The AMEX Platinum Card
The premium travel card with extensive benefits, but a higher fee. Best if you travel frequently and can maximize the credits.
Great for freelancers too; you can register under your name instead of a formal company!
This page focuses on the private AMEX Platinum Card. A business version with different credits and benefits is also available, but not covered here.
Key Details
- Fee: €720/year (€60/month).
- Welcome Bonus (tiered, currently no fixed deadline):
- 40,000 points after €6,000 spend in 6 months
- +45,000 points (85,000 total) after €10,000 spend in 6 months
- Alternative on current offers: you may instead be able to choose €340 statement credit in place of the points — pick the points for travel value.
- Earning Rate: 1 MR/€1. Activate Turbo Program for 1.5 MR/€1 (cost €15/year).
Key Credits
Key Credits (Up to €750 value if fully used):
| Credit Type | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Online Travel Credit | €200 | For bookings via Amex Travel |
| SIXT ride credit | €200 | Chauffeur/limo service, 8 x €25 vouchers |
| Restaurant Credit | €150 | At selected upscale restaurants in Germany & abroad |
| LODENFREY Shopping Credit | €100 | €50 semi-annually |
The AMEX Platinum Card offers premium value!
With the tiered welcome bonus of up to 85,000 Membership Rewards points, combined with the Gold card bonus (up to 50K-55K), a household can earn 135,000-140,000 points from welcome bonuses alone.
Sign up for Platinum with my referral 🎁Ad: Referral link. We earn bonus points if you sign up.
Card Cycling with the Amex Platinum:
- Sign up for Platinum to earn the tiered welcome bonus
- Cancel after 12 months
- Transfer your MR points before cancelling or keep another Membership Rewards-eligible Amex. The PAYBACK Amex cannot preserve an MR account.
- OR Sign up for the Gold card to not lose your MRPs and lock in its sign-up bonus
- Sign up for Platinum again after 18 months break for a fresh sign-up bonus*
*If you have a partner, you can alternate sign-ups to avoid the 18-month wait. You can essentially have 4 cards (2 Platinums + 2 Golds) rotating every 12 months.