Amex Platinum
Niche cardWhat the roles mean
- Frequent travellers who use lounges: 1,550+ airport lounges, $400 a year in travel and dining credits, and the richest Amex travel insurance
Welcome offer now
"Elevated offer: up to 130,000 points." Earn 70,000 90,000 MR after spending $10,000 in your first 3 months, plus 30,000 40,000 MR when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership. "Earn up to 130,000 points - That's up to $1,300 towards your next vacation."
Checked on Amex's own page October 21, 2026. See Amex's page
What it earns in a year
35,400 points a year
Worth about −$445 after the $799 fee at the simplest redemption, up to −$91 at the best.
Based on $30,000 a year of spending ($9,600 groceries, $3,000 gas, $3,000 dining…). Welcome offer not included.
Try it with your own spending →
- Dining & restaurants: 2× points.
- Travel: 2× points.
- Everything else: 1× points.
Highlighted = use this card here.
Using your points
On the spending above, 35,400 points a year: worth $354 the easy way, $708 the best way.
- Easy way (1¢): Statement credit: 1,000 points = $10
- Best way (2¢): Move them 1:1 to Aeroplan or British Airways Avios, then book economy flights
How to apply for the Amex Platinum
Check first
- Bonus once per lifetime: you can't get it if you've ever had this card
- Check you qualify No minimum income listed. You need to live in Canada and be the age of majority in your province.
- Have this ready Your address and how long you've lived there, your employer and yearly income, and your monthly rent or mortgage. Your SIN is optional for a credit card; you can leave it blank.
- Expect a credit check Applying adds a hard inquiry to your credit report, which lowers your score a little for a few months. Space applications about 90 days apart.
- Apply on Amex's own site Apply online from the bank's product page, where the offer above is shown. This isn't an affiliate link: we earn nothing if you apply.Apply on Amex's site →
- After you're approved Put the spending needed for the welcome offer on the card before the deadline, and pay the full balance every month.
How to use it
- Restaurants, food delivery, travel: 2 points per $1
- Credits: book one trip through Amex Travel Online for the $200 travel credit; spend $200+ in one bill at an eligible restaurant for the $200 dining credit (enrol first; resets January 1)
- Everything else: 1 point per $1. Groceries, gas and bills belong on a category card
- Lounge visits capped from January 1, 2027: Priority Pass and Plaza Premium drop from unlimited to 6 visits a year (guests count), unless you spend $20,000 a year. Centurion and Escape lounges stay unlimited
- The bonus: spend $10,000 in 3 months for 90,000; the last 40,000 needs a purchase in months 15–17, after the second $799 fee
- Example: $250/month dining + $1,350/month of other spending = 22,200 points = $222 as a statement credit. The fee only pays off if you use the $400 in credits and the lounges
Key facts
- Annual fee
- $799
- Purchase interest
- 21.99%
- Foreign currency fee
- 2.5%
- Min. personal income
- None published
- Min. household income
- None published
- Rewards
- Amex Membership RewardsSee every Amex Membership Rewards card
Annual fee waiver
- None
From americanexpress.com Platinum product page, checked October 17, 2026. Not an affiliate link.
More Amex cards
Best paired with
Neo World Elite Mastercard
- This card: dining & restaurants, travel, transit, drugstore / pharmacy, entertainment, everything else
- Neo World Elite Mastercard: groceries, gas / ev, bills & subscriptions
- Together: −$42 a year after both fees, vs −$445 with this card alone
Computed on our standard household ($30,000 a year): each kind of spending goes to whichever card pays more, both fees taken off. Partners are everyday, category and churning cards on Visa or Mastercard. Points at their simplest redemption. Welcome offers not included.
Pros
- Year one: up to 130,000 points: 90,000 after $10,000 in 3 months + 40,000 for a purchase in months 15–17
- Lounge access worldwide: Centurion, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, Escape; unlimited visits until December 31, 2026
- $200 travel credit + $200 dining credit every year; $100 toward NEXUS every 4 years
- Up to $240 a year in Instacart credit and $100 for a Walmart Delivery Pass, to December 31, 2027 (register first)
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Fine Hotels + Resorts perks (breakfast for two, 4pm checkout)
- Points move 1:1 to Aeroplan, British Airways Avios and Flying Blue
- 2 additional Gold cards free
Cons
- $799 a year, including year one; additional Platinum cards $250 each
- 1 point per $1 on groceries, gas and bills
- Priority Pass and Plaza Premium capped at 6 visits a year from January 1, 2027, unless you spend $20,000
- The dining credit needs one $200+ bill at one restaurant; it can't be split
- Amex: not accepted at Costco (Mastercard only) and turned away at some stores; carry a Visa or Mastercard
- Charge card: pay in full each month, or 30% on late balances (21.99% on Flexible Payment balances)
- Travel medical stops at age 65; no phone insurance
- 2.5% on foreign-currency purchases
Insurance included
- Travel medical: $5 million, first 15 days, age 64 or under
- Trip cancellation: $2,500 per person ($5,000 total)
- Trip interruption: $2,500 per person ($6,000 total)
- Flight delay and delayed bags: $1,000 combined, after 4 hours (flight) or 6 hours (bags)
- Lost bags: $1,000
- Hotel burglary: $1,000
- Travel accident: $500,000
- Rental car damage: up to 48 days, cars under $85,000
- Purchases: 120 days of theft/damage cover (up to $1,000), +1 year warranty
Maximums as Amex lists them. Conditions apply; the insurance certificate decides claims.
Perks
- Lounges: 1,550+ worldwide; Centurion and Escape with 2 free guests
- $200 travel credit: one booking through Amex Travel Online each year
- $200 dining credit: one $200+ bill at an eligible restaurant each calendar year
- Hotels: Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite; Fine Hotels + Resorts upgrades, breakfast and late checkout
- NEXUS: up to $100 back every 4 years
Other cards for dining & restaurants
Back a year on $3,000 of dining & restaurants, caps included. Points at best-case value. Before annual fees.
| Card | Earns on dining & restaurants | Back a year | Annual fee | Terms checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Cobalt | 5× points≈ 10.0% in value | $300 | $192 | October 21, 2026 |
| Scotiabank Gold Amex | 5× points | $150 | $120 | November 2, 2026 |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | 5× points | $150 | $150 | October 21, 2026 |
| Simplii Cash Back Visa | 4% back | $120 | $0 | October 21, 2026 |
| RBC British Airways Visa Infinite | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $120 | $165 | October 23, 2026 |
| Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege | 4% back | $120 | $395 | October 21, 2026 |
| Amex Platinum | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $120 | $799 | October 21, 2026 |
Other cards for travel
Back a year on $2,400 of travel, caps included. Points at best-case value. Before annual fees.
| Card | Earns on travel | Back a year | Annual fee | Terms checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy American Express | 5× points≈ 7.0% in value | $168 | $120 | October 21, 2026 |
| CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege | 3× points≈ 6.0% in value | $144 | $499 | October 21, 2026 |
| Amex Aeroplan Reserve | 3× points≈ 6.0% in value | $144 | $599 | October 21, 2026 |
| Scotiabank Scene+ Visa | 4× points | $96 | $0 | November 2, 2026 |
| Scotiabank Amex | 4× points | $96 | $0 | November 2, 2026 |
| Amex Aeroplan | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $96 | $120 | October 21, 2026 |
| Amex Platinum | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $96 | $799 | October 21, 2026 |
How the offer has changed
One row per check of Amex's page, newest first. Old rows are never edited.
| Checked | Welcome offer | Fee, year one | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2026 | Unchanged: elevated up to 130,000 MR: 90k ($10,000 / 3 mo) + 40k (a purchase in months 15–17); 70k / 30k shown crossed out; "up to $1,300"Standard 100,000 (70k + 30k, "up to $1,000") showed on 2 of 10 loads (both versions saved). Page restates the Plaza Premium / Priority Pass visit limit from January 1, 2027 | $799, not waived | none stated |
| October 17, 2026 | Elevated: up to 130,000 MR: 90k ($10,000 / 3 mo) + 40k (a purchase in months 15–17); 70k / 30k shown crossed out; "up to $1,300"New URL /en-ca/charge-cards/the-platinum-card/. Up from 100,000 (July 31, 2026 row) | $799, not waived | none stated |
| September 7, 2026 | Not verifiable: product URL returns 404; all-cards listing is a consent wallFind the new URL before quoting | — | — |
| July 31, 2026 | 100,000 MR: 70k ($10,000 / 3 mo) + 30k (months 15–17)$45k tier removed. (Doc §2 was not updated at the time.) | $799, not waived | none stated |
| June 15, 2026 | Up to 170,000 MR: 90k ($10,000 / 3 mo) + 40k ($45,000 / 12 mo) + 40k (months 15–17) | $799, not waived | July 28, 2026 |
General information, not financial advice. Offers change; confirm on Amex's page before you apply.