book, and travel your way

From exploring new destinations to booking them, do it all in one place with American Express Travel.

Travel with more support and confidence

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

Despite our best efforts, sometimes things happen that are out of our control. If you purchase a round trip entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason cancels or interrupts your trip, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance can help reimburse your non-refundable expenses purchased with the same Eligible Card, up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply.*

*Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Trip Delay Insurance

If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 6 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $500 per trip, maximum 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply.*

Baggage Insurance Plan

Can provide coverage for lost, damaged or stolen baggage when traveling on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare has been charged to your Eligible Card. Coverage limits apply. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Can provide coverage for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory when You use Your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for an Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the Rental Company counter. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.

Premium Global Assist Hotline

When you're traveling more than 100 miles from home, Premium Global Assist can coordinate help on a select range of issues, including medical and legal.

Call ahead of your trip for important information specific to your destination. Our representatives will help you find a solution, or refer you to someone who can. Terms apply.

Emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost only if approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline. Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

No matter where you're traveling, there are no foreign transaction fees when you use your Card.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market.  See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our  credit card rating methodology .

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• Amex Platinum Card

24 Benefits & Perks of the Amex Platinum Card [$4,316+ Value]

Andrew Kunesh

Former Content Contributor

69 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 28 U.S. States Visited: 22

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

49 Published Articles 3414 Edited Articles

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Director of Operations & Compliance

6 Published Articles 1215 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 10 U.S. States Visited: 20

Table of Contents

Amex platinum card benefits, amex platinum card purchase benefits, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

The Platinum Card ® from American Express is arguably the most premium card on the market. It grants you access to over 1,400+ airport lounges worldwide, gives you loads of annual statement credits , and earns a whopping 5 points per dollar spent on flights! But on the flip side, the card has a fee that’s nothing to scoff at.

However, despite the large annual fee, the popular metal card still ranks at the top of our writers’ favorite cards. This is mainly because the card’s excellent benefits more than outweigh the card’s fee. The benefits aren’t given an exact value by American Express, so it may be hard to gauge if the card actually gives you more than the annual fee in value.

Fear not! We’ve done the hard work, reviewing all of the card’s benefits, researching their respective values, and assigning each benefit a price tag. Then, we added it all up and assigned the entire card a value, which we’ll reveal at the end of the article.

We’ve split the article into 2 parts: Amex Platinum card-specific benefits and more general benefits like American Express purchase protection and extended warranty.

Let’s start with the fun stuff first: Amex Platinum card-specific benefits. These include all of the awesome travel perks that are included with the card and is where the card’s real value is seen. Think of things like lounge access, hotel status, and more.

Here’s a quick summary:

Note: some benefits require enrollment through your American Express account. Terms Apply.

*The bonus value of the welcome offer as well as the value of benefits are an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

1. A Huge Welcome Bonus Offer (First Year) — [$1,200 – $2,200]

Amex Platinum cards have historically offered amazing welcome bonus offers .

We value Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents apiece . This means that your welcome bonus could be worth up to $2,200, covering your annual fee for over 3 years, if you take advantage of the 100,000-point welcome bonus.

See below for the current welcome bonus and our valuation:

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with  no credit score impact.

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• 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.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection ® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card ® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $199 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: CLEAR ® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.¤
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip:  Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

2. Earning Rates — [$100+]

The Amex Platinum card earns a whopping 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year) and 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com.

If you purchase a $500 flight, you’ll earn 2,500 points. Based on our Membership Rewards valuation of 2.2 cents per point, you’d earn $55 in points back on your flight, for a total return of 11% back.

The value of this benefit solely depends on how much you spend on airfare every year. Those who travel frequently for work may get thousands of dollars worth of points from this benefit, while those that just spend a few hundred dollars a year on flights will see less value.

As a result, we’re giving the 5x points benefit a conservative $100 valuation.

3. American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts Access — [$150+]

American Express operates an in-house hotel program called Fine Hotels and Resorts . This program gives you special benefits when booking luxury hotel rooms around the world. These benefits are often Amex-exclusive or are similar to what you’d receive with top-tier hotel elite status.

