The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Best For: Gaining access to unrivaled travel rewards and luxury travel perks like airport lounge access
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | $595 | Good, Excellent |
The American Express Business Platinum Card® is an excellent charge card designed for business owners who travel frequently. Cardholders can enjoy luxury travel perks, including access to more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide. This small business card does not charge any interest because you are required to pay your balance in full every month.
Who American Express Business Platinum Card® Is Best For
- Owners who are frequent travelers: The American Express Business Platinum Card® offers premium rewards points on travel and hotel bookings and other travel perks like airport lounge access and airline fee credit on qualifying incidental purchases.
- Owners who can pay their balance in full every month: The American Express Business Platinum Card® is a charge card, which requires you to pay your balance in full every month.
How We Evaluate Points Rewards Business Credit Cards
When grading points rewards business credit cards like the American Express Business Platinum Card®, we weigh ongoing and introductory rewards the heaviest. We also consider the annual fee, introductory and ongoing annual percentage rates (APRs), and other card benefits. However, since this American Express business credit card is a charge card, it has no ongoing APR because the balance is due in full every month.
Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
|---|---|---|
Ongoing Rewards | 30 | 30 |
Introductory Rewards | 20 | 20 |
Annual Fee | 15 | 15 |
Features | 15 | 15 |
Introductory APR | 10 | 10 |
Ongoing APR | 5 | 10 |
Total Score | 95 | 100 |
American Express Business Platinum Card® Fees
- Introductory APR: None
- Ongoing APR: No APR because it’s a charge card and needs to be paid in full monthly. However, if you use the Pay Over Time feature, the APR is 18.24%, which varies based on the prime rate. The penalty APR for Pay Over Time balances is currently 29.24% variable. The variable penalty APR will not exceed 29.99%.
- Annual fee: $595
- Balance transfer fee: Transfers are not allowed
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Cash advance fee: Cash advances are not allowed
American Express Business Platinum Card® Rewards
- 5x membership rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com
- 1.5x membership rewards points per dollar for eligible purchase transactions of $5,000 or more
- 1x points on all other purchases.
- 3.5 extra points for every 10 points you redeem for travel through American Express Travel (that’s 35% of your points back), up to 500,000 bonus points per year.
- $200 airline fee credit per calendar year for baggage fees and other eligible incidental expenses with a qualifying airline you choose.
- $200 statement credit on purchases with Dell. You can get up to $100 in statement credits every six months, for a total of $200 in credits every year.
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership
To redeem your points as a statement credit, you need at least 1,000 points in your account so that you can apply them to pay for charges on your credit card statement. You can also redeem your points for gift cards through amexgiftcard.com or use them on your Amazon purchases. You can also redeem for select taxi fares and tips in New York City.
You can redeem a minimum of 5,000 points to book travel on American Express Travel and receive 35% of your points back. You are also allowed to transfer points to another frequent flyer program for a fee of 0.0006 cents per point, with a maximum fee of $99. Furthermore, if you have a minimum of 2,000 points, you can use them to purchase event tickets on Ticketmaster or AXS.
American Express Business Platinum Card® Features
Premium Roadside Assistance
Your American Express Business Platinum Card® gives you access to premium roadside assistance for up to four times per year at no additional charge. Available services include going up to 10 miles, winching, jumping your car, tire change if there is a spare, gas delivery up to two gallons, and lockout services. Some vehicles and services are not covered, including rental vehicles, taxis, unlicensed vehicles, and tractors and trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds.
Purchase Protection
Purchased items that are damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase―90 days for New York residents―are covered with purchase protection. American Express will reimburse the amount charged to your card, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardmember each year. Purchase protection does not cover certain items such as motorized vehicles, medical equipment, rented items, permanent fixtures, animals, living plants, and consumables.
Return Protection
If you try to return an eligible item within 90 days from your purchase date and a store won’t take it back, American Express may refund the purchase price up to $300 per item and $1,000 per cardmember account every year. Items are eligible if they are in the original condition you bought them in, and they can’t be returned to the original store. Motorized vehicles, personal hygiene items, tickets, computer software, jewelry, books, and perishable items are not covered by this protection.
Extended Warranty Protection
The American Express Business Platinum Card® offers extended warranties on items with an original manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less. American Express will either match warranties that are less than two years or provide two extra years if the original warranty is between two and five years.
Travel Accident Insurance
Travel accident insurance up to $500,000 is available if you die or lose a limb, sight, speech, or hearing in regard to any travel fares that were paid for entirely using your American Express Business Platinum Card®. Self-inflicted injuries, certain ailments, and physical or mental infirmity are not included in the coverage.
Baggage Insurance Plan
The American Express Business Platinum Card® provides coverage between $1,000 and $3,000 for any lost bags while in transit, carry-on baggage, checked baggage, high-risk items, or both carry-on and checked baggage. High-risk items, such as jewelry, sporting equipment, and electronic equipment, are also included with the coverage. However, cash, tickets, prosthetics, documents, animals, and living plants are excluded.
Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance
If you use your American Express Business Platinum Card® for a car rental, you are covered up to $75,000 per car rental agreement during the rental period. Vehicles rented from a car rental company within the first 30 days are eligible. Intentional damage by an authorized driver, manufacturing defects, confiscation by authority, theft of or damage to tires and to rental vehicles that are unlocked or not secured are not included with the coverage.
Account Management Tools
Account management tools, such as mobile device apps, desktop programs, and QuickBooks integration, are available to enhance your cash flow operations. These tools offer the ability to manage your cards from your desktop and mobile devices. Employees can also upload photos of their receipts to make for easier expense reporting.
Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®
American Express Business Platinum Card® lets you receive a statement credit every four years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or every four-and-a-half years after you apply for TSA Pre✓® ($85). If you’re approved for TSA Pre✓®, you will get expedited screening at participating airports. If you’re approved for Global Entry, you will also receive access to TSA Pre✓® at no additional charge.
Delta Sky Club
American Express Business Platinum Card® gives cardholders access to airport Delta Sky Clubs. You must be at least 18 years old to access a Delta Sky Club and 21 years old to access locations that have a self-service bar. To enter a Delta Sky Club, you must present a valid American Express card, your government ID, and your airline ticket for that day. In comparison, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card offers complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs.
Gogo Preferred Program
Each American Express Business Platinum Card® is eligible for up to 10 complimentary single flight passes for Gogo inflight internet each year. A single flight is defined as one takeoff and landing on the same aircraft, with the same flight number, between two cities. To be eligible for this program, your card must be issued in the United States and must be currently active. This feature is unique to American Express and the American Express Business Platinum Card®.
American Express Business Platinum Card® Alternatives
Chase Ink Business Preferred®
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Best For: Maximizing travel rewards at a lower annual fee
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 15.99% to 20.99% Variable | $95 | Good to Excellent |
U.S. Bank Business Select Rewards Card
U.S. Bank Business Select Rewards Card
Best For: Earning points rewards in your choice in category spending
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0%* | 11.99% - 22.99%* Variable | $0* | Excellent |
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
Best For: Unlimited 2x miles with every swipe
| Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 20.99% (Variable) | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that | Excellent, Good |
Bottom Line
The American Express Business Platinum Card® is best for business owners who charge all their monthly business expenses to their cards and have the ability to pay their balance in full every month. This business charge card offers premium travel rewards and perks ideal for business owners who need to travel frequently. If you think this card is not what you’re looking for, review other top card options.
Trevelino Keller
Cost to manage compared to other service providers.