Amex Platinum Card vs. Amex Schwab Platinum Card [Detailed Comparison]

We’ve written a great deal about the attributes of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, a top premium travel rewards card that delivers an incredible package of benefits for cardmembers. We’ve spoken far less about the equally impressive American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab.

Today we’re changing all of that and focusing on how these 2 premium cards stack up with a side-by-side comparison.

We’ll look at how each of the cards earns rewards, the options you’ll have at redemption time, and all the additional benefits and protections you can expect to receive with either card.

While the cards have plenty in common, there are a few striking differences that could influence which card delivers more value for you. You’ll want to stick with us as we look deep into how these two cards with loads of travel and lifestyle benefits compare.

Amex Platinum Card vs. Amex Schwab Platinum Card — Overview

Overall, the Amex Platinum card and Amex Schwab Platinum card have the same earning potential and benefits. However, there are a few key advantages and modified benefits of the Amex Schwab Platinum card.

Here’s a high-level overview of the offerings for both cards, but stay tuned, as we’ll expand further on each of these card benefits:

The Value of a Welcome Offer

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Both the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Schwab Platinum card offer the opportunity to earn an initial welcome offer after meeting minimum spending requirements on the card within the first months after card approval.

Bonuses are earned in the form of Membership Rewards points that are generally worth at least 1 cent each. However, transferring points to travel partners can result in much greater potential value (which is why we value Amex points at 2.2 cents each). We’ll cover more on that shortly.

Welcome offers and the time frame for completing minimum spending requirements can change, so be sure to check for the most current information before applying for any card.

Hot Tip: You could receive up to $200 in statement credits after card approval and at each card anniversary with the Amex Schwab Platinum card. If you have $250,000 or more in holdings in an eligible Schwab account at card approval, you could receive $100 in statement credits, or $200 in statement credits, if your account holdings are $1,000,000 or more. 

Application Requirements

First, it’s recommended that you have a good to excellent credit score to apply for either the Amex Platinum card or the Amex Schwab Platinum card — generally, a score of 700 or better. That’s not to say you wouldn’t be approved with a score slightly less than that, as other factors are considered, but the higher your score, the better your chances are for approval.

The Amex Platinum card is open to the public to apply for. The Amex Schwab Platinum card, however, requires that you have an eligible Schwab account in order to apply.

An eligible Schwab account is defined as a Schwab One account, general brokerage account, or a qualifying traditional, Roth, or rollover IRA account.

Bottom Line: Anyone with good to excellent credit can apply for the Amex Platinum card. Applying for the Amex Schwab Platinum card requires having an eligible Schwab account in place prior to applying.

Earning Potential

The earning structures for the Amex Platinum card and Amex Schwab Platinum card offer the same elevated bonus points on flights and prepaid hotels. Additionally, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Here’s how you’ll earn rewards on either card:

• 5x points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or on Amex Travel (up to $500,000 in purchases each calendar year)
• 5x points for prepaid hotel bookings made via Amex Travel
• 1x points on all other purchases

Additional Earnings — Amex Schwab Platinum Card

Amex Schwab Platinum card members who have $500,000 to $1,000,000 in holdings will receive up to a $200 statement credit after card approval and at each card anniversary.

If you have between $250,000 and $999,999 in holdings with Schwab, you’ll receive a $100 Schwab appreciation bonus. And if you have $1,000,000 or more with Schwab, you’ll receive a $200 Schwab appreciation bonus.

Bottom Line: Both the Amex Platinum card and Amex Schwab Platinum card have the same rewards-earning potential for spending on either card. The Amex Schwab Platinum card offers a statement credit of up to $200 each year based on the amount of holdings in your Schwab account.

Redemption Options

Earning all those Membership Rewards points can be somewhat satisfying, but the real treat is redeeming your rewards for something of value. Both the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Schwab Platinum card offer several flexible options at redemption time, but the latter card has 1 key advantage when redeeming points.

Let’s look at the redemption options for both cards:

• Redeem for Travel via Amex Travel — Your points are worth 1 cent each when you redeem for select travel via Amex Travel.
• Transfer to Airline and Hotel Partners — Transfer your Membership Rewards points to airline or hotel partners to receive the best potential value for your points. Although travel partners can change, you currently have 20+ choices to select from.
• Upgrade With Points — Use your Membership Rewards points to bid for upgrades on existing flight bookings.
• Additional Redemption Options — Redeem points for gift cards, statement credits, shopping, merchandise, or donate to charity. Note that some of these redemption options can result in poor value of less than 1 cent per point.

Keep in mind that you can use a combination of points and cash to make travel purchases with Amex Travel. You’ll also earn up to 5x points on the transaction.

