Is the The Platinum Card from American Express worth the higher annual fee?

The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr vs $495/yr for the Bilt Palladium Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $400 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 The Platinum Card from American Express or Bilt Palladium Card?

The Bilt Palladium Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the The Platinum Card from American Express have that the Bilt Palladium Card doesn't?

The The Platinum Card from American Express offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection. The Bilt Palladium Card offers lounge access, cell phone protection.

Should I get the The Platinum Card from American Express or the Bilt Palladium Card?

Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Bilt Palladium Card has a lower $495/yr fee; the The Platinum Card from American Express must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $895/yr.

The Platinum Card from American Express vs Bilt Palladium Card

Annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, Bilt Palladium Card $495/yr. Strongest bonus categories: The Platinum Card from American Express on hotels, Bilt Palladium Card on rent and travel.

Card data as of November 13, 2026.

Credit card comparison
Overview
	The Platinum Card from American Express American Express · $895/yr	Bilt Palladium Card Cardless · $495/yr
Annual fee	$895	$495 Lowest
Welcome offerCurrent public offer	As high as 175,000 points — offers vary	50,000 points
Rewards	American Express Membership Rewards	Bilt Points
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Network	American Express	Mastercard
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
Flights	5x Highest	2x
Hotels	1x	2x Highest
Travel	1x	2x Highest
Mortgage	1x	1.25x Highest
Rent	1x	1.25x Highest
Everything else	1x	2x Highest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
Travel	$600 lodging credit $250 Airbnb Experiences credit $219 CLEAR Plus credit $200 airline credit $120 Global Entry or up to $85 TSA PreCheck / 4 years · $120 every 4 years	$400 hotel credit
Rideshare & transit	$200 Uber Cash $120 Uber One credit	—
Dining & delivery	$400 Resy credit	—
Entertainment & streaming	$300 streaming credit	—
Shopping & wellness	$300 Equinox credit $300 Lululemon credit $200 Oura Ring credit $155 Walmart+ credit	$200 Bilt Cash
Perks & access— means none on record
Lounges	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 Show 3 moreShow fewer Lufthansa Business Lounge access on Lufthansa Group Plaza Premium Lounge access at airports with Global Lounge Priority Pass Select with 1,300+ lounges globally	Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access
Hotel status & programs	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	Platinum Member Airfares, 10% average premium savings	—
Car rental	Elite status with Hertz, National, Avis for upgrades	—
Other perks	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 Show 5 moreShow fewer 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	$10,000 trip cancellation coverage per covered trip $500 trip delay Cover for delays exceeding 6 hours	Trip Delay
Baggage	$3,000 baggage insurance for lost or damaged bags	—
Rental car	$100,000 primary rental car coverage for $20-$25/rental $75,000 car rental loss and damage insurance	MasterRental Coverage
Purchase & returns	$10,000 purchase Cover against theft and damage for 90 days $300 return Cover when merchants won't accept returns within	Purchase Assurance · up to $1,000 Price Drop Protection · up to $250
Extended warranty	Extended warranty adds 1 year to warranties under 5 years	—
Cell phone	$800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible	Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection · up to $800
Other protections	Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges Global Assist Hotline with 24/7 emergency help traveling	—
Pros & cons
Pros	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	$600+ in annual credits ($400 hotel + $200 Bilt Cash) partially offsets $495 fee Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage with no transaction fees 2X points on all everyday purchases 50,000 points + $300 Bilt Cash welcome bonus (highest among Bilt cards) Transferable points to major airline and hotel partners
Cons	$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	Requires high spending volume to qualify and maintain Palladium status No card-level bonus categories beyond the 2X flat rate (headline multipliers are membership-inclusive composites) Housing multiplier (up to 1.25X) depends on everyday-spend tiers or Bilt Cash redemption Benefits still lag behind premium travel cards from Chase/Amex
	Card details	Card details

The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express · $895/yr
Bilt Palladium Card
Cardless · $495/yr

Overview

Annual fee: The Platinum Card from American Express
$895
Bilt Palladium Card
$495
Lowest
Welcome offerCurrent public offer: The Platinum Card from American Express
As high as 175,000 points — offers vary
Bilt Palladium Card
50,000 points
Rewards: The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express Membership Rewards
Bilt Palladium Card
Bilt Points
Foreign transaction fee: The Platinum Card from American Express
None
Bilt Palladium Card
None
Network: The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express
Bilt Palladium Card
Mastercard

Earn ratesPer $1 spent

Flights: The Platinum Card from American Express
5x
Highest
Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Hotels: The Platinum Card from American Express
1x
Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Highest
Travel: The Platinum Card from American Express
1x
Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Highest
Mortgage: The Platinum Card from American Express
1x
Bilt Palladium Card
1.25x
Highest
Rent: The Platinum Card from American Express
1x
Bilt Palladium Card
1.25x
Highest
Everything else: The Platinum Card from American Express
1x
Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Highest

Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record

Travel: The Platinum Card from American Express
$600 lodging credit
$250 Airbnb Experiences credit
$219 CLEAR Plus credit
$200 airline credit
$120 Global Entry or up to $85 TSA PreCheck / 4 years · $120 every 4 years
Bilt Palladium Card
$400 hotel credit
Rideshare & transit: The Platinum Card from American Express
$200 Uber Cash
$120 Uber One credit
Bilt Palladium Card
—
Dining & delivery: The Platinum Card from American Express
$400 Resy credit
Bilt Palladium Card
—
Entertainment & streaming: The Platinum Card from American Express
$300 streaming credit
Bilt Palladium Card
—
Shopping & wellness: The Platinum Card from American Express
$300 Equinox credit
$300 Lululemon credit
$200 Oura Ring credit
$155 Walmart+ credit
Bilt Palladium Card
$200 Bilt Cash

Perks & access— means none on record

Lounges: 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
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Lufthansa Business Lounge access on Lufthansa Group
Plaza Premium Lounge access at airports with Global Lounge
Priority Pass Select with 1,300+ lounges globally
Bilt Palladium Card
Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access
Hotel status & programs: 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
Bilt Palladium Card
—
Airline perks: The Platinum Card from American Express
Platinum Member Airfares, 10% average premium savings
Bilt Palladium Card
—
Car rental: The Platinum Card from American Express
Elite status with Hertz, National, Avis for upgrades
Bilt Palladium Card
—
Other perks: 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
Show 5 moreShow fewer
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
Bilt Palladium Card
—

Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record

Trip insurance: The Platinum Card from American Express
$10,000 trip cancellation coverage per covered trip
$500 trip delay Cover for delays exceeding 6 hours
Bilt Palladium Card
Trip Delay
Baggage: The Platinum Card from American Express
$3,000 baggage insurance for lost or damaged bags
Bilt Palladium Card
—
Rental car: The Platinum Card from American Express
$100,000 primary rental car coverage for $20-$25/rental
$75,000 car rental loss and damage insurance
Bilt Palladium Card
MasterRental Coverage
Purchase & returns: 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
Bilt Palladium Card
Purchase Assurance · up to $1,000
Price Drop Protection · up to $250
Extended warranty: The Platinum Card from American Express
Extended warranty adds 1 year to warranties under 5 years
Bilt Palladium Card
—
Cell phone: The Platinum Card from American Express
$800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
Bilt Palladium Card
Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection · up to $800
Other protections: The Platinum Card from American Express
Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Global Assist Hotline with 24/7 emergency help traveling
Bilt Palladium Card
—

Pros & cons

Pros: 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
Bilt Palladium Card
$600+ in annual credits ($400 hotel + $200 Bilt Cash) partially offsets $495 fee
Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage with no transaction fees
2X points on all everyday purchases
50,000 points + $300 Bilt Cash welcome bonus (highest among Bilt cards)
Transferable points to major airline and hotel partners
Cons: 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
Bilt Palladium Card
Requires high spending volume to qualify and maintain Palladium status
No card-level bonus categories beyond the 2X flat rate (headline multipliers are membership-inclusive composites)
Housing multiplier (up to 1.25X) depends on everyday-spend tiers or Bilt Cash redemption
Benefits still lag behind premium travel cards from Chase/Amex

Card details

Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

Category-by-Category Winner

The Bilt Palladium Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The The Platinum Card from American Express leads in 0. 3 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.

Hotels

Depends: via amextravel

The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)

Vacation Rentals

Depends: via issuer travel portal; Link an Airbnb account in your name to your American Express online account and book prepaid through Amex Travel; Airbnb bookings made directly with Airbnb earn 1X.

The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)

Flights

Depends: via AmexTravel; up to $500,000/yr

The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)

Rent

Bilt Palladium Card earns 1.25X vs 1X

1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee; no annual cap on housing payments

Mortgage

Bilt Palladium Card earns 1.25X vs 1X

1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee

Travel

Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X vs 1X

Everyday purchases

Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X

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.

Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.

Scenario	The Platinum Card from American Express	Bilt Palladium Card	Ongoing winner	Year-one winner
Light spender: $1,000/month	Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,381 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $666 Year one: $666	Rewards: $480 Credits (our usable estimate): $300 − Annual fee ($495) Ongoing: $285 Year one: $1,285	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: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,381 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $1,206 Year one: $1,206	Rewards: $1,920 Credits (our usable estimate): $300 − Annual fee ($495) Ongoing: $1,725 Year one: $2,725	Close — depends on how much of the credits you use	Bilt Palladium Card

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr — that's $400 more than the Bilt Palladium Card ($495/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $400 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 $400 fee gap for your own usage.

Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $400 fee gap means the The Platinum Card from American Express needs roughly $400 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and vacation rentals and everyday spend.

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing Bilt Palladium Card means losing:

-Global Entry credit

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the Bilt Palladium Card if you:

+Prefer a high flat rate across all spending

The Bottom Line

Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.

Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Bilt Palladium Card vs 1X on the other card.

Published annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, Bilt Palladium Card $495/yr — a $400 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 $495/yr for the Bilt Palladium Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $400 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 The Platinum Card from American Express or Bilt Palladium Card?: The Bilt Palladium Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the The Platinum Card from American Express have that the Bilt Palladium Card doesn't?: The The Platinum Card from American Express offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection. The Bilt Palladium Card offers lounge access, cell phone protection.
Should I get the The Platinum Card from American Express or the Bilt Palladium Card?: Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Bilt Palladium Card has a lower $495/yr fee; the The Platinum Card from American Express must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $895/yr.

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Official issuer pages: American Express cards · Cardless cards

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.