Kudos has partnered with CardRatings and Red Ventures for our coverage of credit card products. Kudos, CardRatings, and Red Ventures may receive a commission from card issuers. Kudos may receive commission from card issuers. Some of the card offers that appear on Kudos are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. Kudos tries to include as many card companies and offers as we are aware of, including offers from issuers that don't pay us, but we may not cover all card companies or all available card offers. You don't have to use our links, but we're grateful when you do!
Amex Platinum vs Amex Gold: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
American Express Platinum Card®: This premium card is best suited for frequent travelers who can take full advantage of its extensive luxury travel benefits and statement credits.
American Express® Gold Card: This card is a powerhouse for food-related spending, offering high reward rates at restaurants worldwide and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets.
American Express Platinum Card® Breakdown
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "106", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Luxury Travel", "headerHint" : "Explore the World" } ]]
Why We Like It
Here's our breakdown of why we like the American Express Platinum Card® (See Rates & Fees).
- It provides access to an extensive network of airport lounges worldwide, including the coveted Centurion Lounges.
- Cardmembers receive a suite of annual statement credits that help offset costs for travel, entertainment, and everyday purchases.
- Enjoy automatic elite status with major hotel partners and access to exclusive benefits when booking luxury hotel stays.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn 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.
Pros
- Unparalleled airport lounge access through the American Express Global Lounge Collection.
- A robust suite of annual statement credits across travel, retail, and entertainment categories.
- Automatic elite status with major hotel loyalty programs and access to exclusive perks at luxury properties.
Cons
- A substantial annual fee that necessitates taking full advantage of the card’s benefits to be worthwhile.
- Many of the valuable statement credits and perks require manual enrollment and can be complex to track.
- The card offers limited bonus rewards on everyday spending categories outside of travel.
American Express® Gold Card Breakdown
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "118", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "Generous Travel Rewards"} ]]
Why We Like It
Here’s a detailed look at why the American Express® Gold Card (See Rates & Fees) consistently ranks as one of our top picks.
- It offers an exceptional rewards rate on spending at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Cardmembers receive valuable monthly credits for dining and Uber, along with useful travel perks (Terms Apply).
- The points you earn are highly flexible and can be transferred to numerous airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn 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.
Pros
Excellent rewards on spending at restaurants globally and at U.S. supermarkets.
Valuable monthly statement credits for dining and Uber (Terms Apply).
Great for travel, with no foreign transaction fees and flexible point transfers to airline and hotel partners.
Cons
The card carries a significant annual fee.
Statement credits are distributed in monthly increments, which can be inflexible if you don’t use them each month.
It’s not as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard, and some benefits require enrollment to activate (Terms Apply).
American Express® Gold Card vs American Express Platinum Card®
Categories
When deciding which is better, Amex Platinum or Amex Gold, it's crucial to look at the primary spending categories each card rewards.
- American Express Platinum Card®: This card is tailored for frequent travelers, offering its highest rewards on flights purchased directly from airlines or through Amex Travel and on prepaid hotel bookings.
- American Express® Gold Card: This card is designed for foodies and home cooks, primarily rewarding spending at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets.
Redemption
American Express Platinum Card®: The value of Membership Rewards points earned with this card is maximized when used for travel, such as transferring them to airline and hotel partners or booking trips through Amex Travel.
American Express® Gold Card: These points offer great flexibility and can be redeemed for a wide array of options beyond travel, including gift cards, merchandise, and statement credits.
Travel Perks
- American Express Platinum Card®: This card is built for the frequent traveler, offering extensive global lounge access and elite status benefits with select hotel and car rental partners. It provides various travel credits and does not charge foreign transaction fees. Miles can be redeemed through the American Express Travel portal, which unlocks additional perks for certain bookings. Terms Apply.
- American Express® Gold Card: While less focused on luxury travel perks, this card is still a strong contender for trips. It offers benefits on specific hotel stays booked through The Hotel Collection and also has no foreign transaction fees, which is ideal for international restaurant spending. Its travel ecosystem is more about the flexibility of redeeming miles rather than a wide array of built-in travel benefits. Terms Apply.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make the best choice for your wallet, a tool like Kudos can help you compare top-rated cards and see which one offers the most value based on your spending.
- Test Drive Cards: Before you apply, you can test drive a credit card using your real spending data to see personalized projections of your potential earnings.
- Approval Odds Analysis: Get insights into your likelihood of being approved for a card, helping you make smarter application decisions.
- Kudos Boost Rewards: Earn extra rewards on top of what your credit card already offers when you shop at participating stores.
- Welcome Offer Guarantee: If you find a better welcome offer for a card you got through Kudos within three months, they will match it.
- Personalized Recommendations: Receive card suggestions tailored to your unique spending habits to ensure you're always maximizing your rewards.
Who Should Choose the American Express Platinum Card®?
The American Express Platinum Card® is tailor-made for the frequent traveler who values luxury experiences and can fully leverage its premium perks. This cardholder is someone who regularly takes advantage of benefits like extensive airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and a suite of annual statement credits for travel, entertainment, and retail. Ultimately, the card is most rewarding for users whose spending habits naturally align with these benefits, allowing them to easily offset the annual fee, rather than for those seeking simple rewards on everyday purchases.
Who Should Choose the American Express® Gold Card?
The American Express® Gold Card is tailor-made for food enthusiasts and frequent travelers who direct a large part of their budget toward dining out and groceries. It rewards these spending habits with 4X points at restaurants worldwide and on up to $25,000 in annual spending at U.S. supermarkets, after which it earns 1X points. Cardholders who can maximize the yearly benefits, such as up to $120 in dining credits and up to $120 in Uber Cash, will find the card's value can easily outweigh its annual fee.
Alternatives to Consider
Perhaps our Amex Platinum vs Amex Gold comparison has shown that neither card is quite right for you. Fortunately, the credit card market is full of strong contenders that might be a better fit.
[[ COMPARE_CARD * {"ids": ["2888", "2894"], "bestCategoryIds":["17", "18", "19"], "bestForTexts":["Luxurious Travel Benefits", "2% Cash Back"]} ]]
Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Review your credit score – Most premium cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
- Create a spending plan – Make sure you can comfortably meet the minimum spend for the welcome offer.
- Understand the card’s benefits – Research the perks to ensure they align with your lifestyle and spending habits.
Application Strategy
- Use the right application channel – Apply through a trusted source to find the best available Welcome Offer.
- Prepare to manage your benefits – Many perks, like statement credits, require enrollment or monthly activation.
- Time your application strategically – Align your application with a large planned purchase to help meet spending requirements.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have both the Amex Platinum and Amex Gold card?
Yes, it is possible to hold both the American Express® Platinum Card and the American Express® Gold Card simultaneously. Many cardholders do this to maximize the unique benefits offered by each card.
Do both cards earn the same type of rewards?
Both the Platinum and Gold cards earn Membership Rewards points. These flexible points can be redeemed in various ways, including for travel through Amex or by transferring to airline and hotel partners.
Are the Amex Platinum and Gold cards made of metal?
Yes, both the American Express® Platinum Card and the American Express® Gold Card are crafted from metal. This gives them a distinct, premium weight and feel compared to standard plastic cards.
Unlock your extra benefits when you become a Kudos member
Turn your online shopping into even more rewards
Join over 400,000 members simplifying their finances
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
.webp)
.webp)
