After hinting at it this summer and weeks of details leaking out, American Express officially rolled out major changes to its flagship card – *amex platinum* – adding a slate of new perks for travel, dining, wellness, and entertainment … all while leaving the card's existing benefits intact.
But it comes at a steep cost: All these added perks have pushed the card's annual fee to a record-setting $895 (see rates & fees).
That higher fee is already in effect for new applicants, but existing cardholders catch a bit of a break: Anyone whose card renews between now and Jan. 1, 2026, will pay the previous $695 rate for one more year. Any renewal after that date will put you on the hook for the higher annual fee.
Regardless, new and longtime cardholders alike can take advantage of the card's new-and-improved benefits right away. They range from the excellent (triple the amount of hotel credits and up to $400 a year toward dining) to the surprising ($75-a-quarter to shop at Lululemon) to the downright odd (a credit to get roughly 50% off an Oura ring). And nearly all of them follow Amex's well-worn playbook: Activate them first, then use them before you lose them.
The Platinum Card has long been a favorite among frequent travelers thanks to benefits like airport lounge access and bonus points when booking flights. But now more than ever, Amex is sending a clear message: The Amex Platinum is less a travel card than a lifestyle membership.
Here's everything you need to know.
Want to get caught up on audio? Our latest episode of The Thrifty Traveler Podcast is all about the new Amex Platinum – tune in now!
Learn more about *amex platinum*.
The New Benefits
Amex is layering these new perks on top of the Platinum’s existing benefits.
Critically, none of the card's existing perks are going away … and some are even getting stronger. That means longtime staples like Centurion® Lounge access, earning 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines (up to $500,000 per calendar year) or American Express Travel® and prepaid hotels through Amex Travel, up to $200 in annual airline fee credits, and automatic hotel status with Hilton and Marriott, among other benefits, remain unchanged.
For cardmembers who opened their accounts before today, the higher fee won’t hit right away: it will apply at their next renewal date starting Jan. 2, and onward.
Here’s a closer look at what’s being added – and what you’ll need to do to use each benefit.
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Welcome Offer Bonus
While the welcome offer bonus isn't exactly new, it has the potential to be massive. The catch? You won't know the exact offer you're eligible for until after filling out your application – but before you actually submit it.
Here's the current offer: bonus_miles_full
Read more: Amex's New ‘As High As' Offers are Bad News for Points Aficionados
$600 in Hotel Credits
The Platinum card's old hotel credit is being replaced by a much bigger perk: up to $300 in credits twice a year (up to $600 annually) for prepaid bookings at Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection properties through Amex Travel. The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
It's a souped-up version of the hotel credit first added a few years back, but that was only good for up to $200 each year.
You'll now get up to $300 in credits from January through June, and another $300 in credits from July through December. This is a use-it-or-lose-it benefit. If you don't spend the full $300 in each half year, it won't roll over to the next.
Details of this new benefit were leaked last month after an astute Redditor noticed new terms on Amex's Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) booking page. That addition was quickly scrubbed from Amex's site, but not before it was captured. Now, it's official.
Enrollment is required to use this new benefit, which you can do by logging into your American Express account and heading to the benefits page.
Already use your Platinum Card's previous $200 hotel credit? No problem: You've now got another $300 credit to use before the end of the year. And, as always, one-night stays at FHR properties are eligible – unlike its competitors, Amex only requires a two-night booking at The Hotel Collection properties.
$400 Resy Credit
Amex is giving you a reason to whip out your Platinum Card at dinner.
Platinum cardholders now get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter (for up to $400 each year) for dining purchases at more than 10,000 U.S. Resy-partner restaurants.
American Express acquired the restaurant reservation platform Resy back in 2019 and has been slowly integrating these credits into its card lineup. The bank first introduced Resy statement credits when it refreshed the suite of Delta SkyMiles cards early last year, and then added similar credits to the *amex gold* after completing a similar card refresh last summer. But it's going even further with the Platinum Card.
Thrifty Tip: You've got less than two weeks to use the first $100 dining credit before it expires at the end of September when the quarter ends!
You'll need to enroll online in your Amex account before dining at one of these restaurants. And like most Amex credits, this is a use-it-or-lose-it benefit. If you don't spend the full $100 in each quarter, it won't roll over to the next.
Beyond these new credits, Amex is layering in exclusive access to certain Resy partner restaurants. Platinum Nights by Resy gives cardholders the ability to book hard-to-get reservations at select in-demand restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. To use it, you need to add your Platinum Card to your Resy profile.
