Amex Gold vs Platinum: The Complete Comparison

Different Cards for Different People

The Amex Gold ($325/yr) is a dining and grocery powerhouse. The Amex Platinum ($695/yr) is a travel and premium benefits card. They complement each other rather than compete.

Earning Rates

• Gold: 4x dining, 4x groceries (up to $25K/yr), 3x flights booked directly, 1x everything else
• Platinum: 5x flights booked directly, 5x hotels via Amex Travel, 1x everything else

Effective Value Per Dollar

At 2.0 cpp for Amex MR:

• Gold at dining: 4x × 2.0¢ = 8.0 cents per dollar
• Gold at groceries: 4x × 2.0¢ = 8.0 cents per dollar
• Platinum at flights: 5x × 2.0¢ = 10.0 cents per dollar

Credits and Benefits

Gold: $120 Uber Cash/year, $120 dining credit/year. Effective fee after credits: $85.

Platinum: $200 airline incidental credit, $200 hotel credit, $200 Uber Cash, $155 Walmart+ credit, $100 Saks credit, Centurion Lounge access. Effective fee after credits: ~$0 if you use them all.

Our Take

Get the Gold if you eat out and buy groceries. Get the Platinum if you fly frequently and want lounge access. Get both if you want to maximize earning on every category.