Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum: Which premium Amex card is right for you?
Over the past several years, premium cards have evolved 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 Platinum and rates and fees for 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. Business Platinum to see which makes the most sense for your wallet.
Amex Platinum vs. 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 cardholders.
| Benefit/perk | Amex Platinum Card | Amex Business Platinum Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership | 120,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in your first three months of card membership |
| Earning rates |
|
|
| Statement credits |
|
|
| Lounge access | Yes | Yes |
| Elite hotel status | Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status
Hilton Honors Gold status |
Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status
Hilton Honors Gold status |
| Other benefits | Premium rental car status
Travel and purchase protections No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) |
Premium rental car status
35% airline bonus Travel and purchase protections No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) |
| Annual fee | $695 (see rates and fees) | $695 (see rates and fees) |
Amex Platinum vs. 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.
You can earn the full 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on the Amex Platinum — with six months to complete the spending, so an average of $1,000 per month. However, the Business Platinum requires a much steeper minimum spend of $15,000 within the first three months to earn its 120,000-point bonus. This requires spending an average of $5,000 per month.
Based on TPG’s valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, the Platinum bonus is worth $1,600. In contrast, the Business Platinum bonus is worth $2,400, making them two of the most valuable offers on the market.
However, some TPG readers have been targeted for even better offers: up to 125,000 points on the personal Amex Platinum or 150,000 points on the Amex Business Platinum. Check your eligibility using the CardMatch tool (note that these offers are subject to change at any time).
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
Winner: Amex Business Platinum. Its spending requirement is almost double the personal card’s one but it offers more bonus points, too.
Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum benefits
Both of these cards excel when it comes to travel and lifestyle perks.
Benefits offered to both cards
Enrollment required for select benefits.
*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.
Consumer Amex Platinum benefits
There are several major differences when it comes to credits with these two cards. First, the consumer Amex Platinum offers these exclusive perks:
- Prepaid hotel booking credit: Up to $200 statement credit on prepaid bookings at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties made through American Express Travel (minimum two-night stay requirement)
- Uber credit: Up to $15 in credit each month to use on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S., with an additional up to $20 for December (must add your card as a payment method in your Uber account)
- Saks Fifth Avenue credit: Up to $50 to use January through June and up to $50 to use July through December (enrollment required in advance)
- Digital Entertainment credit: Up to $20 monthly statement credits and applicable only for The New York Times, SiriusXM, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle (enrollment required in advance)
- Equinox credit: Up to $300 annual statement credit for select Equinox memberships or a digital subscription to Equinox+ fitness app (enrollment required in advance)
- Walmart+ membership credit: Reimbursement for $12.95 monthly membership fee for 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.
Related: 10 things to do when you get the Amex Platinum
Business Platinum benefits
Meanwhile, the Business Platinum card has the following exclusive perks:
- 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 credit: Up to $200 to use January through June and up to $200 to use July through December (enrollment required in advance)^
- Adobe credit: Up to $150 applies only to prepaid plans with Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams (enrollment required in advance)^
- Indeed credit: Up to $90 per quarter in statement credits for spending with Indeed^
- Monthly wireless credits: Up to $10 in monthly statement credits for spending on wireless plans with U.S. providers (enrollment required in advance)
Related: Have an Amex Business Platinum card? Don’t forget to register for these perks
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. 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 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, 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. Business Platinum
American Express Membership Rewards points are one of the most valuable loyalty currencies out there. According to TPG’s valuations, Amex points are worth 2 cents apiece. With 21 transfer partners, Membership Rewards points from the Amex Platinum and the business version 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).
Winner: Amex Business Platinum. Expanded redemptions option if you book flights through American Express Travel.
Related: When to transfer and when to Pay with Points with Amex Business Platinum
Transferring points with the Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum
Both the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum transfer to American Express’ 21 partners, of which 18 are airline partners while the remaining three are hotel partners.
Some lucrative transfer partners that offer great redemption options include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Avianca LifeMiles.
I transferred 20,000 points from my 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, giving my points a value of over 6 cents each, far higher than TPG’s valuation of 2 cents for Membership Rewards points.
Should I get the Amex Platinum or 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 the business-related statement credits, the 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, which offers 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 Business Platinum.
Apply here: Amex Platinum card
Apply here: Amex Business Platinum card
For more reading on this topic, see the following articles:
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here.
