The Platinum Card® from American Express is arguably the most premium travel rewards card on the market. It grants you access to thousands of 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.
Amex Platinum Card Benefits
Monthly Uber Credit — [$200]
Continuing down the line of credits, the Amex Platinum card includes up to $200 of annual Uber credit to all 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.
Monthly Equinox Credits — [$300]
Cardholders will receive an annual statement credit (credited as $25 per month) on the Equinox+ digital fitness app or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your card. Note that you need to enroll through your American Express account to activate the credit.
Monthly Digital Entertainment Credits — [$240]
If you love to watch T.V., 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 Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times could have you earn up to $240 in annual statement credits ($20 per month). Like the Equinox credits, make sure you enroll so this benefit is active.
Earns 5 Points per Dollar on Flights — [$100+]
The Amex Platinum card earns a whopping 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on airfare purchases made directly with the airline, up to $500,000 per year.
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 frequently travel for work may get thousands of dollars worth of points from this benefit, while those who 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.
Annual Marriott and Hilton Status — [$200+]
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
You’ll receive complimentary Hilton and Marriott status with your Amex Platinum card. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort.
You get two mid-tier hotel statuses with your Amex Platinum card: Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite. Both statuses include premier benefits like upgrade eligibility and bonus points — here’s a look at exactly what both hotel statuses include:
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 more benefits from these status perks.
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 worldwide. These benefits are often Amex-exclusive or are like 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 two 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 with this program.
The real value of this benefit of the American Express® Platinum Card depends on how often you book Fine Hotels and Resorts rooms. Even using it once will yield a value of at least $150 when you consider the welcome amenity, free breakfast, and possible room upgrades.
Rental Car Status (Avis, Hertz, National) — [$200+]
Car on Road
Amex Platinum Card comes with various rental car benefits like upgrades, discounts, extended grace periods, and more.
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 six-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 Gold Plus Rewards Benefits
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.
TSA PreCheck/Global Entry Reimbursement (Every 5 Years) — [$100]
Like many premium credit cards, Amex Platinum Card comes with Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursements every five 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.
If you don’t already have Global Entry, this perk is worth $100 every five years.
Annual CLEAR Credit — [$179]
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 membership.
Access the International Airline Program — [Wild Card]
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 Amex Travel.
Booking with The International Airline Program
The International Airline Program can save you serious money on premium tickets.
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 nonstop 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 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:
Aeromexico
Air China
Air France
Air New Zealand
Alitalia
Austrian
British Airways
Brussels Airlines
Cathay Pacific
China Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Emirates
Etihad Airways
Iberia
Japan Airlines
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
LATAM
Lufthansa
Qantas
Qatar Airways
Singapore Airlines
South African Airways
Swiss Air Lines
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.
Global Dining Access by Resy — [Wild Card]
Add your card to your Resy profile to unlock access to special dining experiences (like access to premium events), exclusive reservations at top restaurants across the globe, and access to benefits like priority notification and VIP status.
Wheels Up (Premium Private Jet Program) — [Wild Card]
Enjoy a discount on your Wheels Up membership — 20% off for Wheels Up Connect and 40% off for Wheels Up Core.
Additionally, you can receive a $500 or $2,000 credit towards your initial flight within your first year (depending on membership).
Amex Platinum Card Purchase Benefits
Beyond travel benefits, holding an Amex Platinum card entitles you to an array of purchase and travel protection benefits. All the benefits we’ve outlined below apply to all the purchases you make on your Amex Platinum card (unless specifically excluded in the terms and conditions).
Extended Warranty — [$100+]
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 T.V.s, so make sure that you charge these items to your Amex Platinum card to protect your purchase.
We’ll value this benefit conservatively at $100 for the purpose of this article. This is because you’re not super likely to have to use this benefit, but it can be a huge help when you do need it.
Return Protection — [$100+]
All purchases made 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. We value this benefit at $100 if used at least once.
Purchase Protection — [$100+]
We’ve all done it: you bought a new cell phone and dropped it two 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.
We value this purchase protection benefit at $100 because — like the extended Warranty — you’re not likely to have to use it often. But if you do, it can quickly become a very valuable benefit.
Amex Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance — [$50]
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 credit card that offers primary insurance for your rentals instead. Because of the secondary coverage, we only value the benefit at $50.
