A comparison between the characteristics of the metallic phase (studied by FTIR and XPS) of Pt and PtSn catalysts supported on Al2O3, K-doped Al2O3 and MgO (used for light paraffins dehydrogenation reactions) is reported in this paper. The beneficial effects produced by tin addition to platinum, both in the increase of the selectivity to propene and the low coke formation, would be related with the possible electronic modifications of Pt by Sn, with probable formation of alloys, mainly for Al2O3 and MgO supported bimetallic catalysts. On the other hand, the modification of the electronic state of Pt by Sn addition appears to be of a minor importance in bimetallic catalysts supported on K-doped Al2O3.