Over the past nineteen years as a business owner, I’ve used countless business cards. Some have been amazing and elevated both my travel and my business. Others have been…well, lackluster.

One of the best? The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. It comes with a lot of world-class perks and benefits, quality customer care, and a solid rewards structure (especially on large purchases).

While the annual fee is pretty high ($695, pay over time available. See Rates and Fees), for me, the travel benefits, along with all the statement credits, make the card worth carrying. I think it’s a great choice for business owners who travel frequently.

In this breakdown, I’ll detail the card, what you get, and why I like it.

What is the Business Platinum Card® from American Express?

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a travel rewards card geared towards business owners. (Remember: even side hustles and freelancing count as businesses so you can get this card even without being an LLC.) First, let’s go over some of the best things you get when you sign up, which make it a no brainer to get for the first year:

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel with your Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends 6/30/25.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points for flights, prepaid hotels, and short-term rentals and prepaid flight + hotel packages booked at AmexTravel.com. 1x points on other eligible purchases.
• 1.5x points per dollar on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, featuring more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries. Access is limited to eligible Card Members.
• Up to $120 in statement credits for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check every 4 years.
• Up to $199 yearly CLEAR® Plus credit (subject to auto-renewal)
• Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline.
• Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties. (Distributed in up to $50 increments per quarter. Hilton for Business program membership is required.)
• $150 credit with Adobe on eligible annual prepaid business plan purchases of Adobe Creative Cloud for teams or Adobe Acrobat Pro for teams on the Business Platinum Card through 6/30/25.
• Up to $120 per calendar year in statement credits for purchases made directly from any U.S. wireless telephone provider (up to $10 back per month).
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status (enrollment required)
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required)
• No foreign transaction fees

Using Your Membership Rewards Points

You’ll earn Membership Rewards points with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Since Amex has a well-rounded suite of travel partners, Membership Rewards points are some of the most valuable points out there.

These are Amex’s current travel partners:

• Aer Lingus AerClub (1:1 ratio)
• Aeromexico Rewards (1:1.6 ratio)
• Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 ratio)
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio)
• ANA Mileage Club (1:1 ratio)
• Avianca LifeMiles (1:1 ratio)
• British Airways Club (1:1 ratio)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 ratio)
• Choice Privileges (1:1 ratio)
• Delta SkyMiles (1:1 ratio)
• Emirates Skywards (1:1 ratio)
• Etihad Guest (1:1 ratio)
• HawaiianMiles (1:1 ratio)
• Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio)
• Iberia Plus (1:1 ratio)
• JetBlue TrueBlue (250:200 ratio)
• Marriott Bonvoy (1:1 ratio)
• Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1 ratio)
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1 ratio)
• Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1 ratio)
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 ratio)

Most transfers are instant, though some can take up to 48 hours.

You can also use your Membership Rewards points to book flights and hotels in the Amex Travel portal. I generally wouldn’t do this though as it’s not the best use of your points. It’s always better to transfer them out to one of their partners. However, you can get 35% points back when you do book via their portal so just compare the points costs between both before making a decision.

Breaking Down the Business Platinum’s Credits and Benefits

Amex cards are well-known for their plethora of perks and benefits. They’re a big reason I love their cards. And, if you can take advantage of all that it has to offer, the Business Platinum boasts over $1,700 worth of value. But, with so many categories and so much fine print, it can be hard to keep track of whether a benefit is actually useful for your spending habits. So, to help you decide if the card is right for you, I want to break down some of the major categories of benefits:

Airport Experience Credits (Lounge Access, CLEAR Plus, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck)
One of the best things about this card — and what makes it a standout for frequent travelers — is the unbeatable airport lounge access. You’ll get into some of the top lounges worldwide, including the excellent Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (when you’re flying Delta, with up to 10 visits per year).

On top of that, you’ll get complimentary access to the huge Priority Pass network. If having a quiet space to relax, grab a drink, or get some work done is a priority when you travel, this card has you covered pretty much anywhere.

I also appreciate that the Business Platinum helps you get through the airport faster. It offers up to $199 in statement credits each year for a CLEAR® Plus membership, which speeds you through security lines.

You’ll also get a credit for Global Entry (up to $100 every 4 years) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85 every 4.5 years), depending on which one you choose. I personally recommend going for Global Entry. It takes a little more effort (there’s an interview), but it includes TSA PreCheck too. It’ll save you a ton of time if you travel internationally.

Airline and Hotel Credits
Another travel-related benefit is the up to $200 airline credit. Unfortunately, it comes with a fair number of restrictions, making this credit a bit more annoying to use. It can only be used on one (pre-selected) airline, and you can only use it for incidentals, not airfare. But if you don’t have an airline credit card that offers free baggage, it can be useful to have. You can also use the credit for airline expenses like paid seat selection or on-board food and drink.

The Business Platinum also offers a few Hilton-related benefits. First, you can receive up to $200 in statement credits at Hilton properties when booked directly. Since these credits are distributed in quarterly $50 increments, you’d have to stay in a Hilton property at least four times a year to get the full value of this credit. But if you’re on the road a lot, that can be easy to do.

Second, the Business Platinum offers complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold Status (as well as Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status), which offer extra perks and benefits when staying at these properties.

Business-Related Statement Credits
The Business Platinum card comes with some great perks to help lighten the financial load of running a business. Expenses can really add up if you’re managing a business while traveling, so I appreciate that the Business Platinum helps offset these costs.

You can get up to $400 in statement credits on U.S. Dell purchases (through June 30, 2025, split into $200 chunks every six months). There’s also up to $360 back per year on Indeed ads (up to $90 each quarter), which is great if you’re hiring as your business grows.

If you use Adobe tools, there’s a $150 credit available when you prepay annually for eligible Adobe Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro plans for teams. And to keep you connected on the go, you’ll get up to $120 a year for purchases made directly with U.S. wireless providers — that’s $10 back each month.

Amex Offers
On top of all those valuable statement credits, the Business Platinum gives you access to Amex Offers, an easy way to save some cash or rack up extra points with a wide range of retailers. These deals rotate regularly and are personalized, so what shows up for you might be totally different from what another cardholder sees. Most of the time, it’s a simple setup like “spend X, get Y back.” I always check Amex Offers before I purchase. (The personal card offers this too.)

The Business Platinum’s Travel Insurance
The Business Platinum also comes with great travel insurance. While I still recommend buying a standalone policy for medical, this card includes strong built-in coverage like trip delay, trip cancellation, emergency evacuation, and medical transport. It also includes cell phone protection for damage or theft, a rare but valuable perk. For a maximum of $800 per claim, with a limit of two approved claims per 12-month period, when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month’s wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim.

So, while you could get away with the card’s insurance if you book the trip on the card, I wouldn’t rely on it completely. But it’s better than most!

Should you get this card?

The Business Platinum is ideal for frequent travelers who can make the most of perks like smoother airport experiences and hotel elite status. If you can take advantage of a few of the business-related statement credits, the statement credits alone make the high annual fee worth it. I get a lot of value from the card through the statement credits that make carrying the card after the first year really worth it.

While it’s true you only get 1x point per dollar spent on anything under $5,000 (which isn’t as good as many other cards), the points back on redemptions and the tons of statement credits, elite status, Amex offers, and partners you don’t find anywhere else make this card essential for any business owner.

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