Must you get each the Amex Gold and Platinum playing cards?

We all know what you are pondering: Why pay hefty annual charges on two playing cards that earn the identical kind of factors? Nicely, for us (and plenty of others), it is solely worthwhile.

Certainly, the mixed $1,000-plus price ticket on The Platinum Card® from American Specific and American Specific® Gold Card could be confronting. Nonetheless, the incomes charges and perks on these playing cards differ considerably.

If you wish to speed up your earnings, maximize card advantages and defend your purchases, it may well make sense to carry each the Platinum and Gold playing cards. Listed below are 4 the explanation why.

Earn two welcome bonuses

In the course of the first 12 months that you’ve got a card, the welcome bonus is without doubt one of the most beneficial advantages, if not essentially the most priceless. Between these two playing cards, you’ll be able to earn as much as 275,000 bonus Membership Rewards factors:

• Amex Platinum: Discover out your supply and see if you’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 differ and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion.)
• Amex Gold: Discover out your supply and see if you’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 differ and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion.)

TPG’s July 2025 valuations peg American Specific Membership Rewards factors at 2 cents apiece, which means these mixed welcome bonuses are price as much as $5,500.

There are a few utility restrictions to pay attention to:

• You may solely earn a welcome supply on every card as soon as per lifetime.
• It is best to use for the Gold first after which the Platinum; when you do it the opposite approach round, you will seemingly be ineligible to earn the Gold’s welcome supply.

Associated: A whole information to Amex’s one-bonus-per-lifetime restrictions

Speed up your earnings

You may earn 1000’s of additional factors every year through the use of the proper card for every buy. A common information is to make use of the:

Let’s dive into the numbers.

Utilizing the Platinum to e-book flights, you will earn 5 factors per greenback spent straight with airways or with American Specific Journey®*, in comparison with 3 factors per greenback on the Amex Gold.

For pay as you go accommodations booked via Amex Journey, Platinum is once more the way in which to go, incomes 5 factors per greenback spent as a substitute of simply 2 factors per greenback with the Amex Gold.

Then, you will wish to use the Amex Gold in your grocery and eating purchases. You may earn 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide** and at U.S. supermarkets***. With the Platinum, you’d solely earn 1 level per greenback spent in these classes.

* On as much as $500,000 of those purchases yearly, then 1 level per greenback
** On as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback
*** On as much as $25,000 on purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback

Associated: earn over 300,000 factors in a 12 months

Maximize assertion credit

Each playing cards present annual assertion credit that may put lots of or 1000’s of {dollars} again in your pocket.

The Amex Gold’s $325 annual payment (see charges and costs) is greater than offset by as much as $424 in assertion credit, that are primarily centered on eating, together with an:

• As much as $50 biannual Resy credit score: At Resy-affiliated U.S. eating places
• As much as $10 month-to-month eating credit score: At choose retailers like 5 Guys and Grubhub
• As much as $10 month-to-month Uber Money^: For Uber rides or Uber Eats orders within the U.S.
• As much as $7 month-to-month Dunkin’ credit score: At U.S. Dunkin’ places

Enrollment is required.

^Uber Money will solely be deposited into one Uber account if you add the eligible Amex card as a cost methodology and redeem with any Amex card.

In the meantime, the Amex Platinum’s excessive $695 annual payment (see charges and costs) could be greater than offset by assertion credit, so long as you maximize all of them. The bulk are travel- and lifestyle-focused, with a few of our favorites being an:

• As much as $209 annual Clear Plus credit score: To cowl your annual membership (topic to auto-renewal)
• As much as $200 annual airline payment credit score: Together with your most well-liked airline
• As much as $200 annual lodge credit score: To offset pay as you go bookings with Amex Effective Accommodations + Resorts or The Lodge Assortment (minimal two-night keep)
• As much as $20 month-to-month digital leisure credit score: Together with Disney+ and Peacock subscriptions
• As much as $15 month-to-month Uber Money^: For Uber rides or Uber Eats orders within the U.S.; bonus $20 in December (for a complete of $35 that month)

Enrollment is required.

Associated: American Specific Gold vs. American Specific Platinum: Which one is best for you?

Shield your purchases and journey

Each the American Specific Platinum and Gold playing cards supply prolonged guarantee and buy safety advantages.

Nonetheless, the Amex Platinum card gives extra complete safety advantages, particularly for frequent vacationers, whereas the Amex Gold card gives extra restricted protection.

The buying and journey protections that the Amex Platinum gives (however the Amex Gold would not) embrace:

• Cellphone safety
• Emergency medical transportation (if coordinated by the profit administrator)
• Journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage*
• Journey delay insurance coverage*
• Larger protection for automobile rental loss and harm, and baggage and journey delay insurance coverage

*Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.

When it would not make sense

Holding each the Amex Platinum and Gold playing cards is probably not cost-effective for everybody. Contemplate the next:

• Lounge entry: For those who hardly ever use airport lounges or do not spend sufficient on the Platinum to unlock visitor entry, you might not get sufficient worth from the cardboard.
• Grocery purchases: For those who primarily store at big-box retailers like Walmart or Goal, or via grocery supply providers that do not code as “supermarkets”, you won’t earn bonus factors in these classes.
• Assertion credit: Assess whether or not you already spend on providers (like Grubhub and Uber) that you’re going to obtain assertion credit for; if not, you might find yourself spending unnecessarily to “save” cash.

Backside line

The Amex Gold card’s decrease annual payment and bonus factors on eating and groceries might swimsuit many customers, whereas the Platinum card’s increased payment is price it for many who can maximize its journey perks.

Combining each playing cards can increase your Amex factors stability, elevate your travels and offset your spending on life-style purchases.

To be taught extra, learn our full evaluations of the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold playing cards.

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Apply right here: Amex Gold
Apply right here: Amex Platinum

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