If you received a mail offer from American Express directing you to americanexpress.com/UpgradePlatinum, the offer is intended for existing American Express Card Members who have been invited to upgrade to the Platinum Card®.
The mail offer may include an RSVP code that you can use when visiting the website. The specific upgrade offer, including the number of Membership Rewards® points available and the spending requirement, can vary depending on the offer sent to you.
This guide explains what americanexpress.com/UpgradePlatinum is, how to use the RSVP code included with an upgrade offer, how an upgrade differs from applying for the Platinum Card® as a new applicant, and why it can be worth comparing the available offers before deciding whether to upgrade.
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Compare Your Platinum Upgrade Offer
Before accepting your upgrade, compare the welcome bonus you're being offered with the latest American Express Platinum Card® offer available through a new application.
*Note: Existing Card Members may not be eligible for the new-applicant welcome offer. ➤ Check the Latest Platinum Card® Offeramericanexpress.com/UpgradePlatinum is an American Express web address used for certain Platinum Card® upgrade offers sent to existing American Express Card Members.
If you received a letter inviting you to upgrade your current American Express Card, the mailer may direct you to this URL and provide an RSVP code. The code is associated with the particular upgrade offer sent to you.
This is different from simply visiting American Express to apply for a Platinum Card® as a new applicant. An upgrade offer is directed to an existing Card Member, while a new application is considered through the regular application process.
If your American Express mail offer directs you to americanexpress.com/UpgradePlatinum, follow the instructions provided in the letter. You may be asked to enter the RSVP code included with your offer.
The RSVP code is specific to your offer, so keep the letter available when visiting the website and enter the information exactly as it appears on the mailer.
Do not publish your personal RSVP code or share it publicly. The code is intended to be used with the offer sent to you.
An upgrade offer gives an existing American Express Card Member an opportunity to move from an eligible existing Card to another American Express Card, such as the Platinum Card®.
Because you already have an American Express account, an upgrade is different from opening a completely new Card account. The terms of an upgrade offer can also differ from the welcome offer available to someone applying for the Platinum Card® as a new applicant.
For that reason, receiving an upgrade invitation does not necessarily mean that the upgrade offer is the most valuable Platinum Card offer available to you.
The number of Membership Rewards® points offered for an upgrade can vary. Your individual mail offer should be reviewed for the exact number of points, spending requirement and introductory period.
For example, an American Express Platinum Card® upgrade offer may provide a specified number of Membership Rewards points after you meet a required amount of spending during the first several months following the upgrade.
The offer shown on your own mailer is the one that applies to your upgrade invitation.
Not necessarily. An existing Card Member may receive an upgrade offer that has a different welcome offer from the offer available to someone applying for the Platinum Card® as a new Card Member.
For example, an upgrade mail offer may advertise 125,000 Membership Rewards points after $12,000 in purchases during the first six months. At the same time, a higher Platinum Card® welcome offer may be available through a new application.
In that situation, it can be worth comparing the two offers before accepting the upgrade.
The difference can be significant. A 175,000-point Platinum Card® offer would provide 50,000 more Membership Rewards points than a 125,000-point upgrade offer, assuming both offers have the same $12,000 spending requirement and six-month qualification period.
American Express can provide different offers to different Card Members. An upgrade offer is a targeted offer associated with an existing account, while a new Platinum Card® application may have a different welcome offer.
There is no requirement that an upgrade invitation provide the same number of points as the welcome offer currently available to new applicants.
This is why it is important to look at the actual terms of your upgrade invitation rather than assuming that an offer sent directly to you must be the highest Platinum Card offer available.
The Platinum Card® offers a different collection of benefits from the American Express Gold Card. Whether an upgrade makes sense depends largely on how you would use the Card's benefits.
The Platinum Card® is heavily focused on travel, airport lounges, hotels and statement credits for various participating services. Someone who travels frequently or naturally uses several of the participating benefits may find those features valuable.
On the other hand, someone who primarily uses an American Express Card for groceries, gas, restaurants and dining may find that the Gold Card better matches their everyday spending.
The fact that American Express sends you an upgrade invitation does not mean that upgrading is automatically the right choice. The value depends on the benefits you would actually use, the annual fee and the terms of the specific upgrade offer.
Before accepting an American Express Platinum Card® upgrade offer, it can be worthwhile to compare it with the Platinum Card® offer currently available through a new application.
For example, if your upgrade invitation offers 125,000 Membership Rewards points after $12,000 in purchases, but a new Platinum Card® application is offering 175,000 points after the same $12,000 spending requirement, the new-application offer provides 50,000 additional points.
Eligibility and welcome offers vary, and an applicant may not be eligible for every advertised offer. Review the terms presented during the application process before making a decision.
➤ Check Your American Express Platinum Card® Offer
No. Receiving an upgrade invitation does not mean that you have to accept it.
You can review the offer, compare the terms with your current Card and consider whether the Platinum Card® benefits fit your spending and travel habits.
If the upgrade offer does not provide enough value for your situation, keeping your existing Card may be a better fit. You can also compare the upgrade invitation with other Platinum Card® application offers before making a decision.
If American Express sent you a mail offer directing you to americanexpress.com/UpgradePlatinum, the website provides a way to access the Platinum Card® upgrade offer associated with your existing American Express account.
Before accepting the offer, review the number of Membership Rewards® points being offered, the spending requirement, the annual fee and the benefits you would actually use.
Most importantly, don't assume that an upgrade invitation automatically represents the highest Platinum Card® offer available. If you are eligible to apply for the Platinum Card® through a separate application, compare the available offers so you can determine which option provides the greater value.
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The card offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Gettingacreditcard.com may receive compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Gettingacreditcard.com does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace.