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Few premium cards are as iconic as The Platinum Card® from American Express. Eligible cardmembers gain a slew of fantastic benefits, including access to airport lounges via the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, statement credits, and more — all of which exist in harmony to help justify its massive $695 annual fee (Rates & Fees).
If you’ve never had the Amex Platinum before, now might be a great time to apply and find out your welcome offer. You could be targeted to earn a new-cardmember bonus as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- 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®.
- $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 your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
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Amex Platinum Welcome Offers: as high as 175,000 Points!
More often than not, one of the best parts of a premium card like the Amex Platinum is its welcome offer. If you're a new applicant for this card, you may be eligible for a welcome bonus as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
It may sound a bit complicated, but here’s how it works if you apply for the Amex Platinum and you're approved:
- Find out your offer amount
- Accept the card with your offer
- Spend $8,000 in your first 6 months of Card Membership
- Receive your Amex Membership Rewards points
Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. But if you're approved and don't like the offer you receive, you're under no obligation to accept the card.
The Amex application process is a little different from what you might have experienced with other card issuers. Once you submit your application, you'll be able to see if you're approved and learn your exact welcome offer — with no impact on your credit score. If you decide to accept the offer, your credit score may be impacted, but not before then.
What are Amex Membership Rewards points worth?
Since these offers are branded “as high as,” the specific welcome bonus you’re targeted for may vary. To help you gauge what your offer could be worth, consider that AwardWallet users redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for an average of 1.96¢ each, due in large part to the value unlocked through Amex’s travel transfer partners.
Why Get the Amex Platinum Card?
The Amex Platinum comes with a long list of valuable perks. Many of these perks are geared toward frequent flyers or those who shop at high-end retailers. But plenty of the benefits go beyond that and can appeal to a much wider audience.
Here’s a look at what the Amex Platinum has to offer:
- 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 points on other eligible purchases.
- Airline fee credit: Select one qualifying airline and get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged to your Card.
- Hotel credit: Get up to $200 back each year in statement credits on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings made through Amex Travel (two-night minimum required for The Hotel Collection).
- Digital entertainment credit: Get up to $20 back per month on eligible purchases made with your Card on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Lounge access: Enjoy access to 1,400+ airport lounges worldwide, including The Centurion® Lounge, unlimited Delta Sky Club® access when flying Delta, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges (when flying Lufthansa Group), Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select, and more (subject to visit restrictions).
- Walmart+ credit: Pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (auto-renewal applies) with your Card and get one statement credit of up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes) each month.
- Uber credit: Add your Card to your Uber account to receive $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a $20 bonus in December. Valid on U.S. rides and Uber Eats orders.
- CLEAR® Plus credit: Get up to $199 back per year when you pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Card.
- Global Entry / TSA PreCheck® credit: Receive up to $100 in statement credits — either $120 every 4 years for Global Entry or up to $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck when you charge the application fee to your Card.
- Saks credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue ($50 biannually).
- Equinox credit: Subscribe to an eligible Equinox fitness membership or a standalone membership to the Equinox+ app, and you can receive up to $300 per year as statement credits with your Card.
- Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
If these benefits sound like a good fit for your travel, spending, and shopping habits, remember they come at a cost. The Amex Platinum charges a $695 annual fee. And if you want to add someone to your account, there’s an additional fee of $195 for each additional Platinum Card for Authorized Users (Rates & Fees).
Related: All About The Platinum Card® from American Express
Amex Platinum Application Rules and Restrictions
Before applying, it’s important to understand the American Express application rules, especially when it comes to eligibility for a welcome offer on the Amex Platinum Card. According to the card's application page:
“You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab, the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.”
Fortunately, Amex has a pop-up tool that lets you know upfront if you're ineligible for a welcome offer. That means you can choose whether or not to proceed with the application after confirming your eligibility.
There are also a few other things to keep in mind:
- Amex typically limits each person to five traditional credit cards with set spending limits at a time.
- You can also have up to 10 cards with no preset spending limit (like the Amex Platinum).
- And in most cases, you won’t be approved for more than two cards within a 90-day period.
No Preset Spending Limit means the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Bottom Line
If you're in the market for a premium rewards card, few are as powerful as the Amex Platinum. While this card carries a $695 annual fee, it's got a solid array of benefits that can help you justify it, or even come out ahead. And if you apply now, you can snag a welcome offer as high as 175,000 Amex Membership Rewards points.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- 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®.
- $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 your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)
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