Amex Platinum and Gold boosted sign up offers: Up to 80,000 points plus a Selfridges gift card of up to £150
American Express has launched new limited-time sign-up offers on its Platinum and Gold Cards, running until 12 January 2027.
We'll start with the headline addition. Amex is adding Selfridges eGift Cards worth up to £150 on top of boosted Membership Rewards points, just as the festive shopping period approaches. It has also sweetened its Invite a Friend referral programme for both those who are referring, or have been referred. The business versions of both cards get new offers too.
Pairing points with a gift card is a double-edged sword. Amex says the aim is to reward Cardmembers through everyday spend and extra benefits, and that pairing bonus points with Selfridges, a popular shopping destination among customers, gives new applicants more value from their card. But if you're in it purely for the points, then these offers are not as strong as past sign up offers for these cards.
Shall we jump into it then?
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What are the new Amex Platinum and Gold welcome offers?
Personal cards – apply between 4 Nov 2026 and 12 Jan 2027
Platinum | Preferred Rewards Gold | |
Welcome bonus | 80,000 points + £150 Selfridges eGift Card | 30,000 points + £100 Selfridges eGift Card |
Spend needed in first 3 months | £6,000 | £3,000 |
Annual fee | £650 | £195 (£0 in first year) |
Platinum - Representative 685.3% APR (variable), including an annual fee of £650. Purchase rate 29.1% (variable). Assumed credit limit £1,200. Terms and conditions apply. 18+. Subject to approval.
Preferred Rewards Gold - Representative APR 85.8% (variable). Purchase rate 29.1% (variable). Assumed credit limit £1,200. An annual fee of £195 applies (£0 in the first year). Terms and conditions apply. 18+.
Very briefly, what does APR mean?
APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is the total yearly cost of borrowing, shown as a percentage. It includes interest and fees such as the annual fee. “Representative” means at least 51% of people accepted for the card get that rate or a lower one.
The Platinum’s APR looks high because a £650 annual fee is measured against an assumed credit limit of £1,200, which pushes the percentage up. The purchase rate (29.1%) is the interest charged on any balance you don’t pay off. The bit you need to care about, pay your balance in full every month and you won’t pay interest, but the annual fee still applies.
Business cards – apply between 21 Oct 2026 and 12 Jan 2027
Business Platinum | Business Gold | |
Welcome bonus | 100,000 points + £150 Selfridges eGift Card | 40,000 points + £100 Selfridges eGift Card |
Spend needed in first 3 months | £12,000 | £6,000 |
Annual fee | £650 | £195 (£0 in first year) |
American Express Business Gold Card Annual Fee: £195 (£0 in the first year). American Express Business Platinum Card Annual Fee: £650. Eligible new Cardmembers only. Interest & terms apply. Available to UK LTD/LLPs, signatories must be 18+ and a director/member of the business. Subject to approval.
For those who don't know, the points you earn with these cards, Membership Rewards, are one of the most flexible loyalty currencies out there. They convert 1:1 into Avios, Virgin Points, and a host of other airline programmes. They can also be used for hotels, shopping, or even statement credit. If you are new to the process, we have a step-by-step guide on how to transfer your Membership Rewards points to airline programmes. With these sign-up bonuses, you could be booking flights or hotel stays far sooner than expected.
What do you get with the Amex Platinum Card offer?
New Platinum Cardmembers who apply and are approved between 4 November 2026 and 12 January 2027, and spend £6,000 in their first three months, receive 80,000 bonus Membership Rewards points and a £150 Selfridges eGift Card.
What can 80,000 points get you?
As an example, Membership Rewards points convert 1:1 into Avios, so 80,000 points becomes 80,000 Avios. That’s enough for a return flight to New York in economy, with Avios left over. You’ll still pay taxes and charges on top, and the number of Avios needed changes with dates and cabin. Want to see what your points could get you? Try our Avios Calculator.
Other perks you'll enjoy with Platinum
Points on all your spend - Earn 1 Membership Rewards point for every £1 spent. Collect 2 Membership Rewards (MR) Points for every £1 spent on Amex Travel.
Worldwide lounge access - Unlimited entry for you and a guest at over 1,300 airport lounges through Priority Pass (this changes from 2028, more below), plus access to Centurion Lounges, Eurostar lounges, and other exclusive spaces.
Hotel status upgrades - Complimentary elite status with major hotel groups such as Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy and Radisson Rewards.
Fine Hotels + Resorts - Book from over 3,000 Fine Hotels + Resorts or Hotel Collection properties through Amex Travel for perks including a room upgrade on arrival when available, early check-in, and a US$100 credit to use towards eligible on-property charges such as dining and spa. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Terms apply.
Dining perks - Receive up to £200 in statement credits to spend in the UK per year, and a further £200 to spend abroad, available at select restaurants (click here for the full list).
Comprehensive insurance - Worldwide travel cover, car hire insurance, and purchase protection included (terms apply).