Hot Tip: Watch your American Express card account for promotional bonuses when transferring points to travel partners. Bonuses are frequent and can increase the value of your points by as much as 50%. 

Additional Redemption Options — Amex Schwab Platinum Card

• Link your Amex Schwab Platinum card with your eligible Schwab account and have the ability to redeem Membership Rewards points for 1.1 cents each when transferring the funds to your account.

Bottom Line: The Amex Platinum card and Amex Schwab Platinum card offer the opportunity to redeem Membership Rewards points for travel via Amex Travel, transfer points to airline and hotel partners, and to bid for flight upgrades. You can also use rewards for shopping, gift cards, or donate to charity. The Amex Schwab Platinum card offers an additional option to redeem points for 1.1 cents each when transferring funds to a qualifying Schwab account. You’ll get over 80% more value from your points when redeeming them for cash into a Schwab account compared to a standard statement credit.

Travel Benefits and Protections

Travel benefits can save you money on select travel-related purchases and help elevate your trip experience by making it more comfortable. Travel protections can provide assistance or reimbursement should things go wrong during your journey.

Here are the travel benefits and protections you can expect from both the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Schwab Platinum card:

• Global Lounge Access — Enjoy complimentary worldwide access to more than 1,400 airline lounge properties including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and Delta Sky Clubs when flying on Delta.
• Complimentary Hotel Program Status — Receive Gold Elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy upon enrollment.
• Car Rental Program Benefits — Enjoy the discounts and upgrade benefits of Avis Preferred Plus, Hertz Gold Plus President’s Circle, and National Emerald Club Executive elite status.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Reimbursement — Pay for your application or renewal fee with your card and receive up to $100 Global Entry or up to $85 TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit
• Up to $189 CLEAR Plus Credit — Pay for your CLEAR Plus expedited security membership with your card and receive up to $189 each calendar year in statement credits.
• Up to $200 Prepaid Hotel Credit — Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings (the latter requires a minimum 2-night stay) through Amex Travel when you pay with your card.
• Up to $200 Airline Incidentals Reimbursement — Select your preferred airline via the benefits page in your online account and receive up to $200 in statement credits each year when using your card to pay for your purchase of airline incidental fees such as baggage fees or seat assignment fees with that airline.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees — Save when you use your card during travel with no foreign transaction fees added to your purchases (rates and fees).
• Fine Hotels + Resorts Benefits — Book a 2-night or greater stay via Amex Travel with your card and enjoy elite-style benefits such as daily breakfast for 2, room upgrades when available, $100 amenity, 4 p.m. checkout, noon check-in when available, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
• The Hotel Collection Benefits — Receive an upgraded room, when available, and a $100 amenity on a 2-night or greater stay booked via Amex Travel with your card.

In addition to the long list of travel benefits, you’ll find these travel protections on both of our featured cards.

• Secondary Car Rental Insurance — Pay for your entire rental with your card, decline the rental agency’s coverage, and receive coverage for up to $75,000 for damage or theft of the rental car. You also have the option to purchase Premium Protection for 1 low price ($12.95 to $24.95) that offers broader primary insurance and extends coverage up to 42 days versus 30 with card coverage.
• Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation Coverage — If your trip is interrupted or needs to be canceled for a covered reason, you could be reimbursed up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per eligible card per calendar year.
• Trip Delay Insurance — If your trip is delayed 6 hours or more, you could be reimbursed up to $500 per trip with a limit of 2 claims per 12-month period.
• Baggage Insurance — If your baggage is lost or damaged, you could be reimbursed up to $2,000 for checked baggage when traveling on a common carrier, or up to $3,000 for carry-on baggage.

Please note that this is not an all-encompassing list of benefits and protections. Additionally, we have abbreviated the descriptions. For full terms and conditions, and more information, please check each card’s Guide to Benefits.

Bottom Line: If you travel frequently, you’re sure to find plenty of travel benefits and protections on the Amex Platinum card or the Amex Schwab Platinum card that can provide financial value or peace of mind during your travels. If you utilize the worldwide lounge access, airline incidentals statement credit, prepaid hotel credits, and CLEAR benefit, you’ll find great value with either card. 

Shopping Benefits and Protections

You don’t have to be a frequent shopper to appreciate the value of shopping benefits provided by the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Schwab Platinum card.

