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Amex Platinum vs Iberia Visa Signature: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- American Express Platinum Card®: This card is best for frequent travelers seeking luxury perks like extensive airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and valuable statement credits across travel and entertainment. Terms apply.
- Iberia Visa Signature® Card: This card is ideal for earning Avios on flights with Iberia and its partners, offering a 10% flight discount and a valuable discount voucher for those who meet the annual spending requirement.
American Express Platinum Card® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a breakdown of why the American Express Platinum Card® (See Rates & Fees) stands out, from its premium travel perks to its extensive statement credits.
- It provides complimentary access to the most comprehensive network of airport lounges offered by any credit card.
- The card comes with a suite of valuable statement credits that cover travel, entertainment, and everyday spending.
- Cardmembers receive elite status with major hotel loyalty programs and access to exclusive perks at luxury properties.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Pros
- Exceptional travel perks, including comprehensive airport lounge access via the Global Lounge Collection and complimentary elite status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors.
- A wide array of annual statement credits that provide value across travel, digital entertainment, and retail categories.
- Flexible payment options, such as Pay Over Time and Plan It®, offer more control over paying for large purchases.
Cons
- Its high annual fee means you need to be strategic about using the card’s perks to make it worthwhile.
- Outside of flights and hotels, the rewards earning rate on everyday purchases is not as competitive.
- Maximizing the card's value requires effort, as many benefits and statement credits need to be manually activated and tracked.
Iberia Visa Signature Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at the features and benefits that make the Iberia Visa Signature card a compelling option.
- The card’s rewards program offers excellent flexibility, allowing you to transfer points between several major airline partners.
- Cardholders enjoy exclusive discounts on Iberia flights and can earn a significant travel voucher each year.
- It provides accelerated earnings on travel purchases and includes valuable travel protections for peace of mind.
Pros
- A substantial welcome offer and accelerated rewards on travel purchases.
- Exclusive discounts on flights and an annual companion travel voucher.
- Flexible point transfers between partner airlines and no foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- Despite its annual fee, the card lacks common airline perks like priority boarding or a free checked bag.
- The rewards program has several restrictions, including points that can expire and limitations on how you can redeem travel vouchers and book partner flights.
- Strict application rules can make it difficult to qualify, and the rewards earning rates may not be as competitive as other travel cards.
Iberia Visa Signature vs American Express Platinum Card®
Categories
Deciding which is better Amex Platinum or Iberia Visa Signature depends entirely on your travel style and spending habits. Each card caters to a distinct type of traveler, offering unique perks that align with different priorities.
- The Platinum Card® from American Express is designed for frequent travelers who prioritize luxury perks and premium experiences. It offers extensive benefits that enhance the travel journey from start to finish.
- Iberia Visa Signature® Card is ideal for travelers loyal to Iberia and its Oneworld alliance partners. The card focuses on accumulating Avios points that can be redeemed for flights and upgrades within its partner network.
Redemption
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Points can be redeemed for a wide array of luxury travel options, including flights and hotels, often through the American Express Travel portal. Cardmembers can also transfer points to various airline and hotel partners or use them for statement credits and gift cards.
Iberia Visa Signature® Card: Avios points earned with this card are primarily used for booking flights and securing upgrades on Iberia and its Oneworld alliance airline partners, making it a focused tool for those who frequently fly within this network.
Travel Perks
- Lounge Access: The Platinum Card® from American Express offers extensive airport lounge access through its Global Lounge Collection®, which includes Centurion® Lounges and Priority Pass (Terms Apply). In contrast, the Iberia Visa Signature® Card provides a discount on a one-day lounge pass annually.
- Travel Credits & Vouchers: Amex Platinum cardmembers receive multiple annual statement credits, such as for prepaid hotel bookings and airline incidental fees (Terms Apply). The Iberia card offers a discount voucher for a flight purchase each year after meeting a specific spending requirement.
- Hotel Elite Status: A key benefit of the Amex Platinum is complimentary elite status with hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors (Terms Apply). The Iberia Visa Signature does not offer a comparable hotel status perk.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: The Platinum Card® includes a statement credit that covers the application fee for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (Terms Apply). This benefit is not offered with the Iberia Visa Signature card.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: Both cards are well-suited for international travel, as neither charges foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To help you decide, you can use a tool like Kudos, which lets you compare nearly 3,000 credit cards using your own spending data.
- Test Drive Cards: Use the Test Drive feature to simulate potential earnings with a new card based on your actual spending history, without impacting your credit score.
- Approval Odds Analysis: Get a detailed analysis of your approval chances for different cards based on your credit report.
- Welcome Offer Guarantee: If you find a better public welcome offer within three months of being approved for a card through Kudos, they will match it.
- Kudos Boost Rewards: Earn extra rewards on top of your credit card points when you shop at participating online stores.
- Smart Autofill: Ensure you’re always maximizing rewards with a browser extension that automatically selects the best card for each purchase at checkout.
Who Should Choose the American Express Platinum Card®?
The American Express Platinum Card® is tailored for the frequent traveler who values luxury experiences and can maximize a suite of premium benefits. This cardholder typically takes full advantage of the comprehensive airport lounge access, complimentary hotel elite status, and various travel credits to enhance their journeys. Beyond travel, they are adept at offsetting the card's annual fee by seamlessly integrating statement credits for dining, digital entertainment, and retail into their everyday lifestyle.
Who Should Choose the Iberia Visa Signature?
The Iberia Visa Signature® Card is best suited for U.S.-based travelers who are already fans of the Avios program or frequently fly with Iberia and its Oneworld alliance partners. Cardholders can maximize value by earning Avios on flights and direct hotel bookings, then redeeming them for award travel across a network that includes British Airways, Aer Lingus, and American Airlines. Furthermore, the card is particularly useful for those who can take advantage of airline-specific perks like the 10% discount on Iberia flights or the annual $1,000 discount voucher on companion tickets.
Alternatives to Consider
If our Amex Platinum vs Iberia Visa Signature comparison has left you feeling like neither card is the perfect fit, don't worry. There are plenty of other excellent travel rewards cards on the market worth considering.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score - Good to excellent credit is generally required for premium rewards cards.
- Plan your spending - Ensure you can meet the welcome offer's spending requirement through your normal purchases.
- Know the rules - Be aware of issuer-specific application restrictions that could affect your eligibility for a welcome offer.
Application Strategy
- Time your application - Apply before a large planned purchase to help meet the spending requirement more easily.
- Consider issuer-specific rules - Be mindful of restrictions, like the Chase 5/24 rule, which can affect your approval odds.
- Don’t settle for a low offer - If you receive a lower-than-expected welcome offer, you can often decline it without impacting your credit.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card is better for earning Avios?
The Iberia Visa Signature® Card is specifically designed to earn Avios on all purchases, making it a straightforward choice for accumulating them. While you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Iberia, the earning rates on the American Express® Platinum Card are focused on flights and prepaid hotels.
Do both cards offer airport lounge access?
The American Express® Platinum Card is renowned for its extensive airport lounge access, including the Centurion Lounge network and Priority Pass lounges (Terms Apply). The Iberia Visa Signature® Card does not typically offer complimentary lounge access as a standard benefit.
What are the annual fees for these cards?
The American Express® Platinum Card comes with a premium annual fee that reflects its extensive travel and lifestyle benefits. The Iberia Visa Signature® Card generally has a much lower annual fee, making it more accessible for those focused purely on earning Avios.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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