American Express Platinum Card Updates: New Features and Changes

The American Express Platinum Card has undergone some exciting updates, and I'm here to break it down for you. The card now offers a $200 airline fee credit, which can be used to offset charges like checked bags, change fees, and more.

One of the biggest changes is the addition of up to $200 in Uber credits per year. This can be a huge perk for frequent Uber users, like myself. I've already taken advantage of this benefit to save money on rides.

Another update is the introduction of a new airport lounge experience. Platinum cardholders now have access to a wider range of lounges, including the Centurion Lounge, which offers complimentary food and drinks. I've had the chance to try out the Centurion Lounge, and it's definitely a step up from the usual airport experience.

The American Express Platinum Card benefits are truly impressive, with up to $1,874 in annual credits available. This is a game-changer for frequent travelers and luxury enthusiasts.

You can get most of the card benefits as an authorized user, including lounge access perks, Fine Hotels & Resorts access, and Hilton and Marriott Gold status. This is a great perk for those who want to share the benefits with friends or family members.

One of the standout features of the Amex Platinum Card is its Fine Hotels & Resorts program, which offers complimentary benefits like room upgrades, daily breakfast, and a $100 amenity credit at over 1,300 properties. This is a fantastic value for those who travel frequently.

The Amex Platinum Card offers a range of lifestyle benefits, from shopping to digital subscriptions and wellness, that can be maximized even if you don't travel frequently. This includes benefits like shopping credits, digital entertainment credits, and more.

Here are some of the key benefits of the Amex Platinum Card:

These benefits make the Amex Platinum Card an excellent choice for those who want to experience luxury travel and lifestyle perks.

The Amex Platinum Card is a travel enthusiast's dream come true, with a plethora of perks that make traveling a breeze. You earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on up to $500,000 spent per calendar year on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.

You can also earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel. This is a great way to rack up points quickly, especially if you're a frequent traveler. And, if you're looking to maximize your points, you can transfer them to one of the 21 airline or hotel partners, including 18 airline partners and three hotel partners.

Some of the notable airline partners include Aer Lingus AerClub, Air Canada Aeroplan, and Delta SkyMiles. You can also earn a $200 annual airline fee credit, which can be used toward airline incidentals and fees. This is a huge benefit, especially if you're a frequent flyer.

Here's a list of the airlines you can choose from for the $200 annual airline fee credit:

In addition to these airline partners, you also get access to a Priority Pass membership, which gives you access to 1,300+ lounges around the world. This is a huge perk, especially if you're a frequent traveler.

Fine Hotels & Resorts Benefits are a game-changer for travelers. You can get a room upgrade (when available), daily breakfast for two, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, noon check-in (when available), complimentary Wi-Fi and an amenity credit valued at $100 at over 1,300 properties.

To book a stay through Fine Hotels & Resorts, you'll need to pay with the Amex Platinum Card. This will also earn you 5x Membership Rewards points on prepaid reservations, which can be a good deal considering the perks you get.

There's no minimum stay required for Fine Hotels & Resorts reservations, making it easy to use the Amex Platinum's $200 annual hotel credit. This credit can be used with a single stay if you'd like.

Here are the Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits in more detail:

Overall, Fine Hotels & Resorts is a great way to experience luxury travel with the Amex Platinum Card.

The Amex Platinum Card offers a fantastic airline and hotel program, making it a top choice for travelers. You can earn points with 21 airline and hotel partners, including Aer Lingus AerClub, Aeromexico Club Premier, and Hilton Honors.

To redeem your points, you can transfer them to one of the Membership Rewards airline or hotel partners. This is a great way to get outsized value toward premium airfare, especially for travel in first and business class. I value Membership Rewards points at ~1.7 cents each, so to me, that's the equivalent of an 8.5% return on airfare spending, which is incredible.

The Amex Platinum Card offers a limited complimentary version of point.me, which helps you see the reward flight options available with your Amex points. This makes it easy to find the best way to redeem your points.

Here's a list of the airline and hotel partners you can transfer your points to:

The Carbon Emissions Tracker is a feature that allows you to monitor your carbon footprint based on your purchases.

With the AmEx Carbon Emissions Tracker, you can receive an estimate of your carbon emissions based on your card transactions.

This tool also enables you to contribute monthly to carbon removal projects.

