The American Express Platinum Card is considered the ultimate credit card in Germany- but is it really worth it? Who does the Platinum Card pay off for and which exclusive perks make the Amex Platinum Card so popular in Germany? In this guide, we take a closer look at the premium metal card from American Express®.
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
Below, we examine the American Express Platinum Card’s advantages and disadvantages, as well as the benefits offered relative to its annual fee of 720 euros.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- What benefits does the American Express Platinum Card offer?
- What disadvantages does the American Express Platinum Card have?
- What are our experiences with the American Express Platinum Card?
- For whom is the card suitable?
- How do I apply for an American Express Platinum Card?
- What are the requirements for an American Express Platinum Card?
- How much income do you need for an American Express Platinum Card?
- The American Express Business Platinum Card
- What does the American Express Platinum Card offer in Austria?
- What are the alternatives to the American Express Platinum Card?
- Our conclusion on the American Express Platinum Card
What benefits does the American Express Platinum Card offer?
The Amex Platinum Card in Germany comes with interesting benefits that make it the perfect companion for travel and everyday life. The premium credit card offers several credits with a total value of 640 euros, available immediately after you receive the card.
The Amex Platinum benefits include:
- 200 euros online travel credit per year for flights, hotels, car rentals, and more
- 150 euros restaurant credit per year
- 200 euros SIXT ride credit in the form of eight vouchers of 25 euros each
- 90 euros shopping credit per year in the form of two vouchers of 45 euros each
- Participation in the American Express Membership Rewards® program
- Lounge access thanks to Priority Pass for the primary and additional cardholder, plus one guest each per Priority Pass
- Access to numerous other lounges in the Global Lounge Collection (e.g., Lufthansa or Delta lounges)
- Up to 200 euros discount & priority benefits on Condor flight bookings
- Attractive travel insurance package
- A free Platinum Card as an additional card, plus four additional Gold Cards for family members or friends
- Participation in Amex Offers with attractive deals and discounts
- Free status levels with Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Meliá, SIXT, Avis & Hertz
- Discounts with partners such as SIXT or golf providers
- Telephone advice and travel service for bookings and problems
- Access to Platinum Service & Amex Experiences
- Additional perks, such as access to the lounge in the Uber Arena or discounted Golf Fee Card
Substantial online travel credit from American Express
For frequent travelers, the American Express Platinum Card is particularly attractive because it offers numerous travel benefits. One of the Amex Platinum advantages that makes the card stand out from other products is the 200 euros travel credit.
You receive this annually as a Platinum Card holder and can redeem it for various travel services—be it a flight, hotel or rental car booking. In effect, this reduces the Platinum Card’s cost by 200 euros.
Although the credit can only be applied to a minimum purchase of 200 euros and redemption is only possible directly through American Express, this is a major benefit with an almost perfect direct monetary value.
Culinary experiences thanks to the restaurant credit
You can redeem the 150 euros annual American Express restaurant credit at over 2,000 selected restaurants in more than 20 countries worldwide and there are countless options across Germany as well.
In Germany, you can use the credit in over 50 cities, including many Michelin-starred restaurants, but also at moderately priced venues.
Selected restaurants in Germany include a wide range of acclaimed establishments, for example:
- Horváth, Berlin
- Tantris, Munich
- Zwanzig23, Düsseldorf
- The Table, Hamburg
Of course the restaurant credit can also be used at restaurants abroad.
The best part is that you receive this restaurant credit every year, giving you the chance to discover many new restaurants.
💡 Good to know: the 150 euros credit does not have to be used all at once; it can be split across multiple restaurant visits.
To benefit from the restaurant credit, simply activate the credit once in the app and then use the Amex Platinum Card as your payment method at a participating restaurant.
SIXT ride ride credit
The 200 euros credit is divided into eight vouchers of 25 euros and can be used for the limousine service, but no longer for taxi bookings. The credit is also no longer usable with SIXT partners, such as Lyft in the USA.
In principle, the SIXT ride Amex credit is very flexible to redeem. There are just three conditions to keep in mind:
- All rides must be paid with the American Express Platinum Card
- No taxi rides or rides with partner companies (e.g., Lyft in the USA) are eligible for the discount
- The chauffeur and limousine service must be booked at least one hour in advance
Otherwise, the terms of the SIXT ride credit from Amex are straightforward and customer-friendly. You can use the credit worldwide- if billed in another currency, the price is based on the current daily exchange rate.
