Amex Platinum Card Changes
The Platinum Card® from American Express has undergone some negative changes. The spending requirement for the welcome bonus has been increased, and there’s new added language that could limit eligibility for the bonus. Then there’s a fee increase and name changes for Authorized User cards. Last but not last, Audible will no be eligible for the monthly entertainment credit. Let’s get into the details.
Welcome Bonus Spend Requirement
The new public offer that I see is for 100,000 Membership Rewards Points. This offer normally varies between 80,000 and possibly as high as 150,000 Membership Rewards Points for some lucky applicants who get that offer to show up. One constant throughout those offers has been the spending requirement which has always been $6,000.
Now that spending requirement has been increased and it is probably the new normal. To earn a welcome bonus on The Platinum Card® from American Express, you will need to spend $8,000 within the first 6 months.
Eligibility
The Offer & Benefit Terms on the application page now have new eligibility language concerning the different flavors of the Platinum card.
You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab, the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.
Previously each flavor of the Platinum card was considered a different product. Now the lifetime language (which usually covers the last 5-7 years) includes all Platinum flavors. So if you recently had the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab, you may not be eligible to get the bonus of the vanilla version.
Fees
The annual fee for the Platinum Card® remains $695. However, the annual fee for each Additional Platinum Card is $195. This is an increase from the previous fee of $175 for three Additional Platinum Cards.
There is no annual fee for the Additional Gold Card, which is now called a Companion Platinum Card.
Digital Entertainment Credit Changes
Starting on October 2, 2023, Audible will no longer be a participating partner for the monthly $20 digital entertainment credit.
On the plus side, The Wall Street Journal has been added to the list for the digital entertainment credit. Eligible purchases for The Wall Street Journal include any subscriptions, for example, news bundles including The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s, MarketWatch and/or Investor’s Business Daily, made directly through http://www.wsj.com/subscribe. Eligible purchases do not include advertising services, WSJ events, gift cards or purchases from The Wall Street Journal Online Store.
1 thought on “Amex Platinum Card Changes: New Bonus Restrictions and Higher Spend, Plus AU Fee Increase”
wow that limitation on all platinum cards is a killer. i don’t pay for AUs but i’d guess that people with a few kids are not happy.
great job amex