American Express Platinum Canada Review | Earn up to 110,000 points
Are you looking for an American Express Platinum Canada review? With airfare and hotels being more expensive than ever, paying $799 a year for a travel credit card may seem insane. That said, with the number of travel benefits you get, including the generous welcome bonus, this card is well worth it. Simply put, the sign up bonus pays for itself.
When you look at everything included, the American Express Platinum card is one of Canada’s best travel credit cards. Frequent travellers will love how you get unlimited lounge access, hotel status, and great travel insurance. Read my American Express Platinum Canada review now and find out what you get with the card and how to maximize your benefits.
American Express Platinum Card
- $799 annual fee
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points when spending $10,000 in the first 3 months
- 30,000 additional points when making any purchase in months 14 – 17
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on dining and travel, and 1 point on all other purchases
- $200 annual travel credit
- $200 annual dining credit (per calendar year)
- Unlimited airport lounge access
- MESSAGE ME FOR A REFERRAL LINK
Welcome bonus and earn rate
Let’s be real for a second. Many people sign up for this card because it typically has a very generous welcome bonus. The offers have been between 85,000 and 115,000 welcome bonus points when using a referral link. That said, to get the bonus, you need to spend $10,000 within the first three months of card membership.
Since 1,000 points = $10 in travel, your welcome bonus is worth at least $850 when booking through the American Express travel portal. However, if you convert your points to Aeroplan, the bonus can easily be worth double that, so $1,700. That’s much higher than the annual fee.
The earning rate is decent. You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on dining (not grocery stores) and travel. All other purchases earn you 1 point per dollar spent. Admittedly, there are cards with a higher earn rate, but this is not bad when factoring in all the additional perks.
Benefits and perks
With an annual fee of $799, you should rightfully expect a lot of benefits from this metal credit card. Fortunately, the American Express Platinum benefits are easily the best of any travel credit card in Canada. It’s no surprise that it’s one of the best credit cards in Canada.
$200 annual travel credit
My American Express Platinum Canada review is positive because you get an annual travel credit of $200 on your card anniversary (not every calendar year). You also get that travel credit immediately when you sign up.
Let’s be realistic. If you’re applying for this card, you’re likely a frequent traveller, so you’ll want sweet travel perks. The annual credit will be incredibly useful since it can be applied at the time of booking when you’re making a reservation online via the American Express travel portal, or you can call in later to claim your statement credit. Alternatively, some people have been able to convert that amount into “cash” by booking a fully refundable hotel.
$200 annual dining credit
A dining credit of $200 is now available. This credit applies every calendar year, so technically speaking, you get it twice the first year you sign up. While this credit is great, there are a few quirks. It only applies to a single transaction at one of the American Express dining partners. These restaurants are typically expensive, so burning your $200 credit in a single transaction won’t be difficult. The list of participating restaurants can be found here.
Since you can get the $200 dining credit twice and the travel credit once in the first year, that’s $600 in credits. That means if you use all of your credits, the annual fee for the first year will be just $199 for the first year.
Unlimited lounge access
Having lounge access is a great way to start your travels. With the Platinum card, you get a Priority Pass membership with unlimited free entries – a value of US $429 (CAD $589). Plus, you can bring a guest during every visit at no extra cost.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection that comes with your card is incredibly valuable since Amex has multiple partnerships in place. This includes American Express Centurion lounges, Plaza Premium airport lounges, Delta Sky Club, and more. Basically, you’ll have lounge access at almost every airport in the world as long as you have the Amex Platinum Card.
What makes the American Express Platinum card one of the best credit cards with airport lounge access is that it also gets you into premium lounges such as Centurion by American Express, Air France / Skyteam, and Delta lounges when you fly on Delta.
Some people think lounges aren’t worth it, or if they’ve never experienced them before, they’re not missing out on anything. I disagree as the travel experience starts at the airport. Lounge access makes things much more comfortable and perfect if you have a long layover. Lounges have also made long delays much more reasonable.
Hotel status upgrades
Another major American Express Platinum credit perk is the instant hotel status upgrade at many major chains. The value of the status is subjective, but generally speaking, you would need to stay 25 nights at each chain every year before you qualify. Here’s what you get right at each brand
- Hilton Honors Gold status
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status
- Radisson Rewards Americas Gold Status
Most of these programs offer free Wi-Fi, room upgrades, bonus points, and early check-in and late check-out. This may not seem like a big deal,l but you need to read the details of each hotel loyalty program to see what you’re entitled to.
With Marriot Bonvoy Gold, you get 25% more points on eligible spending, a welcome gift or points, and a dedicated reservation line. This status stacks with the Marriott Bonvoy Amex Card, so you can earn points quickly if you’re a frequent guest at Marriott hotels. Marriott International has over 7,000 properties in 130+ countries, so you’ll have no problem finding a hotel.
NEXUS rebate
When you charge your NEXUS application or renewal to your American Express Platinum Card, you’ll get a statement credit of up to $100 every four years. Since NEXUS is good for five years, you’ll never need to pay any fees again. Nexus is great for those who travel frequently to the U.S. since it allows you to skip the security and customs lines in both Canada and the United States.
Benefits at Toronto Pearson International Airport
If you happen to fly out of Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, you get the following VIP perks:
- Priority security lane
- Complimentary valet service at the Express Park and Daily Park
- 15% discount on parking rates at the Express Park and Daily Park
In my experience, the priority security line is usually faster than the Nexus line. That may seem weird to many NEXUS cardholders, but it’s true. That said, you don’t need to take off your shoes or go through an X-ray at the NEXUS line. Always use the priority line to clear security, but use the Nexus line to go through customs.
Toronto Pearson airport parking is always expensive, so getting 15% off when paying with your American Express Platinum Card is nice. Keep in mind the discount shows up as a statement credit.
The complimentary valet service only saves you on the one-time fee. You still need to pay the daily rate for parking, which is more expensive than using regular or long-term lots.
Travel insurance
| Emergency Medical Insurance | $5,000,000 - 15 days / Under 65 |
| Trip Cancellation Insurance | $2,500 per person / $5,000 total |
| Trip Interruption Insurance | $2,500 per person / $6,000 total |
| Flight Delay Insurance | $1,000 - 4 hours + |
| Baggage Delay Insurance | $1,000 - 6 hours + |
| Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance | $1,000 combined per occurrence |
| Car Rental Theft Damage Insurance | $85,000 - 48 days |
| Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance | $1,000 per occurrence |
| Travel Accident Insurance | Up to $500,000 |
That’s a lot of insurance you get with the American Express Platinum credit card. Some people would argue that there are better credit cards with travel insurance in Canada, but that depends on your viewpoint. There’s no denying that the 15 days of insurance coverage with the American Express Platinum Canada Card is a bit disappointing, but you need to look at the entire suite of insurance that’s included.
At $2,500 a person or $5,000 total for trip cancellation and $2,500 a person or $6,000 total for trip interruption, you’re covered for quite a bit if you need to cancel or cut your trip plans.
Your flight delay insurance kicks at 4 hours which is nice since some policies require you to wait 6 hours. I prefer having this four-hour window as I can make a claim sooner. Flight delays can be brutal, and knowing I’m covered for hotels, meals, and minor expenses can make a huge difference. That said, your baggage insurance requires a six-hour delay before making any claims, which is annoying when other policies only have a four-hour requirement.
