Amex Platinum Cardholders Update Your $200 Airline Credit Choice By January 31
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The Mercedes-Benz Platinum, American Express Platinum Card, and Business Platinum all have many valuable benefits, which I've outlined before, including the $200 annual airline fee credit, that all help make that $450 annual fee worth it in my opinion. Hopefully a lot of you got in on the recent one-day 100,000-point sign-up bonus offer (when you spend $3,000 in 3 months) on the card because I don't think anything like it is coming back soon, but everyone should keep an eye out for targeted offers. Even at 25,000 points for a sign-up bonus, though, the benefits of this card can really pay off, especially since I value 25,000 Amex points at $450 off the bat (1.8 cents a piece), but you get way more than just points with this card.
To take advantage of the $200 airline credit, you have to designate which airline you want to use it on, and if you would like to choose a different airline for 2013 than in previous years, you only have from now through January 31st to do so. If you do not make any changes during the period in which Amex will allow cardholders to change their airline from last year, your credit will automatically be for the same airline.
What can you use the $200 for? Technically, you're not supposed to get credit for airline vouchers, but a lot of cardholders report getting statement credits for them when they buy in small increments like $100 or $50 each. I decided to test this out for myself and since American Airlines is my designated airline, I purchased both a $100 flight voucher and a $50 flight voucher to see if either or both would trigger an automatic statement credit.
I checked my Amex Platinum statement a couple days later, and sure enough both vouchers were reimbursed - so this could be a good way for folks to put that credit towards airfare as long as you don't mind dealing with the extra layer of having to use a voucher.
There are multiple reports on Flyertalk that gift cards purchased for Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have been reimbursed by Amex. There are also reports that with Delta, if you apply any sort of travel voucher to a reservation, then pay for the rest of your ticket, it shows up as an additional collection rather than a ticket charge, resulting in the remaining balance of the ticket being reimbursed as well.
Read through the 70+ comments on my post last year to see examples of TPG readers who have had success doing the same. Flyertalk is also a great resource and has a thread for Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United, and US Airways on specific examples and if they have been credited. Please also share your experience getting refunded in the comments section to help people think about different ways they can maximize the value of this benefit.
Apart from that, officially the approved items are:
- Checked baggage fees
- Overweight/oversize baggage fees
- Change fees
- Phone reservation fees
- Pet flight fees
- Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships
- Seat assignment fees
- In-flight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, etc)
- In-flight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet)
This credit is officially not applicable for the following charges:
- Airline tickets
- Charges processed by merchants other than the airline the Cardmember is enrolled in (for example, inflight Internet services providers such as GoGo)
- Charges made by airline partners (for example, Cardmember purchase ticket on enrolled airline Delta, but purchases food on an Air France flight)
- Trip insurance / baggage insurance
- Ticket upgrades (Including American Airlines Upgrade Stickers)
- Travel agent fees
- Point transfer fees
- Duty free purchase
- Award ticket fees
Allow 2-4 weeks after the qualifying incidental air travel fee is charged to your card account for statement credit to be posted to the account (but typically in my experience it has been less than that). American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions, so call the number on the back of the card if statement credits have not posted after 4 weeks from the date of purchase, and they will manually adjust it.
Update: Beginning March 22, 2014, American Express Card Members will no longer have access to American Airlines Admiral Club and US Airways Club airport lounges through Airport Club Access / Airport Lounge Program. This means that Card Members will no longer be able to gain complimentary access to the American Airlines airport lounges (known as Admirals Club lounges) or the US Airways Club airport lounges as a benefit of their Platinum Card Membership. Cardmembers will continue to receive access to participating Delta Sky Club lounges, Priority Pass Select (enrollment is required), and Airspace lounges in JFK, CLE and BWI airports.
Even if you're not planning to use the card for airline vouchers, that credit really takes a big chunk out of expenses like lounge membership (although you get access to American, Delta and US Airways clubs just for carrying the card) or checked baggage fees, and it includes a host of other value-added perks like a $100 reimbursement for Global Entry as well as great purchase protections. It also doesn't carry any foreign transaction fees, and now that you can get it with a SmartChip it makes it an even better choice to carry abroad.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.