The ride price does not affect the credit. If a ride costs less than 25 euros, the booking is free, but no remaining credit is carried over. The credit is valid for twelve months from activation.
To be fair, SIXT’s limousine service is often somewhat more expensive than a regular taxi. Still, the SIXT ride credit can be attractive, especially for airport transfers.
Shopping credit for luxury online boutiques
In addition, Amex Platinum Card holders can benefit from a 90 euros shopping credit, which can be redeemed at Mr. Porter and Net-a-Porter. This is split into two credits of 45 euros- one per half-year.
Both Mr. Porter and Net-a-Porter mainly offer higher-priced products, which admittedly may not suit every budget.
Even so, you can still use the credit if you don’t intend to buy branded clothing, as both boutiques also carry numerous fragrances, cosmetics, and decor items.
Free lounge access with a guest
American Express Platinum Card holders enjoy free access to over 1,550 airport lounges worldwide thanks to a complimentary Priority Pass membership, which also lets you bring one guest.
The primary and additional cardholders together have 50 visits per year to Priority Pass lounges. Each additional guest counts as an additional visit.
💡 Good to know: visits to Amex Centurion Lounges are unlimited.
The same applies to the additional Platinum card; its holder can also bring a guest. In total, up to four people can enter the lounge, making it ideal for trips with family or friends.
This Amex Platinum Card benefit has since been expanded with numerous other lounge memberships. With the American Express Platinum Card, you also get complimentary access to all American Express Centurion Lounges in the USA and worldwide, as well as to Plaza Premium lounges—again, with a guest.
You also have access to many other lounges in the Global Lounge Collection. These include Delta Sky Clubs (only in conjunction with a Delta flight) and Lufthansa lounges across Germany (only in conjunction with a Lufthansa Group flight and unfortunately not with guests).
This enormous benefit is particularly relevant for frequent travelers and makes the Amex Platinum the best credit card with lounge access on the market.
Up to 200 euros discount & priority benefits on Condor flight bookings
Beyond free lounge access, the Amex Platinum Card currently offers additional time-limited travel perks- specifically, substantial benefits and discounts with Condor.
Cardholders receive exclusive priority benefits plus an additional discount of up to 200 euros on flight bookings with the German leisure airline Condor. The discount amount varies by travel class and route:
- Premium Economy – one-way: 50 euros discount
- Premium Economy – round-trip: 100 euros discount
- Business Class – one-way: 100 euros discount
- Business Class – round-trip: 200 euros discount
Currently, cardholders can enjoy the following benefits:
- Up to 200 euros discount on tickets for long-haul destinations
- Up to 50 euros discount on seat reservations
- Additional checked baggage
- Priority services
The benefits apply to long-haul flights in zones 3 to 5. They therefore do not apply to short-haul flights or destinations such as Dubai and North Africa. The discount is valid until 31 October 2025, by which date the return flight must have been completed.
Destinations in zones 3 to 5 include:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Barbados
- China
- Dominican Republic
- Grenada
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Cuba
- Mexico
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Canada
- USA
👉 Note: Not only the primary and additional cardholders benefit from this advantage, but also one accompanying person each- so up to four people in total!
Additional baggage can be checked at no extra cost. The following weight limits apply:
- 20 kilograms in travel zones 1 to 4 (for example mainland Spain, Canary Islands, Hurghada, Namibia, Indian Ocean, South Africa) and 6 to 7 (such as Dubai)
- 23 kilograms in travel zone 5 (USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico)
Additional sports baggage can be checked free of charge.
❗️ Important: these benefits are only granted if the flights are booked by phone via the Platinum Card Travel Service.
American Express Platinum Card Travel Service: 069 9797-3030
Germany’s best insurance package
One of the most important aspects of the card is undoubtedly the American Express Platinum Card insurance package. It is probably the most extensive package you can get with any credit card.
In essence, you can look forward to all relevant insurances you need when traveling and in everyday life.