Purchase insurance
- Purchase protection
- Buyer’s assurance
The included purchase insurance is pretty standard. You get purchase protection which covers your purchases for 90 days from theft, loss, and damage. With the buyer’s assurance, your manufacturer’s warranty is doubled up to one additional year. In both cases, you must charge the total purchase amount to your American Express Platinum Canada Card for the insurance to apply.
American Express International Airline Program
The American Express Platinum Card gives you access to the International Airline Program, a little-known benefit. This feature gives you discounts when you book premium economy, business and first-class tickets on international flights with select airlines. For reference, the only Canadian airline participating in the American Express International Airline Program is WestJet.
In addition, the International Airline Program gives you discounted companion tickets with select airlines when booking business or first-class seats. I don’t think you should expect to save hundreds of dollars with this discount, but it’s worth calling the Platinum Card Travel Service at 1.800.263.1616 if you plan on booking any seats in premium economy, business or first class to see any deals.
American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts
The American Express card gives you access to the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts collection, a highly underrated benefit. When booking a hotel that falls into the Fine Hotels & Resorts collection, you’re entitled to the following benefits:
- Free room upgrade
- Free daily breakfast for two
- $100 hotel credit for food and drinks per stay (may vary per hotel)
- Noon check-in
- 4 PM check-out
- Complimentary WiFi
The website lists that the average value of this benefit is US$550, but I prefer to value this benefit at $150 since the room upgrade is not guaranteed.
Whenever you book a hotel, it’s worth checking to see if a hotel you’re interested in is part of the Fine Hotels & Resorts collection. Sometimes, booking through this benefit will cost me only $20 more, but I get all the extra perks that have made it worthwhile.
American Express Experiences
American Express Experiences are exclusive to American Express cardholders. Not every offer will be of interest, but occasionally, you’ll get one or two that will excite you.
- Front of the line presales – Get access to tickets to concerts, theatre productions, restaurants and more before the general public.
- Front of the line reserved tickets – At select venues, American Express, has agreements where cardholders can purchase reserved tickets and seats.
- Entertainment experiences – Purchase special entertainment experiences such as screenings of movies, theatre packages and more.
- Dining experiences – From tasting menus to food festivals, cardholders can get access to some of the most sought-after culinary events.
- Offers – Throughout the year, you’ll get special shopping offers. These offers can be incredibly valuable since you’ll get a certain amount back as a statement credit. For example, spend $400, and get $100 back.
How to redeem your points
In this American Express Platinum Canada review, I need to go over how American Express Membership Rewards (MR) work since those are the points you’ll earn.
You can redeem 1,000 MR points for $10 for a statement credit. This applies to ALL purchases. American Express Membership Rewards is the only bank travel rewards program that allows you to redeem your points for a statement credit at the same value as travel redemptions.
Booking on your own and then redeeming your points is incredibly valuable since you can find the lowest prices or book directly with brands to take advantage of your loyalty stays. You must Book through the American Express travel portal to use your annual travel credit.
Another interesting thing about Membership Rewards is that you can double the value of your points. Take a look at the chart below. A short-haul flight between Canada and the U.S. requires 15,000 points but has and has a maximum base ticket price of $300. That means your points can have a value of 2 cents each.
American Express Platinum Canada transfer partners
What makes Membership Rewards points valuable is that you can transfer your points to various partners, which include airlines and hotels. This gives your points a lot of value since they’re flexible. Basically, you can look at all the different options available to you and then redeem your points for maximum value.
The transfer ratio for American Express Membership Rewards points is as follows:
| Transfer partner | Transfer ratio |
|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 |
| Alitalia MilleMiglia | 4:3 |
| British Airways Avios | 1:1 |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 4:3 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 4:3 |
| Etihad Guest | 4:3 |
| Hilton Honors | 1:1 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1.2 |
Understanding your transfer partners and the American Express/Fixed Points Travel Program is essential to getting maximum value.
For example, 60,000 Membership Rewards points are worth $600 if you use them on travel purchases. However, they’re worth up to $900 if you use the Fixed Points Travel Program.
Transferring the same number of points to Aeroplan would give you 60,000 Aeroplan points, which can go quite a long way, depending on how you use them. I personally don’t have much issue getting a value of 2 cents per Aeroplan point. That means 60,000 Aeroplan points are worth $1,200.
If you’re an American Express Platinum cardholder and plan to book a flight, always compare the Amex travel portal, the fixed points travel program and Aeroplan to see what gives you the best value.
Regarding hotels, transferring your points to Marriott Bonvoy could save you some money. Generally, you should value your Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.9 cents each. If a hotel costs you 25,000 points, but the nightly rate is $300, that’s a good value. However, if the nightly rate is $150, paying cash or redeeming your American Express Membership Rewards points towards the travel purchase would be better.
American Express Platinum Card eligibility
- You’re a Canadian citizen, or you’re a permanent resident
- You’re at least the age of majority in your province or territory
You’ll quickly notice that American Express doesn’t have a formal personal or household income requirement. In addition, there’s no minimum credit score listed. That said, since this is a premium travel credit card, having a credit score of 700+ will likely improve the odds of you being approved.
How the American Express Platinum Card compares
You can compare the American Express Platinum Canada to a surprising number of premium travel credit cards. Not only should you look at general travel rewards cards, but you should also consider co-branded credit cards.
American Express Platinum Card vs. American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
With the Platinum Card, you get unlimited access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, whereas the Reserve Card gives you unlimited access to Maple Leaf Lounges in North America. I personally think Maple Leaf Lounges are better, but that only applies to North American airports that have them. If you fly a lot internationally or to airports without Maple Leaf Lounges, you’d be better off with the Platinum Card.
The secondary benefits are also worth considering. With the Reserve Card, your first checked bag free when flying Air Canada, priority airport check-in, boarding, and baggage handling. These benefits alone could be worth it for travellers who frequently fly Air Canada.
It’s also worth looking at the points. With the Platinum Card, you have flexibility with your points since you have a few transfer partners. With the Aeroplan Card, you’re restricted to using your points on Aeroplan rewards.
American Express Platinum Card vs. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card
Another premium Aeroplan credit card worth considering is the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card. It’s very similar to the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, with the main difference being that the TD card also gives you DragonPass airport lounge access + 6 free annual passes.
While the annual fee of $599 is lower than the Platinum card, most of the benefits of the TD card are related to Air Canada, whereas the Platinum card gives you better general travel perks.
American Express Platinum Card vs. American Express Business Gold Rewards Card
If your goal is to earn a lot of points fast, then you may want to look at the American Express Business Gold Rewards Card. The welcome bonus is typically 75,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after spending $5,000 in the first three months. While the bonus isn’t as generous as the Platinum card, the minimum spend requirement is much lower. In case you’re wondering, you don’t need a business to get a business credit card.
Final thoughts
My American Express Platinum Canada review is positive. This card is ideal for people in the following situations:
- You want a huge welcome bonus – The signup offer is typically worth around 100,000 points. That’s usually one of the most generous offers on the market.
- You frequently travel – This card gives you unlimited airport lounge access, a yearly travel credit, and hotel status.
- You want flexible rewards – American Express Membership Rewards can be transferred to Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy.
If you’re a frequent traveller, want to travel like a VIP, or are trying to earn many points fast, this card is for you. You can easily get more than $2,000 in value in the first year, so the annual fee of $799 shouldn’t be a huge concern. Friends, family, and readers of my blog can use my referral link below to earn some extra points.
American Express Platinum Card
Welcome bonus: Up to 100,000 American Express Membership Rewards points
Annual fee: $799
MESSAGE ME FOR A REFERRAL LINKFAQ
Is the American Express Platinum annual fee worth it?
