platinum amex travel protection

We are an independent publisher. Our reporters create honest, accurate, and objective content to help you make decisions. To support our work, we are paid for providing advertising services. Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Next” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, our site does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We strive to keep our information accurate and up-to-date, but some information may not be current. So, your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms on this site. And the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.

This page may include: credit card ads that we may be paid for (“advertiser listing”); and general information about credit card products (“editorial content”). Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Apply Now” button or “Learn More” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. When you click on that hyperlink or button, you may be directed to the credit card issuer’s website where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer. Each advertiser is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its ad offer details, but we attempt to verify those offer details. We have partnerships with advertisers such as Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Discover. We also include editorial content to educate consumers about financial products and services. Some of that content may also contain ads, including links to advertisers’ sites, and we may be paid on those ads or links.

For more information, please see How we make money .

How does the Amex Platinum’s travel insurance work?

Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money .

Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our  Hot Deals  for the latest offers.

American Express credit cards have emerged as one of the top card travel insurance options. After years of neglecting this aspect of their card benefits, they’re extremely competitive among other bank cards — particularly The Platinum Card® from American Express.

The Amex Platinum receives extra insurance less premium cards simply don’t have. Yes, it’s got a massive 100,000 point bonus after spending $6,000 in the first six months of account opening (read our post on common mistakes people make with Amex points to see how valuable they can be), but that’s a short-lived aspect of the card.

Let’s take a look at the Amex Platinum travel insurance — and learn how you can leverage the card for coverage on airfare, baggage, rental cars, and more. You can read our Amex Platinum review for a more well-rounded look at the card’s benefits.

Credit card travel protection benefits

When you pay for airfare with the best travel insurance credit cards , you can get automatic travel protection benefits at no extra charge. Chase and Amex offer fantastic features (while Citibank travel insurance is nonexistent, by the way).

Depending on the card, sometimes just paying the taxes and fees on an award flight will get you coverage. But the coverage you get can vary significantly by card. Enrollment required for select benefits.

Note: Amex stipulates that you must book with a “Common Carrier” to qualify for coverage. That just means you’ve booked an airline, a cruise ship, etc. You won’t be reimbursed if you book an under-the-table commute across Lake Okeechobee on your cousin’s fan boat.

Amex cards eligible for travel insurance

The best American Express cards are eligible for travel insurance. Here’s a table breaking down the most popular cards with the best coverage.

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (similar name but quite different from the regular Platinum card — read our Amex Business Platinum review )
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Here’s a list of the most popular cards with benefits a tier below the most premium cards:

• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Business Gold Card
• American Express® Green Card
• Business Green Rewards
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

These cards don’t come with trip cancellation or interruption, and they have lower reimbursement caps for coverages like trip delay and baggage protection.

The Amex Platinum benefits are top of the food chain. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

Trip Interruption and Cancellation Insurance

With Amex Platinum Trip Cancellation Insurance, you’re are eligible for up to $10,000 per trip (with a maximum payout of $20,000 per 12-month period) for flight cancellations occurring due to a covered reason (such as inclement weather, jury duty, injury, illness, etc.). You must pay the full ticket with your card (award flight taxes and fees and Pay With Points tickets also eligible).

Trip Delay Insurance

If your trip is delayed more than six hours for a covered reason, you’ll get up to $500 for reasonable expenses (think meals, lodging, toiletries, etc.). Again, you must purchase your trip in full with your Amex Platinum — and paying taxes & fees on award flights or Pay With Points qualifies you for coverage.

Here are some examples of eligible reasons for which Amex will compensate you:

• Equipment failure (the plane wheels fall off, the engine won’t start, etc.)
• Inclement weather
• You lose your travel documents
• Your flight is hijacked

Note that this insurance is valid for round-trip flights only . However, the Amex Platinum benefits guide states:

The period of round-trip travel may consist of roundtrip, one-way, or combinations of roundtrip and one-way tickets with Common Carrier(s).

Rental Car Insurance

The Amex Platinum comes with secondary rental car insurance. That basically means that if your rental car is damaged or stolen, it’ll cover you for any expenses that remain after your personal insurance pays for everything that it covers. Or, if you purchased rental car insurance from the rental agency, Amex Platinum insurance will scoop up the remaining costs that it won’t cover.

However , you can enroll for free in the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection program , and that does offer primary rental car insurance. You’ll pay ~$25 (~$18 for California residents, ~$16 for Florida residents) per rental for up to 42 consecutive rental days (30 consecutive rental days for Washington State cardholders). If you’re renting for a few days, this is definitely worth purchasing.

Unless you’ve got any one of the best credit cards for car rentals . These come with primary rental car insurance for free.

Lost, Damaged, and Stolen Baggage Insurance

The Amex Platinum comes with various coverages in the event that your baggage is lost, stolen, or damaged by the common carrier:

• Up to $2,000 per person per trip for loss of checked baggage
• Up to $3,000 per person per trip for loss of carry-on baggage
• Up to $250 per person per trip for loss of high risk items (i.e. jewelry & electronics)
• Cap of $10,000 per trip for everyone on your itinerary.

High-risk items such as jewelry, electronic equipment, sports equipment, etc., are capped at $1,000 in total coverage. For things like cash, medical items, and contact lenses, you won’t be covered at all.

Delayed Baggage Insurance

Some cards will reimburse you in the event that your checked bags are delayed by more than six hours. If you arrive at your destination and your stuff doesn’t show up, you can go to the store and buy things to tide you over until your bag finally arrives (toiletries, clothes, and the like).

American Express completely ignores this fantastic feature. The Amex Platinum gives you none of this coverage. But read our post on the best credit card for baggage delay coverage to find a good one. This has saved me $500+ on a single trip in the past.

Premium Global Assist

 When you are at least 100 miles from home, you can call the Amex Platinum Premium Global Assist to help solve pretty much any hardship. For example:

• You can call for help finding a lost item — including luggage. Amex will pester the airline until you are satisfied
• You can tell Amex to contact a friend or family member during your trip if you can’t reach them yourself
• If you lose your wallet, you can tell Amex to cancel all your credit cards
• If you need emergency evacuation, Amex will arrange everything

Note that Amex may be able to cover your emergency expenses and transportation if you’re in an area with sub-par treatment.

Plus, if you’re in the trenches of your trip planning, they can help you iron out the tedious details. They’ll help you understand travel etiquette in the country you’re visiting, if there are any shots that are required/recommended, and tell you if you need any special visas for your trip. 

There are plenty of other things they can do, too. Their number is 1-800-345-2639.

FAQ: Things to consider with trip protection benefits

Because travel coverage is not the same across all cards, you’ll want to use the card that is best for your personal situation. Here are a few things that might factor into which card you use to pay for travel.

Will your airline elite status help if there’s a flight delay or cancellation?

Having airline elite status comes with perks that can help if you pay with a card like the Amex Platinum, which doesn’t have trip delay or cancellation insurance.

For example, some airlines offer passengers with elite status free same-day standby flights, so if your flight is delayed, you could switch to another flight without having to worry about filing a claim for a trip delay.

Similarly, if your flight is canceled, having elite status might give you a higher priority to get a seat on the next available flight. But consider if you’re traveling to a remote destination or region with unpredictable weather that it’s wise to pay with best travel insurance credit cards . If all flights are delayed or canceled, you could end up paying out of pocket for hotel rooms and necessary expenses. Having a card that gets you reimbursed is a great benefit.

Did you book an expensive cruise or tour?

Having trip interruption or cancellation insurance from a credit card can come in handy should you have to cancel an expensive trip for an eligible reason. For example, let’s say you pay for a family cruise to Alaska, but are unable to go due to a last-minute illness. If you paid with the Amex Platinum, it’s possible to get a refund for your trip up to a certain limit.

I recommend reading the terms and conditions of your card’s trip protection benefits before paying for a vacation. It’s important to know who is covered, the claims process, and the reasons you’re eligible to get a refund.

Do you have third-party travel insurance?

Many purchase travel insurance through a third-party company to cover trip delays, cancellations, and other unforeseen events. You can often bundle these coverages with a supplemental medical travel policy, which can be helpful if you’re traveling outside the U.S.

There are great resources on the web to research travel insurance policies . Keep in mind, travel insurance plans and coverage amounts can differ widely — but purchasing a third-party plan can be helpful for folks who don’t pay for a trip with a card that comes with these benefits.

Bottom line

When you pay for a trip with Amex Platinum, you’ll receive trip delay insurance, as well as trip cancellation and interruption. These insurances make the card even more enticing to use for your travel, as you’ll earn 5x Amex Membership Rewards points on airfare purchased directly from airlines or from Amex Travel . Read our post on the best ways to use Amex points to see why that’s such a big deal.

This isn’t even counting the other great perks that come with the card, like Amex purchase protection and a gigantic welcome bonus worth potentially thousands in travel. Line this card’s virtues against the wall and it’s easy to see why the American Express Platinu m card is worth it .

Have you used any of the Amex Platinum travel insurance? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments. And subscribe to our newsletter for more credit card travel techniques.

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

Joseph Hostetler

Joseph Hostetler is a full-time writer for Million Mile Secrets, covering miles and points tips and tricks, as well as helpful travel-related news and deals. He has also authored and edited for The Points Guy.

More Topics

Credit Cards

Join the Discussion!

You May Also Like

BonusTracker: Best credit card bonus offers

June 14, 2021 4

Best Hilton credit cards: Improved weekend night certificates, earning rates and more

June 12, 2021 2

Our Favorite Partner Cards

Popular posts.

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

4 Things to Know About AmEx Trip Cancellation Insurance

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

As a card issuer, American Express is well-known for its generous benefits. So whether you’re looking for statement credits , elevated earnings on dining or hotel elite status , AmEx probably has a card that’ll fit.

Among these perks is travel insurance, which can cover you when things go awry. But how does AmEx trip cancellation insurance work, and what does it cover? Let’s take a look.

1. What does American Express trip cancellation insurance cover?

AmEx has different levels of trip insurance depending on the card you hold. Its high-end cards, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express , provide the best benefits, including trip cancellation travel insurance . Terms apply.

Generally speaking, trip cancellation insurance from AmEx will cover your trip's prepaid, nonrefundable costs under eligible circumstances. The coverage maximum for reimbursement is $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per 12-month period. To be covered for trip cancellation, you’ll need to have paid the full amount of the trip with your eligible AmEx card or a combination of your card and other certificates, vouchers or miles.

Covered circumstances in which AmEx will reimburse you for trip cancellation include:

Accidental injury, sickness or loss of life concerning you, a traveling companion or a family member.

Inclement weather prevents you from traveling.

A change in military orders for either you or your spouse.

Hijacking or terrorist acts.

Jury duty or a subpoena if they cannot be postponed or waived.

If your dwelling becomes uninhabitable (e.g., your home catches fire).

Quarantine as imposed by a doctor.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

Finally, the trip must be round-trip, though the travel can consist of round-trip, one-way and open-jaw tickets . AmEx will reimburse more than your flight costs if you have a covered loss. Other types of purchases that AmEx will cover include:

Any other common carriers.

Common carriers are companies licensed to transport passengers across land, sea or air and require passengers to obtain a ticket before travel. This means rental cars, taxis, ride-share, and commuter travel services don’t qualify. However, tickets for regular bus lines, commercial airlines and standard rail lines do.

Be aware that AmEx’s trip cancellation insurance is secondary; it’ll pay out after other insurance and providers have made their payments.

» Learn more: How does credit card travel insurance work?

2. Which AmEx cards include trip cancellation insurance?

We’ve already mentioned The Platinum Card® from American Express as one that provides trip cancellation insurance, but there are plenty of others that do so as well.

These include both consumer and small business cards, such as the:

Business Centurion Card from American Express.

Centurion Card From American Express.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card .

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card .

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card .

The American Express Platinum Card for Schwab.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express .

The Corporate Platinum Card.

The Platinum Card from American Express for Ameriprise Financial.

The Platinum Card from American Express for Goldman Sachs.

The Platinum Card from American Express for Morgan Stanley.

The Corporate Centurion Card from American Express.

Terms apply.

Other AmEx cards have different types of travel insurance , including trip delay reimbursement, rental car insurance and lost luggage compensation.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

3. Who is covered?

When using your eligible AmEx card to pay for your travel, you’re not the only person covered by trip cancellation insurance. These benefits likewise cover you, your family members and any traveling companions.

American Express defines family members as your domestic partner, spouse or unmarried child up to the age of 19 (or under the age of 26 if your child is a full-time college student). Traveling companions are those who have made advanced arrangements with you or your family to travel together.

» Learn more: Credit cards that provide travel insurance

4. How to file a claim

To file a claim for reimbursement through AmEx’s trip cancellation insurance coverage, you’ll need to notify your benefits administrator. This must be done within 60 days of the covered loss or you’ll run the risk of your claim not being honored.

To contact your benefits administrator and open a claim, call 844-933-0648.

You’ll also need to complete the cancellation procedures for your travel provider. For example, if you’ve booked a flight with, say, Delta Air Lines, you’ll want to navigate Delta’s website to be sure that your ticket has been appropriately canceled.

You’ll then need to furnish written proof of your loss within 180 days of its occurrence. Gather various paperwork, such as:

Copies of your common carrier and travel supplier receipts.

Your card statement showing that you used your AmEx card to pay for the trip.

A copy of the travel supplier’s cancellation policy.

Proof of your covered loss; this may include military orders, a note from your physician or jury duty.

AmEx might extend the deadline for documentation up to one year after your loss if it isn't possible for you to provide it in a timely manner.

AmEx may require other paperwork depending on your situation, but you'll want to coordinate with your benefits administrator to see if this is necessary.

» Learn more: Airline travel insurance versus your credit card's

Trip cancellation insurance from AmEx recapped

AmEx's high-end credit cards provide many benefits, including the protection of trip cancellation insurance. To be eligible for coverage, you'll need to use your card to pay for a covered trip. You'll also need to have a qualifying reason for cancellation.

AmEx will pay you up to $10,000 in losses for approved claims.

All information about the Business Centurion Card from American Express, Centurion Card From American Express, The American Express Platinum Card for Schwab, The Corporate Platinum Card, The Platinum Card from American Express for Ameriprise Financial, The Platinum Card from American Express for Goldman Sachs, The Platinum Card from American Express for Morgan Stanley and The Corporate Centurion Card from American Express has been collected independently by NerdWallet. These cards are no longer available through NerdWallet.

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...