Insurance benefits of the American Express Platinum Card:
- ✈️ Travel accident insurance
- 🛑 Trip interruption insurance
- ❌ Trip cancellation insurance
- 🌍 International travel health insurance (worldwide)
- 🎒 Travel inconvenience insurance (coverage for flight or baggage delay and baggage loss)
- 🚗 Car assistance (Europe-wide)
- 🧳 Travel baggage insurance
- 🤝 International personal liability insurance
- 🚘 Rental car collision damage waiver
- 🛡️ Rental car liability insurance
- 🚌 Common carrier accident insurance
- 🔒 Purchase protection against burglary and damage
- ⏳ 90-day online and offline return policy
- 💳 Protection against unauthorized use of the card through no fault of your own
- 💻 Shop guarantee to cover electronic devices
- 🕑 Flight delay insurance
Among the most important insurances are trip cancellation and international travel health insurance. These protect you if you fall ill before or during a trip, ensuring a worry-free vacation.
In particular, the included travel insurance for the USA and Canada is indispensable and extremely valuable, as standalone travel policies often do not cover North America due to special regulations.
And that’s not all, the Amex Platinum Card’s insurance benefits extend beyond travel. They also include protections that make shopping more convenient, such as an extended return policy, a shop guarantee, and purchase protection insurance.
What further distinguishes the Platinum Amex is the low deductible and straightforward claims processing.
The coverage amounts also significantly exceed those of other credit cards with insurance. In addition, the cardholder and traveling family members are generally always covered, making the protection particularly attractive for families. The benefits naturally also apply to the additional card.
Since February 2023, the international travel health insurance and trip cancellation insurance also cover costs in the event of mandatory quarantine. This means you’re protected on site, even if your travel plans change due to quarantine.
Free status levels with hotels and car rental partners
Other decisive benefits of the American Express Platinum Card are complimentary elite statuses with various hotel chains- the key to a world of perks that make your travels even more comfortable.
Hotel status levels
After receiving the Platinum Card, you can activate status levels with four hotel groups:
- Hilton (Hilton Honors Gold status)
- Marriott (Marriott Bonvoy Gold status)
- Meliá (MeliáRewards Gold status)
- Radisson (Radisson Rewards Gold status)
- GHA Discovery Platinum (membership valid from sign-up until the end of the following calendar year)
Depending on the program, benefits include free breakfast and lounge access (e.g., at Hilton), room upgrades, and additional perks.
We’ve even been specially welcomed or received a personalized amenity thanks to status.
Status can be very attractive since, for example, a booking at a Hilton property can save 100 euros or more, depending on the price of breakfast or lounge access.
Incidentally, with the Platinum Card you also get access to American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, which offers numerous additional benefits when booking exclusive luxury hotels worldwide.
Car rental status levels
You can also benefit from various status levels with car rental companies. These almost always provide a discount and an upgrade subject to availability.
- AVIS (AVIS Preferred status)
- HERTZ (Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star status)
- SIXT (SIXT Platinum status)
With these partners there is almost always a discount, making bookings more attractive. You typically also receive an upgrade (subject to availability) and better treatment at the rental counter.
Earning points with Membership Rewards
The benefits listed above alone can offset the American Express Platinum Card’s annual fee if used smartly.
But the travel advantages go much further, because the American Express Membership Rewards program lets customers earn one point per euro spent, with the value of Amex points depending on how you redeem them.
The Membership Rewards points, you can redeem for rewards, book travel or transfer points.
The last option is especially powerful for travelers, as American Express offers near-unlimited possibilities through its transfer partners.
Transfer partners include several of the world’s largest airlines and most major hotel loyalty programs.
By the way: contrary to popular belief, you don’t earn more points with the American Express Platinum Card than with the American Express Gold Card, which is significantly cheaper!
So if your sole goal is to participate in the Membership Rewards program, the Platinum doesn’t have to be your choice.
👉 Our tip: If you opt for one of the American Express credit cards, we recommend using the American Express Turbo program.
For a registration fee of 15 euros, you earn 1.5 instead of 1 point per euro on up to 40,000 euros in annual spend. Concretely, that means up to 20,000 additional Membership Rewards points per year.
Enrollment already pays off if you spend at least 4,000 euros per year. If you choose the American Express Platinum Card, you’re likely to have higher spend anyway; otherwise, the card probably won’t be worthwhile.
Free additional card with extensive benefits
Another decisive American Express Platinum Card benefit is the free Platinum additional card. The holder of the partner card enjoys a wide range of benefits.
Although credits are excluded, the additional cardholder can still benefit from all other perks, such as insurance, Priority Pass, and status benefits.
It doesn’t have to be your partner- you can give the card to anyone, including close friends or a family member.
The biggest advantage is when you travel together. For example, four people can access lounges, since each cardholder gets a Priority Pass that includes one guest.
If you also split the fee in the end because you use all credits together, the annual fee becomes significantly cheaper.
Attractive deals with Amex Offers
Also noteworthy among the Amex Platinum benefits are the one-off Amex Offers, which can yield substantial savings at hotel chains, airlines, or even wine merchants.
We find the regular offers from Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott particularly attractive, especially when combined with reisetopia Hotels specials.
In addition, Platinum cardholders sometimes receive even more appealing promotions. Used wisely, these offers can mean several hundred euros in savings per year!
Platinum Service available 24/7
While we at reisetopia primarily focus on “hard facts,” there’s one more aspect of the Amex Platinum Card worth mentioning:
The American Express Platinum Service. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Basically, you can clarify any questions and requests via the Platinum hotline.
Admittedly, the service used to be better, with noticeable differences in quality nowadays. In the past, you could secure tickets for sold-out concerts or restaurant reservations; that’s no longer always the case.
Even so, you might get lucky and it’s worth trying. No other credit card in Germany offers such a function.
Amex Platinum customer service phone number:
- Calls from Germany: 0049 69 9797 3030
Additional discounts with airlines & more
Beyond the benefits already mentioned, the card offers select additional discounts. These include the International Airline Program (IAP), where you can save on First Class and Business Class tickets. With some airlines like British Airways, you can even save on Economy tickets.
You can also take advantage of unique offers with Amex Experiences and obtain discounted memberships with the Fine Wine Club, the Global Dining Collection or the Golf Fee Card.
Option to apply for the Amex Golf Fee Card
As soon as you hold an American Express Platinum Card, you can also apply for an Amex Golf Fee Card. This card gives you convenient access to exclusive golf courses at a significantly lower price.
Included are discounts on green fees, exclusive access to golf facilities worldwide and cashback and savings on stays at over one million hotels. A compelling offer for true golf enthusiasts.
More Amex Platinum benefits in everyday use
It’s also almost unique that the American Express Platinum Card is not plastic but made of high-quality metal. This gives you a particularly exclusive feel when paying- setting the card apart from most credit cards.
It’s also worth noting that American Express credit cards stand for high security. American Express cardholders are not liable for fraudulent activity on their account.
Customers can opt to receive SMS or email notifications for all transactions and benefit from Chip & PIN as well as 3D Secure for online payments, providing especially high payment security.
In terms of security, the Amex Purchase Protection is also worth mentioning, from which you benefit on purchases of all kinds. The card provides purchase protection that automatically insures your purchases for 90 days after purchase against theft, robbery and burglary.
In addition to this extended protection, the Amex Platinum Card also offers an extended 90-day return policy, provided the minimum purchase value exceeds 30 euros.
Technologically, the Amex Platinum Card is also ahead of the curve. On the one hand, American Express provides a mobile app that makes it easy to track mobile payments and statements; on the other, Amex has been a Day-1 partner of Apple Pay. You can add your Amex Platinum Card directly to your Wallet and pay contactlessly with your iPhone. Google Pay is also supported.
It’s also worth mentioning that with the Amex Platinum you can pay in installments if needed.
Regarding billing, there’s another relevant advantage you should know. As a rule, the payment term with the Amex Platinum is 58 days, meaning you only have to settle your charges much later. This extended, interest-free grace period gives you additional liquidity and more financial flexibility.
Moreover, compared to other credit cards, the Amex Platinum Card is characterized by a high spending limit- though it still depends on reasonable usage.
It’s also important to know that the Amex credit card can be cancelled monthly, providing full flexibility. However, keep in mind that you lose your accumulated Membership Rewards points after a grace period, and you must hold the card for 12 months to retain eligibility for the welcome bonus points!
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
What disadvantages does the American Express Platinum Card have?
At reisetopia, we aim to present a balanced picture. That applies here as well: despite many advantages, the German Amex Platinum Card is not recommended for everyone. Above all, this is because the card carries a very high annual fee.
The 720 euros annual fee (60 euros per month) is unmatched by any other card in Germany. Even other premium cards, like the Eurowings Kreditkarte Premium, cost only a fraction of that. The American Express Gold Card is comparatively a real bargain in terms of its annual fee.
