Amex Platinum refresh: $895 charge, new perks — is it price it?

American Specific has overhauled its flagship The Platinum Card® from American Specific boosting the annual charge from $695 to $895 (see charges and costs) and including a set of recent assertion credit and journey and life-style perks.

That is the cardboard’s first charge hike in 4 years and its most important refresh since 2021, when Amex first piled on assertion credit to justify a soar from $550 to $695.

Now, it is testing how a lot worth cardmembers can extract from a fair larger price ticket — one that’s, fortunately, lower than the $1,000-plus charge we feared might arrive.

Let’s dive in to resolve whether or not the brand new perks justify holding onto this card for an additional 12 months or making use of for it within the first place.

What’s new within the Amex Platinum refresh?

Amex has added new perks and boosted a number of current ones, whereas leaving incomes charges untouched. Most adjustments are efficient instantly for brand spanking new and current cardmembers, although the upper annual charge will not kick in for renewals till Jan. 2, 2026.

Here is how the cardboard stacks up after the refresh:

Annual charge

Assertion credit

There are 4 new credit, and enhancements to a few current credit:

*Enrollment required for choose advantages

New resort and eating perks

• Leaders Membership Sterling standing (The Main Motels of the World); enrollment required
• Platinum Nights by Resy (at present solely in Los Angeles, Miami and New York Metropolis)

Unchanged advantages

These assertion credit are staying the identical (enrollment required):

• Airline (as much as $200 in assertion credit with chosen airline)
• Equinox (as much as $300 in Equinox credit score per calendar 12 months on Equinox gymnasium and Equinox+ app memberships, topic to auto-renewal)
• World Entry/TSA PreCheck ($120 assertion credit score for World Entry each 4 years or an as much as $85 charge credit score for TSA PreCheck each 4½ years)
• Saks (as much as a $100 per calendar 12 months)
• Uber Money (as much as $200 per calendar 12 months, legitimate on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S.; Amex Plat should first be added to your Uber account and you may then redeem with any Amex card)
• Walmart+ (as much as a $155 assertion credit score per calendar 12 months on one membership, topic to auto-renewal, Plus Up excluded.)

As are these perks (enrollment required):

• Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy Gold standing
• Lounge entry

And there are not any adjustments to incomes charges.

New limited-edition card design

There’s additionally a limited-edition mirrored card design rolling out alongside the refresh.

Present Amex Platinum cardmembers can request it by ordering a alternative card on-line.

How do these adjustments have an effect on current cardmembers?

Although my annual charge simply posted earlier this week on the $695 fee, I’m eligible to make use of the brand new credit instantly. The elevated $895 charge will not hit till my subsequent renewal after Jan. 2, 2026.

That creates a precious window to front-load credit and soften subsequent 12 months’s worth hike.

Here is how I might deal with it:

Enroll earlier than you spend

Activate the brand new Lululemon, Oura Ring, Resy and Uber One advantages in your Amex account earlier than making any purchases so your credit set off accurately.

Use your Q3 credit by the top of September

These are quarterly, so in case you do not use them this month, you lose them:

Revisit your streaming lineup

The $5 improve within the month-to-month digital leisure credit score helps fight rising streaming prices. It is helpful for YouTube Premium or YouTube TV, so replace your billing to your Platinum Card.

Bear in mind, you already get free ad-supported Paramount+ or Peacock (separate enrollment required) by way of your Walmart+ membership, so solely use this credit score if you wish to improve to the ad-free variations of those providers.

Plan two resort stays a 12 months

The as much as $300 biannual resort credit score is beneficiant.

I used the previous $200 credit score in June in Porto, Portugal and am now planning one other $300-plus keep earlier than the top of the 12 months.

My advice is to make use of the credit both for 2 nights (the required minimal) at a The Lodge Assortment property (extra reasonably priced) or a one-night keep at a Positive Motels & Resorts resort (dearer).

Activate different perks

What’s in it for brand spanking new cardmembers?

With the brand new pricing, Platinum is now clearly positioned as a $895 ultra-premium life-style journey card.

It could possibly make sense in case you:

In the event you can reliably use even half of the credit, you will offset the charge after which some. However in case you do not journey a lot or cannot use the approach to life credit, this card will not make sense for you.

This is not a catch-all journey rewards card, although.

The incomes charges stay unchanged — and admittedly underwhelming — at 5 factors per greenback on flights booked immediately or via American Specific Journey® (as much as $500,000 every calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and pay as you go American Specific Journey® motels and simply 1 level per greenback on all the things else. It is clear Amex expects cardmembers to pair it with a card just like the American Specific® Gold Card for eating and groceries.

Discover out your supply: New cardmembers can see in the event that they’re eligible for a welcome bonus as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. (Welcome affords differ, and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.)

That welcome bonus is price as much as $3,500, based on TPG’s September 2025 valuations. This is likely one of the highest bonuses a brand new cardmember can earn in the event that they’re focused.

My take: Is it nonetheless price it?

As anticipated, this refresh is credits-heavy — and whereas that may be profitable, it additionally provides friction (or “breakage,” in bank card business phrases) in case you do not plan for them.

What works?

• I am glad to see no additional lounge entry restrictions, given how a lot crowding has elevated
• The stack of recent and current life-style credit can supply actual worth for cardmembers who will use them
• The resort credit score tripling to $600 is a standout and really usable in case you plan two stays per 12 months

What’s lacking?

• A brand new bonus class like gasoline or on-line purchasing
• A extra versatile Lululemon credit score (biannual as a substitute of quarterly)
• A better Saks credit score to higher match its $300 free-shipping minimal
• Bonus factors on motels booked immediately (not simply pay as you go by way of Amex Journey)
• A broader airline credit score to cowl airfare, portal bookings or all journey (just like the Sapphire Reserve’s journey credit score)

This card has additional morphed from an aspirational journey card to a high-maintenance life-style card. It could possibly nonetheless be price it in case you’re prepared to deal with it that approach.

Backside line

The refreshed Amex Platinum is richer, extra complicated and dearer than ever.

For frequent vacationers who can really use the stack of credit, it is a powerhouse. For extra occasional vacationers, the $200 charge hike makes it a tricky promote.

In the event you’re retaining the cardboard, enroll after which use your quarterly Lululemon and Resy credit earlier than Sept. 30 and plan a $300-plus resort keep earlier than the top of the 12 months. That is one of the simplest ways to melt the blow of your subsequent $895 invoice.

Associated: 9 bank cards that may change your Amex Platinum

For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.