Amex Platinum is a very popular card in the pockets of many travelers. Despite the steep annual fee of $695, you can find long-term value in keeping it open as long as you take advantage of all the annual travel credits (see table below).
| Type of credit | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Uber Rides/Eats | 200.00 | Activation required in card benefit section. |
| Saks 5th avenue | 100.00 | Activation required in card benefit section. $50 credit every 6 months X 2 (Jan-June; June-Dec) |
| Airline credit | 200.00 | Covers agent phone booking fees, seat selection fees, checked baggage fees, ticket change fees, pet transport fees and airport lounge passes. United Mileage Bank $50 purchases will trigger the travel credit. Try to use the benefit twice during the first year (resets January 1st). |
| Hotel Credit | 200.00 | Restricted to booking either The Hotel Collection (2 night minimum) or Fine Hotels + Resorts (1 night minimum). Try to use the benefit twice during the first year (resets on January 1st). |
| Walmart+ membership monthly statement credit | 155.00 | Free shipping for any item online without minimum purchase. $35 minimum for free grocery deliveries and 10 cents off every gallon gas at Mobil gas stations. |
| Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, Disney+ The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu and The New York Times | 240.00 | $20 per month statement credits. |
| TOTAL annual credits | 1095.00 | I find most of the above credits relatively easy to get with a single exception of hotel booking credit. I find FHR properties too expensive for a single night and rarely stay 2 nights where they offer Hotel Collection. |
Amex Platinum Travel Benefits & Protection
While Amex Platinum offers several travel benefits and protection, there are important differences in coverage when compared to Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire cards (https://awardcracker.com/premium-credit-card-travel-benefits-comparison/).
Pitfalls of Amex Platinum compared to other premium travel cards:
- Amex Platinum DOES NOT provide any common carrier coverage (e.g., airline, bus, train, or cruise ship) for travel related deaths or dismemberment.
- Amex Platinum limits the trip delay payments to a maximum of $500 per trip, compared to Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X ($500 per ticket).
- To be eligible for trip cancellation & interruption benefits, you must return to the city of departure (it can be two separate one-way bookings).
Pros of Amex Platinum compared to other premium travel cards:
- Amex Platinum covers trip delays due to lost or stolen passports.
- Amex Platinum provides up to 300K for rental car accident-related deaths or dismemberment.
- Amex Platinum offers Rental Car Accident Injury Coverage (up to 5K for medical bills) and personal property coverage (up to 1K).
See the table below for extensive comparisons between Amex Platinum and other premium travel cards.
| Benefit Category | Amex Platinum Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Capital One Venture X |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights purchased directly with the airlines | 5 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 |
| Flights purchased via portal | 5 points per $1 | 5 points per $1 | 5x points per $1 |
| Hotels booked via portal | 5 points per $1. | 10 points per $1 | 10 points per $1 |
| Flights & Hotels via 3rd party providers | 1 point per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 |
| Rental cars via portal | 1 point per $1 | 10 points per $1 | 10 points per $1 |
| All other travel expenses | 1 point per $1 | 3 points per $1. Lyft purchases earn 10 points per $1 (through March 2025). | 2 points per $1 |
| All other purchases | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 |
| Dining and Restaurants | 1 point per $1 | 3 points per $1. Chase dining booked through the Chase travel portal earns 10 points per $1. | 2 points per $1 |
| Car Rental Coverage | Secondary; works as primary overseas when you have no other insurance | Primary in both US and overseas. | Primary in both US and overseas. |
| Rental Car Coverage Duration | 31 days | 30 days | 15 days within US. 31 days Overseas. |
| Tire damage (flats or blowout) | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. | N/A |
| Coverage for loss-of-use charges incurred by the rental car agency | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rental car accident related death or dismemberment. | $300,000 | N/A | N/A |
| Rental Car Accident Injury Coverage | $5000 towards the cost of medical treatment | N/A | N/A |
| Rental Car Accident Personal Property Coverage | $1000 | N/A | N/A |
| Car Rental Coverage Country Exceptions | Australia, Italy, and New Zealand | None | Israel, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Jamaica. |
| Car Rental Elite Status | Avis Preferred, Hertz President's Circle, National Car/Emerald Club Executive. | None | None |
| Premium Roadside Assistance | None | 4 service calls per year, maximum benefit $50 for each call (extra amount will be charged to the card). | None |
| Emergency Medical and Dental | None | $2,500 emergency medical/dental coverage ($50 deductible per day), $75 per day for prescribed hotels needed due to covered loss for up to 5 days. | None |
| Trip Cancellation/ Interruption | Up to $10,000 per trip, and a maximum limit of $20,000 per card per 12-month period. | Up to $10,000 per trip per person, $20,000 per incident. Maximum benefit amount per 12-month period of $40,000. | Up to $2,000 per person for non-refundable common carrier tickets purchased with your card. |
| Roundtrip vs. One-way travel coverage | Roundtrip economy flights only. Two one-way bookings are covered as long as you return to the city of departure. | Both roundtrip and one-way travel are covered. | Both roundtrip and one-way travel are covered. |
| Covered Trip Definition | The period of round-trip travel may consist of roundtrip, one-way, or combinations of roundtrip and one-way tickets. | No restrictions. | No restrictions. |
| Award flight bookings + taxes charged on the credit card. | Covers the award booking taxes/fees. | Covers the award booking taxes/fees. | Covers the award booking taxes/fees. |
| Airline Miles Redeposit Fee Refunds | No. | Redeposit fees imposed by a rewards program are eligible for refund. | No. |
| Total Trip Length Restrictions | 365 days | 60 days | 365 days |
| Trip Delay (>6 hours) Reimbursement | $500 per trip (Maximum 2 claims in 12 months) | $500 for each purchased ticket | $500 for each purchased ticket |
| Trip Delay Coverage Eligibility | Equipment failure, inclement weather, hijacking and lost/stolen passports. | Any delay due to a Covered Hazard which was made public or made known to you prior to your departure. | Equipment failure, inclement weather, strikes and hijacking. |
| Prepaid Tours/Activities Coverage | None | Any pre–paid expenses related to your Covered Trip, such as tour or activity fees associated with your Covered Trip. | None |
| Baggage Delay (>6 hours) | None | Up to $100/day for up to 5 days for delays more than 6 hours | None |
| Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Luggage | Up to $3,000 for carry-on, $2,000 for checked luggage. | Up to $3,000 per person per trip checked or carry-on. | $3000 ($2,000 for New York residents). |
| Coverage for delays due to lost or stolen passports or travel documents | Yes | No | No |
| Common Carrier accidental death and dismemberment reimbursement | None. Amex removed common carrier insurance in 2020 | Common carrier insurance: Up to $1,000,000 per person. Use Chase card or Chase UR points to pay for the trip. | Common carrier insurance: $1,000,000 per person |
| Emergency Transportation/ Evacuation | Included without a stated limit and ticket purchase with the card is NOT necessary. | $100,000 | None |
| Repatriation of Remains Insurance | Yes (without a stated limit). A Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit. | $1,000 for a coffin and to return your body to your home country if you die on a vacation | None |
| Cell phone protection | $800 per claim, up to 2 claims in a 12-month period. | None | $800 per claim, up to 2 claims in a 12-month period. |
| Annual Fee | $695 | $550 | $395 |
| Authorized User fee | $175 for each user. No annual fee Gold cards can be added. | $75 for each | Free for four users. |
| Statement Credits per year | $200 airline incidentals $200 prepaid luxury hotels $200 Uber $100 Saks ($50 x 2 every 6 months) $240 digital subscription $179 Clear program $155 Walmart+ membership | $300 for “any travel” related expenses | $300 for Capital One portal purchases only. |
| Global Entry for main card holder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Global entry for authorized card holders | Yes. The benefit is free with no annual fee Gold cards. | Yes | No |
| Anniversary Bonus | None | None | 10,000 miles |
| Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users | Included (2 additional guests) | Included (2 additional guests) | Included (unlimited guests) |
| Priority Pass non-lounge airport experiences (e.g., dining, spa) | Not included | Included | Not included |
| Non-Priority Pass Lounge access | American Express Centurion, Delta Sky Clubs, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Plaza Premium, Airspace and Escape lounges. | Unlimited access to Chase lounges. Chase lounges are accessible via Priority Pass once a calendar year. | Capital One & Plaza Premium lounges (2 guest limit) |
| Hotel elite status | Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. | None | None |
Unique travel benefits of Amex Platinum unmatched by other premium travel cards
Below are a few unmatched travel benefits of Amex Platinum (PDF) that come in handy when you or your travel companions experience unexpected illness or death while traveling.
Emergency medical transportation & evacuation coverage
The Premium Global Assist (PGA) Hotline from the Amex Platinum pays for emergency medical transportation/evacuation to a more appropriate medical facility. It is important to note that the PGA Hotline does not cover medical expenses nor transportation of personal possessions, including luggage.
Prerequisites for the PGA Hotline benefit:
- Your trip must have originated from your U.S. billing address within the past 90 days and you must be traveling more than 100 miles from this address.
- An important exclusion for this benefit is worsening of a pre-existing condition (medical illness, or injury) being treated in the 60-day period immediately prior to the start of the trip.
- The treating physician should be in agreement with the medical transportation/evacuation to a more appropriate medical facility.
- You must authorize the Premium Global Assist Hotline to obtain medical records to determine your medical need for transportation/evacuation.
- The benefit extends to family Members (spouse or domestic partners and dependent children under the age of 23 or under the age of 26 if enrolled in school on a full-time basis) who are traveling on the same trip itinerary as the card member.
- You DO NOT have to purchase travel expenses (e.g., airfare) with Amex Platinum to qualify for this benefit.
- This coverage has NO stated limit and it pays for emergency medical transportation/evacuation to a more appropriate medical facility.
While Chase Sapphire Reserve offers medical transportation/evacuation benefits, coverage is limited to $100,000 and the duration of the covered trip has to be under 60 days.
Medical Monitoring
PGA can provide monitoring of medical care in the event of a medical emergency while traveling. Medical monitoring will include an initial follow up by a local medical service provider or facility to discuss the preliminary diagnosis and evaluate the recommended treatment. Additional follow ups will be provided as frequently as every other day to monitor progress until released from treatment.
Travel Assistance Post – Evacuation
If a Card Member or Covered Family Member is transported/evacuated to another medical
service facility, and that evacuee’s ticket has become invalid as a result of this
transportation/evacuation, PGA Hotline will arrange and pay for the one-way, economy-class transportation of the card member and one other covered family member
to the evacuee’s principal residence within the United States, once the evacuee is declared
fit to fly.
Unaccompanied Minor / Visitor to Bedside
If a covered Card Member is traveling alone or with a child <16 years of age or if a
traveling companion who is not a family member and has been required to leave the card
member, the PGA Hotline will arrange and pay for round-trip, economy class transportation for an adult member of the Card Member’s family to travel to the
place of treatment, if it is anticipated that the covered Card Member will be
hospitalized for ten consecutive days or more.
If any child of a covered Card Member who is 16 years old or younger is left unattended
due to the Card Member’s injury or sickness, the PGA Hotline will arrange and pay for one-way economy class transportation to return the child to their principal
residence within the United States. Should it be necessary for an attendant to accompany
child, the PGA Hotline will make arrangements for a qualified escort to
accompany the child at no cost to the card member.
Repatriation of Mortal Remains
The Premium Global Assist Hotline can provide the necessary administrative services to effect transportation of mortal remains, at no cost, back to the person’s principal place of residence or place of burial within the United States, whichever is closer.
The PGA Hotline will pay for all administrative and transportation expenses, and the cost of a coffin suitable for travel or other encasement of the remains.
While Chase Sapphire Reserve also pays for this benefit, the coverage is limited to $1000 USD. The typical cost of repatriation of remains will cost $20-30,000 USD depending on the transportation distance.
Summary
The Premium Global Assist Hotline (for the medical transportation & evacuation along with expatriation of remains) is the most beneficial perk of Amex Platinum that makes it worth carrying the card on domestic (>100 miles away from home) and overseas trips. While the benefit does not cover direct medical expenses, it will give you peace of mind to know that you can be transported to a qualified medical facility either overseas or back home.