The Platinum Card® from American Express: Worth the $695 Annual Fee?

The Platinum Card® from American Express is your ticket airport lounge access, exclusive pre-sales for events, hotel status, and more. The card earns Membership Rewards points.

If you can maximize the benefits, the card might be worth the $695 annual fee. Rates and fees.

The Platinum Card® from American Express calculator

Ask Sebby crunches the numbers for you to calculate the Expected Value of The Platinum Card® from American Express. For the expected value of points, we derive the approximate dollar value based on the numbers you enter in the calculator. Scroll down to the end of the post to see our methodology.  

The calculator below contains default figures and serve as an example only. Users should insert their own data for the most accurate results.  

Welcome Offer

American Express has a “once in a lifetime” welcome offer rule. To qualify for this offer, you must not currently have the card and/or have received a previous Platinum Card® welcome offer.

You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab, the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley or previous versions of these Cards.

If you attempt to apply and you are greeted with a pop-up that says you aren’t eligible for the welcome offer, then you will not receive one.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Calculation Methodology

The results from the above calculator are based on your ability to reach the minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome offer, your amount of spend on different categories, how you plan to redeem American Express Membership Rewards, and how much relative value you assign to the other benefits.  

The “Years” referenced in the calculator refer to the cardmember year, based on when you are approved for the card.

• Year 1 = first 12 months of card membership
• Year 2 = the following 12 months afterward

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Point Multipliers:

• Earn 5X points points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
• Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
• Earn 1X points on all other purchases

Credits:

• Up to $200 annual airline fee credit per calendar year to use for incidental fees like baggage fees
• Up to $200 Uber credit, distributed $15/month and $35 in December
• Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit, issued in up to $50 increments every 6 months per calendar year
• Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit once every 4 years
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Minimum 2 night stay is required for The Hotel Collection.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
• Up to $300 Equinox Credit per year
• Up to $199 back per year on your CLEAR® Plus membership.

Other Benefits:

• Amex Concierge — score hard to get restaurant reservations and concert tickets
• Centurion Lounge access
• Priority Pass Select membership (airport lounge access), with up to 2 guests
• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Status
• Automatic Hilton HHonors Gold Status
• Transfer points to airline partners
• No foreign transaction fee
• Terms apply

The value of the “Other Benefits” is going to be different for everyone based on the cards you have in your wallet, and how often you can utilize them. In the calculator, you should enter the dollar amounts for how much you value the benefit.

How much are Membership Rewards Points worth?

Calculating the Value of Membership Rewards Points

Cash Back via Statement Credit

Amex Membership Rewards points are worth 0.6 cents per point when you redeem them for cash back via statement credit. 

IMAGE VIA HTTPS://GLOBAL.AMERICANEXPRESS.COM/REWARDS/calculator

In the image below, we would need 1,172 MR points to pay for a $7.30 purchase.

• $7.30/1,172 MR points = $0.006

Amazon.com Purchases

When you use Membership Rewards points to shop on Amazon.com, points are worth 0.7 cents per point.

Travel via Pay with Points

Amex Membership Rewards points are worth up to 1 cent per point when you book flights and use Pay with Points through American Express Travel.

• For example, $100/10,000 MR points = $0.01

Cash Out via Charles Schwab Platinum

American Express Platinum Card® for Schwab cardholders can transfer Membership Rewards points into your eligible Schwab account.

You can deposit 60,000 points for $750.

• $750/60,000 MR points = $0.0125

Airline Transfer Partners

The valuation of Membership Rewards points varies when you use airline transfer partners. Point valuations can range from 1-2 cents per points based on how you redeem them.

For example, a first class ticket could be worth more than an economy redemption based on the retail price.

To calculate the value of your specific redemption:

• (Retail price of airfare) / (number of MR points required) = Cents Per Point Valuation

Image via https://global.americanexpress.com/rewards/transfer