You'll get carbon reduction tips and information to help you make a positive impact.

The AmEx Carbon Emissions Tracker is a unique feature that helps you understand your environmental impact.

By using this feature, you can make more informed choices about your spending habits and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Airport lounges are a game-changer for travelers, offering a peaceful oasis amidst the chaos of airport terminals. With access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, you can enjoy a range of lounges, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta, and Priority Pass Select.

Some lounges offer complimentary food and drinks, while others may charge a fee. The International American Express lounges are a great option for those with a long layover or a late-night flight.

If you're flying with Delta, you can also take advantage of the Delta Sky Clubs, which offer a range of amenities, including food, drinks, and showers. Airspace and Escape lounges are also part of the Global Lounge Collection, offering a more exclusive experience.

Flying private can be a game-changer, and the Amex Platinum card takes it to the next level with exclusive access to Wheels Up memberships.

You'll get a 20% discount on Wheels Up Connect and a 40% discount on Wheels Up Core memberships, which can save you a significant amount of money on your private jet flights.

Additionally, you'll receive a $500 credit added to your Wheels Up account to use toward your initial flight within the first year.

The Amex Platinum Card offers a long list of perks, most of which require you to use the card to qualify for them. From hotel loyalty program status to rental car loyalty program status, you'll have access to a range of benefits.

One of the standout perks is the Global Dining By Resy program, which gives you access to premium events and other perks like priority notify and VIP status. This is a great way to experience the finer things in life.

You'll also get dibs on coveted seats and advance ticket sales for concerts, sports, and entertainment events with American Express Preferred Access. This is a great way to ensure you get the best seats in the house.

The concierge service is a fantastic perk that comes with this card. You have 24-hour access to assistants for personal, travel, or card-related needs.

These assistants are available to help with anything from making dinner reservations to booking flights. The service is free, but you may be responsible for any costs incurred to fulfill your requests.

One thing to keep in mind is that the concierge service is available 24/7, so you can reach out to them at any time for assistance.

The Amex Platinum Card offers a long list of perks, most of which require you to use the card to qualify for them. The card provides access to a program that gets you valuable hotel perks, and discounts on many premium cabin airline tickets.

You have 24-hour access to assistants for personal, travel or card-related needs, which is a free service, but fees may apply for costs incurred to fulfill your requests. This concierge service can be a huge time-saver and a great resource for getting help when you need it.

With the Amex Platinum, you get access to Plaza Premium Lounges, which are among the highest quality contract lounges you'll find. You can bring one guest with you at no additional cost, making it a great perk for travel companions.

The card also offers Global Dining By Resy, giving access to premium events and other perks, like priority notify and VIP status. This can be a great way to experience new things and make the most of your travel adventures.

One of the most valuable perks of the Amex Platinum Card is its lounge access program, which includes access to Centurion, Lufthansa, and Delta SkyClub lounges. This can be a huge upgrade from the standard airline lounges, and can make a big difference in your travel experience.

You can also get complimentary guest access to a Centurion Lounge after spending $75,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year. This can be a great way to treat friends or family to a luxurious lounge experience.

The Amex Platinum Card offers a range of rewards and benefits, including 5X rewards on direct airline purchases, prepaid hotels, and Amex Travel bookings. This can be a great way to earn points and rewards on your travel expenses.

You can also redeem Membership Rewards points for an airline ticket upgrade, which can be a great way to upgrade your travel experience. The dollar amount of the upgrade will be charged to the card and points will be subtracted from your Membership Rewards to cover the expense as a credit.

To get approved for the Amex Platinum, you'll need good to excellent credit. American Express also considers your debt-to-income ratio and prior history with them.

The Apply With Confidence feature lets you check if you're approved without affecting your credit score, but your credit score may still be impacted if you're approved and accept the card.

You can use this feature by applying through Forbes Advisor, AmericanExpress.com, or by calling American Express. However, it's not available if you're applying from an existing account.

The American Express Platinum Card offers a range of rewards and offers that can help you save money and earn points. You can earn 5x points on airfare purchased directly from airlines or through Amex Travel, which is a spectacular bonus category. This makes the card a great option for frequent flyers.

