American Express Airpoints Card (Free) vs American Express Airpoints Platinum Card ($195/Year)
We compare two American Express cards that earn Airpoints Dollars. Our guide evaluates the merits of each, detailing the fees and interest rates.
Updated 3 October 2024
Summary
Summary
- This guide compares the Airpoints Dollars you could earn between the two American Express Airpoints-earning cards: The (Free) Airpoints Card and the ($195/year) Airpoints Platinum Card Card. Both earn Airpoints Dollars - we evaluate the most suitable cardholders.
- To determine which card generated the most Airpoints Dollars net of fees, we estimated the earnings for three types of people:
- The young adult ($1,500 a month spend)
- The double-income-no-children couple ($4,000 a month spend)
- The double income young family ($5,000 a month spend).
Christopher Walsh, MoneyHub's Founder and Head of Research, shares his views on earning Airpoints Dollars with an American Express credit card:
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Christopher Walsh
MoneyHub Founder and Head of Research |
Which card is best?
To help you know all the facts and make an informed decision, our guide covers:
Important: If you have a history of bad credit, this guide is not for you. Visit our dedicated Credit Cards for Bad Credit guide for specific guidance. If you're looking to switch from the widely-held ANZ Platinum card, our dedicated ANZ Airpoints Visa Platinum vs AMEX Airpoints Platinum comparison covers essential information. Our guide to the Best American Express Credit Cards has more information about the cards available.
Advertising Disclaimer: MoneyHub may earn a referral bonus for anyone that’s approved through some of the below links. Our research and findings are independent of any bank, credit card issuer, or product manufacturer/service provider, and have not been endorsed by any of these entities. Please see our Advertising Policy for more details about how we make money.
- The AMEX Cards in Nutshell - The (Free) Airpoints Card vs The Airpoints Platinum Card Card
- Spending vs Earning - Our Card by Card Comparison
- Pros, Cons and Must-Know Facts
Important: If you have a history of bad credit, this guide is not for you. Visit our dedicated Credit Cards for Bad Credit guide for specific guidance. If you're looking to switch from the widely-held ANZ Platinum card, our dedicated ANZ Airpoints Visa Platinum vs AMEX Airpoints Platinum comparison covers essential information. Our guide to the Best American Express Credit Cards has more information about the cards available.
Advertising Disclaimer: MoneyHub may earn a referral bonus for anyone that’s approved through some of the below links. Our research and findings are independent of any bank, credit card issuer, or product manufacturer/service provider, and have not been endorsed by any of these entities. Please see our Advertising Policy for more details about how we make money.
Know This First: Each card has a unique Airpoints Dollars earning rate and signup bonus:
Features |
Airpoints Platinum Card Card |
(Free) Airpoints Card |
Earning Rate |
$70 spent: 1 Airpoints Dollar |
$100 spent: 1 Airpoints Dollar |
Bonus Airpoints Dollars |
300 bonus Airpoints Dollars when you apply, are approved and spend $1,500 on your new Card within the first 3 months. New Card Members only. |
50 bonus Airpoints Dollars when you apply, are approved and spend $750 on your new Card within the first 3 months. New Card Members only. |
Annual Fee |
$195 |
$0 |
More details: |
MoneyHub Founder Christopher Walsh explains important points and must-know offerings of both cards in the video below:
The AMEX Cards in Nutshell - The (Free) Airpoints Card vs The Airpoints Platinum Card
We outline the fees, interest rates, bonus offers and perks of each card.
