OK, call me shallow, but I am obsessed with shiny reflective things, especially the reimagined American Express Platinum Card®.
American Express is offering a fancy, new card design it calls “mirror,” and I loved it so much when I saw it at a special preview of the changes rolling out to the Platinum Card that I knew I would ask for the new design as soon as it became available.
I got it last week, and it is a beauty.
How to get the new mirrored design
The new mirror design is easy to obtain. Requesting it online took me less than 10 minutes.
First, log in to your Amex account at americanexpress.com and choose “Customer Service” from the main menu. Then, click on the “Replace a Card” button.
Once you click on the button to replace your card, Amex will ask you why. Just click on “I want to change my Card’s design.”
Amex will then give you several options, including “Mirror.” Click on that. A new mirrored version should appear on the right side of your screen.
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American Express card replacement. AMERICAN EXPRESS
Once you’ve clicked “Confirm,” the new card will be on its way. Mine took about two weeks to arrive, but some TPG staffers have had faster service.
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CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Why I remain bullish on the Platinum Card
Trigger warning: I’ve been around a long time.
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When I first got the Amex Platinum Card back in 2001, I knew absolutely nothing about the world of points and miles. I don’t think I even got a welcome bonus, as they weren’t as common back then.
I got it simply for the thrill of having a chic platinum card, which, trust me, was the height of glamour at the time. I was pleased when the card became even more weighty as the metal cards were rolled out in 2017.
Of course, by then, I’d wised up to the incredible travel benefits that came with the card.
Over the years, Amex has steadily added valuable benefits and also steadily raised the annual fee. Still, I’ve been able to justify the annual fee as I’ve leaned hard into the world of loyalty and points and miles, so much so that I wrote and updated a long piece defending the card after the annual fee went up to $695 in 2021.
How am I feeling after another significant jump in the annual fee? I’m even more bullish now (and the new mirror design doesn’t hurt).
Related: TPG’s guide to getting started with points, miles and credit cards
Higher annual fee, more ways to maximize
The reimagined Amex Platinum now has the highest-ever annual fee for a premium card (at least, of the ones that are publicly available): $895 (see rates and fees).
Ouch, but I will easily maximize the value, especially with all the new perks.
Among my favorites are the new up to $400 Resy dining statement credit (up to $100 each quarter at U.S. Resy restaurants and on other eligible purchases; enrollment is required) and and the new and improved up to $600 a year hotel statement credit (split into two up to $300 semiannual credits) on prepaid American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel®. Note: The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
I just used mine on an upcoming trip to Marrakech, Morocco, where a two-night stay at Le Meridien N’Fis that would normally cost just over $608 will come down to $308 after my enhanced statement credit posts.
I’m also a fan of the new Lululemon statement credit (enrollment required).
I already used last quarter’s up to $75 statement credit to cover a pair of workout shorts I bought in Chicago. (You can receive up to $300 in statement credits a year, broken into up to $75 quarterly credits for U.S. store and online purchases; outlets excluded.)
While I won’t buy myself stuff every quarter, my niece Clare is a big fan of Lululemon, and I can buy gifts for her at a discount at her favorite store.
Those are just a few of the thousands upon thousands of dollars of value I’ve squeezed from my Platinum Card year after year. It’s my favorite travel card, by far.
If you are curious about the card refresh and all the new (and returning) perks, check out my colleague Augusta Stone’s great story on why she just became a cardmember. TPG’s Zach Griff also did a good job of explaining why the price hike is worth the added perks.
To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Platinum.
Apply here: American Express Platinum Card
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.