While there are many premium travel rewards credit cards offered, the American Express Platinum is one of the oldest and most well known. Now, American Express has revised both their Platinum Card to offer more features and benefits than ever before. Let’s take a look at what’s new, and then compare it to its greatest rival the Chase Sapphire Reserve, so that you can decide which one is right for you.
What’s new with the Platinum Card:
The consumer version of the American Express Platinum has many new, valuable features including:
- $600 annually in hotel credits. Cardholders receive up to $300 back in statement credits, twice a year, for prepaid bookings of prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel™ using the Platinum Card.
- $400 in annual Resy credits. Receive up to $100 in statement credit each quarter at over 10,000 participating U.S. Resy restaurants.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credits. $25 per month in statement credits valid at a variety of partners including Paramount+, YouTube Premium, and YouTubeTV.
- $300 annual Lululemon Credit, offered as $75 each quarter.
- $120 Uber One membership credit
- $200 annual credit towards OURA, which makes smart rings for health and fitness.
Add this to the existing benefits such as:
- 5x Membership Rewards points on flights (booked direct or through Amex) and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel.
- Priority Pass and Centurion Lounge membership
- $200 in Uber Cash ($15/month plus $20 in December)
- $200 annual airline fee credit
- $209 CLEAR Plus credit
American Express cites access to over $3,500 in annual lifestyle benefits, but there’s no way that even the most diligent fan of this card is going to receive that value from all of these benefits. But the beauty of the Uber credits is that by adding this card to your Uber account, you can easily use those credits the first time you use Uber each month.
New look
This card now features a limited-edition mirror card design. It looks cool and will be exciting to some. But I always think of my credit cards as financial instruments, not fashion statements. And this is especially true when I’m making online purchases or using a digital wallet, when nobody will even see my card.
What will this cost you?
The annual fee for this card is now $895, up from $695. For many, this $200 annual increase will be well worth it to remain a cardholder and to enjoy the additional fee credits. However, many cardholders, like myself will now be questioning if they should be holding multiple premium cards, or if they should just pare down their portfolio to the single best one.
Comparing the new American Express Platinum to the Chase
Sapphire Reserve
When it comes to ultra-premium travel rewards cards, the primary competitor of the American Express Platinum has been the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Earlier this year, Chase performed a similar redesign of its flagship card, including raising its annual fee, and adding additional statement credits with merchant partners.
The Sapphire Reserve currently offers new applicants the chance to earn 125,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. It also offers 8x points on all purchases made through Chase Travel, along with 4x points on airlines and hotels booked directly. You earn 3x points on dining and one point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
As with the American Express Platinum, you receive a Priority Pass membership that grants you and up to two guests access to over 1,500 lounges around the world. Likewise, Chase offers its own airport lounges, branded as the Sapphire Lounge in cities such as Boston, New York (LGA and JFK), Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Diego, with lounges opening soon in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Las Vegas and LAX.
When it comes to statement credits and other perks, the Sapphire Reserve has fewer, but more valuable features, including:
- $300 annual travel credit
$500 credit for stays of two nights or more in their hotel collection called The Edit. You receive a $250 semi-annually in 2025, switching to two, $250 credits that can be used any time of year. - $300 credit ($150 semi-annually) for dining at restaurants that are part of the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program.
- DoorDash DashPass membership, valued at $120 and $300 worth of promos.
- $300 StubHub credit ($150 semi-annually)
- Complimentary Apple TV+ (worth $250) and $10 a month in Lyft credits ($120 annually).
The annual fee for this card is $795
Which card is right for you?
Both are similar, and highly competitive cards. The card that makes the most sense for you is the one whose benefits and fee credits you are most likely to use.
Certainly, if you have an Amex Centurion Lounge or a Sapphire Lounge at your home airport, that could be a major factor in your choice. For example, I’m based in Denver, Colorado, and I visit Atlanta often. I enjoy visiting the American Express Centurion lounges in both cities, neither of which have a Sapphire Lounge. I also love using Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits such as roadside dispatch that pays for flat tire repair and towing up to 10 miles. In contrast, other cards merely dispatch roadside service that you have to pay extra for. I also love Chase’s primary rental car insurance and trip delay policy that covers your expenses during delays of just six hours or more.
I also find the Sapphire’s $300 annual travel credit to be effortless to use, as opposed to Amex’s $200 annual airline fee credit, which is only valid for certain fees from a designated airline. That said, some have found that they can purchase two $100 credits from United Travel Bank, and receive the fee credits. Others have found that airline tickets purchased for under $100 from Southwest and other airlines can trigger the fee credits. Keep that in mind if you have an American Express Platinum card.
Other factors will be the brands that each card offers credits with. For example, if you’re a huge Lululemon fan and can easily spend $75 each quarter on their clothes, then this could tip the scale towards the Platinum Card for you. Likewise, StubHub and Apple TV+ users might favor the Sapphire Reserve. Ultimately, the card that delivers the most value to you and your lifestyle will be the best card for your needs.
FAQs
Q1. Which is better — the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve in 2025?
Both cards are premium travel rewards cards, but they suit different lifestyles. The Amex Platinum is best for frequent flyers who value Centurion Lounge access, hotel elite status, and luxury credits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is better for travelers who prefer flexible, easy-to-use rewards on travel and dining with strong travel protections and primary car rental coverage.
Q2. Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve still worth it after the 2025 refresh?
Yes, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® remains a top-tier option for those who spend heavily on travel and dining. Despite the higher annual fee, its $300 flexible travel credit, 1.5¢ redemption rate, and comprehensive travel insurance make it worth keeping — especially if you prefer simplicity over Amex’s segmented credits.
Q3. Should I have both the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve?
Many frequent travelers hold both cards to maximize perks. The Amex Platinum offers elite lounge access and hotel status, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides primary rental insurance, stronger dining rewards, and broader acceptance (especially abroad). If you can offset both annual fees through travel and credits, having both can deliver unmatched coverage and value.
Q4. How do travel insurance and lounge access compare between the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve?
The Amex Platinum features secondary car rental insurance but the widest lounge network, including Centurion, Delta Sky Club, and Priority Pass. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers primary rental coverage and strong trip cancellation, delay, and baggage protection, along with Sapphire Lounge and Priority Pass access — including complimentary guest entry with no spending threshold.
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