Of course, other cards can’t really match the Platinum Card’s benefits, but the high annual fee is still undeniably a drawback.
On top of that, the American Express Platinum Card also incurs additional fees abroad:
- 💱 A 2% foreign currency fee
- 🏧 A 4% cash withdrawal fee (minimum 5 euros)
In concrete terms, you pay extra on both withdrawals and payments abroad, which makes the card even more expensive. You should definitely keep this Amex Platinum Card drawback in mind before deciding on the card!
For cash withdrawals abroad and payments in currencies other than the euro, we would accordingly not recommend the American Express Platinum Card. In our view, the best alternative among premium credit cards is the Eurowings Premium, as it does not charge these fees when traveling.
What are our experiences with the American Express Platinum Card?
The reisetopia team has been using this credit card for several years, so we’re happy to share our Amex Platinum Card experiences here. For each of us, investing in the Platinum Card was not an easy decision- paying 60 euros per month for a credit card is far from trivial.
But after three months at the latest, each of us was sure the decision was right. The start is a bit slow, since additional benefits like the Priority Pass can only be applied for after receiving the primary card; the same goes for hotel status.
However, issuing the memberships worked smoothly, although we’ve heard of issues with Hilton Gold if you previously held a Hilton status.
For us, neither issuing the Priority Pass nor requesting hotel status posed a problem. Nowadays, ordering all these benefits is also simple online.
The Platinum Card doesn’t belong to the no-limit category, but what really impressed us in the Amex Platinum Card test is that, in practice, the American Express Platinum Card doesn’t have a real preset spending limit.
Even in the first months, four-figure transactions were no problem, and a five-figure statement was processed without issue.
In practice, the American Express Platinum truly offers virtually unrestricted financial freedom. In our experience, billing also works very smoothly.
Funds are debited about five days after the statement from the designated reference account on a monthly cycle. We’ve never had additional costs or problems.
Regarding the Amex Platinum Card, there’s one more thing to clarify in testing: the promised premium service for cardholders. Moritz used it for tickets to a tennis event in Stuttgart.
Getting in touch was easy, and the request was quickly noted. A day later we received bad news: no tickets were available for the sold-out event. They said they would keep trying.
To his surprise, two weeks later there was a call saying that tickets had been secured (from returns). What impressed him most: no additional brokerage fees or similar have been applied. The premium service was completely free. That’s not always the case, but in this American Express Platinum Card test, the service fully convinced Moritz.
Overall, our experiences with the Amex Platinum Card have been very positive so far. We’ve also had occasion to use the insurance over the years; the rental car collision coverage in particular impressed us.
In a claim, processing was fast and straightforward, with no follow-up questions or doubts. The damage was compensated within a few days, leaving us with a positive impression.
Possible queries were largely handled competently and quickly. If you’re convinced by the Amex Platinum’s benefits, you’ll also find in practice that the card delivers on its promises.
How did we test the Amex Platinum Card?
Our team of reisetopia finance experts now consists of around 50 employees, who regularly test and scrutinize various credit cards and other financial products in detail. We also put the American Express Platinum through its paces to share our experiences with you.
Especially for such a high-priced product, we took the time to test all criteria extensively. In addition to the fee structure and application process, we also evaluated the benefits package and customer service. We present our findings clearly in our guides to help you choose the right financial product.
In order to find the best financial products for you, we have been conducting independent and comprehensive comparisons for years. To do this, we test offers according to fixed criteria such as fees, services, and customer service, and compare the results transparently. This way, you can be sure to make a well-informed decision.
Have our reisetopia financial tips helped you? Then please rate us on Trustpilot!
For whom is the card suitable?
The American Express Platinum Card is undoubtedly one of the most attractive credit cards for frequent travelers. Thanks to lounge access, the travel and restaurant credits, Amex Offers, extensive insurance, and various status levels, the 720 euros fee can easily pay for itself. The credits alone have a value of 640 euros.
At the same time, withdrawals and payments in foreign currencies incur high fees, so you should definitely carry a second card to avoid extra costs.