You’re entitled to the following when booking hotels through Fine Hotels and Resorts:

• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Daily breakfast for 2 people
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
• Noon check-in (subject to availability)
• Room upgrade upon arrival (subject to availability)
• A unique property amenity valued at $100

Additionally, you’ll earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent when you book through Fine Hotels and Resorts. However, in most cases, you won’t be eligible to use your hotel elite status perks on these stays or earn hotel points, so be sure to compare your elite benefits side-by-side with this program.

The real value of this benefit depends on how often you book Fine Hotels and Resorts rooms, but even using it once will yield a value of at least $150 when you consider the welcome amenity, free breakfast, and possible room upgrades.

Hot Tip:  Wondering how the Amex Platinum card stacks up against The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express ? Look at our head-to-head comparison: Amex Business Platinum vs. the Amex Platinum . 

4. Airline Incidental Fee Credit — [$200]

Amex Platinum card includes a $200 airline incidental fee credit towards fees incurred on an airline of your choice. This can be things like seat selection fees, lounge passes, and checked bag fees — but there are some other interesting uses, too.

Just select an airline on your card’s Benefits page and charge the eligible purchase to your Amex Platinum card. Then, the charge will be credited back to your card in 4 weeks.

Because of the wide array of ways that you can use this fee credit, most frequent travelers shouldn’t have an issue spending it down. Because of this, we value the benefit at its face value of $200 for most travelers.

5. Prepaid Hotel Credit — [$200]

Amex Platinum cardholders will receive up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which require a minimum two-night stay, through AmexTravel.com when you pay with your card.

Bookings through The Hotel Collection receive premium benefits on stays of at least 2 nights at select properties across the globe.  When booking through Fine Hotels & Resorts , you’ll receive elite benefits and perks at over 1,000 luxury hotels worldwide, but with no minimum stay requirement .

Your reservation must be paid for with an American Express card, and the cardholder must travel on the booked itinerary to receive the stated benefits.

6. Saks Fifth Avenue Credit — [$100]

American Express also includes a $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit . $50 of this credit can be used January to June, and the other $50 can be used during the second half of the year.

Once you enroll in the benefit on the Benefits section of your Amex Platinum card’s page on the American Express website, you can simply charge a Saks purchase to your Amex Platinum card and you’ll be credited up to $50 back on your purchase.

Hot Tip:  Use an airline or bank shopping portal (even Rakuten !) to earn extra points on your Saks Fifth Avenue purchases.

Like the airline incidental fee credit, we value this benefit at face value ($100) . Saks Fifth Avenue sells a range of clothing and home goods, so you’d be hard-pressed to not find something that you’ll already purchase on its online store. It can also be helpful when purchasing holiday and birthday gifts.

7. Uber Cash Credit — [$200]

Continuing down the line of credits, the Amex Platinum card includes up to $200 of annual Uber credit to all of its cardholders. These credits are dispersed at a rate of up to $15 per month, with up to $35 in credit being issued in December. This is added directly to your Uber account in the form of Uber Cash after you’ve linked your Amex Platinum card to your Uber account as a payment method.

You can use your monthly Uber credit towards any type of Uber ride or towards Uber Eats meal delivery. Because of this, we also value this benefit at its face value of $200. Uber is available in every major U.S. city, so you’ll be able to use it as you travel for a discounted ride to your hotel, the airport, or home from a long trip.

8. Equinox+ Credits — [$300]

Cardholders will receive an annual statement credit of up to $300 on a digital subscription or club member at Equinox. Make sure you use your card to pay for your Equinox+ digital subscription or club membership fees and enroll via https://platinum.equinox.com/ .

9. Digital Entertainment Credits — [$240]

If you love to watch TV, listen to audiobooks or satellite radio, or read online, your purchases may now be eligible for a new statement credit!

Your eligible purchase or subscription to Disney+, The Disney Bundle , ESPN+, Hulu , The New York Times, Peacock , and The Wall Street Journal could have you earn up to $240 in annual statement credits ($20 per month). Similar to the Equinox credits, make sure you enroll so this benefit is active and you must use your card to pay for your subscription for the credit to be applied.

10. TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Application Fee Credit — [Up to $120 as of Oct. 1, 2024]

Like many premium cards, the Amex Platinum card comes with up to $120 statement credit for Global Entry application fees (as of October 1, 2024) every 4 years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck application fees every 4.5 years. Simply charge your application fee to your Amex Platinum card and it will be automatically reimbursed in the form of a statement credit to your account.

Note that For TSA PreCheck, you must apply through any TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider.

For Global Entry, we value this as worth $120 over 4 years (or $30 in yearly value). If you go the TSA PreCheck route, we value this as worth $85 over 4.5 years (or $18 in yearly value)

Hot Tip: We highly recommend applying for Global Entry over TSA PreCheck — this is because if you’re approved for Global Entry, you’ll receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional charge .

11. Annual CLEAR Plus ® Credit — [Up to $199]

CLEAR is an expedited security program available at select U.S. airports and stadiums. Amex Platinum cardholders now receive an annual statement credit for a CLEAR Plus membership when the membership is charged to your card.

12. SoulCycle Bike Credit — [$300+]

Those who hold the Amex Platinum card can score a $300 statement credit after you use your crd to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike. Note that the credit is only available to full-cost purchases of a bike and not a financed purchase of a bike and that an Equinox+ membership is required to purchase a SoulCycle bike and to access SoulCycle content.

13. Walmart+ Credits — [Up to $155]

Use your card to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and receive up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership each month. You Walmart+ member comes with a number of benefits, including discounted gas and free shipping.

14. Annual Marriott and Hilton Status — [$200+]

You get 2 mid-tier hotel statuses with your Amex Platinum card : Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite upon enrollment. Both of these statuses include premier benefits like upgrade eligibility and bonus points — here’s a look at exactly what both of these hotel statuses include:

Hilton Honors Gold Benefits

• 80% points bonus
• Room upgrades (subject to availability)
• Continental breakfast at most full-service properties

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Benefits

• 25% points bonus
• Welcome gift at check-in
• Complimentary in-room internet, even when not booking directly with Marriott
• Priority 2 p.m. late checkout

These benefits can make a real difference when you stay at Hilton and Marriott properties, especially if you’re lucky enough to score a room upgrade. It also removes the stress of you having to meet stay requirements to gain status, so you can spread your loyalty between Hilton and Marriott and not lose any status perks.

We value this Amex Platinum card benefit at $200 for moderate use. However, if you stay at Hilton or Marriott properties more than a few times per year, you’ll see even more benefit from these status perks.

15. Rental Car Status (Avis, Hertz, National) — [$200+]

Amex Platinum cardholders are entitled to rental car benefits with Avis, Hertz, and National. Avis and Hertz offer special perks and pricing, while National will give you full-blown status with your membership. We’ve outlined each of these benefits below and broken down its value.

National Emerald Club Executive Status

• Executive Area Access — You can choose any car class (full-size and above) and only pay the mid-size rate.
• Guaranteed Upgrades — You’re guaranteed upgrades on mid-sized vehicle rentals in the U.S. and Canada.
• No Second Driver Fees — Add a second driver for no additional charge.
• Upgrades in Europe — Free 1-class upgrades at participating National locations in the U.K., Ireland, France, Spain, and Germany.
• Special Pricing on Premier Selection Cars — Special pricing on upgrades to the Premier Selection cars at the rental lot.
• Faster Free Rentals — Earn a free rental credit after 6 car rentals.

Avis Preferred American Express Benefits

• Complimentary 1-Car Class Upgrade — Use coupon code #UUNA007 when making a reservation and you’ll receive a 1-class upgrade when available. Unfortunately, though, this is not a guaranteed benefit.
• 25% Off Base Rates — Book directly with Avis and use Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD)  code #756900 for the discount.

Hertz President’s Circle Status

• 20% Off Standard Rates — You must use code 633306 to take advantage of this discount and other benefits.
• 25% off Premier Rentals When a Saturday Night Is Included — Available for U.S., Canada, and European Hertz Premier rentals.
• 4-Hour Grace No-Charge Period — You can return a rental up to 4 hours late with no penalty in most countries; select countries — like UAE and China — offer a 2 hour grace period.
• 1-Car Class Upgrade — This benefit is based on availability, but it’s not guaranteed.

