The American Express Platinum Card® is one of the best travel cards in the world. Although there is a hefty annual fee, you also get more than $3,500 in credits, which might help offset this.

Terms apply to Amex offers and benefits. Rates & Fees

Point Multipliers

The Amex Platinum earns Membership Reward (MR) points, including:

• 5x on Flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 spent per calendar year)
• 5x on Prepaid Hotels booked on AmexTravel.com
• 1x on other purchases

Terms apply.

Card Benefits

The Platinum Card® from American Express is the go-to travel card for many people, given the protections and multipliers. It also acts as a card for airline lounge access and travel perks.

With the card, you get access to:

• Centurion Lounges (within 3 hours of a departing flight)
• Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta)
• Priority Pass. Enrollment required.
• Other partner lounges (Plaza Premium, Escape Lounge, etc.)
• And many more

In terms of travel perks, a few key ones include:

• Marriott Bonvoy Gold status. Enrollment required.
• Hilton Gold status. Enrollment required.
• Access to the Fine Hotels and Resorts travel portal

You also get many credits that help you offset the annual fee, making the effective cost more reasonable (or maybe even covering it entirely!)

$600 Hotel Credit
You get up to $300 back in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 per year via statement credits each calendar year when you book prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel using The Platinum Card® from American Express.

FHR only requires a one-night stay, while the Hotel Collection requires a minimum of 2 nights.

Some cities are prohibitively expensive, so I would look into destinations like Las Vegas.

$300 Digital Entertainment Credit
You get up to $25 back per month when you enroll and make eligible purchases on one or more of the following:

• Disney+
• Disney+ Bundle
• ESPN+
• Hulu
• Peacock
• SiriusXM
• The New York Times
• YouTube Premium
• YouTube TV

Enrollment required.

$155 Walmart+ Credit
When you use The Platinum Card® from American Express to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership, you’ll receive a statement credit that covers the cost of the entire membership each month. Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible. Enrollment required.

$200 Uber Cash
Get up to $15 each month and $35 in December when you ride and dine Uber or UberEats. Enrollment required.

$120 Uber One Membership
Get up to $120 Uber One membership credit per calendar year, valid on monthly or annual Uber One plans; U.S. accounts. Enrollment required.

$200 Airline Fee Credit
Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for airline incidentals after selecting a qualifying airline. Enrollment required. These include:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Spirit Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines

$300 with Equinox
Get up to $25 as a monthly statement credit on Equinox+ (a digital fitness app with on-demand and live classes) or an eligible Equinox club membership. Enrollment required.

$100 Shop Saks with The Platinum Card® from American Express
Get up to $100 as statement credits for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com. You get up to $50 for purchases from: (i) January to June and (ii) July through December. Enrollment required.

$209 with CLEAR®
Get up to $209 in statement credits per year that you pay for CLEAR®. Enrollment required.

$300 Lululemon Credit
Get up to $300 Lululemon credit per calendar year: $75 per quarter; U.S. stores, lululemon.com, or app. Enrollment required. 

$400 Resy Dining Credit
Get up to $400 Resy dining credit per calendar year: $100 per quarter at U.S. Resy restaurants/Resy Pay. Enrollment required.

$200 Oura Ring Credit
Get up to $200 Oura Ring credit per calendar year: Rings at ouraring.com, membership excluded. Enrollment required.

American Express Venue Collection™ Concessions Credit
Earn 10% back as a statement credit on qualifying stadium/arena food & beverage purchases, up to $250 per calendar year. Enrollment required.

Redeeming Points

The American Express Platinum Card® earns Membership Reward (MR) points which are great for aspirational travel – think first and business class – especially with Amex’s wide arrange of partners, including options like Etihad, Emirates, Singapore, and ANA.

If redeeming points as a statement credit – effectively cash back – you get 0.6 cents per point (CPP) with the card by itself. 5x MR * 0.6 CPP = 3% cash back.

Alternatives

If the American Express Platinum Card® sounds good, but you don’t like the credits, then consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which has multipliers for travel, lounge access via Priority Pass, and multipliers that are more well-rounded.

If you want a more straightforward option, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 2x on everything and includes Priority Pass and access to Capital One Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges.

Main Takeaway

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best travel cards, especially if you can use the many credits. For many, this becomes a highly subsidized lounge access and travel perks card.

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