American Express Business Platinum Card® The card currently has the largest welcome bonus ever publicly offered: earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 in qualifying purchases within the first three months of card membership.
The points are worth $4,000 based on TPG’s October 2025 valuation, providing a compelling reason to consider the application.
But before you start filling out your application, you may want to know if you qualify to take advantage of this offer. This is a small business card, so it has different requirements than applying for a personal card.
However, you may not realize that you qualify for the American Express Business Platinum Card with its awesome welcome offer.
Here are some ways to determine if you qualify for the American Express Business Platinum Card and whether it makes sense to do so.
American Express Business Platinum Card Details
As a quick reminder, here are the current offer details and a summary of the card’s key benefits:
Current welcome offers
new American Express Business Platinum Card Card members can earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 in qualifying purchases within the first three months of membership.
This is the highest welcome bonus we’ve seen publicly offered with this card.
annual fee
The annual fee for the Amex Business Platinum Card is $895 (see Rates and Fees). Although this expense is significant, yes This cost can be offset by maximizing the statement credit and benefits that come with the card.
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income
The American Express Business Platinum Card earns points at the following rates:
- Earn 5 points for every $1 spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- Earn 2 points per $1 on qualifying purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per calendar year, 1 point per $1 spent) at U.S. building materials and hardware suppliers, U.S. electronics retailers, U.S. software and cloud systems providers, and U.S. transportation providers
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on other purchases
Main advantages
The American Express Business Platinum Card includes numerous statement points, including:
- Dell Statement Credit: Earn up to $150 in statement credit on U.S. purchases made directly with Dell, plus up to an additional $1,000 in statement credit when you spend $5,000 or more at Dell each calendar year*
- Hotel bill credit: Earn up to $600 in hotel bill credits per calendar year (up to $300 in half-year credits) when you book with Amex Travel on prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or Hotel Collection when paying with Amex Business Platinum (Hotel Collection stays require a two-night minimum)
- Do claim credit: Indeed annual reporting credits up to $360 (up to $90 per quarter)*
- Adobe claims source: Earn up to $250 in statement credit (auto-renewable) when you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly from Adobe each calendar year*
- Clear Plus Statement Credit: Earn up to $209 in bill credits each calendar year toward an annual Clear Plus membership for expedited airport security (auto-renewable)*
- Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in annual bill credits per calendar year on fees charged by the qualifying airline of your choice
- Hilton statement credit: Earn up to $200 in statement points per calendar year (up to $50 per quarter) on qualifying purchases made directly at hotels in the Hilton portfolio (Hilton Business Program membership required)
- Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check: Global Entry or TSA PreCheck applications receive up to $120 in statement credits (Global Entry $120 every four years, TSA PreCheck up to $85 every 4.5 years)
- Wireless phone service statement points: Get up to $120 in annual statement credit (up to $10 per month)* when purchased directly from any U.S. wireless phone provider
- Amex Travel flights and One AP: Earn up to $1,200 in Amex Travel flight statement credits and $2,400 in One AP bill credits after spending $250,000 or more on qualifying purchases in one year (valid January 1 through December 31 of the calendar year after requirements are met)
Other benefits include a 35% airline bonus (up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year) when you pay with points to book a flight through Amex Travel, earn up to $200 in airline fee credits per year on the airline of your choice regardless of fare class, and free Hilton Honors Gold Elite status*, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status* and Leaders Club Sterling membership at the world’s top hotels.
In addition, eligible card members have access to Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (when flying on Delta Air Lines)**, Priority Pass™ Lounges* (for you and two guests) and Airspace Lounges.
Because of all these benefits, the American Express Business Platinum Card regularly ranks among the best business rewards cards.
*Registration required.
**Eligible Platinum Card members can enjoy Grab and Go service 10 times per year when visiting Delta Sky Clubs or taking Delta-operated flights on the same day.
Related: Little-known benefits of the American Express Business Platinum Card
Are you eligible for the American Express Business Platinum Card?
you are eligible for American Express Business Platinum Cardincluding a welcome offer if you are a first-time applicant.
Even if you’re a freelancer, independent contractor, or have a side hustle, you can still get approved for Business Platinum. You don’t need to make seven figures (or even five figures) a year from your small business to have a small business card.
Let’s take a look at the terms and conditions of the card itself, and then we’ll delve into some of the more specific application rules set by American Express.