In general, the Amex Platinum is worthwhile whenever at least three of the following points apply to you, i.e., you:
- Can actively use the primary and additional card
- Use the 200 euros annual travel credit
- Can make good use of the 200 euros SIXT ride credit
- Use the 150 euros restaurant credit
- Use the 90 euros shopping credit
- Access lounges at least five times per year
- Benefit from hotel & car rental status cards
- Actively use the American Express Platinum Service
- Use the extensive insurance benefits several times a year
- Make extensive use of Amex Offers
As you will see later in the section on alternatives, we recommend the Platinum Card whenever you can combine three of the above benefits and actively use lounge access as well as the travel credit, Amex Offers and the Platinum Service.
It’s only fair to mention that other credit cards also offer solid insurance. And participation in the attractive Membership Rewards program is also possible with the American Express Gold Card.
Beyond that, the fees of the American Express Platinum Card are simply not competitive, which is why you will need a second card without these fees for travel anyway.
How do I apply for an American Express Platinum Card?
Are you convinced by the card’s benefits and considering applying for the American Express Platinum Card? If you’ve decided on the Platinum Card, you can apply online in just a few steps:
All steps to apply for the Amex Platinum:
- Personal details: After clicking “Apply for the Platinum Card,” first enter all personal details, such as name, date of birth, registered address, mobile number and mother’s maiden name. You’ll also indicate whether you rent or own and how long you’ve lived at the stated address.
- Employment information: Next are questions about your profession, industry, current position and monthly net income. You’ll also be asked about your main source of income and any additional sources.
- Bank details: In the next step, provide the bank details of the reference account (e.g., your checking account) from which all charges will later be debited. You must also grant a SEPA direct debit mandate. In this step, you can also request an additional card.
- Summary: Finally, review a summary of all the information for accuracy before submitting the application.
- Identification: After successful application, complete identification via video-ident or post-ident. Video-ident makes online identification convenient and location-independent. With post-ident, you verify your data at a post office and confirm with a signature.
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
What are the requirements for an American Express Platinum Card?
All credit cards in Germany are tied to certain requirements. This is also the case with American Express: several factors play a role in obtaining the card. Generally, the following should be met for the Amex Platinum:
- 🎂 Legal age
- 📊 Creditworthiness (SCHUFA report)
- 💼 Regular income
- 📑 Information about financial situation
- 🏦 Previous history with the financial institution
Some of these aspects are more or less decisive. Creditworthiness is fundamentally very important, as it’s how American Express determines whether you are able to pay.
It can therefore be advisable to ensure there are no negative SCHUFA entries. Otherwise, little is known about income-related requirements for the Amex Platinum; in our experience, the conditions are not as strict as one might assume.
How much income do you need for an American Express Platinum Card?
While Austria requires a net monthly income of 2,401 euros as a prerequisite for the American Express Platinum Card, Germany currently has no set minimum income for applying for the American Express Platinum Card. Concretely, this means you could theoretically apply as a student.
We have personally experienced that the American Express Platinum Card can indeed be applied for by students, with no specific salary required.
Even though there’s no fixed income threshold, you should keep the various requirements in mind. In general, your chances of approval are likely higher if your income is higher.
If in doubt, you can simply apply and if declined, switch to a cheaper American Express product such as the American Express Gold Card.
The American Express Business Platinum Card
While the personal Amex Platinum Card offers impressive benefits; entrepreneurs, freelancers, and the self-employed should know that Amex also offers a Business Platinum Card tailored to business needs.
The American Express Business Platinum Card opens up a world of possibilities beyond conventional credit cards. For large companies, the key advantage is surely the ability to request up to 100 additional cards for employees, completely free of charge.
This business credit card offers not only financial flexibility but also customized benefits for your business needs. You also receive a range of additional perks, such as status benefits at numerous hotels, a total of 600 euros in credits for travel, limousine services and more, free access to airport lounges and much more.
You can also enjoy special advantages for the self-employed, freelancers, and small businesses, such as an extended payment term and comprehensive insurance. With worldwide acceptance, business expenses can be handled easily- on site, on the road, or online.
The cards also help keep better track of expenses, thanks to practical tools and clear reports. It is therefore worthwhile for business owners to take a look at the card.
American Express Business Platinum Card
- 200 euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels, and much more
- 200 euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- 240 euro SIXT Plus credit per year
- 200 euro Dell Technologies credit per year
- 300 euro eBuero credit per year
- 300 euro Office Club credit per year
- Digital invoice management: GetMyInvoices membership
- Collect valuable Membership Rewards points with every euro spent
- Up to 99 free additional business and partner cards
- Additional private card included
- Additional liquidity thanks to up to 58 days delayed billing
- Full insurance package included
- Free lounge access for up to 4 people in 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast, and other status benefits in hotels
What does the American Express Platinum Card offer in Austria?