These benefits can be extremely valuable if you frequently rent cars when you travel. To us, the most valuable is the National Emerald Club Executive status perk as it lets you rent any car on the lot for the price of a standard vehicle. This can be a life (and wallet) saver if you need to rent a mini-van, pickup truck, or another more premium vehicle for a specific use.

All in all, we value these rental car perks at $200 . You may be able to reap this value in a single rental, too, especially when you consider the fact that you get more than 20% off standard rental rates at Avis and Hertz.

16. Worldwide Airport Lounge Access

Airport lounge access is one of the main selling points of the Amex Platinum card. Cardholders have access to 8 different types of airport lounges including:

• The Centurion Lounge Network ( U.S. and international locations)
• Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta the same day)

Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner

Plaza premium lounges.

• Priority Pass Select (upon enrollment)
• Select Lufthansa Lounges
• Select Virgin Clubhouses

However, each of these lounges has different rules around entry which affects how we value said lounge access. We’ve outlined each of these access rules as well as some general info about each of these lounges below and assigned a value to each type of lounge.

It’s nearly impossible to put a dollar value on this benefit since your usage will be based on travel frequency, lounge access on routes, and what you food/drink options add value to you. Obviously, you’ll get more value out of Delta Sky Clubs if you fly Delta frequently, but you may get little-to-no value if you only fly the airline once a year. With this in mind, you may want to assign your own subjective value to each lounge network.

The Centurion Lounge Network

American Express has added Centurion Lounges to a variety of airports around the world, with a strong focus on the U.S. These lounges are meant to be a step above offerings from domestic airlines, offering chef-curated food, high-end cocktails, and posh furniture and aesthetics. You’ll find locations for these lounges both domestic and abroad.

Each of these lounges curates its food and drink offerings around the city it’s located in. For example, you might find local craft beers at the bar and a dish that the town is known for (think BBQ in Dallas) in the kitchen. This gives each Centurion Lounge a unique feel, so you’ll undoubtedly want to see them all.

You’re required to present your Amex Platinum card, government-issued ID, and valid boarding pass when entering a Centurion Lounge. You can arrive at the lounge up to 3 hours before your flight is scheduled to depart, or whenever you’d like if you’re on a layover.

Many U.S. hubs already have Centurion Lounges , and more are in the process of being built, so you’ll have many opportunities to check them out during your travels. Plus, if you have a Centurion Lounge at your home airport, you may value this perk even more highly.

Delta Sky Club

Amex Platinum cardholders can access all Delta Sky Club locations when flying on a Delta-operated flight. There are more than 50 Sky Club locations worldwide, with international locations in Santiago (SCL) and Tokyo-Narita (NRT). At this time, cardholders cannot bring guests into the lounge for free; all guests are charged at a rate of $29 per person.

Hot Tip:  Often fly with the same guest? Make them an authorized user on your Amex Platinum card — they can use the authorized user card to access the Delta Sky Club for free, too.

Each of these lounges offers complimentary food, beverages, alcohol, and Wi-Fi. Some even have showers, rooftop lounges, and premium drinks for purchase. These are great places to catch up on work before a long flight or grab a snack before you jet off to a meeting or vacation.

The value of this benefit largely depends on how often you fly Delta Air Lines. However, frequent Delta flyers will get lots of value from this perk — especially if flying solo for business.

Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner can be found in a variety of airports in the U.S. and U.K.

Amex Platinum cardholders receive unlimited access to all U.S. locations, which are generally found in smaller airports like Oakland (OAK) , Columbus (CMH) , Ontario (ONT), and Providence (PVD). These lounges are pretty standard and offer free snacks, drinks, and alcoholic beverages.

Hot Tip: Amex Platinum cardholders can bring up to 2 guests with them to Escape Lounges. Consider using the Escape Lounge as an alternative to Delta Sky Clubs at Minneapolis (MSP) when traveling with a companion to avoid the $29 Sky Club companion fee.

Note that you’ll need your Amex Platinum card, boarding pass for any carrier, and a government-issued ID to access Escape Lounges in the U.S.

Plaza Premium Lounges is a Hong Kong-based lounge network with dozens of worldwide locations. These lounges are similar to the Centurion Lounges in that they have upgraded food and drink offerings, but stop short of having chef-curated food. However, these lounges are still an excellent place to stop before a long flight and grab a snack or full meal.

