Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum: Which Should You Choose?

A credit card with high-end perks can make a huge difference in your life — especially if you’re a frequent traveler. In many cases, it’s not just about the points you can earn but also about the extras you receive. Free airport lounge access? Airline credits? Other benefits? Even with a steep annual fee, it can be worth the cost if you get good use out of the perks.

If you’re trying to decide between the Amex Platinum and the Amex Business Platinum, here’s what you need to know.

Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum

	Amex Platinum 5.0 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Amex Business Platinum 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
FinanceBuzz value calculation2	Year 1: $2,280 Year 2: $1,480	Year 1: $2,062 Year 2: $562
Annual fee	$695	$695
Welcome bonus	Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months	Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months
Earning rate	5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases	5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X), and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases (purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus)
Credits	Up to $200 Uber Cash Up to $200 airline fee credit $100 for Global Entry every four years or up to $85 TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years (5-year plan only) $199 CLEAR® Plus membership credit Up to $155 Walmart+ Credit Up to $200 credit with The Hotel Collection (requires a minimum two-night stay) or Fine Hotels & Resorts Up to $240 credit for select digital entertainment subscriptions Up to $100 statement credit for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases Enrollment required for select benefits	Up to $200 airline fee credit $100 for Global Entry every four years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years (5-year plan only) $199 CLEAR® Plus membership credit Up to $400 annual credit for Dell purchases Up to $360 annual credit for Indeed Up to $150 annual credit for Adobe Up to $120 annual credit for wireless telephone services Enrollment required for select benefits
Airport lounge access	Centurion Lounge International American Express Delta Sky Club Priority Pass Enrollment required for select benefits	Centurion Lounge International American Express Delta Sky Club Priority Pass Enrollment required for select benefits
Hotel perks	Complimentary benefits through Fine Hotels & Resorts, including WiFi, room upgrades, daily breakfast, and late check-out Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status Hilton Honors Gold Status Enrollment required for select benefits	Complimentary benefits through Fine Hotels & Resorts, including WiFi, room upgrades, daily breakfast, and late check-out Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status Hilton Honors Gold Status Enrollment required for select benefits
Rental car perks	Complimentary membership in premium car rental programs, along with discounts and upgrades	Complimentary membership in premium car rental programs, along with discounts and upgrades
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Authorized user fee	$195 for additional Platinum cards	$350 for employee cards
	Learn more	Learn more

What both cards do well

There are plenty of similarities between these cards. For example, you’ll earn Membership Rewards with both, which can often be transferred on a 1:1 basis with a variety of Amex partner airlines and hotels. Here are some other similarities:

• Welcome offer: Both cards have competitive and lucrative welcome offers. Business cards sometimes have higher bonuses, but that comes with a higher spend requirement so be sure you can meet the spend requirement if the bonus is a deciding factor for you. Here's how the compare:
  
  Amex Platinum: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months

  Amex Business Platinum: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months

• Earning rate on travel: While some of the details of the earning rates for each card differ, both cards offer 5X points on flights and hotels. This makes them both appealing travel rewards cards.
  
• Travel perks: These two cards also offer a number of the same travel perks. For example, both cards offer airport lounge access, complimentary benefits through Fine Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status, Hilton Honors Gold Status, complimentary membership in premium car rental programs, and trip cancellation and delay insurance. I especially like that these cards give you access to a number of different airport lounges and hotel statuses. This makes it easier to find a lounge or hotel that suits your needs.
  
• Travel-related credits: The Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum both offer a $200 annual airline fee credit, an annual CLEAR® Plus membership credit, and a $100 credit for Global Entry every four years. Once again, if you’re looking for travel perks, these credits stand out.
  
• No foreign transaction fees: Neither card charges a foreign transaction fee, which is a benefit I always look for in a travel rewards card.
  

Where they differ

When considering the Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum, you should also consider the key differences between the two cards. You’ll be able to figure out which is best for you based on how you can earn points, the available benefits, and the costs involved.

1. Big differences in credits

While each card comes with a credit for various travel-related fees — including Global Entry or TSA PreCheck — there are some important differences in the other credits available.

