Compare the Features and Benefits of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and
United℠ Explorer Card

💳 This card earns American Express Membership Rewards points. American Express often runs transfer bonuses where you can get even more points when you transfer to airline or hotel partners at designated times. Transfer bonuses are awesome. Get 20%, 30%, 40% or more bonus miles when you transfer points at the right times. But they are easy to miss!

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The Amex Business Platinum is the one of the most expensive travel rewards cards on the market today. However, while its annual fee might be a bit on the higher side, the perks that come along with it are second to none, both from the business perspective as well as the travel angle.

For small business owners that hit the road (or skies) regularly, there really isn’t another card quite like this one.

On the travel perks side of things, the Amex Business Platinum has a laundry list of embedded extras from hotel status (Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Leaders Club Sterling) and rental car elite statuses to complimentary access to airport lounges through the Global Lounge Collection, including the popular Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, and limited access to Delta SkyClubs when flying Delta. (See the key features and benefits above for details.)

There is also a $600 Hotel Credit where you can get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 each calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel™ using the Business Platinum Card (two-night minimum stay with The Hotel Collection) at more than 3,100 handpicked hotels. Fine Hotels + Resorts® include not just potential upgrades, on-property credit, and complimentary breakfast, but is also the only major issuer hotel program that offers a guaranteed 4pm late check out. That can come in very handy when you have a flight later in the day!

However, this is a business card, after all, and where this card shines is in its business statement credits.

If you have business expenses that are with specific merchants, such as Dell, Adobe, and Indeed, the Business Platinum can tangibly help cut reduce costs.

In addition, card holders get an extra point per dollar (2X) on eligible purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, and purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. 2X can be huge, spanning a wide variety of business categories (capped at $2 million).

The perk of $50 in quarterly statement credits (enrollment required) at Hilton properties – up to $200 a year – adds real additional value as well.

When you want to redeem points, you can take advantage of the ability to transfer to any of the American Express Membership Rewards airline or hotel partner programs. If you want to keep it simple, the Business Platinum card has a very unique feature to get 35% points back after using Pay with Points for flights booked through Amex Travel with one of nine selected qualifying airlines, up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year.

(Note: You choose your airline once per year for your $200 airline fee credit and then you can additionally get the 35% rebate on flights booked through Amex Travel using points on that one chosen airline in any class of service.)

The Amex Business Platinum isn’t a card for everyone — that’s for sure. But for high-spending business owners who travel often (either for business or pleasure), this just might be the card for you.

We recommend that you also consider pairing this card with the American Express® Business Gold Card, which has a wide array of bonus categories that complement what you receive on the Business Platinum.

Rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The United Explorer card is one of the best credit cards out there for occasional United flyers. That’s because you’ll get useful perks, such as free first checked bags, priority boarding privileges, a 25% food and beverage discount on board United operated flights, and even get a taste of airport lounge access with two anniversary United Club passes.

Consider this scenario: Even if you only fly United a couple of times per year, the Explorer Card is worth it for the free checked bag benefit alone. Keep in mind, this applies to the primary card holder and one companion on the same reservation, as long as you use the card to pay for your ticket. At $40 for one checked bag, and $160 for a round-trip flight for two people, it’s easy to get value that exceeds the card’s annual fee.

In addition to the sign-up bonus earned after account opening, the United Explorer card earns a decent 2X miles on United Airlines purchases, 2X miles on dining, including eligible delivery services, 2X miles on hotel stays when booked with the hotel and 1x miles on all other purchases.

Also, the card helps to fast track your United elite status goals with 1 PQP earned for every $20 you spend on purchases with your Explorer Card (up to 1,000 PQPs in a calendar year). These PQPs can be applied toward your Premier status qualification — up to the Premier 1K level.

And don’t forget all of the Unique Card Benefits and Statement Credits described in the first two sections above. Altogether this card offers the potential to receive over $400 in annual statement credits.

If you’re in need of extra miles besides flying on United flights, keep in mind that Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to the United Mileage Plus program at a 1:1 ratio to help you top up your miles balance.

While the United Explorer card is a fantastic option for the occasional United flyer, those that travel more often with the airline might want to consider other options, including United’s other, more premium, credit cards.

In more simple terms, the Explorer card fits the “occasional United flyer” once or twice per year mold, while the $350-per-year United Quest fits the “semi-frequent United flyer.” Then, there’s the United Club Infinite Card for the “frequent United flyer.”

If you’re looking for a United Club membership and need more than just two one-time passes, you’ll probably be better off with the United Club Infinite Card, which comes with a full United Club membership but also charges the highest annual fee of the United cards at $695.