American Categorical is commonly acknowledged as a luxurious issuer because of its high-end playing cards. Two of Amex’s hottest merchandise are the American Categorical® Gold Card and American Categorical Platinum Card®.
After I was seeking to elevate my journey expertise in 2019, I used to be drawn to the Amex Platinum for its luxurious popularity, regardless that I used to be already a Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) cardholder.
Each playing cards provide the attract of elevated journey and an upscale life-style, because of their incomes charges, assertion credit and the shine of their metallic end. The Amex Gold has a $325 annual price (see charges and charges), which pales compared to the Amex Platinum’s new $895 annual price (see charges and charges).
With excessive annual charges and a spread of assertion credit, the stakes are larger than ever when contemplating your subsequent premium card. Let’s discover out which card is smart 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 inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome provides range, and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal.
This welcome provide is price as much as $2,000 primarily based 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 inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome provides range, and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal.
This welcome provide will be price as much as a staggering $3,500 primarily based on TPG’s valuations.
Amex has a strict once-in-a-lifetime coverage for welcome provides, so I like to recommend checking if a welcome provide is obtainable to you earlier than making use of. Take into account that you is probably not eligible for the Amex Gold’s welcome provide if 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 way more precious.
Associated: Is the Amex Gold definitely worth the annual price?
Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum advantages
The Amex Platinum and Amex Gold are two of the most effective rewards playing cards. Each provide unbelievable worth regardless of their annual charges. Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the perks supplied by every card.
Standout Amex Platinum advantages
The Amex Platinum comes with a ton of perks to justify its $895 annual price. First, the cardboard provides quite a few assertion credit every calendar 12 months, that are associated to journey and a premium life-style.
Here is a high-level overview of the highest advantages that cardmembers can maximize:
| Resort | 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 Fantastic Resorts + Resorts or The Resort Assortment bookings (of two nights or extra for THC) with American Categorical Journey® once you pay along 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 might 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 once 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. providers), given as as much as $15 in Uber Money a month with an up-to-$20 bonus in December, once 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 may offset the Platinum’s annual price, however not all cardmembers will discover them helpful or relevant. At that time, the cardboard’s annual price turns into laborious to justify. Different advantages of the cardboard present important 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 Cross™ Choose membership (enrollment required). Should you’re flying on Delta Air Strains, you may get entry to Delta Sky Golf equipment (restricted to 10 annual visits; limitless visits will be unlocked by spending $75,000 or extra in your card in a calendar 12 months).
Should you journey solo, Centurion Lounge entry is incredible, however in the event you typically journey with household or associates, like I do, the dearth of entry for accompanying friends is sort of irritating for a virtually $900 card.
Associated: Methods to maximize advantages with the Amex Platinum Card
Notable Amex Gold advantages
The Amex Gold has a shorter record 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 unit, 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 may 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 30 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 price. As an Amex Platinum cardmember, I discover these assertion credit to be extra sensible and fewer of a juggling recreation when attempting to find out which assertion credit are left to make use of.
Winner: Amex Platinum. The Platinum card has a way more in depth record of advantages, together with lounge entry and resort elite standing. The trade-off is a a lot larger annual price.
Associated: Why I 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 Categorical Membership Rewards factors.
Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at every card’s bonus classes:
| Card | Amex Platinum | Amex Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Incomes charges |
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You may be generously rewarded as an Amex Platinum cardmember in case your purchases are primarily airline tickets or pay as you go resorts booked with Amex Journey (a ten% return primarily based 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 almost all 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 widespread purchases like eating at eating places and purchasing at U.S. supermarkets (spending caps apply).
These purchases present an 8% return (primarily based on TPG’s valuations). I reckon the typical particular person spends extra in these classes everyday 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 the next 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, exterior of switch companions. When redeeming Membership Rewards factors for journey, you may squeeze out a bit extra worth as a Amex Platinum cardmember by reserving flights by means of Amex Journey by way of the Worldwide Airline Program.
Apart from that, in the event you redeem factors for money again or present playing cards, you may get poor worth on your factors. We do not advocate these redemption strategies.
If you wish to actually maximize your factors, switch them to Amex’s 20 airline and resort program companions. I’ve constantly gotten greater than 2 cents per level when redeeming my factors for premium-cabin award tickets.
High airline companions embody Air Canada Aeroplan and Air France-KLM Flying Blue. These companions can get you an distinctive return in your factors — particularly in the event you can make the most of a switch bonus.
I lately used a 20% switch bonus to Flying Blue to e book 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 record 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?
Should you spend extra on eating and at U.S. supermarkets, you need to go for the Amex Gold. Nonetheless, in the event you journey continuously 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 achieve this in the event you can maximize them; in any other case, the lower-annual-fee Amex Gold is a more sensible choice.
Associated: The very best 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’ll be able to change between the 2 by talking with an American Categorical consultant.
I do not advocate upgrading on a whim; as an alternative, look forward to a profitable improve provide. With out one, you may forfeit the flexibility to earn a welcome bonus on the Amex Platinum.
Should you’re an Amex Platinum cardmember and may’t justify the annual price, downgrade to the Amex Gold.
Backside line
Each the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold are incredible choices for factors and miles followers. Select rigorously, as one rewards you with larger 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. Nonetheless, in the event you’re a frequent jet-setter and like luxurious advantages together with a extra premium life-style, the Amex Platinum is a strong card price its annual price.
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 effectively.
To study extra, try our full critiques of the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold.
Apply right here: Amex Platinum
Apply right here: Amex Gold
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold, click on right here.
