The Platinum® Card from American Categorical, provides cardmembers over $1,500 in worth because of journey, leisure and eating assertion credit. However nothing in life comes free — cardholders pay a $695 annual payment (see charges and charges).
For present cardholders, Amex’s coupon-book fashion of assertion credit might turn into troublesome to maintain monitor of or tiresome. As an Amex Platinum cardmember, I put in nice effort to remain updated per thirty days, using as many assertion credit as I can. For others, a $695 annual payment (see charges and charges) will be robust to swallow — particularly when you have maximized your welcome bonus and don’t make the most of all the card advantages.
With that being stated, let’s reply the overarching query: Which card ought to change my Amex Platinum? For those who’re contemplating swapping your Amex Platinum card with one thing else, listed below are six viable choices that would work.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Categorical Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Categorical Card incorporates a $650 annual payment (see charges and charges) and has some similarities with the Amex Platinum.
First, let’s discuss lounge entry. Starting Feb. 1, 2025, Delta Reserve cardholders will get 15 complimentary annual visits to Delta Sky Golf equipment, with limitless annual visits after spending $75,000 in a calendar yr with the cardboard. Moreover, major and extra cardmembers get Centurion Lounge and Sky Membership entry when flying same-day Delta flights. Cardmembers may also have to pay $50 per individual per location for Sky Membership entry when touring on a Delta associate airline flight not marketed or operated by Delta.
Admittedly, the Delta Reserve doesn’t have one of the best rewards charge ever, however neither does the Platinum. You will earn 3 SkyMiles per greenback on Delta purchases and 1 SkyMile per greenback on all the pieces else.
The Delta Reserve provides a easy assertion credit score lineup that’s extra simply utilized than the Amex Platinum. The cardboard provides an annual as much as $240 Resy credit score (as much as $20 month-to-month), an annual as much as $120 ride-hailing credit score (as much as $10 month-to-month), and an as much as $200 annual Delta Stays credit score. Enrollment required for choose advantages.
Associated: Bank card showdown: Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
With the Delta Reserve, you will get an annual companion certificates upon card renewal. That is good for a round-trip ticket on top quality, Premium Choose, Delta Consolation+ & Predominant Cabin home, Caribbean, or Central American. Cardmembers additionally earn 1 MQD for each $10 spent with no restrict on what number of MQDs will be by way of bank card spending. Moreover, you obtain an MQD enhance of two,500 MQDs every year.
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Associated: Easy methods to earn Delta elite standing with out flying in 2024
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve
Chase Sapphire Reserve
This subsequent choose is the obvious one. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® all the time goes head-to-head with the Amex Platinum.
For the reason that Amex Platinum has a $695 annual payment (see charges and charges), it makes the Sapphire Reserve the extra inexpensive possibility. For those who’ve thought of making use of for the Sapphire Reserve however could not justify paying two monstrous annual charges, possibly now’s the time to cancel your Amex Platinum and go for the Sapphire Reserve.
Associated: Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which card is best for you?
For starters, the Reserve, with its approachable $300 annual journey credit score, feels much less gimmicky than the Platinum. This credit score robotically posts to your assertion for any travel-related bills, whether or not that be a flight, Uber rides, parking charges — the record goes on.
You will not have Centurion Lounge entry with the Reserve, however Precedence Move will nonetheless cowl greater than 1,300 lounges worldwide, and Chase now has its personal footprint of issuer-branded lounges.
The rewards charge is significantly better on the Reserve, serving to you accrue factors past journey bills. You will earn 10 factors per greenback spent on Lyft (by March 2025), 3 factors per greenback spent on journey and eating and 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases. These two bonus classes are far-reaching and are inclusive of any cost that code as journey and eating.
With the Sapphire Reserve, you will nonetheless get switch associate talents to Chase’s 11 airline and three resort packages immediately at a 1:1 ratio. A few of TPG’s favourite packages embody United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt.
Associated: Candy spots with Chase Final Rewards
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
American Categorical Gold Card
For those who do not need to open a brand new card solely (which counts as a exhausting pull and will have an effect on your credit score rating), you may take into account downgrading to the American Categorical® Gold Card. You will nonetheless have the identical entry to the Membership Rewards program and redemption choices with out completely giving up on Amex.
Associated: Amex Platinum vs. Amex Gold: Which is best?
