The Business Platinum Card from American Express
- Best for: Business owners who fly often for work and book through Amex Travel
- What Sets It Apart: 35% of points back on flights paid with points on your chosen airline; 2X on purchases of $5,000 or more; credits for business costs
- Cost: $895 annual fee; $400 per employee Platinum card; no foreign transaction fees; variable 17.99% to 28.74% Pay Over Time APR
- Features: Welcome offer of up to 300,000 points after $20,000 in purchases in your first 3 months; 5X on AmexTravel.com flights and prepaid hotels; up to $600 in hotel credits; up to $200 in airline fee credits; Dell, Indeed, Adobe, ChatGPT Business, and wireless credits
- Pros: Over 1,550 airport lounges; about 1.5 cents a point on your chosen airline after the rebate, by our math; credits for common business costs
- Cons: Most credits need enrollment; some credits require spending first; 1X on most flights booked directly with airlines
Get the Amex Business Platinum Card if you fly for work often enough to use its lounges. Flights booked on AmexTravel.com earn 5 points per dollar, and 35% of the points you spend there on your chosen airline come back. Add up the business credits you’d use before applying, since the $895 fee is due either way.
It’s American Express’s premium travel card for business owners. Freelancers, sole proprietors, and side-business owners can apply with a Social Security number if they lack a business tax ID.
Key Features
- $895 annual fee, plus $400 a year per employee Platinum card; no-fee employee cards are available too
- Welcome offer of up to 300,000 points for spending $20,000 in your first 3 months
- 5 points per dollar on AmexTravel.com flights and prepaid hotels
- 2 points per dollar on single purchases of $5,000 or more and at U.S. shipping providers, building and hardware suppliers, electronics retailers, and software and cloud providers, up to $2 million a year; 1 point on everything else
- 35% of points back on flights paid with points on your chosen airline through Amex Travel, up to 1 million a year
Pros
- Over 1,550 airport lounges, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges after you enroll, and 10 Delta Sky Club visits a year when flying Delta
- Up to $600 a year for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts stays, or The Hotel Collection stays of two nights or more, booked through Amex Travel
- Credits of up to $360 at Indeed, $300 for ChatGPT Business, $150 at Dell, and $120 for wireless service
- Points worth 1 cent each on Amex Travel flights, or about 1.5 cents on your chosen airline after the rebate (by our math), and transferable to 20 airline and hotel programs
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Most credits need enrollment, and several are split into monthly, quarterly, or half-year amounts
- Some credits need spending first, like $5,000 a year at Dell for another $1,000 and $600 at Adobe for $250
- Only 1 point per dollar on flights bought directly from airlines, or 2 on charges of $5,000 or more
- Variable 17.99% to 28.74% interest on charges carried with Pay Over Time
It pays off if you fly often for work and already pay for what its credits cover. Owners who travel less should step down to the Business Gold Card, at $375 a year against this card’s $895.
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