American Express Platinum Credit Card: Should You Consider It?

Local Luxury Perks for Affluent Singaporeans
American Express Platinum Credit Card
American Express Platinum Credit Card
PROMO: None currently available

American Express Platinum Credit Card: Should You Consider It?

Local Luxury Perks for Affluent Singaporeans

4.3/5.0

ValueChampion Rating ValueChampion Icon

Rewards
Perks
Fees

Pros

  • Exclusive local privileges
  • Great local dining discounts and rewards on designer brands

Cons

  • Lacks luxury travel perks
  • Limited miles accrual
American Express Platinum Credit Card
American Express Platinum Credit Card
PROMO: None currently available

American Express Platinum Credit Card is essentially an elite local dining and shopping card for Singapore's most affluent consumers. Cardholders earn up to 3.44 miles (6.25 pts) per S$1 spend with Platinum EXTRA Partners–primarily designer watch, jewellery, fashion & auto brands. While general spend earns just 0.69 miles (1.25 pts), which isn't very competitive, Amex Platinum ultimately stands out for its exclusive local perks–discounts at high-end spas, waived green fees across APAC, dining privileges at Singaporean bars, restaurants, hotel buffets & more. Cardholders can access the "high life" without having to travel abroad (must luxury cards favour travellers), but there is a S$321 annual fee, which does not have a waiver option. Still, affluent social spenders in Singapore may feel that the card's benefits fully validate its cost, hence, making the American Express Platinum Credit Card one of the best cashback credit cards in Singapore for affluents.

American Express Platinum Credit Card Features and Benefits

  • Annual Fee: S$321, No waiver
  • Income Requirement: S$80,000 for citizens & PRs, S$80,000 for foreigners
Key Features:
  • Annual fee: S$321
  • 0.69 miles (1.25 pts) per S$1 spend
  • Up to 3.44 miles (6.25 pts) per S$1 spend w/ Platinum EXTRA Partners
  • No conversion fees
  • Dining Perks: Love Dining, Amex Selects & Chillax programme
  • Lifestyle Perks: Platinum Wellness spa privileges & complimentary green fees
Promotions:
  • None currently available
Promotions:
  • None currently available

What Makes American Express Platinum Credit Card Stand Out

American Express Platinum Card is an excellent option for affluent Singaporeans seeking privileges and rewards for their social behaviour. Cardholders enjoy some of the best local perks on the market, ranging from waived green fees across Asia Pacific (with 1 paying guest on weekdays, 2 on weekends) and 40% off a la carte services at elite spas like Aveda, The Ultimate & Spa Rael to a myriad of travel and lifestyle discounts through American Express Selects.

Amex Platinum's dining perks are especially impressive. Consumers have access to up to 50% off dining at select restaurants and hotel buffets through the Love Dining programme, and complimentary drinks at upscale bars through Amex Chillax. Additionally, Amex Platinum is the official card partner for Michelin Guide Singapore, allowing cardholders to enjoy exclusive privileges and invitations to high-profile chef dinners.

Amex Love Dining Programme Discounts & Venues

Love Dining DiscountVenues w/ Eligible Buffets
  • 1 Diner: Up to 15% off bill
  • 2 Diners: 50% off bill
  • 3 Diners: Up to 35% off bill
  • 4 Diners: 25% off bill
  • 5-10 Diners: 20% off bill
  • Asian Market Cafe, Fairmont Singapore
  • Marriott Cafe, SG Marriott Tang Plaza
  • Ellenborough Market Cafe, Swissôtel Merchant Ct
  • CLOVE, Swissôtel The Stamford
  • The Kitchen Table, W Singapore Sentosa
Details and eligibility vary, including by venue in some cases
Amex Love Dining Programme
Love Dining Discount
  • 1 Diner: Up to 15% off bill
  • 2 Diners: 50% off bill
  • 3 Diners: Up to 35% off bill
  • 4 Diners: 25% off bill
  • 5-10 Diners: 20% off bill
Venues w/ Eligible Buffets
  • Asian Market Cafe, Fairmont Singapore
  • Marriott Cafe, SG Marriott Tang Plaza
  • Ellenborough Market Cafe, Swissôtel Merchant Court
  • CLOVE, Swissôtel The Stamford
  • The Kitchen Table, W Singapore Sentosa
Details and eligibility vary, including by venue in some cases

Amex Platinum is best fit for affluent consumers, however. Everyday spend, both local and overseas, earns just 0.69 miles (1.25 Membership Rewards points). Fortunately, rewards earned never expire and there are no conversion fees; unfortunately, this rate is amongst the lowest on the market–most miles cards offer at least 1.2 miles per S$1 locally and 2 miles overseas. Cardholders do receive a category boost of up to 3.44 miles (6.25 pts) per S$1 for spend with Platinum EXTRA Partners in Singapore. However, this merchant list is quite limited and mostly includes designer fashion, watch, jewellery and auto brands. It's also possible to earn at a higher rate in this spend category with more affordable shopper credit cards.

Shopping Credit Card Rate & Fee Comparison

Credit CardAnnual FeeShopping RateRewards Cap
Amex PlatinumS$321.03.44 mi/S$1N/A
Maybank World
  • S$240.0 (waived w/ S$24k spend)
4.00 mi/S$1N/A
DBS Woman's World
  • S$192.6 (waived w/ S$25k spend)
4.00 mi/S$18k mi/mo
OCBC Titanium
  • S$192.6 (waived w/ S$10k spend)
4.00 mi/S$14k mi/mo
Citi Rewards
  • S$192.6 (1yr waiver)
4.00 mi/S$14k mi/mo
Note: DBS Woman's World's shopping rate applies to online retail only. Amex Platinum & Maybank World's rates apply to select luxury merchants only.

Consumers are also unlikely to benefit if they frequently travel. Cardholders earn at the base rate overseas and do not receive perks like free lounge access, limo transfers or travel membership upgrades (ie Hilton Honors Silver or KrisFlyer Elite Gold). Overall, Amex Platinum is an inherently local luxury card, even if it allows cardholders to earn rewards as miles.

Finally, Amex Platinum Card has a relatively high fee of S$321, with no waiver option. This is quite expensive, especially for a card with a relatively low rewards rate. Nonetheless, wealthy Singaporeans with a local, luxury-driven lifestyle may very well feel that this cost is validated by the card's exclusive perks.

How Does Amex Platinum Credit Card's Rewards Programme Work?

Use our quick guide below to learn how you can redeem Amex Platinum Card's rewards.

  • Cardholders technically earn in Membership Rewards Points
  • Points are incrementally rewarded for every S$1.60 spend (rather than S$1 market standard)
  • Points can be redeemed for merchant vouchers, air miles, or to offset the annual card fee
  • Minimum point increments for transfer to miles may apply and vary by airline partner
  • Conversion/transfer fees are permanently waived
  • Points may be forfeited if cardholder does not make minimum payment for billing period
  • Points are permanently forfeited if card account is suspended or cancelled
  • Points do not expire

Amex Platinum Credit Card's Rewards Exclusions

The following credit card expenditures are ineligible for rewards.

Cash advances and other cash services; Express Cash; American Express Travellers Cheque purchases; charges for dishonoured cheques; finance charges (including line of credit charges and credit card interest charges); late payment and collection charges; tax refunds from overseas purchases; balance transfers; instalment plans; annual card fees and Membership Rewards fees; payment portion billed for "Pay + Points" rewards, where the cardmember uses points along with paying a specific amount to redeem the reward; amount billed for purchase of Membership Rewards points to top-up your points balance
Purchase and top-up charges for EZ-Link Cards using Amex cards; bill payments and all transactions via SingPost SAM kiosks and mobile app; payments for the purchase of GrabPay top-ups
Payments to insurance companies (except payments made for insurance products purchased through Amex authorised channels)
Payments to Singapore Petroleum Company Limited (SPC) service stations

How does Amex Platinum Credit Card Compare to Other Cards?

Read our comparisons of American Express Platinum Card with other cards and learn what makes each card unique in their own way. We compare and contrast each card to highlight its uniqueness to help you identify the card that you need.

Graph showing some of Singapore’s best credit cards in terms of value-to-consumer after two years, based on an average monthly spend of S$2,000
Amex Platinum Card v. Maybank World MasterCard
  • Annual Fee: S$240
  • Stand-Out: Free green fees at 100 fairways across 19 countries
  • Read Our Full Review
Maybank World Mastercard is an excellent option for affluent Singaporeans who love to golf. Cardholders enjoy up to 2 free green fees every month at 120 fairways across 25 countries worldwide. This is the best golfing perk offered by a credit card on the market–though Amex Platinum's privileges are quite strong as well. Other perks include complimentary travel insurance and a free lounge visit with every S$1k nett shopping transaction.


Maybank World is more than just a golfer card, however; consumers also receive up to 4 miles per S$1 with select dining & luxury retail merchants (general spend earns 0.4 miles per S$1). Like Amex Platinum Card, Maybank World therefore rewards affluent shoppers. However, Maybank World is far more affordable with a S$240.0 fee that's waived with just S$24k annual spend (averaging S$2k/month). Overall, Maybank World is a better option for affluent Singaporeans who love to golf abroad; Amex Platinum may be better for wealthy consumers who prioritise local dining perks.

