The American Express Platinum Card

The American Express Platinum Card is making its return to the New Zealand market as a credit card, having previously existed as a charge card before being discontinued in 2024.

The new card comes loaded with Membership Rewards earning potential, extensive airport lounge access, hotel benefits, dining credits, and travel insurance, making it one of the most feature-rich credit cards available to New Zealanders.

Learn more about other American Express credit cards.

Earn Membership Rewards Points fast

The Platinum Card earns 2 Membership Rewards Points for every dollar you spend, which is one of the strongest everyday earn rates on any credit card in New Zealand.

Those Points can be redeemed in several ways: for gift cards¹, to book travel through Amex Travel Online¹¹, to pay off eligible purchases¹², or transferred to one of eight airline partners¹. The Membership Rewards programme stands out for the flexibility it gives Card Members in how they use their Points.

To get you started, the card launches with a welcome bonus of 160,000 Membership Rewards Points, worth up to $1,200 when redeemed through Amex Travel Online¹¹. To qualify, you need to apply online by 30 November 2026, be approved, and spend $2,500 on eligible purchases within the first three months of your card approval date. The offer is available to new American Express Card Members only.²

Premium travel benefits

The Platinum Card comes with an extensive set of travel perks that go well beyond what you would find on most credit cards in New Zealand.

Airport lounge access

Card Members get access to the Global Lounge Collection, which includes over 1,550 airport lounges in more than 140 countries.³ This covers the Centurion Lounge, Escape Lounges (The Centurion Studio Partner), Priority Pass lounges, and more. Lounges are available in New Zealand at Auckland and Queenstown airports, among many others around the world.

ALL Accor+ Explorer Membership

The card includes complimentary ALL Accor+ Explorer membership (enrolment required, available to the Primary Platinum Card Member only). With your membership you’ll enjoy benefits including two “Stay Plus” complimentary nights each year (each complimentary night must be booked in conjunction with a paid night) at your choice of over 1,300 participating Accor hotels across Asia Pacific.⁴

Fine Hotels & Resorts

Through the Fine Hotels & Resorts programme, you can access over 1,800 properties worldwide and receive exclusive benefits with an average total value of US$550 per stay. The actual value will vary by property and length of stay.⁵

International Airline Program

The card also includes access to the International Airline Program, offering savings on eligible First, Business and Premium Economy airfares booked through the Platinum Travel Service.⁶

Travel insurance

Complimentary domestic and overseas travel insurance is included when you use the Platinum Card to pay for your return trip. Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply, including maximum age limits, pre-existing medical conditions, and cover limits.⁷

Dining credits worth up to $300 a year

The card includes up to $300 in dining credits each year through the Amex Dining Collection. You can receive one $150 dining credit in each defined calendar period — 1 January to 30 June, and 1 July to 31 December — for a total of up to $300 across the year, when you dine at a participating Dining Collection restaurant. Spend on additional cards counts towards the credit.⁸

You can also use your Membership Rewards Points to pay for dining at participating Dining Collection restaurants through the Amex App.¹²

Additional cards at no extra cost

You can add up to two additional Card Members to your account at no additional annual fee. Spending on additional cards also earns Membership Rewards Points, which are credited to the Primary Card Member’s account.⁹

Fees and interest rates

The following fees apply for the American Express Platinum Card:

• Annual fee: $850 p.a.
• Interest rate: 22.95% p.a.
• Additional cards: $0 p.a.¹⁰

Pros and cons

Pros

• Strong earn rate: 2 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent is among the best everyday earn rates available in New Zealand.
• Generous welcome bonus: 160,000 Points worth up to $1,200 in Amex Travel Online¹¹ is one of the largest sign-up offers on the market.
• Comprehensive travel benefits: Lounge access, Fine Hotels & Resorts, ALL Accor+ Explorer membership, and travel insurance are all included.
• Up to $300 in annual dining credits: Used twice a year, these credits return meaningful value to regular diners.
• Two free additional cards: Additional Card Members can be added at no extra cost.

Cons

• High annual fee: At $850 p.a., the Platinum Card has one of the highest annual fees of any credit card in New Zealand. You will need to actively use the benefits to make it worthwhile.
• High interest rate: At 22.95% p.a., you will want to pay the card off in full each month to avoid interest charges.

In summary

The American Express Platinum Card is a premium offering designed for frequent travellers and regular diners who want to earn rewards quickly and access a broad range of lifestyle benefits.

The combination of a strong 2x Membership Rewards earn rate, a 160,000-Point welcome bonus, access to 1,550+ airport lounges, Fine Hotels & Resorts, ALL Accor+ Explorer membership, and up to $300 in annual dining credits gives the card strong potential value, particularly for those who will actually use what is on offer.

That said, the $850 annual fee is substantial. If you make full use of the dining credits ($300 back) and regularly access the lounge and hotel benefits, the numbers can work in your favour.

In summary, the American Express Platinum Card is one of the most feature-rich credit cards available in New Zealand, and could be an excellent fit for premium travellers willing to put the benefits to work.

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Terms and Conditions

1. Membership Rewards® Points are earned and redeemed under the Membership Rewards Programme Terms and Conditions. Points can be redeemed for gift cards, to book or offset travel through American Express Travel Online, as a credit against eligible purchases, or transferred to participating airline partners. To transfer Points you must be a member of the relevant partner programme; minimum requirements and transfer rates vary and a fee may apply. Points do not expire while your account is enrolled in Membership Rewards and kept in good standing.
2. 160,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® Points is available to new American Express Card Members who apply online by 30 November 2026, are approved, and spend $2,500 or more on eligible purchases on the American Express Platinum Card in the first 3 months from the card approval date. Eligible purchases exclude card fees and charges (e.g. annual fees, interest, cash advances, balance transfers, foreign currency conversion). Card Members who currently hold, or have held, any American Express International (NZ), Inc. card product in the past 18 months are ineligible. Points are awarded 8–10 weeks after the spend criteria is met. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Annual fee $850. Offer subject to change without notice.
3. Complimentary lounge access is available to American Express Platinum Card Members; eligibility, guest policies and access rules vary by lounge provider (The Centurion Lounge, Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge, Escape Lounges, Delta Sky Club, Plaza Premium Lounges, Priority Pass™ and other Global Lounge Collection partners) and are subject to change. Some lounges require your physical Platinum card, a same-day boarding pass and government-issued I.D. Access is subject to space availability. See americanexpress.co.nz/platinumlounges for the current list of participating lounges and access requirements.
4. An annual ALL Accor+ Explorer Membership is valued at NZ$379 (accorplus.com/nz/benefits, as at 1 October 2025). Eligible Card Members must enrol; membership is available only to the Primary Platinum Card Member. Privileges require a valid membership card and identification as an ALL Accor+ Explorer member at time of booking; accommodation must be booked in advance via the ALL.com app. A Stay Plus Free Night is subject to availability at participating properties. Enrolment continues for at least 12 months. Full terms at accorplus.com/nz/terms-and-conditions.
5. Average US$550 value based on FHR bookings in 2024 for two-night stays; actual value varies by property, room rate, upgrade availability and use of benefits. FHR benefits apply to new bookings made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Platinum Card Members. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (three-room limit) and include daily breakfast for two, a US$100 credit toward eligible charges, guaranteed 4pm checkout, noon check-in when available, room upgrade on arrival when available, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Subject to availability and change.
6. International Airline Program (IAP) savings are based on full-priced retail year-round airfares from New Zealand to select destinations with participating airlines in selected First, Business and Premium Economy booking classes. Savings are calculated on the base fare and exclude taxes, service fees and other charges. All airfares must be purchased through the Platinum Travel Service and paid for on the Platinum card. Participating airlines, routes, fares and availability vary and are subject to change. American Express may change these conditions with 21 days’ notice or discontinue the programme.
7. You must use your American Express Platinum Card to pay for your return trip to be eligible for the travel insurance. Cover is subject to terms, conditions and exclusions (including maximum age limits, pre-existing medical conditions and cover limits). Underwritten by Chubb Insurance New Zealand Limited under a group policy held by American Express International (NZ), Inc. This is not financial advice; consider the full terms at go.amex/nzplatinuminsurance before deciding.
8. Valid for dine-in at participating Dining Collection restaurant locations only (amex.co.nz/platinumdining); some locations excluded. Limited to one $150 credit per defined calendar period (1 January–30 June and 1 July–31 December), to a maximum of two credits totalling $300 each year, per Platinum Card Account. Spend on additional cards counts. Excludes gift vouchers, online orders for pick-up/delivery, and transactions not made directly with your card at a participating restaurant. Credit appears within 5 business days of qualifying spend but may take up to 90 days from the end of the period. Not redeemable for cash.
9. Additional Card Members must be 18 years of age or over. Additional cards are referred to as Supplementary Cards in some terms and marketing materials. The Primary Card Member is liable to pay for all spend made by Additional Card Members, and Points earned on their spend go to the Primary Card Member’s account.
10. Annual fee $850 p.a. Purchase interest rate 22.95% p.a. Additional (Supplementary) cards $0 p.a. Up to 55 days interest free on purchases applies only if you pay the full closing balance on your monthly statement by the due date each month; there is no interest-free period on balance transfers or if you carry a balance forward. Interest rates, fees and charges are subject to change. American Express income and credit approval criteria apply.
11. To earn or redeem Membership Rewards points, cards must be enrolled to the American Express Membership Rewards program, and your card account must be in good standing. To redeem Membership Rewards Points with American Express Travel Online, you need to have available limit on your card for the full transaction amount of the booking. You will then receive a statement credit within 3 business days for your points redemption. If the credit isn’t on the same statement as the transaction, it should appear on your next statement. Please pay all amounts due each month. You will earn Membership Rewards points on the full dollar amount charged to your card. All bookings are subject to the terms and conditions of our Membership Rewards Program. For full Terms and Conditions please visit the Membership Rewards website.
12. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account and a credit placed on your card in line with the points chosen to be used for the Eligible Charge. A minimum of 1,000 Membership Rewards points is required for any Use Points for Your Charges transaction. Any credit to your card account cannot exceed the amount of the relevant Eligible Charges. A credit will appear on your statement identified as “Membership Rewards Credit”. Points will be debited immediately, and the credit will take up to 72 hours to appear online. Credits processed after the card account’s statement closing date will appear in the following statement. You are still responsible for payment of the amount due on your card account by the due date. Use Points for Your Charges is not redeemable for cash via credit balance refund. American Express will select and display each eligible charge for the points required to pay for the Eligible Charge (“Eligible Charge”) and the points required to pay for the Eligible Charge. Each Eligible Charge must: (a) appear within the first 150 transactions of the Online Statement of the Summary of Accounts page; (b) be redeemed within 2 months of the charge appearing on your card account; (c) not currently have or have previously been disputed; and (d) not be a fee. Eligible Charges, including the points rate required to pay for the Eligible Charge, may be changed at any time without notice. Use Points for Your Charges transactions can only be completed online. Use Points for Your Charges is available only to Primary Card Members enrolled in the New Zealand Membership Rewards programme and is subject to the full Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions.