By KBC Associate 
The Business Platinum Card from American Express overview
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best business rewards cards around, thanks to its large welcome bonus and the sheer number of value-added perks. While it requires some work to take full advantage of them, the effort can pay off with savings of hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
With premium cards in the mainstream these days, many people are comfortable paying annual fees of over $400. The Business Platinum Card from American Express stands out above even that, though, with a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees) — although its annual statement credits and benefits go above and beyond to offset that yearly cost.
Between its high annual fee and a handful of business-focused perks, this card certainly won’t be suitable for every small business — especially ones that don’t log major travel expenses or ones with primary spending areas more in line with the bonus categories offered by other business cards. Still, it has some valuable perks, making it a strong choice for many businesses.
We recommend applicants have a credit score of 670 or above to increase their chances of getting approved.
Let’s dive into the card details so you can decide if it’s a good fit for your business.
Related: How to get a business credit card
Amex Business Platinum pros and cons
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*Enrollment required for select benefits. Terms apply
Amex Business Platinum welcome offer
Right now, new Amex Business Platinum applicants can earn:
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- 150,000 points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership; plus
- A $500 statement credit after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel within the first three months of card membership.
To earn the $500 statement credit, you can buy flights across any number of airlines (it doesn’t have to be just one). The bookings can be made either directly with the airline or through Amex Travel. Note that you must meet the $2,500 minimum spending requirement for airfare purchases within three months of being approved for the card.
Our April 2025 valuations peg the Membership Rewards points this card earns at 2 cents apiece. So, if you can manage the high spending requirement on this tiered offer, you’ll receive up to $3,500 in value. This beats the best welcome offer we have seen on this card, thanks to the addition of the statement credit for airfare purchases.
While $20,000 in three months might not be hard for businesses with a lot of cash flow, if your enterprise is smaller, you could consider prepaying as many expenses as you can afford during your first three months to help earn your welcome offer.
As a cardmember, you can get more value from the $500 statement credit by stacking it with an Amex Offer. After applying for the card and being approved, look for Amex Offers providing cash back or bonus Membership Rewards points for airfare purchases.
For example, an Amex Offer available to TPG credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is a $250 statement credit after spending $1,800 or more with Virgin Atlantic. By stacking this with the welcome offer, a cardmember could get up to $750 in statement credit on Virgin Atlantic flights.
On the other hand, if this type of spending is out of your league, another business card with a lower bonus threshold, a smaller annual fee and more targeted earning categories might be a better fit for you in the long run.
Related: How to achieve the Amex Business Platinum’s spending requirement to earn 150,000 points
Amex Business Platinum benefits
Amex’s bevy of statement credits, easily totaling over $1,500 in annual benefits, can help cardmembers potentially offset the initial shock of that high annual fee. Here’s a close look at all of them (enrollment is required for select benefits, terms apply):
| Statement credit | Annual amount | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Dell† | Up to $400 per calendar year | Statement credit on U.S. Dell purchases up to $200 semiannually |
| Indeed | Up to $360 per calendar year | Statement credit on Indeed hiring and recruiting products and services to post open positions and find talent, up to $90 per quarter |
| Adobe† | Up to $150 per calendar year | Statement credit on select annual purchases (subject to auto-renewal), including Adobe Creative Cloud and Acrobat Pro DC |
| Hilton | Up to $200 per calendar year | Statement credit up to $50 per quarter on eligible purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio. Hilton for Business program membership is required. |
| Wireless telephone services | Up to $120 per calendar year | Statement credits for purchases made directly from any U.S. wireless telephone provider, up to $10 per month |
| Clear Plus | Up to $199 per calendar year | Statement credit toward an annual Clear Plus membership for expedited airport security (subject to auto-renewal) |
| Airline fee | Up to $200 per calendar year | Annual airline fee credit of up to $200 on charges by the airline you select each calendar year |
| Global Entry or TSA PreCheck | Up to $120 | Statement credit for Global Entry ($120) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85) every four years (4.5 years for PreCheck) |
†The Dell and Adobe credits will change on July 1, becoming more generous — but requiring more spending.
Alongside the plethora of statement credits you may (or may not) be able to use, the Amex Business Platinum shines through with its other travel perks.
