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Everything you need to know about Amex Travel

The American Express Travel portal allows you to redeem Membership Rewards points directly for travel reservations and activities rather than transfer your rewards to airline or hotel partners like Delta Air Lines SkyMiles and Marriott Bonvoy .

You also can book discounted premium tickets, use benefits like a 35% points rebate on certain bookings and even book premium hotels with additional perks through Amex Travel.

Let's explore this booking portal to uncover all its benefits and potential disadvantages.

What is the American Express Travel portal?

Amex Travel is the booking portal for most American Express cards . You can book flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises through the site, and you can pay with points, cash or a combination of the two.

How to book flights on the Amex Travel portal

To find flights on American Express Travel, visit this webpage . The flight booking process on the Amex Travel portal is similar to other popular sites like Kayak and Orbitz. You'll find a search box where you can enter your departure and destination cities.

If you're flexible with your departure airport, you can choose an entire city, such as New York, which has multiple airports. Additionally, you can customize your booking by selecting your preferred class and the number of travelers, and choosing between one-way and round-trip flights.

You'll see the price listed in dollars and the number of Amex Membership Rewards points during the booking process.

You can also use the options on the left-hand side to filter flights by number of stops, departure and arrival times, flight duration and airline.

Delta Air Lines is a featured airline in the Amex Travel portal. Sometimes, Delta flights appear at the top of your results, listed as "recommended," but this doesn't mean those flights are always the cheapest.

Additionally, if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and are flying from an airport with a Centurion Lounge , you'll see an indicator that a lounge is available.

Points vs. cash

When paying for your flights on Amex Travel, several American Express cards offer elevated earning rates:

You can also pay with Amex Membership Rewards points to cover the cost of your flight.

You'll see the number of points required next to the cash price of a flight. You can expect a value of 1 cent per point when using Pay with Points . However, TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents apiece when you maximize Amex's transfer partners.

Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

It's important to compare the number of points required for bookings on Amex Travel with the points you'd need to transfer to an airline program . If you can't book a flight through transfer partners and prefer to use your points, Amex Travel remains an option.

There's an additional benefit for Amex Business Platinum cardmembers: You can get 35% of your points back when paying with points on Amex Travel. This applies to first- and business-class flights on any airline plus tickets in any class on your preferred airline (the same one used for your airline incidental credits ; enrollment is required in advance). This 35% points rebate can provide a value of 1.54 cents per point, which may influence your decision to pay with cash or points.

Similarly, the Business Centurion® Card from American Express offers a 50% Pay with Points rebate on eligible flights. Note that Centurion cards are available by invitation only.

The information for the Business Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

More details about flights through Amex Travel

During the payment process, you can use points, your credit card or a combination of both. The minimum number of points you can use is 5,000, and each point is valued at 1 cent.

You can upgrade your flights using cash or points in the Amex Travel portal. This generally gives you a return of 1 cent each, and you can book using your Amex card, points or a combination of both.

During your flight search, you might come across "Insider Fares" that offer a discounted price. But to benefit from the discount, you must redeem points to cover the full fare amount.

Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers have another benefit: discounted premium tickets through Amex Travel's International Airline Program . This program offers discounts on first-class, business-class and premium economy tickets from over 20 participating airlines.

To book a premium ticket using the IAP, go to the Amex Travel portal and pay with cash or points, including the Business Platinum card's 35% airline rebate. Keep in mind that not all flights are eligible and there are restrictions:

• The cardmember must travel on the itinerary.
• A maximum of eight tickets can be booked per itinerary; travel must begin and end in the U.S. or Canadian international airports.
• Tickets are nonrefundable unless stated otherwise.
• Name changes for passengers are not allowed.

Finally, note that flights booked through Amex Travel are typically treated as normal paid tickets, meaning you're eligible to earn points or miles with participating airline loyalty programs.

Related: Why I love the Amex Business Platinum's Pay with Points perk

How to book hotels on the Amex Travel portal

You can book hotels through American Express Travel with a Gold, Platinum or Centurion card. As with other travel portals, you can input your destination, dates, number of rooms and number of guests (with separate input fields for adults and children).

Platinum and Business Platinum cardmembers earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel reservations.

After selecting your hotel, you'll choose your preferred room and pay with points or cash. If you pay with points, you'll only get a value of 0.7 cents per point (compared to 1 cent when you book flights).

Note that these are considered third-party bookings, so you likely won't earn hotel points or elite credits for your stay . While there are reports of people receiving stay credits with Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors on rooms booked through Amex Travel, the hotel is not guaranteed to recognize your elite status in these programs or provide status-qualifying stay credits.

