Best Credit Card for Digital Nomads – American Express Platinum

If you are a digital nomad, or getting Paid To Travel then you seriously need to be utilising the best travel credit cards and by far the best credit card for Digital Nomads is the American Express Platinum card.

This is for a number of reasons, such as the excellent travel insurance, Priority Pass lounge access, and even free meal vouchers. These alongside the other perks make it obscenely good value – it is a paid card – BUT only if you travel seriously. This is not a card for someone who has 2 weeks a year in Benidorm.

Now, to fully level I will be putting my affiliate link at the end of this article. But, this is not an article designed to push my affiliate link, I have the link because I use Amex Platinum for pretty much everything.

Click to read my Digital Nomad in Berlin Guide.

What the American Express?

American Express Platinum is one of the flagship products from American Express, a company that dates back to the 1850s in the United States when it originally operated in transport and financial services before credit cards even existed. Over time it evolved into one of the most premium financial brands in the world, focused on higher spending customers, frequent travellers, and business users.

The Platinum Card itself was introduced much later in the 1980s as a premium travel and lifestyle card. It quickly became known for airport lounge access, hotel perks, and strong insurance coverage. Today it is basically a status card for people who spend a lot of time travelling, and while it is not always accepted everywhere, it has become one of the most recognised premium travel cards globally. Oh and note it is charge card, not a credit card.

What perks do you get with American Express Platinum?

There are literally so many perks and offers with Amex Platinum that you could not cover them in one article, so instead I will concentrate on the ones I personally use.

Priority Pass Membership

The biggest kicker with American Express Platinum and why it is the best value for nomads is Priority Pass.

This is basically free lounge access in almost every airport in the world. This means free food and drink, but also more importantly for Nomads somewhere to work with Wi-Fi. The only negative is this is not what it once was and sometimes lounges are full, or worse still do not exist. Overall though still worth it.

American Express Travel Insurance

The Amex travel insurance is actually one of the strongest parts of the card. It covers emergency medical expenses, trip cancellation, delays, lost or delayed baggage, and personal belongings. It is built for people who are constantly moving rather than occasional holidaymakers, and in real terms it has proven reliable when things go wrong, especially with delays or lost luggage where you actually need fast support rather than paperwork headaches. Technically this is for trips no longer than 90 days and not all countries are covered. There are workarounds on this though.

Hotel Upgrades

American Express Platinum allows you free membership and indeed upgrades with a whole heap of hotels. I personally mostly use this for The Hilton, where Amex gives me gold status. In real terms this means free upgrades, late check-outs and sometimes breakfast being thrown in. I generally get 3-4 free stays a year, often in Port Moresby.

Other perks with American Express Platinum

Other perks include things like the dining credit system, which is one of the most underrated parts of the card. You get around £400 or the equivalent in the US each year split across two periods, and it can be used at selected restaurants. It basically works as partial refunds on meals, which adds up if you actually use it regularly.

Then there is the concierge service, which is a 24/7 support line that can help book restaurants, hotels, tickets, and travel arrangements. This is not really my bag, I mean I am my own concierge, but I get the idea.

On top of that you get Amex Offers, which are random but useful discounts or cashback deals across hotels, restaurants, and retailers. There are also car hire perks with companies like Hertz and Avis, plus general purchase protection and travel protections that quietly make life easier when things go wrong.

Cost and availability of American Express Platinum

People often balk at the cost of American Express Platinum as it averages out at about $900 a year. For context though this is about $75 a month. So, factor in flying once a week and you have already saved enough through Priority Pass to justify it.

I have also found the insurance really handy, not just when I have been sick, but even with lost bags. Back in Siliguri I got to drop $300 because my bag took 24 hours to arrive. Honestly that bag is worth more dead to me than it is alive! To sum up here though, you either get it, or you don’t. $900 is either a waste of money, or great value. Really when it comes to American Express Platinum only you know if it is worth it.

And you know what, for me anyway, it is a great flex to smash down that metal card….

So, if you wanna sign up for the best travel credit card for digital nomads you can use my link here.

Click to see my WorldWide Adventures with YPT.