American Express Platinum vs. Business Platinum: Which card makes sense for your company?

The American Express Business Platinum card is designed for companies with substantial travel budgets, multiple employees requiring cards, and regular large purchases. Its structure reflects operational spending patterns rather than personal lifestyle needs.

Key benefits

Welcome bonus: 200,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 USD in the first three months. This represents 2.5x higher spending in half the time compared to the personal Platinum's 175,000 points for $8,000 USD in six months, signaling the card is designed for companies with monthly expenses exceeding $6,700 USD.

Employee card management: The Business Platinum supports up to 99 employee cards at $400 USD annually per card. Each employee card includes individual spending limit controls, real-time activity monitoring, card freeze capabilities, and full premium travel benefits including lounge access and hotel status. Finance teams can monitor all employee spending from a centralized dashboard.

Business-specific credits ($1,880+ USD annually):

• Dell Technology: Up to $1,150 USD ($150 USD base + $1,000 USD after $5,000 USD spend)
• Indeed Recruitment: $360 USD ($90 USD quarterly)
• Adobe Creative Cloud: $250 USD (after $600 USD spend)
• Wireless Services: $120 USD ($10 USD monthly)
• Hilton Hotels: $200 USD (enrollment required)

35% points rebate on award flights: When booking flights through American Express Travel using Membership Rewards points with a selected qualifying airline, the Business Platinum returns 35% of points used. A 50,000-point flight effectively costs 32,500 points after the rebate. For companies with five employees each booking two award flights annually at 50,000 points, this benefit saves 175,000 points, which is worth approximately $2,625 USD at conservative point valuations.

Unlimited lounge guests at $75K+ spend: Companies spending $75,000 USD or more annually unlock unlimited complimentary guests at Centurion Lounges, while the personal Platinum caps at two guests.

Earning structure

• 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 USD annually)
• 5x points on prepaid hotels through Amex Travel
• 2x points on purchases of $5,000 USD or more per transaction
• 1x point on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

The 2x earning rate on large purchases creates substantial value for companies making regular vendor payments, equipment purchases, or professional services fees. A company spending $100,000 USD annually on qualifying purchases earns 200,000 points versus 100,000 points on the personal Platinum, or approximately $2,000 USD in additional travel value.

Rewards program

Both Platinum cards earn Membership Rewards points, which transfer to 17 airline partners and three hotel partners according to The Points Guy. Top airline transfer partners include Delta SkyMiles, British Airways Executive Club, Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA Mileage Club, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (most at 1:1 ratios). Hotel partners include Marriott Bonvoy (1:1), Hilton Honors (1:2), and Choice Privileges (1:1).

Membership Rewards are worth about 2 cents per point, significantly higher than the 0.5 to 1 cent per point value when redeeming through the travel portal or for cash back. Transferring to airline partners typically delivers the highest value, particularly for business and first-class award tickets.

Other perks

Airport lounge access: Both cards provide access to over 1,550 airport lounges worldwide including American Express Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass Select membership (unlimited visits), and limited Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta. Below $75,000 USD in annual spending, both cards charge $50 USD per guest at Centurion Lounges.

Hotel elite status: Both cards provide automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status upon enrollment, delivering room upgrades subject to availability, bonus points on stays, and late checkout privileges.

Travel insurance: Both cards provide trip cancellation and interruption insurance (up to $10,000 USD per trip, $20,000 USD annually), trip delay insurance (up to $500 USD after six hours), baggage insurance (up to $2,000 USD for checked bags, $3,000 USD for carry-on), and secondary rental car coverage (up to $75,000 USD for up to 30 days).

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: Both cards offer a $120 USD credit every 4-4.5 years for application fees.

Drawbacks

• High $895 USD annual fee
• Requires personal guarantee, which puts personal assets at risk
• Charge card structure requires full balance payment monthly (no payment flexibility)
• Employee cards cost $400 USD annually each, making multi-employee programs expensive
• Credits require active enrollment and tracking to maximize value
• Benefits heavily favor travel and large purchases (limited value for companies with different spending patterns)

Who is this card best for?

The American Express Business Platinum card works best for established companies with substantial travel budgets, regular large purchases over $5,000 USD, and multiple traveling employees. Companies spending $75,000+ USD annually can maximize the unlimited lounge guest benefit and business credits. The card delivers strong value when business spending aligns with its credit categories (Dell, Indeed, Adobe, wireless) and when the 35% award flight rebate applies to frequent company travel.

The personal Platinum serves individual professionals who want premium travel benefits and lifestyle perks without business management infrastructure.

Key benefits

Welcome bonus: 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 USD in six months. The lower spending threshold and longer timeframe make this card more accessible for individuals with moderate monthly expenses.

Additional cards: Up to 99 additional cards at $195 USD annually per card, but only three receive full benefits. These cards are designed for family members aged 13+ with Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs), with controls limited to basic spending limits per billing period.

Lifestyle credits ($1,475 USD annually):

• Streaming services: $300 USD
• Lululemon: $300 USD
• Uber services: $320 USD
• Walmart+: $155 USD
• Resy dining: $400 USD

These credits serve consumer spending patterns with limited corporate utility unless regularly used for legitimate business purposes.

Guest policy limitation: At spending levels above $75,000 USD annually, the personal Platinum allows only two complimentary guests at Centurion Lounges versus unlimited guests with the Business Platinum card.

Earning structure

• 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 USD annually)
• 5x points on prepaid hotels through Amex Travel
• 1x point on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

The personal Platinum lacks the Business Platinum's 2x earning rate on purchases over $5,000 USD. A company making $100,000 USD in annual large purchases would earn 100,000 fewer points, equal to approximately $2,000 USD in lost travel value.

Rewards program

Same Membership Rewards transfer partners and redemption options as the Business Platinum, but without the 35% points rebate on award flights. This rebate difference can represent substantial value for companies regularly booking award travel.

Other perks

The personal Platinum shares the same airport lounge access, hotel elite status, travel insurance, and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefits as the Business Platinum. The primary operational differences lie in earning rates, employee card management, credit portfolio focus, and guest policies rather than travel perks.

Drawbacks

• High $895 USD annual fee
• Requires personal guarantee (personal liability for all charges)
• Charge card structure requires full balance payment monthly (no payment flexibility)
• Additional cards cost $195 USD annually each, with only three receiving full benefits
• Lifestyle credits have limited business application (streaming, Lululemon, Walmart+, Uber, Resy)
• No bonus earning on large purchases over $5,000 USD (unlike Business Platinum)

Who is this card best for?

The American Express Personal Platinum card works best for individual professionals with significant personal travel who value premium travel benefits and lifestyle perks. Solo founders or consultants who blend personal and business travel may benefit from lounge access and hotel status, particularly if they can maximize the lifestyle credits.

However, the card delivers limited value for companies with substantial business spending. The lack of 2x earning on large purchases, restricted employee card benefits, and consumer-focused credits mean the Business Platinum typically delivers superior value for businesses despite identical annual fees.

The decision between these American Express cards centers on your spending volume, spending categories, organizational structure, and the legal requirement for business-to-personal expense separation.

Choose Amex Business Platinum when:

Your business makes regular purchases over $5,000 USD. The Business Platinum earns bonus points on large purchases, creating compounding value for companies with regular substantial vendor payments or equipment purchases.

You have multiple employees who need corporate cards. The Business Platinum's employee card infrastructure provides real-time monitoring, individual spending controls, and card freeze capabilities for up to 99 employee cards.

Your spending aligns with business-specific credits. If your company uses Dell hardware, Adobe software, Indeed for recruiting, or pays for employee wireless plans, the $1,880+ USD in annual credits can cover the entire annual fee and provide substantial additional value.

Your annual business spending exceeds $75,000 USD. At this threshold, the Business Platinum unlocks unlimited complimentary guests at Centurion Lounges, while the Personal Platinum limits you to two complimentary guests.

You need to establish a separate business credit history. Maintaining clear separation between business and personal expenses is important for accurate financial tracking, tax filing, and protecting personal assets. This is particularly important when operating as an LLC, S-Corporation, or C-Corporation.

The Business Platinum's $895 USD annual fee breaks quickly for active businesses. Business credits are estimated to be worth at least $1,880+ USD, so the card pays for itself through credits alone.

Choose Amex Personal Platinum when:

Your business expenses are minimal or irregular. If you're an early-stage founder spending less than $50,000 USD annually on business expenses, the personal card's lower welcome bonus spending requirement and lifestyle credits may provide better value.

Your travel is primarily personal with occasional business trips. The personal Platinum's $1,475 USD in annual lifestyle credits deliver more value for individuals who don't regularly need corporate purchasing tools.

You're an executive employee, not a business owner. The personal Platinum makes sense for executive employees who want premium travel benefits but aren't responsible for managing business expenses across multiple employees.

Traditional corporate cards like the American Express Business Platinum require separate expense management software, charge $400 USD per employee card, and underwrite based on personal credit history with personal guarantees. These structural limitations create friction for growing companies.

Modern finance platforms address these gaps by combining cards, expense management, and business banking in one place. Credit limits are based on company financials rather than founder credit scores, with no personal guarantee required. Employee cards are unlimited at no additional cost, while AI handles receipt matching, expense categorization, and policy enforcement automatically.

Brex represents this approach. The platform integrates with QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Xero for real-time transaction sync and uses AI to generate receipts and flag policy violations before approval. It delivers credit limits typically 20–30x higher than traditional cards for companies. Finance teams also report 90% reduction in expense management time while maintaining tighter spending controls.

For companies with substantial cash balances, multiple employees requiring cards, and significant operational spending on software and technology, integrated spend platforms can deliver more value than premium travel cards designed primarily for individual executives.

Does the American Express Business Platinum require a personal guarantee?

Yes, the American Express Business Platinum Card requires a personal guarantee. The business owner is personally liable for all charges on the card. Some modern corporate card platforms do not require personal guarantees, basing credit limits on company financials instead.

Can I earn rewards on employee card spending with the Business Platinum?

Yes, all purchases made on employee credit cards issued under the Business Platinum account earn rewards at the same rates as the primary card. Points accumulate in the primary cardholder's Membership Rewards account.

What's the difference between the Business Platinum's Dell credit structure?

The Dell credit provides $150 USD annually as a base benefit, plus an additional $1,000 USD credit after you spend $5,000 USD or more with Dell within a calendar year, for a total potential value of $1,150 USD.

Are the Business Platinum's business credits automatically applied?

Most credits require enrollment and must be used at specific merchants. The Dell, Adobe, and Indeed credits require registration through your American Express account portal. The wireless credit applies automatically once enrolled for qualifying wireless carriers.

Can I downgrade from Business Platinum to a no-annual-fee business card?

American Express does not typically allow product changes from the Business Platinum to other business credit cards. You would need to apply for a new card and close the Business Platinum account separately, which may impact your credit utilization and business credit history.