Ink Preferred Business vs. Platinum card from American Express for Business – Which Is Better for a Newbie? [EXPIRED]

January 8, 2018

Holly Johnson | Google+

(Offers on this page are now expired and are no longer available.)
Recently, a neighbor of ours emailed to ask some advice about a credit card offer. They started their own business and received a targeted offer to get the Business Platinum Card from American Express with a 100K signup bonus. Not only were they wondering whether this was a good deal for them or not, but they wondered if there were better options out there.

Of course, since I know this all depended on their travel goals, I asked them what they hoped to do right away. They said, ideally, they wanted to transfer points to Delta to fly from Indianapolis to Paris. And since they found a ton of availability form IND to CDG on Delta for 60,000 miles round-trip, they thought the Business Platinum Card from American Express was their best bet. But, was it?

Reasons to Get the Business Platinum Card from American Express

For starters, I told my neighbor I thought the 100K offer (or even a lesser 75K or above offer) from the Business Platinum Card from American Express is a good deal. Sure, the card comes with a $450 annual fee but you get a lot in return. Some of the card’s best amenities include:

a $200 airline fee credit
5x points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com and 1x points on everything else
Airport lounge access, including Centurion lounge access
And up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck

Since my neighbors wanted to transfer points to fly to Paris on Delta Air Lines, this card is pretty much ideal. For starters, they would have 100,000 points of the 120,000 points they need to fly two people round-trip to Paris via the signup bonus since Membership Rewards transfer to Delta 1:1. On top of that, the lounge access the card offers would get them into Delta Sky Clubs while they were flying Delta, too.

While the $450 annual fee can be a huge turnoff for some people, paying this fee can be worth it if you can make use of the amenities the card offers. And with serious plans to go to Paris (and plenty of amazing Delta availability), getting this card for the 100K offer makes a lot of sense.

Reasons to Also Consider the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card

Since I wasn’t sure they were huge on paying a $450 annual fee for a credit card, I also made an alternate suggestion – the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card. This card charges only a $95 annual fee, albeit with fewer perks.

Once you sign up for the card, you earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 within three months of account opening. Other perks include:

Earn 3x points on travel, select online advertising, cable, phone, and internet, and shipping, and 1x points on all other purchases
Easy 1:1 transfers to the popular Chase Ultimate Rewards loyalty partners

While Delta isn’t a transfer partner of Chase, they could transfer their points 1:1 to Air France/Flying Blue and get on the same Delta flights for 50,000 miles plus taxes each round-trip, pending award availability.

At the end of the day, I think this card is another good option for them because they would only have to fork over $95 in annual fees, and they wouldn’t wind up paying $450 per year for perks they may not use.

The Bottom Line

Sure, paying a $450 annual fee for a credit card can make sense if you travel all the time. But, if you only fly a few times per year and won’t take advantage of lounge access or airline credits, you may be better off seeking card with a lower out-of-pocket cost.

Personally, I would be inclined to get both cards for the signup bonuses alone.

Which business credit card would you get in this situation? Why?

Holly Johnson Holly Johnson is a financial expert and award-winning writer whose obsession with frugality, budgeting, and travel plays a central role in her work. In addition to serving as Contributing Editor for The Simple Dollar, Holly writes for inspiring...
All Articles | Follow on Google+

View:

FTG Review
|
Reward Breakdown
|
Points Breakdown

Delta® Reserve for Business

Annual Fee: $450 fee
Foreign Fees: No
Card Type: Travel

Apply Now
Add to Favorites

Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in purchases with your new Card in the first 3 months.†
Earn 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 15,000 bonus miles after you reach $30,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in the calendar year.
Earn 2 Miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
Settle into your seat sooner with Priority Boarding and enjoy 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases in the form of a statement credit.
Pay no foreign transaction fees when you spend overseas.‡
Complimentary Delta Sky Club® Access.‡
Terms and limitations apply
See Rates & Fees

Breakdown

Earn (pt.)

Spend

3 months

$3,000

Per dollar on eligible purchases with Delta Purchases

2.00

All Purchases

1.00

Already have this card? Track it and maximize your rewards.

Delta® Reserve for Business

Annual Fee: $450 fee
Foreign Fees: No
Card Type: Travel

Apply Now Add to Favorites

FTG Review	Reward Breakdown	Points Breakdown
Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in purchases with your new Card in the first 3 months.† Earn 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 15,000 bonus miles after you reach $30,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in the calendar year. Earn 2 Miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases. Settle into your seat sooner with Priority Boarding and enjoy 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases in the form of a statement credit. Pay no foreign transaction fees when you spend overseas.‡ Complimentary Delta Sky Club® Access.‡ Terms and limitations apply See Rates & Fees Breakdown Earn (pt.) Spend 3 months 0 $3,000 Per dollar on eligible purchases with Delta Purchases 2.00 $1 All Purchases 1.00 $1 Apply Now
Already have this card? Maximize your rewards.

The Hotel Credit Card I’m Keeping Forever [EXPIRED]

Strategies for Earning Tons of Miles and Points in 2018 [EXPIRED]

These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Prev.

Next

Use keys to browse more stories