The Platinum Card from American Express vs SKYPASS Visa Signature®
Annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, SKYPASS Visa Signature® $99/yr. Strongest bonus categories: The Platinum Card from American Express on hotels, SKYPASS Visa Signature® on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
- The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express · $895/yr
- SKYPASS Visa Signature®
U.S. Bank · $99/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- The Platinum Card from American Express$895SKYPASS Visa Signature®$99Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAs high as 175,000 points — offers varySKYPASS Visa Signature®40,000 points
- Rewards
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican Express Membership RewardsSKYPASS Visa Signature®Korean Air SKYPASS
- Foreign transaction fee
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressNoneSKYPASS Visa Signature®None
- Network
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican ExpressSKYPASS Visa Signature®Visa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Flights
- The Platinum Card from American Express5xHighestSKYPASS Visa Signature®1x
- Dining
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xSKYPASS Visa Signature®2xHighest
- Hotels
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xSKYPASS Visa Signature®2xHighest
- Everything else
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xSKYPASS Visa Signature®1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- 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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Rideshare & transit
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $200 Uber Cash
- $120 Uber One credit
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Dining & delivery
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $400 Resy credit
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Entertainment & streaming
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 streaming credit
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Shopping & wellness
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 Equinox credit
- $300 Lululemon credit
- $200 Oura Ring credit
- $155 Walmart+ credit
SKYPASS Visa Signature®—
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
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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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®- 2 Korean Air Lounge vouchers/year
- 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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Airline perks
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- International Airline Program 5-40% off premium cabins
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Car rental
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Elite status with Hertz, National, Avis for upgrades
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - 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
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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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®- 5% off Korean Air tickets
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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Baggage
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $3,000 baggage insurance for lost or damaged bags
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - 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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
- 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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Extended warranty
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to warranties under 5 years
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Cell phone
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - Other protections
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
- Global Assist Hotline with 24/7 emergency help traveling
SKYPASS Visa Signature®—
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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®— - 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
SKYPASS Visa Signature®—
Category-by-Category Winner
The SKYPASS Visa Signature® wins in 1 of 1 categories. The The Platinum Card from American Express leads in 0. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Hotels
Depends: via amextravel
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; SKYPASS Visa Signature® 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; SKYPASS Visa Signature® earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Dining
SKYPASS Visa Signature® earns 2X 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.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | The Platinum Card from American Express | SKYPASS Visa Signature® | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,356 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $641 Year one: $641 | Rewards: $166 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($99) Ongoing: $67 Year one: $547 | 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): $1,356 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $1,181 Year one: $1,181 | Rewards: $662 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($99) Ongoing: $563 Year one: $1,043 | 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 $796 more than the SKYPASS Visa Signature® ($99/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $796 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 $796 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $796 fee gap means the The Platinum Card from American Express needs roughly $796 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 SKYPASS Visa Signature® means losing:
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the SKYPASS Visa Signature® if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
The Bottom Line
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Published annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, SKYPASS Visa Signature® $99/yr — a $796 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 $99/yr for the SKYPASS Visa Signature®. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $796 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 SKYPASS Visa Signature®?
- 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 The Platinum Card from American Express have that the SKYPASS Visa Signature® doesn't?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection. The SKYPASS Visa Signature® offers lounge access.
- Should I get the The Platinum Card from American Express or the SKYPASS Visa Signature®?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the SKYPASS Visa Signature® has a lower $99/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.