• Best Extended Auto Warranty
• Best Used Car Warranty
• Best Car Warranty Companies
• CarShield Reviews
• Best Auto Loan Rates
• Average Auto Loan Interest Rates
• Best Auto Refinance Rates
• Bad Credit Auto Loans
• Best Auto Shipping Companies
• How To Ship a Car
• Car Shipping Cost Calculator
• Montway Auto Transport Reviews
• Best Car Buying Apps
• Best Websites To Sell Your Car Online
• CarMax Review
• Carvana Reviews
• Best LLC Service
• Best Registered Agent Service
• Best Trademark Service
• Best Online Legal Services
• Best CRMs for Small Business
• Best CRM Software
• Best CRM for Real Estate
• Best Marketing CRM
• Best CRM for Sales
• Best Free Time Tracking Apps
• Best HR Software
• Best Payroll Services
• Best HR Outsourcing Services
• Best HRIS Software
• Best Project Management Software
• Best Construction Project Management Software
• Best Task Management Software
• Free Project Management Software
• Best SEO Services (2024 Rankings)
• Best Mass Texting Services 2024
• Best SEO Software 2024
• Best Email Marketing Software 2024
• Best Personal Loans
• Best Fast Personal Loans
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans
• Best Loans for Bad Credit
• Best Personal Loans for Fair Credit
• HOME EQUITY
• Best Home Equity Loan Rates
• Best Home Equity Loans
• Best Checking Accounts
• Best Free Checking Accounts
• Best Online Checking Accounts
• Best Online Banks
• Bank Account Bonuses
• Best High-Yield Savings Accounts
• Best Savings Accounts
• Average Savings Account Interest Rate
• Money Market Accounts
• Best CD Rates
• Best 3-Month CD Rates
• Best 6-Month CD Rates
• Best 1-Year CD Rates
• Best 5-Year CD Rates
• Best Jumbo CD Rates
• Best Hearing Aids
• Best OTC Hearing Aids
• Most Affordable Hearing Aids
• Eargo Hearing Aids Review
• Best Medical Alert Systems
• Best Medical Alert Watches
• Best Medical Alert Necklaces
• Are Medical Alert Systems Covered by Insurance?
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Online Therapy Platforms That Take Insurance
• Best Online Psychiatrist Platforms
• BetterHelp Review
• Best Mattress
• Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
• Best Mattress for Back Pain
• Best Adjustable Beds
• Best Home Warranty Companies
• American Home Shield Review
• First American Home Warranty Review
• Best Home Appliance Insurance
• Best Moving Companies
• Best Interstate Moving Companies
• Best Long-Distance Moving Companies
• Cheap Moving Companies
• Best Window Replacement Companies
• Best Gutter Guards
• Gutter Installation Costs
• Best Window Brands
• Best Solar Companies
• Best Solar Panels
• How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?
• Solar Calculator
• Best Car Insurance Companies
• Cheapest Car Insurance Companies (June 2024)
• Best Car Insurance for New Drivers
• Cheap Same Day Car Insurance
• Best Pet Insurance
• Pet Insurance Cost
• Cheapest Pet Insurance
• Pet Wellness Plans
• Best Life Insurance
• Best Term Life Insurance
• Best Whole Life Insurance
• Term vs. Whole Life Insurance
• Best Travel Insurance Companies
• Best Homeowners Insurance Companies
• Best Renters Insurance Companies
• Best Motorcycle Insurance

Partner content:  This content was created by a business partner of Dow Jones, independent of the MarketWatch newsroom. Links in this article may result in us earning a commission.  Learn More

American Express Travel Insurance (2024 Guide)

This page features information related to American Express credit card travel insurance benefits. The information featured in this article was collected by the MarketWatch Guides team and has not been provided or reviewed by American Express.

Alex Carver is a writer and researcher based in Charlotte, N.C. A contributor to major news websites such as Automoblog and USA Today, she’s written content in sectors such as insurance, warranties, shipping, real estate and more.

Kelly Larson is a senior editor with 14 years of experience creating and optimizing data-driven, reader-focused digital content. Kelly enjoys running and exploring the outdoors with his sons.

American Express offers free travel insurance benefits with many of its credit cards. These perks include trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage delay and car rental collision coverage, which can protect you before and during your travels booked with a qualifying Amex card.

We at the MarketWatch Guides team will provide information on American Express travel insurance benefits as well as the provider’s standard travel insurance policies available for purchase. Carefully consider your options to decide if Amex’s free travel benefits suit your needs or if you should purchase additional travel insurance coverage for your trip.

Our Thoughts on American Express Travel Insurance

American Express offers complimentary travel benefits through qualifying Amex cards when you purchase trip expenses using your card. Benefits include trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, baggage coverage, car rental and collision protection and global assist hotline services to cardholders, family members and traveling companions. American Express also offers standard travel insurance policies that non-cardholders can purchase.

We appreciate how American Express offers a unique travel benefit with car rental collision damage. Based on our research, this coverage isn’t typically included with a standard travel insurance policy. We also like how Amex’s Premium Global Assist Hotline may offer emergency medical transport and repatriation services at no cost to the cardholder. However, like most other credit cards, you will be subject to an annual fee that’s dependent on your card. In addition, not all Amex cards offer the same maximum amount of free travel benefits.

If you currently have an Amex card with travel insurance perks, we recommend comparing its travel coverage with standard plans offered by competitors. To help you choose the travel protection that best fits you, consider your unique needs when deciding on coverage.

American Express Travel Insurance vs. Amex Credit Card Complimentary Travel Insurance

In addition to its complimentary travel insurance perks offered through various credit cards, American Express offers standalone policies for purchase. Note that you can purchase the company’s travel insurance policies even if you don’t have an American Express card. You’ll find four different plans and a custom plan option, making it easy to tailor coverage to suit a variety of travelers.

Amex complimentary travel insurance benefits are best for travelers who already hold an American Express card, as they come at no extra cost to cardholders. Depending on your specific Amex card, benefits can include baggage, car rental loss and damage, trip delay, trip cancellation, trip interruption and emergency hotline benefits. Some cards, such as the Platinum and Centurion Card, may offer all available benefits. Other Amex cards may only provide one or two. Unlike Amex’s standalone travel insurance policies, its baked-in benefits for cardholders don’t include emergency medical coverage.

How To Qualify for American Express Travel Insurance

Qualifying for American Express travel insurance benefits as an Amex card member is simple. However, you will need to visit the American Express retail and travel benefits page to learn if your exact card offers any travel insurance benefits. Various personal, business and corporate Amex cards qualify for travel insurance benefits, which we’ll detail further in this article.

If you own an Amex card with travel insurance benefits, you must book any nonrefundable travel expenses using your Amex card to qualify for reimbursement. Travelers eligible for these benefits include cardholders, family members and traveling companions who purchase a covered trip using an eligible card. If you’d like more coverage than American Express offers through its travel insurance benefits, the company provides “top-up options,” which are additional coverage limits available for purchase.

If you don’t own an Amex card, you can still apply for travel coverage through Amex Travel Insurance. You can get a free policy quote online through the American Express webpage or by calling customer service and speaking with a representative.

How Does Amex Travel Insurance Work?

American Express travel insurance benefits provide various protections for qualifying cardholders, offering coverage for trip cancellation, baggage delay, car rental collision and more. Amex cardholders also receive 24/7 Global Assist Hotline or Premium Global Assist Hotline services, which provide travel and emergency assistance services if you need help during covered travels.

American Express notes that it doesn’t administer all travel benefits associated with qualifying Amex cards. New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company, covers trip delay, cancellation and interruption benefits. AMEX Assurance Company, a subsidiary of American Express, provides car rental loss, damage coverage and baggage insurance. American Express states that coverage is subject to certain terms, conditions and limitations, with coverage considered secondary to any primary coverages you may have through other companies associated with your travels.

American Express Credit Card Travel Insurance Benefits

Many American Express credit cards come with various travel insurance benefits when you book and pay for your trip expenses using your Amex card. Unlike the travel insurance policies sold through American Express, these benefits are accessible to cardholders for qualifying trips. 

The following sections offer a closer look at these coverages, including what they entail, monetary limits and which Amex cards offer each coverage.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption

Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance can reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses in two scenarios: if you need to cancel your trip for a reason covered under your policy, and if you need to cut your vacation short and return home for a covered situation. This benefit applies to all eligible travelers if you pay for your travel expenses (including flights and cruises ) using a qualifying Amex card. Note that if you book a trip with Amex Membership Reward Points, you’ll also be eligible for reimbursement.

The maximum reimbursement for trip cancellations and interruptions is the same across all Amex cards with this travel benefit. You’ll receive up to $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive months. American Express considers this coverage secondary, meaning any other applicable insurance or benefits provided through your travel supplier will apply before Amex coverage.

American Express lists accidental injuries, illnesses, acts of terrorism, unpostponable jury duty, military orders and more to be covered reasons for trip cancellation or interruption. We encourage you to carefully read through your Amex card’s specific policy terms to ensure you understand what scenarios are included and excluded from coverage.

The following Amex cards offer trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits:

• Centurion ® Card from American Express
• The Platinum Card ®
• Corporate Platinum Card ®
• The American Express Platinum Card ® for Schwab
• The Platinum Card ® from American Express for Goldman Sachs
• The Platinum Card ® from American Express for Morgan Stanley
• Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve Credit Card
• HIlton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ™ American Express ® Card
• Business Centurion ® Card from American Express
• Business Platinum Card ®
• Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve for Business Credit Card
• The Corporate Centurion ® Card from American Express

Trip delay insurance coverage provides protection when your plane, bus, train or other type of transport experiences a delay. This benefit can extend to hotel rooms, meals and other necessities while you wait for your travels to resume. Covered delays accepted by American Express include delays caused by weather, lost or stolen passports, carrier equipment failure and more. Intentional acts by the traveler are excluded from this coverage.

There are 20 different Amex cards that offer trip delay insurance. American Express determines reimbursement rates by the Amex card you hold, but the allotted claims frequency remains the same across all applicable cards — two claims per 12-month period. You must notify the administrator of your claim within 60 days of your covered loss. Cards that provide $500 per covered trip and a delay threshold requirement of six hours include:

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Cards that provide $300 per covered trip and a delay threshold requirement of 12 hours include:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy ™ American Express ® Card
• American Express ® Gold Card
• American Express ® Green Card
• Platinum Delta SkyMiles ® Credit Card
• American Express ® Business Gold Card
• Platinum Delta SkyMiles ® Business Credit Card

Baggage Delay or Loss

Baggage coverage can reimburse you for items in your travel bags if they are lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during transit. Most travel insurance companies offer plans that include this coverage, but coverage limits vary between providers. If you plan on traveling with expensive items in your luggage, you may want to consider a baggage insurance policy with high delay and loss limits.

Each Amex card offering baggage delay or loss coverage has a combined maximum payout of $3,000 per person. Carry-on baggage, checked luggage and high-end items may have different maximum limits depending on your Amex card. Regardless of your card and its limits, you must file a claim within 30 days of baggage loss.

Car Rental Collision Damage

Car rental collision damage coverage is a unique protection, as not all travel insurance providers offer it. It can cover any damage from a collision or theft incurred on a rental vehicle if you pay for the entire rental using your Amex card. Note that you need to forgo the car rental insurance offered by the rental company. Over 60 different Amex cards offer car rental loss and damage insurance, with varying reimbursement maximums depending on your card.

American Express offers two tiers of car rental loss and damage insurance: Tier 1 offers $50,000 in total coverage, and Tier 2 offers $75,000. This Amex travel benefit also provides accidental death and dismemberment, accidental injury and car rental personal property coverage for Tier 2 cards. Exclusions include drivers not named “authorized drivers” on your rental agreement, rentals lasting longer than 30 days and more.

Global Assist and Premium Global Assist Hotlines

American Express provides Global Assist and Premium Global Assist Hotlines to 73 different cards. Each type of assistance is available 24/7 to cardholders, but the assistance you qualify for depends on your card.

Global Assist Hotline services can help you prepare for your trip before leaving by offering information on customs, foreign exchange rates, passport and visa information and more. You can also benefit from lost passport or travel document replacement assistance, translation services, medical assistance and more. Note that while these services are free of charge, charges associated with third-party referrals will be your responsibility as a cardholder.

The American Express Premium Global Assist Hotline offers the same services as Global Assist, with a few extra perks. While Global Assist will provide administrative services for emergency medical transportation and repatriation of mortal remains, Premium Global Assist may offer the actual services — at no cost to the cardholder — depending on eligibility. It can also assist with medical financial coordination, which standard Global Assist doesn’t offer.

To qualify for Global Assist and Premium Global Assist benefits, you must be a cardmember in good standing with a trip originating from your U.S. billing address within the past 90 days. In addition, you must be traveling more than 100 miles from your home address. If you’re traveling to Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea or Crimea, you are ineligible for these assistance services.

Cards that provide Premium Global Assist include:

• Platinum Card ® from American Express
• Business Platinum Card ®  
• Corporate Centurion ® Card from American Express
• Corporate Platinum ® Card

American Express Travel Insurance Plans

Amex cardholders and non-cardholders alike can purchase Amex Travel Insurance plans. Similar to standard plans from providers like Seven Corners and Trawick International , these plans cover emergency medical services, trip cancellations, trip interruptions, lost or delayed baggage and more. Some coverages are also offered through Amex travel benefits, while others are unique to the company’s travel insurance policies.

Purchasing a plan is straightforward — you can either use the quote tool provided on the American Express website or contact a customer service representative for assistance. When shopping, you’ll have your choice of four plans — Basic, Silver, Gold and Platinum — in addition to a custom plan option. The next few sections provide more information on the coverage provided through American Express travel insurance policies.

Global Medical Protection

Global medical protection provides medical, dental, evacuation and repatriation coverage up to a fixed amount. Emergency medical and dental coverage is valid for the first 60 days of your trip. Emergency evacuation benefits cover the cost and help arrange emergency transportation to a capable medical facility. It also covers the cost of a visitor’s transport to a covered person’s bedside if hospitalization lasts more than five days.

Travel Accident Protection

Travel accident protection provides coverage for an accident resulting in death or dismemberment at any point during your trip, from the moment you leave home to the moment you arrive back. This coverage isn’t available with the American Express Basic travel insurance plan but comes with a Silver, Gold or Platinum plan.

24-Hour Travel Assistance

This benefit comes with every travel insurance policy purchased through American Express. It provides worldwide access to a 14-hour hotline that offers travel support before and during your trip. American Express also provides this benefit through Amex prepaid, reloadable cards.

Benefits Included With Amex Credit Card Coverage

Several coverages provided through an American Express Travel Insurance plan are also perks with qualifying Amex credit cards. However, coverage limits will vary. Whether you purchase a policy or use your Amex travel perks, it’s important to understand the limitations and restrictions outlined for each coverage.

Trip cancellation and interruption benefits can reimburse nonrefundable expenses if you need to cancel your trip before it starts or if it’s interrupted for a covered reason outlined in your policy. Coverage limits for each plan are as follows:

• Basic : Up to $1,000 in trip cancellation and interruption coverage
• Silver : Up to 100% of trip costs for cancellation and interruption coverage
• Gold : Up to 100% of trip costs for cancellation and 150% for interruption coverage
• Platinum : Up to 100% of trip costs for cancellation and 150% for interruption coverage

Global Baggage Protection

Global baggage protection offers reimbursement for lost, damaged or stolen baggage. This applies to checked baggage, carry-on baggage, or baggage on your hotel or cruise property. If your baggage is delayed, you can receive reimbursement for essential items you need replaced. Coverage limits for each plan include:

• Basic : Up to $250 for baggage loss and up to $100 for a 24-hour delay
• Silver : Up to $500 for baggage loss and up to $300 for a 6-hour delay
• Gold : Up to $1,000 for baggage loss and up to $300 for a 6-hour delay
• Platinum : Up to $2,500 for baggage loss and up to $500 for a 3-hour delay

Global Trip Delay

Global trip delay coverage protects delayed travel, covering lodging, meals and other necessary expenses. Covered travel scenarios include overbooked flights, missed flight connections and delayed or canceled flights . Included coverage limits are:

• Basic : Not included
• Silver : Up to $150 per day, maximum of $500 per trip
• Gold : Up to $150 per day, maximum of $750 per trip
• Platinum : Up to $300 per day, maximum of $1,000 per trip

How To File a Travel Insurance Claim With American Express

If you’ve purchased an American Express Travel Insurance policy and need to file a claim, you can contact your administrator in three ways. You can use the claims phone number or address found in your Certificate of Insurance/Policy or the claims portal through the American Express website. If you cannot locate your Certificate of Insurance or Policy, you can email the company to request an additional copy.

During your travels, keep track of any receipts, police reports, medical bills and other documents you might need to provide in the event of a claim. The exact documents required will depend on the benefit for which you’re filing a claim. American Express directs policyholders to your Certificate of Insurance/Policy for specific information. Still, it also notes that the company’s claims department will share the documents needed to validate your claim. Note that American Express outlines specific time requirements for filing a claim within your policy, with requirements varying by coverage.

Should You Get an American Express Credit Card For Travel Insurance?

Signing up for an American Express credit card for travel insurance benefits is a personal decision, but it’s not your only option. You can purchase a policy through American Express Travel Insurance or another standard insurer, such as Travelex or Faye , without taking on the responsibility of a new credit card. Benefits offered through Amex travel perks or their standard travel insurance policies may not suit your coverage needs, as the company lacks cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage and other protections provided by other insurers.

If you already have an Amex card and feel the travel perks provided satisfy your needs, booking your vacation with your card is all you need to do to enjoy these benefits. However, whether you have an American Express card or another card with travel insurance perks, we encourage you to gather multiple quotes while considering your travel needs, budget and expectations before purchasing a policy. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does american express travel insurance cover family members.

