Amex Business Platinum Card adds new benefits, enhanced rewards along with $200 annual fee increase

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American Express is introducing significant updates to The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. The welcome bonus is substantial, and the card offers new and valuable perks; however, there is a catch: the annual fee is increasing from $695 to $895 (see rates and fees).

Do the card's enhanced benefits for businesses justify this nearly 30% fee increase? Let's break down the new features and determine if the costs make sense for your business. 

These changes, which are effective immediately, coincide with similar updates to the American Express Platinum Card®, marking one of the most significant refreshes to the Platinum portfolio in recent years.

With the Amex Business Platinum card, you may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in the first three months. That's a substantial spending requirement, but it's reasonable for many businesses.

This is one of the highest welcome bonuses I've seen for the Amex Business Platinum card. To put that in perspective, 200,000 points can cover some serious business travel redemptions–multiple international business-class flights for client meetings or extended stays at premium hotels for conferences.

The annual fee for the Amex Business Platinum card is increasing from $695 to $895 (see rates and fees). This is a significant increase.

The value of the card for cardholders largely depends on their ability to frequently utilize the credits for Dell, Adobe, hotels and Indeed. If your business regularly incurs these types of expenses and you travel often, the benefits may still make the cost worthwhile.

For existing cardholders who opened accounts before Sept. 18, 2025, the new annual fee will take effect at their next renewal date on or after Dec. 2, 2025. Be sure to evaluate whether the benefits align with your actual business needs before agreeing to the higher annual fee.

The Business Platinum Card refresh introduces several card enhancements aimed at increasing its value proposition for business owners.

Dramatically expanded hotel benefits

The Business Platinum now includes significant hotel perks:

• $600 hotel credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 each calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel using the Business Platinum Card (two-night minimum stay with The Hotel Collection).
• Premium hotel status: You can receive complimentary Leaders Club Sterling Status from The Leading Hotels of the World and enjoy upgrade opportunities (subject to availability), daily breakfast for two and other on-property perks (enrollment required).

Improved earning rates

The Amex Business Platinum now offers upgraded earning rates on key business spending:

• 2X points on eligible purchases in select business categories, as well as on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year)
• 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
• 1X points on all other purchases

High-spending perks 

For businesses with substantial card usage, American Express introduces up to $3,600 in additional statement credits available the following calendar year after spending $250,000 on eligible purchases: 

• $1,200 Amex Travel online flight credit for flights booked on AmexTravel.com.
• $2,400 One AP® statement credit for monthly fees on American Express One AP, the company's digital accounts payable product.

New employee card benefits

The Business Platinum has upgraded its employee card perks and increased the cost:

• Employee Business Platinum Cards are available for an additional $400 per card annually (up from the current $350 annual fee; see rates and fees)
• Access to 30 Centurion Lounges for employees
• 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club visits when flying eligible Delta flights
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Hilton Honors Gold status
• Employee Business Expense Card option with no annual fee, offering limited benefits

The Business Platinum Card retains its comprehensive existing benefit package, including:

• Up to $1,150 Dell Technologies Credit: Get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S. purchases directly with Dell Technologies, plus an additional $1,000 statement credit after spending $5,000 or more on those purchases in a calendar year (enrollment required).
• $250 Adobe Credit: Receive $250 in statement credits after spending $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year (enrollment required).
• Up to $360 in Indeed credits annually: Earn up to $90 back in statement credits per quarter for purchases made at Indeed.com (enrollment required).
• Up to $200 in annual Hilton credit: Receive up to $50 in statement credits back per quarter for purchases you make directly with Hilton (Hilton for Business membership required; enrollment required).
• Up to $120 in wireless credits annually: Earn up to $10 in statement credits back per month for purchases made directly with any U.S. wireless telephone provider (enrollment required).
• Up to $209 in CLEAR® Plus credit: Earn up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year for a Clear Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal; excluding applicable taxes and fees).
• Up to $200 in airline fee statement credits: Every calendar year, you can be reimbursed for up to $200 in airline fees charged by your selected qualifying airline (enrollment required).
• Up to $120 in trusted traveler program credits: Receive either a $120 statement credit for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee every 4 years, when charged to the Business Platinum Card. If approved for Global Entry you will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Comprehensive travel* and purchase* insurance, no foreign transaction fees and more

* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Anyone considering the refreshed Business Platinum Card should evaluate their spending patterns to see if the new benefits outweigh the cost. It's not hard to justify the annual fee if you can maximize everything this card offers. However, the benefits can be complicated or difficult to qualify for, which makes a simpler business card appealing for many.

If a $895 feels steep, consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees), which has a $95 annual fee. You'll miss the premium travel perks, but you get strong earning rates on business categories at a lower annual cost. Plus, you'll earn transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points and get a long list of travel and shopping insurance benefits.

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business offers at least 2X miles on every purchase with a $95 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year), making it simpler for businesses that want straightforward earning without managing multiple statement credits.

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For rates and fees of The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, click here.