Amex Gold vs. Platinum: The Complete Comparison

The Amex Gold and Platinum are both premium cards. Both earn Membership Rewards. Both have substantial annual fees.

But they serve completely different purposes.

The Gold is an earning machine. The Platinum is a perks powerhouse. Here’s how to choose.

Understanding the Cards

Amex Gold: The Earning Champion

The Gold Card is about maximizing points on everyday spending.

4X on dining – Every restaurant, worldwide 4X on U.S. supermarkets – Up to $25,000/year 3X on flights – Booked directly with airlines

If you spend heavily on food (eating out + groceries), the Gold earns more points than any other card.

Annual credits:

• $120 dining credit ($10/month at select restaurants)
• $120 Uber credit ($10/month + $20 in December)

Effective annual fee: $250 - $240 credits = $10

Amex Platinum: The Perks Powerhouse

The Platinum Card is about travel benefits and status.

5X on flights – Direct or through Amex Travel Centurion Lounge access – Premium Amex lounges Priority Pass lounges – 1,400+ airport lounges Hotel elite status – Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold Extensive credits – $200+ across multiple categories

If you travel frequently and will use the credits, the Platinum delivers enormous value.

Annual credits:

• $200 airline fee credit
• $200 Uber credit ($15/month + $35 in December)
• $200 hotel credit (Fine Hotels + Resorts)
• $240 digital entertainment credit
• $100 Saks credit ($50 semi-annually)
• $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck

Effective annual fee: $695 - $1,040+ in credits = Negative (if you use them)

The Perks: Where Platinum Shines

Lounge Access

Centurion Lounges: Amex’s own premium lounges with excellent food, drinks, and amenities. Available in 15+ locations including DFW, JFK, LAX, SFO, Miami.

Priority Pass: 1,400+ lounges worldwide. Quality varies, but coverage is extensive.

Value: If you fly 6+ times per year, lounge access can easily be worth $200-400 annually.

Hotel Status

Hilton Gold: Complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, bonus points Marriott Gold: Room upgrades, late checkout, bonus points

Value: Difficult to quantify, but free breakfast alone is worth $20-40/night.

$200 Hotel Credit

The Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection programs offer:

• Room upgrades
• Breakfast
• Late checkout
• $100+ property credit

The $200 credit applies to prepaid bookings. You often get $400+ in value from a $200 spend.

Airline Fee Credit

$200/year for incidental fees (baggage, seat selection, lounge passes). Choose one airline per year.

Warning: Must be incidentals, not ticket purchases. Some airlines work better than others.

When to Get the Gold

You Should Get the Gold If:

• You spend significantly on dining and groceries
• You want to maximize Membership Rewards earning
• You don’t travel frequently enough to use Platinum perks
• You want a lower annual fee commitment
• You’ll use the $10/month dining and Uber credits

Ideal Gold Cardholder

• Spends $500+/month on dining
• Spends $500+/month on groceries
• Flies 0-4 times per year
• Doesn’t prioritize lounge access
• Values earning rate over perks

Gold Card Math

If you spend:

• $6,000/year dining = 24,000 points (vs. 6,000 on Platinum)
• $7,200/year groceries = 28,800 points (vs. 7,200 on Platinum)

Extra points with Gold: 39,600 Value at 1.5¢/point: $594

The Gold easily justifies its fee through earning alone.

The Verdict

Get the Gold If:

• Dining + groceries are your biggest categories
• You want maximum points per dollar
• You travel occasionally (1-4 flights/year)
• You prefer lower annual fees
• You don’t need lounge access

Annual fee: $250 (~$10 effective) Best for: Everyday earning, points maximizers

Get the Platinum If:

• You fly frequently (6+ times/year)
• You want lounge access
• You’ll use the extensive credits
• You want hotel status
• Travel perks matter more than earning rate

Annual fee: $695 (potentially negative effective) Best for: Frequent travelers, perk maximizers

Get Both If:

• You want maximum earning AND maximum perks
• Your combined spending justifies both fees
• You’ll use credits from both cards
• You’re building an Amex ecosystem

The Bottom Line

Amex Gold is the better card for most people. It earns significantly more points on everyday spending (dining + groceries) at a fraction of the Platinum’s fee.

Amex Platinum is for frequent travelers who will actually use the lounges, credits, and status benefits. If you fly 6+ times per year, the Platinum’s perks can deliver $1,000+ in annual value.

The best answer might be both: Gold for earning, Platinum for perks, with credits from both offsetting most of the combined fees.

Choose based on how you actually spend and travel—not based on the prestige of the card.