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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.
News
PayPal credit, WeWork offer and more: Amex unveils full slate of limited-time benefits on Platinum and business cards
Chris was a reporter at The Points Guy, where he covered the intersection of credit card rewards and travel. At TPG, he wrote a broad array of stories ranging from in-depth features and reports to trending travel news as it related to loyalty, card benefits and consumer behavior.
January 12, 2021 • 10 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.
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Quick summary
A range of new bonuses and benefits was introduced in early 2021 for select premium travel and business cards, focusing on online shopping, small business needs and local travel.
Personal cardholders could receive monthly statement credits for PayPal purchases through June 30, 2021, and access a variety of targeted merchant offers, though eligibility is limited to those who held the card before November 1, 2020.
Business cardholders could activate elevated rewards in select categories and receive discounts on coworking memberships, with similar eligibility restrictions.
Additional travel-related offers include complimentary hotel nights or credits, discounted flights and enhanced options for using points on prepaid car rentals.
What to consider
Many new bonuses and merchant offers are only available to cardholders who had their accounts prior to November 1, 2020.
Hotel and flight discounts require bookings within specific dates and at participating properties or airlines; enrollment and activation may be necessary.
Points used for prepaid car rentals may have a lower redemption value compared to TPG's valuation as of early 2021.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of which perks apply to each card type, along with step-by-step eligibility and activation guidance.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
To kick off 2021, Amex has introduced a slew of new bonuses and benefits on both The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
From lucrative Amex Offers to a new PayPal monthly credit and category bonuses, Amex is coming out swinging with perks on its duo of premium travel cards.
Last year, Amex offered an array of credits for Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders, but those since expired at the end of 2020. This time around, Amex says the focus for these perks is "on online shopping, small business needs, local travel and more."
Let's dive into all of the details with what Amex has unveiled so far in 2021.
Amex Platinum
(Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)
Up to $180 in PayPal credit
The perennial limited-time benefit on the personal Platinum was quietly announced earlier this week: an up to $30 monthly PayPal credit through June 30, 2021. The card has a $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).
That's a total of up to $180 in statement credits with PayPal on purchases made at eligible merchants through the middle of 2021. Essentially, any merchant that accepts PayPal online will trigger the credit.
It is very easy to simply check out via PayPal at thousands of online retailers (such as Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Walgreens and many more) and pay via PayPal with your Amex Platinum card. Note that person-to-person payments, gift card purchases and prepaid card reloads are not eligible for statement credits.
Check out with PayPal at Walmart.com (Screenshot courtesy of Walmart.com)
Up to $1,700 in value with new Amex Offers
Amex says that 53% of cardholders they surveyed indicate they plan to spend more on online purchases in 2021 than in the past. Thankfully, Amex is upping the ante on Amex Offers for online shopping.
A number of lucrative Amex Offers were launched earlier this week that total up to $1,700 in value through June 30, 2021. Below is a sample of current offers (there are also numerous other offers):
Avis Car Rental - Spend $250+ on eligible purchases, Get $75 back, up to two times
BestBuy.com - Spend $50+ on eligible purchases, Get $50 back, up to two times
Goldbelly - Spend $100+ on eligible purchases, Get $50 back, up to three times
Home Chef - Spend $50+ on eligible purchases, Get $50 back, up to three times
HomeDepot.com - Spend $50+ on eligible purchases, Get $50 back, up to two times
Instacart - Spend $250+ on eligible purchases, Get $50 back, up to two times
Samsung - Spend $1,000+ on eligible purchases, Get $200 back, one time
Scribd - Spend $9.99+ on eligible purchases, Get $9.99 back, up to five times
The Container Store - Spend $150+ on eligible purchases, Get $50 back, up to two times
Virtual Personal Training by Equinox - Spend $780+ on eligible purchases, Get $130 back, up to five times
Wine Insiders - Spend $30+ on eligible purchases, Get $30 back, up to two times
(Screenshot courtesy of Amex)
However, note that these Amex Offers are not eligible for new cardholders; in fact, they're limited to those who had an Amex Platinum card prior to Nov. 1, 2020.
Up to 400,000 additional points on select categories
Amex Business Platinum cardholders can now earn 5x Membership Rewards points (a bonus of 4x points) on U.S. purchases made across shipping, wireless, advertising, gas and office supplies categories. The offer is valid through June 30, 2021, and you can earn up to a total of 80,000 bonus points per category, worth $1,600 according to TPG valuations.
You must activate these elevated bonuses through Amex Offers.
