American Express Business Platinum
Overview
Both the AMEX personal and business platinum cards are excellent “capabilities” cards and lousy earners. Think of them less as a card for daily spend and more as a premium travel membership plus a coupon book to offset the annual fee.
AMEX Platinums distinguish themselves from other premium cards with.
- Best airport lounge access.
Centurion lounges outnumber Chase and Capital One 5:1 plus they have more partnerships. - Best customer service.
Available over chat, without a wait, and it’s actually very helpful. - Hilton and Marriott Gold Status.
Free breakfast or dining credit at Hilton.
In choosing between the personal and business variants, the business has three advantages:
- 35% rebate on flights purchased with points.
This is a superpower. Book cash flights at 1.54 cpp AND earn miles on them. - Simpler credits than the personal version.
As long as you want $400 in Dell goods… - Slightly better earn rate, but neither card is good for spend.
Basic Information
- Cardholder Type
- Business
- Network / Type
- Amex
- Earns
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Annual Fee
- $695
- Card Type
- Charge
- Foreign Transaction Fees
- No
Earnings
- 5x Portal Flights
- 5x Portal Hotels
- 1.5x
Misc Business Categories
U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, cloud system providers, and shipping providers.
- 1.5x Purchases Over $5,000.
- 1x Everywhere Else
Rare Capabilities
- 35% Points Rebate
- Superpower: Get a 35% rebate on points when you book a flight through AMEX Travel Portal. This works out to 1.54cpp plus any miles earned from the airline. The flight must be either business class or with your designated preferred airline.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation
- If you are travelling and need emergency medical treatment, AMEX will get you some place you can get it. There are a lot of rules and exceptions to this, and I wouldn't want to count on it, but it's there for you or a family member, and you don't have to pay for the travel with the card.
Credits
- $400 Dell Credit
- Semi-Annual: Two $200 credits, one ending in June, the other in December.
- $360 Indeed Credit
- Quarterly: $90 per quarter.
- $200 Airline Incidental Credit
- Annual: Valid for incidentals with your preferred airline.
- $150 Adobe Teams Credit
- Annual: Valid on Adobe Teams plans, which are much more expensive.
- $120 Cell Phone Credit
- Monthly: $10 per month if your cellular provider is on the list.
Status
- Hilton Gold
- Basic hotel perks plus a breakfast credit.
- Marriott Gold
- Basic hotel perks.
- Avis Preferred Plus
- Mid tier status with Avis.
- Hertz Presidents Circle
- Top status with Hertz.
- National Emeralds Club Executive
- Mid tier status with National.
Lounges
- Centurion
- Arguably the best domestic lounge network for those without airline loyalties.
- Delta
- When flying Delta.
- Lufthansa
- When flying Lufthansa.
- Plaza Premium
- These are technically covered by Priority Pass as well.
- Priority Pass
- Access lounges but not restaurants.
Memberships
- Clear Plus
- Implemented as a statement credit.
- Global Entry
- Implemented as a statement credit.
- Tsa Precheck
- Implemented as a statement credit.
Travel and Purchase Protections
- Baggage Insurance
Up to $1,250 for carry-ons and $500 for checked baggage. - Car Rental Insurance
Up to $75,000 for damages and $300,000 for injuries in secondary coverage. Excludes certain cars and countries. Does not include liability. - Cell Phone Protection
Up to $800, subject to a $50 deductible. - Extended Warranty
Up to $10,000 per item during one year extension to manufacturer's warranty of five years or less. - Global Assist
Premium coordination services when things go wrong: lost passport, luggage, legal, medical, medical evacuation, etc. - Purchase Protection
Up to $10,000 per purchase against accident or theft in the first 90 days. - Return Protection
Up to $300 per item within 90 days if a merchant will not accept a return. - Trip Delay Insurance
Up to $500 dollars after 6 hours. Requires round-trip.
All policies may:
- Have terms, conditions and exclusions not listed here.
- Require purchases be made with the card for a business purpose.
For exact terms, please carefully read your cardholder agreement.