KEY POINTS
If you're a frequent flyer -- or just want to make the most of your next big trip -- The Platinum Card® from American Express is tough to beat. It's packed with premium perks, from airport lounge access to nearly $1,300 in annual credits.
And while it comes with a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees), you can easily earn that back by making use of the card's many benefits.
Here's why the Amex Platinum Card is our pick for one of the best travel cards on the market today.
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
Rates & Fees
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
Rates & Fees
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards 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. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points
Annual Fee
$695
Welcome Offer 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.
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
This luxury travel card has some of the most prestigious perks you'll find — access to over 1,400 airport lounges, elite status with Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required), and spending credits worth over $1,500 in value every year. Just be ready for the hefty annual fee, which can be offset in the first year with a welcome bonus worth $800 in points. Terms apply.
Read Full ReviewWith the Amex Platinum Card, you'll earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. That's one of the highest rewards rates available on travel purchases.
You'll also earn 1X points on all other purchases -- but the value is clearly in how you book travel. And those points are flexible: You can use them to book trips directly, or transfer them to over 20 airline and hotel partners for potentially higher value. Terms apply.
The card also comes with a lucrative welcome offer: 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points points when you spend $8,000 in the first 6 months. That's worth at least $800 in travel through Amex Travel -- or even more if you can leverage Amex's transfer partners. Terms apply.
Apply for the Amex Platinum Card now (see rates and fees) to take full advantage of its valuable welcome offer and book your next getaway for cheap.
One of the biggest perks of the Amex Platinum Card is airport lounge access. Cardholders get entry to:
It's impossible to place a value on this perk, but it's easily worth several hundred dollars per year if you use it. And -- if you fly even a couple of times a year, these lounges can make a huge difference. Complimentary food, drinks, wifi, and a space to relax can turn a travel day into something actually (gasp) enjoyable.
The Amex Platinum Card also comes with a long list of annual credits. They include:
In total, that's $1,294 in potential value, nearly twice the card's $695 annual fee. If you're on the hunt for a card that easily justifies its yearly price tag, you've found it.
Even if you don't take full advantage of every single credit, just using a few -- like Uber Cash, the airline credit, and the entertainment credit -- will quickly add up.
The Amex Platinum Card isn't for everyone. But if you fly often, enjoy luxury perks, or already use services like Uber, streaming apps, and Walmart+, the value of the card is obvious.
What are you waiting for? Apply for the Amex Platinum Card today (see rates and fees) and earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points points when you spend $8,000 in the first 6 months upon approval.
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