If you have a single purchase of $5,000 or more, the Business Platinum card always offers 1.5x points per dollar (up to 1 million additional points per calendar year) so you have the potential to earn up to 5.5x points per dollar. The card has a $595 annual fee (see rates and fees).
(Photo by The Points Guy)
Similar to the personal Platinum card, these bonuses are limited to those who had a Business Platinum card prior to Nov. 1, 2020. Amex noted that in the coming weeks, "new Business Platinum cardholders will also receive exciting offers for their first three months of membership."
25% off WeWork All-Access membership
At the end of 2020, Amex eliminated one of the most notable perks on the Business Platinum card: a Global Access membership to any of WeWork's 300+ coworking locations.
Well, now, Amex has announced that all business cardholders have a 25% off Amex Offer for WeWork All-Access, a rebranded version of what was previously offered complimentary on the Business Platinum. The offer runs through June 30, 2021.
This membership tier includes “hot desks” at popular WeWork locations (not private workspaces), access to any premium amenities, services and more. Currently, new WeWork members get the first month free and it's $299 per month thereafter.
The good news is that all eligible Amex business cardholders -- including those with a cobranded business card -- are eligible for this offer. That means cards such as The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, American Express® Business Gold Card, etc. are eligible.
(Screenshot courtesy of Amex)
The end of 2020 also marked the conclusion of Amex's many temporary credits. On the Business Platinum card side, the loss of the extra up to $200 Dell credit and up to $320 wireless and shipping credit were a significant blow, especially as travel remains limited with the ongoing pandemic.
With this bonus, eligible Blue Business Plus, American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, and other eligible Amex small business cards can receive $25 back via statement credit on purchases greater than $500 up to 10 times, through June 30, 2021.
That's 5% back, which is a fantastic boost, especially for the Blue Business Plus card. That card already earns 2x Amex points on the first $50,000 spend on the card annually (then 1x). There are no bonus categories to keep track of and 2x points are equal to a 4% return based on TPG valuations.
Small business merchant offers
(Photo by vgajic/Getty Images)
American Express also announced that small business merchant partners will continue to get new offers and tools to help them manage and run their business. Last year, Amex says it made more than $15,000 in discounts on services available to businesses to help them "save on shipping, connect with customers, streamline their operations, and more." Some of the most recent offers include:
30% off social media management solutions from Sprout Social
Get four months free from BigCommerce for building an online store
Hotel, car rental and air offers
According to Amex's Trendex survey, 68% of respondents said they expect to take a trip in 2021 that they couldn’t take in 2020, with 28% of consumers in December reporting they are planning a trip in the next 60 days.
These offers are specifically targeted for staycations or nearby getaways.
The Hotel Collection complimentary night or property credit: Those with a U.S. Amex Platinum, Business Platinum or American Express® Gold Card can receive a complimentary night or property credit of up to $150 or more after booking an eligible stay through American Express Travel at participating Hotel Collection properties. Only select hotels are offering this and bookings must be made from Jan. 5 through March 31, 2021 for a stay starting on Jan 5. and completed by April 30, 2021.
Fine Hotels and Resorts complimentary night or property credit: Those with a U.S. Amex Platinum or Business Platinum can receive a complimentary night or property credit of up to $250 or more after booking an eligible stay through American Express Travel at more than 350 participating Fine Hotels and Resorts properties. Only select hotels are offering this and bookings must be made from Jan. 5 through March 31, 2021, for a stay starting on Jan 5. and completed by April 30, 2021.
The "Special Offers" section of Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts. (Screenshot courtesy of Amex)
Discounted flights: Those with a U.S. Amex Platinum or Business Platinum can access lower fares on select routes, flights and seats, with the ability to save up to 20% off the publicly listed ticket price. These lower fares are available with participating airlines for eligible flights and seats booked between Jan. 10, 2021 and March 31, 2021 for travel from Jan, 10, 2021 through May 31, 2021.
Pay with points on prepaid car rental bookings: For those renting a car to enjoy a local getaway, Membership Rewards program enrolled cardholders can now use Pay with Points or earn 2x Membership Rewards points on prepaid car rental bookings through AmexTravel.com. However, on a test booking, Amex was offering a rate of 0.7 cents per point, much lower than the TPG valuation of 2 cents per point.
For all of these Amex Travel offers above, you should be able to use your $200 Amex Travel credit that is available to personal Platinum cardholders who renew their card between April 2020 and March 2021.
Additionally, American Express will waive the American Express Travel fee on flight modifications or new bookings now through March 31, 2021.
Eligibility for this offer is limited. Enrollment is required in the Amex Offers section of your account before redeeming.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here.
Additional reporting by Summer Hull.
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.
