The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Benét, known as the Aviation Queen, is a former senior editor at TPG who is best known for being an aviation journalist for 25-plus years. Her love affair with travel and aviation began at age 6, when her Air Force family moved from California to a military base outside of London. The family flew from JFK to London on a pretty new Pan Am 747. She was amazed when, in 1992, she got her first aviation journalism job.
October 28, 2024 • 11 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Related stories
Quick summary
A premium rewards card offers extensive travel and lifestyle benefits, including lounge access, hotel credits and various statement credits for services such as rideshares, digital entertainment and fitness memberships.
Travelers can access multiple airport lounge networks, hotel elite status and car rental privileges, enhancing both comfort and convenience.
Additional perks include credits for trusted traveler programs, Walmart+ membership and opportunities to add authorized users who can share many benefits.
Maximizing all available credits and perks can deliver significant annual value, potentially offsetting the high cost of card membership.
What to consider
Enrollment is required for many benefits, and some credits are subject to specific terms, such as monthly limits or auto-renewal requirements.
Certain credits, like those for airline fees or hotel bookings, have restrictions on eligible purchases and may require advance selection or minimum stays.
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available; check current terms before applying or relying on specific perks.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of how to use each benefit to maximize the total value from premium card membership.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best premium rewards cards on the market thanks to its extensive benefits, from lounge access to monthly statement credits. These perks come at a cost, though — the card’s annual fee is $895 (see rates and fees), making it one of the most expensive consumer cards to carry.
If that has you second-guessing whether or not to get the Amex Platinum, remember that the potential value of its many benefits can far outweigh that fee if you take full advantage of them.
If you are approved for the Amex Platinum or already carry it, here are the 10 best ways to take advantage of all of its perks.
Use the hotel statement credit
One of the principal benefits of the Amex Platinum is the up-to-$600 annual statement credit (up to $300 biannual) every calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings (the latter requires a minimum two-night stay, enrollment is required). The FHR program gets you the following perks:
Room upgrade upon arrival, when available at check-in
Daily breakfast for two people
Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout and noon check-in when available
An experience credit that usually consists of a property, dining or spa credit
Complimentary Wi-Fi
FAIRMONT SAN FRANCISCO
The Hotel Collection’s perks include a room upgrade at check-in when available, up to a $100 hotel credit for qualifying food and beverage, spa and on-property charges, and the ability to use Pay with Points on prepaid bookings.
Register for your annual airline fee statement credit
You’ll get an annual up-to-$200 airline fee statement credit each calendar year for the airline of your choice. Select your desired airline on the Amex website before making a purchase, and you’ll get to use the credit for fees such as onboard snacks and checked bags.
KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Note that the airline credit won’t apply for new reservations or taxes and fees on award bookings. Enrollment is required.
Since you only get to pick one airline annually, we recommend choosing one with which you don’t already hold elite status or a cobranded airline card. An airline you often fly — but not enough to have elite status — will be a strong contender.
*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.
Amex Platinum cardmembers get up to $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus an additional up to $20 in December. While Uber Cash doesn’t roll over month to month, that adds up to $200 in Uber Cash each calendar year (for U.S. services). Cardmembers also receive up to a $120 statement credit for Uber One that fully covers an auto-renewing $96 annual or $9.99 monthly membership (enrollment required).
HRACH HOVHANNISYAN/SHUTTERSTOCK
To get your Uber Cash, you need to link your card(s) to your Uber account. To do this, head to your wallet on the Uber app and add your Amex Platinum Card as a payment method. Then, you can redeem with any Amex card.
When you enroll in these trusted traveler programs with your Amex Platinum, you’ll get a statement credit for up to $120 to your account to cover the application cost (and again upon renewal).
KATHERINE FREY/WASHINGTON POST/GETTY
You'll receive a credit for $120 every four years for Global Entry or up to $85 every 4½ years for TSA PreCheck.
The Amex Platinum also offers a statement credit for a Clear+ membership, up to $209 per calendar year (subject to auto-renewal).
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Clear+ has a separate line to handle travelers’ identity verification and security screening via a fingerprint or iris scan. Once approved, you’re escorted by a Clear+ employee to the head of the TSA PreCheck line (or regular security line if you don’t have PreCheck) to an agent for final approval.
As TSA checkpoint lines continue to lengthen, having both Clear+ and TSA PreCheck can save you a lot of time at the airport. Enrollment required.
Another perk that comes with being an Amex Platinum cardmember is being eligible for Gold status with both the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs.
NOAM GALAI/GETTY
These programs give you perks such as bonus points and potential room upgrades. You can enroll for these benefits on the Amex website.
You'll also receive Leaders Club Sterling elite status. Enrollment required.
The Amex Platinum also offers an annual up-to-$155 Walmart+ statement credit each calendar year, which covers the entire cost of a Walmart+ membership ($12.95 plus applicable sales tax) each month; Plus Ups are excluded and enrollment is required.
TENNESSEEPHOTOGRAPHER/GETTY
Charge the membership fee to your card, and you'll receive a statement credit each month (subject to auto-renewal).
If you live near a Walmart store, this membership will get you free delivery from that store as quickly as the same day on orders of $35 or more, plus steep discounts on prescriptions.
You can also save 10 cents per gallon at Exxon, Mobil, Walmart and Murphy gas stations (5 cents per gallon in Alabama and Oklahoma only) — a great perk with high fuel costs.
Even if you’re not a frequent in-store Walmart shopper, you’ll enjoy free next-day and two-day shipping on eligible items from Walmart.com with no minimum purchase required.
While we’ve outlined nine of our favorite benefits from the Amex Platinum, there are plenty of other enticing perks worth looking into.
Scoop up your digital entertainment credits
The Amex Platinum offers an up-to-$300 digital entertainment statement credit per calendar year, broken down to up to $25 in monthly statement credits when you pay for participating subscription services. They include The New York Times, Peacock, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, the Disney Bundle, Paramount+, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment is required.
Fitness lovers, grab this annual statement credit for Equinox
This up to $300 Equinox credit each calendar year applies to an Equinox+ digital subscription or Equinox club membership fees (memberships are subject to auto-renewal). Enrollment is required.
Want an at-home fitness bike? Get a SoulCycle statement credit
If you’re in the market for an at-home bike, you can get up to a $300 statement credit when you purchase a SoulCycle bike. While it’s unlikely that you would ever buy more than one bike, this statement credit is applicable to up to 15 bikes per calendar year.
You must have an Equinox subscription to purchase a SoulCycle bike. Enrollment is required.
Add up to three authorized users
You can add authorized users to your Amex Platinum for a total of $195 each per cardmember year (see rates and fees), which can really help you maximize the value you’re already getting from being a cardmember.
Authorized users are eligible for many of the same benefits as the main account holder, including lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck reimbursement, hotel elite status and Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits.
However, authorized users don’t get their own Uber credit or separate airline incidental credits. Enrollment is required for some benefits.
Yes, the Amex Platinum is not a cheap card to have. But after you take a deep dive into all of the card’s benefits, the annual fee may feel less intimidating.
If you can maximize these statement credits on the Amex Platinum, you’re looking at a value of over $2,000 annually. Even if you can’t use all the credits in this guide, accessing the Amex Global Lounge Collection alone is key for frequent travelers.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