Amex Experiences & Lounge at The O2 - Special ticket access and use of the Amex Lounge.
Amex Offers - Tailored savings across leading brands, returned as statement credit.
Top tip: Need an additional card for someone else? Apply for a supplementary card after you apply, not during the application. Do this, and you will get 5,000 extra Membership Rewards points if you apply for your supplementary card via here.
What are the new Amex Platinum wellness benefits?
In addition to the above, we recently covered the new additions to the Amex Platinum benefits, which you can find here. But to quickly refresh your memory:
What you get | Who can use it | |
lululemon | £75 back when you spend £150 or more at participating stores or lululemon.co.uk, once every six months | Primary Platinum Cardmembers |
ŌURA | £150 back when you spend £300 or more in a single eligible transaction at ouraring.com, once each calendar year | Primary Platinum Cardmembers |
Calm | Free Calm Premium subscription, worth £49.99 a year | Primary and Supplementary Platinum Cardmembers, and Primary and Supplementary Business Platinum Cardmembers |
But it's not all sunshine and rainbows...
What's happening to Priority Pass lounge access on the Platinum in 2028?
As we covered yesterday, from 1 January 2028, Platinum Cardmembers will get a limited number of complimentary Priority Pass visits each calendar year. The main Cardmember gets 20 visits, and each Supplementary Cardmember gets 10.
Unlimited Priority Pass access is still available if you earn it. If your eligible spend on your Platinum account reaches or exceeds £30,000 during 2027, you qualify for unlimited visits throughout 2028. The same process repeats each year, with the £30,000 threshold resetting on 1 January. Access to all other lounges in the Global Lounge Collection stays unlimited.
What do you get with the Amex Gold Card offer?
New Cardmembers who apply and are approved for the Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card between 4 November 2026 and 12 January 2027, and spend £3,000 in their first three months, can earn 30,000 bonus Membership Rewards points and a £100 Selfridges eGift Card.
Other perks you'll enjoy with Gold
On top of the sign-up bonus, the Gold Card offers a well-rounded set of benefits designed for everyday spending and travel:
Points on all your spend - Earn 1 Membership Rewards (MR) point for every £1 spent. Collect 2 MR Points for every £1 spent directly with airlines or in a foreign currency, and 3 MR Points for every £1 spent on Amex Travel. Plus, collect up to 5,000 points when you spend £10,000 annually, collecting another 5,000 at £20,000.
Deliveroo credit - Get £5 back twice a month with Deliveroo, worth up to £120 a year (enrolment required, terms apply).
Airport lounge access - Four complimentary Priority Pass visits per year, unlocking entry to over 1,300 lounges worldwide.
The Hotel Collection - Book two nights or more through Amex Travel for perks including a room upgrade on arrival when available and a US$100 credit to spend on extras such as dining or spa.
Amex Experiences® - Priority access to presale tickets and exclusive events, plus use of the Amex Lounge at The O2 London.
Amex Offers - Earn cashback as statement credit with partner retailers across travel, fashion, dining and more.
Plan It™ instalments - Split purchases of £100+ into predictable monthly instalments with a fixed fee, while continuing to earn rewards.
Top tip: Need an additional card for someone else? Apply for a supplementary card after you apply, not during the application. Do this, and you will get 3,000 extra Membership Rewards points if you apply for your supplementary card via here.
Who is eligible for the Amex Platinum and Gold welcome offers?
The offers are for new Cardmembers only. For Platinum, you must not have held another personal Amex Card enrolled in the Membership Rewards programme during the 24 months before you apply. For Gold, you must not have held any other personal Amex Card in that 24 month period. All applications are subject to approval, and you must be 18 or over.
If you aren't sure whether you can get either card, check out our bonus eligibility tool here.
What is the Amex Invite a Friend offer?
Amex has also enhanced the referral offers on its Invite a Friend programme, available to those being referred, and those doing the referring.
Referrer earns | Referred friend earns | Friend’s spend requirement | |
Platinum | 20,000 points (up from 12,000) | 85,000 points plus £150 Selfridges eGift Card | £6,000 in first 3 months |
Gold | 18,000 points (up from 9,000) | 35,000 points plus £100 Selfridges eGift Card | £3,000 in first 3 months |
To find your referral link, go into your Amex app, click membership, and your refer a friend offer should be in front of you.
The friend must be approved for the relevant card before the referrer receives their points, and existing Cardmembers can earn a maximum of 90,000 bonus points from referrals each year.
Should you apply before 12 January 2027?
If you were already planning to take out one of these cards, the timing of these Amex sign up offers is good. The points bonuses are larger than usual and the Selfridges eGift Card is a useful extra with Christmas spending around the corner. The Platinum offer demands a £650 fee from day one and £6,000 of spend, so check that it fits how you normally spend rather than stretching to hit the target. The Gold card is the gentler entry point, with no fee in year one.
Whichever you choose, points are only worth earning if you clear the balance in full each month.
Sam
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