Yes, American Express travel benefits can provide coverage for cardholders, family members and traveling companions who purchase a covered trip using an eligible card. American Express Travel Insurance policies cover travelers enrolled when you buy your plan.

How long do you have to claim American Express travel insurance?

American Express outlines specific time requirements for filing a claim within your policy, but these time requirements vary by coverage type. Consult your policy documents or contact a customer service representative for more information on claim time constraints.

What trip cancellation reasons are covered?

Trip cancellation reasons covered under an American Express Travel Insurance policy include unexpected sickness or injury of the covered person or family member, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, labor disputes or strikes affecting travel services, or the unexpected job termination of a covered person.

Do I need separate travel insurance if I have a credit card?

If you have a credit card offering travel insurance benefits and are satisfied with the coverage, you may not need a separate travel insurance policy. However, if you’d prefer higher coverage limits or specialty protections like CFAR coverage or an adventure sports waiver, it may be worth gathering quotes from reputable travel insurance providers.

Methodology: Our System for Rating Travel Insurance

• A 30-year-old couple taking a $5,000 vacation to Mexico.
• A family of four taking an $8,000 vacation to Mexico.
• A 65-year-old couple taking a $7,000 vacation to the United Kingdom.
• A 30-year-old couple taking a $7,000 trip to the United Kingdom.
• A 19-year-old taking a $2,000 trip to France.
• A 27-year-old couple taking a $1,200 trip to Greece.
• A 51-year-old couple taking a $2,000 trip to Spain.
• Plan availability (10%): We look for insurers with a variety of travel insurance plans and the ability to customize a policy with coverage upgrades.
• Coverage details (29%): We review the baseline coverage each company offers in its cheapest comprehensive plan. A provider with robust coverage earns full points, including baggage delay and loss, COVID-19 coverage, emergency evacuation and medical coverage, trip delay and cancellation coverage, and more. Companies also receive points for offering a variety of policy add-ons like accidental death and dismemberment, extreme sports, valuable items, cancel for any reason coverage and more.
• Coverage times and amounts (34%): We compare each company’s waiting periods and maximum reimbursement amounts for baggage, travel and weather delays. Companies that offer customers reimbursement after fewer than 12 hours of delays earn full points in this category. We also reward travel insurance providers that cover more than 100% of trip costs in the event of cancellations or interruptions.
• Company service and reviews (17%): We look for indicators that a company is well-prepared to respond to customer needs. Companies with an established global resource network, 24/7 emergency hotline, mobile app, multiple ways to file a claim and concierge services score higher in this category. We assess reputation by evaluating consumer reviews, third-party financial strength and customer experience ratings, specifically from AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

For more information, read our full travel insurance methodology.

A.M. Best Disclaimer

If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at  editors@marketwatchguides. com .

Amex Platinum card review: High annual fee with loads of perks

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

The Platinum Card® from American Express overview

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the top premium travel rewards cards on the market. As a cardmember, you'll earn valuable Membership Rewards points, receive over $1,500 in annual statement credits (as long as you can take advantage of them) as well as access to an extensive network of airport lounges worldwide. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Nowadays, it seems every bank, airline and hotel offers a premium travel rewards card . But for a long time, The Platinum Card from American Express was the only premium rewards card on the market. With its sleek design and hefty metal weight, there was a bit of prestige attached to being an Amex Platinum cardholder.

That still exists, even though a few competitors in the luxury card category have emerged in recent years, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card . When you stack them up against one another, the Amex Platinum shines in ways the others don't. Then again, it falls flat in some areas, too.

The Amex Platinum has undergone significant changes in recent years and carries a steep $695 annual fee (see rates and fees ) — one of the highest on the market. That's why people often ask whether the Amex Platinum is still worth the annual fee , even with the new perks.

The recommended credit score for this card is above 690 and it ranks as one of the best travel cards , but that doesn't mean it's right for every traveler.

Let's dig into the details and benefits to see whether having the Amex Platinum in your wallet makes sense for you.

Amex Platinum pros and cons

Amex platinum welcome offer.

The current welcome bonus for the Amex Platinum is 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. This is slightly above the standard welcome offer we have seen.

THE POINTS GUY

According to TPG's latest monthly valuations , Amex Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, making this bonus worth $1,600. That's nearly three times the card's $695 annual fee.

Amex sometimes offers up to 150,000 points to targeted individuals through other channels — like the CardMatch tool , so it's worth checking out if you're targeted. Just remember that offers are subject to change at any time and are not necessarily available to everyone.

Related: How to redeem Membership Rewards points for maximum value

Amex Platinum benefits

What truly sets The Platinum Card from American Express apart is the fact that it confers so many valuable best perks and travel benefits. Let's take a look:

• Up to $200 in statement credits annually for incidental fees charged by one airline you select*
• Up to a $200 annual hotel credit , in the form of a statement credit, on prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with Amex Travel when you pay with your Amex Platinum (Hotel Collection stays require a two-night minimum)*
• Up to $200 annually in Uber Cash , valid on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S. (split into monthly $15 credits plus a $20 bonus in December)*
• Up to $189 in statement credits to cover your Clear Plus annual membership *
• Up to $240 in annual digital entertainment credit — with the exception of SiriusXM, which will be removed effective May 8 and no longer be eligible for this benefit — disbursed as up to $20 monthly statement credits when you pay for eligible purchases with the Amex Platinum at eligible partners*

• Up to $300 in annual Equinox credit on Equinox gym and Equinox+ app memberships (subject to auto-renewal)*
• Up to a $155 statement credit that covers the cost of a monthly Walmart+ membership when paying with the Amex Platinum (on one membership, subject to auto-renewal); Plus Up excluded.
• A $100 statement credit for Global Entry every four years or an up to $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every 4½ years (depending on which application fee is charged to your card first)
• Up to a $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit , split into two up to $50 statement credits between January and June, then July through December*
• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection , including Centurion Lounges , Priority Pass lounges, Airspace lounges, Escape lounges, Plaza Premium lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (when traveling on same-day Delta flights; Effective February 1, 2025: Eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight)*
• Complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy *
• Complimentary car rental status : Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President's Circle, Avis Preferred Plus and National Emerald Club Executive*
• Access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection
• If your trip is delayed by more than six hours because of a covered reason, you may be eligible to be reimbursed up to $500 per covered trip for reasonable additional expenses**
• If you need to cancel or interrupt your trip because of a covered reason, you may be eligible for reimbursement of up to $10,000 per covered trip**
• Extended warranty benefit extends eligible manufacturer's warranties of five years or less by up to one additional year***
• Purchase protection protects recent purchases against theft, accidental damage or loss for up to 90 days from the purchase date***
• Terms apply to the benefits listed

Even if you can use just a handful of these perks, it's easy to cover most (or all) of the Amex Platinum's annual fee.

Here's how TPG director of content Nick Ewen describes it:

"I have no use for some benefits of the Amex Platinum, and others (like Walmart+) I utilize just because they're there. However, I always max out the digital entertainment credit ($240). I also easily use all $200 in Uber credits and all $200 in airline statement credits annually. In other words, just three of these perks put $640 back in my pocket every year. As a result, I think of it as paying $55 for all of the other benefits on the card — and that makes it a no brainer to keep in my pocket."

Your exact situation may vary, but crunch the numbers to see how much real-life value you can get from the card.

* Enrollment is required for select benefits.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

***Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Related: How to maximize benefits with the Amex Platinum

Earning points on the Amex Platinum

With the Amex Platinum, you'll earn 5 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly with the airlines or through the Amex Travel portal (on up to $500,000 of airfare purchases per calendar year). Plus, you'll earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel .

These 5-point categories are an excellent way to earn lots of Membership Rewards points. Based on TPG valuations , earning 5 points per dollar provides a 10% return.

All other purchases earn just 1 point per dollar, but Platinum cardmembers are eligible for targeted Amex Offers that could boost earning rates at various merchants (including Amazon ).

Related: The ultimate guide to saving money with Amex Offers

Redeeming points on the Amex Platinum

Membership Rewards points are one of the most valuable and flexible loyalty currencies ever created for redeeming points. The best way to maximize your points is to transfer them to one of their loyalty program partners.

You can also use your Membership Rewards points to book travel directly through American Express Travel. But if the personal Amex Platinum is the only Amex card in your inventory, using points for airfare and hotel redemptions this way won't get you amazing value.

You'll get only 1 cent per point when you redeem the points directly for airfare at Amex Travel and less than 1 cent per point when redeeming for hotel rooms.

From my experience, 9 out of 10 times, you should never redeem Membership Rewards points for flights through American Express Travel, as you will get much better value utilizing transfer partners .

However, suppose you also have The Business Platinum Card® from American Express . In that case, you'll get one of the very best direct point redemptions available . This results from the 35% points rebate for first- and business-class flights on any airline plus economy flights on your selected airline (up to 1 million bonus points back per calendar year).

Related: Here are 9 of our favorite ways to use Amex Membership Rewards points

Transferring points on the Amex Platinum

Each Membership Rewards point is worth 2 cents, thanks largely to the program's airline and hotel transfer partners . Those include at least one helpful option in each major airline alliance ( SkyTeam , Star Alliance and Oneworld ).

Transferring your points to the right airline or hotel program is usually the best way to maximize your Membership Rewards points value.

Here's how TPG senior editor Matt Moffitt likes to transfer and redeem his Membership Rewards points:

"I look out for transfer bonuses to maximize my points to book long-haul business-class flights. I often transfer to Iberia Plus for lie-flat seats to Madrid. Sometimes, I'll transfer to Qantas Frequent Flyer to secure hard-to-find business- or first-class flights back to Australia."

Which cards compete with the Amex Platinum?

Some other compelling premium credit cards go head-to-head with the Amex Platinum:

• If you want a slightly lower annual fee: Try the Chase Sapphire Reserve , which comes in at a $550 annual fee but offers a $300 travel credit and some of the best travel protections available . However, it can't beat the Amex Platinum when it comes to perks such as lounge access and hotel benefits. For more information, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve .
• If you want a much lower annual fee: Capital One's premium rewards card, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , packs a punch and comes with a more affordable $395 annual fee (see rates and fees ). The Venture X is potentially more lucrative than the Amex Platinum when it comes to earning, accruing 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel and an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on everything else. For more information, read our full review of the Venture X .

For additional options, check out our full list of the best cards for travel rewards and lounge access .

Read more: The best premium credit cards: A side-by-side comparison

Bottom line

If you can take full advantage of more than $1,500 in annual statement credits yearly, The Platinum Card from American Express is one of the most compelling rewards cards, especially if you travel enough to make the hotel statuses and lounge benefits useful or shop enough to get substantial value from the shopping protections .

The Amex Platinum's $695 annual fee is steep, but the various annual credits can recoup the entire cost (and more), even before considering the card's other perks.

Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express

Check the CardMatch tool to see if you're targeted for a 150,000-point Platinum Card offer (after meeting minimum spending requirements). These offers are subject to change at any time.

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

• Best Overall
• Best for No-Annual-Fee

Best for Independent Hotel Purchases

• Best for Beginners
• Best for Everyday Spending
• Best for Students
• Best Premium Travel Card for Affordability
• Best for Dining and Groceries
• Best for Travel Insurance
• Best for Luxury Travel Benefits
• Why You Should Trust Us

Best Travel Credit Cards of June 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews .

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card, Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

• Best overall travel credit card : Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best travel credit card for beginners : Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Best no-annual-fee travel credit card : Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card ( rates and fees )
• Best for spending at hotels : Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card
• Best for travel rewards on everyday spending : Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
• Best travel card for students : Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students
• Most affordable premium travel credit card : Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Best travel credit card for earning travel credit on dining and groceries : American Express® Gold Card
• Best premium card for travel bonus categories : Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best for luxury travel benefits and airport lounge access : The Platinum Card® from American Express

Introduction to Travel Credit Cards

Whether you're just dipping your toe into the world of rewards credit cards or you've already flown thousands of miles on points alone, we can tell you: There's a travel credit card for everyone. There's a card if you're looking for free flights, if you're hoping for free hotel stays, or if you're just doing whatever it takes to realize your dream of an overwater bungalow. There are even no-annual-fee travel credit cards that won't cost you anything to keep.

Compare the Top Travel Credit Cards

Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. Earn 2x on all other travel purchases. Earn 1x on all other purchases.

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Earn 75,000 bonus points

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong travel coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit

If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase.

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (intro fee of 3% for the first 15 months, then 4% of the amount of each balance transfer at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time)

19.99% - 29.99% Variable

Earn 20,000 miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Versatile rewards
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases with no bonus categories to track
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Lower earning rate than some other no-annual-fee rewards cards
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Limited benefits

The VentureOne Rewards Card is a slimmed-down version of the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. It's one of the few no-annual-fee cards on the market that gives you the option to redeem miles for cash back or transfer them to travel partners.

• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase-or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Earn unlimited 5x points per dollar on hotels. Earn 4x points on airlines. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. Earn 1x on other purchases.

21.24%, 26.24%, or 29.99% Variable

Earn 60,000 bonus rewards points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip cancellation and lost baggage protection
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Airline and hotel transfer partners available
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Welcome bonus
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous cellphone protection
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Low annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Transfer partner network not as diverse or robust as competitors

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card is a true travel credit card, with benefits that rival many of the best travel rewards credit cards currently on the market. This card has a low annual fee on par with that of popular competing credit cards and Wells Fargo's newly announced Points Transfer program allows cardholders to juice maximum value from every point they earn.

Earn 5x miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2x miles on every purchase.

19.99% - 29.99% variable

Earn 75,000 miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No bonus categories to keep track of
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Includes up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Other credit cards offer higher rewards in certain categories of spending

If you want an easy, no-fuss travel rewards credit card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great fit. For a moderate annual fee, it offers plenty of value, useful benefits, and a substantial welcome bonus.

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3X points per $1 on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and EV charging stations. Earn 1X point per $1 on all other purchases.

21.24% - 29.24% variable

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn 3x points on most travel, restaurants, gas/EV charging, and supermarkets
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn 10x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked via Citi Travel
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. $100 annual hotel credit on a single stay of $500 or more
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No foreign transaction fees
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip delay/interruption benefits and lost/damaged baggage coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Has an annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Citi Travel rates often are higher than retail cost of travel

Earn unlimited 1.5 points per dollar on purchases.

• 0% intro APR for your first 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account

17.99% - 27.99% Variable

25,000 online bonus points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous welcome bonus for a student credit card
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earns flexible points you can use toward a wide variety of travel purchases
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Other travel rewards cards have higher earning rates
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Few travel-related benefits compared to other travel cards

A good student credit card should offer rewards and useful benefits to those with limited credit history and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students hits several of those notes. However, while the card is marketed to students, those without established credit may have difficulty getting approved.

• The information related to the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
• 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening (redeemed as a $250 statement credit toward travel and dining purchases)
• Unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases everywhere, no expiration on points
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fees

Earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2 miles on all other purchases.

Earn 75,000 bonus miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Excellent welcome bonus and miles earning
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Premium perks including airport lounge access and credits for certain purchases
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Visa Infinite benefits including travel and shopping protections
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. High annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Annual travel credits only apply to Capital One Travel purchases

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all other purchases.

See Pay Over Time APR

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Great rewards for dining and for shopping at US supermarkets
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Monthly statement credit for eligible dining purchases recoups some of the annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Underwhelming welcome bonus

Foodies and travelers alike will appreciate the American Express Gold's generous welcome bonus and Membership Rewards points earning. Its Uber Cash credits are useful for rides and Uber Eats, and monthly dining credits with participating merchants like GrubHub and Seamless are easy to use.

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Terms Apply.

Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

22.49% - 29.49% Variable

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual travel credit can effectively shave $300 off the annual fee if you use it
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong travel insurance
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong bonus rewards on travel and dining
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Very high annual fee

If you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.

• 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.

Best Travel Credit Card Recommendations

The best travel rewards credit cards offer valuable rewards, easy-to-use benefits, and helpful features like travel coverage. Our team of credit card experts at Business Insider chose the best options available on the market in 2024, and reviewed each one below.

Best Travel Credit Card Overall

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is our top pick for a well-rounded travel rewards credit card. Even infrequent travelers can benefit from the slew of premium perks on this card, typically found on cards with far higher annual fees. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card stands out for its travel protection benefits. When you pay for travel expenses with this card and meet certain requirements, you can request reimbursement for unexpected expenses that may arise when your flight is delayed or if your baggage is delayed or lost.

You'll also have primary rental car insurance, meaning you won't have to file claims through your personal car insurance plan or pay for coverage from the rental car company. This card also offers a 10% anniversary points bonus, and up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel purchases made through the Chase Travel℠ Portal. 

The rewards rate on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card isn't shabby either. You'll earn 5 points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 2 points on all other travel purchases; and 3 points on dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), and select streaming services. You'll earn 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are some of the easiest points to use in various ways. You can redeem them for travel directly through the Chase Travel Portal for a 25% boost in value, where 1 point will be worth 1.25 cents apiece. You can also transfer your points to Chase's airline and hotel transfer partners , which include United Airlines, Hyatt, Marriott, and many other airlines and hotel chains around the world. Cardholders can also use points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and more.  

What the experts love: High welcome bonus offer, earns bonus points on travel, dining, and online grocery purchases, you can redeem points for 1.25 cents apiece for travel or through Chase for 25% value bonus

What the experts don't love: Doesn't offer some of the travel perks you'll get with competing cards, such as airport lounge access and a statement credit for Global Entry

Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card card review

Best No-Annual-Fee Card for Earning Travel Miles

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is our top choice for a no-annual-fee travel card ( rates and fees ), and it's got many of the same perks as its bigger sibling, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

New cardholders can earn a respectable 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases within three months from account opening (worth at least $340 in travel according to Business Insider's valuations). While the card only earns 1.25 miles per dollar on most purchases (plus 5x on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel), it's still a compelling choice if an annual fee isn't for you ( rates and fees ).

You'll get the same access to Capital One's airline and hotel partners as you would with annual-fee cards, and a handful of benefits including car rental insurance***, travel accident insurance***, and purchase assurance***. This is also a solid pick if you're looking for a zero-interest credit card  with a 0% introductory APR offer, because new cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (intro fee of 3% for the first 15 months, then 4% of the amount of each balance transfer at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time), then a 19.99% - 29.99% Variable APR ( rates and fees ).

What the experts love: No annual fee, access to transfer partners, generous intro 0% APR offer

What the experts don't love: Few travel benefits, lower earning rate

Read more: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card review

The newly announced Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card earns one of the highest rates of return on hotel bookings for a credit card that isn't co-branded with a specific hotel chain. 

This card has a $95 annual fee, inviting direct comparisons to two other cards on this list: The Sapphire Preferred Card , and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . In exchange, cardholders earn at least 3x on dining and travel purchases. Airline purchases earn 4x, and hotel purchases earn 5x.

Wells Fargo simultaneously announced brand-new airline and hotel partners: Choice Privileges, Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, avianca lifemiles, and British Airways Executive Club. Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card cardholders can redeem rewards at the standard redemption rate of 1 cent per point for cash back, or transfer their rewards to any of the travel partners above for additional value.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card will be available for in-person applications at select Wells Fargo bank locations on March 9, 2024. Nationwide applications open online and in person on March 20, 2024. 

Read more: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card review

Best Travel Credit Card for Beginners

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great "set it and forget it" card, in the sense that you don't have to worry about various bonus categories for earning rewards. You'll earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2x miles on all other purchases.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also offers one of the most straightforward ways to redeem rewards for travel: you're able to use your miles to cover recent travel purchases from your card statement, at a rate of 1 cent per mile. 

You also have the option to transfer Capital One miles *** to more than a dozen frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs, including Air Canada Aeroplan, Etihad Guest, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Capital One also added new partners including British Airways and Turkish Airlines, and improved the transfer ratio to 1:1 for most partners. 

The selection of transfer partners is best suited to someone who wants to travel internationally and who doesn't mind spending some time researching the best ways to redeem miles with the different frequent flyer program options. But the upside is that you can always use your miles to cover your travel purchases. You also get up to a $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit.

What the experts love:  The ability to use your miles to cover your recent travel expenses; it earns at least 2 miles per dollar on every purchase.

What the experts don't love: Other cards offer higher rewards on certain spending categories such as travel and dining.

Read more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review

Best Travel Rewards on Everyday Spending

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card isn't as flashy or well-known as some other travel cards, but that doesn't mean you should overlook it, especially if you spend a lot on its bonus categories. Cardholders earn an impressive 3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Along with a solid welcome bonus offer of 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening (worth $1,200 based on Business Insider's valuations), you'll receive $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through thankyou.com once per calendar year.

While it isn't the best for travel protections, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is the only card currently available to new applicants that unlocks the ability to transfer your ThankYou points to Citi's full list of airline and hotel partners , including JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, and Wyndham.

What the experts love:  Strong rewards earning in useful everyday categories, access to Citi's transfer partners

What the experts don't love: Lack of travel protections like car rental insurance, few travel perks compared to similar rewards cards

Read more: Citi Strata Premier℠ Card review

Best Travel Card for Students

The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is a fairly unique offering, as there aren't many student credit cards specifically geared toward travel. New cardholders can earn 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening (redeemed as a $250 statement credit toward travel and dining purchases). That's a decent offer for a no-annual-fee card, and the earning structure is simple, too — 1.5x points per dollar on every purchase, with no bonus categories to keep track of.

There's also a 0% intro APR for your first 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account (then a 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR) which can be handy if you have big purchases (like textbooks or supplies) you want to pay for over time. 

The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is a good choice if you prefer a straightforward card without having to worry about award charts or transfer partners. It's also a safe bet if you want to use it while traveling internationally — it doesn't charge pesky foreign transaction fees, so you won't be on the hook for extra charges if you use it overseas.

However, you won't find many extras — like travel benefits or purchase protections — with this card. If you're looking for better benefits, be sure to check out our guide to the best student credit cards for all the top options.

What the experts love: Impressive welcome bonus offer for a student credit card, good flat-rate rewards earning

What the experts don't love: No flashy extra perks or shopping benefits

Read more: Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students review

Most Affordable Premium Travel Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was unveiled in late 2021 and offers a massive welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening — worth at least $1,275 in travel, based on Business Insider's valuation of Capital One miles .

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is loaded with premium benefits that can more than offset the $395 annual fee ( rates and fees ). For context, the Venture X's annual fee, while high, is significantly lower than other premium travel card competitors.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card cardholders receive $300 per year in credits toward travel booked through Capital One, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One airport lounge access (even for authorized users), a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary (worth $100 in travel), and Visa Infinite travel and purchase benefits.

As with other cards that earn Capital One miles , you can transfer rewards to over a dozen airline and hotel partners to book award travel, or use miles to book through the Capital One Travel Portal .

What the experts love:  Between $300 a year in travel credit and a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary, you can offset the annual fee entirely — and that's not even considering other benefits like lounge access.

What the experts don't love:  The $300 travel credit is more restrictive than other cards' — it only applies to travel booked through Capital One.

Read more: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review

Best for Earning Travel Credit from Dining and Groceries

The American Express® Gold Card is an ideal travel card for anyone who frequently eats out and/or shops at U.S. supermarkets. You'll earn 4x Amex Membership Rewards points on these purchases (though note the $25,000 calendar year annual cap for U.S. supermarkets; after that, you'll earn just 1 point per dollar, but that's a pretty high cap). The card also earns 3x points on flights booked directly with the airlines or through AmexTravel.com, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

While the $250 annual fee is on the high side, you can offset it thanks to an annual statement credit. You can get up to $120 in annual dining credits**, but it's divided into up to $10 in credits each month, and the credit only applies at select restaurants and delivery services, including Grubhub, Seamless, Milk Bar, Wine.com, and Goldbelly, and participating Shake Shack locations.

You'll also get up to $120 Uber Cash ($10 per month) credit each calendar year (this is only applicable to U.S. Eats orders and rides, and the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit).

What the experts love: "4x points on restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1x) is great — usually, a card favors one or the other," says Rathner. Plus, the card offers monthly dining credits.

What the experts don't love: Wilson notes that other cards offer similar benefits for a lower annual fee, and Rathner notes that the card's travel and dining credits come with some important limitations — so read the fine print. 

Read more: American Express® Gold Card review

Best Premium Card for Travel Insurance and Bonus Categories

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee, which means it's not for everybody, but if you're serious about maximizing your rewards and you travel frequently, it could be worth it. It offers a bonus of 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. 

Not only do you get up to $300 in statement credits toward travel each year (and Chase has a very generous definition of travel — including everything from airfare to highway tolls), but you also earn 5x total points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding the $300 travel credit) and 3x points on all other travel and dining. You also get airport lounge access through the Priority Pass network , which has more than 1,300 locations worldwide.

New benefits also include access to Chase Sapphire lounges in JFK , LaGuardia , Boston , and Hong Kong, as well as the Chase Sapphire Terrace at Austin Airport . You'll also receive benefits with DoorDash  and Instacart that can save you money on delivery (activation required).

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is currently offering cardholders two years of complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership (valued at $199 per year) for member-exclusive pricing, priority pickup, and more (activation required). 

When it comes to redeeming points, you can book travel through Chase and get 1.5 cents per point (a 50% bonus over the standard 1-cent-per-point rate), or you can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards to travel partners like Hyatt, British Airways, and United.

Plus, like the less-expensive Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers some of the best credit card travel insurance around. This includes primary car rental insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation protection, and lost baggage insurance.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card was previously our pick for the best travel card overall, before the annual fee increased from $450 to $550. While the Reserve did add some additional benefits, the Reserve no longer makes as much sense for casual travelers. As a result, we now recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as the best travel credit card for most people. 

What the experts love:  Earns 3x points on travel and dining purchases made outside of Chase Travel Portal, annual $300 travel credit, points are worth 1.5 cents apiece for travel booked through Chase

What the experts don't love: You have to squeeze every drop of value out of this card to make that jaw-dropping $550 annual fee worth your while.

Read more: Chase Sapphire Reserve® review

Best for Luxury Travel Benefits and Airport Lounge Access

The Platinum Card® from American Express has one of the highest rewards card annual fees —  $695 — but it can still be well worth it if you can put all of its statement credits and generous welcome bonus offer to use.

You'll earn 5x points on flights when you book directly through the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year), which makes the card a great choice for purchasing airfare. The card offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance, plus some of the best purchase protection, so it's a good option for buying expensive items (and don't forget to see if you can take advantage of an Amex Offer ** for bonus points or cash back).

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers more airport lounge access than any other personal travel card — in addition to Priority Pass membership**, you get access to Amex Centurion Lounges , Delta Sky Clubs (when you're flying Delta), and more. 

The card's annual statement credits can go a long way toward offsetting the high annual fee. You get up to $200 in statement credits toward airline incidental fees** like checked bags and inflight purchases; up to $100 each year in credit toward Saks Fifth Avenue purchases**; and up to $200 in annual Uber credits (including Uber Eats)**. 

Just keep in mind that you're limited to one designated airline you choose each year in your Amex account for the airline incidental fee credit, and both the Saks and Uber credits are divided into portions. You'll get up to $50 in statement credits toward Saks purchases from January to June, and another credit of up to $50 for Saks purchases from July to December.

With the Uber credit, you get up to $15 each month, and a $20 bonus in December for a total of $35 that month.

What the experts love:  Lots of luxury benefits, including airport lounge access and statement credits with Uber and Saks

What the experts don't love: This card's $695 annual fee, and minimal bonus categories

Read more: The Platinum Card® from American Express review

How to Choose the Best Travel Credit Card

While it takes more effort to redeem points or miles compared to cash back, the upside is that you can get much more value for your points compared to simply cashing in your rewards for a statement credit or check at a rate of 1 cent per point.

In fact, it's possible to receive double, triple, or even more than that amount when you're strategic about how you redeem your rewards, particularly if you book expensive luxury hotels or first-class flights. 

In this guide, we've focused mostly on the best travel credit cards that earn transferable points. Transferable points include popular currencies such as:

• Amex Membership Rewards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Citi ThankYou Rewards
• Capital One miles

You can transfer these points to both airline and hotel partner loyalty programs. You can even redeem your points to offset the cash price of your travel at a flat rate.

Travel Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions

If you want a single credit card that does it all and don't mind paying a generous annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a great choice. It comes with the best travel insurance available on the market, as well as a $300 travel credit each year that can be used on most types of travel.

The best travel credit card overall is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, but the best card for your particular situation will depend on what benefits you care about the most, as well as how you feel about paying a high annual fee. 

We'd recommend opening a travel card that earns Amex or Chase points, because these are among the easiest rewards to redeem and you have various travel partners to utilize. But if you've investigated your options and are confident that you can get value out of their rewards, credit cards that earn Capital One miles or Citi ThankYou points can make sense as well.

There are two main types of travel credit cards: Cards that earn transferable points, and airline/hotel co-branded credit cards. Transferable points currencies include Amex Membership Rewards points, Capital One miles, and Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Airline credit cards and hotel credit cards earn points or miles within a respective hotel or airline program; you don't have the option to redeem your rewards with a wide variety of travel partners (or if you do, the transfer ratio usually isn't great).

To pick the right travel credit card for you, you'll want to evaluate its welcome bonus offer, ease of use, benefits, and annual fee. The best one for you will ideally have a combination of an attractive sign-up bonus , lots of options for earning and redeeming rewards, benefits that save you money, and a low or no annual fee.

Travel credit cards with annual fees are worth it if you're able to get significant value out of their benefits and rewards. Before you apply for a card , make sure you'll actually use all the features that contribute to the card's annual fee. For example, if a card offers an annual statement credit of up to $200 toward travel but you can't use it, you're probably not getting what you pay for.

Travel credit cards work by earning you points (or miles) on every purchase you make, with the goal of helping you earn enough rewards to book free travel . The best travel cards earn points that you can transfer to various airline and hotel partners — like Amex, Chase, or Citi points. 

A great way to work toward getting a free flight is by applying for a travel credit card and earning its welcome bonus offer. Domestic award flights in economy class typically require about 25,000 points, so depending on the welcome bonus offer, you could have enough rewards for a flight right out of the gate. 

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Travel Credit Cards

Business Insider evaluated dozens of travel credit cards currently available to new applicants and narrowed down the list to the best options based on the following factors:

• Welcome bonus offer — Do new cardholders get a valuable incentive to sign up and meet a minimum spending requirement?
• Ongoing rewards — How many points or miles do you earn on your purchases?
• Benefits — Beyond rewards, does the card offer valuable perks such as statement credits for travel, primary car rental insurance, and airport lounge access?
• Annual fee — Is there an annual fee, and if so, is it affordable or easy to offset with card perks?
• Overall value — Does the card justify its annual fee by offering useful benefits and valuable rewards, and is it worth it?

Read our guide to how we rate credit cards for a closer look at our methodology.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

• Main content

Amex Business Platinum benefits guide

Advertiser disclosure.

We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence.

Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.

• Share this article on Facebook Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter Twitter
• Share this article on LinkedIn Linkedin
• Share this article via email Email

• Connect with Holly D. Johnson on Twitter Twitter
• Connect with Holly D. Johnson on LinkedIn Linkedin

• • Building credit
• • Credit card debt
• Get in contact with Liza Carrasquillo via Email Email

The Bankrate promise

At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for how we make money . The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

At Bankrate, we have a mission to demystify the credit cards industry — regardless or where you are in your journey — and make it one you can navigate with confidence. Our team is full of a diverse range of experts from credit card pros to data analysts and, most importantly, people who shop for credit cards just like you. With this combination of expertise and perspectives, we keep close tabs on the credit card industry year-round to:

• Meet you wherever you are in your credit card journey to guide your information search and help you understand your options.
• Consistently provide up-to-date, reliable market information so you're well-equipped to make confident decisions.
• Reduce industry jargon so you get the clearest form of information possible, so you can make the right decision for you.

At Bankrate, we focus on the points consumers care about most: rewards, welcome offers and bonuses, APR, and overall customer experience. Any issuers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide to consumers at each of these levels. At each step of the way, we fact-check ourselves to prioritize accuracy so we can continue to be here for your every next.

Editorial integrity

Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy , so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.

Key Principles

We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers.

Editorial Independence

Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.

How we make money

You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.

Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.

We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.

Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home lending products. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range, can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.

Key takeaways

• The Business Platinum Card from American Express offers a wide range of benefits, including a slew of travel benefits and purchase protection benefits.
• The card also offers different kinds of insurance and multiple business statement credits.
• These benefits can make the steep annual fee worth it, but there’s a lot of fine print you have to pay attention to if you’re going to take advantage of them.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is considered one of the top premium credit cards for small business owners and entrepreneurs. This is partly due to the fact that cardholders can earn American Express Membership Rewards points, which are incredibly valuable and versatile. However, the Amex Business Platinum also offers a range of important benefits that can help users save money on business-related purchases, and even on credit card interest for the first year.

If you’re considering this business credit card from Amex , you’ll want to make sure you can get plenty of value in exchange for its $695 annual fee. Fortunately, the card’s welcome offer, ongoing rewards, Amex Business Platinum travel benefits and statement credit offers more than make up for this fee — especially in the first year.

Amex Business Platinum benefits highlights

Before we explain how Amex Business Platinum benefits work, here’s a rundown of this card’s current offer, including details on its welcome bonus, ongoing rewards rate, introductory APR and more:

• Welcome offer  — 150,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within three months of account opening.
• Rewards  — 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com, 2X points on prepaid rental cars booked through AmexTravel.com, 1.5X points per dollar spent (on up to $2,000,000 per calendar year) on purchases of $5,000 or more on select category purchases, 1X points on all other purchases

Amex Membership Rewards points are incredibly flexible, so you can use them in more than one way. For example, you can redeem Amex points for gift cards or merchandise, or you can use them to pay for purchases as you shop. You can also redeem your rewards for travel directly through the Amex travel portal , and you can transfer them to Amex travel partners, including Air France / Flying Blue, Delta SkyMiles, the Hilton Honors program, Marriott Bonvoy and more.

It’s also important to note that points earned in the American Express Membership Rewards program can be worth up to 2 cents each when transferred to travel partners and used for premium redemptions.

With the 35 percent Airline Bonus points feature offered by the Amex Business Platinum, you can get 42,000 points back when you use your points to pay for airfare through amextravel.com. That would be a value of up to $840.

Travel perks and statement credits

The Amex Business Platinum offers a ton of benefits for cardholders who travel often for business or for leisure.

Global Lounge Collection access

$200 credit for airline incidentals, $189 clear® plus credit, 35% airline bonus, fee credit for global entry or tsa precheck membership, amex business platinum hotel benefits, amex business platinum car rental benefits, travel insurance benefits.

Business owners who choose the Business Platinum Card from American Express also receive some complimentary travel insurance protections when they pay for travel on a common carrier with their business card.

Baggage insurance plan

Secondary auto rental coverage, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, benefits for business.

In addition to all the Amex Business Platinum travel benefits you can qualify for, there are several business-related perks and statement credit offers available.

Up to $400 in Dell credits

Up to $360 in indeed credits, up to $150 in adobe creative solutions credits, up to $120 in wireless credits, security and protection benefits.

There are plenty of Amex Business Platinum additional card benefits to be aware of, including perks that help you save money when your most expensive purchases break down or become lost or stolen.

Cellphone insurance

Extended warranties, purchase protection, how to maximize the benefits offered by the amex business platinum.

When it comes to the Business Platinum Card from American Express, or really any American Express credit card , you’ll want to pay extremely close attention to the fine print. That’s because Amex tends to create quite a few hoops for members who want to use their perks. This doesn’t mean Amex Business Platinum benefits aren’t worth it; you just need to know the rules ahead of time so you can follow them.

As an example, the $200 airline incidental credit only applies to purchases made with an airline you select. Not only that, but you have to go out of your way to select an airline each year you have the card, and you can only change your selected airline once per year during the month of January.

You’ll also notice the 35 percent airline bonus only applies to either first and business class flights, or any fare with this same selected airline. This means other airline purchases won’t earn these bonus points unless you’re flying first or business class, so you could be stuck having to choose between a flight you really want and the one that will earn bonus points back.

Also, note all the business statement credit offers from companies like Dell, Indeed and Adobe Creative Solutions require enrollment ahead of time. If you forget to enroll before you make eligible purchases, you won’t get any money back.

The bottom line

Amex Business Platinum benefits can easily be worth thousands of dollars. After all, the card’s business statement credits alone are worth up to $1,030 if you use all of them, and Priority Pass Select membership has a retail value of $429. Add in the $200 airline incidental credit, the $189 CLEAR credit and the up to $100 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck you receive, and you’re already at $1,938 in value before you even get to your rewards.

This is part of the reason the Amex Business Platinum is often well worth its annual fee . With plenty of statement credit offers and travel perks, plus rewards points that can be worth up to 2 cents each, among the top business credit cards , this one is hard to beat.

Why I love the Amex Business Platinum Card

Why small businesses should consider the Amex Business Platinum

10 things to do when you get the Amex Business Platinum Card

The Platinum Card from American Express vs. The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Is the American Express Business Platinum worth it?

American Express Business Platinum Credit Card Review

• Auto Insurance Best Car Insurance Cheapest Car Insurance Compare Car Insurance Quotes Best Car Insurance For Young Drivers Best Auto & Home Bundles Cheapest Cars To Insure
• Home Insurance Best Home Insurance Best Renters Insurance Cheapest Homeowners Insurance Types Of Homeowners Insurance
• Life Insurance Best Life Insurance Best Term Life Insurance Best Senior Life Insurance Best Whole Life Insurance Best No Exam Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance Best Pet Insurance Cheap Pet Insurance Pet Insurance Costs Compare Pet Insurance Quotes
• Travel Insurance Best Travel Insurance Cancel For Any Reason Travel Insurance Best Cruise Travel Insurance Best Senior Travel Insurance
• Health Insurance Best Health Insurance Plans Best Affordable Health Insurance Best Dental Insurance Best Vision Insurance Best Disability Insurance
• Credit Cards Best Credit Cards 2024 Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Best Rewards Credit Cards Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards Best 0% APR Credit Cards Best Business Credit Cards Best Credit Cards for Startups Best Credit Cards For Bad Credit Best Cards for Students without Credit
• Credit Card Reviews Chase Sapphire Preferred Wells Fargo Active Cash® Chase Sapphire Reserve Citi Double Cash Citi Diamond Preferred Chase Ink Business Unlimited American Express Blue Business Plus
• Credit Card by Issuer Best Chase Credit Cards Best American Express Credit Cards Best Bank of America Credit Cards Best Visa Credit Cards
• Credit Score Best Credit Monitoring Services Best Identity Theft Protection
• CDs Best CD Rates Best No Penalty CDs Best Jumbo CD Rates Best 3 Month CD Rates Best 6 Month CD Rates Best 9 Month CD Rates Best 1 Year CD Rates Best 2 Year CD Rates Best 5 Year CD Rates
• Checking Best High-Yield Checking Accounts Best Checking Accounts Best No Fee Checking Accounts Best Teen Checking Accounts Best Student Checking Accounts Best Joint Checking Accounts Best Business Checking Accounts Best Free Checking Accounts
• Savings Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Best Free No-Fee Savings Accounts Simple Savings Calculator Monthly Budget Calculator: 50/30/20
• Mortgages Best Mortgage Lenders Best Online Mortgage Lenders Current Mortgage Rates Best HELOC Rates Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders Best Home Equity Loan Lenders Best VA Mortgage Lenders Mortgage Refinance Rates Mortgage Interest Rate Forecast
• Personal Loans Best Personal Loans Best Debt Consolidation Loans Best Emergency Loans Best Home Improvement Loans Best Bad Credit Loans Best Installment Loans For Bad Credit Best Personal Loans For Fair Credit Best Low Interest Personal Loans
• Student Loans Best Student Loans Best Student Loan Refinance Best Student Loans for Bad or No Credit Best Low-Interest Student Loans
• Business Loans Best Business Loans Best Business Lines of Credit Apply For A Business Loan Business Loan vs. Business Line Of Credit What Is An SBA Loan?
• Investing Best Online Brokers Top 10 Cryptocurrencies Best Low-Risk Investments Best Cheap Stocks To Buy Now Best S&P 500 Index Funds Best Stocks For Beginners How To Make Money From Investing In Stocks
• Retirement Best Roth IRAs Best Gold IRAs Best Investments for a Roth IRA Best Bitcoin IRAs Protecting Your 401(k) In a Recession Types of IRAs Roth vs Traditional IRA How To Open A Roth IRA
• Business Formation Best LLC Services Best Registered Agent Services How To Start An LLC How To Start A Business
• Web Design & Hosting Best Website Builders Best E-commerce Platforms Best Domain Registrar
• HR & Payroll Best Payroll Software Best HR Software Best HRIS Systems Best Recruiting Software Best Applicant Tracking Systems
• Payment Processing Best Credit Card Processing Companies Best POS Systems Best Merchant Services Best Credit Card Readers How To Accept Credit Cards
• More Business Solutions Best VPNs Best VoIP Services Best Project Management Software Best CRM Software Best Accounting Software
• Debt relief Best debt management Best debt settlement Do you need a debt management plan? What is debt settlement? Debt consolidation vs. debt settlement Should you settle your debt or pay in full? How to negotiate a debt settlement on your own
• Debt collection Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages? Can credit card companies garnish your wages? What is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?
• Bankruptcy How much does it cost to file for bankruptcy? What is Chapter 7 bankruptcy? What is Chapter 13 bankruptcy? Can medical bankruptcy help with medical bills?
• More payoff strategies Tips to get rid of your debt in a year Don't make these mistakes when climbing out of debt How credit counseling can help you get out of debt What is the debt avalanche method? What is the debt snowball method?
• Manage Topics
• Investigations
• Visual Explainers
• Newsletters
• Abortion news
• Coronavirus
• Climate Change
• Vertical Storytelling
• Corrections Policy
• College Football
• High School Sports
• H.S. Sports Awards
• Sports Betting
• College Basketball (M)
• College Basketball (W)
• For The Win
• Sports Pulse
• Weekly Pulse
• Buy Tickets
• Sports Seriously
• Sports+ States
• Celebrities
• Entertainment This!
• Celebrity Deaths
• American Influencer Awards
• Women of the Century
• Problem Solved
• Personal Finance
• Small Business
• Consumer Recalls
• Video Games
• Product Reviews
• Destinations
• Airline News
• Experience America
• Today's Debate
• Suzette Hackney
• Policing the USA
• Meet the Editorial Board
• How to Submit Content
• Hidden Common Ground
• Race in America

Personal Loans

Best personal loans

Auto Insurance

Best car insurance

Best high-yield savings

CREDIT CARDS

Best credit cards

Advertiser Disclosure

Blueprint is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service focused on helping readers make smarter decisions. We receive compensation from the companies that advertise on Blueprint which may impact how and where products appear on this site. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Blueprint. Blueprint does not include all companies, products or offers that may be available to you within the market. A list of selected affiliate partners is available here .

Credit cards

American Express Platinum rental car benefits guide 2024

Lee Huffman

Ashley Barnett

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

Robin Saks Frankel

Published 5:44 a.m. UTC June 3, 2024

• path]:fill-[#49619B]" alt="Facebook" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
• path]:fill-[#202020]" alt="Email" width="19" height="14" viewBox="0 0 19 14" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">

Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy .

Nuttawan Jayawan, Getty Images

Frequent travelers know that The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees ) is loaded with premium travel benefits and annual statement credits that can justify its large annual fee. The Amex Platinum’s car rental benefits include protection against theft or damage¹ and elite status perks with Avis, Hertz and National Car Rental (enrollment required).

The card’s secondary rental car coverage¹ puts it at a distinct disadvantage to other luxury travel cards that include primary rental car insurance. However, Amex cardholders can also opt for primary rental car protection for a flat fee under $25 that’s only charged once per rental period (price varies depending on coverage selection and location).

When the annual fee can be worth it: Here’s how this card holder gets every penny back from the annual fee on their Amex Platinum

Amex Platinum Card overview

The American Express Platinum Card includes a variety of premium travel benefits for luxury travelers. In exchange for its $695 annual fee, you receive more than $1,500 in value, such as annual statement credits, airport lounge access, complimentary elite status and more. Here are a few of the major perks included with this card:

• Welcome bonus: 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership.
• Earn high rewards in several areas: 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.
• Flexible redemption options: Membership Rewards points have numerous redemption options, including booking travel, cash back (via statement credit), gift cards, online shopping and more. Plus, Amex partners with nearly two dozen airlines and hotels, so you can transfer points to book award reservations through those loyalty programs.
• Global Lounge Collection: Complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges from American Express, Priority Pass (enrollment required) and more.
• Travel protections: Your trips are covered against delay², cancellation and interruption³ when using your Amex Platinum to book your reservations.

our partner

Blueprint receives compensation from our partners for featured offers, which impacts how and where the placement is displayed.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

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.

How does Amex Platinum car rental insurance work?

To receive Amex Platinum car rental insurance¹ on your reservation, you must use your card to pay for the entire rental and decline the rental company’s coverage options. This coverage also applies when redeeming Membership Rewards points to pay for some or all of the reservation.

Rental car protection¹ covers Amex Platinum cardholders, their spouse or domestic partner and any authorized drivers.

Rental car elite status

As an Amex Platinum cardholder, you and your authorized Platinum Card users receive complimentary elite status from three major rental car companies. Each program requires manual activation of these benefits, and you must use the special code when booking a rental car to receive benefits like free upgrades and discounts.

Avis Preferred

When you enroll with Avis Preferred, you’ll receive Avis Preferred Plus status. This status level includes a complimentary upgrade (when available) and additional Avis Preferred points on your reservations. To receive discounts on your rental, use your Platinum AWD discount code “A756900” and pay with your Amex Platinum Card. 

Plus, you’ll receive a free weekend offer after completing two qualifying Avis rentals in the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands within the following promotional period: January 1 – June 30 or July 1 – December 31. Terms and conditions apply.

Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Amex cardholders receive complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status with Hertz Gold Plus Rewards. As a President’s Circle member, you’ll receive a discount on the base rate, a 4-hour grace period on returns within the U.S. and guaranteed car-class upgrades on certain classes of vehicles (with at least a 24-hour advance reservation). 

You’ll receive these benefits when paying with your Amex Platinum Card and using the Amex Corporate Discount Code (CDP) “211762” on your reservation.

National Car Rental Emerald Club

When you activate benefits with National Car Rental Emerald Club, you’ll receive complimentary Executive tier status. You can choose any car within the Executive Selection area and receive automatic upgrades when a full-size through luxury car is reserved. Plus, after six qualifying rentals, you’ll receive a complimentary rental day. You can also choose to receive airline miles or hotel points from one of National’s partners on your reservations.

What does Amex car rental insurance cover?

When using your Amex Platinum car rental benefits, your rental car is insured for up to 30 consecutive days per rental agreement. Eligible vehicles are covered up to $75,000 against damage or theft of the vehicle.¹

Additionally, this protection covers you for other charges beyond vehicle damage. Rental car companies may charge drivers for loss of rental vehicle use, towing charges, appraisal fees, storage, administrative fees and more. The American Express Platinum card covers all of these costs.¹

These benefits also include accidental death and dismemberment coverage up to $300,000, accidental injury coverage up to $300,000 and personal property coverage up to $2,000.¹

What it doesn’t cover

Although the most exclusive cards, like American Express, are known for excellent customer service and generous benefits, the Amex Platinum car rental insurance¹ doesn’t cover every situation or claim. There are numerous exceptions where you won’t be covered against loss. Here are a few of the situations not covered by your Amex car rental coverage that may apply to your next rental car reservation.

