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American Express Details Major Platinum Card Refresh
After weeks of teases and rumors, the official American Express Platinum Card refresh details have arrived.
About the Updates to the American Express Platinum Card:
Just before the Chase Sapphire Reserve unveiled its big update in June, American Express teased its own significant refresh for the Platinum Card. Now, all of the details of that update have been revealed, including new benefits along with an increased annual fee.
Starting with that new fee, the Platinum Card will now cost $895 per year. Notably, that’s an increase of $200 from the previous price and is $100 more than the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This higher fee is now in effect for new cardholders, while those who’ve had the card since before September 18th, 2025 will see the increase reflected on their first renewal on or after January 2nd, 2026. Those with annual fee renewals between now and January 2nd will pay the current $695 rate one last time.
As for the new perks, first, American Express is making some updates to some popular existing credits. Previously, the card offered up to $200 per year in credits for Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or Hotel Collection bookings. Now, that credit will increase to a total of $600 per year, but will be divided semi-annually ($300 to be used January through June and another $300 between July and December).
Another updated credit is the Digital Entertainment Credit. Not only will this increase to $25 per month versus the previous $20 (for a new total of $300 per year), but will also add new options. Now, Paramount+, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV are eligible for this credit, joining Disney+, ESPN, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal.
The Platinum Card is also adding several brand-new credits. These include up to $400 per year (up to $100 each quarter) on purchases at eligible Resy restaurants, up to $300 per year (up to $75 per quarter) at Lululemon, up to $200 per year on an Oura ring, and a $120 per year Uber One Membership Credit.
On top of that, the Platinum card is retaining many of its existing credits and perks. The following benefits will remain on the updated card:
- $200 per year in Uber Cash ($15 a month plus an extra $20 in December)
- $200 per year Airline Fee credit
- $100 per year Saks Fifth Avenue credit ($50 semi-annually)
- $300 per year Equinox credit
- $209 per year CLEAR+ credit
- $12.95 per month Walmart+ credit
Elsewhere, the Amex Platinum will continue to have the same rewards structure. Cardholders can earn 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel, 5x on prepaid hotel bookings made through Amex Travel, and 1x points on all other purchases. Cardholders will also continue to enjoy airport lounge access, complimentary Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy gold status, and more.
Finally, to mark this relaunch, Amex is introducing a special, limited-edition Platinum Card look. This mirror card design (seen above) is now available in addition to existing options.
My Thoughts:
Quite honestly, I’m blown away by how positive I think these changes are. While no one wants to pay a higher annual fee (and $895 is certainly an eye-popping number), I think the value Amex has added makes it more than worth it. In fact, I would have expected a much larger hike considering what we’re getting. Unless there’s some other shoe to drop later, this is massive.
One of my favorite changes is a small one: the increase of the Digital Entertainment Credit to $25. Moreover, I’m glad to see Disney+/Hulu sticking around while YouTube Premium joins the list. This means that I’ll be able to naturally use up this entire credit effortlessly. I’m also really looking forward to the Lululemon credit as I’ve become a big fan of their pants. That said, I’ll need to find some other items of theirs to purchase as the $75 per quarter won’t cover the full cost of the pants (and I only need so many pairs).
Ultimately, while I feared this refresh and thought perhaps my time as a Platinum cardholder was coming to an end, I can confidently say that I will still get positive value from this updated card. What’s more, since my annual fee is hitting this month, I’ll have another year of paying the $695 fee instead. All this is to say that, today, I am a very happy Amex fan.
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