Prime Visa vs The Platinum Card from American Express
Annual fees: Prime Visa $0/yr, The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Prime Visa on gas stations, The Platinum Card from American Express on hotels.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Prime VisaChase · No annual fee
- The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express · $895/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Prime Visa$0LowestThe Platinum Card from American Express$895
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Prime Visa$150 gift cardThe Platinum Card from American ExpressAs high as 175,000 points — offers vary
- Rewards
- Prime VisaCash backThe Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican Express Membership Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Prime VisaNoneThe Platinum Card from American ExpressNone
- Network
- Prime VisaVisa SignatureThe Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent · points and cash back aren’t ranked against each other
- Flights
- Prime Visa1%The Platinum Card from American Express5x
- Dining
- Prime Visa2%The Platinum Card from American Express1x
- Gas Stations
- Prime Visa2%The Platinum Card from American Express1x
- Transit
- Prime Visa2%The Platinum Card from American Express1x
- Hotels
- Prime Visa1%The Platinum Card from American Express1x
- Everything else
- Prime Visa1%The Platinum Card from American Express1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- $600 hotel credit
- $219 CLEAR Plus credit
- $200 airline credit
- $120 Global Entry or up to $85 TSA PreCheck / 4 years · $120 every 4 years
- Rideshare & transit
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- $200 Uber Cash
- $120 Uber One credit
- Dining & delivery
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- $400 Resy credit
- Entertainment & streaming
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 streaming credit
- Shopping & wellness
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 Equinox credit
- $300 Lululemon credit
- $200 Oura Ring credit
- $155 Walmart+ credit
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- Airspace Lounge access at US airports with 2 guests
- 26 Centurion Lounges worldwide with premium dining
- 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year when flying Delta
- Escape Lounge access at US airports with food and beverages
- International Amex Lounges at select global airports
- Global Lounge Collection with 1,550+ airport lounges
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- Lufthansa Business Lounge access on Lufthansa Group
- Plaza Premium Lounge access at airports with Global Lounge
- Priority Pass Select with 1,300+ lounges globally
- Hotel status & programs
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- Hilton Gold with 80% bonus points and breakfast
- Leaders Club Sterling Status at Leading Hotels
- Marriott Gold with 25% bonus points and upgrades
- Fine Hotels + Resorts: $100 credits and upgrades
- Hotel Collection access with room upgrades and credits
- Airline perks
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- International Airline Program 5-40% off premium cabins
- Car rental
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- Elite status with Hertz, National, Avis for upgrades
- Other perks
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- Premium Events Collection™
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 Platinum Concierge for travel and lifestyle help
- Free expedited card replacement in 24-48 hours worldwide
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- Entertainment access with exclusive presales and VIP events
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases save
- Roadside assistance with up to 4 service calls per year
- Platinum Nights by Resy
- Platinum Travel Service
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Prime Visa
- Up to $500,000 travel accident coverage
The Platinum Card from American Express- $10,000 trip cancellation coverage per covered trip
- $500 trip delay Cover for delays exceeding 6 hours
- Baggage
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- $3,000 baggage insurance for lost or damaged bags
- Rental car
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- $100,000 primary rental car coverage for $20-$25/rental
- $75,000 car rental loss and damage insurance
- Purchase & returns
- Prime Visa
- $500 per claim on damage or theft
The Platinum Card from American Express- $10,000 purchase Cover against theft and damage for 90 days
- $300 return Cover when merchants won't accept returns within
- Extended warranty
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to warranties under 5 years
- Cell phone
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- $800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
- Other protections
- Prime Visa—The Platinum Card from American Express
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
- Global Assist Hotline with 24/7 emergency help traveling
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Prime Visa
- 5% back at Amazon.com, Audible.com, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel with an eligible Prime membership
- 5% back on Chase Travel portal bookings with no cap
- 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and transit - solid everyday categories
- $150 Amazon Gift Card welcome bonus with no minimum spend required
- No annual fee on the card itself (Prime membership separate)
The Platinum Card from American Express- Access to 9 lounge networks including exclusive Centurion Lounges with 2 guests free
- $200/year Uber Cash plus a $120 Uber One membership credit
- $400/year Resy dining credit at select restaurants
- Automatic Marriott Gold and Hilton Gold status with room upgrades and breakfast
- 5X points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel
- Cons
- Prime Visa
- Requires an eligible Amazon Prime membership to earn 5% (3% without Prime)
- Rewards locked to Amazon ecosystem - cannot transfer to airlines/hotels
- Only 1% back on non-category purchases - below average for catch-all spending
- No premium travel protections like trip delay insurance or lounge access
- Sign-up bonus is gift card, not flexible cash or points
The Platinum Card from American Express- $895 annual fee requires significant credit utilization to break even
- Many credits require specific merchants (Resy, Equinox, lululemon, Oura)
- Only 1X points on non-travel purchases limits everyday earning
- Secondary car rental coverage unless paying $24.95/rental for primary
- $195 authorized user fee after first 3 free cards
Category-by-Category Winner
The Prime Visa wins in 3 of 3 categories. The The Platinum Card from American Express leads in 0. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Gas Stations
Prime Visa earns 2X vs 1X
Transit
Prime Visa earns 2X vs 1X
Dining
Prime Visa earns 2X vs 1X
Hotels
Depends: via amextravel
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Prime Visa earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Flights
Depends: via AmexTravel; up to $500,000/yr
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Prime Visa earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | Prime Visa | The Platinum Card from American Express | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $150 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $150 Year one: $300 | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,356 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $641 Year one: $641 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $600 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $600 Year one: $750 | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,356 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $1,181 Year one: $1,181 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr — that's $895 more than the Prime Visa (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $895 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The The Platinum Card from American Express includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary hotel status. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $895 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $895 fee gap means the The Platinum Card from American Express needs roughly $895 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and flights and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Prime Visa means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Prime Visa if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
Get the The Platinum Card from American Express if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
The Bottom Line
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Published annual fees: Prime Visa $0/yr, The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr — a $895 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the The Platinum Card from American Express worth the higher annual fee?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr vs $0/yr for the Prime Visa. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $895 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the The Platinum Card from American Express also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Prime Visa or The Platinum Card from American Express?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Prime Visa have that the The Platinum Card from American Express doesn't?
- The Prime Visa focuses on earn rates, while the The Platinum Card from American Express offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Prime Visa or the The Platinum Card from American Express?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Prime Visa has a lower $0/yr fee; the The Platinum Card from American Express must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $895/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.