You can access any Plaza Premium Lounge with a boarding pass and your Amex Platinum card. Plus, you can bring up to 1 guest with you, letting you share the pre-departure experience with a friend or family member.

Priority Pass Select

Priority Pass is the world’s largest airport lounge network with over 1,400 lounges in operation worldwide. This vast network of lounges has locations in the U.S. and abroad, with lounges in some of America’s busiest airports like Atlanta (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX), and New York (JFK).

Amex Platinum cardholders have unlimited access to all of these lounges and can bring 1 guest with them at any time. Like accessing American Express’ in-house lounges, you don’t need to fly a specific airline to access these lounges, but you do need a same-day boarding pass.

Note that you need to manually enroll in Priority Pass Select before you can access these lounges. You can do this on the Benefits  page of your Amex Platinum card’s page on the American Express website. You’ll be mailed a Priority Pass card after enrollment.

When traveling abroad, you’ll find Priority Pass lounges at most airports, so you’ll almost always have a nice place to relax before a long flight.

Note: The Amex Platinum card’s Priority Pass memberships no longer include Priority Pass restaurant access (“non-lounge airport experiences”).

Lufthansa Lounges

Amex Platinum cardholders receive complimentary access to select Lufthansa Business Class lounges. If the cardholder is flying business class, they’ll have access to the more premium Lufthansa Senator Lounges.

Like Sky Club access, you can only access these lounges if you’re flying on a Lufthansa group flight. This includes flights on Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, and SWISS.

Virgin Clubhouses

Cardholders receive complimentary access to Virgin Clubhouses in  New York (JFK) and  Washington, D.C. (IAD) .

JFK’s Clubhouse is only open/accessible to eligible Amex cardholders from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. daily.

17. Access the International Airline Program

Amex Platinum cardholders can access American Express’ International Airline Program. This little-known program lets cardholders access special discount fares when booking international premium economy, business, and first class tickets on select carriers through AmexTravel.com.

The discount you’ll receive depends on the type of ticket you book. For our example search, we looked for a round-trip premium economy ticket from New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD).

The non-stop option on Iberia costs $1,903 when booked through Google Flights, or just $857 when booked through the International Airline Program. This means the program saves Amex Platinum cardholders nearly 55% on their ticket , which is an absolutely incredible deal.

This is the most extreme example we were able to find though. We also looked for tickets from Newark (EWR) to London (LHR) in business class on the same dates. A nonstop flight on British Airways cost $5,215, while the International Airline Program had tickets for $4,227. This resulted in an $898 (17.5%) discount on the trip, which is still a very good deal.

The International Airline Program currently partners with the following airlines:

• Air New Zealand
• All Nippon Airways
• Asiana Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• Brussels Airlines
• Cathay Pacific
• China Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Etihad Airways
• Japan Airlines
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Singapore Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

The value of the International Airline Program benefit really boils down to how often you use it. If you frequently pay for premium tickets, then you could get thousands of dollars in value per year.

However, if you never pay for premium airfare, you’ll get no value. So with that in mind, we’ll leave it up to you to assign your own value to this benefit.

18. Global Dining Access by Resy

Add your card to your Resy profile to unlock access to special dining experinces (like access to premium events), exclusive reservations at top restaurants across the globe, and access to benefits like priority notify and VIP status.

Beyond travel benefits, holding an Amex Platinum card entitles you to an array of purchase and travel protection benefits. All of the benefits we’ve outlined below apply to all of the purchases you make on your Amex Platinum card (unless specifically excluded in the terms and conditions).

Here’s a look:

19. Extended Warranty

All purchases you make with your Amex Platinum card are eligible for an extended warranty from American Express. If the product you purchase has a standard warranty of 5 years or less, American Express will add a year of coverage on top of the standard warranty.

This warranty will cover up to $10,000 per item with a maximum of $50,000 in claims annually. This benefit can be extremely beneficial for big-ticket purchases like computers and TVs, so make sure that you charge these items to your Amex Platinum card to protect your purchase.

20. Return Protection

All purchases made in the U.S. or U.S. territories with your Amex Platinum card are eligible for return within 90 days of purchase. If the store you make a purchase from won’t accept your return, American Express will cover up to $300 per item for a total of $1,000 in reimbursements per calendar year (excluding shipping and handling charges).