If I haven’t convinced you about the value of the American Express Platinum Card yet, let me break down the real value of the benefits for you.
- Travel credit – $200
- Dining credit – $200 per calendar year
- Welcome bonus – $1,000+
- Lounge access – $520
- Travel insurance – $300
That equals at least $2,420 in value in the first year. Yes, the fee is $799, but you still come out ahead by more than $1,300.
Let me break down the value for you.
The annual travel credit is $200. Assuming the welcome bonus is worth at least 100,000 points, that’s a minimum value of $1,000. However, if you transferred your points to Aeroplan, it wouldn’t be hard to get a value of at least $2,000. In addition, the $200 dining credit is per calendar year, so you could use it twice in your first year of cardmembership.
With lounge access, a prestige Priority Pass membership is US $429 (CAD $580), and it gives you and a guest unlimited free visits. Finally, the travel insurance is worth roughly $300 per person. As you can see, there’s an insane amount of value with this card. Even after the first year, the benefits you get are still easily worth more than the annual fee, so consider keeping this card if you travel regularly.
I used to have this card when I was travelling a lot for work. The lounge access and skipping the line was great. Also at the time it was one free North American flight per year. My wife and I used this to go to New York one summer.
This card doesn’t make sense for me anymore because I don’t travel all that much for work anymore. I could no longer justify the annual fee. Although what you are saying with the reduced annual fee seems interesting.
In regards to what one can do with the 50K or 60K account opening points, you wrote, “60,000 points are enough for two round trip tickets to anywhere in North America. A standard return trip to Los Angeles from Toronto is $600, so that sign up bonus instantly has a value of $1,200. Plus, you’ll still have 10,000 points leftover. ”
I logged into the Amex travel rewards website. I can see the rewards chart. But what I see is a Canada/US “long haul” ticket will cost 40K points. In what you wrote, you are saying that 60K points will get you 2 long haul tickets and still 10K points leftover. So you are saying that a long haul flight only costs 25K points? I can’t seem to find that at all?
Do you have a link to the rewards chart?
Thanks
Hey Ken,
I answered this privately already, but just including it here in case someone else has the same question.
The trick is to convert your American Express Member Rewards to Aeroplan since it can be done on a 1:1 basis. You would then use Aeroplan’s redemption chart which is the numbers I used.
However, note that Aeroplan does have blackout dates as well as taxes so those are things to consider.
Further to my note above. You also say that the 60K points can get you a round trip ticket to South America or Europe. But the same rewards chart I am looking at shows a European ticket and a South American ticket to cost 60K and 100K points, respectively.
This is the link to the rewards chart: https://travel.americanexpress.ca/service/static_page.cfm?page=FixedPoints
Hi there. Just received my Platinum card and found this page.
A question about using the $200 travel credit. Is it ok to wait for my statement to show the $699 fee, then call Plat travel to book and apply the credit and later do what is mentioned to make my annual fee down to $499!
Hi Sam,
I don’t think it matters when you use the travel credit. When you do use it, it shows up as a statement credit of $200 which is applied usually right away. If you want to turn that into “cash” just book a fully refundable hotel, wait for the credit to post, then cancel your hotel.
You can also claim the travel credit directly from the American Express travel portal which is located within your account.
Thanks very much for your advice Barry!
The card itself has many travel perks that I’m gonna be looking forward to use!
The application process was very easy for card members, as I already have the Aeroplan Plus Platinum. It just took a few clicks to verify and after submitting it..got the approval right away!
I’m not too worried about the sign up points as I wanted to keep the Aeroplan Plat for exclusive AC lounge access and my new Plat for other travel..so I’m pretty much covered!
Sam
Sam,
The biggest advantage is the referrals. For every referral, you get 15K bonus membership reward points while the person you refer gets an extra 10K.
I absolutely love the lounge access that the Platinum card gives you. If you’re flying out of Pearson, the Maple Leaf Lounge access from your Aeroplan Platinum card is better than what’s offered from Priority Pass members, but in other airports having priority pass is great. In Portugal, it gave me access to the ANA lounge which was wonderful.
Although the “$499” annual fee is high, I really think the benefits are worth it if you’re a frequent traveller.
Hi. Thanks for the information. I have also been told that the card offers perks like Uber Pass for free. Do you know where to access those perks? Are they limited to the ‘offers’ Amex offers or are there hidden perks in different sites?
Hey Amy,
Amex offers come and go. Uber Pass was a previous benefit. One of the most recent ones was get $40 back when you spend $400 on Oxford properties (a big mall retail owner across Canada).
The perks are accessed within the app. The offers are indeed limited to what Amex offers. Generally speaking, it’s not hard to get a few hundred dollars in value from these perks each year.
Hi Barry,
Thanks again for your great insight!
Yes, the Prestige level of Priority Pass is a great balance with my Maple Leaf Lounge as I do plan on trips into Europe and Asia where I’m using another airline!
Love the Fast track out of YYZ as well!
All the best for now and yes, I’ll be thinking of referring both my Aeroplan and Personal Platinum! I guess I’ll get both Aeroplan miles and Membership Rewards Points!
Take care,
Sam
Sam,
The nice thing about Membership Rewards points is that you can convert them to many airline rewards points (including Aeroplan) at a 1:1 ratio.
Thanks for this. Can you provide the benefits of the supplementary card. The $175 charge is hefty and I cannot find many details about it. If the Priority Pass provides free entry (as opposed to just membership and then a $27 charge) that is good. If it allows Hilton Gold that is good too. I would hope it provides enough spousal benefits to make it worthwhile.
Hi Steven,
I personally don’t think the supplementary card is good unless your partners spends a lot on their own or also travels a lot on their own. My wife always travels with me so she automatically gets access to lounges since card holders are allowed to bring an extra guest.
The instant upgrade in hotel status is definitely a nice perk. I have yet to take advantage of companion fares, but I believe that’s only available when booking tickets in business or first-class.
Have had an amex gold rewards for over two years now and love it – received an offer to upgrade to plat and am very intrigued especially after reading your tips to reduce annual fee etc. One question – can you advise how to self refer for an added 5,000 points? From my Gold rewards account I can only seem to refer the Gold Rewards card?
Hi Connor,
After clicking your own referral link, you should see a button that says “view our other cards.” Then it should show you the Platinum card. Definitely self-refer instead of upgrading for the bonus points.
I can’t find an answer about the supplementary card. Does that cardholder get the same priority pass benefits as the basic cardholder – that is, free access for the holder and a guest? So a family of four could get access for free if they have both the basic and supplemental card?
And just to confirm, supplementary card holder get gold tiers in both Hilton and spg.
Hi Steve,
I actually don’t know the answer to that since I don’t use supplementary cards. I would advise calling Amex directly for an answer.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the amazing insight! I’m thinking of getting this card as I’ll be traveling quite a bit in the next year and the lounge access will be quite handy. If I only get the primary card, will my wife have access to the lounge as well or does she have to pay the $27? The priority pass prestige membership page says guests have to pay $27 to enter.
Hi Hasan,
Once you have lounge access, you won’t want to go back. The Canadian lounges are kind of meh, but wait til you try the ones abroad. As for your question, with you Priority Pass, you’re allowed to bring one guest with you. This can be your wife or any other travelling companion. If you bring 2 guests (one will have to pay), but at least they get access since you’re a member.
Hello Barry,
Do you know if the card gives you priority boarding? It says priority check-in but does not mention boarding.
NL,
As far as I know, this card does NOT give you priority boarding.
