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

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

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is unquestionably the best premium business card, thanks to its slew of perks and ability to earn flexible, valuable Membership Rewards points.

You can earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of membership, making this an excellent time to get this card (see rates and fees).

If you’ve taken advantage of this offer and just received your card (congrats!), make sure you complete these nine tasks to take full advantage of your new card.

Select your airline for the $200 credit and 35% rebate

One of the many perks of the Amex Business Platinum is the annual up-to-$200 airline fee statement credit for a single airline. Since you get this credit every calendar year, you can use it twice during your first year as a cardmember, effectively giving you $400 back in the first 365 days.

The credit can be used toward airline lounge passes, checked bag fees and much more.

Technically, you can’t purchase tickets or use the credit for award taxes and fees; however, depending on how the airline codes your purchase, you may get reimbursed.

Note that while you’re technically limited to the airline you select for the entire calendar year, reports indicate that you might be able to change your selection by contacting customer service. You can choose your airline on the Amex website. Enrollment is required.

With the Business Platinum card, you also get 35% of all points back when you redeem Membership Rewards points for a flight through the Amex Travel portal. You’re limited to a maximum rebate of 1 million points per calendar year, and you only get points back for your selected airline on economy tickets. However, you’ll receive 35% of your points back for any business- or first-class flight you book on any airline.

This is a great benefit because you’re not constrained by award space. In addition, flights booked with points are treated as revenue flights by the airlines and therefore earn elite-qualifying miles and redeemable miles.

Related: Should you use cash or American Express Membership Rewards points to book travel?

Register for credits with Adobe, Indeed and Wireless services

In late 2021, the Business Platinum was updated to give cardholders a plethora of new and updated perks. Those benefits are mostly in the form of statement credits that require enrollment to use. Here are three highlights:

These three credits alone add up to $630 per year, helping make up for the vast majority of the $695 annual fee (see rates and fees).

To enroll, navigate over to the “Benefits” tab when logging in to your Amex Business Platinum account online.

Related: How to maximize your earning with the Amex Business Platinum

Apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck

When you sign up for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck with your new Business Platinum Card, you’ll get a credit to your account to cover the cost once every four years (up to $100 for Global Entry or $85 for PreCheck). However, once you have Global Entry, you automatically get TSA PreCheck for expedited security, so that’s your best option.

Note that this benefit does not require enrollment, so you can immediately utilize it.

This is a perk you’ll definitely want to take advantage of as soon as possible, especially given that this access allows you to fly through U.S. Customs and Border Protection when returning to the U.S. from international destinations. And remember, you can use the credit for anyone. Simply charge the application fee to your Business Platinum card, and the statement credit will automatically post.

Related: Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which is better?

Enroll in Clear

A membership to Clear typically costs $189 per year. The Amex Business Platinum comes with up to $189 in Clear statement credits each calendar year, meaning you can receive a completely complimentary membership. However, like some of the benefits above, you must enroll your card on your Amex Business Platinum account page for this statement credit to activate.

If you have a membership to Clear, you simply enter a dedicated lane at the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, input your biometric data into a kiosk and head toward the gray carry-on bins. This can be a huge time-saver — especially since most airports allow you to use both Clear and TSA PreCheck.

Note that you could enroll through either Delta SkyMiles or United MileagePlus, as all members of those programs enjoy discounted fees. And since it costs $60 to add an adult family member to a Clear membership (children under the age of 18 can accompany a member for free), using one of these options will ensure the credits on the Business Platinum cover the fees for you and your spouse, domestic partner or another family member.

Related: Why you should get TSA PreCheck and Clear — and how you can save on both

Register for Marriott and Hilton Gold status

You have to manually enroll with each chain in order to get the benefits of Gold status from Marriott and Hilton. That being said, it’s not that difficult to do. You can get your Marriott Bonvoy Gold status by enrolling on the Amex site and you can get Hilton Honors Gold by doing the same.

You’ll get some solid perks from each — we value Marriott Gold status at $800 and Hilton Honors Gold status at $1,255, assuming you spend a certain number of nights at each chain’s hotels.

Related: Guide to Marriott and Hilton elite status with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum

Sign up for complimentary car rental elite status

The Amex Business Platinum offers complimentary status and additional perks with the following car rental programs (enrollment is required):

• Avis Preferred Plus.
• National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive.
• Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Hertz President's Circle.

The perks depend on the program, but you could get upgrades, priority service and more. In fact, using the Business Platinum card’s Corporate Discount Code (CDP) can even get you a four-hour grace period with Hertz.

These benefits can make all the difference in today’s rental car market — so don’t forget to enroll in these elite status opportunities.

Related: The top 3 easiest ways to save on rental cars

Keep an eye out for your Priority Pass card

The Priority Pass membership that comes with your Business Platinum Amex card allows you and two guests access to more than 1,200 airport lounges around the world. Enrollment is required.

You should receive your Priority Pass card and membership package in the mail within 10-14 days of receiving your card. If not, call the customer service number on the back of your Amex and request that the card be sent to you.

Additional guests beyond the two allowed will cost you $32 each and will be automatically billed to your Amex account. Make sure you keep the letter that came with your Priority Pass card long enough to use the security PIN in the letter to register for an online account, which will enable a mobile membership card.

Related: The 10 best Priority Pass lounges around the world

Earn hotel and airline status the smart way

As mentioned earlier, flights booked through the Amex Travel portal and paid for with points will be treated (the vast majority of the time) as paid airfares and thus will earn elite-qualifying miles and dollars.

This means you can earn airline elite status while flying “free” flights. I took advantage of a targeted shortcut to American Airlines Executive Platinum status last year and booked tickets paid with points through Amex Travel, giving me American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum status for only the cost of my time flying.

For hotel status, beyond Marriott Gold and Hilton Gold, you can book hotels through the Fine Hotels + Resorts program. In addition to the great added benefits you’ll get during hotel stays, like free nights at select properties and complimentary breakfast, you’ll earn redeemable hotel points and elite nights toward status.

FHR rates are often in line with publicly available rates on a property’s own website, so you might as well book with Amex, receive the tremendous added benefits and earn your points and elite credit in the process. While you can earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel stays booked through Amex’s regular travel portal, you generally won’t earn elite credits or hotel points on those bookings.

Shop for new technology at Dell

Business Platinum cardholders now receive up to $400 in annual statement credits for U.S. purchases with Dell. This breaks down to up to $200 for purchases made between January and June and up to $200 for purchases made between July and December.

Only U.S. purchases are eligible for this credit (and Dell has canceled every order I’ve tried to place from abroad), and you do need to enroll on the Amex website before you can start shopping. Here are a few great items you can get — including JBL wireless headphones — thanks to this benefit.

Related: Is the Amex Business Platinum worth the annual fee?

Bottom line

The Amex Business Platinum offers thousands of dollars in value beyond the welcome bonus — but only if you take full advantage of the perks that it confers.

Here are two additional reasons I always keep the Business Platinum Card in my wallet:

1. The card earns 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. While I don’t have these kinds of expenses often, the few times I have paid taxes or paid a security deposit plus the first three months’ rent, I didn’t want to be left without the ability to earn more than 1 point per dollar.
2. When I’m headed to the cash register with an important purchase and need extra protection, I always want the Business Platinum Card in my wallet for purchase protection and extended warranty protection.*

In sum, don’t forget to take advantage of these nine perks as soon as you apply for the card, as they will help you recoup the $695 annual fee in no time.

*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.

Official application link: Amex Business Platinum with a 120,000-point welcome offer after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.

Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Stella Shon, Benét J.Wilson and Chris Dong.

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