21. Purchase Protection

We’ve all done it: you bought a new cell phone and dropped it 2 weeks after you took it out of the box. Now, you’re liable for a $250 replacement screen. That is, if you didn’t charge the purchase to your Amex Platinum card.

The Amex Platinum card protects eligible purchases from theft and accidental damage for 90 days from your original purchase date. This covers up to $10,000 per incident and up to $50,000 per calendar year, so it’s perfect for portable electronics, music equipment, and sporting goods.

22. Amex Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

American Express provides secondary rental car insurance on all rentals charged to your Amex Platinum card. Eligible rentals are covered for theft and damage up to $75,000 without increasing the cost of your car rental — just make sure to decline the damage waiver from the rental car company.

However — unlike the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card that provides primary insurance — this card only provides secondary coverage, which means it kicks in after your own insurance. This means that you’ll still have to pay your deductible, so consider using another card that offers primary insurance for your rentals instead.

23. Cell Phone Protection

Amex Platinum cardholders receive coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellular wireless telephone. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per eligible card account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per eligible card account per 12 month period. Each claim has a $50 deductible and your monthly phone bill mut be paid with your Amex Platinum card to receive coverage.

While it’s no secret that the Amex Platinum card isn’t for everybody, we do think it’s worth it for those that travel with moderate frequency. If you utilize the benefits, we believe that you’ll be able to get over $4,389 in value out of the card . And if you consider the welcome bonus, you’ll come out even further ahead of the fee during your first year.

Sold on the Amex Platinum card? We’ve covered the requirements necessary to apply for the card, and then you can check out our full article on what to do when you first receive your Amex Platinum card. This guide will show you how to properly utilize all of the benefits included with your card, ensuring that you’re not missing any vital steps.

For the Annual Clear Plus membership benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, your Clear Plus membership is auto-renewing or subject to auto-renewal.

For the extended warranty benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express when an American Express ® card member charges a covered purchase to an eligible card, extended warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. 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 the return protection benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, with return protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express ® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

For the purchase protection benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, purchase protection is an embedded benefit of your card membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases made on your eligible card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Coverage limits apply. 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 the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. geographic restrictions apply. 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.

For the cell phone protection benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellular wireless telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per eligible card account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per eligible card account per 12 month period. 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.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here .

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation  calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Best luxury travel rewards card

The Amex Platinum card is not just a symbol of luxury; this card comes with several travel, entertainment, wellness and retail benefits, making it a versatile card option that boasts more than $1,500 in potential value. (Partner offer)

At a glance

• 5X 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.
• 5X Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• 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.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.¤
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

Why We Chose It

Tpg editor's rating.

For some, making an investment in a premium travel card is a great way to reap some lucrative benefits. Though you’ll pay a high annual fee as an Amex Platinum cardholder, you’ll unlock access to the American Express Membership Rewards program, which lets you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with lots of lifestyle and travel credits. With a generous welcome offer and travel bonus categories, this card is incredibly rewarding in helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points to book your next award redemption. 

• The current welcome offer on this card is lucrative
• Travel benefits include access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary Gold elite status with Hilton and Marriott and up to $199 in statement credits to cover your Clear Plus annual membership (Enrollment is required for select benefits)
• The Amex Platinum has access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan your next getaway
• Additional valuable card statement credits add up to save you hundreds of dollars every year
• If you don’t take advantage of the card’s statement credits and lucrative benefits, it may not be worth the high annual fee
• The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to use compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards

Who is this card good for?

If you dedicate a large chunk of your budget to travel and want to take advantage of a generous welcome offer, this is the right card for you. With several airline and hotel transfer partners, the opportunity to enjoy access to thousands of airport lounges with the American Express Global Lounge Collection, an application reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA Precheck, access to the Platinum Travel Service for trip planning assistance, complimentary Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors and so much more, this premium card is an excellent choice for any travel enthusiast. Plus, once you add up all the perks of the card, you’ll find that these benefits help offset the annual fee. 

Enrollment required for select benefits.

Earning Rewards

Earn 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) and 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel.

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Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.