The Amex Platinum 2025 Refresh: Is It Still Worth the Fee?
Amex raised the price of Platinum to $895 but added $3,500+ in value. Let’s unpack it.
The Platinum Card® from American Express has always been positioned as the premium lifestyle and travel card. In 2025, it’s getting a significant refresh — with new credits, expanded perks, and a higher price tag.
Starting next year, the annual fee jumps from $695 to $895. That’s a $200 increase, which is hard to ignore. But Amex is adding enough value to justify the fee — if you can maximize the perks. In fact, the new updates give cardholders access to over $3,500 in annual value across travel, dining, wellness, and entertainment.
Here’s everything you need to know.
The Big Changes in 2025
🏨 $600 Hotel Credit (Up from $200)
This is one of the biggest upgrades. Instead of $200 per year, you now get up to $600 annually in prepaid hotel credits, split into two $300 chunks.
Eligible for Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel.
Fine Hotels + Resorts comes with an average value of $550 in perks — daily breakfast for two, late checkout, and potential upgrades.
The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum but includes perks like a $100 property credit and potential room upgrades.
For frequent travelers, this alone could cover most of the new annual fee.
🍽️ $400 Resy Dining Credit
Dining credits aren’t new, but Amex went big here: $100 per quarter when booking or dining at over 10,000 U.S. restaurants through Resy.
This perk is designed to be easy to use — unlike some cards that limit you to obscure restaurants or tricky spending categories. If you eat out even once a month, you’ll likely capture the full $400.
📺 $300 Digital Entertainment Credit
Previously capped at $240, this now expands to $300 annually and adds popular services like YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, and Paramount+.
Eligible services include: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Peacock, and more.
You’ll get up to $25 per month back when paying with your Platinum Card.
For anyone already subscribed to 2–3 of these, this is essentially free money.
🧘♂️ $300 lululemon Credit
A new perk that adds lifestyle value. Cardholders can get $75 back per quarter at lululemon (in-store or online, excluding outlets).
It’s perfect for refreshing your workout gear seasonally. And because it’s quarterly, it encourages consistent usage throughout the year.
🚗 $120 Uber One Credit + $200 Uber Cash
The Platinum already offered $200 in Uber Cash each year ($15 monthly plus $20 in December). Now, Amex is stacking on a $120 Uber One Credit, which covers the full cost of Uber’s subscription service.
Uber One perks include:
6% Uber credits on rides.
Up to 10% off Uber Eats.
Unlimited $0 delivery fees on eligible orders.
Together, these perks make the Platinum one of the best cards for anyone who uses Uber or Uber Eats regularly.
💍 $200 Oura Ring Credit
This is one of the more unique new credits. Cardholders get up to $200 back when purchasing an Oura Ring — a sleek wearable that tracks sleep, readiness, and activity.
While niche, this benefit reflects Amex’s strategy to fold in wellness perks, targeting professionals and health-conscious cardholders.
🏅 Elite Hotel + Car Rental Status
The Platinum now unlocks an impressive stack of elite statuses:
Hilton Honors Gold
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite
Leaders Club Sterling (new)
National Emerald Club Executive
Avis Preferred Plus
Hertz President’s Circle
For frequent travelers, these statuses translate into upgrades, late checkouts, and faster car rental experiences — things that improve the travel lifestyle beyond just cost savings.
✈️ Global Lounge Access
One of the main reasons people keep the Platinum: its unmatched lounge access. With the Global Lounge Collection, you get entry to:
Amex Centurion Lounges.
Delta Sky Clubs (10 visits per year, or unlimited if you spend $75K annually).
Priority Pass Select lounges.
Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, Virgin Clubhouses, Lufthansa lounges, and more.
In total, the Platinum unlocks over 1,550 lounges worldwide, making it the most extensive lounge network offered by any card.
🛡️ Travel + Purchase Protections
The Platinum also keeps its best-in-class insurance coverage:
Trip delay insurance (up to $500 per ticket for delays of 6+ hours).
Trip cancellation & interruption insurance (up to $10,000 per trip).
Baggage insurance (up to $3,000 for carry-ons).
Cell phone protection (up to $800 twice a year).
Purchase + return protection and extended warranties.
For business travelers and frequent flyers, these protections add serious peace of mind.
Total Value vs. Annual Fee
When you add up the credits — hotel ($600), dining ($400), entertainment ($300), Uber ($320 total), lululemon ($300), Saks ($100), airline incidental ($200), Equinox ($300), CLEAR Plus ($209), Walmart+ ($155), and Oura ($200) — the total potential annual value is well over $3,500.
Even if you only capture half of that, you’re still breaking even against the $895 annual fee.
Who Should Get It
Best for:
✅ Frequent travelers who want lounge access, hotel perks, and elite status.
✅ Business owners who can maximize both travel and lifestyle credits.
✅ High spenders who want premium experiences and protections.
Skip it if:
❌ You rarely travel.
❌ You won’t fully use the credits.
❌ You want a card with more flexible, everyday rewards.
My Take
The Platinum isn’t designed to be an “every purchase” card. It’s designed to be your lifestyle and travel optimizer. Used strategically, it can reduce costs, unlock upgrades, and add comfort that’s worth far more than the annual fee.
If you treat it like a trophy card without using the perks, it’s a waste. But if you’re intentional about using the credits, the Amex Platinum remains the gold standard for premium cards.
My Referral Offer
👉 Here’s my Amex referral link. If you’re approved and meet the spend, you could earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points with the Business Platinum.
That’s enough for:
A roundtrip business-class ticket to Europe.
Multiple domestic first-class flights.
Or several nights at luxury hotels booked through transfer partners.
It’s one of the strongest offers Amex has ever put out.