The Amex Platinum Card is available not only in Germany but also in Austria and is well established there. The Amex Platinum Card Austria generally offers similar benefits to the German card, though some details differ. The annual fee is 660 euros for the entire card portfolio including additional cards, which is lower than in Germany. You receive the following benefits:
- 180 euros entertainment credit
- 360 euros gourmet credit
- Priority Pass membership with access to more than 1,400 lounges for 4 people
- Access to lounges from Lufthansa, Delta, and American Express
- Guaranteed access to the airport Fast Lane in Vienna
- Status cards with various hotel chains
- Extensive insurance (comparable to the German card)
- Exclusive concierge service for various services
- Membership Rewards points with every euro spent
The newer benefits of the German Amex Platinum—such as the travel credit or the SIXT ride credit—are not available with the Austrian card.
Instead, Austrian Platinum holders receive an annual gourmet credit of 360 euros and an entertainment credit of 180 euros per year.
Overall, this is likely the most worthwhile model among American Express credit cards in Austria, as you receive very strong benefits for a high but not unreasonable annual fee.
This is especially true if you travel regularly and can take advantage of the card’s benefits. Exclusive promotions make applying even more attractive!
What are the alternatives to the American Express Platinum Card?
The American Express Platinum Card is most worthwhile if you can truly benefit from its numerous extras and ideally make use of the insurance.
But of course, there are sensible alternatives to the Amex Platinum, since the luxury card is not suitable for every wallet. For earning miles and points, consider these alternatives:
💳 The Amex Gold Card is something like the Platinum’s little sister and also offers insurance and several additional benefits. You also earn just as many points with this card as with the more expensive Platinum Card.
However, be aware that many other perks—such as lounge access or the premium hotline—are not included. For frequent travelers, the Platinum version therefore offers significantly more attractive advantages.
American Express Gold Card made of metal
- 180 Euro SIXT Plus and 50 euros SIXT Rent credit
- 80 Euro Lodenfrey credit
- 60 Euro Freenow taxi credit
- Collect valuable points with every euro spent
- Versatile discounts thanks to Amex Offers
- Choose between gold or rose gold
- Comprehensive travel insurance included
- Hotel status and travel benefits included
💳 In that respect, the Eurowings Kreditkarte Premium is clearly more attractive, as it earns you valuable miles per euro spent.
Eurowings Premium credit card
- Free credit card in the first year
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Benefits with Eurowings (e.g., Fast Lane, seat reservation)
- Umfangreiche Versicherungen
- Comprehensive insurance coverage
- Earn Miles & More miles
If you want a simple travel credit card without premium perks, consider these alternatives:
💳 If you’re looking for an all-rounder for international travel, the Barclays Platinum Double is the best choice. The double-card bundle offers extensive insurance and free withdrawals and fee-free payments at home and abroad.
Barclays Platinum Double
Promotion: 50 euro starting bonus
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free transactions worldwide
- Free platinum partner card
- Travel cancellation insurance
- Worldwide health insurance
- Rental car insurance
💳 Free cards are undoubtedly a good option if you simply want to pay abroad for free and withdraw cash worldwide without fees. We generally recommend the TF Bank Mastercard Gold, which comes with much more favorable conditions and fewer hidden pitfalls than, for example, the Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold.
TF Bank Mastercard Gold
- Free credit card
- Payments worldwide without any fees
- Travel cancellation insurance included
- Foreign health insurance included
💳 The Barclays Visa Card (also free) is another solid pick: in addition to free cash withdrawals and free payments worldwide, it offers an especially long interest-free grace period of up to 8 weeks.
Barclays Visa Credit card
- Free credit card
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free payments worldwide
- Free loan up to 2 months
Our conclusion on the American Express Platinum Card
Despite its cost, the Amex Platinum Card is undoubtedly one of the most attractive credit cards out there. No other card offers such a combination of benefits and comfort. For frequent travelers in particular, perks such as extensive lounge access for up to four people, 640 euros in credits and the completely free additional Platinum card are decisive advantages—rounded out by excellent insurance. Nevertheless, the card also has drawbacks, so you should at least carry another card alongside it to withdraw cash for free and pay abroad without extra fees.
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
