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The Platinum Card from American Express benefits guide

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Key takeaways

• While the Amex Platinum comes with a hefty annual fee, the right cardholders can take advantage of the card’s big travel perks to make up for the cost.
• The Amex Platinum offers both airline and hotel benefits, including up to $200 in hotel credits and Global Lounge Collection access.
• Other travel benefits, like additional protections, premium car rental status and access to a Platinum Card Concierge, only add to the allure of this card.

If you’re looking for a luxury rewards credit card with plenty of perks, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right fit. While this card comes with a hefty annual fee , savvy cardholders can more than make up for the cost through a combination of rewards, hotel and airline credits and more.

Best suited for high spenders and frequent travelers, this travel credit card comes with plenty of additional perks and benefits for users, like access to airport lounges around the world and automatic Gold Elite status from Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors.

Amex Platinum airline benefits

Up to $200 in airline fee credits.

In order to qualify for this perk, you’ll need to select one qualifying airline. You’ll then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for airline incidentals like checked bags and in-flight refreshments. Keep in mind that this credit can’t be applied to the cost of a plane ticket itself.

Up to $189 in Clear membership statement credits

You can get up to $189 in statement credits annually if you purchase a Clear membership with your card, which helps you expedite the process of airport security.

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application credit

Cardholders can receive a statement credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or $78 for TSA PreCheck every four years.

Global Lounge Collection access

For a premium airport experience, cardholders get access to airport lounges across the world, including Amex Centurion Lounges , Delta Sky Clubs (when you fly with Delta), Priority Pass Select lounges, International American Express Lounges and more.

Trip delay insurance

The Platinum card also comes with trip delay insurance. Amex Platinum cardholders can receive up to $500 per trip (up to two claims every 12 months) to cover the cost of expenses if their flight is delayed for a qualifying reason.

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance

If your trip is canceled, Amex will reimburse you up to $10,000 per trip or $20,000 per card (each year) in trip cancellation insurance.

Baggage insurance plan

If your baggage is damaged, lost or stolen, this perk will cover you for up to $2,000 for checked luggage and up to $3,000 for checked and carry-on luggage.

Amex Platinum hotel benefits

Up to $200 in hotel credits.

Cardholders can earn up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel . This requires a minimum two-night stay.

$100 credit on qualifying hotel purchases

Book at least a consecutive two-night stay with The Hotel Collection via Amex Travel and enjoy a $100 credit to use toward experiences like spa treatments or snorkeling at your resort, for example.

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status

Cardholders get automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, which includes benefits like room upgrades and late checkouts.

Hilton Honors Gold status

The card also comes with Hilton Honors Gold status. Perks of this status include room upgrades, food and beverage credits and more.

Additional Amex Platinum travel benefits

No foreign transaction fees.

The Amex Platinum charges no foreign transaction fees , meaning you can use the card when traveling abroad without incurring any additional expenses.

Platinum Card Concierge

Need help planning your travels? Amex provides complimentary travel services through American Express Platinum Concierge, including helping cardholders with itineraries and customized recommendations. But you can also use this service for things like dinner reservations and securing tickets for events.

Premium car rental status

Cardholders can enjoy Amex Platinum rental car benefits like premium status at a number of major rental car companies, including Avis, Hertz and National Car Rental.

Car rental loss and damage insurance

With this card, you don’t need to pay extra for rental car insurance. Through this secondary coverage, you’re automatically protected against damage or theft of your rental vehicle.

Global Assist Hotline

When traveling more than 100 miles from home, cardholders have 24/7 access to medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services.

Amex Platinum entertainment benefits

Up to $240 in digital entertainment credits.

With enrollment, cardholders can get up to $240 in statement credits (up to $20 each month) for entertainment-related purchases, like subscriptions to Hulu, Peacock, Audible and The New York Times.

Up to $300 in eligible Equinox membership credits

Another Amex Platinum card benefit is an up to $300 statement credit anually for Equinox in-club or digital membership fees, including Equinox All Access, Destination, E by Equinox or Equinox+ (enrollment required – see terms for details). Starting in 2023, statement credits for the $300 Equinox Credit benefit will be provided on an annual basis of up to $300 per year and will no longer be provided on a monthly basis of up to $25 back per month.

$300 SoulCycle credit

Enjoy a $300 credit for a single, eligible SoulCycle At-Home bike purchase. In order to qualify for this credit, you must make the purchase with your Platinum card through Amex’s provided link.

Up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credits

Cardholders can get up to $100 in statement credits ($50 semi-annually) when they shop at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Up to $155 in Walmart+ credits

This credit covers the cost of a monthly Walmart+ membership when you pay with your Platinum card.

Up to $200 in Uber Cash

Amex Platinum cardholders receive $15 in Uber Cash for rides and deliveries every month (plus an extra $20 in December) (Terms Apply).

Additional Amex Platinum protection benefits

Cellphone protection.

When you pay for your cellphone bill with your Amex Platinum, you can get reimbursed up to $800 (up to two claims per year) for damage or theft to your device.

Return protection

If you try to return an eligible item within 90 days from the date of purchase and the merchant won’t take it back, American Express may refund you up to $300 per item (excluding shipping and handling), with a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year for each account.

Purchase protection

New purchases are protected for up to 90 days if they’re lost, damaged or stolen. American Express purchase protection covers up to $10,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per year.

Extended warranty protection

The Amex Platinum allows you to extend your warranty protection for longer, matching the original warranty for up to an additional year. The warranty protection covers up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per year.

Amex Platinum authorized user benefits

Amex Platinum cardholders can add an authorized user to their account. It costs $175 to add up to three authorized users and $175 for each additional Platinum card thereafter.

While authorized users don’t get as many benefits as primary cardholders, some Amex Platinum authorized user benefits include airport lounge access, elite statuses with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, various shopping, travel and entertainment credits and more. Our guide to Amex Platinum authorized user benefits covers this more in depth.

Maximizing the perks and benefits offered by the Amex Platinum

Take advantage of credits.

The most important thing to keep in mind when maximizing Amex Platinum benefits is that you should take advantage of as many of the annual credits as you can, given it’s one of the best credit cards with annual credits and comes with a hefty annual fee.

