The Platinum Card from American Express Review 2026: Is the £650 Fee Worth It?

The Platinum Card from American Express is the most expensive personal card most UK travellers will ever consider, with a £650 annual fee. In return it offers a long list of benefits: access to more than 1,550 airport lounges, worldwide travel insurance for you and your family, mid-tier status with several hotel groups, dining and wellness credits, and perks at luxury hotels. Whether it is worth the money depends almost entirely on how many of those benefits you would genuinely use.

This review goes through each benefit, puts a realistic value on it, and shows how to decide whether the card pays for itself in your situation. It is the fourth in our series on UK American Express cards, following our reviews of the BA Amex Credit Card, the BA Amex Premium Plus Card and the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold Card. Details were checked against American Express’s own pages in October 2026.

That representative APR looks extraordinary because the £650 fee is spread across an assumed £1,200 of borrowing. It is a reminder that this card makes no sense as a way to borrow. It only works if you pay the balance in full every month.

The Card at a Glance

• Annual fee: £650, including one complimentary Platinum supplementary card; further Platinum supplementary cards cost £285 each.
• Earn rate: 1 Membership Rewards point per £1, and 2 points per £1 at American Express Travel.
• Lounges: access to more than 1,550 airport lounges in over 140 countries, with one free guest.
• Insurance: worldwide travel insurance for you, your supplementary Cardmembers and their partners, and dependent children under 25, for trips of up to 90 days.
• Credits: up to £200 a year at UK restaurants and £200 abroad (currently until 31 December 2026), plus up to £350 a year of wellness value.
• Hotel status: Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, MeliáRewards Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and ALL Accor Gold, on enrolment.
• Minimum income: £35,000.

Who Is The Platinum Card For?

The Platinum Card is designed for people who travel several times a year, often with a partner or family, and who would otherwise pay for travel insurance, lounge access and nice hotel stays. For a family that buys an annual multi-trip insurance policy, uses lounges on every trip and stays in hotels regularly, the benefits can add up to well over £650.

It is a poor fit for occasional travellers, for anyone who would not use the dining or wellness credits naturally, and for people over 70 or with pre-existing medical conditions who may not benefit fully from the insurance. It is also a weak card for earning points: at 1 point per £1 on most spending, it earns less than several cheaper cards. The value lies in the benefits, not the points.

Airport Lounge Access

Lounge access is the benefit most Platinum Cardmembers use first. Through the American Express Global Lounge Collection, you get complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across over 140 countries, including Priority Pass lounges and American Express’s own lounges. Unlike the Gold card’s four annual passes, access is not limited to a set number of visits.

The main Cardmember and a Platinum supplementary Cardmember can each bring one guest for free; additional guests are charged. Because the first Platinum supplementary card is included in the fee, a family of four could potentially enter Priority Pass lounges together at no extra cost if both adults hold a card. American Express also includes pre-booking entitlements for UK Priority Pass lounges, which help guarantee a space at busy airports: eight per calendar year through to the end of 2027.

Lounge quality varies and some lounges limit access at peak times, so check the Priority Pass app before travelling. If you fly from the UK a handful of times a year with a companion, the value of unlimited lounge access can be substantial compared with buying day passes.

Worldwide Travel Insurance

For many families, the travel insurance is the single most valuable benefit, because it can replace an annual multi-trip policy. American Express says it covers you and your supplementary Cardmembers, including their respective partners and dependent children under 25, for trips of up to 90 days.

There are important limits. Medical assistance and expenses cover does not apply if you are 70 or over. Pre-existing medical conditions are excluded unless they appear on American Express’s accepted conditions list. Some benefits only apply if you pay for the trip with your card, and enrolment may be required. If your circumstances fall outside the cover, you would still need separate insurance, which reduces the card’s value to you. Read the full insurance documents and compare them with your current policy before relying on them.

Hotel Status and Luxury Hotel Benefits

Once enrolled, Platinum Cardmembers receive Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, MeliáRewards Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and ALL Accor Gold status. Benefits vary by programme, but mid-tier status can bring room upgrades when available, bonus points and, at some brands, breakfast. Hilton Gold is often considered the most useful of these because of its food and drink benefits, but check each programme’s current terms.