Hi- Just to say your tips on the refundable hotel booking to get the credit is very smart and for that alone I will be signing up via your referral link as a thank you! Cheers!
K,
It’s an easy trick to do. to be honest, I love this card now and don’t mind paying the $499 yearly fee moving forward (after doing the $200 credit trick).
Hi Barry,
I’m curious to know if the card is metal? I would also like to know whether the priority pass card is automatically renewed per annum, or if it is just complimentary for the first year? I read somewhere else that the number of complimentary guests may be up to 2, but see in your previous comments it is 1. Has the number of allowed complimentary guests changed at all recently?
Thank you,
Norine
Norine,
The card is plastic. I’m not sure if memberships are automatically renewed. With the card, you need to manually signup for Priority Pass as well as the higher status programs with all the hotels. I would hope things auto renew, but it’s not like those other loyalty members know if you still hold the card. That’s something I need to look into.
I’ve only had the card for about 8 months and during that time I’ve only been allowed one complimentary guest. Not sure if that’s new or not.
If you have a supplementary Amex Platinum Card – that can also allow 1 additional guest. We are a family of five and only one kid has go pay access to the lounge which is still a good deal. We travel often and using the lounge is always a “to do” item for each trip:) Never regretted getting this. Year s4 for me.
Hil,
I forgot that the Platinum allows you bring in one additional guest to lounges. Interesting enough, usually the main benefits only apply to the primary cardholder so it’s great that supplementary cardholders also get access to lounges. That being said, I’ve had some lounges specifically ask for my Priority Pass membership so I suspect at those lounges, you might not get in with a supplementary card unless your spouse also has a Priority Pass Membership.
Hi Barry… Great article. Just wanted to know if this card is churnable. For some personal cards amex stopped giving bonus if you had owned a card like spg and gold. Does this applied to platinum also or we can churn and get bonus points again?
This is the main reason I didn’t apply yet.
Hi Sammy,
Since you have not owned this card before, you would qualify for the signup points. Now if you cancel it in a year, and they try to reapply; there’s a good chance you wouldn’t get the points the second time around.
Ok so in short…..The platinum is good for 1 time only to get the sign up bonus points. Churn only if you want the lounge access, insurance and the travel credits to keep the fees low. Thanks!
Sammy,
Correct. The other benefit is referrals. You get 15K points for every referral. so you need 2-3 referrals a year to wash that large annual fee.
One thing you did no mention, and maybe can confirm but I think the hotel status level gives you free breakfast at the member hotels.
Mark,
I believe the breakfast only applies to Platinum members. The Amex Platinum only gives you Gold status.
@Mark and @Barry, with the Preferred Gold Membership in the Starwood Preferred Guest® program, doesn’t it give you a status match with Marriott Gold Elite Benefits, if you’re a member of both programs?
If so, the Marriott Gold Elite Benefits are fantastic and even better than SPG Preferred Gold:
Guaranteed Lounge Access/Breakfast.
Free daily continental breakfast, light snacks and beverages for the Gold Elite member and one guest in the Executive Lounge at JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection®, Renaissance® and Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels® (resorts excluded). In the U.S. and Canada, select hotels will provide 750 or 1,000 points in lieu of breakfast in the event the lounge is closed.
Another great feature of this AMEX Platinum card!
Angela,
Interesting, breakfast is included for Gold Elite members at Marriott properties but at SPG you need to be Platinum.
Hi Barry! If I apply and receive the AMEX Platinum card March 15/18, I understand will receive and can use $200 credit immediately.
If I use the 2nd $200 credit immediately when it posts in Jan/19 … and go to cancel the card before the 2nd annual fee posts in March, will there by any issues with owing AMEX for the 2018 $200 credit used? Thanks!
Angela,
No issue whatsoever. It’s basically a hack to lower the annual fee down to $299 the first year while getting 60K Membership Rewards points (with referral).
Have you tried this Barry? They do in fact charge your card for the second $200 when you cancel before the end of your first year, as of 2017.
Hi Jon,
As far as I know, this trick still works since it does not violate the terms and conditions. However, Amex has charged back the $200 to some people so you would have to call into customer service to ask for an explanation and to get the chargeback removed. I’ve updated the info my post for best practices.
Hi Barry,
Thank you for the post, it was a very interesting read. I was wondering if your referral link is still working, one year later? And also, I’m leaving in 12 days from now, I was wondering if the delivery of the card should be fast enough for me to get it before I leave, so I can rest in the VIP lounges. Any clues / tips?
Hi Felix,
The referral code is still good! Amex sends their platinum cards out by courier so you’d likely get it in 3 days. For your PriorityPass, download the app so you can get access quicker.
Hi. I’ve had the Amex Platinum card for many years. I was surprised when I saw that they give 1.25 points for every dollar spent, because I was under the impression that I was receiving 1.5 points. So I checked a recent statement and confirmed that I do in fact, receive 1.5 points for each dollar spent.
Aron,
You should only be getting 1.25 points per $1 spend with the Amex Platinum. Is it possible that there was a promotion which is why you got 1.5?
I don’t think so. I recall that going back perhaps 10 years, users were given a choice of two different types of rewards that they could get using the card. Once the choice was made you couldn’t switch. You writings have to reapply for the card.
I looked at the terms just now and it states 1.25 MR per #1 spent. It’s possible that you were grandfathered into the old program?
So many places don’t take American Express, especially overseas, that I don’t think this card is a reasonable option for travellers.
Hi Grace,
I wouldn’t depend on just American Express when travelling. I personally use this card at home to maximize my earning potential and book travel with it. When I’m abroad, I use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
So if you decide to get the card, meet the monthly minimums, get your 60k bonus, apply your travel credits, and then cancel the card after all that, what happens to your points? Or if you plan to churn the card, should you book something to use up your 60k+ points before you cancel it?
Jaclyn,
You can transfer the points to one of their partners e.g. SPG or airlines before you cancel. Technically speaking, your login will still be active, but I honestly don’t remember what happens to your points if you cancel as I’ve always had an active account.
I read up on another blog that they will cancel your points if you cancel the card actually. I think one would have to have another amex open to maintain the account and the points accrued from the other.
Another question I was going to ask was about the “book a hotel then cancel it” thing. In order to get the 200$ credit, do you have to book through amex travel? Or can you just book any hotel, on expedia say, and then call amex and say you want to apply the credit?
Hmm good to know, that’s for sharing.
Yes, the credit is through Amex travel, you can book and apply your credit online, but when I last checked, you had to call in to cancel the reservation. I personally just wait a few weeks so it’s not obvious that I cancelled it just for the statement credit.
With today’s Marriott announcement, I wonder which elite status, if any, Amex will provide. It looks like current gold SPG is lower tier than the new gold merged program
If you currently have the card and Gold status, you’ll be upgraded to Platinum, but I’m pretty sure next year it’ll be gold.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the post!
I already have amex spg card, will I still get 60,000pt ?
Also, how long does the bonus pt get posted to account? I am thinking to charge airfare ($3000+) using this card and get $200 travel credit, then transfer point to spg right away. Will amex cancel my point if I cancel the card before 2nd year annual fee kicks in?
Thanks
Hi Tina,
Yes, you’ll still get the points since this is a different card from the SPG Amex.
The points normally post as soon as you reach the minimum spend, but technically speaking, it can take up to 8 weeks.
Amex will not cancel your points, if you cancel before the start of year 2, but I do advise using your 2019 travel credit ASAP before cancelling.
Please use my referral link if you found this info useful.
