Link: Learn more about The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the most popular premium cards on the market. The card recently underwent a refresh, which I’d argue was overwhelmingly positive, and I think many people are finding this card to be more compelling than in the past. Along those lines, in this post I’d like to cover the details of the huge welcome offer available on the card.
Amex Platinum Card welcome offer with lots of points
The Amex Platinum Card has a welcome offer, with a twist. The welcome offer is marketed as being as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 within the first six months. Amex notes how the welcome offers vary, and applicants may not be eligible for that welcome offer.
The way this works, you can apply for the card, and then find out your offer amount. Then you can decide whether you want to accept the offer or not. That’s an unconventional approach for a welcome offer. At least Amex has the “apply with confidence” feature, so there won’t be a hard pull unless you accept the offer.
Personally, I value Membership Rewards points at 1.7 cents each, meaning that to me, 175,000 points are worth a staggering $2,975. Of course that assumes you’re eligible for this offer, which not everyone will be. There are lots of great uses for Amex points, as they can be transferred to all kinds of useful airline and hotel partners.
Who is eligible for the Amex Platinum Card offer?
In line with Amex’s “once in a lifetime” rule, the welcome offer on the Amex Platinum Card isn’t available to those who currently have the card, or those who have had the card (or previous versions of the card) in the past. On top of that, Amex’s general card restrictions apply. There are a few additional things to note:
- You are eligible for the welcome offer on this card if you’ve had any other Amex card, so you can apply for this card even if you have other Amex cards
- While Amex typically has a limit of letting someone have at most five Amex credit cards (including personal and business cards), that doesn’t include this product, since it’s not a traditional credit card
- There’s a mystery to Amex card approvals, as you may sometimes receive a pop-up when applying for cards, indicating that you’re not eligible for the offer
Why the Amex Platinum Card could be worth it
The Amex Platinum Card has a $895 annual fee (Rates & Fees). While this isn’t the most rewarding card in terms of the return on spending, it does have a huge number of valuable perks, and it should be easy to justify the annual fee. Here are just some of them (Enrollment is required for select benefits):
- Comprehensive airport lounge access, including Amex Centurion Lounge access, Delta Sky Club® access, a Priority Pass™ Select membership, and more; in all cases, there are some terms and restrictions associated with access
- Elite status with travel brands, including Hilton Honors™ Gold Status, Marriott Bonvoy® Gold status, and elite status with multiple rental car companies
- Up to thousands of dollars worth of credits, including for airline fees, hotels, Equinox, SoulCycle, CLEAR, Saks, and much more
- Access to all kinds of special programs, from Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts®, to the Amex International Airline Program, and more
I think two new perks on the card are particularly worth calling out:
- The card now offers up to $400 per year in credits at Resy restaurants, in the form of a $100 credit per quarter; I’d consider this to nearly be good as cash
- The card now offers up to $600 per year in hotel credits, in the form of a $300 credit semi-annually; this can be used even for one night stays at Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts® properties, so I think that’s quite easy to maximize
Read a full review of the Amex Platinum Card here.
Bottom line
The Amex Platinum Card has just undergone a major refresh, and has a welcome offer as high as 175,000 points upon completing minimum spending. The structure of this offer is a little unusual, since the offer is “as high as” that amount, and when you fill out your application, you’ll see exactly what offer you’re eligible for.
If you are eligible for such a big welcome offer, this card is absolutely worth picking up. It offers all kinds of great perks that can help offset the annual fee, ranging from lounge access, to credits, to elite status, and more. If you’re eligible for this card, this would be a great time to apply.
Do you plan on picking up the Amex Platinum Card with this welcome offer?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees).