American Express Platinum Card
Get an 900 Welcome Credit
at American Express UAE's secure site
Spend 37,000 in the first 3 months to qualify. Terms apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
“The Platinum Card is a perks membership, not a rewards card — the lounges, hotel statuses and credits are the best in the UAE, but the 1-point-per--4 earn rate means you should never get it for the points. Budget the 3,255 fee against the credits you'll genuinely use, and remember the balance clears in full every month.”
Earning and redeeming Membership Rewards points
The Platinum Card earns a flat 1 Membership Rewards point per 4 on eligible purchases — no bonus categories, no caps, and enrolment in Membership Rewards is automatic and free on this card. Points never expire, so slow accumulation still adds up.
Redemptions run through the Membership Rewards catalogue: transfers to airline and hotel partners, merchandise from leading brands, or spending points directly at checkout with SafeKey Pay with Points and Select & Pay with Points in the Amex MENA app. Partner transfers are consistently the highest-value use; paying at checkout is the most convenient but usually the lowest.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 3,100 ( 3,255 incl. VAT) — includes 1 Platinum and 4 Gold supplementary cards free
- Welcome offer
- 900 welcome credit after 37,000 spend in the first 3 months (a 50,000-point banner is also advertised — see welcome offer terms)
- Interest rate
- None — charge card, balance due in full monthly. Overdue balances: 3% monthly charge + 110 late fee ( 115.50 incl. VAT)
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.94% (3.09% incl. VAT) conversion fee on non- transactions
- Cash withdrawal
- 4% of amount, min 50 (Express Cash) — capped at 20,000 per 30 days
- Minimum income
- 30,605 per month (employed) or 551,000 a year (self-employed)
- Extra supplementary cards
- Additional Platinum at 1,200 (max 6), additional Gold at 250, each + VAT
- Card network
- American Express (charge card)
Rates verified against the American Express Platinum Card Schedule of Fees and Charges (03/2026) and americanexpress.ae on August 21, 2026. Headline fees exclude 5% VAT unless noted. Always confirm on the issuer's site before applying.
Card benefits
1,700+ lounges worldwide
Priority Pass with one guest, Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Club — shared with your Platinum supplementary cardmember.
Hotel elite status, instantly
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Hilton Honors Gold, Meliá Gold, Radisson Premium and GHA DISCOVERY Platinum — enrol via Platinum Services, no stay requirements.
Travel credits & airline deals
1,100 annual travel credit on 11,000+ airline bookings via Platinum Travel, plus up to 25% off First and Business Class with partner airlines.
Fine Hotels + Resorts
Noon check-in, room upgrades when available, daily breakfast for two, a US$100 property credit and guaranteed 4pm check-out at participating hotels.
US$1M travel insurance
Travel accident cover up to US$1 million, emergency medical up to US$150,000 and purchase protection up to US$2,000 — extends to family and supplementary cardmembers.
Platinum Concierge 24/7
Restaurants, events, gifts and travel plans handled by phone or email, plus cruise privileges worth around US$300 per stateroom.
Pros and cons
- The UAE's widest lounge coverage — Priority Pass with a guest, Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Club, shared with a supplementary cardmember
- Automatic hotel elite status across five programmes (Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Hilton Honors Gold, Meliá Gold, Radisson Premium, GHA DISCOVERY Platinum)
- 900 welcome credit, 1,100 annual travel credit and up to 740 a year in dining credits soften the fee
- 5 complimentary supplementary cards (1 Platinum + 4 Gold) extend the perks to family
- Membership Rewards points never expire and earning is uncapped
- No pre-set spending limit, with optional Pay Over Time instalments of 3-12 months
- 3,255 annual fee including VAT, never waived — you must actively use the credits to justify it
- Weak earn rate: 1 point per 4 with no bonus categories
- It's a charge card — the balance is due in full every month; overdue balances incur a 3% monthly charge plus an 110 late fee
- The 1,100 travel credit only triggers on airline bookings of 11,000+ made through the Platinum Travel Service
- 2.94% conversion fee (3.09% incl. VAT) on non- spend
- High entry bar: 30,605 minimum monthly income
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You fly and stay in hotels often enough to use lounge access and elite status monthly, not yearly.
- You'll actually route 11,000+ in flights through Platinum Travel and enrol in the dining credit.
- You earn 30,605+ a month and always pay your card in full.
Consider skipping it if
- You want points earning — 1 point per 4 is beaten by most premium miles cards.
- You'd carry a balance: a charge card demands full monthly settlement, and overdue costs 3% a month.
- The credits would go unused — without them this is an 3,255-a-year badge.
Alternatives to consider
The revolving sibling: Platinum branding with a proper credit line and instalments instead of full monthly settlement.
Best credit cards overall →
8 Priority Pass visits and solid insurance at roughly a fifth of the fee — the sensible Amex charge-card starter.
Best lounge access cards →
Earns Skywards Miles on every with unlimited lounge access — and the first year's fee is waived.
Best Emirates Skywards cards →Not sure which way to go? Put them side by side in our card comparison tool or browse the full ranked list.
Frequently asked questions
Is the American Express Platinum Card a credit card?+
No — it is a charge card. There is no pre-set spending limit and no revolving interest rate, because you must pay the balance in full every month. If a balance goes overdue, a 3% monthly charge applies plus an AED 110 late fee (AED 115.50 incl. VAT). You can optionally convert part of the balance into 3, 6, 9 or 12-month instalments via Pay Over Time.
What is the minimum income for the Platinum Card?+
AED 30,605 per month for employed applicants, or an annual income of at least AED 551,000 if self-employed. You must be a UAE resident aged 21 or over.
How much does the Platinum Card cost?+
AED 3,100 a year (AED 3,255 including VAT). There is no first-year waiver. The fee includes 5 complimentary supplementary cards — 1 Platinum and 4 Gold.
What lounge access does the Platinum Card include?+
Access to more than 1,700 lounges in over 145 countries: Priority Pass (including one accompanying guest), American Express and Centurion Lounges, and Delta Sky Club when flying Delta. Your Platinum supplementary cardmember shares the access; Gold supplementary cardmembers get 8 Priority Pass visits a year.
What is the current welcome offer?+
An AED 900 welcome credit (or US$250) when you spend AED 37,000 (or US$10,000) within the first 3 months of cardmembership. The page also advertises a Membership Rewards points welcome banner of 50,000 points (up from 30,000) — check the Welcome Offer terms and conditions for its qualifying criteria.
How do Membership Rewards points work on this card?+
You earn 1 point per AED 4 spent on eligible purchases, with no cap. Points never expire and can be redeemed with airline and hotel partners, for merchandise, or spent directly at checkout via Pay with Points.
How does the AED 1,100 annual travel credit work?+
You receive the credit when you book airline tickets worth at least AED 11,000 (or US$3,000) through the Platinum Travel Service — it does not apply to flights booked directly with airlines.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.