Last updated on February 24th, 2023
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The Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley
The Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley
The Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley
- See Pay Over Time APR Regular Purchase APR
- 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
Luxury is always within reach when you use Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley brokerage customers. This exclusive version of the impressive rewards card offers premium travel rewards and a host of additional perks for the savvy voyager. Uber Cash and complimentary lounge access are just a few of the more practical perks that lend ongoing value to Morgan Stanley customers.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year
- 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- $200 Airline Fee Credit, up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more when you select one qualifying airline
- Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required
- Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection
- VIP status and $200 Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually
- Complimentary Gold status in Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors programs
- Complimentary membership in premium car rental programs
- $240 Digital Entertainment statement credit
- $175 CLEAR statement credit
- $300 Equinox Statement credit
- Regular Purchase APR: See Pay Over Time APR
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Penalty APR: See Rates & Fees
- Annual Fee: $695
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- You have a Morgan Stanley brokerage account
- You want to issue an authorized user a Platinum Card
- You travel often and can take advantage of a myriad of benefits including access to airport lounges and Uber credits
- You intend to sign up for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®
- You prefer airline flexibility when redeeming points for travel
- You're likely spend $6,000 within the first six months of being a cardmember
- You will take advantage of exclusive events and experiences available only to Platinum cardholders
The Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley Review
Superior features, earning potential, and cardholder perks elevate the American Express Platinum Card® for Morgan Stanley to a distinctly different level than other travel rewards cards. Granted, such exclusive treatment will cost a pretty penny – a $695 annual fee to be exact – but for those that like to travel in style, this card easily recoups the upfront cost with a bevy of statement credit opportunities and complimentary upgrades.
Welcome Offer
The Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley offers many of the same features as the regular Amex Platinum Card. New accounts can earn a welcome offer bonus of 100,000 Membership Rewards (MR) points after spending $6,000 within the first six months of opening the account. This bonus is equal to about $1,250 toward flights.
Not only do new accounts earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points, they’ll also enjoy 10X points on purchases made at US gas stations and grocery stores for the first six months after opening an account. That massive 10X rate is 9X more than the typical 1X those categories usually earn – making the Morgan Stanley version of the Platinum Card just as impressive a juggernaut for new applicants as the regular version.
Earning Points with the Morgan Stanley American Express Platinum Card®
Despite of its frills, this card boasts a forthright rewards system that makes earning points painless. In terms of earning potential, the American Express Platinum Card® provides 5X points on flights booked with any airline directly. You also earn 5X points for flights and prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Bookings can be made over the phone or online with American Express Travel. All other purchases earn 1X point per dollar.
How to Redeem Amex Membership Rewards
As with other loyalty programs, Amex Membership Rewards points apply to a wide variety of redemption options. Those redemption options include:
- Travel
- Statement credits
- Shopping for merchandise
- Gift Cards
- Charitable donations
- Partner transfers
Invest with Rewards
A Morgan Stanley exclusive with the Platinum Card for Morgan Stanley is using Membership Rewards points for deposits by Morgan Stanley to a qualifying brokerage account. This reward is only available to the primary account holder on a Morgan Stanley Card from American Express who has a “deposit eligible” Morgan Stanley brokerage account, which includes most brokerage accounts except for the following as outlined in the Amex Platinum Card terms & conditions: “Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts, Charitable Remainder Unitrusts, Irrevocable Trusts, Employer-Sponsored Accounts, Inherited IRAs, Salary RED/SEPs, 529 college savings plans, and Simple IRA accounts.”
Flexible Airline/Hotel Rewards
The flexibility of the American Express Platinum travel card makes it a great option for those who aren’t loyal to a particular airline or want more than just travel perks. In this regard, the Amex Platinum is comparable to the Chase Sapphire Reserve – the other popular luxury travel card.As such, point earnings can be redeemed for:
- Travel, including flights, cruises and hotels
- Merchandise through select stores
- Gift cards from select companies
- Statement credits toward eligible purchases on your bill
That said, you also have the option to transfer your rewards to a number of partnered loyalty programs. More importantly, you’ll need to choose a particular airline in order to access the $200 airline fee credit this card includes.
Each year you can select an eligible carrier and put this credit toward baggage fees and other incidentals, as long as you use your card to pay. Qualifying companies include but aren’t limited to: Hawaiian Airlines, Delta, Spirit, Southwest and Alaska Airlines.
This flexibility means you may miss out on some of the loyalty perks that dedicated airline cards typically provide, such as complimentary tickets or in-flight discounts. However, you’ll be able to put your points toward the carrier with the best price for your travel plans.
Note: You may need to have a minimum amount of points in order to start redeeming, depending on your redemption option. For example, you need at least 5,000 points to redeem with American Express Travel. After cashing in your welcome bonus, you’ll need to spend about $1,000 to build your points back up to this level.
