10 things to do when you get the Amex Platinum

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

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.

Related: A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi

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.

Note that the airline credit won't apply for new reservations or taxes and fees on award bookings. Enrollment is required.

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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.

Related: How the Amex Platinum Card has provided me with access to $3,000+ in value this year

Apply for your Priority Pass membership card

One of the greatest travel perks of the Amex Platinum is its unparalleled lounge access — the best on any premium card available.

Here are the lounges that participate in the Amex Global Lounge Collection (for eligible card members; enrollment is required):

• Amex Centurion Lounges
• Priority Pass Lounges (Request your membership card here.)
• Delta Sky Clubs (when flying on Delta the same day)*
• Lufthansa
• Airspace Lounges
• Escape Lounges
• Plaza Premium Lounges

*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.

Related: Guide to lounge access with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum

Add your card to your Uber wallet

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).

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.

Related: 5 things to know before the next time you use a ride-hailing service at the airport

Apply for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

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).

You'll receive a credit for $120 every four years for Global Entry or up to $85 every 4½ years for TSA PreCheck.

Related: Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which is more beneficial?

Enroll in Clear Plus

The Amex Platinum also offers a statement credit for a Clear Plus membership, up to $209 per calendar year (subject to auto-renewal).

Clear Plus 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 Plus 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.

Related: Guide to using the American Express Clear Plus benefit

Request hotel elite status

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.

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.

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

Enroll for car rental elite status

Elite status can sometimes be the difference between being able to reserve a vehicle or not, depending on where you're trying to rent.

In addition to hotel elite status, carrying the Amex Platinum means you are also eligible for status with the following car rental programs:

• Avis Preferred
• Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
• National Car Rental Emerald Club

You can enroll for each program on the Amex website.

Related: 9 rental car rewards programs you need to know about

Apply for a Walmart+ membership

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.

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.

Related: A guide to the Amex Platinum Walmart+ benefit

Consider these other small-but-mighty benefits

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.

Treat yourself with an annual statement credit for Saks Fifth Avenue

This Saks Fifth Avenue benefit is divided into up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 from July through December, totaling up to $100 each calendar year. 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.

Related: Here's how much value you can get from the Amex Platinum card in your 1st year

Bottom line

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.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Platinum.

Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express

Related: Who should (and shouldn't) get the American Express Platinum?

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