The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express Review [2025]: Travel in Style and Earn Along the Way

Card basics

Card type	Business
Star rating	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 calculation3 <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 one earnings: $2,038 Year two earnings: $538
Annual fee	$695
Welcome bonus	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
Reward rate	5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com; 1.5X 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)
Recommended credit score	Excellent, Good
Foreign transaction fee	None

Who should get The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express?

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express card has a distinct audience: business owners who travel frequently. If you own a business but don't travel, I don't think you'll get enough out of this card to make it worth it.

But, if you travel for business frequently and your business has a lot of expenses, you can quickly make back the annual fee and enjoy plenty of luxury perks, like complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection® and instant Marriott® Bonvoy Gold Elite status.

Top Amex Business Platinum benefits

There are a few card benefits that can make The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express worth the cost. Carefully consider whether you'd use them before committing.

• Generous 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.
• Global Lounge Collection® access: Eligible cardmembers enjoy exclusive and complimentary access to 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries.
• $200 airline fee credit: Receive up to $200 per year in statement reimbursements of fees paid to a qualifying airline of your choice. The Amex airline credit covers checked bags and in-flight refreshments charged to your card. You must select an airline to enroll in this benefit.
• $200 Hilton statement credit: Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year for eligible purchase at Hilton properties. This benefit requires enrollment.
• Credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck: After you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and pay the fee using your The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, you'll receive a statement credit to cover the cost. You'll regularly receive these credits when you renew. This benefit requires activation.
• CLEAR® Plus membership credit: In addition to its Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, cardholders can also get up to a $209 annual credit for an eligible CLEAR® Plus membership. To access this credit, you need to use your Business Platinum Card to pay for CLEAR Plus. Activation is required for this benefit. Subject to auto-renewal.
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: If you use your The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express card to pay for a trip and it's canceled for a covered reason, you may receive reimbursement. ⁴ <p>The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.</p><p></p><ul><li>Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. </li><li>Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. </li><li>Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.</li></ul><p></p>
• Trip delay and baggage insurance: If your flight is delayed more than 6 hours, or your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you may be reimbursed for your losses. ⁵ <p>Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. </p><p></p><ul><li>Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. </li><li>Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. </li><li>Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.</li></ul><p></p>
• Exclusive perks at Fine Hotels + Resorts®: Business Platinum cardholders get special perks at properties in the Fine Hotels + Resorts® portfolio. Perks may include early check-in, late check-out, room upgrades, and free Wi-Fi.
• Marriott Bonvoy® and Hilton Honors™ elite status: Cardholders automatically get upgraded status with Marriott Bonvoy® and Hilton Honors™ without meeting the stay requirement, which provides access to exclusive benefits at each hotel.
• Rental car insurance and premium car rental privileges: If you pay for a rental car with your American Express card, you are covered for damage or theft. You can also receive upgraded status with various rental car programs. Benefits include upgrades, discounts, and priority service.⁶ <p>Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. </p><p></p><ul><li>Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. </li><li>Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. </li><li>Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.</li></ul><p></p>
• Business tools: Receive employee cards to stay on top of expenses and earn rewards on employee purchases, receive year-end summaries, and access Vendor Pay by Bill.com free for one user.

Earning & redeeming Membership Rewards points

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your earnings can add up with The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express. To calculate these values, we used estimated spending by businesses in a variety of categories.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $2,038

Year two earnings: $538

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee.

Best ways to earn

To maximize your earnings with The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, you should book your travel purchases through AmexTravel.com. You'll earn 5X Membership Rewards points for each dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com. However, you must book through the American Express travel portal to earn those points on airfare and hotel stays.

You can also get 35% of your points back when you use points to book eligible flights through American Express travel. Up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year.

All other eligible purchases net you 1X points. However, 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), you earn 1.5X points.

I know it can get a little confusing, but if you focus this card on your travel purchases and spending in key business categories, you can maximize your earnings. If you choose to use it for any other purchases, you'll still earn 1x points, but you may find a better offer on other business credit cards for those categories.

Maximizing your redemptions

Booking flights through American Express travel is the best way to get the most out of your rewards redemptions because you can get 35% of your points back when you use points to book eligible flights through American Express travel, up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year. However, Membership Rewards points are also flexible as there are many Amex travel partners. These flexible rewards make it easy to earn points through your spending and then use them for what works best for you whether you redeem through AmexTravel.com or go through a travel partner.

You can also use Membership Rewards points to redeem gift cards and make Amazon.com purchases, but the redemption value isn't as high. I suggest using your rewards for travel as it will give you the best bang for your buck.

American Express transfer partners

If you enjoy the flexibility of booking through another rewards program, Amex Membership Rewards has several hotel and airline transfer partners. Most partners will allow you to transfer your Membership Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio, with some exceptions.

FAQs

Other cards to consider

While The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is jam-packed with benefits, you may want to compare it to the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card or Capital One Spark Cash Plus before finalizing your decision. Both offer valuable rewards for business owners with a lower annual fee.

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

If you prefer a travel rewards card, the Ink Business Preferred is a decent option. You can earn 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, its annual fee is just $95. Like with Amex, if you book through the Chase Travel portal, you get more in redemption value than if you booked elsewhere. The card also has a 1:1 points value with 14+ travel partners. You can compare the Ink Preferred vs. Amex Platinum Business cards directly to determine which is the best fit for you and your business.

Learn more in our Ink Business Preferred review

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

If your goal is to earn cash back for your business, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card may be a better option. It offers unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, every day; plus unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One's travel booking site and a $150 annual fee. This can be a good choice if you don't travel frequently and won't take full advantage of the travel benefits the Amex card offers for its hefty annual fee.

Learn more in our Capital One Spark Cash Plus review

Bottom line

It's expensive to run a business. You may as well get something back for all the money you're putting in.

If your line of work involves frequent travel, then you'll struggle to do better than The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express. It's an expensive card to carry, but if you can use all the card's perks, it more than pays for itself, while hopefully making all that travel a little more enjoyable.

For other options, including some cards that aren't quite so focused on travel, give our list of best business credit cards a look to find one that's best suited to your spending.

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

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See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

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.

Annual Fee

$695

Rewards Rate

5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com; 1.5X 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)

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Option to pay a portion of eligible charges 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 theft² <p>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.</p><p></p><ul><li>Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. </li><li>Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. </li><li>Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.</li></ul><p></p>

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.
• 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 10/2024.
• Unlock over $2,000 in statement credits with business and travel benefits annually* on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply. Learn more. *After meeting qualifying spend thresholds
• New! Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
• New! Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
• Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
• Make the Business Platinum Card® work even harder for you. Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Benefit enrollment required.
• 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com
• 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• 1X points on other eligible purchases
• Use the Business Platinum Card® and get up to $209 back per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Author Details

Miranda Marquit

FinanceBuzz writer Miranda Marquit has covered personal finance for more than a decade and is a nationally-recognized financial expert and journalist, appearing on CNBC, NPR, Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, FOX Business, and numerous other outlets.

Author Details

Samantha Hawrylack

Samantha Hawrylack is a FinanceBuzz editor and a writer with more than five years of experience. Her work has been published in Newsweek, MarketWatch, USA Today, Rocket Mortgage, BiggerPockets, Crediful, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master of Business Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and she was previously a brokerage investment professional with Series 7 and 63 licenses at Vanguard.