With the Amex Platinum card, you also receive:

• $15 in Uber Cash each month (except December, when you receive an additional $20); terms apply
• Up to $100 credit for shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue, divided up so that you receive $50 January through June and the other $50 during the second half of the year
• Up to $200 in credits for qualifying hotel stays of at least two nights booked through American Express Travel
• Up to $240 digital entertainment credit for eligible subscriptions
• Up to $155 in Walmart+ credits
• Up to $199 CLEAR® Plus membership credit

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you can receive:

• Up to $400 annual credit for Dell computer purchases
• Up to $360 in annual Indeed credit
• Up to $150 in annual Adobe credit
• Up to $120 in annual wireless telephone services credit
• Up to $199 credit for an eligible CLEAR® Plus membership

Ultimately, how valuable these credits are depends on if you’ll actually use them. For example, I often use Uber, and I think I would find value in the hotel stays and digital entertainment credits that come with the Amex Platinum.

I probably wouldn’t use the Indeed or Adobe credits, so the Business Platinum is less appealing to me. However, it might be different for you. Evaluate which credits are actually valuable to you when deciding between these cards.

Don't forget that enrollment is required for select benefits with both Platinum cards.

Winner: It’s a tie. Either one could be more valuable depending on which credits you use. After all, the Amex Business Platinum card is a business credit card, so it probably doesn’t make much sense for the average consumer.

2. The Business version has additional earning rates

Both of these cards offer cardholders the chance to earn 5X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com. If you’re a frequent traveler, either of these cards will likely work well for you.

However, the American Express Business Platinum card has the added advantage of giving cardmembers 1.5X points per dollar spent on qualifying eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X) (up to 1 million additional points per year). So if you often need to make big purchases for your business, you could get extra points.

Winner: Amex Business Platinum

3. 35% airline bonus

When you use the Amex Business Platinum card, you receive 35% of your points back (up to 1,000,000 points per calendar year) when you use points to book a flight through the American Express Travel website. If you do a lot of business travel, this points rebate can make a big difference.

The Amex Platinum card does not currently offer anything like this.

Winner: Amex Business Platinum

4. Different authorized user fees

There is a difference in costs when you add authorized users. You can add an authorized user to your Amex Platinum card for $195. With the Amex Business Platinum card, though, you’ll pay $350 to add an employee Business Platinum card to your account. Be aware of the extra cost involved with the Business card.

However, neither of these cards charge a foreign transaction fee, which can be useful when you go overseas. I always look for this benefit when researching travel cards.

Winner: Amex Platinum

FAQ

Which card is best for you?

The best travel credit card for you depends on how you plan to use it. If you have a lot of business costs, travel frequently for work, and can comfortably spend enough to earn the welcome bonus, the Amex Business Platinum could be the right move for you.

On the other hand, if you don’t have business expenses, the Amex Platinum would be the better choice. Even if you have a business, it might still make sense to stick with the regular Amex Platinum if you don’t think you’ll spend enough to get the big benefits.

Additionally, consider the perks and credits offered by the Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum. Which are you more likely to make use of? For me, this makes it easy to favor the Amex Platinum, but it could be different for you depending on your spending habits.

Be honest about what perks you’re more likely to use and move forward with the card that makes the most sense. Either way, it’s a good idea to only spend what you can pay off in a month. Carrying a balance on these rewards cards could cost you big time.

Luxury Travel Benefits

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

5.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

Learn How to Apply

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months

Annual Fee

$695

Rewards Rate

5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Enjoy hundreds of dollars in annual credits (enrollment required for select benefits)
• Gain access to exclusive airport lounges worldwide (enrollment required)
• Elevate your hotel stays with elite status perks (enrollment required)
• Earn valuable Membership Rewards points on flights and hotels
• Protect your trips with top-notch travel insurance

Drawbacks

• Comes with a hefty $695 annual fee
• Charges $175 for each authorized user
• Some credits are challenging to use

Card Details

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months
• 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
• Terms apply

Premium Business Rewards

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

4.8

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

Apply Now

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$695

Rewards Rate

5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X), and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases (purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus)

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Option to pay a portion of your balance over time, rather than in full monthly
• Seamlessly connects to QuickBooks® for easy reporting
• Includes cell phone insurance up to $800 per claim for damage or theft¹

Drawbacks

• High annual fee that isn’t worth it if you don’t travel frequently
• High spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus

Card Details

• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
• $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 the Card.
• $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.