American Express Business Platinum Card Review

A business credit card can make covering everyday expenses or large, one-time purchases convenient and more manageable. And some business credit cards sweeten the deal by offering additional incentives when you use them to book business travel. 

The American Express Business Platinum Card yields premium perks for business travelers who are comfortable paying a higher annual fee. If you’re looking for a new business credit card option, learn whether the Business Platinum Card from American Express could be a good fit. 

Pile Up Points for Amex Travel

It’s possible to earn Membership Rewards points on every purchase with the Business Platinum Card, but you’ll get the most mileage from travel spending. Members earn 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amextravel.com. 

If you’re booking travel any other way, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar on those purchases. That same rewards rate applies to any other eligible business purchases you make with the card, such as office supplies or dinner out with clients. You can, however, elevate that to 1.5 points per dollar on purchases of $5,000 or more, up to 1 million additional points per year. 

This card offers an introductory points bonus, worth up to 75,000 Membership Rewards points. Members earn 50,000 points after spending $10,000 and an extra 25,000 points after spending an additional $10,000 in the first 3 months of card membership. 

Get Bonus Points for Travel Redemptions

American Express offers numerous ways to redeem Membership Rewards points earned with your Business Platinum card, including: 

• Statement credit
• Gift cards
• Online shopping
• Charitable donations
• Travel

Of those options, using your points for travel may be the smartest strategy. When you use your Membership Rewards points to Pay with Points for all or part of an eligible airfare booking, you get 35% of those points back. It’s possible to get up to 500,000 points back per calendar year with this strategy. 

Luxury Perks Let You Travel In Comfort

Earning points that you can redeem for business trips might be your biggest motivator for considering the American Express Business Platinum Card. But there are several other features for travel that you may appreciate. 

For instance, you’re automatically enrolled in the American Express Global Lounge Collection. This benefit allows you to access more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, including The Centurion Lounge and Delta Sky Club. Being able to relax in the lounge between flights can make enduring a layover less stressful. 

The card also includes a $200 airline fee credit each calendar year that you can apply to incidentals, such as checked bags or in-flight refreshments. There’s also a fee credit you can use to cover TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fees. These services can help you get through the airport screening lines faster, saving valuable time. 

Beyond those benefits, members also enjoy complimentary upgrades and perks through the Fine Hotels & Resorts program. And Gold Status in both the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty programs come built-in. These programs can help you earn free nights faster when you book stays at Hilton or Marriott hotels, which is a nice plus if you’re loyal to those brands. 

Is the Cost Worth the Benefits?

As mentioned, the American Express Business Platinum Card does have an annual fee. A $595 one to be exact. 

That fee makes it one of the more expensive business credit cards on the market. But you won’t pay any foreign transaction fees on overseas travel, and you won’t pay interest on charges since this is a charge card. That means you pay your balance off in full each month. 

In terms of whether the annual fee is worth it, the answer largely depends on how often you travel. If you regularly fly or book hotel stays for business trips, then you may be able to earn the cost of the fee back in rewards relatively quickly. Also, consider the value of the extras that come with the card. 

Those benefits include the $200 airline fee credit and the fee credit for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, but it also covers other card perks such as:

• One year of Platinum Global access from WeWork
• Up to $200 in annual statement credit for Dell purchases made with your card
• Business Platinum Travel services
• Business Platinum Card Concierge services
• Global Dining Collection access
• Premium roadside assistance service
• Travel insurance
• Premium rental car privileges
• Extended warranty and purchase protection

All of those extras can save your business money and make business travel more enjoyable all-around. Analyzing your typical travel spending and comparing the Business Platinum Card features and benefits to travel cards with a lower annual fee can help you decide which card is right for you.