Double down: Why it makes sense to get the Amex EveryDay Preferred and Amex Platinum

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

While lucrative credit card welcome bonuses are top of mind here at TPG, it's the everyday spending categories that can really help you accumulate points over time. Think: Groceries, gas, dining and more.

Not every card will earn rich rewards in every bonus category. That's why it's important to consider cards that complement each other. Today, we'll take a look at two Amex Membership Rewards-earning cards that may be worth doubling down on: The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card.

Here is why these two cards can make an ideal pairing.

The information for the Amex EveryDay Preferred Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

One-two punch of earnings

The Amex Platinum card is a travel-focused card, earning 5x points on flights directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, on up to $500,000 per calendar year, and on prepaid hotel reservations made through Amex Travel. It earns 1x on all other eligible purchases.

Meanwhile, if you add the Amex EveryDay Preferred to the mix, you can earn 3x at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per year; then 1x), 2x at U.S. gas stations, and 1x on all other eligible purchases. Those are everyday categories that you'll spend regularly, whether at home or on the road.

But it gets even better if you use the Amex EveryDay Preferred often.

If you use the card to make 30 or more purchases in a billing period, you’ll get 50% extra points on all those purchases (less returns and credits). So if you can hit that threshold, your earning rates will essentially jump to 4.5 points per dollar for U.S. supermarkets, 3 points per dollar at gas stations, and 1.5 points per dollar on everything else. That's pretty excellent for a card with only a $95 annual fee.

Together, with both the Amex EveryDay Preferred and Amex Platinum in hand, you'll earn the following:

• 5x points on flights directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, on up to $500,000 per calendar year
• 5x on prepaid hotel reservations made through Amex Travel
• Up to 4.5x at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per year; then 1x)*
• Up to 3x at U.S. gas stations*
• Up to 1.5x on all other eligible purchases*

*Must make 30 purchases or more in a billing period.

Premium travel perks

The Amex Platinum card charges a hefty annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees), but it also comes with a robust list of travel and lifestyle perks that are unmatched by any other card.

Those value-added benefits make it worthy of consideration for your card arsenal, especially if your only other card is more for day-to-day purchases, like the EveryDay Preferred is.

Here's a sampling of some of the top benefits:

• Up to a $200 annual hotel credit, in the form of a statement credit, on prepaid Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection (requires a minimum two-night stay) bookings with Amex Travel when you pay with your Amex Platinum.
• Up to a $189 annual Clear credit to cover your annual membership.
• Up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit, in the form of $20 in monthly statement credits when you pay for eligible purchases with the Amex Platinum on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, Sirius XM, and The New York Times.*
• Up to $300 annual Equinox credit, on select Equinox memberships of Equinox+ app.*
• Up to $200 in statement credits annually for incidental fees charged by one airline you select.*
• Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber Cash, split into monthly $15 credits for U.S. rides plus a $20 bonus in December.*
• Up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry every four years or an $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every 4 1/2 years (depending on which application fee is charged to your card first).
• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Airspace lounges, Escape lounges, and Delta Sky Clubs (when traveling on same-day Delta flights).
• Complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy.
• Complimentary memberships in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred, and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive.
• Access to Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts and The Hotel Collection.

*Enrollment required for select benefits.

As you can see, the real reason to get this card is all those valuable benefits, while for earning purposes on non-flight spending, you will want to stick to the Amex EveryDay Preferred, not least of all because you need to make 30 transactions or more per billing period to ensure that potentially lucrative 50% points bonus.

Related: Full review and perks of the Amex Platinum card

One Membership Rewards account

Amex makes it easy to redeem your points. Unlike other issuers, Amex automatically combines your Membership Rewards points into one account, no matter how many points-earning cards you have. That makes it easy to earn Membership Rewards points across multiple accounts and combine your rewards balances when you're ready to redeem them.

In addition, doubling down on one currency may be beneficial, especially if you're looking to transfer points to an airline or hotel partner in the shorter term and need to ramp up your earning by using more than one rewards card.

Bottom line

While it's important to diversify your credit card and points portfolio for the long haul, sometimes it's a good idea to double down on a specific currency, such as Amex Membership Rewards points.

This is especially true if you're looking to maximize welcome or transfer bonuses and/or have a particular travel redemption in mind. By combining a dynamic duo like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card, you'll receive exclusive travel perks and strong earning rates on all your everyday purchases.

Official application link: The Platinum Card from American Express

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, please click here.