Amex Business Platinum Credit Card Review
Key Takeaways
The standard welcome offer for this card is 200,000 points after spending $15,000 in purchases. Public offers have occasionally reached as high as 200,000 points (and we've heard targeted offers of 300,000 after the refresh announcement in September 2025!). Due to American Express's once-per-lifetime rule, the substantial spending requirement, and the high $895 annual fee, we recommend waiting to apply until the welcome offer meets your personal threshold for value. The annual fee is justified in the first year because of the welcome bonus, even at the lower amount. The long-term value depends on how much you utilize the various credits and benefits detailed below. American Express offers 18 airline transfer partners and 3 hotel partners, giving you excellent flexibility when redeeming your Membership Rewards points.
Why This Card Could Be Right For You
This card has several unique perks. Cardmembers can receive $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees (such as checked bags, seat selections, lounge passes, or in-flight refreshments) are charged by the selected airline. Be aware that you must choose one qualifying airline each year (you can change it every January). Another notable perk is a 35% rebate on points when you use Amex’s Pay with Points feature. The 35% rebate must be with the same airline you selected for the $200 statement credit.
If you’ve been in the points game for a while, you may already have Priority Pass benefits through another card, but that’s included here as well. Amex Business Platinum also provides access to The American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes Centurion Lounge. You also receive 10 day passes to the Delta Sky Club Lounge annually (you must be flying on a Delta operated flight). You can offset the annual fee if you take advantage of various statement credits, such as:
- $600 hotel credit: Up to $300 in statement credits bi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotel and Resorts or The Hotel Collection* booked through Amex Travel
- $200 Hilton credit: Get $50 back per quarter when you use your card directly with a Hilton property
- $150 each calendar year on all Dell purchases + $1000 back when you spend $5000 in a calendar year
- $360 ($90 per quarter) with Indeed
- $250 back per year on $600 worth of Adobe purchases
- $120 ($10 back per month) for wireless service purchases
- $209 Clear Plus credit annually
*Hotel Collection bookings must be for a minimum of 2 nights
When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply
Consider avoiding this card if:
- You can’t meet the $15,000 spend requirement in the first 3 months to earn the sign-up bonus
- You don’t travel often enough to use the airfare credit and points rebate
- The statement credits for Dell, Indeed, and Adobe won’t apply to your spending
- The personal Amex Platinum card’s perks (Uber Cash, digital entertainment credits, Walmart+ membership, and more) suit your lifestyle better

What to Know About Amex Member Rewards
Amex points are great in theory. We just find them harder to collect and more expensive to hold than Chase points.
- If you’re in the points game long enough, you’ll dabble in both main systems (Chase & Amex).
- Amex has a one card bonus per lifetime rule, so ultimately, there will be more of a limit to how many you can collect via sign-up bonuses.
- You’ll need to keep a “fee” card to hold your points.
- Delta and Hilton are solid transfer values and having Amex points gives you top-off flexibility if you are invested in either of those systems.
- We do find Amex travel a higher quality of service over the Chase travel portal.
How The Amex Business Platinum Credit Card Fits In The Amex Member Rewards Ecosystem
The American Express Business Platinum card occupies a premium position in the Membership Rewards ecosystem, particularly for business owners who want to avoid affecting their Chase 5/24 status. Here's how it compares to other American Express options:
- Business Gold alternative: If the $895 annual fee seems steep, consider the American Express Business Gold card with its lower $375 annual fee
- Standard welcome bonus: 70,000 (current special 100,000) points after $15,000 spend
- Historical high offers have reached 200,000 points
- Better for businesses with variable spending categories
The Business Green card isn't recommended due to its poor value proposition compared to other options.
For personal cards, the American Express Platinum carries the same high annual fee with a typical welcome bonus of 60,000 (current special 90,000) points (historical high: 100,000). However, its benefits are tailored toward individual rather than business needs.
Strategic application tip: If you're planning a long-term relationship with American Express and determine the personal Platinum better suits your needs, follow this application sequence:
- Start with the personal American Express Green
- Progress to Gold
- Finally apply for Platinum
This sequential approach preserves your eligibility for welcome bonuses on all three cards. If you obtain the Platinum first, you'll forfeit welcome bonus eligibility for the Green and Gold cards due to American Express's lifetime bonus restrictions.
My Experience, No Filter
My wife and I had been focused on Chase cards for 18 months until we both got rejected, so we needed a new strategy. I jumped on the Amex Business Platinum card after finding a 250,000-point sign-up bonus through a targeted incognito offer. My biggest concern was meeting the $20,000 spending requirement in 3 months, but we had several large purchases coming up. We even had the opportunity to charge a family vacation house to the card, so it made sense.
We used those 250,000 sign-up bonus points to book round-trip flights for our family of five to Calgary (a $3,975 cash value) for summer 2025. We also got some points back with the 35% rebate (we booked two one-way flights with different airlines, so not all costs were eligible, but we still got 58,000 miles back!). We used the $200 credit for seat selection and checked baggage fees. It was well worth the $695 annual fee for the first year — we’ll likely cancel before the next fee is due.
Card Information
Bonus Points | Minimum Spend | Point Value | Annual Value | Annual Fee |
1st Year Value
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
200,000 | $20,000 | 1.6 ¢ | $380 | $895 |
$3005
|
Best Value | Differentiating Perks | Rules |
---|---|---|
Airline partner transfers | Premier Airport Lounges, Hilton & Marriott Gold Status, $200 Hilton credit | No CR , No 2nd Biz , No 5/24 , Amex 1/10 , Amex Popup Jail |
Most Recent Special Offer
$20,000 spend ended Sep 2025
Spend Categories
5X points
8¢ Per Dollar Spent
1X points
1.6¢ Per Dollar Spent
2X points
3.2¢ Per Dollar Spent
5X points
8¢ Per Dollar Spent
2X points
3.2¢ Per Dollar Spent
5X points
8¢ Per Dollar Spent
Card Benefits
$600 statement credit (one $300 credit every six months) on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection stays (minimum 2 night stay at Hotel Collections)
Access to the Centurion Lounge and Priority Pass Select membership. 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight
Your cell phone will be covered against damage or theft up to $800 — with a $50 deductible — up to $1,000 per 12-month period.
Get up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry, or an $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck.
Get statement credits of up to $200 per calendar year toward incidental air travel fees (lounges, checked bags, seat upgrades, wi-fi, etc.) on ONE U.S. airline you select
Using this card gives you secondary car rental insurance coverage up to $75,000 in collision damage and theft per incident. Excludes Australia, Italy and New Zealand.
Lost luggage insurance up to $3,000 per person; trip delay protection up to $500; and trip cancellation protection up to $10,000 per trip.
You will pay no foreign transaction fees when you use your card for purchases made outside the United States.
Call 1-800-525-3355 to get complimentary assistance making dinner reservations, buying theater tickets, getting travel guides and sending gifts/flowers.
$209 CLEAR statement credits per calendar year, $120 in Wireless credits per year ($10/month), $150 in Dell credits (+$1000 back if you spend $5000 in a year); $360 Indeed credit ($90/quarter, $250 Adobe credit (after spending $600)
Automatic Hilton Gold status , complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status. $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more with The Hotel Collection; $200 in Hilton credits ($50/quarterly)
You can file up to $10,000 per claim ($50,000 max per year) in the event of damage or theft in the first 90 days.
Enjoy up to 1 additional year on the original manufacturer’s warranties of 5 years or less.
Amex Business Platinum Application Rules
This business card will not show on your personal credit report, so it won't count against your 5/24 status
You might not be allowed to get a second card for a separate business (EIN)
Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule
Amex allows only 1 bonus per specific card per lifetime (yours or that version of the card)
After you apply, Amex may show a pop-up saying you're ineligible for the welcome bonus
Ranking of Cards Offering Amex Member Rewards
Best for Series
Below is a snapshot of where this card performs best compared to the other cards in our database: