The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Perks for VIPs

Business Platinum Card® is a high-end business charge card with a high annual fee, but its VIP perks make it well worth the price of admission for the right businessperson. Cardmembers get $200 worth of travel expenses credited back each year. The sign up bonus is 50,000 membership rewards provided they spend $10,000 within first 3 months. The American Express Membership Rewards points will also accrue with every purchase on the card. And they never pay foreign exchange fees. Plus they get access to the American Express 24/7 concierge service – which is like having a personal assistant on-call.

Credit level recommended:	Excellent
APR on purchases:	20.49%
Annual fee:	$5957
Special offers:	50,000 Membership Reward points after you spend $10,000 and an extra 25,000 points after you spend an additional $10,000 all on qualifying purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.7 Card members get a $200 annual credit toward incidental travel expenses like baggage check, in-flight meals, and ticket change fees on an airline of their choice.

Earning rewards:

The points system on this card is pretty basic. Members get 50,000 reward points when spend $10,000 on purchases within first three month. They also get one Membership Reward point per dollar spent and 2 reward points when book travel on amextravel.com. Members currently get a 20% rebate of points used when they book travel through Pay with Points on the AmEx Membership Rewards site.

Redeeming rewards:

Points can be redeemed through the membership rewards page for travel, cash, merchandise, or gift cards. Travel offers the best redemption value. Points can be transferred between frequent flyer programs, allowing members to use them toward flights on nearly every airline and/or at hundreds of hotels around the world making the American Express Membership Rewards programs one of the most flexible programs available.

Benefits:

The benefits on this card far exceed the $595⁷ annual fee if you fly frequently for business and appreciate top-flight treatment and a host of benefits. Cardholders get a Priority Pass, which gives them access to over 600 exclusive airport lounges around the world and normally costs $399 per year. They also get free room upgrades and VIP treatment at more than 700 hotels that are part of the AmEx partner network. There is also concierge service, no foreign transaction fees, and no pre-set spending limit. And for local travel, there is roadside assistance. Other benefits include extended warranties and purchase protection.

Considerations:

For business owners who travel a lot, spend a lot, and expect a lot, the Platinum Business Charge Card from American Express delivers high-value rewards and a long list of benefits. This card works best for business owners who travel frequently and plan to take full advantage of the travel benefits it offers. If you make frequent international trips, the no-foreign-exchange fees alone adds a lot of value. But if you are not a frequent traveler and/or don’t need the VIP perks this card offers, you might want to consider one of the Spark Business cards from Capital One instead. Their fee is much lower.

Also, remember that this is a charge card, not a credit card. There is no set spending limit, but the balance must be paid in full each month. Balances can’t be carried over each month the way they can with traditional credit cards. If you need that option, but still want to carry American Express, think of applying for the SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card, which has no annual fee.