Cell Phone Protection — [$100+]
Amex Platinum cardholders now receive up to $1,600 in cell phone protection (2 claims per year with up to $800 for each claim) against theft and damage, including cosmetic damage (like a cracked phone screen). Each claim has a $50 deductible, and your monthly phone bill should be paid with your Amex Platinum card to receive coverage.
Walmart+ Credits — [$150+]
Amex Platinum cardholders will receive a $12.95 monthly statement credit for a Walmart+ membership, which comes with several benefits, including discounted gas and free shipping.
SoulCycle Bike credit — [$300+]
Those who hold the Amex Platinum card can score a $300 discount on each SoulCycle bike purchase in the form of a statement credit when they pay with their card.
Huge Welcome Bonus (First Year) — [$1,200 – $2,200]
Amex Platinum cards have historically offered amazing welcome bonuses.
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 three years, if you take advantage of the 100,000-point welcome bonus.
Benefits & Info
New 100k Welcome Offer
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, 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 $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. There are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.
$200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eat orders in the U.S. annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status are available to Basic Card Member only.
$300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $25 back each month on the Equinox+ digital fitness app or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
$179 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $179 back per year on your CLEAR® membership.
Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850)
Annual fee: $695
Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $2,200
Must-Reads: For more info on the Amex Platinum, see our thoughts on the card’s incredible benefits and perks, which includes travel insurance coverage, and so much more. Check out our full review to see why it’s one of the best travel credit cards.
Worldwide Airport Lounge Access — [$1,000+]
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:
Airspace Lounges
The Centurion Lounge Network
Delta Sky Club
Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner
Lufthansa Lounges
Plaza Premium Lounges
Priority Pass Select
However, each of these lounges has different rules around the 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 a lounge.
Note that the values we’ve assigned to each lounge network are based on moderate usage. 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. You may want to assign your own subjective value to each lounge network.
Overall, we value the Amex Platinum card’s lounge access at $1,000, given our valuations. Here’s the breakdown of more benefits of the American Express® Platinum Card:
Airspace Lounges ($50)
Airspace is a small lounge network with 1 location — San Diego (SAN). This lounge provides limited amenities but has free Wi-Fi, house beverages, and basic snacks. Premium alcoholic beverages and food can be purchased for a fee, but you will receive a small gift card upon entry that can be used to purchase these.
We value this benefit at $50. You can bring up to 2 guests with you to the lounge, but with such a limited number of lounges, you’ll be hard-pressed to use this benefit more than once or twice per year. However, those that live near or frequently travel to an airport with an Airspace Lounge will get significantly more value from the benefit.
The Centurion Lounge Network ($250)
Amex Centurion Lounge
The Centurion Lounge goes above and beyond with full meals, high-end cocktails, and more.
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, and 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 I.D., 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. Through February 2023, Amex Platinum cardholders can bring up to 2 guests with them into the lounge.
We value Centurion Lounge access at $250 for anyone with moderate travel habits. 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 ($200)
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.
Amex Platinum cardholders receive unlimited access to all U.S. locations, which are generally found in smaller airports like Oakland (OAK), Ontario (ONT), and Providence (PVD). These lounges are standard and offer free snacks, drinks, and alcoholic beverages.
Lufthansa Lounges ($50)
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. Further, since this perk only applies to a limited number of Lufthansa lounges and only “select locations” allow guest entry, we give it a valuation of $50 per year.
Plaza Premium Lounges ($100)
Plaza Premium Lounges is a Hong Kong-based lounge network with dozens of worldwide locations. These lounges are like 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.
With all of this in mind, we value access at $100 per year — while the lack of U.S. locations makes it hard to use, you’ll undoubtedly find value in the Plaza Premium Lounge when traveling abroad.
Priority Pass Select ($250)
Priority Pass is the world’s largest airport lounge network, with over 1,300 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 these lounges and can bring one 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.
We value this Priority Pass Select membership at $250 for moderate use. 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.
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 free 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.
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 American Express Travel when you pay with your card.
Bookings through The Hotel Collection receive premium benefits on stays of at least two 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.
Saks Fifth Avenue Credit — [$100]
American Express also includes a $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit. $50 of this credit can be used from 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.