Hello
I just joined American express platinum last February. They had an offer , for each person that you add to your card, you will get 5, 000 points. I added 5 persons to my card. Each person had to pay 175.00 for the extra card . So here is my problem , so far , they gave me only 5, 000 points for one person .I have called A.E. many times to check about the points for the other 4 persons .They kept telling me that they were working on it and will get back to me. Last week, I called them again , only to be told that there was a note on my file that says … do not give him those 5, 000 points per extra card holders !!!
I was so upset but the supervisor told me that there was nothing she could do .I just received by mail a letter about the details to complaint and all the procedures .
I am so upset about the whole thing .Is there something else I should do? Thank you for your help .
Hi M.Beauregard,
If American Express is only giving you 5,000 points for one person and won’t give you those points for the other 4, I would advise cancelling those additional cards and demanding a refund on the fees.
If you still want those points, you could refer one of those people who just cancelled for their own card which would give you 15K points.
I am not sure if you had the same issue, Barry Choi, but I have noticed that American Express is intentionally not sending the card in a timely manner. I had about six, seven calls after my card was approved to ask why I haven’t received my card yet and no one could honestly answer the question. I was initially told that the card was send about 7 business days ago from Markham, Ontario (I live downtown Toronto) and that I should receive it by today (which is the 8th business day past the approval date), but ironically another customer service representative told me that it wasn’t even dispatched yet.
The clock of spending $3,000 starts from the approval date rather than the day of delivery of the card. I have already lost about 2 weeks, leaving me with 10 weeks (rather than 12 weeks) to spend $3,000. I am not sure how common that is, but I thought to ask you, Barry, whether you had such issues?
If you have noticed such a pattern as well, there may be room to sue American Express for engaging in a fraudulent activity.
Hi Job,
I recently applied for a business platinum card and it took about 7 business days to arrive. That being said, I once had a card arrive in 3 days so it could be random.
Great site Barry. I am just going through your posts. Is the hotel status kept for the duration of having the card or is it first year only?
Hey Gus,
As long as you have the card, you keep the status.
I had an American Express Platinum card about 3 years ago. If I reapplied, do you think I would get the sign up bonus?
Hi Jan,
Technically speaking, there’s a once per lifetime signup bonus, but the odds are you would still get the bonus since quite a few years have passed. That being said, if they don’t award it, you can’t really fight them over it.
Hi Barry,
I’m an AMEX Gold card member – can I refer a friend to the platinum card, or do I need to be a platinum card holder myself to do that and get the referral bonus?
thanks! enjoying your insights.
p.s. I should add that I’ve tried the self-referring option and the only other card option it gives me is the Cobalt,
With the personal gold, you can only self refer (or refer someone else) to the personal gold or Cobalt card.
To get the 60K signup bonus with the personal platinum, you’d have to use someone’s referral link (hopefully mine). Once you have the personal platinum you can refer the personal platinum, business gold, and business platinum.
Thank you, Barry. If we go the platinum route, we will gladly use your referral to start us off!
Hi Barry,
I noticed U.S. Amex is offering a 100,000 sign up bonus until Aug 8th. Is this available to Canadian businesses if we spend to a certain amount? My company is based in Vancouver and we plan to spend at least $1 million per year on the card. We would be able to provide our financials to Amex upon request. We have never had an Amex card before. Thanks!
Hi Bobby,
The signup bonuses aren’t as high in Canada. The most points you can get is 60,000 points when using a referral link.
If you’re using this card for business purposes, you’re likely better off applying for the Business Platinum card.
https://www.moneywehave.com/american-express-business-platinum-canada-review/
It’s specifically aimed at businesses and offers you similar benefits to the personal platinum card but with lower fees.
Hi Barry,
When it comes to emergency medical travel protection , does the American Express Platinum cover everything that I should look for or should I take additional coverage through a personal insurance company ? And if I only have 1 card , does it cover my spouse as well ? Thank you !
Hi Marcel,
You would only need additional insurance if you’re travelling for more than 15 days. If that’s the case, you can just extend your coverage via Amex for an additional charge.
The Amex Platinum certificate of insurance states the following (she’s covered).
Insured person – means any of the following persons who are under the age of 65 years of age and who have a valid government health insurance plan: the cardmember, the supplementary cardmember, the cardmember’s spouse, the supplementary cardmember’s spouse, the cardmember’s dependent child or the supplementary cardmember’s dependent child.
Greetings Barry,
Have you done a comparison of the Personal vs the Business Platinum Cards? It appears that they are ow very similar, and the business card can get lounge access now. Assuming you have both, and you where to keep ony one, which one would you keep? If churning, which one to cancel and reapply for later?
Thanks,
Jon
Hey Jon,
They are indeed very similar. Technically speaking, you need a business to get the business card, but I know people have been approved without a formal business setup.
Most people who churn end up applying for both cards (referring themselves to the second card).
I personally prefer the personal platinum just because of bragging rights.
Hi Barry — I can’t seem to get your referral link working. Is it still valid? Thanks for the super helpful post!
Melina
Hi Melina,
The Amex referral site is down for maintenance right now. It’ll likely be back up tomorrow (Monday)
Hi Barry
If I cancel the card just after i get the bonus points, will I get a refund on the annual fee? Also, if I get the card now, will I get a $200 travel credit this year and again next year before the 12 months are up? And finally, do you see any good reason to keep the card beyond the first year?
Thanks
Viv
Hi Viv,
There have been various reports, but some people have been able to get a partial refund with their annual fees after collecting the sign up bonus. That being said, you would almost definitely be flagged by American Express so you could possibly be denied any future applications.
The travel credit is per calendar year. However, if you claim it in January and then cancel the card in February, there’s a good chance that it’ll be clawed back. Your best bet would to claim it in January and cancel the card 4 – 6 months later if that’s your intention, but there’s no guarantee that they’ll let you keep the credit.
As for keeping the card past the first year, there are plenty of reasons. You get unlimited lounge access, status at various hotel chains, a premium travel insurance package, access to Amex platinum services and more.
Thanks for the response. I am very tempted by the platinum card but I am concerned that I may find it difficult reaching the spending requirement. I live in Montreal and have been to a number of major supermarkets in the past week (groceries are largest monthly spend) and none bar Metro take Amex. I am also looking to buy a new car but the one dealer I have been to said they do not take Amex. I would appreciate any tips on how to spend on Amex in Canada (and Montreal specifically) without increasing my overall spending. Thanks
Hi Viv,
The best thing to do is the refundable hotel trick but that would require you to float a few thousand dollars until you reach the minimum spend “naturally”
https://princeoftravel.com/blog/all-about-refundable-hotel-trick
Looks like the Fairmont Platinum membership after 5 nights have now been removed with the purchase by AccorHotels?
It was removed at the start of 2018
Hi,
Did you notice the blurb in the Amex Platinum statement this month? Starting in 2019 you receive the $200 travel credit on your anniversary date. The credit is no longer based on calendar year.
So if your anniversary is in December, you will pay the $699 fee in December 2018 and not receive your travel credit until December 2019 when another $699 fee is due.
I understand that they are trying to plug the loop hole where you can get two $200 travel credits in first year of account ownership but this new policy seems to punish their existing client base.
Have you heard from AMEX on this issue?
Hi Chris,
Yes, this change happened last month. I do agree that it’s a bit odd that they didn’t grandfather the calendar year travel credit to existing cardholders, but that was likely a bit of a pain to do.
Amex has confirmed that the credit is now given every calendar year.