The card also unlocks Fine Hotels + Resorts, a collection of more than 1,900 luxury hotels booked through American Express Travel. Benefits include a room upgrade when available, daily breakfast for two (valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day), a guaranteed 4pm late check-out, noon check-in when available and a property experience credit. American Express puts the average value at around US$600 for a two-night stay, though the actual value varies. The Hotel Collection adds a US$100 on-property credit and late check-out at upscale hotels for stays of two nights or more.

These benefits only have value if you would book these hotels anyway, and rates through American Express Travel should be compared with booking directly. For a couple who takes one or two luxury hotel breaks a year, Fine Hotels + Resorts alone can recover a large share of the fee.

Dining and Wellness Credits

The Global Dining Credit gives up to £200 a year at participating UK restaurants and a further £200 at participating restaurants abroad. Each is split into £100 for January to June and £100 for July to December, so you need to dine twice a year in each category to use it all. Enrolment is required, supplementary Cardmembers are not eligible, and only the meal itself counts, not booking fees or deposits. Check the restaurant is still on the participating list before you go.

One important detail: American Express currently states the dining benefit ends on 31 December 2026. It may be renewed or changed, but if you are applying now, do not assume it will continue in the same form next year.

The Platinum Wellness benefits add up to £350 of annual value: £75 back twice a year when you spend £150 or more at lululemon, £150 back once a year when you spend £300 or more in one transaction at Oura, and a complimentary Calm Premium subscription. These run until October 2029 and require enrolment. They are only worth anything if you would buy from these brands anyway.

Earning and Using Membership Rewards Points

The Platinum Card earns 1 Membership Rewards point per £1, and 2 points per £1 on bookings through American Express Travel. Supplementary Cardmembers earn into the same account. Points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners including British Airways, used to reduce your balance, or exchanged for gift cards. American Express values gift card redemptions at £5 per 1,000 points and most other cash-style redemptions at £4.50 per 1,000 points, so the best value comes from transferring to airlines for reward flights.

The earn rate is lower than the Gold card on airline spending, so some Cardmembers hold Platinum for the benefits and use a different card for everyday spending. Our guide to how airline miles and points benefit regular travellers explains how to judge whether a redemption is good value.

The welcome offer

American Express usually offers a sizeable Membership Rewards welcome bonus for meeting a spending target in the first months, and the amount changes over time. Check the current offer before applying. You will not qualify if you hold, or have held in the past 24 months, a personal American Express card enrolled in Membership Rewards. A British Airways Amex card does not earn Membership Rewards, so holding one should not by itself rule you out, but read the eligibility terms carefully.

Other Benefits

• Car rental status: enrolment in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards with benefits including up to 15% off standard rates, a one-class upgrade when available and up to a four-hour grace period on returns, plus Avis loyalty benefits.
• Airfare benefit: savings on selected premium economy, business and first class fares with participating airlines when booked through American Express Travel.
• The Times: a complimentary digital subscription to The Times and The Sunday Times.
• The Bicester Collection: an extra 10% saving with an eVIP pass and other perks at participating shopping villages.
• Service and protection: Platinum service in the Amex app, Global Assist abroad, purchase and refund protection, and a metal card.
• Referrals: at least 12,000 points for each approved friend you refer, up to 90,000 points a year.

Does It Pay for Itself? A Worked Example

The headline value of the benefits easily exceeds £650, but headline value is not the same as value to you. The right test is to count only what you would otherwise have paid for. Here is an illustrative example with round numbers.

Imagine a couple with two children who take three overseas trips a year. They currently pay around £150 for a family annual travel policy, and the Platinum cover suits their ages and health. They use both halves of the UK dining credit (£200) but rarely eat out abroad at participating restaurants, so count nothing for that. They use lounges on all three return trips; valuing that at a modest £150 a year is reasonable. They take one Fine Hotels + Resorts weekend, where breakfast and the property credit are worth around £150 to them. That is £650 of value they would genuinely have paid for, matching the fee before counting hotel status, wellness credits or points.