Aside from access to Amex’s Centurion Lounges, your card will open the door to the extensive American Express Global Lounge Collection (access is limited to eligible cardmembers). It is comprised of more than 1,700 lounges worldwide, including Delta Sky Clubs that you can enter when you have an eligible same-day flight on that airline, Priority Pass lounge access (enrollment required; excluding restaurant locations), Escape Lounges and Lufthansa Lounges when you have a same-day flight on that airline.
However, it’s worth noting that you’re limited to 10 total Delta Sky Club visits per year — unless you spend $75,000 in a calendar year to unlock unlimited access.
As for benefits that come in handy once you reach your destination, this card allows you to register for complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, which provide higher earnings and elevated benefits during stays with these two brands.
Cardmembers also enjoy complimentary elite car rental status with multiple programs, including Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and National Emerald Club. (Enrollment required for these benefits.)
As you might imagine, the Amex Business Platinum Card is also great for business purchases. It features extended warranty protection‡ that prolongs eligible U.S. manufacturer warranties of five years or less by an additional year, saving business owners time and money if something happens to an item they buy.
Additionally, the card’s purchase protection covers accidental damage or theft for up to 90 days after purchase, up to $10,000 per covered purchase and $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year, so it’s a great choice for expensive items.‡
Aside from these two specific benefits, the card’s other notable perks include:
- Cellphone protection, for a maximum of $800 per claim with a limit of two approved claims per 12-month period. Coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellphone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit.§
- Access to the Cruise Privileges Program and the International Airline Program
- A 35% rebate when you use Pay with Points to cover a first- or business-class ticket on any airline or an economy ticket on one airline of your choice (up to 1 million points back per calendar year)
‡Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
§Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Related: Is the Amex Business Platinum worth the annual fee?
Earning points on the Amex Business Platinum
Amex Business Platinum cardholders will earn 1.5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on up to $2 million in eligible purchases in the U.S. per calendar year in the following categories:
- Eligible purchases of $5,000 or more
- U.S. cloud service providers
- U.S. construction materials and hardware supplies
- U.S. electronic goods retailers
- U.S. shipping providers
- U.S. software
Cardmembers earn 5 points per dollar spent on airfare and prepaid hotel purchases with American Express Travel (including Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts).
All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar spent.
Related: Everything you need to know about Amex Membership Rewards
Redeeming points on the Amex Business Platinum
We recommend transferring your Membership Rewards points to any of Amex’s hotel and airline partners for maximum value.
You can also redeem your points for merchant gift cards or to cover charges on your bill. However, these options significantly devalue your rewards to 1 cent per point or less, so we don’t recommend using your points this way.
The easiest redemption option that still offers decent value is American Express Travel’s Pay with Points feature, which allows you to receive a 35% bonus when you use points toward first- and business-class flights on any airline, as well as economy-class flights on a selected airline. This boosts your redemption value for these purchases from 1 cent to 1.54 cents per point.
Just note that the 35% rebate is capped at 1 million points back per calendar year, and you must have the full number of points for the standard redemption in your account at the time of booking. You’ll then receive the rebate within two billing cycles.
Transferring points on the Amex Business Platinum
You can unlock even more value from your earnings by transferring your Membership Rewards points to any of Amex’s 21 airline or hotel partners. Most transfers occur at a ratio of 1:1 and are processed instantly.
Going this route may take a bit of research, but a little work can help increase the value of your points significantly above the TPG valuation.
You’ll also want to watch for Amex’s regular transfer bonuses, which can further increase the value of your points.
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson frequently receives outsize value by utilizing Amex’s generous transfer bonuses to Avianca LifeMiles, to book lie-flat seats on Star Alliance partners, such as United Polaris business-class flights to Europe.
Related: The best ways to use Amex Membership Rewards points
Which cards compete with the Amex Business Platinum?
If you feel that your business might not be able to get the full value out of the Business Platinum Card, you might want to consider other options:
For additional options, check out our full list of the best business credit cards.
Read more: Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Platinum: Practicality vs. luxury
Bottom line
The Amex Business Platinum Card is an excellent choice for business travelers with expenses in bonus categories and those that offer statement credits. While it might not be worth it for all business owners, its travel perks are unbeatable.
With a plethora of travel benefits, the Amex Business Platinum is a must-have card for business owners looking to elevate their travels.
Apply here: Amex Business Platinum
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold, click here.