The Platinum Card® from American Express is a very good card for high-spending frequent travelers with credit scores of 700+. The American Express Platinum card has a pricey annual fee, at
$695, but it is worth the cost for people who earn the card's initial bonus (
80,000 points for spending $8,000 in the first 6 months) and take advantage of its assorted benefits.
Below, you can find a rundown of the most important things to consider before applying for the American Express Platinum Card. For more information, you can also check out our full-length
Amex Platinum review.
American Express Platinum Card Review Highlights
1. Nice initial bonus offer
The American Express Platinum Card offers you
80,000 points for spending at least
$8,000 within
6 months of account opening, which are worth about
$536 on average, according to WalletHub research. That’s very good, considering the market average initial bonus is
$242.
2. Airport lounge access and annual travel credits
Amex Platinum provides access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide, including the Amex Centurion Lounge network. Plus, cardholders get up to $200 per year in statement credits for baggage fees and other airline incidentals (with one pre-selected qualifying airline), as well as up to $200 in annual Uber credits and up to $200 in statement credits each year for prepaid bookings made through American Express Travel at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties (The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay). But remember, such perks are only good if you use them.
3. Solid travel rewards, with some limitations
The Amex Platinum card gives you 5 points per $1 spent on airfare, as long as you book directly with the airline or through American Express, on up to $500,000 spent per calendar year. You’ll also get 5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotel reservations booked through Amex. That equates to about 4% cash back, which is great compared to the
1.17% you’d earn with the average cash rewards card. But that’s not the real star of the Amex Platinum rewards show.
4. Automatic hotel status
As an American Express Platinum Card user, you will be able to enroll in Hilton's and Marriott’s loyalty rewards programs as a Gold member without meeting any of the standard spending requirements. This gives you access to perks such as complimentary room upgrades and enables you to earn free nights faster. For more information about these loyalty programs, check out WalletHub’s
Hilton and
Marriott rewards program reviews.
5. Good credit needed for approval
The American Express Platinum credit score requirement is
good credit or better. That means applicants need a 700+ credit score for good approval odds. So make sure to
check your credit score for free on WalletHub before applying.
6. $695 annual fee
The American Express Platinum annual fee is
$695. That is a very high fixed cost for cardholders, especially when compared to the average credit card annual fee (
$21.58). Nevertheless, frequent travelers can definitely still get their money’s worth from the card’s rewards and other perks.
7. You have to pay in full most of the time
American Express Platinum is not a traditional credit card, which means you must pay your monthly bill in full if you want to continue making purchases — unless certain eligible charges qualify for the “Pay Over Time” feature (up to Pay Over Time Limit), which allows you to carry an interest-accruing balance. All charges not added to a Pay Over Time balance must be paid in full each month by the payment due date. So you’ll need to find another card for big-ticket purchases.
If you’re not convinced Amex Platinum is the right card for you, check out WalletHub’s picks for the
best overall travel rewards credit cards on the market right now. There are both premium and more affordable options to choose from. You can also learn more about Amex Platinum below.
Learn More About the Platinum Card from American Express
1. American Express Platinum Card income requirements
There are no disclosed American Express Platinum card income requirements. However, many third-party sites recommend applying only if you make at least $50,000 per year.
2. American Express Platinum Card phone number
The American Express Platinum phone number is
1-800-525-3355 for the card’s concierge or
1-800-528-4800 for general customer service.
3. American Express Platinum Card benefits
The top American Express Platinum benefits are access to 1,000+ airport lounges (including The Centurion Lounge), up to $200 in credits each year for fees and incidentals with one pre-chosen airline, up to $200 in credits each year from Uber, up to $200 hotel credit, elite hotel status, and bonus rewards.
4. American Express Platinum Card credit limit
American Express Platinum has
no preset credit limit. That means the amount you can spend may change from month to month based on your usage of the card, credit history, income and more.
