Is the Amex Platinum referral worth it in 2026? Promo codes, the 55,000 points and the £650 fee

The case for applying through a referral

Two people who apply for the same Platinum Card on the same day can receive different welcome bonuses. The one who starts at americanexpress.com sees 50,000 Membership Rewards points; the one who starts from a Cardmember's invitation sees 55,000. Nothing else differs: the £650 fee, the benefits, the credit decision and the £6,000 target in the first three months are identical. The referral is simply the better door into the same room.

Measured in Amex's own redemption figures, the gap is worth about £22.50 of statement credit or about £25 of gift cards, and the whole 55,000-point bonus about £247.50 to £275. Add the 6,000 or more standard points earned on the qualifying spend and a new Cardmember starts the year with at least 61,000 points.

Who the Platinum Card fits

The card is priced for people who travel and dine out. The benefits that recover the £650 fee are the ones used abroad and at the table: up to £400 a year of Global Dining credit split between UK and overseas restaurants, access to more than 1,550 airport lounges in over 140 countries, worldwide travel insurance for trips of up to 90 days covering partners and dependent children under 25, hotel upgrades through Fine Hotels + Resorts, and car-rental status with Avis and Hertz.

Amex asks for a personal income of at least £35,000, a UK address and bank account, and no history of bad debt. The welcome bonus is reserved for people who have not held a personal Membership Rewards card in the past 24 months; existing Platinum Charge Cardmembers moving to the new Platinum Credit Card are not eligible for it.

Choosing between the cards on the same link

The invitation page has a button listing every card with a referral offer, and the referral counts on whichever one is approved. That turns one link into a choice: Platinum for the largest Membership Rewards bonus and the travel benefits; Preferred Rewards Gold for 22,000 points on half the spend and no fee in the first year; British Airways Premium Plus for 60,000 Avios until 6 October 2026; the Amex Cashback Credit Card for £25 bonus cashback and 5% cashback up to £125 in the first five months.

The credit details to read before applying

With Platinum now offered as a credit card in the UK, it sits under the Consumer Credit Act, which brings Section 75 protection on purchases. Amex's representative example is a 29.1% p.a. variable purchase rate and a representative APR of 685.3% variable, calculated on an assumed £1,200 limit with the £650 fee folded in; your own limit and rate follow Amex's credit assessment. The eligibility check gives an instant decision without affecting your credit score, and a credit-file entry appears only if you accept a card.