Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum: Which premium Amex card is right for you?

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Oct. 18, 2024

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14 min read

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Editor's Note

This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Premium cards have evolved over the past several years 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 the Amex Platinum and rates and fees for the Amex 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. the Amex Business Platinum to see which makes the most sense for your wallet.

Amex Platinum vs. Amex 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 cardmembers.

Benefit/perk	Amex Platinum Card	Amex Business Platinum Card
Welcome offer	Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of cardmembership.	Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of cardmembership.
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) on 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 in statement credits each calendar year on eligible hotel bookings made through AmexTravel.com (minimum two-night stay required for The Hotel Collection bookings) Up to $200 statement credit for airline fees per calendar year, which covers incidental charges Up to $199 statement credit each calendar year for a Clear Plus membership $120 fee credit for either Global Entry every four years or up to $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every 4½ years Up to $200 each calendar year in Uber Cash (up to $15 each month to use on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S., with an additional up to $20 in December). Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Platinum to the Uber account. You must pay with an Amex card Up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue statement credits each calendar year (up to $50 to use January through June and up to $50 to use July through December) Up to $240 each calendar year (up to $20 each month) in statement credits for subscriptions to The New York Times, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle Up to $300 statement credit each calendar year for select Equinox memberships or a digital subscription to Equinox+ fitness app (subject to auto-renewal) Up to $155 each calendar year (up to $12.95 each month) in statement credits for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal); Plus Up Benefits not eligible Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply	Up to $200 annual statement credit for airline fees per calendar year, which covers incidental charges Up to $199 statement credit each calendar year for a Clear Plus membership $120 fee credit for Global Entry every four years or up to $85 fee credit TSA PreCheck every 4½ years Up to $400 in Dell statement credits each calendar year (up to $200 to use January through June and up to $200 to use July through December)^ Up to $150 in statement credits each calendar year for eligible Adobe purchases (applies only to prepaid plans with Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams)^ Up to $360 each calendar year in Indeed statement credits (up to $90 per quarter)^ Up to $120 each calendar year (up to $10 monthly) in statement credits for spending on wireless plans with U.S. providers Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply ^May end on Dec. 31, 2024
Lounge access	Yes	Yes
Elite hotel status	Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status Hilton Honors Gold status Enrollment required; terms apply	Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status Hilton Honors Gold status Enrollment required; terms apply
Other benefits	Premium rental car status Travel and purchase protections (terms apply) No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)	Premium rental car status 35% airline bonus when redeeming with Membership Rewards points Travel and purchase protections (terms apply) No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
Annual fee	$695	$695

Amex Platinum vs. Amex 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.

New cardmembers can earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on the Amex Platinum — with six months to complete the spending, so an average of just over $1,000 per month.

However, the Business Platinum requires a much steeper minimum spend of $20,000 within the first three months to earn its 150,000-point bonus. This requires spending an average of $6,667 per month.

Based on TPG's October 2024 valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, making the Amex Platinum bonus worth $1,600. In contrast, the Amex Business Platinum bonus is worth $3,000, making them two of the most valuable offers on the market.

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

Winner: Amex Business Platinum. Its bonus is worth $1,400 more than the Amex Platinum's.

Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum benefits

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

Benefits offered to both cards

$120 fee credit for either Global Entry every four years or up to $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every 4½ years
Up to $200 statement credit for airline fees per calendar year, which covers baggage fees as well as other incidental charges with your preferred airline
Up to $199 statement credit for a Clear Plus membership each calendar year
Complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
Access to Amex's Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program and American Express Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay requirement)
Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs when flying same-day Delta flights** and Priority Pass Select, Airspace and Escape lounges. Access is limited to eligible card members.
Various travel and shopping protections, including trip delay coverage* and cellphone protection*

Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply.

*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.

**Eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight.

Consumer Amex Platinum benefits

There are several major differences when it comes to other benefits with these two cards. First, the consumer Amex Platinum offers these exclusive perks (enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply):

Prepaid hotel booking credit: Up to $200 statement credit each calendar year on prepaid bookings at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties made through American Express Travel (minimum two-night stay requirement for The Hotel Collection)
Uber credit: Up to $15 in Uber Cash each month to use on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S., with an additional up to $20 for December (up to $200 each calendar year; must add your card as a payment method in your Uber account; redeem with any Amex card)
Saks Fifth Avenue credit: Up to $100 each calendar year in Saks Fifth Avenue statement credits (up to $50 to use January through June and up to $50 to use July through December)
Digital entertainment credit: Up to $20 in monthly statement credits for subscriptions to The New York Times, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle (up to $240 each calendar year)
Equinox credit: Up to $300 annual statement credit for select Equinox memberships or a digital subscription to Equinox+ fitness app
Walmart+ membership credit: Up to $12.95 in monthly statement credits for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal); Plus Up Benefits not eligible

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

Business Platinum benefits

Meanwhile, the Business Platinum card has the following exclusive perks (enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply):

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 statement credit: Up to $200 to use January through June and up to $200 to use July through December (up to $400 each calendar year)^
Adobe statement credit: Up to $150 in statement credits each calendar year for eligible Adobe purchases (applies only to prepaid plans with Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams)^
Indeed statement credits: Up to $90 per quarter in statement credits for spending with Indeed (up to $360 each calendar year)^
Monthly wireless credits: Up to $10 in monthly statement credits for spending on wireless plans with U.S. providers (up to $120 each calendar year)

^May end on Dec. 31, 2024

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. Amex 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).

On the other hand, the Amex 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 on 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. Amex Business Platinum

American Express Membership Rewards points are one of the most valuable loyalty currencies out there. According to TPG's October 2024 valuations, Amex points are worth 2 cents apiece.

With 21 transfer partners, Membership Rewards points from these cards can help you travel to just about anywhere in the world.

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).

Aside from travel, Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for gift cards, to pay for purchases at Amazon.com and for statement credits. I always recommend redeeming your points for travel to get the most value out of them.

Winner: Amex Business Platinum. While both cards have identical redemption options, the Amex Business Platinum offers a 35% points rebate (up to one million points per calendar year).

Transferring points with the Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum

Both the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum transfer to Amex's 21 hotel and airline partners.

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

TPG credit cards writer Danyal Ahmed transferred 20,000 points from his 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, he received a value of over 6 cents per point, far higher than TPG's October 2024 valuation of 2 cents per point for Membership Rewards points.

Should I get the Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum?

If you're looking for a premium card loaded with travel perks and don't have a business or 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 Amex 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 — since they offer 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 Amex Business Platinum.

Apply here: Amex Platinum card

Apply here: Amex Business Platinum card

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

Featured image by LIGHTFIELDSTUDIOS/GETTY IMAGES

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.