Current Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners
- Aer Lingus
- Etihad
- Air Canada
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Air France/ KLM
- Aeromexico
- All Nippon Airways
- JetBlue
- Alitalia
- Virgin Atlantic
- British Airways
- Choice Rewards
- Iberia
- Singapore Airlines
- Delta SkyMiles
- Hilton Honors
- El Al
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Emirates
- Cathay Pacific
Airport Perks
If you’re looking to upgrade your trip from start to finish, The Platinum Card won’t disappoint. In addition to improving your in-flight experience, this card begins to offer perks before you even board the plane.
For starters, you can skip the check-in line with a $100 credit for Global Entry, or an $85 credit for TSA Pre✓® – whichever is charged to the card account first. (It’s worth noting that Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, so it’s worth the extra $15 if you travel internationally often.) These credits are renewable every 4 or 4.5 years respectively, since you’re required to reapply.
The card also features a $175 CLEAR statement credit. CLEAR® uses biometrics to assign users a touchless ID, allowing members to move faster through security at select airports and stadiums across the United States. This credit makes travel at airports (and other events) smooth sailing.
Once you’re through security, your airport experience becomes even more enjoyable thanks to the American Express Global Lounge connection. Lounge access is one of the standout features of The American Express Platinum credit card, as it requires no spending minimum unlike traditional airline cards. With this benefit you can enter over 1,200 airport lounges in 130 countries, including The Centurion® Lounge, International American Express. Delta Sky Club, and Priority Pass Select (see full terms for more details).
Upgrade Your Stay
The benefits of The Platinum Card don’t end at the runway. Cardholders will also receive $15 in Uber Cash each month (and $20 in December). This boasts a total value of $200, which will come in handy for those trips to and from the airport. That way, you can forget paying expensive parking fees, or begging friends and family members to navigate the terminal for you.
The Platinum Card also features a $200 hotel credit to match its $200 airline incidentals credit. The hotel statement credit applies toward select prepaid bookings through the American Express Travel portal/service.
Other Statement Credits
The Platinum Card also features a variety of other statement credits to help offset the steep annual fee:
- Streaming and Digital Entertainment Credit: Members get up to $20 back each month when they use their card to pay the subscription fee for Audible, New York Times, Peacock, or SiriusXM subscription costs.
- Equinox Credit: Platinum Cardholders receive a $25 credit each month towards Equinox membership and services. Equinox is an upscale private gym with locations in major cities across the U.S.
- Walmart+: Cardmembers receive a $12.95 statement credit when suing the Platinum Card to purchase a Walmart+ subscription.
- SoulCycle: Cardmembers receive up to a $300 credit when purchasing a SoulCycle bike with the Platinum Card (up to 15 bikes per year).
Morgan Stanley Exclusive Benefits
As a valued Morgan Stanley customer, Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley cardholders enjoy exclusive benefits not afforded to regular Platinum cardholders.
Complimentary First Additional Platinum Card
Cardholders of the Morgan Stanley Amex Platinum Card enjoy one complimentary Platinum Card accountholder at no additional cost. The account holder can share the Platinum experience when you add the first Additional Platinum Card to their account for no annual fee – an exclusive benefit to clients of Morgan Stanley. For the next three additional cards after the first, the annual fee is $175. For each subsequent Additional Platinum Card Member, the annual fee is $175.
Regular Amex Platinum Cardholders pay a flat fee of $175 per authorized user, meaning being a Morgan Stanley cardholder can really pay off should you wish to add another cardholder to your account. Accountholders can also add authorized users to American Express Gold Cards at no extra cost – a standard feature with the Platinum Card as well.
Other American Express Platinum Card® Benefits
When sizing up that American Express Platinum Card annual fee, you’ll want to analyze all the perks this card offers. Luckily, this card boasts many other benefits on top of those available for travel and hotel stays. Some of the most notable perks include:
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Resy, offering exclusive access to tables and events when using the Platinum Card
- Two $50 statement credits each year for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases, with no minimum required
- Platinum Card Concierge to help you organize your reservations or tickets to an event
- Exclusive events organized by American Express for Platinum cardholders
- Preferred seating at events when available
- InCircle Points can be redeemed for $100 gift cards to Neiman Marcus and other high-end stores
- Year-End Summaries, which can make it easy to prepare for tax season
To get a better sense of what your points are worth and the best way to spend them, you can use the Membership Rewards point calculator. Remember to select The Platinum Card to ensure you get the most accurate estimates.
Should You Apply for the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley?
Is the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley worth it? For anyone that travels frequently and has a Morgan Stanley brokerage account, the answer is likely a definitive “yes.”
The card provides a huge array of statement credits and traveler perks – with airport lounge access among the finest. The card offers access to over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges, the Centurian Lounge from American Express, Delta Sky Club, Airspace Lounges, and more. This value alone is worth over $600 per year to the average traveler.
The Morgan Stanley benefits with the card are impressive too. The ability to add an authorized user for free is excellent – especially for the first year when the new account earns 10X MR points on at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small® in the U.S. Add to the the ability to use MR points towards Morgan Stanley brokerage investments, and the card provides excellent versatility.
If you’re not quite ready for such a hefty annual fee, compare the American Express Gold Card® vs. Platinum. The Gold Card offers 4X points on dining and groceries, along with 3X points for travel, for $250 annually.
