Up to $300 Jan–Jun and $300 Jul–Dec ($600/yr) on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings via Amex Travel (THC needs 2+ nights).
Twice a yearVerified
Effective annual fee
What it really costs
The sticker fee is what the card charges. The effective annual fee is what it costs — after the statement credits you would actually use.
PrimaryLower for you
The Platinum CardAmerican Express
Annual fee$895
At face value, used in full−$2,099.40
Your effective fee−$602.20
Estimate — every credit set to Maybe
Compared against
American Express Gold CardAmerican Express
Annual fee$325
At face value, used in full−$349
Your effective fee−$12
Estimate — every credit set to Maybe
Which credits count
Answer once per credit, on both cards
Nobody uses every credit. Pick a category, see both cards side by side, and mark what you would use — the effective annual fee above recomputes against your answers, not the issuer's best case.
Which credits you'd actually use
Travel
Hotel, airline and portal credits.
The Platinum Card$800
Up to $200/yr in incidental fees with one selected airline. Enrollment + airline selection required.
YearlyEnroll firstVerifiedAmerican Express Gold Card—
Nothing in travel on this card.
Dining
Restaurants, delivery and grocery credits.
The Platinum Card$400
Up to $100/quarter ($400/yr) at U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required.
QuarterlyEnroll firstVerifiedand nothing else — American Express Gold Card carries 2 more here
American Express Gold Card$304
Up to $10/month at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Five Guys. Enrollment required.
MonthlyEnroll firstVerifiedUp to $50 Jan–Jun and $50 Jul–Dec on Resy restaurant purchases.
Twice a yearEnroll firstVerifiedUp to $7/month at Dunkin'. Enrollment required.
MonthlyEnroll firstVerifiedTransit
Rides, transit passes and parking.
The Platinum Card$300
$15/month in Uber Cash, $35 in December ($200/yr total). Add the card in the Uber app.
MonthlyEnroll firstVerifiedCovers an auto-renewing Uber One membership (up to $120/yr). Enrollment required.
YearlyEnroll firstVerifiedAmerican Express Gold Card$120
$10/month in Uber Cash ($120/yr). Add card to Uber wallet.
MonthlyEnroll firstVerifiedand nothing else — The Platinum Card carries 1 more here
Wellness
Gyms, studios and wellness memberships.
The Platinum Card$500
Up to $300/yr on Equinox club or Equinox+ memberships. Enrollment required.
YearlyEnroll firstVerifiedOne-time $200 credit toward Oura Ring hardware. Enrollment required.
Cadence inferredEnroll firstVerifiedAmerican Express Gold Card—
Nothing in wellness on this card.
Entertainment
Streaming, tickets and single-retailer credits.
The Platinum Card$755.40
Up to $75/quarter ($300/yr) at U.S. Lululemon stores or online. Enrollment required.
QuarterlyEnroll firstVerifiedUp to $25/month ($300/yr) on eligible subscriptions (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, NYT, Paramount+, Peacock, WSJ, YouTube). Enrollment required.
MonthlyEnroll firstVerifiedCovers Walmart+ monthly membership (~$12.95 + tax). Enrollment required.
MonthlyEnroll firstVerifiedAmerican Express Gold Card$250
Enrollment required (add offer to Card); 10% back on qualifying food and beverage concessions purchases at stadiums and arenas in the American Express Venue Collection; offer ends 12/31/2026. (official terms)
YearlyEnroll firstVerifiedand nothing else — The Platinum Card carries 2 more here
Access
Application-fee and credential credits, and anything that fits no other category.
The Platinum Card$239
Up to $209/yr covering CLEAR Plus membership (excl. taxes/fees).
YearlyVerifiedGlobal Entry ($120) every 4 years, or TSA PreCheck every 4.5 — each authorized user gets their own.
Cadence inferredVerifiedAmerican Express Gold Card—
Nothing in access on this card.
That's every credit on both cards.
Maybe is scored at 50% of annual value.Every figure is annualized.
Rates normalised to cents of value per dollar spent, so different point currencies compare. Useful once you hold the card; it is not what decides whether the fee is worth paying.
| The Platinum Card | American Express Gold Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Dining & restaurants | — | 4× Restaurants (worldwide) / Dining |
| Groceries | — | 4× U.S. supermarkets / Grocery Stores |
| Flights (booked direct) | 5× Flights (direct / Amex Travel) | 3× Airfare / Flights (direct / Amex Travel) |
| Flights via issuer portal | — | 2× amextravel.com |
| Hotels & cars via issuer portal | 5× Prepaid hotels via Amex Travel | 2× amextravel.com |
| Everything else | 1× Everything else | 1× Everything else |
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Where these figures come from
How we verify our data
Figures come from our card database and can lag issuer changes — always verify against the issuer's current terms.
- Solid borders: Verified issuer terms.
- Dashed borders: Estimated, pending final issuer sync.