The Amex Schwab Platinum Card now has a 100,000-point targeted offer, as reported by Doctor of Credit (H/T).
You can earn 100,000 Membership Rewards (MR) Points after spending $5,000 within the first three months. This offer can only be taken advantage of if you have a Charles Schwab checking or brokerage account and are targeted. Otherwise, you can apply for the regular Platinum Card, which has a standard sign-up bonus worth 60,000 MR points. Act quickly because the offer expires on September 30, 2019.
A Quick Overview of the Schwab Platinum Card
While the American Express Platinum Card is a transferrable points card, its not a very good one for most expenses. The Platinum Card earns 5x points on airfare booked either directly through the airline or through amextravel.com. All other purchases earn just one point per dollar.
The Platinum Card is American Express’ flagship card, which gives it membership in the Membership Rewards program. That gives cardholders access to over 20 hotel and airline partners, which is the most in the industry. You will have a plethora of redemption options with the Platinum Card. But the best way to redeem MR points is to transfer them to airline partners.
Cash back lovers will also love the Charles Schwab “flavor” of the Platinum Card. This is because you can redeem MR points for cash back that’s deposited into your Schwab account. Points are worth a flat 1.25 cents (CPP) when redeemed this way. This valuation makes the Schwab Platinum earn 6.25% cash back on airfare booked directly through the airline or through amextravel.com. Moreover, the card also earns an effective 1.25% cash back on non-bonus spend.
The Platinum Card comes with a slew of perks that are unrivaled in the points and miles world. These perks are included with the Charles Schwab version as its also a Platinum Card.
Analysis
Any American Express offer worth 100,000 MR points is worth going for. These offers are usually targeted towards those who have never had an Amex card before. However, current (with other Amex cards) and former Amex cardholders have received such offers.
All flavors of the Platinum Card have been devalued in 2019, especially in the way of perks. However, that does not mean it’s not valuable to the right person. Heavy travelers, especially those who frequent airport lounges, could get thousands of dollars in value from the Platinum Card. American Express would not offer the card in the first place if it was not right for anyone.
Final Draw
The Amex Schwab Platinum Card is a favorite flavor because of its cash back redemption option and its slew of benefits. Some people keep the Schwab version long-term because it works as a cash back card.
The cash back redemption method is especially strong for those who have multiple MR-earning cards. Some people have the Schwab Platinum Card, the personal Gold Card, and the Blue Business Plus to form an “Amex Trifecta”. Collectively, these three cards earn the following:
- 5x MR points (or 6.25% cash back) on Airfare (booked directly with the airline and from amextravel.com) – Schwab Platinum
- 4x MR points (or 5% cash back) on Dining
- 4x MR points (or 5% cash back) on Grocery Stores
- 2x MR points (or 2.5% cash back) on non-bonus spend
You can substitute the Gold or Blue Business Plus Cards for either of the Everyday Cards and receive their respective earning structures. But any combination will yield you lots of cash back and perks if you decide to redeem that way. Otherwise, the amount of MR points you can earn each year is huge. Those who are targeted for this offer and successfully meet the minimum spend will be well on their way to their next trip.