The American Express Airpoints Platinum CardBasics:
Annual Fee: $195 Annual percentage interest rate: 22.95% p.a. Interest Free Period: up to 55 days Bonus Offer: 300 bonus Airpoints Dollars when you apply, are approved and spend $1,500 on your new Card within the first 3 months. New Card Members only. Read more: Airpoints Platinum Review Benefits:
Learn more or apply |
The American Express Airpoints CardBasics:
Annual Fee: $0 Annual percentage interest rate: 0% p.a. for the first 6 months then 22.95% p.a. Interest Free Period: up to 55 days Bonus Offer: 50 bonus Airpoints Dollars when you apply, are approved and spend $750 on your new Card within the first 3 months. New Card Members only. Benefits include:
Learn more or apply |
Spending vs Earning - Our Card by Card Comparison
Spending Habits |
The American Express Airpoints Platinum Card ($195 Annual Fee) $70 = 1 Airpoints Dollar |
The American Express Airpoints Card (Zero Annual Fee) $100 = 1 Airpoints Dollar |
The young adult ($1,500 a month spend) |
257 Airpoints Dollars Earned (62 Airpoints Dollars net if you deduct the $195 annual fee) |
180 Airpoints Dollars Earned |
The double-income-no-children couple ($4,000 a month spend) |
685 Airpoints Dollars Earned (490 Airpoints Dollars net if you deduct the $195 annual fee) |
480 Airpoints Dollars Earned |
The double income young family ($5,000 a month spend) |
857 Airpoints Dollars Earned (662 Airpoints Dollars net if you deduct the $195 annual fee) |
600 Airpoints Dollars Earned |
Annual Fee |
$195 |
$0 |
More Details: |
Summary:
Our view:
- Based on our research, if you use The American Express Airpoints Platinum Card, you'll need to spend around $13,650 to generate 195 Airpoints Dollars to "offset" the annual $195 annual fee.
- In contrast, a $11,500 annual spend with The American Express Airpoints Card with earn 111 Airpoints Dollars. This free card has no annual fee so there is arguably no hidden costs (unless you fall behind in repayments and are charged interest).
Our view:
- The (free) American Express Airpoints Card offers market-leading rewards for no annual fee, far exceeding any other bank-issued rewards credit card.
- The (paid) American Express Airpoints Platinum Card is more suitable to anyone (or any couple) spending at least $2,000 a year on the card and making use of the travel and insurance benefits. Despite the annual fee, which can be a turnoff, the card does deliver value when it comes to the insurance and lounge pass benefits.
AMEX - Pros, Cons and Must-Know Facts Before Applying For Any Card
Pros:
Cons:
Must-Know Facts:
- More and more stores accept AMEX - our guide explains more. Even if you see a Visa & Mastercard logo on the door or at the checkout, that doesn't mean AMEX isn't accepted
- American Express offers the only zero fee Airpoints card. If you're getting a credit card for the occasional emergency, the American Express Airpoints Card doesn't cost you anything and gives you 1 Airpoints Dollar for every $100 you spend.
- Paypal accepts AMEX, even if the retailer doesn't. This means you can link an AMEX card to PayPal, charge the purchase, and earn Airpoints Dollars.
Cons:
- Acceptance - despite being widely accepted by big retailers, smaller retailers often don't accept American Express cards. Unfortunately, this means you'll need to ask, "do you take AMEX?" when shopping outside of major stores, and the prospect of doing so may become annoying.
- Neither credit card offers Air New Zealand lounge vouchers - If you would like access but don't have a Koru Club membership or a Star Alliance Gold (or higher) membership, a limited number of cards listed in Best Airpoints Credit Cards offer this benefit.
Must-Know Facts:
- Forex fees can add up - if you use an American Express card to pay for a non-NZD purchase, you'll pay 2.49% in foreign exchange fees. This adds up, and while it's in line with banks, it is well above the near-0% charged by the Wise debit card. Even if you get 1% or 1.70% back in rewards, you are still paying above-market FX fees when a challenger product like Wise minimises the FX costs.
- Neither card will give you thousands of Airpoints Dollars every year. The earning rates of 1 Airpoints Dollar for every $70/$100 spent is better than any bank offer but requires big spending to earn big. For example, to earn a modest 1,000 Airpoints Dollars a year, you'd need to spend $70,000 to $100,000 on your credit card. In summary, either card won't give you thousands of Airpoints Dollars.
- Supplementary cards are free. This means if you have a partner, both of you can use the card and earn Airpoints Dollars. For example, if you each spend $15,000 a year, then you'll either earn around 214 Airpoints Dollars (Platinium card) or 150 Airpoints Dollars (free card).