AmEx Credit Card Changes: Still Worth It?11 min read

I apologize all — I had a large gap in coverage last year. While I updated my post on Chase credit cards, I didn’t follow suit on AmEx changes that happened around the same time in 2025. But having recently returned from a 6 week sabbatical (thanks Zillow), where I used 1 million points across Chase and AmEx for 5 free round trip lie-flat international business class flights totaling 104 hours of air travel, and got $600 off hotels using Platinum and Gold card hotel benefits (stacking my 2025 and 2026 calendar benefits on the same trip), well, I have done a disservice not updating the AmEx side of the house as well.

Let me cut to the chase 🙃: I have switched from saying Chase is the best ecosystem to start with to saying AmEx is. As while Chase made everything about their program worse in 2025, effectively turning their luxury Sapphire Reserve card into a complicated coupon book on things you don’t want like mid restaurants in town and StubHub tickets (which rewards ticket scalpers), AmEx made their program better. The AmEx Platinum is now far and away the only luxury card in its tier.

But is it expensive? You bet — it’s always been the most expensive credit card, and it got even more expensive (as did Chase). Last year, the price for the AmEx Platinum increased from $695/year to $895/year (+29%, compared to the Sapphire Reserve’s increase of +45%). But the AmEx Membership Reward (MR) value did not decrease like Chase’s Ultimate Reward (UR) value did; both are worth about the same now at the time of this writing ($0.02/point).

So, should I switch? I still hold them all and believe that is the best solution. My change in advice is for what to start with, not what to end with 🤑.

In the past you said AmEx points were more complicated to redeem to get the full value. Is this still the case? Yes and no 🙃. I advocate for two or three AmEx cards vs five Chase cards. AmEx 1, Chase 0. But complexity isn’t just in the number of cards; complexity to redeem points matters just as much! Another benefit of AmEx is that all of your points automatically consolidate; there’s no need to transfer points across cards to get them into one pool like you have to do with Chase. To transfer points across users (ie, when partners both have AmEx cards), you can both transfer your MRs to the same airline partners to combine points that way. AmEx 2, Chase 0.

And with Chase’s change to devalue their Ultimate Rewards system when redeeming through their own travel portal, now both Chase and AmEx have to be redeemed in the same way to maximize value: through transfers direct to airline or hotel partners. In other words, where AmEx used to have a more complicated redemption mechanism, they are now the same, leading to a tie in terms of redemption complexity. Final score: AmEx 2, Chase 0.

How much less value is it to redeem through AmEx’s travel portal instead of transferring points to partners? I usually see a valuation of 6 to 8 tenths of a cent, compared to transfer valuations of 2 to 7 cents per point. In other words, redeeming through the AmEx travel portal reduces the valuation of your points by 60%+; it is never worth it. While Chase’s devaluation in their travel portal isn’t as bad, it’s still bad enough to rarely be worth it to redeem through their travel portal. For both systems, there are no black-out dates and nearly all airlines and hotel brands are supported.

So, what does transferring entail? It means you need to search directly on multiple airline’s websites to find the flight you want, then transfer your points to that airline. You can do the same with hotels, but airlines are what get you the best value. In particular, international business class seats are what get you the best value. So, when I say “transfer partners” for the rest of this post, assume that is how they are being used. And yes, I am often redeeming 60K to 100K points for $4K to $7K 10+ hour international business class flights this way.

What’s the downside? AmEx isn’t always accepted outside of the US, although in modern times it often is. You will want to have a backup card or two. This is where doing the Chase ecosystem also helps, but the Capital One ecosystem (future post) is the best pairing with AmEx.

Proposed Order: Green → Gold → Platinum

AmEx cards only have a proposed order due to the fact that you usually cannot earn the intro bonus on both cards unless you follow my “trick.” The big difference between AmEx and Chase is that you can only earn an intro bonus on a card once in your lifetime, even if you close and reopen the card years later. Even worse, once you earn the intro bonus on a higher end card, it normally precludes you from earning the intro bonuses on the lower end cards! Unless…

Unless you open the Green card first, take advantage of an upgrade opportunity to the Gold card, and then take advantage of an “upgrade” opportunity on your Gold card to the Platinum card. These offers usually allow you to earn intro bonuses on your “new” card which is usually better than the intro bonus for new card holders!

But wait – does this “reset” my average age of my accounts, a component of my credit score that you walked through in Travel for Work? You Need to Hop on the Credit Card Game? Nope! Your card will “convert” to new one and keep all history. You then just reopen the old card account for no additional intro bonus (but to keep its useful benefits that stack with the new card).

(Optional) Card 1: AmEx Green

• Annual Fee: $150
• Intro Bonus: 40,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first 6 months
• Reward Categories:
  • 3x points on travel including airfare, hotels, tours, campgrounds, car rentals, cruises, vacation rentals, and more
  • 3x points on transit including trains, buses, ferries, subways, rideshare, and more
  • 3x points on dining worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US. This won’t be used as the Gold is better here with 4x
  • 1x points on other purchases
• Additional Benefits:
  • Free Clear Plus membership ($209/year). You won’t need this as the Platinum has the same benefit
  • All of the travel insurance options you can think of when you book travel with this card
  • No foreign transaction fees
• Apply: Application Link

I recommend getting this card to maximize intro bonuses and because with the 3x back on travel, it stacks well with the Gold and Platinum. For example, Uber purchases qualify for the 3x reward, and since this is an AmEx card, it stacks with the Uber benefits from the Gold and Platinum. If you are sticking with the AmEx ecosystem only, this card is no longer optional but required to maximize the ecosystem. If you have other ecosystems like Chase and Capital One, this card becomes less necessary, but I still recommend it to maximize intro bonuses – when you upgrade it to the Gold, you don’t have to reopen the Green if you don’t want it!

Note that you can get the Green intro bonus if you already have the Gold and/or Platinum; it happened to me! But it is most effective to get this first given the upgrade to Gold intro bonus is better than just opening a Gold card fresh.

Card 2: AmEx Gold

• Annual Fee: $325. This increased from $250 in 2024.
• Intro Bonus: 60,000 points if you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months
• Reward Categories:
  • 4x points at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery) on up to $50,000 in purchases per year
  • 4x points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per year. Note that small corner stores may still trigger this reward category – try it!
  • 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
  • 2x points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel purchases booked through amextravel.com
  • 1x points on other purchases
• Additional Benefits:
  • $10 in Uber credits/month for $120/year. This stacks with the AmEx Platinum credit.
  • $10 in dining credits/month for $120/year off Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys
  • $7 in Dunkin’ credits/month for $84/year off Dunkin’ Donuts.
  • $50 in statement credits/6 months for dining at Resy-eligible restaurants or on Resy purchases for $100/year in statement credits
  • A $100 experience credit with a two-night minimum stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. This usually gives you 4PM late checkout as well which is insanely valuable with certain travel itineraries.
  • All of the travel insurance options you can think of when you book travel with this card
  • No foreign transaction fees
• Apply: Application Link

Why this card?

This card pairs well with all of the Chase cards but is superior them for restaurants (4x vs 3x). Factor in the 4x back on groceries and this ends up being my most used card.

This is mostly due to the 4x points on grocery spending, which is a big gap in the Chase ecosystem. Combined with the Uber and dining credits that are likely to be used, this card feels like a no-brainer. This is especially true if you have a partner also playing the Credit Card Game™,¹ where one has the Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR), and the other has this card. This gives both people an excellent dining card option while maximizing benefits across two expensive cards instead of paying the authorized user fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve (and the AmEx Gold has no such fee).

