Is the $895 Amex Platinum Annual Fee Still Worth It for Travelers?
The Overview: A Higher Fee, Bigger Promise
The Platinum Card® from American Express has officially reclaimed its spot as the priciest mainstream travel credit card. After a 2025 refresh, the card’s annual fee jumped from $695 to $895, setting a new record among premium travel cards.
To offset the price hike, Amex introduced a revamped lineup of lifestyle and travel perks—claiming more than $3,500 in potential yearly value. Some additions are practical, like boosted hotel and dining credits. Others lean niche, appealing to a narrower slice of users.
The question for travelers: is the new Amex Platinum still a powerhouse travel tool, or just a metal coupon book masquerading as luxury?
What’s New in 2025
Annual fee: $895 (effective Sept 2025; renewals after Jan 2, 2026, reflect the higher price).
Authorized user fee: $195 per card, with most premium travel benefits included.
New and enhanced credits include:
Hotel stays: Up to $600 total per year, split into two $300 credits for bookings through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (two-night minimum required).
Dining: Up to $400 per year in statement credits for eligible Resy dining transactions ($100 per quarter).
Wellness: Up to $200 annually toward purchases from Oura Ring, the sleep-tracking smart ring.
Activewear: Up to $300 annually for Lululemon purchases.
Entertainment and travel upgrades: Enhanced credits for streaming services, Uber Cash, CLEAR Plus, and new complimentary hotel elite status with Leading Hotels of the World.
Together, these updates push the Platinum’s lifestyle value to new highs—at least on paper.
Ongoing Travel Perks
While the credits got a facelift, the card’s travel backbone remains the same:
5 × Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel, and on prepaid hotels through the Amex portal.
1 × point per dollar on other purchases.
Access to the Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta), and Priority Pass Select lounges.
Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
$200 airline incidental fee credit on one selected airline each calendar year.
Premium Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / CLEAR Plus credits and trip-delay insurance.
These benefits make the Platinum Card one of the most travel-oriented cards on the market—especially for frequent flyers chasing upgrades and airport comfort.
Value vs. Reality
In theory, cardholders could stack more than $3,500 in annual perks—more than triple the fee. But the actual return depends entirely on usage.
If you regularly book luxury hotels through Amex, dine at Resy restaurants, and hit airports often enough to value Centurion Lounge access, the numbers work. Frequent travelers can easily surpass the $895 cost.
But if your travel schedule is limited, or you rarely use niche perks like Oura Ring or Lululemon credits, those benefits quickly lose real-world value. In that case, a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X could offer a better rewards-to-fee ratio.
Pros and Cons at a Glance
Pros:
Massive lineup of credits that can outweigh the annual fee
Best-in-class airport lounge access
Strong travel insurance protections
Luxury hotel perks through Fine Hotels + Resorts
Cons:
Weak everyday earning rates (just 1 × point on most purchases)
Many credits require activation or specific booking channels
Limited usefulness for infrequent travelers
High authorized-user cost
Bottom Line
The $895 Amex Platinum isn’t for casual travelers—it’s a luxury lifestyle card for those who travel often, spend strategically, and actually redeem the perks.
For jet-setters who maximize hotel stays, dine frequently, and value premium airport experiences, the Platinum remains a powerhouse. But for anyone who leaves credits unused, it can quickly become a pricey status symbol with limited payoff.
As with any premium card, the key is alignment: if your travel habits match the Platinum’s benefits, it’s absolutely worth it. If not, consider whether those silver-metal bragging rights are really worth $895 a year.