Related: 9 things to consider when choosing to book via a portal vs. booking directly

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts

Platinum and Centurion cardholders also have access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program through Amex Travel. This can add some great benefits to your hotel stays — and may not cost much more than booking directly with the hotel.

Here are the perks you'll receive with every FHR booking, regardless of the length of your stay:

• Room upgrade upon arrival (when available): Some room types may be excluded, but you could receive an upgrade to preferred rooms with better views or a better location in the hotel.
• Daily breakfast for two people: The provided breakfast must be, at a minimum, a continental breakfast.
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
• Noon check-in when available
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Unique property amenity: The amenity varies by hotel but should be valued at $100 or more and usually consists of a property credit, dining credit, spa credit, private airport transfer or similar amenity.

You'll need to book these stays through Amex Travel, but note that FHR is considered a separate program from Amex Travel.

In addition, if you have the personal Amex Platinum , you can also get up to $200 in statement credits every year for prepaid reservations through Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection — which we'll discuss next. Enrollment is required.

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

The Hotel Collection

A lesser-known American Express benefit is The Hotel Collection , which allows you to book in cash or with points. Those with Amex Gold, Platinum and Centurion cards have access to this program, which offers the following benefits:

• A room upgrade at check-in (if available)
• $100 on-property credit for qualifying dining, spa and resort activities

Note that The Hotel Collection bookings require a minimum stay of two nights, though they too are eligible for the $200 hotel credit on the Amex Platinum.

How to book rental cars and cruises on the Amex Travel portal

Reserving a car in the Amex portal is relatively simple. You'll input your pickup and drop-off times and location.

You'll see rental car prices listed in cash and points. When using Pay with Points , your points are worth 0.7 cents — just over a third of TPG's valuation of Amex Membership Rewards points.

Although the format differs, you can also search for cruises on Amex Travel.

Rather than typing specific dates and numbers of passengers, you'll see four drop-down menus. These allow you to choose a destination (by region), filter by cruise lines and choose a month for travel — though not specific dates — on this first page. You can also select your desired cruise duration.

From here, you can filter by cruise duration, departure port and ship. You can sort your results by sailing date, value, price or ship rating.

On the final payment page, you can use your card or redeem points, ranging from 1 point to enough to cover the entire cost. Using points for a cruise will result in a low valuation of 0.7 cents per point, but it can be a money-saving option if you prefer not to spend cash.

There's another benefit available if you're a Platinum or Centurion cardholder (including personal and business versions of these cards): the Cruise Privileges Program .

This is available on cruises of five nights or more with select cruise lines, and it offers the following perks:

• $100-$500 in onboard ship credit (note that this cannot be used for casino or gratuity charges)
• Additional onboard amenities vary by line, such as spa vouchers, a bottle of Champagne, shore excursion credits or a private ship tour

Note that the Platinum cardmember must be one of the travelers on the cruise to enjoy these benefits.

Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles

Further things to consider about Amex Travel

When booking through the Amex Travel portal, there are a few factors to consider.

First, using Amex Membership Rewards points on Amex Travel may not provide the best value compared to transferring points to airline or hotel loyalty programs. The Pay with Points feature typically values points at 0.7 to 1 cent per point, which is far lower than our 2-cent valuation .

Additionally, the prices on Amex Travel may not always be the most competitive, so we recommend checking other platforms like Google Flights before booking your travel. Also, booking directly with hotels is advised for those seeking to utilize elite status benefits.

When you need to change your upcoming trips booked through Amex Travel, it can get complicated. You may encounter change and cancellation fees, often around $75, and making a change requires a phone call. Flight credit vouchers from cancellations can only be used for rebooking through Amex Travel via phone.

On the positive side, Amex Travel allows a 24-hour cancellation window for most reservations, and booking flights through the site generally still qualifies for earning miles and status with airline loyalty programs.

Related: Redeeming American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

Bottom line

American Express Travel offers an array of booking options, including the ability to earn bonus Membership Rewards points on select purchases. Although you can use your points to book hotels, flights, rental cars and cruises through Amex Travel, you can get more from your points when you transfer them to Amex's airline and hotel partners .

However, there are exceptions, such as when there is no award availability for last-minute travel. In addition, Amex Travel offers perks like discounted premium flights, added benefits with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and a user-friendly interface. And with a simple redemption scheme that doesn't involve complicated loyalty programs and transfer partners, many Amex cardholders prefer it when planning their trips.

Additional reporting by Ryan Patterson and Kyle Olsen.

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Table of Contents

Who can use the American Express Travel portal?

Benefits of booking travel on amex travel, how to book travel in the portal, is travel insurance included when booking through amex travel, downsides of booking via amex travel, final thoughts on the amex travel portal.

The American Express Travel portal is similar to many other online booking sites in that it allows you to purchase flights, hotels and other travel reservations. The main difference is that only those who hold an American Express card can use it.

Certain cards come with additional perks for booking in the portal. For instance, some AmEx cards allow travelers to earn extra points for bookings, receive a 35% points rebate, pay for a portion of the reservation with points, get room upgrades and more. Terms apply.

Here's a look at what the AmEx Travel portal offers and how to use it to maximize your benefits.

American Express Travel flights, hotels and other reservations are available for American Express cardholders. Depending on which American Express card you have, you may earn additional points on your reservation or unlock additional features. Terms apply.

For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders earn 5x points on flights booked directly with an airline or through AmEx Travel and 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through AmEx Travel. They also have access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts collection through the travel portal. Additionally, American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders can book room reservations with The Hotel Collection . Terms apply.

Here are eight reasons why booking with AmEx travel could be a good idea.

1. Earn up to 5x points

When you book flight through the AmEx Travel portal, your credit card may earn additional points for the purchase. In addition, prepaid hotel reservations through the AmEx travel portal also earn extra points. These are a few of the cards that offer a bonus when making reservations through AmEx travel:

on American Express' website

• 5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per year.

• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

• 4 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per year).

• 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year).

• 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.

• 2 points per $1 on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases made through American Express Travel.

• 3 points per $1 on eligible travel purchases.

• 3 points per $1 on restaurants worldwide.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

• 2 points per $1 on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year.

• 1 point per $1 on purchases above $50,000 in a calendar year.

» Learn more: AmEx Membership Rewards: How to earn and use them

2. Pay for reservations using Pay with Points

With American Express Travel, flights, hotels and more can be paid for with points instead of cash. Members can even choose to pay a portion of the trip with points and the rest with cash. Once your reservations have been booked, the full amount of your trip will be charged to your American Express credit card, and then a credit will be posted for the points redeemed within 48 hours.

You must redeem at least 5,000 points in order to use Pay with Points. Points are redeemed at a value of 1 cent per point when booking flights or making Fine Hotels & Resorts reservations. Other eligible travel receives only 0.7 cents per point. NerdWallet values Membership Rewards points at 2.8 cents per point if you take advantage of transferring to and booking through travel partners, so the redemption rates in the travel portal are significantly below our ideal value.

If you need to cancel your reservation, you'll receive a statement credit on your card for the cash equivalent. Members who would rather have the unused Membership Rewards points returned to their accounts must contact American Express customer service at 800-297-3276. Terms apply.

3. Upgrade flights with points

Eligible flights booked with cash can be upgraded using your American Express Membership Rewards points. You'll receive 1 cent per point credit towards the cost when upgrading a flight with points (which is again below our AmEx point valuation ).

To upgrade your flight with points, select your airline and provide your reservation details in the AmEx travel portal. You will be notified if your flight is eligible or not. If your flight is eligible, you can submit an offer to the airline for the upgrade. The airline will accept or reject your bid between one and five days of your flight's departure and you'll receive a decision via email.

If your upgrade offer is accepted, the points will be deducted from your account. Your statement will show a charge and a credit for the corresponding points.

» Learn more: You can now use AmEx points to bid on flight upgrades

4. Discounted international flights through AmEx IAP

Platinum cardholders have access to discounted flights through International Airline Program (IAP) , which allows members to book first, business and premium economy at a discount on select airlines and routes. Plus, you'll receive 5x Membership Rewards points on the booking when using your The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express to pay for the flight. Terms apply.

There are 25 airlines that participate in this program. You can book refundable and nonrefundable tickets for up to eight passengers through the IAP. Tickets can be paid with your card, points or a combination of the two. You will have to pay a $39 nonrefundable ticketing fee, however the discount received on these tickets should outweigh the fee.

5. Cancel For Any Reason insurance

CFAR is shorthand for an insurance policy that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason whatsoever and receive a refund. In May 2022, AmEx launched its own version of CFAR coverage for airfare booked through the travel portal using an AmEx card.

This feature, called Trip Cancel Guard, will get you up to a 75% reimbursement on nonrefundable airfare costs, provided you cancel at least two calendar days out from your departure. You'll need to purchase Trip Cancel Guard coverage at the point of booking and if you cancel, whether through the airline directly or through AmEx Travel, you can request reimbursement online or over the phone.

