American Specific is commonly acknowledged as a luxurious issuer because of its high-end playing cards. Two of Amex’s hottest merchandise are the American Specific® Gold Card and American Specific Platinum Card®.
Once I was trying to elevate my journey expertise in 2019, I used to be drawn to the Amex Platinum for its luxurious fame, despite the fact that I used to be already a Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) cardholder.
Each playing cards provide the attract of elevated journey and an upscale way of life, because of their incomes charges, assertion credit and the shine of their steel end. The Amex Gold has a $325 annual charge (see charges and costs), which pales compared to the Amex Platinum’s new $895 annual charge (see charges and costs).
With excessive annual charges and a spread of assertion credit, the stakes are increased than ever when contemplating your subsequent premium card. Let’s discover out which card is sensible for you.
Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum welcome provide
With the Amex Gold, new cardmembers can discover out their provide and see in the event that they’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome gives fluctuate, and also you might not be eligible for a proposal.
This welcome provide is value as much as $2,000 based mostly on TPG’s October 2025 valuations.
Potential Amex Platinum cardmembers can discover out their provide and see in the event that they’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome gives fluctuate, and also you might not be eligible for a proposal.
This welcome provide might be value as much as a staggering $3,500 based mostly on TPG’s valuations.
Amex has a strict once-in-a-lifetime coverage for welcome gives, so I like to recommend checking if a welcome provide is offered to you earlier than making use of. Understand that you might not be eligible for the Amex Gold’s welcome provide in case you have or beforehand had the Amex Platinum.
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Winner: Amex Platinum. Its welcome provide has the potential to be much more useful.
Associated: Is the Amex Gold well worth the annual charge?
Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum advantages
The Amex Platinum and Amex Gold are two of the perfect rewards playing cards. Each provide unbelievable worth regardless of their annual charges. Let’s take a better take a look at the perks provided by every card.
Standout Amex Platinum advantages
The Amex Platinum comes with a ton of perks to justify its $895 annual charge. First, the cardboard gives quite a few assertion credit every calendar 12 months, that are associated to journey and a premium way of life.
Here is a high-level overview of the highest advantages that cardmembers can maximize:
| Lodge | Obtain as much as $600 every calendar 12 months (as much as $300 semiannually) in resort assertion credit, legitimate on pay as you go Amex Nice Lodges + Resorts or The Lodge Assortment bookings (of two nights or extra for THC) with American Specific Journey® while you pay together with your Amex Platinum. |
|---|---|
| Equinox | Obtain as much as a $300 Equinox assertion credit score per calendar 12 months (topic to automated renewal). |
| Oura Ring | Obtain as much as a $200 annual Oura Ring assertion credit score per calendar 12 months on direct Oura Ring purchases ({hardware} solely). |
| Clear Plus | Obtain as much as a $209 Clear Plus assertion credit score per calendar 12 months to cowl the annual membership (topic to automated renewal). |
| Airline incidentals | Obtain as much as $200 in airline incidental assertion credit per calendar 12 months on fees like seat choice, bag charges and lounge entry which can be charged by your one chosen qualifying airline. |
| Resy | Obtain as much as $400 every calendar 12 months (as much as $100 quarterly) in Resy assertion credit for purchases at taking part U.S. Resy-affiliated eating places (no reservations required). |
| Lululemon | Obtain as much as $300 every calendar 12 months (as much as $75 quarterly) in Lululemon assertion credit on purchases made at U.S. shops (excluding retailers) and on-line. |
| Saks Fifth Avenue | Obtain as much as a $100 every calendar 12 months (as much as $50 semiannually) in Saks Fifth Avenue credit. |
| Digital leisure | Obtain as much as $300 every calendar 12 months (as much as $25 month-to-month) in digital leisure assertion credit while you pay for eligible purchases with the Amex Platinum at choose companions. |
| Uber | Obtain as much as $200 in Uber Money each calendar 12 months (for U.S. companies), given as as much as $15 in Uber Money a month with an up-to-$20 bonus in December, while you add your Amex Platinum Card to your Uber account (redeem with any Amex card). It is legitimate for Uber rides in addition to Uber Eats orders within the U.S. |
Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
These assertion credit might offset the Platinum’s annual charge, however not all cardmembers will discover them helpful or relevant. At that time, the cardboard’s annual charge turns into onerous to justify. Different advantages of the cardboard present vital worth that may’t be quantified.
This contains resort elite standing, together with Gold elite standing with Marriott and Hilton and Leaders Membership Sterling standing. Enrollment is required.
The cardboard’s spectacular airport lounge entry for eligible cardmembers contains Centurion Lounges and a Precedence Go™ Choose membership (enrollment required). In the event you’re flying on Delta Air Strains, you may get entry to Delta Sky Golf equipment (restricted to 10 annual visits; limitless visits might be unlocked by spending $75,000 or extra in your card in a calendar 12 months).
In the event you journey solo, Centurion Lounge entry is implausible, however should you usually journey with household or buddies, like I do, the shortage of entry for accompanying visitors is sort of irritating for an almost $900 card.
Associated: Methods to maximize advantages with the Amex Platinum Card
Notable Amex Gold advantages
The Amex Gold has a shorter listing of advantages, however maybe for many cardmembers, that is all they want.
