 TITLE: Is The Platinum Card<sup>®<\/sup> from American Express Worth the Annual Fee? CONTENT: Is the Annual Fee Worthwhile?\n-----------------------------\nThe annual fee on The Platinum Card® from American Express is worthwhile if you take advantage of most of the card's benefits—in the first year, you can make up for it with the welcome offer alone.\nAdditionally, you should consider the value you expect to get from the card's rewards. Cardholders get 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked with airlines or through the American Express Travel portal up to 500,000 per year, 5 points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar spent on most other purchases. During your first 6 months with the card, purchases at restaurants worldwide and at Shop Small-participating merchants in the U.S. get you 10 points per dollar spent—up to $25,000 in purchases.\nThat said, you'll need to keep using the benefits the card offers to offset the annual fee every year you have the card. That can be difficult because some, such as the airline incidental fee credit, have limitations that make it harder to maximize.\nBut if you travel often enough to use the card's benefits regularly and earn a lot of rewards points as you spend, it can make sense to have the card in your wallet.\nAlternatives to The Platinum Card® from American Express\n--------------------------------------------------------\nIf you're looking for a travel credit card that offers a lot of value with a lower annual fee or no annual fee at all, here are two options to consider:\n*   **Chase Sapphire Reserve®:** This premium travel credit card offers airport lounge access, a $300 annual travel credit, an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck, special rental car privileges and more. While the $550 annual fee is steep, it's not as high as you'd pay with The Platinum Card® from American Express.\n*   **Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card:** This mid-tier travel card packs a punch despite its $95 annual fee. The card offers 5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase; 3 points per dollar on dining, streaming services and online grocery purchases; 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases; and 1 point per dollar on everything else. You'll also get an annual $50 statement credit on hotel stays booked through Chase and a 10% points bonus every year based on your spending. END