Amex Platinum Card v. DBS Woman's World Card
  • Annual Fee: S$194.40
  • Stand-Out: Get up to 10X DBS Points (or 20 miles) for online purchases, 3X DBS Point (or 6 miles) for overseas purchases and 1X DBS Point (or 2 miles) for other purchases
  • Read Our Full Review
If you're a frequent shopper with a relatively large budget for online purchases, you may want to consider DBS Woman's World Mastercard. Cardholders earn 4 miles per S$1 spend on online shopping, up to 8k miles/month (equal to about S$80 in redemption value). General local spend earns 0.4 miles per S$1, and overseas purchases earn 1.2 miles.


Just like Amex Platinum, DBS Woman's World is rather specialised–its rates and perks favour shoppers. However, DBS Woman's World is a bit more affordable and practical. Cardholders have access to a 0% interest instalment plan with no processing fee and promotional discounts with popular beauty, wellness and fashion merchants. Consumers can also avoid paying the moderate S$192.6 annual fee with S$25k annual spend (about S$2,083/month). As a result, DBS Woman's World is a better option for average consumers who frequently shop online, while Amex Platinum is better for luxury shoppers who buy in-person.

Amex Platinum Card v. Amex SIA KrisFlyer Ascend
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Card is ideal for frequent SIA travellers looking for exclusive flight and hotel membership upgrades. Cardholders earn 1.1 miles per S$1 on general spend, 2 miles on SIA transactions and overseas in June & December, and 3.1 miles on Grab rides (up to 640 mi/month). These rates aren't particularly competitive, but Amex SIA KF Ascend does stand out by offering a unique mix of travel perks, including an automatic upgrade to Hilton Honors Silver Status, boost to KrisFlyer Elite Gold with S$15k/year online SIA spend, and rental car privileges with Hertz Gold Plus. Other perks include free travel insurance, 1 free Hilton hotel night/year and up to 4 lounge visits/year.


Amex SIA KrisFlyer Ascend is very different from Amex Platinum as its benefits are almost exclusively travel-oriented, rather than local. However, both cards provide a comprehensive set of privileges not found amongst alternatives. While they have relatively low miles rates and high annual fees (S$337.05 for Amex SIA KF Ascend, S$321.00 for Amex Platinum), each is respectively valued for the privileges it delivers. Affluent consumers who frequently travel would be better off with Amex SIA KF Ascend, and those who spend most of their time in Singapore might prefer Amex Platinum.

Amex Platinum Card v. Citi Prestige Card
Citi Prestige Card
Citi Prestige Card
  • Annual Fee: S$540
  • Stand-Out: Unlimited lounge access, bonus hotel nights & more
  • Read Our Full Review
Citi Prestige Mastercard is the absolute best card on the market for wealthy travellers who prioritise luxury perks above all else. Cardholders enjoy some of the best benefits on the market: unlimited lounge access, free 4th hotel nights worldwide, complimentary limo transfers, room upgrades with Hotel Black status, 6 free green fees annually and travel insurance with coverage up to S$1 million. In addition to these perks, cardholders receive 25,000 annual renewal miles (worth S$350+ in redemption value) and bonus rewards of up to 30% of yearly earnings, based on Citi relationship tenure.


While these perks are impressive, Citi Prestige cardholders earn just 1.3 miles per S$1 locally and 2 miles overseas. While this is substantially higher than the rates offered by Amex Platinum Card, these rates still aren't competitive amongst luxury travel cards. Citi Prestige Card is also very expensive–more so than even Amex Platinum–at S$535/year, non-waivable. Affluent consumers willing to pay a premium for luxury when they travel may feel Citi Prestige Card's privileges are worth the cost. Those who desire luxury at home would be better off with Amex Platinum Card.

Amex Platinum v. Maybank World
  • Annual Fee: S$240
  • Stand-Out: Free green fees at 100 fairways across 19 countries
  • Promotion:
  • Read Our Full Review
Maybank World Mastercard is an excellent option for affluent Singaporeans who love to golf. Cardholders enjoy up to 2 free green fees every month at 120 fairways across 25 countries worldwide. This is the best golfing perk offered by a credit card on the market–though Amex Platinum's privileges are quite strong as well. Other perks include complimentary travel insurance and a free lounge visit with every S$1k nett shopping transaction.