I understood the calendar year travel credit to mean one $200 credit per calendar year which then does not renew until the anniversary date. So if I received card in November, instead of the calendar year deal which allowed me to claim a credit in November and again from Jan 2019 and then again from Jan 2020, with the anniversary deal, I could claim my credit in November but then would have to wait until November 2019 to claim another. The issue is that I can claim in at any time during the year (even before they bill me for the annual fee) only the offer won’t renew until after anniversary date, at which point I can claim the credit at any point in that year.
Viv,
That’s pretty much how it is now. Amex just changed the rules since there was a lot of abuse with people claiming two travel credits in the first year and then cancelling the card.
Regarding the point Viv has raise, wouldn’t it be illegal that Amex just canceled a promised promotion for existing customers? If Amex is keep changing such policies randomly, then how should we be able to rely on their promises when we sign up for a new card? I am not sure if it is only me, but I think this was an unacceptable move taken by Amex.
Job,
The Amex terms and conditions state that they can change benefits at anytime so they’re within their rights. I have no problem with this change as it was always meant to be a credit you get once a year which has been abused.
Thanks, Barry. Even if I would get referral bonuses as you do via your blog, I wouldn’t recommend anyone any longer to sign up to Amex Platinum given that they are keep changing the benefits that one was hoping to receive when they signed up for the card. It is at the end of the day all about trust, transparency and keeping up their word to provide the benefits that are promised initially. Anyone can write a lengthy legal document and trick people into traps as Amex did here, but losing the trust of customer hurts companies in the long-run.
One pays up front a hefty $699 price tag for services that are canceled later on. I signed up to Amex after reading your recommendation here and I regret that I signed up for Amex since they keep reducing their benefits.
Job,
Well with new people signing up, it’s now clearly stated that the travel credit is given annually so it’s not deceptive IMO. Now for people who currently have the card, it probably should have been grandfathered per calendar year, but that was Amex’s decision. They haven’t reduced their benefits with this change. For the last year, people who tried to get the credit twice in one year were often clawed back since it was a loophole.
I am in total agreement that it is perfectly ethical to change this benefit for people who sign up for a NEW card. However, existing customer shouldn’t be impacted by this change since they already signed up for the card with the expectation that they will receive ALL promised benefits. How will I know in the future that Amex will not cancel other benefits if I decide to sign up for another card? This is a very short-termist behaviour by Amex.
When I read your blog in late May this year, I got the impression that I could claim the credit anytime during a new calendar year rather than waiting to pay for the new annual fee to obtain my new credit. For the sake of transparency, it would be very helpful to make this clear in the blog as well. I know that you are trying to help out the community and we all appreciate it.
Job,
I totally agree that the old benefit should have been grandfathered. I’m not 100% sure about this, but it seems to be a recent trend where any new changes to credit cards would also affect current cardholders. I know that MBNA World Elite cardholders saw their cards devalued, the same thing happened to BMO WOrld Elite Mastercard and the Tangerine money-back card.
I definitely understand your frustration, heck it annoys me too.
Actually, I applied and received my card in October and they called me to inform me of the change but also honoured the travel credit conditions offered at the time of application. So I have a travel credit that I can (and have collected) to the end of 2018 and another that I can collect from January next year. Then yes, I will have to wait for next credit to kick in after October 2019, after which I can collect it once a year as promised. IMO, that is not a bad deal and exactly what they promised.
As far I understand there was only ever one opportunity to collect 2 rewards in any 12 month period and thereafter the rewards were limited to one per 12 month period. The new rules gets rid of the possibility of have 2 rewards for the initial 12 months which new applicants will be aware of prior to submitting application.
One issue I am having however is with the transfer of points once I have hit the $5000 spend. I was expecting it to happen within a week but customer service is telling me it could take 8-10 weeks. Normally I wouldn’t mind, but I really want these points before the end of the month to meet the BA Avios transfer deal. I feel as a platinum card holder, having paid such a high fee, that they should be able to expedite the transfer. When I held an (basic) Amex card in the UK, the points were transferred almost immediately. What is your experience?
Hey Viv,
My sign up point have almost always posted immediately after I’ve reached the minimum spend. That being said, technically speaking customer service is right and it could take 8-10 weeks to post. There’s no way to expedite the process.
Hi Barry. I just got the personal Platinum card 3 days ago. It’s metal not plastic. I wished I had seen your site earlier so I could’ve used your referral link to get the 60 instead of 50k points. I however only need to spend 3 thousand dollars to get the 50k points. I wanted to ask you RE: the 200 dollars travel credit. Is it available to me now or do I have to wait for the next anniversary date to get it? Thanks for all your tips and insights.
RSB,
Yeah they introduced the metal version earlier this year. The travel credit is available to you now. If you login to your Amex account and go to the travel portal, then book some travel, you’ll see an option to use your credit. You get it again on the anniversary of your card.
Hey Barry,
Can you confirm if supplementary Platinum cards earn points? or is it just the primary cardholders card that earns the points?
JD,
The supplementary cardholder earns points for the primary account holder.
Perfect! That’s what I assumed. Just want to make sure my kids are getting me points! LOL
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Hi, i was recently presented this offer from American Express for my small business, what are your thoughts
welcome bonus of 60,000 points when you charge $7,000 in purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.1 That’s enough to redeem for a $600 statement credit
also when they say no pre set limit, can one go out and spend 15000 in one month
Hi Maynard,
You actually get an even better promotion when you use a member referral link (preferably mine)
https://www.moneywehave.com/american-express-business-platinum-canada-review/
With that offer, you get 75,000 points on a $7,000 spend in the first three months which is enough for a $750 credit statement or even more if you transfer those points to Aeroplan or Marriott Rewards.
With the no preset limit, yes you can go spend whatever. That being said, from what I recall, your limit scales up e.g. as you charge things to your card and pay it off, your unofficial limit goes up.
What I’m getting at is that I’m sure they have some natural fraud prevention built in. But if they targeted you with an offer, the odds are you won’t have any issues.
Thank you, also not completely understanding how the 55 days interest works with billing, but I like the referral offer better, with this card dies balance need to be paid in full every month or can you carry a bslance
Maynard,
With standard credit cards you get a billing cycle of about a month. With the business card you get 55 days so you just get a longer period to pay your balance. You can carry a balance, but you’ll get charged a pretty high interest rate so it’s better to pay it off every month.
Thank you for all of your help
Thank you for your insights. If I have a Gold Card and Platinum Card ( just approved with your referral) do the points from each card stay in one joint account or are they separated?
Thank you
Hi Ray,
They’re shown under each card. You can ask customer service to combine them though. If you plan on cancelling one of the cards in the future, be sure to combine your points to an active account or to transfer your points to another program.
Hey, I have a few questions about this card. 1st do we have priorty check in at the various aiports with this card like the nexus or VISA infinite cards? Also, is the 200$ yearly credit lost if it is not used or does it carry over each year. Finally, I have a friend who had applied a few days ago and I just told them about the referral link, is there anyway to call AMEX to add your referral bonus? Thanks
Hi Omer,
You only get priority line at Pearson and that’s on the way out. The $200 credit does NOT carry over but technically you can convert it to cash by booking a fully refundable hotel (you pay up front), use the credit, then cancel the hotel for a refund. Unfortunately, once your friend has signed up and been approved, there’s no way he can go back and use a referral link to get the extra 10K points. If you do sign up, I would definitely be thankful if you use my link.
Hi, I applied and saw your referral link after. I was told by amex that i could cancel the request after 2 business days from when i was approved. Do you think doing so, and reapplying through your link a few days later would work to get the bonus?