The card also offers a variety of statement credits, including up to $240 in digital entertainment credits, up to $200 in airline fee credits, and up to $200 in Uber credits. Additionally, you can earn up to $100 in Saks credits. These credits can be applied to various services, such as Peacock, Disney+, and Hulu, and can be redeemed for statement credits.

The card also offers a welcome bonus of 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months of card membership. This is a huge bonus that can be worth hundreds of dollars in rewards. You can also transfer your points to one of the 21 airline or hotel partners, including Aer Lingus AerClub, Choice Privileges, and Hilton Honors.

Here are some of the key rewards and offers on the American Express Platinum Card:

The Amex Platinum Card offers a generous rewards program on spending. You can earn Membership Rewards points, which offer flexible redemption options that vary in value.

The card earns 5x points on airfare purchased directly from airlines or through Amex Travel, making it the best card for airfare purchases. This is spectacular, earning you the equivalent of an 8.5% return on airfare spending.

You can also earn 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, but this isn't always worth it due to the opportunity cost of not earning loyalty points with your preferred hotel program. However, Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts is an exception, offering 5x points and perks.

Additionally, you earn 1x points on other purchases, which isn't especially good. There are other cards offering 1.5x-2x points per dollar spent, so you may want to consider those for everyday spending.

To maximize your rewards, consider your spending habits and use the card for categories that offer high rewards rates, such as airfare and prepaid hotels.

Here's a breakdown of the rewards rates:

By understanding the rewards rates and using the card strategically, you can maximize your earnings and get the most value out of your spending.

The Saks Fifth Avenue Discount is a great perk for cardholders. You can receive up to $100 in statement credits annually at Saks Fifth Avenue.

These credits are divvied up in $50 increments, one from January through June and the other from July through December. Enrollment is required to take advantage of this benefit.

You can use the credits for purchases made in-store or online, and there's no minimum purchase amount. This means you could make a $50 purchase and have the entire purchase reimbursed.

The American Express Platinum card offers some amazing perks, and one of them is Global Dining Access by Resy.

With this program, you'll get access to premium events and exclusive experiences that will make your dining adventures truly special.

You'll also enjoy priority notify and VIP status, which means you'll be treated like a VIP at participating restaurants and events.

The American Express Platinum card has undergone some exciting updates.

You can now earn 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel. This is a significant change from the previous 1x point earning rate on flights.

The card's annual fee remains at $550, but with all the new benefits and perks, it's worth considering for frequent travelers.

Having a no preset spending limit on your credit card can be a game-changer for big purchases.

The Platinum Card from American Express doesn't have a preset spending limit, giving you the freedom to make larger purchases without worrying about hitting a limit.

You'll still have a general limit, though, that fluctuates with changing factors such as your purchases and credit history.

This means you'll need to pay off your balance in full every month to avoid interest charges.

If you're considering applying for the Amex Platinum Card, it's essential to understand the eligibility restrictions. You won't qualify for the welcome bonus if you've had the card in the past, due to the "once in a lifetime" rule.

The welcome bonus isn't available to current cardholders or those who have had the card previously. This means if you've already had the Amex Platinum Card, you won't be eligible for the welcome bonus if you apply again.

However, there's a catch - having the Amex Platinum Card won't count toward Amex's limit of five cards per person. This is because the Amex Platinum Card is a hybrid card, not a traditional credit card.

If you're ineligible for the new welcome bonus, upgrading to the Amex Platinum is a good option. The 100,000-point upgrade offer has a slightly lower spending requirement than the new member welcome bonus.

The CLEAR Plus credit is a fantastic benefit offered by the Amex Platinum card. You can receive up to $199 per year in CLEAR credits by paying for a CLEAR membership with your card.

This credit can be used to cover the annual cost of a CLEAR membership, which can save you time at security by allowing you to use your biometric data to skip the ID check.

The Amex Platinum Card offers a hotel credit that's easy to use. You can get up to $200 per year in hotel credits by booking a prepaid hotel through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel.

You can use this credit with a single stay if you'd like, and there's no minimum stay requirement for Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts. However, a two-night minimum stay is required for The Hotel Collection.

This perk is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and you can use your credit towards the cost of your hotel booking.

You can maximize the lifestyle benefits of the Amex Platinum card, even if you don't travel frequently. This includes shopping, digital subscriptions, and wellness perks.

Authorized users get most of the card benefits, including lounge access, hotel status, and airline program access. They also receive additional Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credits.

The Amex Platinum offers a $240 annual digital entertainment credit, which comes in the form of a $20 monthly statement credit on eligible purchases or subscriptions with services like Audible, Peacock, and The New York Times.

The Amex Platinum card offers a $200 annual Uber credit, which is a game-changer for frequent Uber users. You can use this credit for rides with Uber in the US or for food with Uber Eats in the US.

To activate this benefit, you need to enter your Amex Platinum Card number on your Uber account, and then you should see the benefit unlocked. This will add an amount to your Uber Cash balance every month, and the discount will automatically be applied to the first eligible ride or food delivery.

The credit is broken down into monthly credits of $15, plus an additional $35 in December, making it a total of $200 per year. You'll need to select an Amex Card as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.

The $240 Digital Entertainment credit is a fantastic perk for Amex Platinum cardholders. You can earn up to $240 per year in digital entertainment credits by using the card to pay for eligible purchases or subscriptions.

These credits can be applied at $20 per month, which adds up to a nice chunk of change. To qualify, you'll need to enroll and make purchases with services like Peacock, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, or The Wall Street Journal.

Here are the services that qualify for the digital entertainment credit:

By taking advantage of this credit, you can enjoy your favorite digital entertainment without breaking the bank.

You can earn up to $100 in statement credits annually at Saks Fifth Avenue.

These credits are divvied up in $50 increments, one from January through June and the other from July through December. Enrollment is required.

You can receive a $50 credit for the first half of the year and a $50 credit in the second half of the year with the Amex Platinum.

Registration is required to take advantage of this benefit.

The American Express Platinum Card offers a range of insurance and protection benefits that can provide peace of mind for travelers. You're covered for up to $10,000 per incident for up to a maximum of $50,000 per year with purchase protection.

Baggage insurance plan covers you up to $2,000 for checked bags and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage. To be covered, you must pay for the entire fare with your card.

Trip delay insurance reimburses certain expenses made with the card, up to $500 per trip, if your trip is delayed by more than six hours for a qualifying reason. You can make a maximum of two claims per eligible card per 12-month period.

Here are some key details about the insurance and protection benefits:

Purchase protection is a valuable benefit that safeguards your purchases against accidents, theft, or loss. It's available for up to 90 days from the purchase date.

If your purchase is damaged, stolen, or lost, this protection can help you recover up to $10,000 per incident. You can enjoy this benefit for up to a maximum of $50,000 per year.

This means you can shop with confidence, knowing that your purchases are protected against unforeseen events.

Extended Warranty can provide an extra layer of protection for your purchases.

You can get up to an extra year added to an original manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less when you use the card to pay for qualifying purchases.

If your luggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, the Baggage Insurance Plan has got you covered. The plan covers you up to $2,000 for checked bags and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage.

To be eligible, you must pay for the entire fare with your card. This plan is a great addition to your travel insurance, giving you peace of mind when you're on the road.

Here's a summary of the plan's benefits:

Keep in mind that terms and conditions apply, so be sure to review the fine print before purchasing the plan.

The American Express Platinum Card's annual fee is a significant $695, which can be a challenge for some cardholders to budget for each year.

You can add authorized users to the card, but it'll cost you $195 each, which can add up quickly.

The good news is that the $200 annual airline fee credit can help offset some of the costs, but it's only usable towards airline incidentals and fees, not towards airline tickets or upgrades.

Here are the airlines you can choose from for the $200 annual airline fee credit:

Keep in mind that you can't use the credit towards things like airline tickets, mileage points purchases, or gift cards.

The Amex Platinum Card comes with a hefty price tag of $695 annually, which is one of the highest annual fees on the market.

This fee is non-negotiable and must be paid each year to maintain the card.

Adding authorized users to the card will cost you an extra $195 each, so be sure to factor that into your budget.

The annual fee is a significant expense, but for some cardholders, the benefits may outweigh the cost.

The Platinum Card from American Express doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, which means you won't incur extra charges for making purchases abroad.

You may still experience limited merchant acceptance abroad, as American Express cards aren't as widely accepted internationally as Visa and Mastercard products.

Adding authorized users to your account can earn you Membership Rewards points for all qualifying purchases made by additional card members.

The annual fee for each additional card is $195, and terms apply.