American Express Business Platinum Card Application Terms
Like many other American Express cards, the American Express Business Platinum Card has strict eligibility rules for receiving welcome offers, especially for current or former cardmembers.
According to the application terms:
If you own or have owned this card or a previous version of this card, you may not be eligible for the welcome offer. You may also be ineligible for the Welcome Offer based on a variety of factors, such as your credit card balance transfer history, your history as an American Express Cardmember, the number of credit cards you have opened and closed, and other factors. If you are not eligible for the welcome offer, we will notify you before processing your application so that you can choose to withdraw your application.
In other words, you may be disqualified not only because you previously owned the card, but also if you opened and closed multiple American Express cards or made large balance transfers.
Not sure if you’ve had this card in the past? American Express offers a handy tool during the application process that will let you know if you qualify for the welcome offer before your application is processed.
That said, American Express welcome offer eligibility isn’t always set in stone — it’s based on a range of internal factors, so your miles may vary.
American Express card application restrictions
American Express generally limits most people to holding up to five American Express credit cards at a time—including personal and business cards.
However, some products, e.g. American Express Platinum Card® The American Express Business Platinum Card is slightly different than traditional credit cards in that they don’t have a preset spending limit – meaning your spending limit is flexible, unlike traditional cards that have fixed limits. The amount you can spend is adjusted based on factors such as your purchases, payments and credit history.
Because these cards are in a separate category, they may not be subject to the American Express five-credit card limit. However, this does not guarantee approval.
American Express also considers your overall profile, including creditworthiness and recent application history, when deciding whether to approve you.
American Express also typically limits approval to two cards within 90 days, so if you recently applied for another American Express card, you may need to wait before applying again.
If you already have multiple American Express cards with higher credit limits, the card issuer may be reluctant to extend you any further debt.
Speaking of issuer application limits, if you’re eyeing a Chase card like this Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See Rates and Fees), you may be concerned about Chase’s 5/24 rule.
But there’s good news: American Express business cards don’t count toward that limit. Therefore, you can apply for the American Express Business Platinum Card without affecting your chances of getting a Chase card.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Credit Card Application Limitations
Does it matter if you already have a personal American Express Platinum Card?
not at all. The personal and business versions of the American Express Platinum Card are considered separate products, so already holding a personal card does not disqualify you from applying for the Business Platinum Card or receiving its welcome benefits.
Do I need to have a business to apply?
not necessarily. While the American Express Business Platinum Card is technically a small business card, you don’t need a formal business to qualify. American Express and other card issuers recognize that freelancers, independent contractors, and side hustlers often need a business credit card to differentiate between personal and work expenses.
That said, Business Platinum is a premium product, so there’s no guarantee that any side hustle will be approved. Depending on your application, you may be required to provide proof of business income or supporting details such as a Doing Business As (DBA) designation.
Can I apply for the card twice?
In some cases, yes – especially if you run multiple businesses. There are reports that cardholders are being targeted for applying for a second American Express Business Platinum Card as well as another welcome offer.
American Express understands that different businesses may require different cards for accounting and expense tracking. Therefore, if you run multiple businesses or work for multiple companies, you may be eligible for additional Business Platinum pre-qualifications.
However, these situations are relatively rare. If you do receive an offer, it’s best to contact American Express directly to confirm your eligibility for the welcome offer before applying.
Call the reconsideration hotline
If your application for the American Express Business Platinum Card was denied, don’t give up—calling the American Express Reconsideration Hotline can give you a second chance at approval. By calling them, you can ask if there are specific issues with your application that can be resolved over the phone or by providing further information.
During the call, you can ask if there are specific questions about your application and offer to provide more information. Be prepared to explain why you are interested in the card (not just the welcome offer), such as specific features or benefits that fit your business needs.
You may also be asked to provide details about your business, including proof of income and business address.
If you still get rejected, don’t be discouraged. You may be eligible to apply again in the future, especially if American Express launches a higher welcome offer. Think of it as platinum lining.
bottom line
this American Express Business Platinum Card Still one of the top small business rewards cards on the market, especially now with its even higher welcome offer. If you are considering applying, take a moment to read the eligibility requirements to give yourself the best chance of getting approved.
Apply here: American Express Business Platinum Card
For rates and fees on the American Express Business Platinum Card, click here.
