HOSTED BY: 1 AIR TRAVEL
The Platinum Card® from American Express increased its annual fee from $550 to $695 (see rates and fees) last year, adding several benefits and confirming plans to alter others.
As an Amex Platinum cardholder, you’ll continue to earn 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and flights booked through American Express Travel, in addition to getting an up to $200 annual airline fee statement credit and automatic Gold elite status with Marriott and Hilton. Enrollment required for select benefits.
(Photo by Isabelle Raphael for The Points Guy)
However, cardholders now also receive some additional benefits, including:
A prepaid hotel booking credit worth up to $200 (to use with American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, The Hotel Collection or American Express Travel).A Clear membership statement credit of up to $179.A digital entertainment statement credit worth up to $20 per month.An Equinox statement credit of up to $300 annually on eligible Equinox memberships when you pay with your cardA Walmart+ membership statement credit worth up to $155 when you pay with your card.A SoulCycle bike credit valued at up to $300 (must have a 12-month Equinox+ membership to purchase an at-home SoulCycle bike)>Enrollment required for select benefits.While some of these changes help justify the annual fee increase, others — including the removal of free guest access to Centurion Lounges (unless you make at least $75,000 in purchases each year) starting Feb. 1, 2023 — are causing mixed reactions, with some cardholders feeling like the card acts more like a coupon book than a premium travel card.
If you find yourself questioning whether or not you should keep your Amex Platinum, consider switching to one of these 10 rewards credit cards.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for TPG daily newsletter.
In This Post
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
(Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)
The newest card on this list, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has quickly become a worthy competitor in the luxury rewards card space since it was introduced by Capital One in November 2021. The card includes an annual $300 travel credit, a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus, a Priority Pass membership, access to Capital One Lounges and a credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
It earns 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar spent on flights when booking through Capital One Travel, as well as 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases. Plus, as a new cardmember, you can earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 miles after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first six months of owning the card. All miles can be used to book travel and erase eligible travel purchases, or you can transfer them to more than 15 airline and hotel partners. The card does have an annual fee of $395, but all authorized users (who are free to add) can enjoy many of the card’s benefits.
Official application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
(Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)
Travelers love the Chase Sapphire Reserve because it offers a variety of benefits to cardholders, plus high points bonuses on purchases made through its affiliated portals. With this card, you’ll receive an annual $300 travel credit, up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, a Priority Pass membership, access to Chase’s Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, primary rental car coverage and travel and shopping purchase protections.
Additionally, you’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel and dining, 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 10 points per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 10 points per dollar spent on Chase Dining purchases. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar. You can transfer points to 13 airline and hotel partners or use them to book travel and cover purchases through statement credits. There is a $550 annual fee and a $75 charge for adding an authorized user, but as a new cardholder, you can earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
(Photo by The Points Guy)
For people who want to earn Ultimate Rewards points without the pricey annual fee of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, there’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. While this card doesn’t include lounge access and other premium benefits, it does come with primary rental car insurance, a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel statement credit and travel and shopping purchase protections. Additionally, you’ll receive a 10% points bonus on all purchases at the end of every year and have access to the Pay Yourself Back feature.
Travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards earns 5 points per dollar. You’ll also earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining, grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) and select streaming services in addition to 2 points per dollar spent on travel and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. The card’s annual fee is $95, and new applicants can receive 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of owning the card.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Citi Premier® Card
(Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)
The Citi Premier Card earns flexible ThankYou points that can be used to book travel, get statement credits, buy gift cards and make purchases with partners once they’re transferred. Every calendar year, you’ll receive a $100 credit toward a single hotel stay of $500 or more that’s booked through ThankYou.com (excluding taxes and fees). This benefit alone covers the $95 annual fee.
You’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets, as well as 3 points per dollar spent on air travel, hotel reservations and travel agencies. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar. As a new cardholder, you can earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Official application link: Citi Premier Card
merican Express® Gold Card
(Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)
If you want to keep earning Membership Rewards points, the American Express Gold Card may be the right card for you. With the Amex Gold, you’ll earn 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar) and 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly or with Amex Travel. Other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
Amex Gold cardholders also receive up to $120 in Uber Cash and up to $120 in dining statement credits, which mostly cover its $250 annual fee (see rates and fees). Plus, cardholders have access to the same Hotel Collection benefits and Amex Offers as those with The Platinum Card® from American Express. When you apply for the Amex Gold, you can earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of having the card. Enrollment required for select benefits.