Maybank World is more than just a golfer card, however; consumers also receive up to 4 miles per S$1 with select dining & luxury retail merchants (general spend earns 0.4 miles per S$1). Like Amex Platinum Card, Maybank World therefore rewards affluent shoppers. However, Maybank World is far more affordable with a S$240.0 fee that's waived with just S$24k annual spend (averaging S$2k/month). Overall, Maybank World is a better option for affluent Singaporeans who love to golf abroad; Amex Platinum may be better for wealthy consumers who prioritise local dining perks.

Amex Platinum v. DBS Woman's World
  • Annual Fee: S$194.40
  • Stand-Out: Get up to 10X DBS Points (or 20 miles) for online purchases, 3X DBS Point (or 6 miles) for overseas purchases and 1X DBS Point (or 2 miles) for other purchases
  • Promotion:
  • Read Our Full Review
If you're a frequent shopper with a relatively large budget for online purchases, you may want to consider DBS Woman's World Mastercard. Cardholders earn 4 miles per S$1 spend on online shopping, up to 8k miles/month (equal to about S$80 in redemption value). General local spend earns 0.4 miles per S$1, and overseas purchases earn 1.2 miles.


Just like Amex Platinum, DBS Woman's World is rather specialised–its rates and perks favour shoppers. However, DBS Woman's World is a bit more affordable and practical. Cardholders have access to a 0% interest instalment plan with no processing fee and promotional discounts with popular beauty, wellness and fashion merchants. Consumers can also avoid paying the moderate S$192.6 annual fee with S$25k annual spend (about S$2,083/month). As a result, DBS Woman's World is a better option for average consumers who frequently shop online, while Amex Platinum is better for luxury shoppers who buy in-person.

Amex Platinum v. Amex SIA KF Ascend
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card
  • Annual Fee: S$337.05
  • Stand-Out: Elite perks inc. hotel & flight upgrades
  • Promotion:
  • Read Our Full Review
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Card is ideal for frequent SIA travellers looking for exclusive flight and hotel membership upgrades. Cardholders earn 1.1 miles per S$1 on general spend, 2 miles on SIA transactions and overseas in June & December, and 3.1 miles on Grab rides (up to 640 mi/month). These rates aren't particularly competitive, but Amex SIA KF Ascend does stand out by offering a unique mix of travel perks, including an automatic upgrade to Hilton Honors Silver Status, boost to KrisFlyer Elite Gold with S$15k/year online SIA spend, and rental car privileges with Hertz Gold Plus. Other perks include free travel insurance, 1 free Hilton hotel night/year and up to 4 lounge visits/year.


Amex SIA KrisFlyer Ascend is very different from Amex Platinum as its benefits are almost exclusively travel-oriented, rather than local. However, both cards provide a comprehensive set of privileges not found amongst alternatives. While they have relatively low miles rates and high annual fees (S$337.05 for Amex SIA KF Ascend, S$321.00 for Amex Platinum), each is respectively valued for the privileges it delivers. Affluent consumers who frequently travel would be better off with Amex SIA KF Ascend, and those who spend most of their time in Singapore might prefer Amex Platinum.

Amex Platinum v. Citi Prestige
Citi Prestige Card
Citi Prestige Card
  • Annual Fee: S$540
  • Stand-Out: Unlimited lounge access, bonus hotel nights & more
  • Promotion:
  • Read Our Full Review
Citi Prestige Mastercard is the absolute best card on the market for wealthy travellers who prioritise luxury perks above all else. Cardholders enjoy some of the best benefits on the market: unlimited lounge access, free 4th hotel nights worldwide, complimentary limo transfers, room upgrades with Hotel Black status, 6 free green fees annually and travel insurance with coverage up to S$1 million. In addition to these perks, cardholders receive 25,000 annual renewal miles (worth S$350+ in redemption value) and bonus rewards of up to 30% of yearly earnings, based on Citi relationship tenure.


While these perks are impressive, Citi Prestige cardholders earn just 1.3 miles per S$1 locally and 2 miles overseas. While this is substantially higher than the rates offered by Amex Platinum Card, these rates still aren't competitive amongst luxury travel cards. Citi Prestige Card is also very expensive–more so than even Amex Platinum–at S$535/year, non-waivable. Affluent consumers willing to pay a premium for luxury when they travel may feel Citi Prestige Card's privileges are worth the cost. Those who desire luxury at home would be better off with Amex Platinum Card.

Read Also:

Zoryana Melesh

Zoryana is a Senior Research Analyst at ValueChampion, who focuses on evaluating credit cards, savings and fixed deposits in Singapore. She holds a BA in Political Science and an MPA in International Finance and Economic Policy, both from Columbia University. Prior to joining ValueChampion, Zoryana worked in treasury management consulting.

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