Lucrative bonus opportunities to maximize rewards
The Platinum Card® from American Express has one of the largest welcome offers you'll find. You earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points Membership Rewards points for spending $8,000 on purchases within the first 6 months (terms apply). You could redeem those points for airfare through American Express Travel, or it's possible to get even more value by transferring them to a travel partner.
You can also earn big on travel bookings with this card. Here are its rewards rates:
- 5X points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year
- 5X points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
- Terms apply.
It doesn't have a lot of bonus categories, to be honest. But it at least earns high rates on two of the top travel expenses.
A rewards program packed with travel partners
The American Express Membership Rewards program doesn't disappoint. Membership Rewards points are transferable to over 20 airline and hotel partners, so there are plenty of ways to use them (terms apply).
Transferring points to a partner works especially well for expensive bookings. For example, if you want to book business class on an international flight, you could transfer points to the airline's loyalty program. It's possible to get $0.02 to $0.03 per point or more this way -- meaning 80,000 bonus points could be worth $2,400 or more.
A word of warning: It takes time to figure out how to use American Express points. If you're not interested in transferring points, this may not be the card for you, because the other redemption options don't offer much value. The only decent alternative is booking airfare through American Express Travel for $0.01 per point.
Upgrade your travels with premium perks
If you love luxury travel experiences, you'll probably love this card. It has what I consider the best airport lounge access in the business, with complimentary access to over 1,400 lounges. That includes the following types of lounges:
- American Express® Centurion Lounges
- Priority Pass (enrollment required)
- Escape Lounges
- Delta Sky Club®
- Lufthansa
- Plaza Premium
American Express® Centurion Lounges, in particular, are known for being much more upscale than your typical lounge. They get crowded, as they've become extremely popular. Still, the dining options, drinks, and layouts get high marks from travelers.
Being a Card Member also entitles you to automatic Marriott Bonvoy™ Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status. There aren't many hotel cards offering elite status with multiple hotel loyalty programs. Terms apply.
Over $1,500 in spending credits -- just make sure you can use them
This American Express card has all kinds of travel, entertainment, and dining credits. Here's what it offers every year:
- $200 in Uber Cash (and Uber VIP status): Receive $15 in Uber Cash per month, and $35 in December, for rides or Uber Eats orders in the United States.
- $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 The Platinum Card® from American Express. Bookings through the Hotel Collection require a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 digital entertainment credit: Get up to $20 per month back each month on eligible purchases made with The Platinum Card® from American Express on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal.
- $155 Walmart+ credit: Use The Platinum Card® from American Express to pay for a Walmart+ membership and receive a statement credit covering the full cost ($12.95 plus applicable taxes) each month.
- $200 airline fee credit: Get up to $200 per calendar year in statement credits when incidental travel fees on one qualifying airline are charged to your Card. This covers anything an airline classifies as a fee, but not airfare.
- $300 with Equinox: Get up to $300 per year in statement credits when you pay for an Equinox+ digital subscription or an Equinox Club membership with The Platinum Card® from American Express.
- $100 at Saks Fifth Avenue: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on The Platinum Card® from American Express. That's up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and $50 from July through December.
- $199 with CLEAR® Plus: Get up to $199 back per calendar year when you use your Card to pay for a membership in the CLEAR® program.
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
You can also get a statement credit every four years covering a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership. Terms apply.
When people talk about how they love using this American Express card, it's often because they feel like they're covered in the event of an issue. Here are its complimentary protections that apply to every eligible purchase:
American Express is unique in that it's also an insurance company. If you need to file a claim, you do so directly with American Express -- not a third-party insurance company, like with the insurance that other card issuers offer.