» Learn more: The guide to Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance

6. 35% points rebate with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

When The Business Platinum Card® from American Express cardholder book flights using points through the AmEx travel portal, they can receive up to 35% of their points back . The benefit is available on first or business class flights on any airline and all economy flights with their chosen airline. This benefit provides up to 500,000 points back per calendar year.

However, as with all AmEx credits , it's not as straightforward as you may hope. You will have to designate the airline for the 35% rebate and the airline must be the same as the one chosen for the $200 airline incidental credit .

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

7. Fine Hotels & Resorts

The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. (Photo by Sally French)

Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) is a collection of resorts and benefits available only to Platinum Card members. There are over 2,000 properties worldwide that participate in this program. When making reservations with Fine Hotels & Resorts for one night or more, you'll receive the following benefits:

$200 statement credit provided once per year.

Noon check-in (when available).

Room upgrade upon arrival (when available).

Daily breakfast for two.

Guaranteed 4 pm late checkout.

Complimentary in-room WiFi.

Unique property benefit valued at least $100.

These benefits rival those that many travelers receive when booking directly with hotels to obtain elite status perks. Some locations also offer a last-night free benefit, depending upon when you make your reservation. And some of the best hotels to book using FHR credits offer especially-unique amenities.

For example, many theme park fans consider Loews Portofino Bay Hotel as the best FHR hotel in Orlando . That's because — on top of all the above benefits — guests receive complimentary Universal Express Unlimited ride access, which allows you to skip the lines inside the Universal theme parks .

8. The Hotel Collection

The Loews Sapphire Falls at Universal Orlando falls under The Hotel Collection. (Photo by Sally French)

AmEx Gold and Platinum cardholders receive elite status-level perks at more than 600 hotels worldwide. When you stay for two nights or more, you'll receive a $100 resort credit and an upgrade upon arrival (when available). In addition, you can use your AmEx Membership Rewards credit card to book and pay for your reservation entirely or partially with your points.

While you can book travel over the phone with an agent, it is often quicker and more convenient to make your reservations through the AmEx Travel portal.

Here's how to book travel in the American Express travel portal:

Go to americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/ .

Log in with your username and password.

Select flights, hotels, flight + hotel, cars, or cruises.

Enter your travel dates, cities and other relevant information.

Choose options based on your trip.

Pay with your American Express credit card, points, or a combination.

Since you need an American Express card to make reservations through AmEx travel, you may already hold a card that offers complimentary travel insurance . If you don’t get travel insurance perks through your AmEx card, you can purchase Trip Cancel Guard through when making your booking.

Trip Cancel Guard works similarly to CFAR in that it allows you to cancel your trip for any reason whatsoever and get up to a 75% reimbursement of your travel costs as long as the cancellation is made two full days before your trip.

What is the AmEx Travel cancellation policy?

When you book travel through the American Express travel portal, you may be eligible to cancel your reservation within 24 hours and get a full refund. However, the cancellation policy is determined by the airline.

As such, AmEx instructs travelers to refer to the cancellation policy on the itinerary or reach out to customer service with any questions. Terms apply.

There are many appealing reasons why travelers want to book reservations with the AmEx travel portal. However, there are some downsides as well. These are some of the most common reasons why you shouldn't:

Low value for your points. Redeeming points through the AmEx travel portal yields a value of 1 cent per point or less. That's at least a 50% reduction compared to our value of Membership Rewards points.

Complicated customer service. Resolving flight or hotel reservation issues becomes more complicated when you book through a third party such as AmEx travel. The airline or hotel blames the booking agency and may not immediately resolve the problem in some instances. However, providers have no scapegoat when you book direct.

No hotel elite status benefits or loyalty credits. Most hotels require you to book directly to receive elite status benefits, stay credits or earn points. For travelers looking to take advantage of their elite status or earn status for the next year, booking AmEx travel hotel reservations is not a good idea.

Despite the above policy, hotels booked through Fine Hotels & Resorts allow you to earn elite night credit and earn loyalty perks associated with your elite status level on any hotel reservations — regardless if you book in the portal or not.

The AmEx travel portal offers numerous benefits for all American Express cardholders. If you have a Membership Rewards credit card, you can pay for all or part of eligible travel reservations using your points.