Also, if someone only spends 3000$ and not the 5000$ in 3 months, would they still get the 50k bonus if they went through your link, or is it all or nothing 5000$ for 60k points?
Hi Dave,
I personally think an extra 10K points as a welcome bonus is worth the hassle of cancelling and reapplying. You won’t not get the bonus at all if you don’t meet the minimum spend requirement of $5,000 in the first three months when using a referral link.
It worked…last week after i applied without referral link (and was approved instantly), i applied minutes after with your link but they told me the system cancels duplicate applications. They told me to call after 2 business days from automatic approval if i wanted to cancel my first request, so i did so yesterday. I called today and they simply “uncancelled” the 2nd cancelled application. Whether they ran a 2nd credit check or not i dont know (thought approval was almost instant), but whatever its worth it
Thanks again for the info, my real name/initials are JS when you see your referral bonus 😉
Hey Dave,
My referrals don’t say exactly who used it, but I thank you for using mine =D.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi…I already have an Amex gold card. If I use your referral link will my existing points automatically be transferred to the new Platinum and my current card be cancelled?
Sandi,
You would have to apply for the Platinum card first. Once you have it, call American Express and have them transfer the points in your Gold Card account over to your Platinum account. Once the transfer is complete, have them cancel the Gold card.
Many thanks Barry. I shall use your referral link!
Barry, good afternoon. I clicked on the referral link, but it takes me to the American Express USA website, but the article that you wrote talks about Platinum American Express Canada. Am I missing something.
Hi Ty,
Are you currently in the U.S. or using a VPN set to the U.S? The link should take you the Canadian site.
Here’s the direct link which I just tested and is showing Canada.
https://mgmee.americanexpress.com/refer/mgmee/ca/en/PTCAPTCAG3S4S5/AAARAgARHxMbAg==/v2?CPID=100200325&GENCODE=349992624315204&URN=AAARAgARHxMbAg%3D%3D
Thanks for your response. I called Amex and because I had the Platinum card 10 years ago I don’t qualify for any bonus points.
Ty,
THat’s their official line, but I’m betting if you apply, you’d probably get them. That being said, they’re within their rights to not give them to you.
Hi Barry, I used your referral link and got approved instantly. I’m just wondering if there’s a site or a place that I could post my referral link for others to use too.
Any ideas?? Thank you!
-Phil
Philip,
Thanks for using my link! The best place to post your link would be reddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/churningcanada/
Be sure to follow the rules as they’re pretty anal about people who break them.
You’re very welcome!
I can’t really see any subreddits where I can post my referral link. If I could just get 2 or 3 to offset some of the annual fee that would be amazing. I know there’s a maximum limit in a year. Any other suggestions?
The subs always happen at the start of the month so just wait til April 1st to post your link.
Beyond that, all you can really do is educate friends and family about the card. Don’t be a salesman, but if the subject comes up, just tell them why you signed up and why the annual fee is not that big of a deal if you know how to use your points.
I used your referral link and I’m just waiting for the card to arrive. My question is on how statement credits work. Do I call AMEX to have them put the 60,000 bonus points on my account as a statement credit of $600. Then, can I just book my flight online using my AMEX card or do I have to call AMEX travel concierge to book? I have another question regarding travel agent services. Some VISA cards offer full travel agency services. Does this AMEX card offer same?
Many thanks,
Deborah
Hi Deborah,
With Amex MR points, you can claim 1,000 points for $10 in travel purchases or $7 for ANY purchases. Both redemptions are done via your American Express account. E.g. there’s an option to use your points for purchases. Obviously, you get maximum value for your points when using them for travel. You can book any type of travel you want and just pay with your amex card. You’ll then be able to redeem points for those purchases after. Alternatively, you can use the Amex travel portal to make your reservations. Amex does indeed have a full service travel agency if you call them.
Hi Barry
Is your referral link still active.
I would like to use it for Amex Platinum.
Thanks
Hey Shelley,
You, all the referral links in the post are active. Thanks for using my referral link!
The membership benefits, $200 Travel credit and 50,000 bonus points far outweigh the annual fee on this card.
Hi Barry,
Great article – can you clarify the Valet at Pearson. Is that one valet park once a year? And how many days can you park free? Also, what do you mean priority line on the way out of Pearson? Have you used either perk – can you clarify?
Brandon,
The free valet service is for any trip to Pearson. It covers the valet portion, but you still pay the regular daily rate for parking.
https://www.torontopearson.com/en/transportation/parking
As for the priority line, it’s the same line people use who have Nexus.
Awesome – thank you! Just signed up with your link
Hi Barry- very helpful article, thanks a lot for all the guidance. I intend to use your referral link to apply. Quick question – I’m trying to decide between the Platinum and Business Platinum and can’t make up my mind. For Busines Platinum, I like the extra 15k MR points (75 vs 60k) on the referral, and the lower fee ($499 vs $699, esp since the $200 doesn’t come to you until a year later). Questions – (1) What exactly does the Platinum have that Business Platinum doesn’t, aside from the $200 credit? (2) What about the other way around (Business Plat over Plat) , aside from what I mentioned above? (3) Can I apply for the Business card using my personal credit (I do have a numbered company? Thanks a lot – Walt.
Hi Walter,
There are a few differences. The Amex Business although it comes with a higher signup bonus, you do need a minimum spend of $7K (when using the referral). The earn rate of the regular Platinum is arguably better at 3 points for restaurants, 2 points for travel and 1 point for everything else per $1 spent. The Business Platinum gives you a straight 1.25 points per $1 spent on all purchases which may be better for people who charge large amounts to their card that don’t fall under travel or restaurants. The regular Platinum card also gives you more hotel loyalty program upgrades.
Technically speaking you need a business to apply for the business card, but they won’t ask for a numbered company nor will they ask for proof of business.
hi barry,
I read lot of question answer here I have one question ,
I just received my platinum american express metal card do I need the priority card for lounge access and other benefit ?
when I visit to priority access page its saying some fee for membership?
thanks to reply .
Ali,
If I recall correctly, you need to call American Express to set up your free Priority Pass membership. Once that’s done, just download the app and log in. At Canadian airports, you can just show your Platinum cards at Priority Pass lounges, but internationally, it’s easier to use the app.
If you don’t think you can reach the $5,000 spend in the first 3 months is the 10,000 points really worth it. I feel like its safer to go through the main website and only have to spend $3,000 and get the 50,000 points vs the 60,000 points at a 5k spend.
Brent,
If you can’t reach the $5K minimum spend, then definitely don’t use the offer that gives you 10K more points.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for your referral link I used it for the 60K signup bonus. I had a gold airmiles card a few years ago, so I am assuming that I will still qualify? Also, the examples of the Michael Steakhouse and Duty Free promotions, do those types of promotions automatically come to me via email or do I have to opt in somehow?
BTW, really well done article. I was wondering what the heck do you get for a $695 fee? Apparently, a lot that applied to me 🙂
Hi Rob,
THe Gold AirMiles card is completely different so there’s no reason you shouldn’t get the signup bonus for the Amex Platinum.
With the offers, they’re automatic. That being said, sometimes there are some smaller offers that require you to register. One big promo recently that applied to everyone was if you booked $900 in hotels via the Amex Travel partner, you’d get $300 credit. There was also a save 5,000 points when you booked fixed travel for 40,000. Both were excellent offers.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the great article, very informative. Enjoy your 15k referral bonus I would have just sent your way.