• Vehicles rented in Australia, Italy or New Zealand.
• Illegal activity by the renter.
• Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
• Off-road operation of the vehicle.
• Intentional damage by the renter.
• Normal wear and tear.
• Theft or damage to an unlocked vehicle.
• Cargo vans, box trucks or vans with seating capacity for more than eight passengers.
• Using the vehicle for commercial or “for hire” purposes.
• Off-road vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds or recreational vehicles.

Additionally, these car rental benefits only apply to theft or damage to the rental car. This insurance does not cover damage to other vehicles or property. Nor does it cover injuries to passengers, other drivers or pedestrians.¹

How to file a claim for Amex Platinum rental car insurance

If your rental car experiences damage or theft during your rental period, you’ll need to file a claim . Since the Amex Platinum car rental benefits provide secondary coverage ¹, you must also involve your auto insurance carrier unless you paid the additional fee to make the insurance primary.

• Start your claim within 30 days of the loss or as soon as reasonably possible. You can call (800) 338-1670 or go online at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits . If you’re outside the U.S., call collect at (303) 273-6497.
• Claim forms will be sent to the Amex Platinum Card customer after starting your claim. If you haven’t received these forms within 15 days, you can submit your own written statement with the details of your claim.
• Submit your claim forms and proof of loss within sixty days. Required documents vary by situation, but may include an itemized repair bill and copies of the rental agreement, the charge slip for the rental, your auto insurance coverage, your driver’s license and a police report (if applicable).
• Claims for benefits are typically paid within 30 days of receipt of all requested documents supporting your proof of loss.

Amex Premium car rental protection

Although the Amex Platinum car rental benefits include secondary coverage¹, many travelers want a higher level of protection. 

Amex Premium Car Rental Protection has two coverage options that offer primary rental car insurance. Depending on which coverage level you select, you’ll pay either $19.95 or $24.95 per rental period. This is one flat fee per rental, not a daily charge. California and Florida residents receive this coverage for a lower price.

This coverage provides insurance against damage or theft of your rental car for up to 42 consecutive days (up to 30 consecutive days for Washington State card members). It does not include liability coverage for injuries to others or property damage. Coverage is worldwide, except for Australia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica and New Zealand.

This optional insurance can provide huge savings over the daily rental insurance fees charged by rental car companies.

Other Amex cards that offer rental car insurance

If you don’t have an Amex Platinum, other American Express cards include secondary rental car insurance¹ benefits at no extra charge, including (terms apply):

• American Express® Gold Card
• 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 Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express * The information for the The Blue Business® Plus Credit 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.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

All information about Amex EveryDay® Credit Card and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint.

Additional Amex Platinum benefits worth noting for your next trip

The American Express Platinum Card is loaded with benefits beyond rental cars that may also be useful for your next trip. Here are a few benefits you should know about. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

$200 hotel statement credit

Save money with an annual hotel statement credit from the Amex Platinum Card. Get up to $200 back via statement credit for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel (The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay). These programs also include benefits like a welcome gift, complimentary upgrades when available and more.

Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors Gold elite status

Link your Marriott and Hilton hotel loyalty program accounts to your Amex Platinum Card to receive complimentary Gold elite status in both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. These benefits provide higher earning power on paid stays and generous benefits when staying at participating hotels.

Trip delay, cancellation and interruption insurance

When booking a trip with the Amex Platinum Card, you’re covered if your trip is delayed, canceled or interrupted. Trip delay insurance² covers eligible expenses up to $500 per trip when your flight is delayed more than six hours. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance³ reimburses you for prepaid, non-refundable reservations up to $10,000 per trip that are affected for a covered reason.

Amex Offers

Before booking your rental car, check out your card’s Amex Offers . These limited-time offers may provide special incentives for rental car reservations. Depending on your card’s profile, you may receive bonus points, discounts or statement credits when booking your car. Enrollment is required.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Yes, the Amex Platinum Card includes secondary rental car insurance¹ at no extra charge. Use your card to pay for the entire reservation to be protected against theft or damage to the vehicle.

If your lender accepts credit card payments, you can use your Amex Platinum to make your monthly payment. However, if they do accept credit card payments, lenders typically charge a fee to cover credit card transaction costs. Contact your lender to ask if they accept credit card payments and what fees they charge.

Another option is to use a balance transfer or convenience check to make your payment. If you choose this option, be sure to understand the fees and interest rate associated with the checks.

The Amex Platinum car rental benefits¹ are the best of any Amex card. While the rental car protection offered by eligible Amex cards is essentially the same, the Amex Platinum Card includes additional perks that make it the most valuable choice. These benefits include rental car elite status, travel protections and generous hotel benefits.

The Amex Platinum car rental protection is secondary.¹ However, you can upgrade to primary coverage through Amex’s Premium Car Rental Protection for one flat fee per reservation (varies based on coverage selection and location). If you choose this option, it means that you don’t have to involve your personal auto insurance policy when making an eligible claim for theft or damage of a rental car.

To learn about your credit card benefits, contact customer service, read your card’s Guide to Benefits or review the card’s marketing page. When searching for your benefits, note whether the coverage is primary or secondary and if any exclusions apply to your rental.

Yes, authorized users, spouse or domestic partners and eligible authorized drivers are covered against theft or damage when using the Amex Platinum car rental benefits.¹ To receive coverage, your Amex Platinum Card or Membership Rewards points must pay for the entire reservation.

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

¹Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

²Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

³The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

*The information for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card and The Blue Business® Plus Credit 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.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Lee Huffman spent 18 years in banking and investments and now uses that insider knowledge to write about credit cards, travel, and other personal finance topics. Lee enjoys showing people how to travel more, spend less, and live better through the power of travel rewards. You can connect with him at BaldThoughts.com.

Ashley Barnett has been writing and editing personal finance articles for the internet since 2008. Before editing for USA TODAY Blueprint, she was the Content Director for an international media company leading the content on their suite of personal finance sites. She lives in Phoenix, AZ where you can find her rereading Harry Potter for the 100th time.

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.

Best Hyatt credit cards of June 2024

Credit cards Harrison Pierce

Why I’m switching back to the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Credit cards Eric Rosenberg

Why I always push my parents to use their Bank of America Travel Rewards card

Credit cards Carissa Rawson

Why I keep my Chase Ink Business Preferred card year after year

Credit cards Natasha Etzel

New 85K Chase Southwest credit cards’ welcome offer: It’s a scorcher

Why the Ink Business Unlimited is essential for small business owners

Credit cards Jason Steele

How much of my credit limit should I use?

Credit cards Louis DeNicola

What are the benefits of a business credit card?

Credit cards Sarah Brady

Secured vs. unsecured credit cards: What’s the difference?

Credit cards Michelle Lambright Black

Southwest credit card benefits guide 2024

Credit cards Julie Sherrier

Amex Green Card benefits guide 2024

Credit cards Tamara Aydinyan

Here’s how to avoid my embarrassing rookie Chase Sapphire Preferred travel redemption mistake

Ramp credit card review 2024: A corporate charge card that streamlines accounting

Americans’ travel habits and behavior in 2024

Credit cards Dawn Papandrea

American Express Platinum CLEAR® Plus benefit guide 2024

Credit cards Juan Ruiz

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market.  See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our  credit card rating methodology .

Priority Pass Guide With Full List of 120+ U.S. Lounges and Restaurants [Includes Map]

Erin Miller

Content Contributor

188 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 26 U.S. States Visited: 28

Michael Y. Park

20 Published Articles 194 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 60+ U.S. States Visited: 50

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

35 Published Articles 3254 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Table of Contents

What is priority pass, how to get a priority pass membership, priority pass u.s. lounge locations, types, and hours, list of priority pass u.s. restaurants and hours, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Whether you’re just getting started with points and miles or are a seasoned traveler, this in-depth look at Priority Pass should answer any questions you have about the lounge program.

Find out whether Priority Pass is worth it — and if one of the credit cards in your wallet offers Priority Pass as a membership perk!

Let’s take a look at how to get a membership, the benefits of Priority Pass, and every U.S. lounge location, including hours, special policies, guest policies, and amenities.

Priority Pass is an independent lounge program that provides members access to over 1,500 airport lounge locations, restaurants, and experiences in over 600 cities and 140 countries.

With a Priority Pass membership, you can enter a participating lounge regardless of the airline you’re flying, the class of your ticket, or your membership (or lack thereof) in any frequent flyer program.

The fee you pay depends on the membership you choose. Luckily, lots of credit cards offer complimentary Priority Pass membership. We’ll discuss that in detail below.

Priority Pass Benefits

General lounge amenities.

With a Priority Pass membership, you receive benefits such as:

• Complimentary refreshments, including alcohol in most lounges
• Space to work or relax in a comfortable place
• Free Wi-Fi in most lounges
• Comfortable seats and quiet spaces
• The latest magazines and newspapers
• Power outlets
• Conference rooms, showers, beds, and spa facilities in select lounges

Restaurants, Be Relax Spas, and Minute Suites

Additionally, Priority Pass comes with access to Be Relax Spa and Minute Suites locations and a handful of restaurants. This gives members yet another way to utilize their membership, especially at airports that don’t have traditional lounges.

When it comes to Priority Pass-designated restaurants, cardholders usually receive $28 off the final bill. Restaurants usually allow 1 guest per cardholder and take $56 off the final bill ($28 per person).

At eligible Be Relax Spas, Priority Pass members can select 1 massage or aromatherapy service.

At the Minute Suites, Priority Pass members receive 1 hour free and can pay for additional hours at a discounted rate of $28 to $34. Showers are extra.

Note that certain Priority Pass Select memberships, including those with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card and U.S.-issued American Express cards such as The Platinum Card ® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express , do not include access to “non-lounge airport experiences.” Make sure to inquire with the restaurant, Be Relax Spa, or Minute Suites staff to verify coverage.

Lounge Access

To access a Priority Pass lounge, you must present membership identification.

Most lounges now accept a digital membership card that can be accessed via the Priority Pass app . But be sure to check the requirements of the specific lounge you wish to visit before arriving. In some cases, the lounge requires a physical membership card.

Guest Policies

The number of guests you can bring in varies per lounge, is subject to capacity, and depends on the type of membership you have.

If, for example, you got a Priority Pass membership directly from Priority Pass, you pay $35 per guest. This guest fee is charged directly to your nominated payment card.

Some of the more popular travel rewards credit cards , like the Amex Platinum card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , give you complimentary access for 2 guests.

Priority Pass App

You can download the Priority Pass app for Apple and Android . This app is free and is where you find your digital membership card. Additionally, the app lets you search for lounges, rate lounges, and look up your lounge visit history. You can also find each lounge’s images, hours, and amenities.

Other Benefits

Family and Partner Pass: Priority Pass doesn’t advertise it, but they do offer a Partner Standard Membership at half price. Contact the Membership Services team for more information.

Referral Bonuses: Through a special referral link, you can refer friends and receive free guest visits in return , if you’re a member. Plus, your friends get 10% off their membership. There is no limit to the number of friends you can refer.

There are 2 ways to get a Priority Pass membership: by purchasing a membership directly or enrolling via a credit card that gives you Priority Pass Select .

As a Credit Card Benefit

The best way to acquire membership is to have a credit card that offers Priority Pass Select as a cardmember benefit.

The following cards are our favorites that include Priority Pass Select as a cardholder benefit , and for each card below you can bring  up to 2 guests in with you for free.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with  no credit score impact.

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• 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.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

American Express Membership Rewards

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges , along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Hot Tip:  Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 170,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum. The current public offer is 150,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

• 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels at Amex Travel
• Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (cap applies)
• High annual fee of $695 ( rates & fees )
• Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags
• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards ® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card ® , here.
• $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 the Card.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR ® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card ® .
• 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.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• APR: 19.49% - 28.49% Variable

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC
• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Capital One Miles

Hot Tip:  Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Enrollment Is Required

If you receive Priority Pass membership through one of the above credit cards, you still have to officially enroll to utilize your benefits. You can’t simply show your credit card and expect entry. Refer to your membership guide or contact your credit card’s customer service staff for help with enrollment.

Paid Membership Plan

If you don’t have a credit card that includes Priority Pass as a member benefit, you can sign up for a membership plan on the Priority Pass website . The pricing varies by country and benefits.

There are 3 membership tiers:

• The Standard plan has a $99 annual fee. You pay an additional $35 for each lounge visit.
• The Standard Plus plan has a $329 annual fee, and you receive 10 free visits. Each visit thereafter is $35.
• The Prestige plan has a $469 annual fee, and you don’t pay an additional surcharge for lounge entry.

On all plans, each guest costs $35. The number of guests you can bring in depends on the lounge.

Priority Pass often offers discounts on its memberships.

Not Sure Which Plan Is Right for You?

Check out this handy table that tells you your lounge entry costs based on how many times you visit a Priority Pass Lounge each year:

If you only plan to visit a Priority Pass lounge 5 times in a year, for example, the Standard plan should suffice. But any number of visits past 5 ends up costing you more than if you had purchased the Standard Plus plan to begin with. And the Prestige Plan is only your best bet if you plan to visit Priority Pass lounges more than 14 times a year.

Why not get a credit card that already includes Priority Pass Select as well as a multitude of other cost-saving benefits, rewards, and perks? A Priority Pass Select membership means free access to thousands of lounges worldwide via a credit card you may already have in your wallet.

Map of U.S. Priority Pass Lounge Locations

Atlanta — hartsfield jackson atlanta international airport ( atl ), be relax spa.

Location: Concourse B, after security, near gate B22 inside Traveler’s Oasis Hours: Daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guest Access: S pa services

The Club ATL

Location: International Terminal, Concourse F, airside, mezzanine (next to the chapel) Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guest Access: You can enter 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities: Alcoholic beverages, shower facilities

Minute Suites

• Concourse B, airside, near gate B16
• Concourse B, airside, near gate B24
• Concourse E, airside in the center atrium
• Concourse F, between gates F2 and F4

Hours: 24 hours daily (subject to capacity) Guest Access: Complimentary access to a suite for 1 hour for members and up to 3 guests; discounted rates ($28 per hour) for each subsequent hour Select Amenities:

• Daybed sofa with pillows and blankets
• Workstation
• Sound masking system with Nap 26 audio program

Baltimore — Baltimore-Washington International Airport ( BWI )

The club bwi.

Location: Concourse D, airside, upper level (near Dunkin’ at gate D10) Hours:  Daily from 4:15 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; 3-hour maximum; children under 2 admitted free

Location:  Concourse C, airside after security, between gates C3 and C5 Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guest Access: Complimentary access to a suite for 1 hour for members and up to 3 guests; discounted rates ($28 per hour) for each subsequent hour Select Amenities:

Boston — Boston Logan International Airport ( BOS )

Air france lounge.

Location: Terminal E, airside, right after security toward gate 4, elevator or stairs to lounge Hours: Monday and Wednesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Guest Access: 3-hour maximum; children under 2 admitted free

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club

Location: Between Terminals B and C, near gates B39 and B40 Hours: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Guest Access: Primary cardmembers and authorized users with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, J.P. Morgan Reserve Card, or The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card who have activated their complimentary Priority Pass lounge access can enter. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders may bring up to 2 guests per Priority Pass membership card, per visit, for free, and additional guests for $27. Ritz-Carlton cardholders may bring unlimited guests at no charge. There’s no additional charge for children under 2. Priority Pass members without a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, J.P Morgan Reserve card, or Ritz-Carlton card can only enter a Sapphire Lounge by The Club location once per calendar year for free and are charged a $75 entry fee upon each subsequent visit to any location in the Sapphire Lounge by The Club network.

Location: Terminal C, airside, first floor, concourse level (across from gate C19); not accessible from gates 40 to 42 Hours:  Monday, Thursday, and Sunday: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Note: Access may be periodically restricted because of overcrowding, especially between 2:30 and 8 p.m.) Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 12 admitted free

Buffalo, New York — Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)

Location : Airside after security checks, between gates 6 and 7 Hours: Daily from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. Guest Access : Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free

Charleston, South Carolina — Charleston International Airport (CHS)

The club chs.

