Annual Fee & Authorized User Fee – American Express Platinum
5 Min Read | Last updated: October 17, 2024
Want to know more about the annual fee for The Platinum Card®? Here’s an overview, plus a look at the Card’s abundance of travel and lifestyle credits, perks, and services.
At-A-Glance
- The Platinum Card by American Express has a $695 annual fee.1
- With over $1,500 in value, the Platinum Card offers a suite of elevated benefits and statement credits across travel, entertainment, and dining that can help make every day an adventure.
- For example, Platinum Card Members can unlock benefits like airport lounge access, complimentary elite status at participating hotels, and special access to exclusive reservations through Global Dining Access by Resy.
The Platinum Card® from American Express has long been at the forefront of luxury travel, with high points multipliers and premium rewards. But did you know the Card also offers an abundance of elevated entertainment and dining benefits? Let’s take a closer look at the Platinum Card and see how it continues to go above and beyond.
How Much is The Platinum Card’s Annual Fee?
The Platinum Card has a $695 annual fee.1 The fee is paid once a year, and the math works out to about $58 a month. At the same time, the Platinum Card can help you unlock access to over $1,500 in value. Here’s how:
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Stay in the know with content that matters most to you. Use your Platinum Card to subscribe to one or more services on Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal and get up to $20 in statement credits each month after making eligible purchases directly from the participating partners with your Platinum Card. That's up to $240 annually to explore something new. Enrollment required.
- $200 Uber Cash: With your Platinum Card, you'll receive $15 in Uber Cash to use on eligible orders with Uber Eats and rides with Uber in the US every month plus a bonus $20 in December, delivered through an exclusive Uber app experience. That's up to $200 for Uber orders with Uber Eats and rides with Uber annually. You'll also become an Uber VIP, where available, without meeting minimum ride requirements and be matched with top-rated drivers, so that even a 5-minute trip can be a 5-star experience. (Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.)
- Global Lounge Collection®: The American Express Global Lounge Collection can provide an escape at the airport, with more than 1,400 airport lounges across 650 cities in 140 countries and counting. Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with a value of over $500 when you enroll into Priority Pass Select and make multiple visits to select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges each year. The Global Lounge Collection also includes access to the Centurion Network and Delta Sky Club, subject to visit limitations. See terms.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 per calendar year in statement credits after eligible incidental fees, such as checked bags or in-flight refreshments, are charged to your Card by one qualifying airline of your choice.2
- $100 Saks Credit: Earn up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on your Platinum Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Treat yourself to a luxury hotel stay. Card Members can receive up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid bookings at over 2,600 hand-selected hotels that are part of the Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection programs. Bookings must be made through American Express Travel and charged to your Platinum Card.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Every minute counts when you’re eager to travel. CLEAR Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Use the dedicated CLEAR Lane to confirm your identity without taking out your passport or ID – this can mean shorter lines, less waiting. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.3
Experience Membership Together: Adding Additional Card Members to the Platinum Card
Like all American Express Cards, the Platinum Card allows you to add Additional Card Members, commonly known as “authorized users,” to your account. With Additional Cards, you can extend access to select Platinum benefits. The annual fee is $195 for each Additional Platinum Card and Additional Card Members must be 13 years of age or older.
Adding Additional Card Members to your Platinum Card account can be a great way to maximize points-earning potential and extend select benefits to those you care about. If you’re the Basic Card Member (meaning you’re the primary account holder), you’ll earn rewards on your Additional Card Member’s purchases the same way you do on your own Card, so the rewards can really add up.
Additional Card Members can also share many of the same benefits, such as:
- Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection
- Complimentary elite status at select hotels
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee credits
- And more
For Platinum Card Members who prefer a streamlined supplementary card, Companion Platinum Cards® are also an option with no added annual fee. However, it’s important to keep in mind that Companion Card Members may not get all the same benefits as an Additional Card Member.
Remember: While Additional Card Members are not account owners, they are authorized to use the primary Card Member’s account. The primary Card Member is responsible for all spending activity and must pay for all charges made by Additional Card Members.
The Takeaway
The Platinum Card by American Express has a $695 annual fee that works out to about $58 a month. At the same time, the Platinum Card has over $1,500 in value across an elevated suite of benefits – on top of the traditional benefits that have kept Platinum at the forefront of luxury travel credit cards. You can also add an Additional Card Member for an annual fee of $195 or a Companion Card Member at no added cost.
1 For more on Rates and Fees for The Platinum Card®, click here.
2 American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
3 For more on Offer & Benefit Terms for The Platinum Card®, click here.
Megan Doyle is a business technology writer and researcher whose work focuses on financial services and cross-cultural diversity and inclusion.
All Credit Intel content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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