Read more: How to Use Amex Resy Credits
$300 Lululemon Credit
Color us surprised with this one.
Whether it's new running shorts, a yoga mat, a shirt, or a hoodie you've been eyeing, Lululemon gear is incredibly popular. That's precisely why Amex is adding a Lululemon credit to the Platinum Card mix.
Cardholders can now get up to $75 back each quarter (up to $300 a year) on purchases at U.S. Lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) or online at lululemon.com. Lululemon gear is pricey, so these new credits may not cover much more than a t-shirt or a few pairs of socks or underwear. Still, it's useful to offset the cost of the shopping you might already be doing.
Thrifty Tip: While we haven't been able to test it ourselves yet, you should be able to buy gift cards quarterly and put them towards a larger purchase.
Like many of these new benefits, enrollment is required before you can take advantage. Head to your online Amex account and enroll in this new benefit before you use it.
$200 Oura Ring Credit
Track your sleep, recovery, and health trends on Amex’s dime.
Platinum cardmembers can now get up to $200 back each year toward a purchase at Ouraring.com, including the sleek Oura Ring wearable that’s become a favorite for fitness and wellness tracking.
Oura's latest tracking ring – the Oura Ring 4 – starts at $349, so this new Platinum credit cuts that cost by just over half. But while using an Oura ring also requires a membership that costs $5.99 a month (or $69.99 per year), Amex has confirmed to Thrifty Traveler that this new credit can only be used for the ring hardware – not the subscription.
That makes this a weird one. It covers just half the cost of a product you're unlikely to buy on an annual basis. And that's the point: Amex partners with these third-party companies – likely at little to no cost – as a way to get you in the door and spend even more.
Like others, enrollment is required to use this benefit, so make sure you enroll before heading to Oura's website.
$120 Uber One Credit
If you’re already using the Platinum’s monthly Uber cash ($15 a month, plus a $20 bonus for $35 total in December), this new perk makes the deal even sweeter.
Cardholders can now get up to $120 back each year when they use their Platinum to cover the entire cost of an Uber One membership – unlocking discounts on rides and $0 delivery fees on the Uber Eats platform. You can even use the Uber One membership to waive delivery fees, then pay with your monthly Uber Cash.
Again, enrollment is required in your Amex account before you can use this benefit.
$300 Digital Entertainment Credit
Amex has expanded one of its most flexible lifestyle perks.
Cardholders can now get up to $25 back each month (up to $300 annually) for eligible purchases with select streaming and digital partners. Previously, this benefit allowed cardholders to get $20 back each month (up to $240 annually).
But importantly, the list of options is now broader. In addition to services like Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal, Platinum members can now also use the credit toward Paramount+, YouTube TV and YouTube Premium.
That makes this credit far easier to maximize for households already paying for these popular streaming platforms. Once again, enrollment is required before you can use this benefit.
Thrifty Tip: Don't bother using this credit toward Paramount+ or a Peacock subscription – both services are already complimentary with the Walmart+ membership you get with your Platinum Card.
Leaders Club Sterling Status
Finally, Platinum cardholders will now receive complimentary Leaders Club Sterling Status with The Leading Hotels of the World®. That unlocks perks at more than 400 luxury properties worldwide, including daily breakfast for two, exclusive upgrades, and pre-arrival upgrade opportunities.
Yet again, enrollment is required to use this benefit.
A New Look
Alongside all the new benefits, Amex is debuting a limited-edition “mirror” Platinum Card design.
The sleek, reflective card will be available to new applicants and existing cardmembers, who can log in and request the design if they want to swap out their current Platinum Card.
It’s a subtle but symbolic move: Just as the card’s benefits are being reimagined as part of a membership, the card’s physical appearance is getting a makeover, too.
A New App Experience
Amex is also redesigning the American Express app for Platinum cardholders, with an eye toward helping members get more out of their benefits.
The new app interface brings all of Platinum’s perks into one place, with trackers that show how much of each credit you’ve used, upcoming trips and Resy reservations, and personalized reminders like alerts for lounge access before your flight.
The redesigned mobile app is available today for both Consumer and Business Platinum members.
What Isn't Changing
One thing notably missing from the card updates: the Platinum Card’s spending categories.
Cardholders will still earn 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel and on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel … but that’s it.
For years, critics have pointed out that the Platinum isn’t a very rewarding card for everyday purchases. Outside of flights, it only earns 1 point per dollar on most spending. That’s a sharp contrast to competitors like the *chase sapphire reserve*, which earns 3x points per dollar spent on dining and 4x points per dollar on flights and hotels booked direct, or the *amex gold*, which earns 4x at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 annually) and 4x points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 each year).
