Reviewed by Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO. Last reviewed: October 10, 2026. Editorial Policy
Amex Platinum points vs. Amex Gold points: they are the same points. Both cards earn American Express Membership Rewards, with the same transfer partners and the same redemption values. What differs is how fast each card earns them and what it costs. The Platinum Card is $895 a year and earns 5 points per dollar on flights. The Gold Card is $325 a year and earns 4 points per dollar at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.
Amex Platinum vs. Amex Gold at a Glance
| The Platinum Card | American Express Gold Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $895 | $325 |
| Welcome offer | As high as 175,000 points after $12,000 in purchases in 6 months | As high as 100,000 points after $8,000 in purchases in 6 months |
| Flights booked with airlines or Amex Travel | 5 points per $1, on up to $500,000 a year | 3 points per $1 |
| Restaurants worldwide | 1 point per $1 | 4 points per $1, on up to $50,000 a year |
| U.S. supermarkets | 1 point per $1 | 4 points per $1, on up to $25,000 a year |
| Prepaid hotels on Amex Travel | 5 points per $1 | See Amex’s page |
| Everything else | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 |
| Airport lounges | Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass and 10 Delta Sky Club visits a year | None |
| Hotel status | Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold, with enrollment | None |
| Foreign transaction fees | None | None |
| Additional cards | $195 each | First five free |
Fees, earning rates and benefits are from American Express’s pages for the Platinum Card and the Gold Card, read on October 10, 2026. Welcome offers are as reported by NerdWallet, The Points Guy and The Motley Fool in September and October 2026. American Express says offers vary and you may not be eligible for one.
Which Card Earns Points Faster?
It depends on where your money goes.
- Food. $1,000 a month at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets is $12,000 a year. The Gold Card earns 48,000 points on that. The Platinum Card earns 12,000.
- Flights. $5,000 a year in airfare earns 25,000 points on the Platinum Card and 15,000 on the Gold Card.
Most households spend more on food than on airfare, so for most people the Gold Card earns more points. The Platinum Card pulls ahead only for frequent flyers who pay for their own tickets.
What the Points Are Worth
The same on either card. American Express gives the value as 0.6 cents per point for a statement credit and 1 cent for flights booked through Amex Travel. Transferred to an airline partner, The Points Guy values a point at about 2.0 cents and NerdWallet at 1.3 cents, both for October 2026. See our guide to what Amex points are worth for a table.
The Credits
Both cards return part of the fee as statement credits, most of which need enrollment and are paid monthly, quarterly or twice a year.
Gold Card, up to $424 a year:
- Dining: up to $120, at $10 a month, at Grubhub, Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory and Wonder.
- Uber Cash: $120, at $10 a month.
- Resy: up to $100, in two $50 halves.
- Dunkin’: up to $84, at $7 a month.
Platinum Card:
- Hotels: up to $600, at $300 twice a year, on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings.
- Resy: up to $400, at $100 a quarter.
- Digital entertainment: up to $300, at $25 a month.
- lululemon: up to $300, at $75 a quarter.
- Equinox: up to $300.
- CLEAR+: up to $219.
- Uber Cash: up to $200, plus up to $120 toward an Uber One membership.
- Airline fees: up to $200 on one airline you select.
- Oura Ring: up to $200.
- Walmart+: up to $155.
Count a credit only if you would have bought the thing anyway. Used in full, the Gold Card’s four credits come to $424 against a $325 fee. The Platinum Card’s list is far longer than its $895 fee, but few people use all of it.
Lounges and Travel Benefits
This is the Platinum Card’s side of the comparison. It includes access to more than 1,550 airport lounges in 140 countries, by American Express’s count as of August 2026: Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass with enrollment, and 10 Delta Sky Club visits a year when flying Delta. It also carries a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit and premium status with Avis, Hertz and National.
The Gold Card has no lounge access. American Express’s own FAQ says so.
Which One Should You Get?
- The Gold Card if most of your spending is food and you want the lower fee. It earns four times as many points on dining and groceries.
- The Platinum Card if you fly often, want lounges, and will use at least the hotel, Resy and Uber credits. For the Platinum against a non-Amex card, see Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Neither if you carry a balance. Interest will cost more than any points are worth. See our credit card tips for maximizing rewards.
If You Have Points You Will Not Use
Brokers, including The Points King, buy Membership Rewards points for cash. Selling Membership Rewards points is against the program’s terms, which say you can’t sell your points and let American Express take points away or cancel your card account. Read the risks of selling miles and points first, then see our page on selling Amex points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Amex Platinum points worth more than Amex Gold points?
No. Both cards earn the same Membership Rewards points, with the same transfer partners and redemption values.
Which earns more points, Amex Platinum or Amex Gold?
The Gold Card for dining and U.S. supermarkets, at 4 points per dollar. The Platinum Card for flights, at 5 points per dollar.
What are the annual fees?
$895 for the Platinum Card and $325 for the Gold Card.
Does the Amex Gold Card have lounge access?
No. Lounge access comes with the Platinum Card.
Do both cards charge foreign transaction fees?
Neither does.
Sources
- American Express: The Platinum Card, read October 10, 2026
- American Express: Gold Card, read October 10, 2026
- American Express: what points are worth, updated April 30, 2026
- NerdWallet: Platinum Card review, September 16, 2026
- The Points Guy: Platinum Card review, September 25, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: Gold Card offer, July 14, 2026
- The Points Guy: monthly valuations, October 1, 2026
Update Log
- October 10, 2026: rewritten with current fees, earning rates and credits for both cards.