American Express® Gold Card vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express: Which is best for you?
January 15, 2020
The American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express are similar travel rewards point cards. Purchases from specific categories come with points multipliers, and American Express Membership Rewards® points can be redeemed for everything from airfare to statement credits, partner program points transfers and even donations to charity.
Each card offers unique benefits that are best suited to specific use cases. Here’s a look at the key features of both Amex Gold and Amex Platinum, what sets them apart and the case for putting either one in your wallet.
At a glance comparison
Before digging into the details, here’s a breakdown of the basic features.
| American Express Gold | American Express Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $250 | $550 |
| Rewards Rates | 4x Membership Rewards® points on restaurant purchases and in U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year), in addition to 3x points for flights booked directly or via Amex Travel. | 5x Membership Rewards® points on all flights and hotels booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel. |
| Sign Up Bonus | Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 3 months. | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. |
| Credits | $100 statement credit per year for travel expenses on one qualifying airline. | $200 in statement credits per year for incidental travel fees — such as checked bags or in-flight refreshments — that are charged to your Platinum card, and $100 in fee credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck applications |
| Lounge Access | No lounge access. | Access to more than 1,200 lounges across 130 countries with the American Express Global Lounge Collection. |
| Authorized User Fee | No authorized user fee. | No authorized user fee. |
Standout features
American Express Gold Card
The American Express Gold card offers a number of benefits for cardholders, including:
American Express Platinum Card
The Platinum Card from American Express comes with value-added features such as:
The case for the American Express Gold Card
The American Express Gold Card offers a lower annual fee than Amex’s Platinum version and also comes with lower interest rates: 17.49% to 24.49%, based on creditworthiness and other factors at the time of account opening.
And while this card’s points multiplier caps out at 4x, American Express Gold lets you earn Membership Rewards points in multiple purchase categories such as dining, groceries and airline bookings. With points worth between 0.5 and 1 dollar through the Amex rewards website, it’s possible to rack up significant rewards potential even if you’re an occasional traveler.
The case for the American Express Platinum Card
The American Express Platinum Card, meanwhile, is designed for cardholders who are constantly on the go, offering 5x reward points for booked flights and prepaid hotels. Combined with application fee and airline credits, substantial hotel upgrades and extensive use of lounges around the world, the Platinum card makes sense if travel purchases are the primary source of your credit card spending.
Also worth noting? The Platinum Card comes with 20,000 more bonus rewards points if you spend enough in the first three months after account opening, which can help defray the costs of ongoing travel and help jumpstart your points earning. This card’s APR is 26.74% but varies with the prime rate.
In a nutshell
Both the American Express Gold Card and the American Express Platinum Card make it easy to earn Membership Rewards Points, especially if your spending aligns with bonus multiplier categories.
If you’re a regular traveler who wants to maximize points earning from airfare and hotel bookings, opt for the American Express Platinum Card. If you’re a more general spender looking for the chance to earn points across multiple spending categories, the American Express Gold Card is a good fit for your wallet.
