Amex Platinum Refresh: Annual Fee to $895. Are New Credits and Perks Worth It?

American Express rolled out major changes to both its Platinum and Business Platinum cards on September 18, 2025, which had been leaked for months. The most staggering update? Annual fees are jumping to $895 for both cards – a $200 increase from the current $695. But cardholders aren’t just paying more for the same perks. The refresh includes some new credits and benefits, but it’s up to you to decide if the value outweighs the cost. 

This is the biggest update to the Platinum Card® from American Express in years, with Amex clearly positioning these cards as the front of the premium credit card pack. Here’s what we know about the Amex Platinum refresh.

Annual Fee, New Credits, and More for the Amex Platinum Refresh

There are several key changes coming to the Platinum card lineup. The headliner is the annual fee increase to $895, essentially putting the Platinum cards ahead of other premium travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve that have seen similar fee hikes. Hold for the Amex Centurion card, which is invitation-only; this is now one of the highest annual fee cards on the market. 

Another update comes in the form of a new card design option, the mirrored card that American Express recently teased on Instagram. But if you’re worried about fingerprints and smudges, fear not; you can still choose the classic card design. 

Both the personal and business cards are introducing new credit benefits, while keeping most of the existing perks. Earning structures on the business card have changed to be slightly better, but interestingly, the personal card point earning multipliers appear to have remained unchanged. This may be because the personal card is flush with new credits, while the business card has fewer new credits. 

What Are the Changes to the Personal Platinum Card?

The personal Amex Platinum card packs a punch with all the additional credits and benefits. If you value them cumulatively above the annual fee, and follow a plan to use them, you could net out well ahead of the $200 fee increase. It’s still not a great card for spending because of virtually non-existent earning multipliers (aside from the 5x on directly booked flights). 

Platinum Card launch offer: Up to 175,000 points when you spend $8,000 within 6 months.
Charles Schwab Platinum Card launch offer: 125,000 points when you spend $8,000 within 6 months.

The points earning structure will stay the same:

• 5x points on Flights booked directly with the airline (or through American Express Travel)
• 5x points on Hotels booked through American Express Travel
• 1x points on Everything else

Updated Credits for the Amex Platinum Credit Card:

The previous annual spending tier of $75,000 to qualify for Centurion lounge guest access is still available, and can be tracked inside the Amex app.

What Are the Changes to the Business Platinum Card?

There isn’t as much to be excited about when it comes to the Amex Business Platinum card refresh. At $895, the card isn’t delivering as much oomph for credits and benefits. The $600 hotel credit is the primary update, along with slightly higher earning rates on spend. 

Business Platinum Card launch offer: Up to 300,000 points when you spend $20,000 within 3 months.

The new points earning structure looks like this:

• 5x points on Fine Hotels & Resorts / Hotel Collection (booked through American Express Travel)
• 5x points on Flights and Hotels (booked through American Express Travel)
• 2x points on Select business categories (limited to $2 million per calendar year). Categories include construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers.
• 2x points on Single purchases of $5,000+
• 1x points on Everything else

Updated Credits for the Amex Business Platinum Credit Card:

There’s also a new $2,400 American Express One AP credit and $1,200 Amex Travel Online flight statement credit, but you need to be a high-spender, to the tune of $250,000 in a calendar year, to unlock these.

What the Updates Mean for Current American Express Platinum Cardholders

If you currently hold either of these cards, the annual fee will be assessed on your next renewal date, starting January 2, 2026, for personal cardholders and December 2, 2025, for business cardholders.

Depending on your renewal date, you may be able to enjoy the new credits and benefits for up to a year at the cost of the previous fee. 

The Bottom Line

Whether cards like these make sense for you lies entirely in the value you can place in the credits and other premium benefits like lounge access, travel insurance, and elite status. It’s a numbers game. If you can squeeze enough out of the perks, you can net out well ahead of a steep annual fee. 

Amex Platinum Card: Frequently Asked Questions

When do the Amex Platinum refresh changes take effect?
All changes went into effect on September 18, 2025, for both personal and business Platinum cards.

How much is the new Amex Platinum annual fee?
The annual fee increases to $895 for both the standard Platinum and Business Platinum cards, up from the current $695.

Will current cardholders automatically get the new benefits?
Yes, existing cardholders will automatically receive the enhanced benefits structure along with the higher annual fee.

When will current Platinum cardholders annual fee increase?
Personal cardholders’ annual fees will increase to $895 on January 2, 2026. Business cardholders’ annual fee will increase to $895 on December 2, 2025.

Where can I use the $400 Resy credit for dining?
When you dine at any of over 10,000 U.S. Resy restaurants and pay with your Amex Platinum card, you will receive up to $100 credit quarterly. As long as it’s a Resy restaurant, you do not need to make a reservation to earn the credit.

What subscriptions count for the $300 digital entertainment credit?
You can get up to $25 per month as a statement credit when you pay with your personal Platinum card for Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV.

Can I use the quarterly $200 Hilton credit on Hilton gift cards?
Previously, you were able to redeem up to $50/mo credit for Hilton gift cards purchased at a hotel property. That is no longer the case, as American Express has updated the terms for this offer to exclude gift cards.

Do these changes affect both personal and business cards?
Yes, both the standard American Express Platinum and Business Platinum cards received an annual fee increase; however, the benefits and earning structures are different.

What is the card fee for an authorized user?
Additional card fees for authorized users stay at $195 annually. These cards offer premium travel benefits, including lounge access and elite status. You can also get Companion cards, which are $0, and only receive basic spending benefits like reward earning.

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