The The Platinum Card from American Express edges out the Bank of America Travel Rewards for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers 175,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 5x vs 3x). The Bank of America Travel Rewards is the better choice if you want no or lower annual fee.
Bank of America Travel Rewards vs The Platinum Card from American Express
Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.
Which Card Comes Out Ahead?
The Platinum Card from American Express is the stronger all-around option for most people in this matchup because it wins more measurable categories in our scoring model. Bank of America Travel Rewards still makes sense if your spending pattern lines up better with its fee profile, issuer rules, or rewards ecosystem.
Best if you want to keep annual cost lower.
Best if you care most about stronger category earning on everyday spend.
Comparison Method
CardCurator compares measurable differences first: annual fee, current welcome offer, top-end earning, and recurring credits. If the cards are close, the right answer depends on spending pattern and perk usage rather than headline prestige.
- Travel Center 3x
- All Other Purchases 1.5x
- Flights (Direct or Amex Travel) 5x
- Prepaid Hotels (Amex Travel) 5x
- All Other Purchases 1x
- Prepaid Hotel Credit $200
- Uber Cash $15
- Airline Fee Credit $200
- +4 more
- Centurion Lounge Access
- Priority Pass Select
- Delta Sky Club Access
- +6 more
- Flying Blue
- Delta SkyMiles
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Qatar Avios
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- +13 more
Quick summary
A short version of the comparison with the main differences at a glance.
The The Platinum Card from American Express edges out the Bank of America Travel Rewards for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers 175,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 5x vs 3x). The Bank of America Travel Rewards is the better choice if you want no or lower annual fee. On raw upside, The Platinum Card from American Express tops out at 5x versus 3x for Bank of America Travel Rewards. Current signup bonus values are roughly $2 for Bank of America Travel Rewards and $35 for The Platinum Card from American Express. Updated June 4, 2026. Source: https://cardcurator.ai/compare/bank-of-america-travel-rewards-vs-the-platinum-card-from-american-express
- The Platinum Card from American Express wins 3 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: The Platinum Card from American Express reaches 5x; Bank of America Travel Rewards reaches 3x.
- Annual fee: The Platinum Card from American Express is $895/yr; Bank of America Travel Rewards is no annual fee.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $2 and $35.
Common Questions: Bank of America Travel Rewards vs The Platinum Card from American Express
Is the Bank of America Travel Rewards or The Platinum Card from American Express better for dining?
Neither card offers a specific dining bonus — both earn their base rate on restaurant purchases.
Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?
Bank of America Travel Rewards currently offers $2 signup bonus (spend $5,000 in 3 months). The Platinum Card from American Express offers 175,000 pts signup bonus (spend $12,000 in 6 months). The Platinum Card from American Express has the larger bonus.
Which card is better for international travel?
Both cards charge no foreign transaction fees, making either a solid choice for international travel.
Can I hold both the Bank of America Travel Rewards and the The Platinum Card from American Express?
In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. Bank of America Travel Rewards is from Bank of America and The Platinum Card from American Express is from American Express, so they're governed by separate bank policies.
Keep Researching
If this matchup is close, the stronger next step is usually to read the full card reviews or use a broader ranking page instead of comparing random pairs one by one.