On another note, the RBC Avion VISA Infinite Privilege is another card that I am considering. What are your thoughts on it? It has a 30k welcome bonus and I get a rebate through RBC premier banking rather than private banking.
Hey Tony,
Thanks for using my referral. As for the Avion VISA Infinite Privilege card, it’s similar to the Amex Business card as far as earn rates and benefits are concerned. That said the Avion card does not give you unlimited lounge access. Is the entire annual fee waived as a premier banking client? If so, you might as well get the card for the signup bonus and then transfer them to WestJet Dollars or BA Avios. On occasion, RBC has promos where you can get an extra 25% when transferring your points to hotels.com gift cards so that’s another option.
Hi Barry,
I currently have a Cobalt card for my usual expenses and have accumulated nearly 112k MR select points. I’m wondering if I should apply for the platinum for the big purchases and perks and keep the Cobalt for daily expenses? Mostly cause i don’t know what to do with my MR select points and yes I intend to use your link when applying for the Platinum card.
TC,
The Platinum card gives you more flexibility since you can transfer to Aeroplan but as you know, the Cobalt has a higher earn rate at 5X the points vs 3X the points on eats. I would only consider the Platinum card if #1 you can meet the minimum spend of $5K for the 60K points via a referral as that alone makes it worthwhile. You can then assess throughout the year how your spending is and decide in 11 months or so which card you should keep.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the response. I am keeping my Cobalt till I redeem my points. Regarding the $5K minimum, I am going to pay my auto and home insurance lumpsum to meet it. Thought I would share so that your other readers could maybe do the same ?! 🙂
Your articles were a great source of information.
TC,
Auto and home insurance is the PERFECT way to meet the minimum spend =D
Hi Barry,
How do the hotel status upgrades work? Do I need to update my hotel membership accounts to indicate that I have the AMEX Platinum? Does it simply automatically upgrade status the next time I pay for a stay at such a hotel and provide my hotel membership information?
Thanks!
Hi Brad,
I believe you need to call Amex Platinum card services to get your account upgraded 1‑800‑263‑1616.
Hey Barry I’m looking to either get the business or personal platinum card. That being said besides the different earning point structure and if I can meet the minimum spending, are there any differences (i.e benefits, perks, etc) between the 2 cards? I would love to hear your insights!
Hey Wayne,
Thanks for reaching out. The signup bonus is the biggest difference 60K vs. 75K but there’s also a minimum spend of $5K vs $7k. The annual fee is $699 for the personal platinum vs. $499 for the business but the personal platinum gives you an annual travel credit of $200 so in reality, the fees are the same.
As you’re aware the earn rates are different. If the majority of your spending is on restaurants and travel, the personal platinum may be a better choice.
Both cards give you unlimited lounge access, but the personal platinum gives you additional travel perks such as hotel status upgrades, access to American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, The Hotel Collection by American Express, High-end travel benefits and the Global Dining Collection.
If you’re a high end traveller, I think the personal platinum card is better. If you’re a casual traveller who wants to earn AMex points fast, I prefer the Amex Platinum business card.
Hi Barry, just signed up using your link. You are very helpful. Does Amex know to combine the MR points into the same account if I already have an Amex Bus Plat earning MR points and now adding an Amex Personal Plat?
William,
You can call Amex and combine the MR accounts e.g. all current and future points would all go into either your business or personal account (whichever you tell them).
Hi Barry
Thank you for the incredibly informative post!
Do you know if the Canadian card offers the Uber and Saks credits?
Thanks!
Hi Uzma,
There are no Uber or Saks credits that come with the Amex Platinum card in Canada.
Thanks Barry!
I don’t like how the FHR program
Hotels are significantly higher fees than the same hotel selected without the FHR perks. What you save they tack on in fees by somewhat similar amounts
Shar,
I agree for about 80% of the hotels. On occasion, there’s an FHR that offers a good deal. Good deal being a relative term.
The same goes for the Rental Car Program they have with Hertz. I consistently find much much higher costs with the Hertz Rental Car Company than with any other rental company, so much so that I have not yet rented with them anywhere! I think the Platinum Card does not convey any benefits in this case.
Jon,
I’ve also always found Hertz to be pretty expensive. I always use Alamo when I go to Orlando and it’s usually 20% cheaper than Hertz for similar vehicles.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for this informative post. I know that AMEX platinum doesn’t come with Uber credits, but what if we travel to the US and use Uber down there?
Thanks
Hi John,
There are no Uber credit with the Amex Platinum Canada card.
I think your referral link is expired?
Joe,
I just checked and it’s working fine – https://www.moneywehave.com/refer/amexplatinum
[…] American Express Platinum Canada offer is now live. The website now shows a welcome bonus of 50,000 Membership Rewards Points when you charge $3,000 in purchases to your Card in the first three months of Cardmembership, plus […]
Hi there, do you know if there’s a difference on travel medical coverage between the American and Canadian AMEX Platinum cards?
This article for the USA version doesn’t mention great medical insurance, but it looks like the medical coverage is available on the Canadian version.
Reference: https://creditcarrots.com/american-express-platinum-review/
Jamie,
I’m not familiar with the US Travel benefits for the Amex Platinum. If you’re based in the U.S., google “American Express Platinum Certificate of Insurance” and it should pull up the handbook so you can go through it.
In Canada, the American Express Platinum Card costs $699 per year. This annual fee covers the cost of worldwide airport lounge access, a $200 annual travel credit, worldwide travel insurance, 110,000 welcome bonus points, and more.
Barry a question please.
I travel to the US quite frequently, and have an Amex Platinum card.
Does Amex charge a transaction fee for every purchase on this card?
Simon,
Yes, a 2.5% foreign exchange fee applies for any purchase not made in Canadian dollars.
You might want to consider one of these cards – https://www.moneywehave.com/the-best-no-foreign-transaction-fee-credit-cards-in-canada/
That said, I frequently travel too. I use the Amex Platinum card for lounge access and Scotiabank passport card for purchases.
Thanks Barry.
Is there any reason why I couldn’t apply for a US Amex card, I am building a house in Arizona, and only use the card in the US?
Hey Simon,
If you have a Social Security Number, US Bank account, and a US address is actually really easy to get a US credit card.
How do you use the Priority Security? Do you simply show your card? What about travelling companions? Can they go through with you?
MC,
You generate priority QR codes here – https://yyz.americanexpress.com/
You can generate up to 10 at once. Each travelling companion would get one.
I believe now you have to request for the QR codes to access the automated Priority Security gates in YYZ via this link: https://yyz.americanexpress.com/
You can request up to 10 QR codes each time. It is said that the Amex card holder should be in the travelling party.
Hi Barry, thanks for the post here.
For Travel Insurance, it says that you will be covered if the entire purchase was put on the Platinum card. My question is if you transfer your points to Aeroplan and use them to purchase the entire travel, are you still eligible for travel insurance coverage? Second, if you use your all of you points directly with Amex travel for the full ticket price, does that still count towards getting travel insurance?
Thank you
Hey Ron,
No, your extended travel insurance does not apply if you transfer your points to Aeroplan unless you pay the balance with an Aeroplan credit card.
If you use your points via the American Express travel portal and pay the balance with your Amex Platinum, your extended travel insurance applies. If there’s no balance, insurance applies
Travel medical applies regardless.
This is the Way.
I just paid $794 less per ticket for a total savings of $2,382 for 3 round trip business class flights from YYZ to SIN for this August through Amex’s International Airline Program.
The Amex Platinum card is definitely a card worth keeping. For the $699 annual fee, membership has its privileges. 😉