Card 3: AmEx Platinum

• Annual Fee: $895. This increased from $695 in 2025.
• Intro Bonus: As high as 175,000 points if you spend $12,000 in the first 6 months
• Reward Categories:
  • 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year
  • 5x points on prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com
  • 1x points on all other purchases
• Additional Travel Benefits:
  • [Updated in 2025] $600 Hotel Credit. Get up to $300 back in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 per year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel. Bookings with Fine Hotels + Resorts^® and The Hotel Collection each come with complimentary benefits, such as a room upgrade at check-in (when available), and a complimentary credit valued at $100 to use towards eligible charges, such as food and beverage, spa, or other on-property charges (which varies by property). Plus, get guaranteed 4 PM checkout, complimentary breakfast on Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings through Amex Travel. Note this does not stack with the AmEx Gold.
  • The global lounge collection (Priority Pass + Delta Sky Club + Centurion Lounges). The Centurion Lounge in SeaTac is hands-down the best lounge in the airport
  • [Updated in 2025] Free Clear Plus membership ($209/year)
  • Fee credit for Nexus, Global Entry, or TSA Precheck. This benefit stacks with Clear to fly through any airport line in the US
  • $200 in Uber credits/year ($15/month and $35 in December). This stacks with the AmEx Gold credit
  • [NEW in 2025] Free Uber One ($120 credit that works on monthly and annual plans). This means with the AmEx Gold, you are getting 5-10% off all Uber rides plus the first $35 free each month ($55 in December)
  • $200 airline fee credit for things like checked bags, seat selection, food, and other airline charges. Note that wifi has to be serviced by the airline for this to work (and not alternatives like gogo, meaning no free wifi on Alaska flights 😢).
  • Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. Note this does not add elite qualifying nights to help you earn higher statuses.
  • Hilton Honors Gold status. Note this does not add elite qualifying nights to help you earn higher statuses.
  • Car Rental Privileges for Avis, Hertz, National, where Platinum Card Members enjoy complimentary premium status for these car rental programs as well as additional benefits and discounts.
  • Platinum Travel Service, a concierge service that specializes in providing custom itineraries and tailored recommendations to help you make the most of your travels
  • All of the travel insurance options you can think of when you book travel with this card
  • No foreign transaction fees
• Additional Entertainment and Shopping Benefits:
  • [New in 2025] $100 Resy Credit/quarter when using your card to pay at any restaurant on Resy
  • [Updated in 2025] $300 entertainment credit ($25/month). Qualifying subscriptions: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Paramount+, Peacock, YouTube TV, YouTube Premium, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal
  • Free monthly Walmart+ ($155 value/year). This includes Paramount+, so don’t use Paramount+ with your entertainment credit above
  • [New in 2025] $75 off U.S. lululemon purchases/quarter (retail and online)
  • $50 off Saks every 6 months, for $100 off/year
  • [New in 2025] $200 Oura Ring Credit/year
  • $300 Equinox credit/year
• Apply: Application Link

Why this card?

Honestly, I resisted this card for a long time. I already had the Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) and the AmEx Gold, and I didn’t see the need to add this card into my quiver. That is, until the Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) airport built a brand new Centurion Lounge in the center of the airport, making it hands-down the best lounge in the SeaTac. Coupled with the 2023 changes to Centurion Lounge guest passes that limited the number of guests allowed into the lounge, this is worth it for all of those based out of Seattle like me!

Wait – these changes sucked, Straker. A lot of us quit AmEx over these changes! And folk like me joined them 😉. Honestly, the old AmEx lounge in SeaTac always had a 30 minute wait or longer just to get in. Now? There’s usually not a wait, but if you fear one you can get on the waitlist from your app as you get to the airport. By the time you’re through security, you’re off the waitlist!

I get that these changes made it harder to families to be in the lounge, but honestly, it was a reasonable change given issues of long lines and overcrowding. And if you spend enough on the card (which I don’t recommend), then your guest pass allowance increases.

As far as other benefits go, the 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines stacked with the card’s great trip insurance options is a strong combo that makes it the best in the world when paying cash instead of points. Factor in all of the free benefits, and this card pays for itself. I only use half of them and it’s still true! Note about the discount benefits like Resy and lululemon: be sure to “enroll” for the benefit in the app before you use it!

Due to these benefits, my wife and I both have the Platinum card. This allows us both to have Clear + Precheck and both get access to the Centurion lounges. We have multiple digital subscriptions between us, so we maximize both of our benefits for that as well. Other benefits apply for our situation as well, but these are the big ones for us that I expect to be popular for others as well.

What about other AmEx cards?

I do use other AmEx cards, but none are MR-based. For example, Marriott has a great credit card ecosystem, but it spans both Chase and AmEx. Thus, it is worthy of its own future post 😉.

In addition, there are other cards I have considered, such as the AmEx Business Platinum Card, Business Gold Card, and the Blue Cash Preferred Card. While I was very tempted by the Business Platinum vs the personal card, I found the personal card to make more sense for me, and I don’t feel that both make sense together. The same is true of the Business Gold card, which also has a higher annual fee than the personal card.

The Blue Cash Preferred card feels like an alternative to the Gold card, as they both specialize in the grocery category. While the Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% back in groceries compared to the 4 MR points the Gold card earns, the value of the MR points make the Gold card the better option (especially when paired with the Platinum card for combined MR points). The Blue Cash Preferred earns statement credits, not MR points.

If I ever change my mind about other cards, I’ll update this post!

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FAQ

Is the Gold card offered as a no-fee AmEx Platinum authorized user card the same as the Gold card mentioned here?

No, and this was perhaps the most confusing branding of all time. Thankfully, AmEx fixed this confusing branding. The free authorized user Platinum card has a new name: the companion Platinum card.

Disclaimers

This is not financial advice. I also will do my best to keep this page up to date, but if you see something out of date, please message me so that I can update it. This page contains affiliate links, however, I was not paid to share my opinion.