Amex Platinum travel benefits, like the hotel and airline fee credits, are especially valuable since they’re relatively easy to qualify for if you travel often. Use as many of these credits as possible to make the most of the card — potential credits are worth up to $1,709, which more than covers the $695 annual fee.

Steer clear of unnecessary purchases

Cardholders shouldn’t feel obligated to sign up for pricey services like Equinox just because it comes with the card. If you find yourself spending more money than you otherwise would for a product that you don’t feel strongly about, it’s a good sign that the purchase isn’t worth the cost. That said, there are many credits (like those for digital entertainment services, Walmart+ and Uber) that make certain purchases essentially free.

Maximize rewards earnings

To maximize your rewards earnings, it’s a good idea to book all flights and hotels using this card. American Express Membership Rewards points are worth approximately 2.1 cents each according to Bankrate valuations , and you can redeem them for statement credits, gift cards, travel, loyalty programs and more.

Claim freebies

The number of perks and benefits that come with this card can be overwhelming, but it’s worth spending time reviewing everything to make sure you take advantage of all the free stuff offered. Taking advantage of complimentary perks like airport lounge access, premium status at hotels and more can make your travel experience a little more luxurious.

The bottom line

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with a hefty annual fee, but it’s relatively easy for frequent travelers to recover that fee thanks to the card’s generous welcome bonus, impressive array of annual credits and various travel and purchase protections.

While there are a few extraneous benefits that the average cardholder may not end up taking advantage of, this card offers an impressive value and can certainly be worth it. If you’re looking for a luxury rewards credit card with great travel perks, the Amex Platinum won’t disappoint.

Capital One Venture X vs. Amex Platinum Card

Is the Amex Platinum worth the yearly fee?

The Platinum Card from American Express review: Unparalleled potential value, but at a premium

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Credit cards

The complete guide to the Amex Travel portal

Carissa Rawson

Allie Johnson

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Robin Saks Frankel

Published 7:39 a.m. UTC Feb. 28, 2024

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onurdongel, Getty Images

The American Express Travel portal offers valuable benefits to American Express cardholders, including special prices. Depending on which card you hold, you may also be able to pay for travel with Membership Rewards® points and get access to perks such as discounted airfare and specialty benefits at luxury hotels. Let’s take a look at how the Amex Travel portal works, whether the benefits are worthwhile and who can access Amex Travel’s website. 

• American Express Travel offers hotels, vacation rentals, flights, rental cars and cruises.
• Luxury hotel benefits and discounted airfare are two benefits of booking through Amex’s travel portal. 
• American Express cardholders can access Amex Travel. 

How to book travel through the Amex Travel portal

Booking travel through the Amex Travel portal requires you to have an online account associated with an Amex card. While you can complete a search on the Amex Travel website without logging in, you will need to do so in order to make a booking.

After you choose whether to book a flight, hotel, vacation rental, vacation package, rental car or cruise, you’ll need to enter your travel details.

For example, if you want to book a flight through Amex Travel, you’ll need to put in your departure airport and destination as well as your dates of travel. The site will then bring up a list of matching results.

You can filter based on when the flights take off as well as how many stops you’re willing to tolerate, among other options. 

The Amex Travel site offers a wide variety of hotel stays and flights, but you’ll always want to double check elsewhere before booking since it doesn’t always feature every option. 

Once you’ve selected a booking, you’ll be taken through the checkout process. This includes providing your personal information and can also include seat requests and adding in loyalty program numbers.

To pay for your booking, you can use your American Express Membership Rewards, if you have a card that earns them, or your American Express card or a combination of both. 

After you’ve booked, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing your reservation information. You can also find your bookings under the My Trips section of Amex Travel.

Who can use the portal?

Any American Express cardholder can use the Amex Travel portal to book travel. But those whose cards don’t earn Amex Membership Rewards points will need to pay with their Amex card.

However, many American Express cards  earn Membership Rewards points that can be redeemed for travel through the Amex Travel portal. These cards include (terms apply):

The Platinum Card® from American Express

• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Green Card * The information for the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
• Amex EveryDay® Credit Card * The information for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
• American Express® Business Gold Card * The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

All information about American Express® Green Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

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Welcome bonus

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s take

• Over $1,500 in travel and entertainment credits can offset the annual fee.
• Comprehensive lounge access benefit.
• Generous travel and purchase protections.
• High annual fee and spending requirements.
• Amex’s once-per-lifetime rule limits welcome bonus eligibility.
• Annual statement credits have limited use.

Card details

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Is the portal worth using?

The Amex Travel portal can be worth using in certain cases, though it won’t always make sense. For example, some flights aren’t bookable via Amex Travel, so if what you need isn’t available you’ll want to look elsewhere.

That being said, those with certain cards are entitled to exclusive benefits that can lower prices or allow them to redeem points for travel. There are also perks for booking luxury hotels within the portal. In these cases, Amex Travel is definitely worth investigating. 

How to maximize your Amex Travel benefits through the portal

International airline program.

Available to those who hold a high-end American Express card, including The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express and the American Express Centurion Black Card * The information for the American Express Centurion Black Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , the International Airline Program (IAP) can save you money on certain international flights booked via the Amex Travel portal. 

All information about American Express Centurion Black Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

This benefit is only available on tickets booked in premium economy, business or first class, but the savings can be significant. 

For example, we looked at a round-trip flight in premium economy from San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo (NRT). Booking with Japan Airlines (JAL) directly resulted in a cost of $4,431.40, while the Amex Travel portal and the IAP charged just $3,797.40 for a savings of over $600.

Fine Hotels + Resorts ® and The Hotel Collection

American Express also offers the Fine Hotels and Resorts and The Hotel Collection to eligible cardholders. 

Fine Hotels and Resorts allows guests to book luxury hotels with special benefits. These include room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, an experience credit, late check-out, early check-in and more. 

The Hotel Collection offers similar but less exorbitant benefits. It’s directed toward more midscale properties and includes an experience credit as well as a room upgrade. 

35% rebate on redeemed points

Those who hold The Business Platinum Card from American Express are able to get a 35% rebate on points redeemed for eligible flights booked through the Amex Travel portal (up to 1,000,000 points per calendar year). 

Eligible flights include all fare classes on an airline that you select each year. It also includes first and business class tickets on any airline. 