Location:  Concourse B, airside, elevator to the first floor, left at the hall opposite Caviar & Bananas in food court Hours:  Daily from 4:10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free

Charlotte — Charlotte Douglas International Airport ( CLT )

The club clt.

Location: Concourse B, just before gates A21 and A22 Hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free

Location: Concourse E, opposite gate E36 Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Guest Access: Cardholders receive complimentary access to 1 game station for 2 hours; 10% discount on subsequent hours Select Amenities: 1 soft drink or bottle of water

• Airside, main atrium (next to food court)
• Airside, D/E connector near food court

Hours:  24 hours daily (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Complimentary access to a suite for 1 hour for members and up to 3 guests; discounted rates ($28 per hour) for each subsequent hour Select Amenities: 

• Shower facilities (at a discounted rate: $20 for 30 minutes)

Chicago — Chicago O’Hare International Airport ( ORD )

Swissport lounge.

Location: International Terminal 5, airside (next to gate M13) Hours: Daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 3 admitted free

Cincinnati — Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International (CVG)

The club cvg.

Location:  Concourse A (between gates A8 and A10) Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Guest Access:  Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free

Cleveland — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)

The club cle.

Location: Toward Concourse B, right into the hall after Ohio Gameday Sports Hours: Daily from 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free

Colorado Springs — Colorado Springs Airport (COS)

Colorado springs premier lounge.

Location:  Airside, after security checks, adjacent to gate 6 Hours:  Daily from 4 a.m. to the last scheduled flight departure Guest Access:  Children under 2 admitted free; all children must be accompanied by an adult

Dallas-Fort Worth — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport ( DFW )

• Terminal B, next to gate B28
• Terminal D, after security, next to gate D21

Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (B28); Daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (D21) Guest Access: Spa services

The Club at DFW

Location: Terminal D, airside, near gate D27 Hours:  Daily from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities:  Conference facilities, shower facilities

• Terminal B (near gate B42 )
• Terminal E (near gate E16 )

Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. (B42); Daily from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. (E16) (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Complimentary access to 1 game station for 2 hours; 10% discounted rates for subsequent hours Select Amenities: 2 snacks and 1 soft drink or bottle of water

• Terminal A (near gate A38 )
• Terminal D, airside (near gate D23 )

Hours:  24 hours daily (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Complimentary access to a suite for 1 hour for members and up to 3 guests; discounted rates ($28 per hour) for each subsequent hour Select Amenities:

Plaza Premium Lounge

Location: Terminal E, airside, near gate E31 Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Guest Access: Maximum 2-hour stay; children under 2 admitted free.

Detroit — Detroit Metropolitan Airport ( DTW )

• McNamara Terminal, near gate A18
• McNamara Terminal, near gate A46

Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest Access: Spa services

Lufthansa Business Lounge

Location: North Terminal, airside (next to gate D8) Hours:  Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday: 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 t o 7 p.m.; Sunday: 4 to 7 p.m. Guest Access: M aximum 3-hour stay ; c hildren under 2 admitted free

Location: McNamara Terminal, near gate A66 Hours: 24 hours daily Guest Access: 1-hour stay

Honolulu — Daniel K. Inouye International Airport ( HNL )

The plumeria lounge.

Location: Inter-Island Terminal, airside, third floor (near Wiki Wiki shuttle pickup) Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guest Access: Departures only; children under 2 admitted free

IASS Hawaii Lounge

Location: Overseas Terminal, airside, toward Garden Court (gates 14 to 23), elevator to ground level, and follow signs) Hours:  Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m. Guest Access: Children under 3 admitted free

Houston — George Bush Intercontinental Airport ( IAH )

Location: Terminal D, airside (opposite gate D18B) Hours: Daily from 12:45 to 6:45 p.m. (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: 3-hour maximum; children under 2 admitted free

KLM Crown Lounge

Location: Terminal D, airside (near gate D16) Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: 3-hour maximum; children under 2 admitted free

Location: Terminal C, airside (near gate C14) Hours:  24 hours daily (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Complimentary access to a suite for 1 hour for members and up to 3 guests; discounted rates ($34 per hour) for each subsequent hour Select Amenities:

Houston — William P. Hobby Airport ( HOU )

Location: Airside; after TSA security checkpoint, follow signs to gates 1-5; Gameway near gate 1 Hours: Daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest Access: Complimentary access to 1 game station for 1 hour; 10% discounted rates for subsequent hours Select Amenities: 1 snack and 1 soft drink or bottle of water

Jacksonville, Florida — Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)

The club jax.

Location:  Concourse A, airside; after security, through the food court; lounge on right Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities: Shower facilities, children’s play area with gaming tables, Ready 2 Order contactless ordering system

Kahului, Hawaii — Kahului International Airport (OGG)

Premier club.

Location: Airside, second floor, opposite gate 17 Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 2 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free

Las Vegas — Harry Reid International Airport ( LAS )

The club las.

• Terminal 1, Concourse D, airside, second level (toward gate D33 , between Brooks Brothers and Tumi)
• Terminal 3, airside (across from gate E2 )

Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (D33); Daily from 5 a.m. to midnight (E2) Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities:  Shower facilitiesl

Los Angeles — Los Angeles International Airport ( LAX )

• Tom Bradley International Terminal, near gate 154
• Terminal 1, after security 

Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guest Access: Spa services

• Terminal 3, near gate 30B
• Terminal 6, opposite gate 65A

Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest Access: Maximum 1-hour stay Select Amenities:

• 1 hour of gaming
• High-speed internet
• Luggage storage
• 1 alcoholic drink or 1 snack and 1 nonalcoholic drink

Want to know which lounges are the best in the country? Check out our guide to the best Priority Pass lounges in the U.S.

Miami — Miami International Airport ( MIA )

Turkish airlines lounge.

• Central Terminal, Concourse E , level 2, past escalator on the left
• Airside; lounge elevator lobby midway between Concourses H and J

Hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Concourse E); 24 daily (Concourse H and J) Guest Access: Maximum 3-hour stay; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities:  Shower facilities

Minneapolis-St. Paul — Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport ( MSP )

Pga msp lounge.

Location: Terminal 1, airside, north end of airport mall (toward Concourses D and E; you can also take the elevator or stairs between Concourses D and E (corner) up to the upper level; check in at golf shop counter) Hours: Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Guest Access: Children under 3 admitted free Select Amenities:  Conference facilities (may be subject to payment). Cardholders and registered accompanying guests receive $15 credit per person per visit toward an à la carte menu item or golf experience; credit cannot be used at both.

Nashville — Nashville International Airport ( BNA )

Minute suites nashville.

Location: Airside, near gate D3 Hours: Daily 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. Guest Access: Complimentary access to a suite for 1 hour for members and up to 3 guests; discounted rates ($34 per hour) for each subsequent hour Select Amenities: 

• Shower facilities (subject to payment)

New Orleans — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport ( MSY )

The club msy.

Location: Airside, after security checks, follow signs for Concourse A and pass Café Du Monde; elevator on right to third floor. Hours: Daily from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest Access: Children under 2 admitted free

New York City — John F. Kennedy International Airport ( JFK )

Location: Terminal 1, airside (near Air France boarding area by gate 1) Hours:  Daily from 10 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Guest Access: 3-hour maximum; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities:  Shower facilities

Air India Maharaja Lounge

Location: Terminal 4, airside, after security near gate 5 Hours: Daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest Access: Maximum 4-hour stay; children under 6 admitted free

• Terminal 1, near gate 5
• Terminal 5, between gates 6 and 7

Hours:  Daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (T1); Tuesday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (T5) Guest Access: Spa services

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways

Location: Terminal 4, airside, after security Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Guest Access: Primary cardmembers and authorized users with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, J.P. Morgan Reserve card, or Ritz-Carlton card who have activated their complimentary Priority Pass lounge access can enter. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders may bring up to 2 guests per Priority Pass membership card, per visit, for free, and additional guests for $27. Ritz-Carlton cardholders may bring unlimited guests at no charge. There’s no additional charge for children under 2. Priority Pass members without a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, J.P Morgan Reserve card, or Ritz-Carlton card can only enter a Sapphire Lounge by The Club location once per calendar year for free and are charged a $75 entry fee upon each subsequent visit to any location in the Sapphire Lounge by The Club network.

Korean Air (KAL) Business Class Lounge

Location: Terminal 1, airside after security (right side across from gate 3) Hours: Daily from 9:30 p.m. to 12:50 a.m. (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: 2 guests per cardholder; children under 2 admitted free; passengers with Terminal 1 boarding pass only Select Amenities: Shower facilities

Location: Terminal 1, airside after security Hours: Monday: 3 to 7 p.m.; Tuesday: 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Wednesday: 3 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Thursday, Friday, and Sunday: 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday: no admittance for Priority Pass Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; children under 2 admitted free; passengers with Terminal 1 boarding pass only

Location: Terminal 4, near gate 39 Hours: 24 hours daily Guest Access: Complimentary access to a suite for 1 hour for members and up to 3 guests; discounted rates ($34 per hour) for each subsequent hour Select Amenities: 

Primeclass Lounge

• Terminal 1 , airside, next to gates 8 and 9
• Terminal 4, airside, next to gate A2

Hours: Saturday through Tuesday and Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Wednesday and Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (T1); Saturday through Thursday from 4 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Friday from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. (T4) Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; international flights only; children under 2 admitted free

Location: Terminal 1, airside, after security (between gates 2 and 3) Hours:  Daily from 9 a.m. to 12:10 a.m. Guest Access: Maximum 3-hour stay; children under 2 admitted free

VIPOne Lounge

Location:  Terminal 1, behind counters E and F, next to TSA PreCheck Hours: Daily 8 a.m. to midnight Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; international flights only; children under 2 admitted free

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse

Location: Terminal 4, airside, above gates A4 and A5 Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Maximum 3-hour stay; guests required to show a JFK outbound departure boarding pass with confirmed same-day travel; children under 2 admitted free.

New York City — LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

Location: Terminal B Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Spa services

Location: Terminal B, airside, next to Brooklyn Diner on level 4 Hours:  Daily from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Guest Access: Primary cardmembers and authorized users with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, J.P. Morgan Reserve card, or Ritz-Carlton card who have activated their complimentary Priority Pass lounge access can enter. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders may bring up to 2 guests per Priority Pass membership card, per visit, for free, and additional guests for $27. Ritz-Carlton cardholders may bring unlimited guests at no charge. There’s no additional charge for children under 2. Priority Pass members without a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, J.P Morgan Reserve card, or Ritz-Carlton card can only enter a Sapphire Lounge by The Club location once per calendar year for free and are charged a $75 entry fee upon each subsequent visit to any location in the Sapphire Lounge by The Club network.

Ontario, California — Ontario International Airport (ONT)

Aspire lounge.

• Terminal 2 , airside, second floor, between gates 209 and 210, exit security and turn left
• Terminal 4 , airside, second floor, between gates 410 and 411, exit security and turn left

Hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (T2); Daily from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. (T4) (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; children under 2 admitted free; T4 domestic flights only

Orlando — Orlando International Airport ( MCO )

The club mco.

• Terminal A , Concourse 1, airside, from gates 1 to 29 (adjacent to XpresSpa)
• Terminal B , Concourse 4, airside, from gates 70 to 99 (next to InMotion store, near gate 91)

Hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Terminal A); Daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Terminal B) Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities:  Shower facilities; separate children’s play area (Terminal B only)

Location: Terminal C, after checkpoint, through Palm Court; lounge access on Level 2, next to gate 241 Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest Access: Maximum 2 hours; children under 2 admitted free

Philadelphia — Philadelphia International Airport ( PHL )

Location: Terminal C, near gate C18 Hours: Monday to Thursday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday to Sunday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Guest Access: S pa services

Location: Terminal B, airside, between Concourses A and B (in A/B connector) Hours: 24 hours daily (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Complimentary access to a suite for 1 hour for members and up to 3 guests; discounted rates ($34 per hour) for each subsequent hour Select Amenities:

Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)

Location: Concourse C, airside (between Bar Symon and gate C51) Hours:  Daily from 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities:  Conference facilities, showers

San Diego — San Diego International Airport ( SAN )

Location: Airside, Terminal 2, after East Security Checkpoint, immediate left and toward gate 33 Hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; children under 2 admitted free

• Terminal 2, near gate 27
• Terminal 2, near gate 36

Hours:  Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday through Friday: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday and Saturday: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. (gate 27); Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday through Friday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday and Saturday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m (gate 36) Guest Access: Spa services

San Francisco — San Francisco International Airport ( SFO )

China airlines lounge.

Location: International Terminal A, airside, near gate A1, level 4, after security Hours:  Daily from 9 a.m to 12:30 a.m. Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; children under 2 admitted free

Golden Gate Lounge

Location: International Terminal, Concourse A, airside (first left after TSA) Hours: Daily from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; only for passengers on flights departing Concourse A; children under 2 admitted free

Location: International Terminal A, airside, Concourse A; after security checks, turn left and take elevator to level 5 Hours:  Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours stay; guests must show an SFO outbound departure boarding pass with confirmed same-day travel; children under 2 admitted free

San Jose, California — Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport ( SJC )

The club sjc.

• Main Level Concourse, across from gate 8
• Terminal A, airside, third level (across from gate 15 )

Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (A8); Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. (A15) Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free Select Amenities:  Shower facilities

San Juan, Puerto Rico — Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)

The lounge san juan.

• Terminal A , airside, left after security, through duty-free (on the right)
• Entrance to Terminal C , through security checkpoint B, third-floor (elevator by Global Lounge Network sign)

Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Guest Access: 1 child under 12 admitted free per cardholder

Seattle — Seattle-Tacoma International Airport ( SEA )

The club sea.

• Concourse A , airside (across from gate A11)
• South Satellite , airside (next to gate S9)

Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. (A11); Daily from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. (South) Guest Access: Access is permitted 3 hours prior to scheduled flight departure; children under 2 admitted free

St. Louis — St. Louis Lambert International Airport ( STL )

Wingtips lounge st. louis.

Location: Terminal 2, airside (opposite gate E29) Hours:  Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 to 8 p.m.; Saturday: closed Guest Access: Domestic flights only; maximum 4-hour stay; children under 2 admitted free

Syracuse — Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR)

Escape lounge.

Location: Terminal A, airside (before gates 1 to 15) Hours:  Daily 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Guest Access: Children under 2 admitted free

Washington, D.C. — Washington Dulles International Airport ( IAD )

Air france-klm lounge.

Location: Concourse A, airside (opposite gate A22) Hours: Daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; must show an IAD outbound departure boarding pass with confirmed same-day travel; children under 2 admitted free

Location: Concourse B, airside (near gate B50) Hours: Daily from 1:30 to 10 p.m. (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours; children under 2 admitted free

Turkish Airlines Lounge Washington

Location: Concourse B, airside (near gate B43) Hours: Daily from 7:15 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guest Access: 4-hour maximum; must show an outbound, same-day boarding pass; children under 6 admitted free

Location: Concourse A, Airside, opposite gate A32 Hours:  Daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (subject to space constraints) Guest Access: Maximum 3 hours stay; must show an IAD outbound departure boarding pass with confirmed same-day travel for access to the lounge; children under 2 admitted free

Map of U.S. Priority Pass Restaurants

Samuel adams brew house.

Location: Concourse B, airside, in food court Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (kitchen open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Harbor Grille

Location: Concourse C, airside between gates C6 and C8, servicing Southwest Airlines and American Airlines; domestic and in-transit flights only Hours:  Daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse

Location: Terminal C, airside near gate C25; domestic flights only Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Stephanie’s

Location: Terminal B, airside after security, departures level (opposite gate B24); domestic flights only Hours:  Daily from 1 to 7 p.m.

Location: Terminal E, airside post security, opposite gate E7 Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Location: Concourse C, airside (between gates C4 and C6) Hours: Daily from 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Drew Pearson’s Sport 88

Location: Terminal E, airside near gate 05 Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Denver — Denver International Airport (DEN)

Mercantile dining and provision.

Location: Concourse A, landside, in the center core of Concourse A, near gate 39 Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.

