Refreshed AmEx Platinum Boosts Annual Fee to $695, Beefs Up Benefits
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The terms of the The Platinum Card® from American Express have changed since this article published. See our review on the The Platinum Card® from American Express for up-to-date details.
In a refresh of the iconic luxury travel card, The Platinum Card® from American Express has raised its annual fee to one of the highest in the industry. But it also beefed up its many benefits and is launching a huge welcome offer for new cardholders.
As of July 1, 2021, the card’s annual fee increased to $695, up from $550. (Terms apply, see rates and fees.)
That’s a hike of $145 for new cardholders. At the same time, the card will pack on more benefits, with its credits alone worth almost 10 times the amount of the fee increase, at a potential of more than $1,400 per year. That includes a new $200 hotel credit and a limited $240 digital entertainment credit.
Existing cardholders will see the annual-fee increase starting Jan. 1, 2022, and will also enjoy the new benefits.
The changes underscore a desire by AmEx to be the go-to luxury card for not only travel, but other areas, such as dining, retail, entertainment and wellness. However, some credits might not apply to everyone’s desires or lifestyle.
What’s new?
Here are highlights of what’s new with this refresh:
Welcome bonus: 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. Terms Apply.
$200 hotel credit: Annual credit on prepaid bookings with American Express Travel at The Hotel Collection (two-night minimum stay required) or Fine Hotels + Resorts® properties (more than 1,800 worldwide) when paying with the card. Enrollment required.
$189 Clear credit: This annual credit covers the cost of Clear, which uses biometrics to let members bypass part of the security line at airports and stadiums in some cities. (This is in addition to the application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck at $100 or $78 every five years.) Enrollment required. (Note: As of May 2022, this benefit increased from $179 to $189.)
$240 digital entertainment credit: This credit can be applied at $20 per month when using the card to pay for the following services: Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
$300 Equinox credit: You can use the card to pay for eligible Equinox fitness club memberships or Equinox+, an on demand fitness app.
Terms apply.
What's staying the same?
The list of benefits for The Platinum Card® from American Express was already long. Complete details can be found in our full review.
New and current cardholders will enjoy the card's existing credits and benefits, including:
$200 a year for airline incidental fees when you enroll and select one airline. Enrollment required.
$200 each calendar year for Uber, good for rides or eats orders in the U.S. ($15 each month and then $35 in December). Enrollment required.
$100 a year at Saks Fifth Avenue. You get $50 worth of credit for in-store or online purchases from January through June, and another $50 for purchases from July through December. Enrollment required.
Either one $100 statement credit every 4 years for the application fee for Global Entry or one $85 statement credit every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck (note that TSA PreCheck fee is now $78).
Cell-phone protection: (Added as of April 2021.) Up to two approved claims, for a maximum of $800 per claim or $1,600 per 12-month period. A $50 deductible applies to each approved claim.
Terms apply.
Quick take
If you were on the fence about getting The Platinum Card® from American Express, the welcome offer and added credits and benefits seem to soften the blow of such a high annual fee.
The welcome offer is excellent. NerdWallet values American Express Membership Rewards points at between 0.5 cents and 1 cent each, depending on how you redeem them. So you could get around $1,000 in value, effectively wiping out your annual fee for the first year.
However, adding yet more benefits for specific merchants makes the card more complex to use optimally.
To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.
Insurance Benefit: Cell Phone Protection
Coverage for a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 month period.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
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