Card comparison

Amex Platinum vs Amex Gold

Two Membership Rewards cards compared

Verified July 2026

TL;DR — quick verdict

The Amex Gold ($250) undercuts the Amex Platinum ($895) on annual fee. Pick the Amex Platinum for everyday Prepaid hotels via Amex Travel spending (5x); pick the Amex Gold for everyday Supermarkets spending (4x).

At a Glance

The Platinum Card from American Express

Annual Fee
$895
Signup Bonus
175,000 points
Network
Amex
Points Currency
Membership Rewards
Earning Rates
Other Purchases 1x
Prepaid Hotels Via Amex Travel 5x
Flights Booked Direct Or Via Amex Travel 5x

American Express Gold Card

Annual Fee
$250
Signup Bonus
100,000 points
Network
Amex
Points Currency
Membership Rewards
Earning Rates
Us Flights 3x
Supermarkets 4x
Us Restaurants 4x
Other Purchases 1x

Category Breakdown

How they compare across key categories

Annual Fee

Amex Gold wins

Amex Platinum $895 vs Amex Gold $250

Welcome Bonus

Amex Platinum wins

Amex Platinum: 175,000 points after $12,000 in 6 months vs Amex Gold: 100,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months

Top Earning Rate

Amex Platinum wins

Amex Platinum: 5x on Prepaid hotels via Amex Travel vs Amex Gold: 4x on Supermarkets

Perks & Credits

Amex Platinum wins

Amex Platinum: 9 listed benefits vs Amex Gold: 3 listed benefits

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Transfer Partners

Tie

Amex Platinum: 20+ airline and hotel partners vs Amex Gold: 20+ airline and hotel partners

Perks & Benefits

The Platinum

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Digital entertainment credit ($300)
  • Uber Cash and One credit ($320)
  • Airline fee credit ($200)
  • Saks Fifth Avenue credit ($100)
  • Lululemon credit ($300)
  • Resy credit ($400)
  • Oura Ring credit ($200)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120)

American Express Gold

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Disney Streaming credit ($120)

Which Is Right for You?

Get the Amex Platinum if...

  • Premium benefits to offset the $895 fee
  • Earns 5x on Prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
  • Earns 5x on Flights booked direct or via Amex Travel
  • Hotel credit ($600)

Get the Amex Gold if...

  • Lower $250 annual fee
  • Earns 4x on Supermarkets
  • Earns 4x on US restaurants
  • Dining credit ($120)

Related Resources

Amex Points Value

What are Amex points worth?

Chase Points Value

What are Chase points worth?

Search Award Flights

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amex Platinum or Amex Gold better?

The Amex Gold ($250) undercuts the Amex Platinum ($895) on annual fee. Pick the Amex Platinum for everyday Prepaid hotels via Amex Travel spending (5x); pick the Amex Gold for everyday Supermarkets spending (4x). Both earn transferable rewards, so many points collectors hold one from each ecosystem.

Which has the lower annual fee, the Amex Platinum or Amex Gold?

The Amex Gold has the lower annual fee at $250, versus $895 for the Amex Platinum.

Which card earns points faster?

The Amex Platinum earns up to 5x on Prepaid hotels via Amex Travel, while the Amex Gold earns up to 4x on Supermarkets.

Can I have both the Amex Platinum and the Amex Gold?

Yes. They're issued independently, so you can hold both and earn Membership Rewards and Membership Rewards side by side.

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Need More Points?

Earn bonus points with these credit card offers

Can't find availability at your current points balance? These credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses to help you book your dream flight.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Business · Annual fee $895

US only

200,000 points

after $20,000 in 3 months

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Dell credit ($1150)
  • Adobe credit ($250)
Learn more & apply

American Express Business Gold Card

Business · Annual fee $375

US only

200,000 points

after $15,000 in 3 months

  • ChatGPT Business Statement Credit ($300)
  • FedEx, Grubhub and Office Supply Statement Credit ($240)
  • Walmart+ Statement Credit ($155)
Learn more & apply

The Platinum Card from American Express

Personal · Annual fee $895

US only

175,000 points

after $12,000 in 6 months

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Digital entertainment credit ($300)
  • Uber Cash and One credit ($320)
Learn more & apply

American Express Gold Card

Personal · Annual fee $250

US only

100,000 points

after $8,000 in 6 months

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Disney Streaming credit ($120)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Personal · Annual fee $95

100,000 points

after $5,000 in 3 months

  • Chase Travel hotel credit ($100)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120)
  • DoorDash DashPass ($120)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Personal · Annual fee $795

100,000 points

after $6,000 in 3 months

  • Travel credit ($300)
  • The Edit hotel credit ($500)
  • Dining credit ($300)
Learn more & apply

Credit card approval subject to eligibility. Terms and conditions apply. American Express cards shown are available to US residents only.