Quick guide to Amex Membership Rewards

American Express Membership Rewards are the points you earn with eligible Amex cards. These highly flexible and valuable points can be redeemed in a number of ways, though they tend to be most valuable when transferred to Amex airline partners.

Other ways of redeeming Amex points include:

• Gift cards.
• Travel booked via Amex Travel.
• Online shopping. 
• Statement credits. 

While these are nice options to have, you’ll generally get much less value from your Membership Rewards points by redeeming them in these ways. Finally, although you can redeem your points in the Amex Travel portal, this isn’t necessarily a good idea if you aim to reap maximum value. Even if you’re taking advantage of the 35% rebate on redeemed points for flights, you’ll only ever receive a value of 1.54 cents per point. This is lower than you’d expect when transferring your Amex points to many airline and hotel partners. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

No, travel insurance is not automatically included when booking through the Amex portal. But many of the best credit cards feature complimentary travel insurance when using your card to pay, including those from American Express. Otherwise, you may be able to opt in to travel insurance during the booking process or via a third party provider.

Those with the The Platinum Card from American Express can earn 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. The card has an annual fee of $695 ( rates & fees ). 

Those with the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , meanwhile, earn 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels through American Express Travel, 1.5 points per $1 at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, shipping providers, and purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million per calendar year and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. The card has a $695 annual fee.

All information about The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint.

The phone number for American Express Travel is: 1-800-297-2977.

The number of Amex points that you’ll need to redeem for a flight will depend on the cash cost of your flight and whether you’re booking through Amex Travel or transferring your Membership Rewards points to an Amex airline partner. Amex Points are worth about one cent when booking flights through the portal, so a flight that costs $500 in cash would require about 50,000 Amex points. You’ll typically get a better deal with transfer partners than booking through the portal.

For rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page .

*The information for the American Express Centurion Black Card, American Express® Business Gold Card, American Express® Green Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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Carissa Rawson is a credit cards and award travel expert with nearly a decade of experience. You can find her work in a variety of publications, including Forbes Advisor, Business Insider, The Points Guy, Investopedia, and more. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her in your nearest airport lounge sipping a coffee before her next flight.

Allie is a journalist with a passion for money tips and advice. She's been writing about personal finance since the Great Recession for online publications such as Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MyWalletJoy and ValuePenguin. She's also written personal finance content for Discover, First Horizon Bank, The Hartford, Travelers and Synovus.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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How to Maximize the Platinum Card from American Express

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Table of Contents

An overview

Highest-value perks, how to make the most of the platinum card® from american express, the best of the rest, if you want to maximize the platinum card® from american express.

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the most iconic rewards cards out there, offering several benefits for travelers, including lounge memberships, a long list of transfer partners, various credits, insurance protections and so much more.

In addition to the perks, Membership Rewards points earned on the card are extremely versatile — they can be transferred to 19 airlines and three hotel partners, offering plenty of interesting award redemptions.

Here’s what you need to know about the most important benefits, key transfer partners and strategies for extracting the most value from the card.

The card has the following welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The introductory offer on The Platinum Card® from American Express fluctuates often, and can be as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points. Terms apply. Keep this in mind when applying so you can time your application to coincide with a high offer.

$200 hotel credit

Holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express will receive $200 in statement credits on prepaid hotel bookings made with AmEx Travel at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties (note: stays at The Hotel Collection must be two nights minimum).

With over 1,700 hotels to choose from, if you value stays at these high-end properties, these credits will come in handy. The value provided is in addition to the other statement credits and perks offered for staying at these hotels. Terms apply.

$300 Equinox gym credit

Equinox gyms are well-known for being luxurious and expensive, offering new machines, group fitness classes, personal training, spa treatments and more. When you use The Platinum Card® from American Express to pay for your membership or for the Equinox+ app, you will receive $300 of annual statement credits ($25 per month). Terms apply.

$240 digital entertainment credit

Cardholders can get up to $20 per month as a statement credit when using The Platinum Card® from American Express to pay for eligible digital purchases from:

The Disney Bundle.

The New York Times.

The Wall Street Journal.

If you use these services already, a monthly $20 statement credit is a great benefit. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

$189 Clear credit

Clear provides members a touchless ID service by scanning their face and eyes, allowing them to bypass parts of airport security lanes and go through stadium verification checks faster. An annual membership costs $189, and The Platinum Card® from American Express will offer an annual credit to offset the cost of the membership when it is charged on the card. Terms apply.

Centurion Network expansion

The Centurion Network has been expanded, with over 40 Centurion Lounge and Studio locations globally. Increased access is a welcome development, especially since the Priority Pass lounge membership through American Express doesn’t include restaurants. Enrollment required for Priority Pass. Terms apply.

Wheels Up: A premium private jet program

Wheels Up provides access to private jet rentals. There are several membership levels, and reservations can be made through the Wheels Up app. Holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Centurion Card are eligible for discounts, flight credits and capped hourly rates on reservations and memberships to the program. Terms apply.

» Learn more: Flying semi-private on JSX — a review

Global dining access by Resy

Cardmembers can take advantage of elevated dining experiences, including access to tables at exclusive restaurants, curated experiences and presales to dining events. Terms apply.

Know the key Membership Rewards transfer partners

As a holder of The Platinum Card® from American Express , you earn Membership Rewards points anytime you use your card. These points are valuable because they can be transferred to the following 22 airline and hotel partners:

Aer Lingus — AerClub Avios.

Aeromexico — Club Premier.

Air Canada — Aeroplan.

Air France-KLM — Flying Blue .

Alitalia — MilleMiglia.

ANA — Mileage Club Miles.

Avianca — LifeMiles.

British Airways — Executive Club Avios .

Cathay Pacific — Asia Miles.

Delta Air Lines — SkyMiles .

El Al Israel Airlines — Matmid Points.

Emirates — Skywards Miles .

Etihad Airways — Etihad Guest.

Hawaiian Airlines — HawaiianMiles .

Iberia — Iberia Plus Avios.

JetBlue — TrueBlue .

Qantas — Qantas Frequent Flyer.

Singapore Airlines — KrisFlyer .

Virgin Atlantic — Flying Club .

Choice — Choice Privileges .

Hilton — Hilton Honors .

Marriott — Bonvoy .

With this many options, it can get confusing to figure out which partner it makes sense to transfer to. As a general rule, you will fare better with airlines than hotels because airline points can result in stronger redemptions, especially if you’re flying in premium cabins.

Some airline partners are better than others , and you’ll want to familiarize yourself with which ones you should generally avoid. You can also extract decent value if you redeem your points to book travel through the AmEx Travel portal.

» Learn more: Advanced tips for using American Express Membership Rewards points

Take advantage of all the other statement credits

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers several cash-back credits in a variety of categories. Examine each so you can figure out the best way to maximize them.

$200 airline fee credit

This $200 airline fee credit is provided each calendar year and can be used on purchases with the following airlines: Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Spirit, Southwest or United. Terms apply.

Unlike the $300 travel statement credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , this $200 credit is not as straightforward. First, you’ll need to select an airline online or by calling the number on the back of your card. Second, only “incidental air travel fees” are eligible for reimbursement. AmEx specifically states that plane tickets, upgrades, points purchases, gift cards, award tickets and more are not considered incidental charges.

So what qualifies? While there is no official policy, users report that baggage charges, change fees, pet flight fees, seat choices and in-flight food purchases have triggered the credit. If you have a specific airline charge you’re wondering about, it's best to call AmEx to confirm.

You are allowed to change your airline selection each January, so make sure you know your designated airline and use your card for charges accordingly. This is a use-it-or-lose-it annual credit. Terms apply.

Since the $200 statement credit is based on a calendar year, you could earn the credit twice ($400 total) in your first 12 months of card membership. If you get the card in July, you have until Dec. 31 of that year to use up the entire $200 airline credit. In January, the credit will reset and you have another $200 to apply to incidental purchases.

$200 Uber credit, including for food delivery

AmEx provides a monthly $15 credit in the form of Uber Cash (plus an additional $20 credit in December) for a yearly credit of $200. Uber Cash can be used on rides or on food orders through Uber Eats, which is great considering that many people are not traveling very much or commuting to work right now. The monthly credit expires at the end of each month and does not roll over, so put a reminder in your calendar to order delivery once per month if you’re not using ridesharing right now.

To use the benefit, you’ll need to turn on Uber Cash within the app when you’re requesting a ride or ordering food. Only rides in the U.S. qualify, so this credit is unfortunately of little use if you only use Uber abroad. Terms apply.

$100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a $50 statement credit toward Saks purchases from January through June, and a second $50 credit from July through December, for a total of $100.

Saks often has promotional offers and has a dedicated sale section on their website, so even if you’re not a frequent shopper at the store, you should be able to find something to use up the $100 credit. In addition, you can double dip here and use another perk offered by The Platinum Card® from American Express : Free shipping through ShopRunner (more below) gets your package to you in just two days. Terms apply.

When shopping at Saks, make sure to click through a shopping portal of your choice (use Cashback Monitor to compare point/cash-back offers) so that you also earn bonus points/cash back on your purchase.

Use the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the many cards that offer a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit. Both of these programs allow you to expedite your time spent at the airport.

When you have TSA PreCheck, you don’t need to take off your shoes, belt or light jacket when going through security, and you won't have to remove your laptop or liquids from your carry-on. The membership costs $78 and lasts for five years.

Global Entry offers all the benefits of TSA PreCheck but also provides expedited entry into the United States when you’re returning from abroad (because you don’t need to wait in line or fill out any paperwork). You can easily pass through border control by entering your credentials into a Global Entry kiosk. The cost of Global Entry is $100 and membership lasts for five years.

When you use The Platinum Card® from American Express to pay for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, you will get a statement credit equal to the cost of the membership. The credit can actually be used every four years for TSA PreCheck and every 4.5 years for Global Entry, because you will need to reapply for membership during your fourth year before it expires. Terms apply.

Apply for Global Entry because TSA PreCheck is included with Global Entry membership. The Platinum Card® from American Express will reimburse you for whichever program you choose, so you might as well choose the most comprehensive.

» Learn more: TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry: Which is right for you?

Book travel to get 5x Membership Rewards points on airfare and hotels

When you use The Platinum Card® from American Express to make airfare purchases directly with airlines or through AmEx Travel, you will earn 5 Membership Rewards points for every $1 spent. The hotels must be booked and paid in advance. Terms apply.

» Learn more: The guide to the AmEx travel portal

Advanced tactic: Pair with another card, and use a shopping portal too

Although 5x is a solid earn rate for these categories, you can get even more points by being a little creative. You could use another premium travel card to book the hotel, while also earning points from the shopping portal purchase. Use a tool like Cashback Monitor to compare the point earn rates on different shopping portals.

For example, Rakuten, which allows you to earn Membership Rewards points (instead of cash back), is currently offering 3 points per $1 on hotel purchases. If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you could use it to make a hotel reservation through Expedia. This way, you'll earn 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards® points for the travel purchase and 3x Membership Rewards points from clicking through Rakuten, or 6 points per $1 spent in total.

Furthermore, American Express sometimes has offers directly with hotels or online travel agencies that allow you to earn cash-back credits. Terms apply.

Another thing to keep in mind is that hotels sometimes offer discounted rates to customers booking directly, so you may also see a different rate when you’re logged into your hotel account than on AmEx Travel. If you see a cheaper rate, check Cashback Monitor or Rakuten (if you just want to earn AmEx points) so you can also earn points for booking with the hotel directly.

» Learn more: High-value AmEx offers to bookmark

Book with the Fine Hotels + Resorts program

Holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express have access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program , or FHR, which is AmEx’s collection of luxury hotels. By using your card to book a hotel through this program, you get a slew of nice perks such as:

Daily breakfast for two.

Room upgrade, if available.

Property amenity valued at $100.

Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout.

Noon check-in, if available.

Complimentary Wi-Fi.

In addition, some of the properties offer a complimentary third or fourth night, which can really make a difference given how expensive the hotels are. Some of the currently available offers include the below:

Although AmEx values the FHR benefit at $550, you could extract even more from it. If the hotel is part of a chain that you have loyalty status with or you already hold a free night certificate, you can combine these perks.

For example, as seen above, the Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead is offering a complimentary third night when booked through FHR. The Waldorf Astoria brand belongs to Hilton. If you have a Hilton free night certificate , you could use the certificate to extend your stay. Terms apply.

» Learn more: What you need to know about the AmEx Fine Hotels + Resorts program

Visit the Global Lounge Collection

The Craft Beer Bar inside The Centurion Lounge at Denver International Airport. Photo courtesy of American Express.

The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express provide access to this excellent lounge program, which includes 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries.

Most cardmembers have to pay a $50 guest fee ($30 for children ages 2 to 17). The exception is for cardmembers who have spent $75,000 on their card in the prior calendar year; these members will maintain complimentary guest access. Terms apply.

The collection of lounges includes AmEx’s Centurion lounges, International American Express lounges, Delta Sky Club lounges (when flying on Delta) and some Priority Pass locations. Although AmEx cardholders are no longer able to access some Priority Pass restaurant locations , the other lounges offered through AmEx’s lounge network make up for it.

Out of all the options offered, the Centurion Lounges are the best due to their selection of premium food and drink. These lounges are also not as crowded as Priority Pass lounges because not as many people have access to them. However, there are currently only 12 Centurion Lounge locations globally — though AmEx is planning to add new lounges in Denver, New York City and London.

To maximize this benefit, be sure to research participating lounge locations near you, places you travel frequently or potential layovers or destinations for future trips. A typical visit to these types of lounges runs about $29-$32 per person, so the value of this benefit can add up quickly with a little advance planning. Terms apply.

One seating area in the Las Vegas Convention Center American Express Lounge. (Photo by Sally French)

Beyond airport lounges are a couple of convention center lounges, too. There are currently two American Express Business Lounges accessible to cardholders: one at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the other at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Inside you’ll find complimentary snacks, free Wi-Fi and myriad outlets to recharge your electronics — all in a place to recharge yourself with plentiful plush couches.

Leverage the Hilton and Marriott Gold elite status

The Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium travel card, so it makes perfect sense that it provides complimentary elite status with leading hotel chains Hilton and Marriott . The status remains valid for as long as you hold the card. Both of these statuses offer great perks such as late checkout, bonus points earned and much more. Terms apply.

If you don’t already have a higher status at one of these hotels chains, it makes sense to focus your travel so you’re staying at these brands frequently. In this way, you'll be able to reap the benefits of your Gold status and maximize the value of your credit card.

Rent cars with Avis, Hertz and National

The Platinum Card® from American Express also provides the following elite status with three car rental companies:

Avis Preferred .

Hertz President's Circle .

National Emerald Club Executive .

When you get the card, you’ll need to set up an account with each car rental company to get status. Benefits of elite status with the car rental companies include separate lines at the counter, e-returns and the ability to use your car rental points for rewards. Once you’re set up, make these three your go-to car rental companies so you can benefit from the elite status. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

Use these secondary benefits of the card to extract even more net value over the annual fee.

Platinum Card concierge

This service is available 24/7 and can assist you with booking dinner reservations worldwide, finding a gift and more. The best part about this feature is that you could use the concierge service to make reservations directly through your AmEx mobile app.

If you’d prefer to have AmEx assist you, the concierge service offers assistance over the phone as well. While there is no monetary value to this service, you can utilize the concierge and the app to save you time. Terms apply.

Complimentary ShopRunner membership

ShopRunner is a subscription-based service that offers free two-day shipping and free returns from a wide selection of merchants. The annual subscription costs $79, but AmEx is one of a variety of credit card issuers offering it for free. To use your benefit, go to ShopRunner's AmEx page and enroll. You will need to have your credit card handy. Terms apply.

No foreign transaction fees

If you travel internationally and don’t have a credit card that waives foreign transaction fees, you’ll be stuck paying up to a 3% conversion fee on all your foreign purchases. As a premium travel card, The Platinum Card® from American Express waives all foreign transaction fees. Take it with you when making purchases abroad so you’re only paying the U.S. dollar equivalent of the local currency, but keep in mind that American Express cards are generally accepted in fewer locations internationally when compared to Visa or Mastercard. Terms apply.

Travel insurance protections

Many premium travel cards offer insurance protections, and again, The Platinum Card® from American Express does a great job in this category, offering four types of benefits. To qualify, you must charge the entire amount of your trip on The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Trip cancellation and interruption: AmEx will reimburse you for any nonrefundable deposits up to $10,000 per trip.

Trip delay: Reimbursement for eligible expenses up to $500 if your trip is delayed by six hours or more.

Car rental loss and damage: Insurance protection for up to $75,000 if the car is lost or stolen.

Terms apply.

Many of these protections may be sufficient for your travel insurance needs, which can limit or replace the need for third-party travel insurance. Just remember to book your trips on The Platinum Card® from American Express . To see these benefits discussed in detail, refer to our guide to AmEx trip cancellation and travel insurance .

Shopping protections

When you use your card to make purchases, you will receive three different types of shopping protection. With these benefits, you’ll want to ensure you’re charging purchases to this card for items that may qualify.

Purchase protection: Items that are lost, damaged or stolen may receive purchase protection for up to 90 days from the time they were purchased. Coverage is up to $10,000 per event and $50,000 per calendar year.

Return protection : If a merchant won't accept a return of an item purchased within 90 days, AmEx will refund the purchase price (less shipping and handling) up to $300 per item, up to a total of $1,000 per calendar year.

Extended warranty: This benefit provides an extra year of warranty protection beyond the manufacturer's original warranty.

Although The Platinum Card® from American Express will increase the annual fee by $145 from $550 to $695 , you can still extract value and offset the annual fee if you take advantage of the numerous statement credits (e.g., airline, hotel, digital entertainment, Equinox, Clear membership, Uber, Saks) and use the most valuable benefits (e.g., lounge access and insurance protections).

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

How to use the Amex Platinum $200 airline fee credit in 2024

Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

It's no surprise that The Platinum Card® from American Express is packed with premium benefits . One of the most generous perks of the premium card is the annual statement credit for up to $200 in airline incidental fees. When fully maximized, this perk can reduce the sting of the card's $695 annual fee (see rates and fees ). Enrollment is required.

This credit operates on a calendar year basis, which means you have from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 to use the credit. Additionally, you usually need to select your airline for the year by Jan. 31, though anecdotally, we've heard Amex has been somewhat flexible with this if you call or chat with a representative.

Usually, it's pretty easy for a traveler to fully maximize an annual airline fee credit of up to $200 over 12 months. First things first: Note that enrollment is required in advance before you can receive credit for this benefit in 2024.

To stay on top of all of your credit card perks and rewards in 2024, be sure to download the free TPG App .

5 suggestions on using the airline fee credit this year

Here are some ideas for using your Amex Platinum airline incidental credits throughout 2024:

• Pay for seat assignments and checked bag fees.
• Use it to splurge on food and beverages while inflight.
• Purchase airline lounge daypasses for future use. These are often valid for one year from purchase, but be sure to check the exact terms before buying any passes. You can purchase single-use passes from United for $59, American for $79 and from Alaska for $60. Also, know that this doesn't work 100% with all the airlines, so do some online searching for recent data points.
• Allow an authorized user to put the fee credit to use on one of their flights.
• Purchase Southwest EarlyBird boarding for future Southwest flights.

Enrollment is required in advance for select benefits.

Related: The ultimate guide to getting Delta Sky Club access

Choose the right airline

If you have an Amex Platinum , you can click here to select or change your airline choice each January (you'll need to log in to access your Amex account). You also can access the airline selection screen by scrolling to your online account's "Benefits" section. Either way, you'll see that you can choose from the following airlines:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Southwest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• United Airlines

Amex has been pretty lenient about permitting airline selection changes well beyond the usual Jan. 31 deadline for those who call or use the online chat feature to ask. There's no guarantee that it will work for you, but it's worth trying if you want to change your airline later in the year and haven't used any of the credit yet.

Generally speaking, you might assume that the airline you most frequently fly with is the one to choose. However, picking your primary airline automatically isn't always the best choice. That's because many fees are waived if you have elite status or a cobranded credit card with that airline , so having credits to reimburse you for checked bag fees or seat selection with that airline may not be useful.

Instead, consider an airline with which you're likely to incur at least $200 in fees each year.

For example, imagine that you fly United most frequently and also hold elite status with that airline, but you also fly American a few times each year. In this situation, you might be better served choosing American for your airline fee credit.

You could use that credit for things like seat assignments, extra-legroom seats, bag fees, onboard drinks or food. Remember that enrollment is required in advance to use this benefit through this direct registration link .

Don't forget about budget airlines, either.

Designating a low-cost carrier as your airline of choice could be a smart strategy since they charge extra fees for amenities that come automatically with some other airlines. This includes checked and carry-on bags , seat assignments and onboard snacks and drinks. Maximizing the Amex Platinum airline fee credit should be really easy if you designate and fly on a carrier that charges a high number of add-on fees.

What's covered by the airline fee credit

Generally, the following incidental fees will be reimbursed by using the Amex Platinum credit, as long as you make these purchases separately from the airline ticket itself (so the purchase will show up as a different transaction).

However, anything not expressly an incidental fee is not guaranteed to work and could change based on how the airline codes the transactions. For example, we've recently heard that United lounge passes can be coded as airfare and thus wouldn't be likely to trigger the credit:

• Checked baggage fees
• Overweight/oversized baggage fees
• Change fees
• Phone reservation fees
• Pet flight fees
• Airport lounge daypasses and annual memberships
• Seat assignment fees
• Inflight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, etc.)
• Inflight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet)

As you can imagine, it's not difficult for many frequent travelers to use the airline fee credit in a typical year.

For example, you could select Spirit Airlines as your airline and then use the credit to purchase Big Front Seats , snacks or checked bags. Additionally, if you fly with your pet, based on the pet fees on most — but not all — airlines, you might use up your airline fee credit on just one or two flights with your pet .

If American Airlines is your selected airline, check out this post on which American Airlines expenses trigger the Amex airline fee credit . And here's a real-world look at what triggers the fee credit across more airlines .

According to the terms, the Amex Platinum airline fee credit is not applicable for the following:

• Fees charged to other card accounts (besides authorized user accounts )
• Charges that aren't separate from airline ticket payments (for example, you may pay to select seats when purchasing a ticket but that may not trigger the credit)
• Fees not charged by the cardmember's airline of choice (for example, wireless internet and fees incurred with airline alliance partners)
• Incidental air travel fees charged prior to the selection of a qualifying airline
• Airline tickets
• Mileage points purchases
• Mileage points transfer fees
• Duty-free purchases
• Award tickets

The airline must submit the charge under the appropriate merchant code and required service or product identifier for the charge to be recognized as an incidental air travel fee. The terms say to allow six to eight weeks after each charge for the statement credit to post to your account (though, in our experience, it is often faster). If the credit hasn't posted after that time, you can call the number on the back of the card to get the credit manually approved for valid charges.

Related: How long does it take to receive statement credits from Amex?

It's also worth highlighting the bullet point for "fees not charged by the cardmember's airline of choice." If you book a ticket through your preferred airline but will fly on a partner airline, expect that you won't be able to use your incidental credits.

Here's an example. Say that your preferred airline is United, you book a flight through United's website, but you will actually fly on Air Canada. When you check-in at the airport with Air Canada, checked bag fees would be charged by Air Canada — not United — so you wouldn't be able to use your Amex Platinum incidental credits here.

As with most things, there are clear-cut cases when the credit reliably does and does not work while there also are some grey areas. For example, we have heard reports that the airfare credit kicks in when you pay for a portion of a Delta ticket with a gift card and then charge the remainder to your Amex Platinum. This happens because the remaining airfare becomes an "additional collection" and triggers the reimbursement credit.

Sometimes, other small airline ticket purchases, Travel Bank reloads and even the taxes/fees also trigger the credit, as have some purchases of smaller ($50-ish) amounts of future airline travel credit.

However, those are off-label uses that could change at any time. Additionally, remember that only purchases with the airline you selected will trigger the credit.

Other Amex cards with airline fee credits

The Amex Platinum isn't the only Amex card that offers an annual airline fee credit (up to a certain amount). The following Amex cards also offer credits (advance enrollment is required):

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (up to $200)- enrollment is required

The Hilton Aspire did have a $250 airline fee credit, but it has been replaced with a $50 quarterly airline credit valid on eligible flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com.

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The details of the airline fee credit on these cards and the Amex Platinum are similar. But there's one important wrinkle for the Business Platinum Card . Business Platinum cardholders receive a 35% rebate on any points redeemed for business- or first-class travel on qualifying airlines when booked through Amex Travel (up to 1 million points back per calendar year) or when using Pay with Points to book travel on their preferred airline — the same airline associated with the $200 in annual airline incidental credits.

Related: Why I love the Amex Business Platinum's Pay With Points perk

Because of that, Business Platinum cardholders may want to select an airline for which they use points to purchase economy tickets for their annual airline credit, instead of one where they'll incur fees that the credit can offset.

Bottom line

The up to $200 Amex airline fee credit is one of those use-or-lose benefits that is only worth what you make of it.

Normally, it's pretty easy to maximize this airline fee credit if you understand how it works and have a plan for the year ahead. At this point, you should have a good understanding of what does and doesn't work for the Amex Platinum card's airline incidental credits and how you can use these credits even if you aren't traveling right away.

Official application link: Amex Platinum Official application link: Amex Business Platinum

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here . For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here .

Gen Z's credit card obsession

American Express was the ultimate boomer credit card. Not anymore.

American Express used to be your dad's card. OK, your rich dad's card. Or, fine, your rich friend's rich dad's card. But now, for a growing cohort of Gen Zers and millennials, it's their card, too. Amex has cracked the code with the youngs, and it's managed to do so without giving up its prestige image.

American Express has long been viewed as the fancy credit-card company. Its products were historically seen as being for jet-setters and the wealthy, with "wealthy" usually translating to "older." The idea wasn't that young people wouldn't use any Amex products but that they'd get initiated into the low-level ones and then eventually graduate to the most premium versions of its cards as they got better jobs, made more money, etc. Amex also wasn't broadly accepted because of its swipe fees , meaning what merchants pay every time they run a credit card. For years, customers were a lot likelier to get a no on using their Amex at any given merchant than they were when paying with a Mastercard or Visa, sometimes making the former a headache to have.

But that has started to shift. Amex has updated its benefits mix to focus on younger people with the things they might like. It has used those perks to get Gen Zers and millennials — many of whom have that "wealthy" status — to sign up for premium cards sooner rather than later. The companies' acceptance rate, at least in the US, is also much improved . You no longer have to enter a restaurant or store checking to see whether the American Express sticker is on the door. Add all this up, and Amex morphs into a popular, relatively accessible status symbol for young consumers.

The fruits of the new strategy were pretty clear in the company's first-quarter earnings presentation: Gen Z and millennial consumers made up 33% of its billed business in its consumer division, basically meaning using its products for purchases. By contrast, Gen X represented 37%, and baby boomers 31%. According to the company, millennials and Gen Z consumers made up 60% of its new customer acquisitions worldwide, and 75% of its new platinum and gold accounts were opened by millennial and Gen Z members. Those accounts come with some nice rewards — and some high accompanying fees. The gold card costs $250 a year, and the platinum $700.

"We realized that going after millennials and Gen Z was a key thing for us," Amex CEO Steve Squeri said in an April interview with Jim Cramer on CNBC. He explained that while the company used to target them with no-fee cards, it had now turned to trying to attract them with premium, high-fee cards. "With millennials and Gen Zs, what we realized is that they wanted access, they wanted experiences, they wanted to get special privileges," he said. So Amex delivered.

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Amex has implemented a number of tactics to pull off its youth revolution and cement its place as a status symbol among relatively affluent millennial and Gen Z consumers. For one thing, as Squeri alluded to, it's done some thinking about what the younger crowd wants in terms of rewards. Yes, travel points for flights and hotels are nice, but so are other benefits that have helped turn it into more of a lifestyle card than just a travel card, Michael Miller, an analyst at Morningstar Research, said. The company has folded in rewards such as credits on Uber rides, Disney streaming services, and New York Times and Wall Street Journal subscriptions. It puts money toward Saks shopping sprees and offers credits for Walmart+ memberships.

"The way they finance this is they work with the actual retailers to split the cost, and they essentially act as really high-end coupons," Miller said. "That's really how they keep the appeal and keep it luxury, by not really compromising on the price of the cards themselves."

Amex gives some of its customers special access for various events, including a chance to buy tickets early or get certain passes to the US Open and Coachella. And it sometimes gives them reserved spaces inside those events, too, keeping its reputation of exclusivity intact. I, for one, have found myself at events staring at some American Express exclusive space and trying to see whether anyone I'm with has the magic card to get us in.

"Amex is like, 'You know what? We know that this age cohort is attending Coachella. We're going to have — if you have a platinum card, you can get into the Amex tent. And we're going to have simple things that are really hard to get or expensive to access at Coachella, free water fountains, a place to kind of sit in air conditioning,'" Daisy Hernandez, the credit-cards editor at The Points Guy, said. "Those are the kinds of people who are like, 'I'm going to have this credit card because I want this extra premium access.'"

Millennials and Gen Zers, many of whom are hungry for experience over possessions, are not sleeping on the Amex travel perks, either. The platinum card, for example, offers credits on hotels and airline fees, covers the cost of a Clear Plus membership for airport security, and grants complimentary lounge access at multiple airports. It also has restaurant-reservation perks through the platform Resy.

"They haven't ditched the travel stuff at all," Miller said. "It's really more of an addition."

They're laying the groundwork for the next generation.

For many young consumers, having an Amex rewards card is sort of like having a good, varied subscription service that runs them less than $60 a month. Amex says that the platinum card's credits are worth something like $1,500 a year, which is more than double the annual fee. (Amex, of course, has a ton of cards that aren't premium and have a variety of different perks or benefits. It's a real choose-your-own-adventure situation depending on which one you might want, if you do at all.)

On American Express' part, this all makes sense. Many young consumers don't carry cash and expect to be able to put everything on their cards. The company's continued focus on high-income, high-spending customers, including Gen Zers and millennials, gives it more bargaining power with merchants who don't want to turn those consumers away. And once Amex gets those customers in the pipeline, it has a lot more time to get value out of them compared with older consumers who are closer to retirement and, you know, death.

"They're laying the groundwork for the next generation, and they feel they have a great offering and great growth potential because if you've only catered to the much older, those folks are not going to be around, potentially, in 20 years, whereas the millennial still will be," Stephen Biggar, the director of financial-institutions research at Argus Research, said.

Amex isn't alone in targeting the rich, young crowd. Chase Sapphire, for example, is giving it a run for its money with some of its offerings, namely, its Reserve card. And all consumers might want to consider the trade-offs of their pricey rewards cards. Research has found that rewards cards can be a transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich because of the high swipe fees that come with them ( though those swipe fees are coming down a little for a few years ). And even if you're not concerned about what happens to the guy paying cash behind you at the bodega, if you don't pay off your credit-card bill every month and instead carry a balance, you may not get the bang for your buck on your rewards.

All that aside, the Amex Platinum Card seems neat. Did I spend a significant part of the reporting for this story repeatedly looking up said card and trying to decide whether I should eat the fee and get one? I did. I've got some travel coming up, and the Centurion Lounge sounds nice .

Emily Stewart is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy.

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Annual Fee & Authorized User Fee – American Express Platinum

Want to know more about the annual fee for The Platinum Card ® ? Here’s an overview, plus a look at the Card’s abundance of travel and lifestyle credits, perks, and services.

Make every day a celebration. For 40 years, American Express ® Platinum Card Members have celebrated the everyday and embraced new adventures. From travel to dining to entertainment, explore all the benefits the Platinum Card has to offer to start your next journey. Learn more .

At-A-Glance

The Platinum Card by American Express has a $695 annual fee. 1

With over $1,500 in value, the Platinum Card offers a suite of elevated benefits and statement credits across travel, entertainment, and dining that can help make every day an adventure.

For example, Platinum Card Members can unlock benefits like airport lounge access, complimentary elite status at participating hotels, and special access to exclusive reservations through Global Dining Access by Resy.

The Platinum Card ® from American Express  has long been at the forefront of luxury travel, with high points multipliers and premium rewards. But did you know the Card also offers an abundance of elevated entertainment and dining benefits? Let’s take a closer look at the Platinum Card and see how it continues to go above and beyond.

How Much is The Platinum Card’s Annual Fee?

The Platinum Card has a $695 annual fee. 1 The fee is paid once a year, and the math works out to about $58 a month. At the same time, the Platinum Card can help you unlock access to over $1,500 in value. Here’s how:

• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Stay in the know with content that matters most to you. Use your Platinum Card to subscribe to one or more services on Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal and get up to $20 in statement credits each month after making eligible purchases directly from the participating partners with your Platinum Card. That's up to $240 annually to explore something new. Enrollment required.
• $200 Uber Cash: With your Platinum Card, you'll receive $15 in Uber Cash to use on eligible orders with Uber Eats and rides with Uber in the US every month plus a bonus $20 in December, delivered through an exclusive Uber app experience. That's up to $200 for Uber orders with Uber Eats and rides with Uber annually. You'll also become an Uber VIP, where available, without meeting minimum ride requirements and be matched with top-rated drivers, so that even a 5-minute trip can be a 5-star experience. (Uber Cash and Uber VIP are available to Basic Card Members only.)
• Global Lounge Collection ® : The American Express Global Lounge Collection can provide an escape at the airport, with more than 1,400 airport lounges across 650 cities in 140 countries and counting. Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with a value of over $500 when you enroll into Priority Pass Select and make multiple visits to select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges each year. The Global Lounge Collection also includes access to the Centurion Network and Delta Sky Club, subject to visit limitations. See terms.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 per calendar year in statement credits after eligible incidental fees, such as checked bags or in-flight refreshments, are charged to your Card by one qualifying airline of your choice. 2
• $100 Saks Credit: Earn up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on your Platinum Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Treat yourself to a luxury hotel stay. Card Members can receive up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid bookings at over 2,200 hand-selected hotels that are part of the Fine Hotels + Resorts ® and The Hotel Collection programs. Bookings must be made through American Express Travel and charged to your Platinum Card.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Every minute counts when you’re eager to travel. CLEAR Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Use the dedicated CLEAR Lane to confirm your identity without taking out your passport or ID – this can mean shorter lines, less waiting. Receive up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month. 3

Experience Membership Together: Adding Additional Card Members to the Platinum Card

Like all American Express Cards, the Platinum Card allows you to add Additional Card Members , commonly known as “ authorized users ,” to your account. With Additional Cards, you can extend access to select Platinum benefits. The annual fee is $195 for each Additional Platinum Card and Additional Card Members must be 13 years of age or older.

Adding Additional Card Members to your Platinum Card account can be a great way to maximize points-earning potential and extend select benefits to those you care about. If you’re the Basic Card Member (meaning you’re the primary account holder), you’ll earn rewards on your Additional Card Member’s purchases the same way you do on your own Card, so the rewards can really add up.

Additional Card Members can also share many of the same benefits, such as:

• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Complimentary elite status at select hotels
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ® fee credits

For Platinum Card Members who prefer a streamlined supplementary card, Companion Platinum Cards ® are also an option with no added annual fee. However, it’s important to keep in mind that Companion Card Members may not get all the same benefits as an Additional Card Member.

Remember: While Additional Card Members are not account owners, they are authorized to use the primary Card Member’s account. The primary Card Member is responsible for all spending activity and must pay for all charges made by Additional Card Members.

The Takeaway

The Platinum Card by American Express has a $695 annual fee that works out to about $58 a month. At the same time, the Platinum Card has over $1,500 in value across an elevated suite of benefits – on top of the traditional benefits that have kept Platinum at the forefront of luxury travel credit cards. You can also add an Additional Card Member for an annual fee of $195 or a Companion Card Member at no added cost.

Show Article Sources

1 For more on Rates and Fees for The Platinum Card ® , click here .

2 American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.

3 For more on Offer & Benefit Terms for The Platinum Card ® , click here .

Megan Doyle  is a business technology writer and researcher whose work focuses on financial services and cross-cultural diversity and inclusion.

All Credit Intel  content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express. 

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The material made available for you on this website, Credit Intel , is for informational purposes only and intended for U.S. residents and is not intended to provide legal, tax or financial advice. If you have questions, please consult your own professional legal, tax and financial advisors.

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