Should you get the Amex Platinum or be an authorized user?

Probably the most standard premium bank cards is The Platinum Card® from American Express. Whereas it has a excessive annual price (see rates and fees), it may possibly provide a ton of worth for the proper of traveler.

It prices $195 for every additional Platinum cardmember you add to your account (see rates and fees). Nonetheless, these extra cardmembers could also be asking an essential query: Ought to I keep as a certified person or get a Platinum Card of my very own?

Here is some steerage that can assist you make that call.

The Amex Platinum has an annual price of $695 (see rates and fees). In the event you’re a certified person, you will pay an extra $195 in annual charges.

It is very important weigh the price distinction between holding your individual Amex Platinum and being a certified person on another person’s account. Because of this, you might wish to crunch the numbers to see which makes essentially the most sense.

There are a number of arguments in favor of getting your individual Amex Platinum. Not surprisingly, they begin with the welcome provide.

You will not earn your individual welcome provide once you’re added as a certified person. Nevertheless, if you happen to apply (and are permitted) for the Platinum Card as the first cardmember, you may earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. This bonus is price $1,600 based mostly on TPG’s January 2025 valuations, due to the array of valuable ways to use Amex points.

(Professional tip: Remember to test the CardMatch tool to see if you happen to’re focused for an even higher welcome offer, although these are topic to vary at any time.)

The welcome provide is a one-time perk just for the first year. Past that, there are a couple of essential advantages on the Amex Platinum which are granted as soon as per account. In the event you can maximize any of the next, you might be a great candidate for getting your individual Platinum Card:

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• Month-to-month Uber Money:* Rise up to $15 in monthly Uber Cash (plus a $20 bonus in December), once you add your Amex Platinum as a cost methodology to your Uber account. The credit score can be utilized for Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S. Even if you happen to’re an occasional Uber buyer, this can lead to as much as $200 in whole worth every year. As soon as your Amex Platinum is added to your Uber account, you may redeem Uber Money with any Amex card at cost.
• Digital leisure credit score:* The Amex Platinum provides you as much as $20 in assertion credit every month once you use the cardboard for subscriptions to select digital entertainment providers, together with Disney+ and The New York Occasions. In the event you max out these credit, you will get pleasure from as much as $240 in worth per calendar 12 months.
• Clear Plus assertion credit score:* Get up to $199 in annual statement credits once you cost the price of a Clear Plus membership to your Amex Platinum.
• Resort assertion credit score: As an Amex Platinum cardmember, you may entry luxurious lodge perks via Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection (the latter of which requires a two-night minimal keep). Whenever you make a pay as you go reservation with a collaborating property in both of those packages, you will get pleasure from up to $200 in statement credits per calendar 12 months.
• Airline assertion credit score:* The Amex Platinum additionally comes with up to $200 in annual statement credits for incidental charges charged to your card with an airline you designate per calendar 12 months. This could cowl baggage charges, seat assignments, or visitor passes to go to an airline lounge.

*Enrollment required; phrases apply for these advantages.

Whereas your spending as a certified person can set off these perks for the first Platinum Card account, you aren’t getting your individual set as an extra Platinum cardmember. In the event you’re commonly utilizing these perks, it is likely to be price getting your individual Platinum card.

Put a concrete greenback quantity to those advantages based mostly by yourself utilization over the following 12 months. If that quantity is larger than $500, you are a good candidate for getting your individual Platinum Card.

Between the welcome provide and these assertion credit — together with some that permit you to double up in 12 months one — now could also be a good time to develop into a main cardmember on the Amex Platinum.

Associated: 10 things to do when you get the Amex Platinum

Most clearly, if you happen to’re below the age of 18, your solely actual possibility is to be an extra Platinum cardmember. And even once you flip 18, the Amex Platinum has some pretty strict requirements to get permitted. Current highschool graduates with restricted credit score histories will probably must be licensed customers for a number of years (and construct up their very own credit score) earlier than contemplating getting the Amex Platinum in their very own proper.

Past that, staying (or changing into) a certified person probably makes essentially the most sense for individuals who extremely worth the perks that stretch to extra Platinum cardmembers — however do not care in regards to the above advantages. In any case, entry to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, the assertion credit score for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and complimentary Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors all prolong to licensed customers. And for frequent lounge guests or common Marriott and Hilton company, paying $195 a 12 months can nonetheless be a discount. Enrollment required; phrases apply for choose advantages.

In the event you’re nonetheless on the fence, crunch the numbers by placing greenback quantities to those advantages. For instance, how a lot would you pay to enter an Amex Centurion Lounge? Friends of the first Platinum cardmember are $50 (except they unlock guest privileges by spending $75,000 on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months), so if you happen to agree with that worth, you may greater than cowl the $195 licensed person annual price with 4 (or extra) visits.

Associated: Is the Amex Platinum worth the annual fee?

After all, for some clients, neither considered one of these is sensible. Possibly you beforehand had the Amex Platinum and thus aren’t eligible for a welcome offer. Maybe you solely entry an airport lounge a couple of instances a 12 months or use the lodge elite standing perks occasionally.

Once more, crunch the numbers based mostly on the real-world worth you get from every year’s included advantages. If the worth is below $195, you are higher off canceling your licensed person card.

The Platinum Card from American Express costs $195 for licensed customers, and whereas some could think about eradicating extra Platinum playing cards from their accounts, others could wish to think about when it is sensible to develop into a main cardmember.

Begin by trying on the welcome provide, particularly if you happen to’re focused for an elevated provide. Then, establish the worth of these extra perks you’d unlock with your individual Amex Platinum Card — holding in thoughts that some are based mostly on a calendar 12 months. It doesn’t matter what you select, be sure you’re getting sufficient worth to justify the price.

To study extra in regards to the card, learn our full review of the Amex Platinum.

Apply right here: Amex Platinum

For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on here.