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

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 …

Apr 22, 2025 - 18:39

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

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 both cards have some overlapping benefits, share transfer partners and earn Membership Rewards points, 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 card membership.	Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel within the first three months of card membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends June 30.
Annual fee	$695	$695
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	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
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 (subject to auto-renewal) $120 fee credit for 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 eligible monthly subscriptions 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 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 (subject to auto-renewal) Up to $200 annual Hilton statement credit (up to $50 per quarter) $120 fee credit for Global Entry every four years or up to $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every 4½ years Up to $400 in statement credits each calendar year for U.S. Dell purchases (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, subject to auto-renewal)^ 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 ^Benefits set to change July 1.
Lounge access	Yes	Yes
Elite hotel status	Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status Hilton Honors Gold status Enrollment is required; terms apply	Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status Hilton Honors Gold status Enrollment is required; terms apply
Other benefits	Premium rental car status (enrollment required; terms apply) Travel and purchase protections (terms apply) No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)	Premium rental car status (enrollment required; terms apply) 35% airline bonus when redeeming with Membership Rewards points Travel and purchase protections (terms apply) No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)

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. Plus, you’ll have to spend $2,500 directly with airlines or Amex Travel (spending does not all have to come from one airline) within three months to earn the $500 statement credit. You can earn one or both of these offers. This offer ends on June 30.

This requires spending an average of $6,667 per month to earn the bonus points. Roughly $834 of your spending each month needs to be on just airfare to earn the $500 statement credit.

Based on TPG’s April 2025 valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each. That makes the Amex Platinum’s welcome bonus worth $1,600. In contrast, the Amex Business Platinum’s bonus is worth $3,500 when you include the statement credit, making them two of the most valuable offers on the market.

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, and not everyone will receive the same offers).

Winner: Amex Business Platinum. Its bonus is worth up to $1,900 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 application fee credit for either Global Entry every four years or up to $85 application 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 (subject to auto-renewal)
Complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status
Access to Amex’s Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program and American Express Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay requirement for the Hotel Collection)
Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs when flying same-day Delta flights** and Priority Pass lounges. Access is limited to eligible cardmembers.
Various travel and shopping protections, like 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.

looking past a sitting area out an open window to the ocean — ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Consumer Amex Platinum benefits

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 (subject to auto-renewal)
Walmart+ membership credit: Up to $12.95 in monthly statement credits for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal); Plus Up Benefits not eligible (up to $155 each calendar year)

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 on U.S. Dell purchases (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; subject to auto-renewal)^
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)
Hilton statement credit: Up to $50 per quarter in statement credits on Hilton purchases (up to $200 per calendar year)

^Benefits changing on July 1

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

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.

One downside is that the Amex Platinum’s bonus-earning on airfare is limited to the first $500,000 spent each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar), but it’s unlikely that most cardmembers will spend this much in a year.

a person leans out the window of a car while smiling — THOMAS BARWICK/GETTY IMAGES

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 if your purchase is less than $5,000.

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 April 2025 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.

An Etihad jet — 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).

Aside from travel, Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for gift cards, to pay for purchases at Amazon.com and for statement credits. We 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 on eligible flights (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 share access to the same 21 hotel and airline partners.

A business class cabin on a plane — 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.

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 fantastic deal; given the cash fare was $1,236, he received a value of over 6 cents per point, far higher than TPG’s April 2025 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 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 its 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 personal or small-business — 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
Apply here: Amex Business Platinum

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