
The Platinum Card® from American Express has a excessive $695 annual price (see rates and fees), but it surely affords an extended checklist of advantages.
As an Amex Platinum cardmember, you earn 5 factors per greenback on flights booked straight with airways or American Specific Journey® (on as much as $500,000 of those purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and 5 factors per greenback on pay as you go accommodations and flights booked by means of American Express Travel®.
As well as, cardmembers obtain a big selection of assertion credit, lodge and automobile rental elite standing, journey protections and particular affords by means of Amex Presents.
With so many advantages to maintain observe of, some Amex Platinum cardmembers really feel like their card acts extra like a coupon e-book than a premium journey card.
If you’re uncertain whether or not to maintain your Amex Platinum, contemplate switching to one among these 9 rewards bank cards.
Associated: How to maximize benefits with the Amex Platinum Card
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a worthy competitor within the luxurious rewards card area. The cardboard contains an annual $300 travel credit when booked by means of Capital One Journey, a ten,000-mile anniversary bonus, a Precedence Move membership, entry to Capital One Lounges and a credit score of as much as $120 for World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
It earns 10 miles per greenback spent on accommodations and rental automobiles and 5 miles per greenback spent on flights and trip leases when reserving by means of Capital One Journey, in addition to 2 miles per greenback spent on all different purchases. Plus, as a brand new cardmember, you’ll be able to earn a welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
All miles can be utilized to e-book journey and even cowl eligible journey purchases, or you’ll be able to switch them to one among Capital One’s 15-plus airline and hotel partners. The cardboard does have an annual price of $395, however licensed customers (plenty of which will be added at no further value) can take pleasure in lots of the card’s advantages.
Day by day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Day by day e-newsletter
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists
$395 is not a small quantity, but it surely’s considerably lower than what an Amex Platinum cardmember pays annually.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Capital One Venture X.
Be taught extra: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Vacationers love the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) as a result of it affords quite a lot of advantages to cardholders, plus excessive factors bonuses on purchases made by means of Chase Travel℠.
With this card, you will obtain an annual $300 journey credit score, as much as a $120 credit score for World Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus, entry to each Chase Sapphire Lounge, a Precedence Move membership, entry to The Edit (Chase’s rebranded luxurious lodge program), main rental automobile protection and journey and buying buy protections.
Moreover, you will earn 3 factors per greenback spent on travel and dining (together with eligible takeout and supply providers), 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked by means of Chase Journey, 10 factors per greenback spent on accommodations and automobile leases booked by means of Chase Journey and 10 factors per greenback spent on Chase Eating purchases. All different purchases earn 1 level per greenback.
Be aware that you simply will not earn bonus factors on journey till after the primary $300 is spent on journey yearly.
You possibly can transfer points to 14 airline and hotel partners or use them to e-book journey and canopy purchases by means of assertion credit. You may must pay a $550 annual price, however which means you will save $145 annually in comparison with paying for an Amex Platinum. Sapphire Reserve licensed customers value $75 every.
New cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
As a cardmember of the Amex Platinum and the Sapphire Reserve, TPG bank cards author Danyal Ahmed persistently will get higher worth out of his Sapphire Reserve because of its superb incomes charges and versatile journey credit score.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card
For individuals who wish to earn Final Rewards factors with out the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s excessive annual price, there’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees).
Whereas this card does not embrace lounge entry and different premium advantages, it does include main rental automobile insurance coverage, a $50 annual lodge assertion credit score on bookings made by means of Chase Journey and journey and buying buy protections. Moreover, you will obtain a 10% points bonus on all purchases on the finish of yearly.
Journey booked by means of Chase Journey earns 5 factors per greenback. You may additionally earn 3 factors per greenback spent on eating (together with eligible takeout and supply providers), on-line grocery purchases (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment) and choose streaming providers, 2 factors per greenback spent on all different journey and 1 level per greenback spent on every part else.
This card’s annual price is an inexpensive $95. New candidates can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening
To study extra, learn our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Citi Strata Premier Card
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) earns versatile ThankYou points that can be utilized to e-book journey by means of CitiTravel.com, store on-line, purchase present playing cards and transferred to travel partners for airline or lodge redemptions.
Yearly, you will obtain a $100 credit score towards a single lodge keep of $500 or extra (excluding taxes and charges) that is booked by means of CitiTravel.com. This profit alone covers the $95 annual price.
You may earn 10 factors per greenback on accommodations, automobile leases and points of interest booked on CitiTravel.com, 3 factors per greenback spent at eating places, supermarkets, gasoline stations and electrical automobile charging stations, in addition to 3 factors per greenback spent on air journey and different lodge reservations. All different purchases earn 1 level per greenback.
New cardholders will earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Citi Strata Premier.
Apply right here: Citi Strata Premier Card
American Specific Gold Card
If you wish to preserve incomes Membership Rewards factors, the American Express® Gold Card could be the proper card for you. With the Amex Gold, you will earn 4 factors per greenback eating at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar yr; then 1 level per greenback), 4 factors per greenback on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar yr; then 1 level per greenback), 3 factors per greenback on flights booked straight with the airline or with amextravel.com and a couple of factors per greenback on pay as you go accommodations booked with amextravel.com and 1 level per greenback on different eligible purchases.