The annual payment is rather more affordable at $250 (see charges and charges) and is nearly comped because of the as much as $240 in eating and Uber Money assertion credit you will get pleasure from with the cardboard yearly (enrollment required; as much as $10 per thirty days every for eligible U.S. Uber purchases and choose eating purchases).
This card can also be catered to foodies, as you will earn 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 every year) and eating places, 3 factors per greenback spent on flights booked instantly with airways or on Amex Journey and 1 level per greenback spent on all the pieces else.
When you will not snag the welcome supply for those who downgrade your card, you do have the choice to shut your Amex Platinum and open an Amex Gold individually.
Apply right here: Amex Gold
Chase Sapphire Most popular Card
This suggestion is among the many most inexpensive choices — the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card, with a $95 annual payment.
When you won’t assume that the Sapphire Most popular falls in the identical wheelhouse because the Amex Platinum, hear me out: It nonetheless offers you entry to transferable factors and, on this case, Chase’s 11 airline and three resort packages. You can even use your factors at a charge of 1.25 cents every when reserving journey by Chase Journey℠.
You will earn 5 factors per greenback on all journey bought by Chase Journey, 3 factors per greenback on eating, 3 factors per greenback on choose streaming companies, 3 factors per greenback factors on on-line grocery purchases (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment), 2 factors per greenback on all different journey and 1 level per greenback on all the pieces else. Once more, it is a significantly better on a regular basis card whereas nonetheless getting access to nice journey perks (while you want them).
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
For those who at present do not qualify for a Chase card because of Chase’s notorious 5/24 rule, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see charges and charges) could possibly be your subsequent finest wager.
Slightly than an annual payment improve, you will get pleasure from a big payment lower with the Strata Premier at an affordable $95 per yr. The Citi Strata Premier’s standout advantages embody significantly better on a regular basis rewards charges: 10 factors per greenback spent on inns, automobile leases and points of interest booked on CitiTravel.com, 3 factors per greenback spent at eating places, supermarkets, fuel stations and EV charging stations, 3 factors per greenback spent on air journey and inns and 1 level per greenback spent on all the pieces else.
Plus, you will get nice entry to a ton of switch companions, a lot of which overlap with Amex. Citi companions with 19 airline packages, together with profitable choices like Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Qatar Airways Privilege Membership, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership. For those who’re a resort fanatic, you will additionally love the annual incentive to get $100 off a single resort keep of $500 or extra when booked by CitiTravel.com or 1-833-737-1288.
You will even have entry to some journey protections, together with journey delay safety, journey cancellation and interruption safety (frequent provider), misplaced or broken baggage, and MasterRental® Protection (automobile rental).
Apply right here: Citi Strata Premier
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
The Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card is a good substitute for the Amex Platinum, because of a number of perks and advantages. With a decrease annual payment of $395 (see charges and charges), you will really feel much less of a sting in comparison with the Amex Platinum.
The cardboard provides a easy but efficient incomes construction: 10 miles per greenback spent on inns & rental vehicles booked by Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback spent on flights booked by Capital One Journey, and a pair of miles per greenback spent on all different purchases.
The cardboard gives a way more direct and easy-to-use $300 annual journey credit score for bookings by Capital One Journey. Cardholders additionally earn 10,000 bonus miles each anniversary yr, Hertz President’s Circle standing* and 5 miles per greenback spent on Capital One Leisure purchases by Dec. 31, 2025.
The place the cardboard really shines is with lounge entry advantages. Cardholders obtain entry to Precedence Move lounges and Capital One Lounges with the flexibility to deliver as much as two visitors free of charge. The icing on the cake is that Enterprise X lets you add licensed customers (see charges and charges) for free of charge they usually additionally obtain entry to lounges with the flexibility to deliver as much as two visitors at no extra price.
*Upon enrollment, accessible by the Capital One web site or cellular app, eligible cardholders will stay at upgraded standing stage by Dec. 31, 2024. Please notice, enrolling by the conventional Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment course of (e.g. at Hertz.com) is not going to robotically detect a cardholder as being eligible for this system and cardholders is not going to be robotically upgraded to the relevant standing tier. Further phrases apply.
Associated: A whole information to Capital One’s airport lounges
Apply right here: Capital One Enterprise X
Backside line
For those who’re not using all of the assertion credit of the Amex Platinum and are much less inclined to pay the hefty annual payment, you will need to have a backup card that can serve you nicely within the meantime. Fortunately, many playing cards can assist you maximize your journey and on a regular basis purchases with out solely breaking the financial institution.
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex SkyMiles Reserve, click on right here.