Official application link: American Express Gold Card
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
(Photo by The Points Guy)
The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card is a great option for travelers who are loyal to Bank of America. It earns 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining, plus 1.5 points per dollar spent on everything else. Cardholders with a banking or investment relationship with the bank can earn up to a 75% bonus on all of the rewards they earn, depending on the size of their account balances. That translates to 3.5 points per dollar spent on travel and 2.625 points per dollar spent on everything else.
While Bank of America doesn’t have any transfer partners, you can redeem your points for cash back, gift cards and travel without blackout dates. You’ll also receive up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees every four years and up to $100 in airline incidental fee statement credits each year, the latter of which offsets the card’s $95 annual fee. Apply for this card and you can earn a welcome bonus of 50,000 points when you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Official application link: Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
(Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)
Travelers seeking another luxury travel card may prefer the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card, as it offers a variety of premium card benefits. Cardholders receive a Priority Pass membership, access to the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection, up to $100 to apply toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees and an annual statement credit of $325, which can be used for travel or dining purchases. The annual statement credit adds significant value to the card, helping offset its $400 annual fee.
With the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals booked through the Altitude Rewards Center, as well as 3 points per dollar spent on travel and mobile wallet purchases and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. As a new cardholder, you can earn 50,000 points after spending $4,500 in the first three months of having the card.
The information for the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
(Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Hilton loyalists love the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card because it automatically grants Hilton Diamond elite status, plus an array of other benefits. Cardholders receive an annual up to $250 Hilton resort statement credit, an up to $250 airline fee statement credit and up to $100 in credit per reservation when booking a two-night stay at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad hotels. The card also includes a Priority Pass membership and an annual free weekend night reward. A second free weekend night reward can be earned when you spend $60,000 in a calendar year. These benefits easily outweigh the $450 annual fee (see rates and fees). Enrollment required for select benefits.
You’ll earn 14 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, as well as 7 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or American Express Travel and car rentals booked with select car rental companies, 7 points per dollar spent on dining at U.S. restaurants and 3 points per dollar spent on other eligible purchases. New cardholders can earn 150,000 Hilton Honors points after they spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
The information for the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire credit card review
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
(Photo by The Points Guy)
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card is the premier card for Marriott Bonvoy members. It includes an up to $300 annual statement credit on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, plus automatic Gold Elite status and a free night certificate every year that’s worth up to 50,000 points. You’ll also receive an up to $100 property credit when you book at least two nights at a Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis. What’s more, cardholders get a Priority Pass membership and up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
With this card, you’ll earn 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 3 points per dollar spent on dining at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with the airline, and 2 points per dollar spent on other eligible purchases. An annual fee of $450 (see rates and fees) applies, but the yearly statement credits and free night certificate are worth at least that much. Currently, you can receive 75,000 points when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of having this card. You’ll also receive up to $200 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at U.S. restaurants in the first six months of card membership.
Official application link: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
(Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)
If Delta is your favorite transfer partner of the Amex Platinum, then the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card should be one of your frontrunners. As a cardholder, you’ll earn 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases. Plus, you can earn 50,000 miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months of card membership. The card also includes up to $100 in statement credits for eligible purchases made at U.S. restaurants during those same three months.
Although there’s a steep $550 annual fee (see rates and fees), cardholders receive all kinds of benefits, including complimentary access to the Centurion Lounge or the Delta Sky Club (plus two one-time guest passes for the latter) when flying with Delta and an annual companion certificate that they can use on a round-trip domestic flight in first class, Delta Comfort+ or the main cabin. Plus, those without elite status will be added to the upgrade list after Medallion members when flying with Delta, while those with status will receive priority upgrades over other Medallion members. It’s also possible to accelerate earning elite status with this card, as it awards 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles every time a cardholder spends $30,000 in a calendar year (up to four times).
Official application link: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Bottom line
While the Amex Platinum still holds value for many cardholders, others may feel inclined to get rid of the card in favor of another on the market. Fortunately, there are several great alternatives to consider.
Each card comes with its own pluses and minuses, though in many cases, each offers similar (if not better) benefits as the Amex Platinum for a lower annual cost. Regardless of where your loyalties lie, there’s a card that will suit your spending habits and travel goals.
Featured photo by The Points Guy.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, click here.
Title: 10 credit cards that can replace your Amex Platinum
Sourced From: thepointsguy.com/guide/cards-replace-amex-platinum/
Published Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2022 20:00:49 +0000
No comments:
Post a Comment