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The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab vs Mastercard Gold Card

Both are travel travel cards. The The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab comes from American Express at $695/yr; the Mastercard Gold Card from Barclays (Luxury Card) at $1199/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,440 more in estimated value) than the Mastercard Gold Card's. Get the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab first; revisit the Mastercard Gold Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureThe Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles SchwabMastercard Gold Card
Annual fee$695$1199
Sign-up bonusUp to 80,000 Membership Rewards pointsNo public welcome offer
Bonus value (est.)$1,440$0
Min spend to unlock bonus$8,000 in 6 mo$0 in 0 mo
IssuerAmerican ExpressBarclays (Luxury Card)
Card categorytraveltravel
Best earning category (Flights_direct_or_amextravel)5x1x
Transfer partnersamex-mrNone
Headline benefits
  • Invest with Rewards 1.1c/pt into Schwab
  • Centurion + Priority Pass + Delta Sky Club
  • 5X flights, 5X prepaid hotels
  • $1,500+ in annual credits
  • $300 airline credit
  • $200 dining credit
  • $120 Global Entry credit
  • 2cpp cash back or airfare
Read the full review
The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab
$695/yr · Up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
Mastercard Gold Card
$1199/yr · No public welcome offer

Editorial take: The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab

The premium Platinum for Schwab brokerage customers. Same lounge access, FHR, and credit suite as the Personal Platinum, but the killer feature is Invest with Rewards at 1.1 cents per point cash-into-brokerage — the highest fixed-value MR redemption in the program. Best for cardholders who don't max out airline transfer partners.

Editorial take: Mastercard Gold Card

The top tier of Barclays' Luxury Card lineup at $1,199. The $300 airline + $200 dining + $120 Global Entry credits chip away at the AF (about $620 of stated value before lounge access), and the 2cpp redemption on cash back is unusual. Still a status play more than a smart-points play; Amex Platinum or Sapphire Reserve win on credits-to-fee math for most travelers. Authorized-user fee is steep at $349 each.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab or Mastercard Gold Card?
The The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab has the bigger bonus, Up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points, worth roughly $1,440, versus No public welcome offer (~$0) on the Mastercard Gold Card.
Is the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab's $695 annual fee worth it compared to the Mastercard Gold Card?
Premium cards like the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab ($695/yr) earn their fee through credits, travel, dining, lounge access, statement reimbursements. If you'd actively use $695+ of those credits, the math works. The Mastercard Gold Card at $1199/yr trades some perks for a lower commitment.
Can I have both the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab and Mastercard Gold Card?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Barclays (Luxury Card)) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab or the Mastercard Gold Card first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab: $8,000 spend in 6 months. Mastercard Gold Card: $0 in 0 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.