If you’ve been rocking The Platinum Card® from American Express (or its business sibling, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express), you’ll want to pay attention.
American Express just rolled out a major refresh of both versions, complete with a higher $895 annual fee (rates and fees), new statement credits, additional lifestyle perks, and even a limited-time card design (oooh, aaah 😍).
Let’s break down everything that’s changing, what’s staying the same, and how to decide if the refreshed Platinum still deserves a spot in your wallet.
What’s Changing With the Amex Platinum
Higher Annual Fee
The Platinum’s annual fee is climbing from $695 to $895 (29% increase). That’s even higher than the Chase Sapphire Reserve® after its recent bump, cementing its spot as one of the priciest premium cards on the market.
Most of the new perks are effective immediately for new and existing cardmembers, but the new annual fee won't kick in for renewals until Jan. 2, 2026.
🌟 Don’t Miss: Here’s a full breakdown of all recent Chase Sapphire Reserve® changes.
New Statement Credits
Amex is leaning into lifestyle perks with a long list of new credits. And may I just say… we love to see it! 👏
Uber One — Up to $120 in statement credits annually (issued as $10 per month) when you use your card to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership.
Hotel credit — Up to $600 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $300 semi-annually) on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel® when using your card. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
Resy — Up to $400 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $100 quarterly) at eligible restaurants participating in Resy. Enrollment required.
Digital entertainment — Up to $300 annually (up to $25 per month) when you subscribe to one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV. Enrollment required.
lululemon — Up to $300 in statement credits annually (up to $75 per quarter) for purchases at U.S. lululemon stores or lululemon.com (excluding outlets). Enrollment required.
Oura Ring — Up to $200 back in statement credits each calendar year (hardware only, not the subscription). Enrollment required.
That’s a ton of lifestyle categories: food, fitness, streaming, and travel. The good news is you don’t need to use them all to come out ahead. Just the hotel, Resy, and Uber credits alone add up to over $1,100 in value before you even touch the streaming, wellness, or fitness perks.
👀 Attention, Foodies: That Resy credit is looking pretty sweet! Learn how to take full advantage of American Express Global Dining Access by Resy in this deep dive.
New Status and Perks
Amex is also layering in more elite-style travel and dining benefits:
Leaders Club Sterling Status at The Leading Hotels of the World — includes upgrades, late checkout, continental breakfast, and preferred rates at boutique luxury properties. Enrollment required.
Platinum Nights by Resy — a series of exclusive, curated dining experiences at top restaurants.
These additions are designed to push the Amex Platinum further into “membership experience” territory, not just a card.
What’s New for the Amex Business Platinum
Higher Annual Fee
Same story here… the Amex Business Platinum fee is rising to $895 (rates and fees).
Amex is clearly aligning its premium cards, so small business owners will face the same decision as personal cardholders — pay more upfront, but you’re getting more bang for your buck.
Again, most of these changes are effective immediately for new and existing cardmembers, but for business cardholders, the new annual fee will kick in for renewals starting Dec. 2, 2025.
Enhanced Earning
Business cardholders are getting a real upgrade on everyday spending here.
The old 1.5x bonus on key categories (like eligible shipping, software, and purchases over $5,000 on up to $2 million per calendar year) is now 2x. For businesses with heavy expenses, that’s a meaningful boost.
New Statement Credits and Benefits
On top of that, Amex Business Platinum cardholders now get:
Up to $600 hotel credit (up to $300 semi-annually) in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
Premium travel perks like Leading Hotels of the World Sterling Status and Platinum Nights by Resy
Up to $3,600 in extra perks unlocked after $250k annual spend (which includes $1,200 in Amex Travel flight credits and $2,400 in One AP statement credits)
That $250k spend threshold isn’t for everyone, but for larger businesses, the perks could be worth it. If you can hit it, you’re basically getting a second tier of elite-style benefits that personal cardholders aren’t getting.
What's Staying the Same
The good news is that it looks like no major features are being cut. You’ll still get:
Centurion Lounge and Delta Sky Club access (with enrollment)
Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits
Uber Cash, Saks credit, Equinox, CLEAR Plus, and other existing perks
Best Ways to Maximize the New Credits
Some of these will be easy wins, like Uber, Resy, and the hotel credit. Others (Oura, lululemon, streaming) will depend on your personal lifestyle and preferences.
Quick math: stack the hotel ($600), Resy ($400), and Uber ($120), and you’ve already offset $1,120 in value against an $895 annual fee. That’s before you even touch entertainment, fitness, or Oura. I’m not a big math person, but that’s something I can get behind.
New Limited-Time Card Design
For a little something something, Amex is rolling out a “Mirror Form Factor” Platinum design. It’s shiny, collectible, and available for a limited time to new and existing cardholders.
While it doesn’t add any monetary value, card design matters to a lot of Platinum fans, and this one should spark some “What card is that?” questions at checkout, which is always fun.
Best Cards to Pair With the Amex Platinum
The Amex Platinum is great for statement credits, but it also pairs well with others for everyday spending. Here are some of our favorite options:
American Express® Gold Card — 4x at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x) and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x)
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express — 2x on everything up to $50k per year
No-fee cards like the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express for casual spend
Outside the Amex family, cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card can complement the Amex Platinum with stronger earnings on non-category spending
Think of the Amex Platinum as your “benefits card,” while your other cards can serve as your “points earners.” That combo will give you solid value on both ends.
💼 Business Owners: Maybe you’re shopping for a new business card but can’t quite justify the annual fee on the Amex Business Platinum? We have several other business cards that deserve love and attention.
Should You Upgrade, Downgrade, or Keep?
Here’s the quick framework:
✅ Keep or apply if you travel often, dine out, and can realistically use at least half of the new credits.
⚖️ Downgrade if lifestyle perks (Resy, lululemon, Oura) don’t fit your habits.
💼 Business owners who spend big may find the Amex Business Platinum’s $250k bonus tier especially valuable.
At the end of the day, the Amex Platinum is a card that’s best when it matches your habits. If you force it, the fee is simply too high. But if it fits, the extras can more than justify the higher price.
FAQs About the New Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
Will the Amex Platinum still have Centurion Lounge and Delta Sky Club access?
Yes, all the current lounge benefits are staying put (which includes Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club when flying Delta, and the broader Global Lounge Collection).
When do the higher annual fees take effect?
New annual fees will take effect immediately for new applicants. Existing cardholders will see the $895 fee at their next renewal, so you’ll have time to decide whether to keep or downgrade.
How do I get the Mirror Form Factor card design?
New and existing cardholders can request the new card design during the limited-time launch window.
Who should consider downgrading instead of keeping?
If you can’t realistically use the lifestyle credits, the $895 fee may not be worth it.
Is the Amex Business Platinum worth it over the personal Amex Platinum?
If you spend a decent amount in business categories and can cross the $250k threshold, the Amex Business Platinum will give you far more value. Otherwise, the personal Amex Platinum is a simpler (and more lifestyle-focused) option.
Bottom Line
Amex hiked the Amex Platinum’s fee, but it also packed in a ton of new perks. The $895 fee burns a little, but if you use the hotel, dining, and Uber credits alone, you’re already coming out ahead.
For frequent flyers, big spenders, and fans of lululemon, Oura, etc., the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum remain two of the best premium cards out there. Just make sure you’ll actually use those credits before committing.