Instead of fixing that weakness, Amex has doubled down, hoping the card's new lifestyle perks are enough to keep it top-of-wallet for daily expenses … at sub-optimal earning rates.
All Platinum Card Benefits at a Glance
Here’s the full rundown of what the Platinum Card now offers, combining both new and existing perks. Remember, enrollment is required before you can use many of these benefits.
There's tons to keep track of here – let us help with our new (and free!) Amex Platinum tracking tool!
Travel Benefits
- 5x Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 per year)
- 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
- Access to the Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs® (when flying Delta), Priority Pass lounges, and more.
- $600 Hotel Credit: $300 semiannually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings
- $200 Airline Fee Credit for incidental charges with a selected airline
- Up to $209 annual CLEAR® Plus Credit
- Hilton Honors® Gold Status and Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite Status
- Complimentary Leaders Club Sterling Status with The Leading Hotels of the World®
- Up to a $120 fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Car rental elite Status with Avis, Hertz, and National Car Rental
Dining & Entertainment
- $400 Resy Credit: up to $100 per quarter at Resy-partner restaurants
- Platinum Nights by Resy: access to special reservations in NYC, LA, and Miami
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: up to $25 monthly for streaming and digital subscriptions, including Disney+, the Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV
Shopping & Wellness
- $300 Lululemon Credit: up to $75 per quarter
- Up to $200 Oura Ring Credit annually
- Up to $155 Walmart+ Credit
- $100 Saks Fifth Avenue Credit (up to $50 semiannually)
- Up to $300 Equinox Credit
Everyday & Lifestyle
- Up to $200 Uber Cash annually ($15 monthly + $20 December bonus)
- $120 Uber One Credit
- Premium Global Concierge & 24/7 Cardmember services
Learn more about *amex platinum*.
With these changes, Amex is pushing the Platinum Card even further beyond a “premium travel” card.
Between dining credits with Resy, fitness perks from Lululemon and Oura, and lifestyle add-ons like Uber One and expanded digital entertainment options, Amex is creating an ecosystem designed to force members to keep the card at the top of their wallets.
That shift is intentional: Amex’s own marketing now emphasizes “membership value” rather than just earning rewards or enjoying travel benefits. For cardholders who use these perks, the card more than pays for itself. But it also raises the stakes: if you don’t take advantage of them, the nearly $900 fee is harder to swallow.
The Bigger Picture
The timing of these changes is no accident. Just three months ago, Chase revamped its flagship Sapphire Reserve® by adding a ton of new benefits and hiking the annual fee from $550 a year up to $795 a year. And yesterday, Chase already updated some of those benefits.
Meanwhile, Citi recently entered the fray with its new Strata Elite card, aiming squarely at the same premium travelers Amex has long courted. Alaska Airlines recently rolled out its own premium travel card in tandem with a new loyalty program.
American Express, for its part, hasn’t changed the Platinum Card since a major overhaul in July 2021, when it added perks like the digital entertainment credit and hotel credit while raising the annual fee from $550 to $695. This newest round of updates – and another fee hike to $895 – shows Amex is continuing to push Platinum cardholders even further, adding more benefits in the process.
Our newest podcast episode is all about the Amex Platinum Card changes – check it out now!
It shouldn’t come as a surprise.
As we reported back in late 2022, Amex CEO Steve Squeri suggested that annual fees on the Platinum would keep rising so long as the company could keep “adding value.” At the time, he even pointed to markets like Mexico, where the Platinum already costs $1,000 a year. That prediction has proven true: the fee hikes haven’t scared off customers yet. In fact, the number of Platinum cardholders has more than doubled since the days of its $450 annual fee, particularly among millennials and Gen Z.
It’s clear what’s happening: The premium credit card market is heating up. With annual fees north of $500 now common, banks are in an arms race to justify those costs – layering in everything from luxury hotel perks to fitness and dining credits. These products aren’t just about rewards anymore; they’re about keeping affluent customers locked into an ecosystem.
American Express has long set the tone with the Platinum Card. However, with Chase and Citi making bold moves of their own, this card revamp is a clear sign that the competition for premium travelers’ wallets has never been stronger.
Bottom Line
The Platinum Card has always been one of the most rewarding – and most expensive – cards on the market. With the annual fee now at $895, the bar is even higher.
Annual fees on Amex's flagship travel card have doubled in roughly a decade, making it critical to maximize the growing list of benefits – some of which are solid while others feel like a hassle. But the reality is that the Platinum Card is no longer just a “travel card.”
It's a membership.
