Amex Business Platinum for Media Buyers: Worth $695?
The Business Platinum's $695 fee is the highest on any non-invitation business card, and the value proposition is more complex than the Gold. Worth it for media buyers? Only at a specific volume threshold — but above that threshold, it's a no-brainer.
By Editorial Team · Media buyer research desk
Published May 17, 2026 · 7 min read · How we review
The 1.5x large-purchase bonus
Business Platinum earns 1.5x Membership Rewards on any single purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million in calendar-year purchases. Most agencies fund Meta in monthly or weekly charges well above $5K. At $40K/month of Meta funded in single charges, that's 720K MR points per year on ad spend alone — at 2 cents per point of transfer value, roughly $14,400. That's 20x the fee.
5x on flights and prepaid hotels
5x MR on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. If your agency travels for client meetings or conferences, this stacks with the 1.5x large-charge bonus on flights over $5K.
Credits you can actually use
$400/yr Dell credit (split semi-annually), $200/yr Adobe credit, $360/yr Indeed credit, $150/yr Hilton Honors credit, $189/yr CLEAR Plus. If your agency uses any of these — and Adobe alone covers most creative shops — credits offset most of the $695 fee.
Lounge and travel benefits
Centurion Lounge access, Priority Pass, Delta Sky Club when flying Delta, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, $200 airline incidental credit. Real value if you fly more than 4-5 times a year.
When NOT to get it
Below $20K/month of Meta spend funded in single $5K+ charges, the Gold's 4x beats Platinum's 1.5x. The Platinum makes sense once you've already maxed Gold's $150K cap or you fund Meta in very large single transactions.
Takeaway
Above ~$25K/month of Meta spend funded in single large charges, the Business Platinum is the highest-earning card in the Amex stack. Below that, stick with the Gold.