This is the card that got my wife and me into the lounge habit, and the one I lean on most when we’re booking big trips.
Quick facts
| Annual fee | $799 (Additional Platinum Cards $250 each) |
| Card type | Charge card, no pre-set spending limit |
| Welcome offer | Up to 130,000 Membership Rewards points: 90,000 after $10,000 spend in the first 3 months, plus 40,000 for a purchase in months 15 to 17. Amex says the offer can change at any time. |
| Earn rates | 2X on dining & food delivery in Canada; 2X on travel; 1X on everything else; +1 point on eligible Amex Travel Online hotel/car bookings |
| Key credits | $200 Annual Travel Credit; $200 Annual Dining Credit; up to $240/yr in Instacart credits until Dec 31, 2027 |
| Lounges | Global Lounge Collection (1,550+ lounges). From Jan 1, 2027, Plaza Premium and Priority Pass visits become limited unless you spend $20,000 in a calendar year |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.5% |
Source: https://www.americanexpress.com/en-ca/charge-cards/the-platinum-card/. Verified on official Amex pages on October 21, 2026. Offers change often, so always check the issuer’s page before applying.
What I like
- Huge welcome bonus for a Canadian card
- Fine Hotels + Resorts and Hilton/Marriott Gold status
- Strong travel insurance, including trip cancellation (up to $2,500 per person)
What to watch
- $799 is a real cost, so you need to use the credits
- Lounge changes coming January 2027
- 2.5% FX fee, so use another card abroad
My take
Good fit if the fee and spend line up with your real life. If it does, I’d be grateful if you used my link below.
Heads up: some links on this page are my personal referral links. If you are approved through one, I may earn points at no cost to you. Full disclosure.