Back in June, Chase refreshed its personal Sapphire Reserve card and introduced the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card, complete with highest ever annual fees for rewards cards. Not to be outdone, American Express quickly followed with its own updates to the personal and business Platinum Cards. Now that the details are here, it’s time to look at what’s changed and what it means for cardholders.
In this episode, I’m joined by Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc to walk through the Amex Platinum cards refresh. We cover the higher annual fees, the new credits, and why the personal Platinum still struggles with bonus categories. You’ll also hear our reactions to the removal of the 35% rebate on the business Platinum, the addition of a $600 hotel credit, and the new 2X earning on large purchases over $5,000.
We share our thoughts on whether the $895 annual fee on the personal Platinum makes sense, how the new benefits are user-dependent, and why the business Platinum refresh feels more useful for high spenders.
Get full show notes and transcript: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/amex-platinum-refresh-2025/
Want to shape the show? Take the Point Me To First Class listener survey and share what you love and want more of! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAPfb3wIaphMn_NoQzm_fljydsivTELQwh7pYoxrI2uTFoKQ/viewform?usp=header
Eager to learn the secrets of award travel so that you can turn your expenses into unforgettable experiences? Join the Points Made Easy course waitlist here: https://pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy