Traveling

Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum: Which premium Amex card is right for you? – The Points Guy

Over the past several years, premium cards have evolved to attract and retain customers.

Two top cards for premium travel and lifestyle benefits are The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Both cards have an annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees for Platinum and rates and fees for Business Platinum).

Although some overlapping benefits are offered by the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum — and both earn Membership Rewards points with access to the same transfer partners — there are important differences to consider when deciding which one is right for you.

Let’s look closer at the Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum to see which makes the most sense for your wallet.

Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum comparison

Before we dive into more details, here’s a comparison of the two cards’ welcome offers, earning rates, major perks and available credits for cardholders.

Benefit/perkAmex Platinum CardAmex Business Platinum Card
Welcome offer80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership120,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in your first three months of card membership
Earning rates
  • 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
  • 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel
  • 1 point per dollar on other purchases (terms apply)
  • 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel
  • 1.5 points per dollar on purchases of $5,000 or more and in select business categories in the U.S. (construction material and hardware suppliers, electronics goods retailers, software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers) up to $2 million of purchases in a calendar year, then 1 point per dollar
  • 1 point per dollar on other purchases (terms apply)
Statement credits
  • Up to $200 annually on hotel bookings through AmexTravel.com
  • Up to $200 credit for airline fees per calendar year, which covers incidental charges
  • Up to $189 annual statement credit for a Clear Plus membership
  • $100 fee credit for either Global Entry or up to $85 fee credit TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years
  • Up to $15 in credit each month to use on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S., with an additional up to $20 in December
  • Saks Fifth Avenue credit up to $50 to use January through June and up to $50 to use July through December (enrollment required in advance)
  • Up to $20 monthly statement credits and applicable only for The New York Times, SiriusXM, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle (enrollment required in advance)
  • Up to $300 annual statement credit for select Equinox memberships or a digital subscription to Equinox+ fitness app (enrollment required in advance)
  • Walmart+ membership credit reimbursement for $12.95 monthly membership fee for Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal); Plus Up Benefits not eligible
  • Up to $200 credit for airline fees per calendar year, which covers incidental charges
  • Up to $189 annual statement credit for a Clear Plus membership
  • $100 fee credit for either Global Entry or up to $85 fee credit TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years
  • Dell credit up to $200 to use January through June and up to $200 to use July through December (enrollment required in advance)^
  • Adobe credit up to $150 applies only to prepaid plans with Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams (enrollment required in advance)^
  • Indeed credit up to $90 per quarter in statement credits for spending with Indeed^
  • Monthly wireless credits up to $10 in monthly statement credits for spending on wireless plans with U.S. providers (enrollment required in advance)

^May end on Dec. 31, 2024

Lounge accessYesYes
Elite hotel statusMarriott Bonvoy Gold elite status

Hilton Honors Gold status

Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status

Hilton Honors Gold status

Other benefitsPremium rental car status

Travel and purchase protections

No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)

Premium rental car status

35% airline bonus

Travel and purchase protections

No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)

Annual fee$695 (see rates and fees)$695 (see rates and fees)

Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum welcome offer

Each card comes with a generous welcome offer, but the minimum spend required to earn the bonus is where they really differ.

You can earn the full 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on the Amex Platinum — with six months to complete the spending, so an average of $1,000 per month. However, the Business Platinum requires a much steeper minimum spend of $15,000 within the first three months to earn its 120,000-point bonus. This requires spending an average of $5,000 per month.

Based on TPG’s valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, the Platinum bonus is worth $1,600. In contrast, the Business Platinum bonus is worth $2,400, making them two of the most valuable offers on the market.

THE POINTS GUY

However, some TPG readers have been targeted for even better offers: up to 125,000 points on the personal Amex Platinum or 150,000 points on the Amex Business Platinum. Check your eligibility using the CardMatch tool (note that these offers are subject to change at any time).

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Winner: Amex Business Platinum. Its spending requirement is almost double the personal card’s one but it offers more bonus points, too.

Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum benefits

Both of these cards excel when it comes to travel and lifestyle perks.

Benefits offered to both cards

Enrollment required for select benefits.

*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Consumer Amex Platinum benefits

There are several major differences when it comes to credits with these two cards. First, the consumer Amex Platinum offers these exclusive perks:

As you can see, this can deliver a ton of value, especially if you already use some of the eligible services.

Related: 10 things to do when you get the Amex Platinum

Business Platinum benefits

Meanwhile, the Business Platinum card has the following exclusive perks:

  • 35% airline points bonus: Receive 35% of your points back when paying with points for flights booked with Amex Travel. This applies to any flights on your preferred airline (chosen in advance) or flights in first or business class with any airline. Up to one million points are allowed as a rebate.
  • Dell credit: Up to $200 to use January through June and up to $200 to use July through December (enrollment required in advance)^
  • Adobe credit: Up to $150 applies only to prepaid plans with Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams (enrollment required in advance)^
  • Indeed credit: Up to $90 per quarter in statement credits for spending with Indeed^
  • Monthly wireless credits: Up to $10 in monthly statement credits for spending on wireless plans with U.S. providers (enrollment required in advance)

^May end on Dec. 31, 2024

Related: Have an Amex Business Platinum card? Don’t forget to register for these perks

Winner: Tie. Each card offers statement credits that can provide value based on the services an individual or business may utilize.

Earning points with the Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum

Both cards earn 5 points per dollar when you purchase airfare and prepaid hotel rooms from Amex Travel. However, the personal Amex Platinum also earns 5 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly with airlines (up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).

THOMAS BARWICK/GETTY IMAGES

On the other hand, the Business Platinum card is great for business owners who regularly make large purchases with the card since purchases of at least $5,000 and in select business categories earn 1.5 points per dollar, up to $2 million of these purchases per year (then 1 point per dollar).

Winner: Amex Business Platinum. Its better for big purchases, but note you have to book airfare through Amex Travel to earn bonus points with this card.

Redeeming points on the Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum

American Express Membership Rewards points are one of the most valuable loyalty currencies out there. According to TPG’s valuations, Amex points are worth 2 cents apiece. With 21 transfer partners, Membership Rewards points from the Amex Platinum and the business version can help you travel to just about anywhere in the world.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

One benefit that’s exclusive to the Business Platinum card is that when you book any flight directly with points through Amex Travel on your preselected airline — or business or first class on any airline — you’ll receive a 35% rebate of the points you used (up to one million points each calendar year).

Winner: Amex Business Platinum. Expanded redemptions option if you book flights through American Express Travel.

Related: When to transfer and when to Pay with Points with Amex Business Platinum

Transferring points with the Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum

Both the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum transfer to American Express’ 21 partners, of which 18 are airline partners while the remaining three are hotel partners.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Some lucrative transfer partners that offer great redemption options include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Avianca LifeMiles.

I transferred 20,000 points from my Amex Platinum to Aeroplan to book a lie-flat business class intra-Europe flight on Turkish Airlines from London to Istanbul. This was a good deal, given the cash fare was $1,236, giving my points a value of over 6 cents each, far higher than TPG’s valuation of 2 cents for Membership Rewards points.

Should I get the Amex Platinum or Business Platinum?

If you’re looking for a premium card loaded with travel perks and don’t have a business or the substantial expenses that come with one, the personal Amex Platinum should suffice. However, if you spend a lot on business expenses and can take advantage of the business-related statement credits, the Business Platinum is the way to go.

Bottom line

Those looking for premium perks are often drawn to the American Express Platinum cards — whether that’s the personal or the small-business version, which offers numerous perks at home and on the road. Features like lounge access, travel protections and extremely valuable points are just a few of the attractions. It may make sense to have both in your wallet, but ensure your professional and personal spending habits make both annual fees worth it.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum.


Apply here: Amex Platinum card

Apply here: Amex Business Platinum card


For more reading on this topic, see the following articles:

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here.

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