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 American Express Platinum Card® and the Amex Business Platinum, here's what you need to know.
American Express Platinum Card® vs. Amex Business Platinum
![]() American Express Platinum Card®
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![]() Amex Business Platinum
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FinanceBuzz value calculation2 <p class="">These values are based on the <a href="https://financebuzz.com/financebuzz-credit-card-valuation">FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model</a>, which takes a look at rewards earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. We used a valuation of 1 cent/point unless otherwise stated above. These are estimated values - your actual earnings will depend on how much you spend and in what categories.<br></p> | Year 1: $4,210
Year 2: $2,460 |
Year 1: $2,338
Year 2: $338 |
Annual fee | $895 | $895 |
Welcome bonus | Earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months (welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer; apply and find out your offer) | Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. |
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; 2X points on 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 on each eligible purchase 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) |
Select credits |
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Airport lounge access |
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Hotel perks |
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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 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:
American Express Platinum Card®: Earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months (welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer; apply and find out your offer)
Amex Business Platinum: Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. - Earning rate on travel: While some of the details of the earning rates for each card differ, both cards offer an elevated earn rate 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, Leading Hotels of the World Sterling 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 Platinum Card® and Amex Business Platinum both offer a $200 annual airline fee credit, an annual CLEAR® Plus membership credit, and a 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 American Express Platinum Card® 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 American Express Platinum Card®, you also receive:
- $15 in Uber Cash each month (except December, when you receive an additional $20); terms apply. You must use an Amex card as the payment method to redeem your Amex Uber Cash benefit
- 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 $600 in credits for qualifying hotel stays of at least two nights booked through American Express Travel
- Up to $300 digital entertainment credit for eligible subscriptions
- Up to $155 in Walmart+ credits (up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.)
- Up to $209 CLEAR® Plus membership credit
- $300 lululemon credit
- $400 Resy credit
With the Amex Business Platinum card, you can receive:
- Up to $150 in statement credits on U.S. purchases directly with Dell Technologies, and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same card per calendar year
- Up to $200 annual statement credit for eligible purchases at Hilton properties (Hilton For Business program membership required)
- Up to $600 in credits for qualifying hotel stays of at least two nights booked through American Express Travel
- Up to $360 in annual Indeed statement credits
- Get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year
- Up to $120 in annual wireless telephone services statement credits
- Up to $209 in statement credits for an eligible CLEAR® Plus membership
Business Platinum cardholders can earn an additional $1,200 Amex flight credit and a $2,400 credit for One AP — Amex's accounts payable platform — for use in the following calendar year after spending $250,000 on the card in a calendar year.
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 American Express Platinum Card®.
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 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 bonus points on eligible flight and hotel purchases. 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 2X points per dollar spent on qualifying 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 on each eligible purchase 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 American Express 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 American Express 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: American Express Platinum Card®
FAQ
How are the American Express Platinum Card® and Amex Business Platinum different?
The American Express Platinum Card® is a consumer card while the Amex Business Platinum is a business card. This means you don't need to have a small business to qualify for the American Express Platinum Card®, but you need to have a business to qualify for the Business Platinum card.
And while both cards offer premium benefits, like complimentary airport lounge access and elite hotel status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, there are also some differences in benefits depending on the card you choose. For instance, the American Express Platinum Card® provides up to $200 in annual Uber Cash, which is good for Uber rides and Uber Eats orders, while the Amex Business Platinum offers statement credits for U.S. purchases directly with Dell Technologies. Select benefits do require enrollment.
How do you get approved for the Amex Business Platinum?
The Amex Business Platinum is a business credit card, which means you need to have a business to get approved for it. Additionally, you likely need good or excellent credit to be approved.
What credit score do you need to get approved for the American Express Platinum Card®?
The American Express Platinum Card® likely requires a good or excellent credit score to be approved.
Is the Amex Business Platinum worth it?
The Amex Business Platinum may be worth it for business owners who can take advantage of the card's premium perks and benefits. This includes an annual Dell Technologies credit and statement credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry applications.
Also, this credit card offers automatic elite hotel status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, complimentary access to Global Lounge Collection lounges, and a 35% points reimbursement when using Membership Rewards points to pay for eligible fares.
Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Is the American Express Platinum Card® worth it?
The American Express Platinum Card® is one of the most prestigious travel cards on the market because of its premium travel benefits. This could make it worth it for frequent travelers who will use the free airport lounge access and elite hotel status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. Other contributing benefits include up to $200 in annual Uber Cash, up to $100 in annual Saks Fifth Avenue credits, purchase protection, cell phone protection, extended warranty coverage, and travel insurance. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
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 American Express Platinum Card® would be the better choice. Even if you have a business, it might still make sense to stick with the regular Platinum Card® if you don't think you'll spend enough to get the big benefits.
Additionally, consider the perks and credits offered by the American Express Platinum Card® vs. Amex Business Platinum. Which are you more likely to make use of? For me, this makes it easy to favor the American Express Platinum Card®, 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.