The The Business Platinum Card from American Express edges out the United Explorer for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers 300,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 5x vs 3x). The United Explorer is the better choice if you want no or lower annual fee.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express vs United Explorer
Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.
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.
- Flights (Amex Travel) 5x
- Prepaid Hotels (Amex Travel) 5x
- Purchases $5,000+ 1.5x
- United Purchases 3x
- Restaurant Purchases 2x
- Hotel Stays 2x
- Dell Technologies Credit $200
- Indeed Credit $360
- Adobe Credit $150
- +4 more
- United Travel Credit $100
- United Hotels Credit $50
- United Hotels Credit $50
- +4 more
- Centurion Lounge Access
- Priority Pass Select
- Fine Hotels + Resorts
- +5 more
- 2 United Club one-time passes per year
- 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 Business Platinum Card from American Express edges out the United Explorer for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers 300,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 5x vs 3x). The United Explorer is the better choice if you want no or lower annual fee. On raw upside, The Business Platinum Card from American Express tops out at 5x versus 3x for United Explorer. Current signup bonus values are roughly $3000 for The Business Platinum Card from American Express and $800 for United Explorer. Updated May 30, 2026. Source: https://cardcurator.ai/compare/the-business-platinum-card-from-american-express-vs-united-explorer
- The Business Platinum Card from American Express wins 3 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: The Business Platinum Card from American Express reaches 5x; United Explorer reaches 3x.
- Annual fee: The Business Platinum Card from American Express is $895/yr; United Explorer is $150/yr.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $3000 and $800.
Common Questions: The Business Platinum Card from American Express vs United Explorer
Is the The Business Platinum Card from American Express or United Explorer better for dining?
The Business Platinum Card from American Express has no dining bonus; United Explorer earns 2x on dining.
Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?
The Business Platinum Card from American Express currently offers 300,000 pts signup bonus (spend $20,000 in 3 months). United Explorer offers 80,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). The Business 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 The Business Platinum Card from American Express and the United Explorer?
In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. The Business Platinum Card from American Express is from American Express and United Explorer is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.