SweetWater Mountain Taphouse

Location: Concourse B, airside (after gate 79) Hours: Daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Anita’s Kitchen

Location: Airside, near gate D23. Domestic and in-transit flights only. Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Fort Lauderdale — Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport ( FLL )

Location: Terminal 4, airside (near gate G6) Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar

Location: Terminal A, airside (near gate A17) Hours: Daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Landry’s Seafood

Location: Terminal C, airside (near gate C42) Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Indianapolis — Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

The fan zone.

Location: Airside, after security (near gate B17) Hours:  Daily from 8 a.m. to the last scheduled flight departure

Little Rock — Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport Little Rock (LIT)

Chili’s grill & bar.

Location: Airside, near gate 6 Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Corona Beach House

Location: North Terminal, Concourse D, airside (between gates D23 and D24) Hours : Daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

*Increased $30 discount off the bill with Priority Pass ($60 for member and 1 guest)

400 Degrees Hot Chicken

Location: Concourse C, airside between gates C15 and C17 Hours: Daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Bobby Van’s Steakhouse

Location: Terminal 8, airside after security (opposite gate 14) Hours: Daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Portland, Oregon — Portland International Airport ( PDX )

Capers cafe le bar.

Location : Concourse C, airside (immediately after security on the left) Hours : Daily from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Capers Market

Location: Concourse D, airside (immediately after security) Hours:  Daily from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Westward Whiskey

Location: Concourse C, airside (near gate 6) Hours:  Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Providence — T.F. Green International Airport (PVD)

Providence provisions kitchen & bar.

Location: Airside, through the security checkpoint, left into North Concourse; restaurant on left Hours:  Daily from 11:30 a.m. to the last scheduled flight departure

PGA Tour Grill

Location: Terminal 2, airside, near gate 35 Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Lark Creek Grill

Location: Terminal 2, right after security Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Mustard’s Bar and Grill

Location: Airside, Concourse G (near gate G3) Hours:  Daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

San Francisco Giants Clubhouse

Location: Airside, Concourse F (near gate F13) Hours:  Daily from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Yankee Pier

Location: Airside, Concourse F (near gate F4) Hours:  Daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Location: Airside, once you disembark the train, take the escalator to the concourse level and turn left; Bambuza is on the left Hours:  Daily from 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Brewtop Social

Location: Central Terminal, airside, after security, between Concourses B and C Hours:  Daily from 5:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Ninth & Pike Artisan Kitchen

Location: Concourse C, airside; follow signs for the C gates; restaurant opposite the Alaska Airlines customer service desk, before gate C10A/B. Hours:  Daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

St. Louis — St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)

The pasta house & schlafly beer.

Location: Terminal 2, airside, upper level (right side, opposite gate E6) Hours:  Sunday to Friday: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Johnny Rockets

Location: Airside connector, after security (turn left, toward North Concourse B) Hours: Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tampa — Tampa International Airport ( TPA )

The café by mise en place.

Location: Airside F (directly in front of security checkpoint by gate F85) Hours:  Daily from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tucson — Tucson International Airport (TUS)

Barrio brewery co..

Location: Landside, second floor (opposite Arroyo Trading Post); domestic flights only Hours: Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Washington, D.C. — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport ( DCA )

American tap room.

Location: Terminal 2, airside, Concourse D (near gates D35 to D45) Hours: Monday through Saturday: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Chef Geoff’s

Location: Concourse C, airside (near gate C14) Hours: Daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (subject to space constraints)

If you’re considering a Priority Pass membership and travel often, it’s a lot more cost-effective to sign up for one of the credit cards that offer a Priority Pass Select membership than signing up directly for a membership. Each of these credit cards provides a lot more cost savings and other travel benefits for frequent flyers, so the value outweighs signing up for a direct membership

Priority Pass is consistently expanding its lounge options, meaning you have a decent chance to find lounge access at most places you fly.

Like this Post? Pin it on Pinterest!

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the J.P. Morgan Reserve Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is priority pass and how does it work.

Priority Pass is the world’s largest independent airport lounge access program. Members have access to over 1,500 airport experiences in over 600 cities and 140 countries.

How much does a Priority Pass Select membership cost?

You can purchase a membership directly from the Priority Pass website for $99 (Standard), $329 (Standard Plus), or $469 (Prestige) per year.

The Standard membership allows you and any qualifying guests traveling with you to access any Priority Pass lounge for $35 per person. A Standard Plus membership gives you 10 free visits each year and then $35 per visit, per person. Finally, a Prestige membership gives you unlimited free visits, but you will still need to pay $35 per guest visit.

How can you get Priority Pass for free?

There are many different travel credit card options that include a Priority Pass as a perk for holding the card. Some of our recommended options are the Chase Sapphire Reserve card (cardholder plus 2 guests can enter for free, then $27 per guest after that); the Amex Platinum card (cardholder plus 2 guests can enter for free, $35 per guest after that) and the Capital One Venture X card (cardholder plus 2 guests can enter for free, $27 per guest after that).

How many lounges are in the Priority Pass network?

There are over 1,500 airport experiences in over 600 cities and 140 countries.

Was this page helpful?

About Erin Miller

An experienced points hacker, Erin is Alex’s partner-in-crime and contributes to Upgraded Points with in-depth guides and relationship management. Erin’s work has been cited in multiple major publications.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE ™

Get the  latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's  privacy policy   and  terms of service   apply.

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation  calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Card Accounts

Business Accounts

Other Accounts and Payments

Tools and Support

Personal Cards

Business Credit Cards

Corporate Programs

Prepaid Cards

Personal Savings

Personal Checking and Loans

Business Banking

Book And Manage Travel

Travel Inspiration

Business Travel

Services and Support

Benefits and Offers

Manage Membership

Business Services

Checking & Payment Products

Funding Products

Merchant Services

Explore premium hotels around the world.

Platinum card® members get access to elevated benefits at over 2,200 hand-picked hotels around the world with fine hotels + resorts® and the hotel collection. terms apply..

Select locations and interests to pinpoint the right hotels for your next great escape.

Explore popular hotels that come highly recommended by Card Members.

Discover insider travel guides, emerging trends and one-of-a-kind hotels.

Enjoy elevated benefits with every booking.

With an experience credit and more, Platinum Card Members receive extra benefits at every Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection property. †

When you book a Fine Hotels + Resorts®️ or The Hotel Collection stay through American Express Travel®️ you’ll earn Membership Rewards®️ points. Plus, you still earn loyalty points with hotels 1 .

Consumer Platinum Card Members 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.*

View our latest offers, like a complimentary night or a property credit at select properties when you book at AmexTravel.com. Offers vary by property. Travel dates and terms apply.

Curated collections, endless inspiration.

Receive your Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection benefits when you book with American Express Travel. Book online at AmexTravel.com . Terms apply.

*Terms and Conditions

Fine Hotels + Resorts Program:  Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer, Business, and Corporate Platinum Card® Members, and Centurion® Members. Additional Platinum Card Members on Consumer and Business Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts are also eligible for FHR program benefits. Companion Card Members on Consumer Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts, Additional Business Gold and Additional Business Expense Card Members on Business Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts, and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Card Members are not eligible for FHR program benefits. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. The average total value of the program benefits is based on prior-year bookings for stays of two nights; the actual value varies. Noon check-in and room upgrade are subject to availability and are provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of experience credit or additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the experience credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the experience credit. Advance reservations are recommended for certain experience credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amount will be applied at check-out. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for FHR program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

The Hotel Collection Program:  The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Gold Card, Platinum Card® Members, and Centurion® Members. Additional Card Members on Consumer and Business Platinum Card Accounts, and Additional Card Members on Consumer and Business Centurion Accounts are also eligible for THC program benefits. Delta SkyMiles® Gold and Platinum Card Members are not eligible. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. Room upgrade is subject to availability and is provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of experience credit or additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the experience credit will be applied to eligible charges up to $100. Advance reservations are recommended for certain experience credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

$200 Hotel Credit:  Basic Card Members on U.S. Consumer Platinum Card Account are eligible to receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when they or Additional Platinum Card Members use their Cards to pay for eligible prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings made through American Express Travel (meaning through amextravel.com, the Amex® App, or by calling the phone number on the back of your eligible Card) or when Companion Platinum Card Members on such Platinum Card Accounts pay for eligible prepaid bookings for The Hotel Collection made through American Express Travel (meaning through amextravel.com, the Amex® App, or by calling the phone number on the back of your eligible Card). Please note, access to the benefit may take up to 24 hours to take effect on your Card after Account opening. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account are eligible for statement credits. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $200 per calendar year, per Card Account. Fine Hotels + Resorts® program bookings may be made only by eligible U.S. Consumer Basic Platinum and Additional Platinum Card Members. The Hotel Collection bookings may be made by eligible U.S. Consumer Basic and Additional Platinum Card Members and Companion Platinum Card Members on the Platinum Card Account. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Card Members are not eligible for the benefit. To receive the statement credits, an eligible Card Member must make a new booking using their eligible Card through American Express Travel on or after July 1st, 2021, that is prepaid (referred to as "Pay Now" on amextravel.com and the Amex App), for a qualifying stay at an available, participating Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection property. Bookings of The Hotel Collection require a minimum stay of two consecutive nights. Eligible bookings must be processed before December 31st, 11:59PM Central Time, each calendar year to be eligible for statement credits within that year. Eligible bookings do not include interest charges, cancellation fees, property fees or other similar fees, or any charges by a property to you (whether for your booking, your stay or otherwise).  

Statement credits are typically received within a few days, however it may take 90 days after an eligible prepaid hotel booking is charged to the Card Account. American Express relies on the merchant’s processing of transactions to determine the transaction date. The transaction date may differ from the date you made the purchase if, for example, there is a delay in the merchant submitting the transaction to us or if the merchant uses another date as the transaction date. This means that in some cases your purchase may not earn the statement credit benefit for the benefit period in which you made the purchase. For example, if an eligible purchase is made on December 31st but the merchant processes the transaction such that it is identified to us as occurring on January 1st, then the statement credit available in the next calendar year will be applied. Statement credits may not be received or may be reversed if the booking is cancelled or modified. If the Card Account is canceled or past due, it may not qualify to receive a statement credit. If American Express does not receive information that identifies your transaction as eligible, you will not receive the statement credits. For example, your transaction will not be eligible if it is a booking: (i) made with a property not included in the Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection programs, (ii) not made through American Express Travel, or (iii) not made with an eligible Card. Participating properties and their availability are subject to change. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit, American Express will not have an obligation to provide and may reverse any statement credits provided to you. If a charge for an eligible purchase is included in a Pay Over Time balance on your Card Account, the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time balance. Instead, the statement credit may be applied to your Pay In Full balance. Please refer to  AmericanExpress.com/FHR  and  AmericanExpress.com/HC  for more information about Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection, respectively. 

5X Membership Rewards® Points Platinum Card:  Basic Card Members will get 1 Membership Rewards® point for each dollar charged for eligible purchases on their Platinum Card® or an Additional Card on their Account and 4 additional points (for a total of 5 points) for each dollar charged for eligible travel purchases on any Card on the Account (“Additional Points”), minus cancellations and credits. Eligible travel purchases are limited to: (i) purchases of air tickets on scheduled flights, of up to $500,000 in charges per calendar year, booked directly with passenger airlines or through American Express Travel (by calling 1-800-525-3355 or through AmexTravel.com); (ii) purchases of prepaid hotel reservations booked through American Express Travel; and (iii) purchases of prepaid flight+hotel packages booked through AmexTravel.com. Eligible travel purchases do not include: charter flights, private jet flights, flights that are part of tours, cruises, or travel packages (other than prepaid flight+hotel packages booked through AmexTravel.com), ticketing or similar service fees, ticket cancellation or change fees, property fees or similar fees, hotel group reservations or events, interest charges, or purchases of cash equivalents. Eligible prepaid hotel bookings or prepaid flight+hotel bookings that are modified directly with the hotel will not be eligible for Additional Points.

Bonuses that may be received with your Card on other purchase categories or in connection with promotions or offers from American Express cannot be combined with this benefit. Any portion of a charge that the Basic Card Member elects to cover through redemption of Membership Rewards points is not eligible to receive points. Additional terms and restrictions apply.

Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. We group certain merchant codes into categories that are eligible for Additional Points. A purchase with a merchant will not earn Additional Points if the merchant’s code is not included in an Additional Points category. Basic Card Members may not receive Additional Points if we receive inaccurate information or are otherwise unable to identify your purchase as eligible for an Additional Points category. For example, you may not receive Additional Points when: a merchant uses a third-party to sell their products or services, a merchant uses a third-party to process or submit your transaction to us (e.g., using mobile or wireless card readers), or you choose to make a purchase using a third-party payment account or make a purchase using a mobile or digital wallet.

To be eligible for this benefit, the Card Account must not be cancelled. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit in any way American Express may remove access to this benefit from the Account. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card or visit americanexpress.com/rewards-info for more information about rewards.

5X Membership Rewards Points for Business Platinum Card:  You will get one point for each dollar charged for an eligible purchase on your Business Platinum Card® from American Express. You will get 4 additional points (for a total of 5 points) for each dollar spent on eligible travel purchases. Eligible travel purchases include scheduled flights and prepaid flight+hotel packages made online at AmexTravel.com, minus returns and other credits. Additionally, eligible travel purchases include prepaid hotel purchases made through American Express Travel, over the phone with our Travel Consultants or made online at AmexTravel.com, minus returns and other credits. Eligible travel purchases do NOT include non-prepaid hotel bookings, scheduled flights and prepaid flight+hotel packages over the phone, vacation packages, car rentals, cruise, hotel group reservations or events, ticketing service, cancellation or other fees, interest charges, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. To be eligible for the 5x Membership Rewards® points, you must both reserve and charge the travel purchase with the same eligible Business Platinum Card®. To modify a reservation you must cancel and rebook your reservation. You can cancel and rebook your reservation on AmexTravel.com or by calling a representative of AmexTravel.com at 1-800-297-2977. Cancellations are subject to hotel cancellation penalty policies. If hotel reservations are made or modified directly with the hotel provider, the reservation will not be eligible for this 5X Membership Rewards® point benefit. To be eligible to receive extra points, Card account(s) must not be cancelled or past due at the time of extra points fulfillment. If booking is cancelled, the extra points will be deducted from the Membership Rewards account. Extra points will be credited to the Membership Rewards account approximately 6-10 weeks after eligible purchases appear on the billing statement. Bonuses you may receive with your Card on other purchase categories or in connection with promotions or offers from American Express may not be combined with this benefit. The benefits associated with the Additional Card(s) you choose may be different than the benefits associated with your basic Card. To learn about the benefits associated with Additional Card(s) you choose, please call the number on the back of your Card.

Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. We group certain merchant codes into categories that are eligible for additional points. A purchase with a merchant will not earn additional points if the merchant’s code is not included in an additional points category. You may not receive additional points if we receive inaccurate information or are otherwise unable to identify your purchase as eligible for an additional points category. For example, you may not receive additional points when: a merchant uses a third-party to sell their products or services; or a merchant uses a third-party to process or submit your transaction to us (e.g., using mobile or wireless card readers); or you choose to make a purchase using a third-party payment account or make a purchase using a mobile or digital wallet.

Please visit  americanexpress.com/rewards-info  for more information about rewards.

Pay with Points:  To use Pay with Points, you must charge your eligible purchase through American Express Travel to a Membership Rewards® program-enrolled American Express® Card. Eligible purchases through American Express Travel exclude non-prepaid car rentals and non-prepaid hotels. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding dollar amount will be issued to the American Express Card account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. Minimum redemption 5,000 points.

See  membershiprewards.com/terms  for the Membership Rewards program terms and conditions.

If a charge for a purchase is included in a Pay Over Time balance on your Linked Account the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time balance. Instead the statement credit may be applied to your Pay in Full balance. If you believe this has occurred, please contact us by calling the number on the back of your Card. Corporate Card Members are not eligible for Pay Over Time.

Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit  membershiprewards.com/terms  for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to  www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo .

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our Travel Consultants. For more information visit  americanexpress.com/travelterms

California CST#1022318; Washington UBI#600-469-694