Here are the savings opportunities and perks offered on both cards:

• Cell Phone Protection — Receive up to $800 per claim for damage or theft with a limit of 2 claims per 12-month period. A $50 deductible applies to each claim.
• Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue Statement Credit — Pay for your purchase with your card and receive up to $50 in statement credits for purchases January through June and an additional $50 July through December.
• Up to $240 Digital Entertainment Statement Credit — Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
• Up to $155 Walmart+ Membership Statement Credit — Pay for the $12.95 membership fee (plus applicable taxes) with your card and receive reimbursement in the form of a statement credit each month, up to $155 each year.
• Up to $200 Uber Cash — In addition to Uber VIP status, you can receive up to $200 each calendar year in Uber Cash. The credits are deposited monthly into your Uber Cash account and are valid for Uber Eats or Uber rides in the U.S. Add your card to your Uber account and you will receive $15 in credits each month from January through November, and $35 in credits for the month of December for a total of $200.
• Up to $300 Equinox Statement Credit — Receive up to $300 per year when using your card to pay for a qualifying Equinox or Equinox+ membership.
• Up to $300 Credit for SoulCycle Purchase — Use your card to purchase a SoulCycle At Home bike and receive up to $300 as a statement credit.
• ShopRunner Membership — Enjoy free 2-day shipping and promotional offers at dozens of retailers with your complimentary ShopRunner membership. Enrollment required.
• Amex Offers — Scroll through up to 100 valuable offers to find extra earning and statement credit opportunities when making purchases with specific retailers and service providers. Adding the offer to your card is required to activate each offer.

It can be daunting to keep track of all the shopping offers on these cards, especially those that require registration or adding your card to an outside account. You’ll also want to pay close attention to the terms and conditions of each offer to ensure you’ll receive the full value. You’ll find offer descriptions and instructions on how to use each offer by logging into your online card account and clicking on Benefits at the top of the page.

You can also follow the links provided for more information on how to utilize each benefit.

In addition to shopping benefits, you’ll find several shopping protections that can provide financial relief if something goes wrong with your eligible purchase. Here are some of the key shopping protections you’ll find on the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Schwab Platinum card:

• Purchase Protection — If your eligible purchase is lost, damaged, or stolen within 90 days of the purchase date, you could receive up to $10,000 per item and up to $50,000 per eligible card each year.
• Extended Warranty — For covered items that have a manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less, the warranty is extended by 1 additional year. Coverage limits of $10,000 per item and up to $50,000 per eligible card account per year apply.
• Return Protection — If a merchant won’t accept the return of an eligible item purchased with your card, within 90 days from the purchase date, you could receive up to $300 per item and up to $1,000 maximum per card account each calendar year.

Additional terms and conditions apply to each shopping protection.

Bottom Line: Both the Amex Platinum card and Amex Schwab Platinum card come with several shopping benefits and protections that offer statement credits, discounts, bonus point-earning opportunities, and protections that can provide financial relief if something should go wrong with your eligible purchases. 

Annual Fee and Authorized Users

It’s important to understand any fees you’ll incur with the Amex Platinum card or Amex Schwab Platinum card.

Annual Fee

Both cards charge an annual fee of $695 (rates and fees). However, American Express Platinum military members can get the annual fee waived.

Authorized Users

You will be able to add additional authorized users to either card for $195 per person. You can add authorized users for no fee but they will receive an Amex Gold card which comes with fewer benefits.

Amex Platinum card and Amex Schwab Platinum card authorized users receive global lounge access, hotel elite status, and other benefits. Both Platinum card authorized users and those with an Amex Gold card receive Global Entry or TSA PreCheck reimbursement and The Hotel Collection benefits.

Final Thoughts

You’ll find a lot of similarities between the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Schwab Platinum card, but there are some striking differences between the 2 cards. The most obvious is the need to be a qualifying Schwab customer to apply for the Amex Schwab Platinum card.

Another key difference between the cards includes the ability to receive up to 1.1 cents in value for each Membership Reward point with the Amex Schwab Platinum card when redeeming for cash deposits into a Schwab investing account. If you were to earn and redeem 200,000 Membership Rewards each year, you’d get $200+ in extra value over an option like redeeming through Amex Travel.

If you have no interest in opening a Schwab account, the Amex Platinum card is a premium travel rewards card with the potential to deliver value well beyond the amount of the annual fee.

Learn more about the Amex Platinum card and its potential overall value.

The information regarding the American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 

For The Platinum Card^® from American Express and American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, the maximum benefit amount is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level caries by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For The Platinum Card^® from American Express and American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab car rental collision damage coverage benefit, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For The Platinum Card^® from American Express and American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab Trip Delay Insurance, you coverage is up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level caries by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For The Platinum Card^® from American Express and American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab Baggage Insurance Plan, coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and benefit level caries by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For The Platinum Card^® from American Express and American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab, Cell Phone Protection, coverage for a stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 month period. Eligibility and benefit level caries by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For The Platinum Card^® from American Express and American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab Purchase Protection, protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. Eligibility and benefit level caries by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For The Platinum Card^® from American Express and American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab Extended Warranty, when an American Express^® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and benefit level caries by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For The Platinum Card^® from American Express and American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express^® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and benefit level caries by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.