Full Review

The Platinum Card® from American Express is an elite charge card for high-spending frequent travelers with credit scores of 700+. Amex Platinum does charge a very large annual fee, at $550, but it is worth the cost if you can take advantage of the card’s initial bonus (60,000 points), up to $400 in statement credits ($200 in Uber and $200 in airline-fee credits that cardholders get each year), and various other perks.

Highlights

Nice initial bonus.The American Express Platinum Card offers you 60,000 bonus points for spending at least $5,000 within three months of account opening, which are worth about $480 on average.

Naughty annual fee.The Amex Platinum Card's main claim to fame, aside from its luxurious travel rewards, is a whopping $550 annual fee. That alone will turn a lot of people off, but frequent travelers can definitely still get their money's worth from the card’s rewards and other perks.

Solid travel rewards, with some limitations.Amex Platinum gives you 5 points per $1 spent on airfare, as long as you book directly with the airline or through American Express. You'll also get 5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotel reservations booked through Amex. That equates to about 4.25% cash back, which is great compared to the 1.07% you’d earn with the average cash rewards card. But that’s not the real star of the Amex Platinum rewards show.

Airport lounge access and annual travel credits.Amex Platinum provides access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide, including the Amex Centurion Lounge network. Plus, cardholders get $200 per year in statement credits for baggage fees and other airline incidentals (with one qualifying airline), as well as $200 in annual Uber credits. But remember, such perks are only good if you use them.

Automatic hotel status.As an American Express Platinum Card user, you will be able to join Hilton's and Marriott's loyalty rewards programs as a Gold member without meeting any of the standard spending requirements. This gives you access to perks such as complimentary room upgrades and enables you to earn free nights faster. For more information about these loyalty programs.

You have to pay in full most of the time.American Express Platinum is a charge card, which means you must pay your monthly bill in full if you want to continue making purchases — unless certain charges of at least $100 qualify for the "Pay Over Time" feature (up to Pay Over Time Limit), which allows you to carry an interest-accruing balance. So you’ll need to find another card for big-ticket purchases.

No go without good credit or better.The American Express Platinum Credit Card requires good or excellent credit for approval