Amex Gold cardmembers additionally obtain as much as $120 in Uber Cash per calendar yr (as much as $10 a month), as much as $120 in dining statement credits (as much as $10 per thirty days) per calendar yr, as much as $100 in assertion credit with U.S. Resy eating places (as much as $50 in assertion credit semi-annually) per calendar yr and as much as $84 in month-to-month assertion credit (as much as $7 per thirty days in assertion credit) per calendar yr with U.S. Dunkin’ Donuts areas. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
When totally utilized, these credit present sufficient worth to greater than cowl the cardboard’s $325 annual price (see rates and fees). Uber Money will solely be deposited into one Uber account whenever you add an Amex Card as a fee technique and pay with any eligible Amex card.
Plus, cardmembers have entry to the identical Resort Assortment* advantages as these with the Amex Platinum. Enrollment is required.
New candidates for the Amex Gold can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of cardmembership.
To study extra, learn our full review of the American Express Gold Card.
*Eligible costs range by property. Minimal two-night keep required.
Apply right here: American Express Gold Card
Financial institution of America Premium Rewards bank card
The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is a good possibility for vacationers who’re loyal to Financial institution of America. It earns 2 factors per greenback spent on journey and eating purchases, plus 1.5 factors per greenback spent on every part else.
Cardholders who’re additionally a member of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program can earn as much as a 75% bonus on all of their rewards, relying on the dimensions of their account balances. That interprets to as much as 3.5 factors per greenback spent on journey and as much as 2.63 factors per greenback spent on every part else.
Whereas Financial institution of America does not have any switch companions, you’ll be able to redeem your factors for money again, as an announcement credit score, for present playing cards and for journey purchases by means of the Financial institution of America Journey Middle with out blackout dates.
You may additionally obtain as much as $100 for World Entry or TSA PreCheck utility charges each 4 years and as much as $100 in airline incidental price assertion credit annually, the latter of which offsets the cardboard’s $95 annual price.
New cardholders can earn 60,000 on-line bonus factors after making $4,000 in purchases throughout the first 90 days of account opening.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Bank of America Premium Rewards.
Apply right here: Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card
Hilton loyalists love the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card as a result of it routinely grants Hilton Diamond elite standing and affords an array of different advantages. Cardmembers obtain quite a lot of assertion credit, tailor-made towards each normal journey and Hilton stays.
The cardboard additionally contains an annual free night time reward. Extra free night time rewards will be earned whenever you spend $30,000 and $60,000 in a calendar yr. These advantages simply outweigh this card’s $550 annual price. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
The data for the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
You may earn 14 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at accommodations and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 7 factors per greenback spent on flights booked straight with the airline or American Specific Journey and automobile leases booked with choose automobile rental corporations, 7 factors per greenback spent on eating at U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply) and three factors per greenback spent on different eligible purchases.
New cardmembers can earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Be taught extra: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire
Marriott Bonvoy Sensible American Specific Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is the premier card for Marriott Bonvoy members. It contains as much as $300 in annual assertion credit per calendar yr (as much as $25 per thirty days) on eligible eating purchases made with the cardboard at eating places worldwide, plus automatic Platinum Elite status and a free night award yearly after your renewal month (price as much as 85,000 factors). Sure accommodations have resort charges.
You may additionally obtain as much as $100 in property credit whenever you e-book not less than two nights at a Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis. If that wasn’t sufficient, cardmembers get a Precedence Move membership and as much as $120 for World Entry or TSA PreCheck. Enrollment is required; phrases apply.
With this card, you will earn 6 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at accommodations taking part within the Marriott Bonvoy program, 3 factors per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide and on flights booked straight with the airline, and a couple of factors per greenback spent on every part else.
An annual price of $650 (see rates and fees) applies, however the yearly assertion credit, computerized elite standing and free night time certificates are price not less than that a lot. Plus, it is nonetheless extra inexpensive than the Amex Platinum, even when not by a lot.
New cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 in purchases throughout the first six months of card membership and an additional 50,000 bonus factors after spending an extra $2,000 in purchases throughout the first six months.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant.
Apply right here: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
If Delta is your favourite Amex switch accomplice, then the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card needs to be one among your frontrunners. As a cardmember, you will earn 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Delta purchases and 1 mile per greenback spent on different eligible purchases.
Plus, new candidates can earn 70,000 miles after spending $5,000 within the first six months of card membership. This card steadily affords elevated welcome offers, so preserve an eye fixed out for one.
Though this card has a steep $650 annual price (see rates and fees), cardmembers obtain all types of advantages, together with entry to Delta Sky Club lounges when touring on a same-day, Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight. Entry is proscribed to fifteen free annual visits, with limitless annual visits after spending $75,000 in a calendar yr.
Plus, these with out elite standing shall be added to the improve checklist after Medallion members when flying with Delta, whereas these with standing will obtain precedence upgrades over different Medallion members. You may additionally obtain numerous way of life and journey assertion credit to assist offset the annual price.
It is also potential to speed up incomes elite standing with this card, as you will earn one Medallion Qualification Greenback for every $10 spent with the cardboard in a calendar yr. You may additionally earn a head begin of two,500 MQDs every Medallion Qualification 12 months to get nearer to standing with the cardboard.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Backside line
Whereas the Amex Platinum nonetheless holds worth for a lot of cardmembers, others might really feel inclined to do away with the cardboard in favor of one other in the marketplace. Luckily, there are a number of nice options to contemplate.
Every card comes with its personal pluses and minuses, although in lots of instances, every affords related (if not higher) advantages because the Amex Platinum for a decrease annual value. No matter the place your loyalties lie, there is a card that may fit your spending habits and journey targets.
Associated: Is the Amex Platinum worth the annual fee?
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold Card, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible Amex, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Delta Reserve card, click on here.