Now imagine a single traveller who flies twice a year, already has workplace travel insurance and rarely stays in luxury hotels. For them, lounge access and the UK dining credit might be worth £300, well short of the fee. The same card can be excellent value for one person and poor value for another.

The Downsides

• A £650 fee. You need to actively use several benefits to come out ahead.
• Credits require effort. Dining and wellness credits need enrolment, are split by half-year and only apply at participating merchants.
• The dining benefit has an end date. It currently runs to 31 December 2026.
• Insurance limits. No medical cover for those aged 70 or over, and pre-existing conditions are excluded unless accepted.
• Weak earn rate. 1 point per £1 on most spending is low for a premium card.
• Very expensive borrowing. The representative APR is 685.3% once the fee is included.
• Foreign spending fee. A non-sterling transaction fee applies, so use a fee-free card abroad.

Platinum vs Gold vs the BA Amex Cards

The Amex Gold card earns the same flexible points with higher rates on airline and Amex Travel spending, includes four lounge passes and costs £195 after a free first year. It suits people who want points without the full benefits package. The BA Amex Credit Card and BA Amex Premium Plus Card earn Avios directly and offer a Companion Voucher at £15,000 of annual spending, which Platinum does not.

Amex Gold: Representative 85.8% APR variable, based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable) and an annual fee of £195 (£0 in the first year). BA Amex Credit Card: Representative 29.1% APR variable, based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable), no annual fee. BA Amex Premium Plus: Representative 135.7% APR variable, based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable) and a £300 annual fee. 18+, subject to status. Terms apply.

Some travellers pair Platinum with a BA Amex card: Platinum for insurance, lounges and hotels, and the BA card for everyday spending towards a Companion Voucher. That doubles up on cards and fees, so it only makes sense if you would use both properly.

How to Get the Most From The Platinum Card

1. Enrol in everything on day one: insurance, hotel status, car rental status, dining and wellness credits.
2. Add the free Platinum supplementary card for a partner so they get lounge access, a guest and insurance cover.
3. Diarise the half-year credits so you use the dining and lululemon credits before each period ends.
4. Cancel any overlapping insurance only after checking the Platinum cover suits your family, ages and health.
5. Compare Fine Hotels + Resorts rates with direct bookings before you book.
6. Pay in full every month and review the card each year against what you actually used.

Our Verdict

The Platinum Card from American Express is a benefits card, not a points card. For a frequent traveller, especially a couple or family who would use the travel insurance, lounges and hotel perks, it can be worth considerably more than its £650 fee. For an occasional traveller who already has insurance and rarely uses lounges or luxury hotels, it is an expensive way to get a few nice extras, and the Amex Gold or a BA Amex card will usually be better value.

Before applying, list the benefits you would genuinely use and put a fair value on each. If the total clears £650 with room to spare, the card is worth considering. Approval depends on your circumstances and applying can affect your credit file.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Amex Platinum annual fee?

£650 a year, including one complimentary Platinum supplementary card. Additional Platinum supplementary cards cost £285 each.

Can I bring a guest into airport lounges?

Yes. The main Cardmember and a Platinum supplementary Cardmember can each bring one guest free of charge. Guest policies can vary by lounge.

Does the travel insurance cover my children?

American Express says the cover extends to dependent children under 25, as well as supplementary Cardmembers and their partners, for trips of up to 90 days. Exclusions apply, so read the policy documents.

Which hotel status do I get?

Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, MeliáRewards Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and ALL Accor Gold, once you enrol.

Is Amex Platinum good for earning Avios?

Not especially. It earns 1 point per £1 on most spending, which you can transfer to British Airways. Cards such as the Amex Gold or BA Amex Premium Plus earn faster for Avios collectors.

Card details were checked against American Express UK in October 2026 and may change at any time. Benefits require enrolment and have their own terms, limits and end dates. Always read the current terms, summary box and insurance documents on the American Express website before applying. This review is general information, not financial advice. My Miles Journey is independent and is not affiliated with American Express.

Photos via Unsplash: mark chaves, Michael Kora, Cauayan Island Resort and Jay Wennington.