Cardmembers can take pleasure in as much as $424 in annual worth from the cardboard’s assertion credit, together with:
- As much as $120 in Uber Money per calendar 12 months: Legitimate on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S., and added to your Uber app as soon as your card is added. Given as as much as $10 every month.
- As much as $120 in eating assertion credit per calendar 12 months: Eligible retailers embody 5 Guys, Grubhub, Goldbelly, The Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, and Wine.com. Cardmembers obtain as much as $10 every month with this profit.
- As much as $100 in assertion credit for Resy purchases per calendar 12 months: You will rise up to $50 in assertion credit semiannually for eligible Resy purchases and eating at U.S. Resy eating places. No reservation is required.
- As much as $84 in assertion credit for Dunkin’ purchases per calendar 12 months: Obtain as much as $7 per thirty days for purchases made at U.S. Dunkin’ places.
Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
By maximizing these advantages, you may greater than recoup the cardboard’s $325 annual charge. As an Amex Platinum cardmember, I discover these assertion credit to be extra sensible and fewer of a juggling recreation when making an attempt to find out which assertion credit are left to make use of.
Winner: Amex Platinum. The Platinum card has a way more in depth listing of advantages, together with lounge entry and resort elite standing. The trade-off is a a lot increased annual charge.
Associated: Why I really like my Amex Gold card — and can preserve it for years to come back
Incomes factors with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum
The Amex Platinum and Amex Gold each earn American Specific Membership Rewards factors.
Let’s take a better take a look at every card’s bonus classes:
| Card | Amex Platinum | Amex Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Incomes charges |
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You will be generously rewarded as an Amex Platinum cardmember in case your purchases are primarily airline tickets or pay as you go lodges booked with Amex Journey (a ten% return based mostly on TPG’s valuations).
Sadly, after that, the Amex Platinum is pretty ineffective, with no different bonus classes. All different purchases earn 1 level per greenback spent — a price that the majority cash-back playing cards can simply outpace.
In the meantime, the Amex Gold excels with its incomes charges, making it simpler for cardmembers to earn bonus factors on extra frequent purchases like eating at eating places and buying at U.S. supermarkets (spending caps apply).
These purchases present an 8% return (based mostly on TPG’s valuations). I reckon the typical individual spends extra in these classes each day than on airfare.
Regardless of the spending caps on eating and U.S. grocery store purchases, these two incomes charges alone make the Amex Gold a greater long-term card in your pockets.
Winner: Amex Gold. Though the Amex Platinum’s bonus classes earn factors at a better price, the Gold card earns bonus factors on extra on a regular basis spending classes.
Associated: Who ought to (and who should not) get the Amex Gold card?
Redeeming and transferring factors with the Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum
There is not something noteworthy to report so far as redeeming factors with both card, outdoors of switch companions. When redeeming Membership Rewards factors for journey, you would squeeze out somewhat extra worth as a Amex Platinum cardmember by reserving flights by means of Amex Journey by way of the Worldwide Airline Program.
Aside from that, should you redeem factors for money again or reward playing cards, you may get poor worth to your factors. We do not suggest these redemption strategies.
If you wish to actually maximize your factors, switch them to Amex’s 20 airline and resort program companions. I’ve persistently gotten greater than 2 cents per level when redeeming my factors for premium-cabin award tickets.
Prime airline companions embody Air Canada Aeroplan and Air France-KLM Flying Blue. These companions can get you an distinctive return in your factors — particularly should you can benefit from a switch bonus.
I lately used a 20% switch bonus to Flying Blue to guide a one-way business-class flight from Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for less than 50,000 factors.
Winner: Tie. Each playing cards provide the identical redemption choices and listing of switch companions.
Associated: Greatest methods to make use of Amex Membership Rewards factors, from business-class flights to Europe to budget-friendly resort stays
Ought to I get the Amex Gold or Amex Platinum?
In the event you spend extra on eating and at U.S. supermarkets, it’s best to go for the Amex Gold. Nevertheless, should you journey often and need lounge entry, along with incomes bonus factors in your airfare purchases, go for the Amex Platinum. The Amex Platinum’s assertion credit are an enormous incentive to use, however solely accomplish that should you can maximize them; in any other case, the lower-annual-fee Amex Gold is a more sensible choice.
Associated: The perfect playing cards to pair with the Amex Gold
Methods to change from the Amex Gold to the Amex Platinum
The Amex Gold and Amex Platinum are a part of the identical card household, so you possibly can change between the 2 by talking with an American Specific consultant.
I do not suggest upgrading on a whim; as an alternative, await a profitable improve provide. With out one, you may forfeit the power to earn a welcome bonus on the Amex Platinum.
In the event you’re an Amex Platinum cardmember and might’t justify the annual charge, downgrade to the Amex Gold.
Backside line
Each the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold are implausible choices for factors and miles followers. Select rigorously, as one rewards you with increased incomes charges on numerous purchases whereas the opposite provides a splash of luxurious to your life and travels.
The Amex Gold’s incomes charges provide extra flexibility and make for a superb card for on a regular basis spending. Nevertheless, should you’re a frequent jet-setter and like luxurious advantages together with a extra premium way of life, the Amex Platinum is a strong card value its annual charge.
For the undecided people, think about if there’s room for each of those playing cards in your pockets. The Amex Gold and Amex Platinum complement one another very properly.
To study extra, take a look at our full evaluations of the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold.
Apply right here: Amex Platinum
Apply right here: Amex Gold
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold, click on right here.
