Generally, you get an give you simply cannot refuse — even when it means letting go of one among your favourite playing cards.
That is what occurred to me just a few weeks in the past as I scoured the web for a excessive welcome provide on the refreshed American Express Platinum Card®. All the pieces in regards to the card’s new benefits excited me — from its profitable Resy credit to an enhanced digital entertainment credit score and expansive airport lounge access.
The Amex Platinum’s welcome offer is focused and personalised. New cardmembers can discover out their provide and see if they could be eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents differ, and also you will not be eligible for one.
I had been a contented American Express® Gold Card member for some time and wasn’t seeking to improve or product change.
Nevertheless, after I in contrast my highest personalised Platinum provide (80,000 Membership Rewards factors for $8,000 in spending inside six months of card membership) to the provide I would get for upgrading my Gold (125,000 factors for $6,000 in spending inside six months of upgrading), it was clear that the improve route supplied way more worth.
This is why I like to recommend trying out your improve presents in case you’re contemplating a brand new journey card.
My Amex Platinum welcome presents
It took a number of tries throughout just a few days to seek out an Amex Platinum provide that excited me.
It’s because Amex limits cardmembers to one bonus per lifetime on its playing cards, so the stakes had been excessive to discover a good one. I had my fingers crossed for a top-tier 175,000-point bonus, however I might’ve been proud of something value 100,000 factors or extra.
Sadly for me, I bumped into some fairly bland presents.
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One of the crucial insulting bonuses popped up after I went by way of a preapproval instrument. I used to be provided the prospect to earn simply 50,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on the cardboard inside six months of card membership.
Certain, it was good to know I used to be permitted. However 50,000 factors? That is fairly insulting, particularly for the reason that publicly out there provide on the Amex Gold Card already in my pockets presents new candidates to seek out out their provide and see if they’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 Membership Rewards factors after spending $6,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents differ and also you will not be eligible for a proposal. Come on, Amex.
I attempted out just a few strategies to get the next Amex Platinum provide, together with incognito home windows in Google Chrome, utilizing totally different browsers and checking throughout a number of days. One of the best I may get was the prospect to earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on the cardboard inside six months of card membership.
Nonetheless, that wasn’t something particular. In actual fact, it was the old public offer from the time earlier than Amex rolled out its personalised bonus function in June 2025.
After days of looking for a proposal that wowed me, I assumed I would should throw within the towel.
However to my shock, the best choice for rising my Membership Rewards stability was already in my account.
Associated: New benefits, more value: Why I’m more excited than ever to be an Amex Platinum Card member
Test your Amex account
I logged in to my Amex Gold account and located a Platinum Card bonus that I could not resist.
Seems, the provide lived on my homepage — I solely needed to scroll previous my most up-to-date transactions to seek out it. I used to be focused for an improve provide to earn 125,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Bingo.
Not solely did it eclipse the 100,000-point objective I would set for my bonus, but it surely got here in at a decrease spending threshold — $6,000 in six months reasonably than $8,000 in the identical time-frame.
Did I need to say goodbye to my Amex Gold? Not essentially, however I can at all times apply for it once more later (although I will not be eligible for a welcome bonus). Nevertheless, I actually wished to check out Platinum Card membership, and this provide was the ultimate push I wanted to make the choice.
I actually did not embark on my Platinum bonus journey anticipating to improve my Gold Card, however I hadn’t discovered something remotely near 125,000 factors after I tried to use outright.
Associated: Shiny, bright thing: Why I got the fancy, new mirrored Amex Platinum Card and how you can, too
Backside line
Upgrading a card already in your pockets is not assured to offer the very best bonus each time — and I wasn’t anticipating it to be the very best technique for me on my hunt to open the Amex Platinum Card.
I am loving Platinum Card membership, and I’ve already earned my excessive welcome bonus. Now, I am daydreaming about what I’ll do with 125,000 Membership Rewards points.
Should you’re contemplating the Amex Platinum and have already got an Amex card, it is value checking your account to see in case you qualify for a surprisingly excessive improve provide, too. You might discover greater than 100,000 factors simply ready for you.
Apply right here: American Express Platinum Card