8 Things You Should Know Before Getting the AmEx Platinum Card

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the top premium travel cards available — and it's arguably the gold standard of its class. It comes with travel credits, hotel elite status, access to an impressive lounge collection, travel protections and other luxury perks. Terms apply.

But with a $895 annual fee and complex benefit requirements, it's easy to overpay for perks you won't use (terms apply, see rates and fees).

After analyzing the card's costs, benefits, and qualification requirements, here's what you need to know before applying for The Platinum Card® from American Express to ensure this premium card actually delivers value for your specific situation.

1. AmEx's "once per lifetime" rule could block your welcome offer

Current and former holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express are ineligible for the welcome offer. This is commonly referred to as AmEx's "once per lifetime" rule.

Not sure if you’ve had some version of this card before? AmEx checks your welcome offer eligibility when you apply for a card — even before checking your credit. If you aren’t eligible for the welcome offer, an AmEx pop-up window informs you of this (you still have the option to continue with the application sans welcome offer, or to cancel it entirely).

2. The welcome offer spending requirements demand strategic spending

The Platinum Card® from American Express currently offers a good welcome bonus: 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.

The high spending requirement isn’t easy for everyone to meet, but you can be strategic in timing your application:

• Ideal times: Before major purchases (home renovations, vacations, holiday shopping).

• Business owners: Can include business expenses if applying for personal card.

• Strategic spending: Annual insurance payments, property taxes, quarterly estimated taxes.

» Learn more: AmEx Membership Rewards: How to earn and use them

3. The competition for premium cards is strong

The Platinum Card® from American Express is an excellent choice for people looking for a premium travel card, but before committing to a $895 annual fee, compare it to the competitors

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $795 annual fee. Its benefits include:

• An easy-to-use $300 annual travel credit.

• Priority Pass Select membership and a TSA PreCheck, NEXUS or Global Entry credit.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, meanwhile, has an annual fee of $395. Other benefits include:

• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit.

• Complimentary lounge access to the Capital One Lounges and more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges around the globe.

» Learn more: Is CLEAR+® worth the cost?

The American Express® Gold Card has a much lower $325 annual fee ( see rates and fees), yet it also has strong benefits, which include:

• Up to $120 in Uber credits for U.S. rides and food orders ($10 each month). For the Uber offer, you must add your American Express® Gold Card to your Uber account and use an AmEx card to pay. Enrollment required.

• Up to $120 dining credit.

• 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets and 3 points per dollar on flights.

• Terms apply.

4. Your credit score must be strong

American Express generally requires a good to excellent credit score to qualify for The Platinum Card® from American Express. Terms apply.

You’ll want at least a 690 credit score before applying. If that's not you, work on building your credit score before applying.

And even still, excellent credit is not always a guarantee of approval. Many other factors go into a bank's decision to approve you.

5. You could potentially earn $2,500+ a year in credits — if you use them

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers more than $2,500 in statement credits each year. You'll want to maximize these credits to justify paying the $895 annual fee. Terms apply.

Many of the card’s statement credits are based on monthly amounts:

• Digital entertainment credit for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium and YouTube TV: Up to $25 per month.

• Premium Uber credit: Up to $15 per month for U.S. rides or Uber Eats orders, with an additional $20 bonus in December. Enrollment required.

• Walmart+ monthly membership credit: Up to $12.95 per month plus taxes.

Terms apply.

Other credits are only valid a few times per calendar year:

• CLEAR+® credit: Up to $209 a year. Enrollment required.

• Airline fee credit: Up to $200 per year. Enrollment required.

• Hotel credit: Up to $600 per year for hotels booked through the Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection program.

• SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Up to $300 per year.

• Equinox credit: Up to $300 per calendar year.

• Saks Fifth Avenue: Up to $100 per calendar year. Up to $50 in statement credits for purchases between January and June and up to $50 in statement credits for July through December. Enrollment required.

• Resy credit: Up to $100 per quarter at U.S. Resy restaurants. Resy is an online reservation platform for restaurants. Enrollment required.

• Lululemon credit: Up to $75 per quarter at Lululemon stores or online. Enrollment required.

• Uber One membership credit: Up to $120 when you purchase an auto-renewing Uber One membership. This is in addition to the Uber Cash credit. Enrollment required.

• Oura ring credit: Up to $200 toward an Oura Ring purchase. Enrollment required.

Terms apply.

But while $2,500+ in credits sounds good, these use-it-or-lose-it credits are only valuable if you can actually put spend them. If you don't take an Uber once a month, you'll lose that credit.

Having trouble parsing all those credits? This quiz can tell you if The Platinum Card® from American Express is worth the annual fee:

6. You can add different types of authorized users

You have the option to add authorized users. If you do, you can choose to give them either an additional Platinum card or an additional Gold card.

AmEx charges $195 per card to add up to three additional Platinum cards. That may sound steep — especially on top of the card's $895 annual fee. However, this can be an excellent deal, depending on how the authorized user plans to use their benefits. Terms apply.

Additional Platinum cardmembers get complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection — including AmEx’s own excellent Centurion Lounges. Plus, additional Platinum card users get Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (enrollment required), Hilton Honors™ Gold status (enrollment required), Leaders Club Sterling elite status (enrollment required) and access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program. Terms apply.

Alternatively, you can add a companion Platinum user for free. Companion card users don’t get the same lounge access and elite status benefits as authorized Platinum cardholders. However, they can get their own TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit and can help you earn Membership Rewards. Terms apply.

» Learn more: How to add AmEx authorized users

7. Redeeming AmEx points through the travel portal isn’t always great value

AmEx only gives you a value of 0.6 cent per point when you redeem your points for statement credit or 0.7 cent per point when you redeem your points for prepaid hotels, rental cars, cruises, vacation packages or vacation rentals booked through AmEx Travel. The only redemption options that give you 1 cent per point are booking flights or AmEx Fine Hotels & Resorts through AmEx Travel.

Luckily, you can get far better value by transferring your AmEx points to travel partners. The best AmEx transfer partners offer much more value than 1 cent per point.

If you prefer booking award travel through your credit card issuer’s travel portal, you might be better off with a Capital One, Citi or Chase card, which offer at least 1 cent per point in value for those redemptions.

8. Lounge access has limits

The AmEx Platinum still offers the most comprehensive access to airport lounges. AmEx’s Global Lounge Collection includes:

• Centurion Lounges.

• Escape Lounges.

• Delta Sky Clubs.

• Lufthansa lounges.

• Priority Pass lounges.

• Plaza Premium lounges.

But it still comes with limits to keep in mind, particularly if you often travel with others. Cardholders can bring up to two guests per visit to a Centurion lounge location for a fee of $50 per adult or $30 per child aged 2 to 17. Cardholders can unlock complimentary guest access if they spend more than $75,000 on the card in the previous calendar year.

Cardholders are also limited to 10 visits to the Delta Sky Club per year. They can purchase additional visits for $50 each or get guest access for two guests per visit (ages 2 and up) for $50 per person. Cardholders who spend more than $75,000 in the previous calendar year get unlimited complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club.