{"id":285,"date":"2025-09-19T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/?p=285"},"modified":"2025-09-22T12:08:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T12:08:25","slug":"why-im-keeping-my-amex-platinum-in-spite-of-the-higher-annual-fee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/19\/why-im-keeping-my-amex-platinum-in-spite-of-the-higher-annual-fee\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I\u2019m Keeping My Amex Platinum In Spite Of The Higher Annual Fee"},"content":{"rendered":"

American Express just made a whole lotta changes to the venerable The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express (Terms apply, see rates & fees<\/a>), and I\u2019m a little bit in my feelings about it. I spend more time than the average person thinking about my credit card strategy and each year when a card\u2019s annual fee rolls around, I play a personal game of \u201cKeep or Cancel.\u201d <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve held my\u00a0The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express<\/a><\/span>\u00a0for a little over three years. Each year, I\u2019ve found\u00a0the math keeps mathing and I\u2019m able to get more value from the card than it costs to own it. Surprisingly, the card\u2019s new benefits seal the deal for me, despite the elevated $895 annual price. Here\u2019s why.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8 Reasons Why I\u2019m Keeping the Amex Platinum Card <\/h2>\n

1. It\u2019s Got the Best Lounge Access of Any Credit Card <\/h3>\n

This isn\u2019t a new perk, but I fly at least a dozen times a year if not more. Most of the time, I can hit up an airport lounge<\/a><\/span> using this perk before my flight to save on water, coffee and snacks. Between the Centurion Lounges<\/a><\/span>, the Priority Pass lounges, the Plaza Premium lounges and the Delta Sky Clubs when I fly Delta<\/a><\/span>, I\u2019m rarely without a place to pop into before my flight. Enrollment required. <\/p>\n

When there isn\u2019t a lounge, I estimate these things cost me at least $10, more if I need a meal. So that\u2019s at least $120 in savings annually, and even more if I\u2019m flying with my husband and kids and can bring them into a lounge with me. <\/p>\n

2. I Read the Paper Online <\/h3>\n

I primarily consume my news online. The Amex Platinum just bumped\u00a0its digital streaming credit up to $300 annually, which works out to $25 a month. That\u2019s enough to cover my monthly news subscription fee, whereas before it only partially covered it. This is an expense I would pay for anyway, so it\u2019s fantastic to get a statement credit that covers all of it.\u00a0Enrollment required.<\/p>\n

3. I Live in Lululemon <\/h3>\n

Call it a suburban cliche, but I\u2019m a mom who works from home. Comfort is key. It may be bougie, but I wear Lululemon leggings just about every day and have been known to cancel plans if it means wearing \u201chard pants.\u201d So, a quarterly $75 Lululemon credit practically shouts, \u201cCome and get me, Robin!\u201d I\u2019ll easily use up the full $300 each year. Enrollment required. <\/p>\n

4. I Like To Eat and Have Others Clean It Up <\/h3>\n

Did I mention I\u2019m a mom who works from the suburbs and lives in athleisure? My location also means I\u2019m not in a major metropolitan area, so in the past a lot of the restaurants and accompanying perks found on apps like Resy would require an hour or more drive to the closest big city. But Resy has recently upped its game in my area, and there are now plenty of eligible places near me I\u2019d love to use a $100 quarterly credit at. Enrollment required. <\/p>\n

5. The Hotel Elite Statuses Shine <\/h3>\n

The Amex Platinum benefits already included Marriott Bonvoy\u00ae Gold elite status and Hilton Honors\"\u2122\" Gold elite status, which comes with benefits like room upgrades where available\u00a0and late checkouts. The Hilton Gold status also includes a daily food and beverage credit at eligible properties in the U.S. for up to two adults per room (continental breakfast at select brands outside the U.S.). Enrollment required.
\u00a0
That may seem like small potatoes but at a recent two-night stay at the Hilton Marco Island Resort and Spa, my family and I had a $30 a day food and beverage credit that covered the coffee and\u00a0muffins\u00a0each morning for breakfast in the lobby cafe. I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019ll take a credit that covers breakfast anytime I\u2019m in a hotel. The newly added Sterling status at The Leading Hotels of the World also includes a daily continental breakfast for two and I hope to find a way to use it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

6. The Walmart+ Credit Is a Perk I Never Knew I Needed <\/h3>\n

I never had much interest in a Walmart+ membership prior to having an Amex Platinum card. The closest Walmart to me isn\u2019t close enough for everyday shopping, but since the $155 Walmart+ membership credit effectively canceled out the cost of the service, I decided to check it out. The same-day free shipping perk has been invaluable when I\u2019ve needed last-minute supplies for school, drinks for entertaining or basic groceries when I\u2019ve been too harried to get to the store myself. Subject to auto renewal.<\/p>\n

7. I Use That $100 Annual Saks Credit <\/h3>\n

Although there\u2019s not much I can get at Saks Fifth Avenue in the way of clothing for $50 semiannually, I do buy makeup twice a year at the cosmetics counters. I promise it\u2019s not because I have an allegiance to the name. I prefer shopping at the department store to the hordes of teens and tweens I\u2019d typically encounter at a Sephora or Ulta, and having that twice-annual credit motivates me to freshen up my supplies. Enrollment required. <\/p>\n

8. I Value That 5X Earn Rate on Flights <\/h3>\n

Much is said about the Amex Platinum benefits that come with the card, but the earning rate on flights (and prepaid hotels booked through Amex) is one of the best out there. Cardholders earn 5 Membership Rewards\u00ae points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel\u00ae on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel\u00ae and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases. When I must pay cash for a flight, I\u2019ll always pay for it with my Amex Platinum Card.<\/p>\n

Bottom Line <\/h2>\n

For me, the new Amex Platinum benefits are a net positive, even with the higher annual fee. It\u2019s true that some of the benefits<\/a><\/span>, both new (e.g., $200 Oura credit) and old (e.g., $300 Equinox credit), simply don\u2019t apply to how I spend and live. But there are enough perks I do use to make the card worth the annual fee<\/a><\/span>. <\/p>\n

The card won’t be right for everyone, though. Consider how your spending habits align with what the Amex Platinum offers and compare it to other top credit cards<\/a><\/span> to choose what\u2019s best for your unique needs. <\/p>\n

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Find The Best Credit Cards For 2025<\/h2>\n

No single credit card is the best option for every family, every purchase or every budget. We’ve picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tLearn More<\/span>
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To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express please visit this page<\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

American Express just made a whole lotta changes to the venerable The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express (Terms apply, see rates & fees), and I\u2019m a little bit in my feelings about it. I spend more time than the average person thinking about my credit card strategy and each year when a card\u2019s annual fee […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":265,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=285"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":286,"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285\/revisions\/286"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.capitalskips.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}