The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab vs United Explorer
Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.
- Flights (Direct or Amex Travel) 5x
- Prepaid Hotels (Amex Travel) 5x
- All Other Purchases 1x
- United Purchases 2x
- Restaurant Purchases 2x
- Hotel Stays 2x
- Hotel Credit $300
- Uber Cash $200
- Uber One Credit $120
- +2 more
- Statement Credit $5
- Statement Credit $50
- Statement Credit $50
- +1 more
- Centurion Lounge Access
- Priority Pass Select
- Fine Hotels + Resorts
- +2 more
- 2 United Club one-time passes per year
- Flying Blue
- Delta SkyMiles
- True Blue
- Qatar Avios
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- +13 more
Common Questions: The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab vs United Explorer
Is the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab or United Explorer better for dining?
The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab has no dining bonus; United Explorer earns 2x on dining.
Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?
The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab currently offers 150,000 pts signup bonus (spend $12,000 in 6 months). United Explorer offers 85,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab 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 Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab 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 Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab is from American Express and United Explorer is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.