The Platinum Card® from American Express, one of our favorite cards here at ChooseFI, has leveled up by adding even more benefits and rewards to its already stacked deck. So, let’s take a look at precisely what the new card has to offer and what you can do to make the most of it all.
The Platinum Card® from American Express Just Got a Total Makeover
The Platinum Card® from American Express is, of course, known for its generous travel rewards. But, they’ve added quite a few new rewards that make this card even more valuable recently. From savings on media streaming memberships to an elite gym membership credit, Amex has once again raised the bar in the perks game – starting with a huge rewards points bonus:
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- 5X points (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) for flights booked directly with American Express Travel or airlines.
- 5X points on hotels booked with American Express Travel – points on prepaid hotels only.
- Complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection.
Cool New Perks
- Get Uber VIP status and up to $200 in savings (rides or eats orders) in the US per year. *$15 credit per month except for December ($35) Enrollment is required.
- Receive up to $200 back in the form of statement credits on prepaid stays at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (requires minimum two-night stay). Statement credits can only be obtained if you book with your Platinum card.
- Get a $189 credit towards CLEAR® Plus (where available).
- Get $300 back per calendar year towards Equinox+ fitness app or eligible Equinox club memberships. Enrollment is required.
- Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock (NBC’s streaming service), The New York Times, and SiriusXM all have a $240 digital entertainment credit (in $20 per month statement credits). Enrollment required.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Terms Apply
Who Should Get The Platinum Card® from American Express
You should consider applying for The Platinum Card® from American Express if you plan to travel quite a bit and want significant travel rewards from your credit card or you want a card that fits your other (the new perks) needs above. The annual fee is $695 (see rates and fees), so you want to ensure that you get all your money’s worth by taking advantage of as many of the new perks and rewards as you can.
Additional Benefits of The Platinum Card® from American Express
There are also quite a few impressive benefits that aren’t “reward” based. From easier TSA access to providing entry into some of the most luxurious airport lounges in the nation, Amex has you covered.
Experience the American Express Global Lounge Collection®
Let’s face it, traveling can be very stressful, and a long layover can be simply miserable. But with access to the 1300 Amex Global Lounges, you can kick back and relax between flights. The Platinum Card® from American Express is your all-access pass to a new level of travel Zen. Enrollment is required. Terms Apply.
There are over 1300 incredible lounges under the American Express umbrella.
TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry
The Platinum Card® from American Express includes statement credits to cover the application costs for expedited screening every 4 to 4.5 years, depending on which program applied for. This credit is a $100 value alone! Terms Apply.
Those with TSA Pre-Check can enter the TSA lanes at the airport, skipping the long regular lines. That means (cue the heavenly choir music here) these pre-vetted individuals don’t need to remove shoes, belts, jackets, or certain items from carry-on bags, which makes getting through security that much faster.
Like TSA Pre-Check, Global Entry recipients also receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN), granting them all the TSA Pre-Check benefits, so getting Global Entry is the better option. However, all children, regardless of age, require Global Entry enrollment. Having multiple American Express cards with this benefit means that the entire family can enroll and skip the lines at the airport.
How You Get Approved for The Platinum Card® from American Express
While the average credit score for approval is around 715-720, some recipients have reported receiving approval with a credit score in the 600+ range. You should double-check your score to make sure you have solid credit before you apply – especially if you’re planning on applying for additional lines of credit (consider the Chase 5/24 Rule).
The Platinum Card® from American Express in Action
Here at ChooseFI, we only back credit cards that we use ourselves. So we asked one of our well-traveled team members (who has regularly used this card for the past decade) to tell us about his overall experience. Here is what they said:
“We’ve been using the Amex Platinum card for at least ten years now. We could say so many awesome things about having it, but honestly – to us – the travel rewards bonus points are simply unbeatable. We may travel quite a bit more than the average family, but it really pays off for us. So I would imagine even moderate travel, along with the other perks American Express has thrown in this year, would be worth it.
On that note, I really like that Amex has expanded its benefits to Peacock and Audible. Those are the two we use most at home. But the others, like SiriusXM and Uber, are also nice to use if you have never tried those out, which we didn’t until we received this card.
We’re kinda spoiled; I guess you could say with the TSA precheck because we’ve had the card for so long – but that’s a big bonus, especially when traveling with kids. We don’t have a CLEAR nearby (the airport biometric bonus on the Amex Platinum card), so I can’t speak to that. But my friends say it’s worth it.”
The Bottom Line
If you love credit card rewards as much as we do, The Platinum Card® from American Express is definitely a card you want to have in your wallet when you’re traveling. Yes, you’ll need to spend a lot during the year to get the value out of the annual fee. But, if you already do this, The Platinum Card® from American Express is an absolute must-have.
To see the rates and fees for the American Express card featured, please visit the following link: The Platinum Card® from American Express: see Rates and Fees.