And any portion that you pay with your Membership Rewards card can earn up to 5x points. AmEx Travel also offers two hotel collections that provide additional perks similar to elite status benefits.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

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Full List of American Express Card Customer Service Numbers [2024]

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Table of Contents

Personal card customer service numbers, business card customer service numbers, corporate cards customer service numbers, travel and membership rewards customer service numbers, alternate methods of contact, final thoughts.

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If you want to contact American Express Customer Service regarding your personal, business, or corporate card, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you want to make a payment, apply for a new card, dispute a fraudulent charge, or simply have questions about your account, you can use the following customer service phone numbers.

The best number to call may vary depending on the purpose of your call, so we’ve broken out some common areas of concern. We’ve also included some alternate contact methods so you can choose the best way to get in touch with American Express. That said, the general customer service line is always a good place to get started.

If you need to talk to someone regarding one of the Amex credit cards , you’ll want to use the phone numbers in this section.

Customer Service for Personal Cards: 800-528-4800 or contact the number on the back of your card for the following American Express personal cards:

• American Express Cash Magnet ® Card *
• American Express ® Gold Card
• American Express ® Green Card *
• The Amex EveryDay ® Credit Card *
• The Amex EveryDay ® Preferred Credit Card *
• Blue Cash Everyday ® Card from American Express
• Blue Cash Preferred ® Card from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles ® Blue American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles ® Gold American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card *
• Hilton Honors American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass ® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card
• The Platinum Card ® from American Express

* All information about these cards has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

Hot Tip:  This list includes all cards that American Express currently issues. If you hold a card that is not listed, you are still able to call the phone numbers listed or call the number listed on the back of your card for assistance.

To Report Lost or Stolen Card, Fraud, or Dispute a Charge: 800-528-4800

Make Payments by Phone: 800-472-9297

Apply for a Card: 888-297-1244

Check Application Status: 877-239-3491

Verify Card: Call the number listed on the activation sticker or verify receipt online

If you have an American Express business card , this is the section you’ll want to use.

Customer Service for Business Cards: 800-492-3344

• Amazon Business American Express Card*
• Amazon Business Prime American Express Card *
• The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
• American Express ® Business Gold Card
• The Blue Business ® Plus Credit Card from American Express
• Business Green Rewards Card from American Express *
• The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles ® Gold Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve Business American Express Card
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
• Lowe’s Business Rewards Card from American Express *
• Marriott Bonvoy Business ® American Express ® Card
• The Plum Card ® from American Express

Hot Tip:  If you have a card that is not listed, you can still call the phone numbers listed or refer to the number listed on the back of your card for assistance — this just means that your card may no longer be open to new applicants. 

To Report a Lost or Stolen Card, Fraud, or Dispute a Charge: 800-528-4800

Apply for a Card: 800-519-6736

Verify Card:  Call the number listed on the activation sticker or verify receipt online

If you hold a corporate card that your employer manages, these are the customer service numbers you’ll want to reference.

General Customer Service for American Express Corporate Cards: 800-528-2122

• American Express ® / Business Extra ® Corporate Card*
• American Express ® Corporate Gold Card*
• American Express ® Corporate Green Card*
• Corporate Platinum Card ® by American Express*

Platinum Customer Service: 800-492-3932

Bottom Line: We’ve included the numbers for cardholders only. If you’re a Program Administrator, you’ll need to call 888-800-8564  for customer service support.

If you’re looking to book or change travel through American Express or have questions about your Membership Rewards account , here are some good numbers to use.

Reservations for Air, Hotel, and Car Rentals:

• Inside the U.S.: 800-297-2977
• Outside the U.S.: 312-980-7807

Reservations for Cruises: 800-297-5627

Membership Rewards Customer Service Number: 800-297-3276

Company Website: americanexpress.com

General Inquiries Mailing Address: American Express P.O. Box 981535 El Paso, TX 79998-1535

Payment Mailing Address: American Express P.O. Box 650448 Dallas, TX 75265-0448

Customer Login: global.americanexpress.com/login

Secure Chat: Log into your American Express account and click the blue Chat box in the bottom right corner. This secure chat function will allow you to speak with an American Express representative.

Twitter: Tweet questions to @AskAmex

Facebook: Send messages via  Facebook

In the event you need to contact American Express, you can use this post as a resource. It includes the various ways you can contact American Express, including by phone, chat, and social media. And could come in handy if you need to do things like make a payment, dispute a charge, or even apply for a new card.   

The information regarding the Amazon Business American Express Card, American Express ® / Business Extra ® Corporate Card, American Express ® Corporate Gold Card, and American Express ® Corporate Green Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

The information regarding the American Express Cash Magnet ® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the American Express ® Green Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information for The Amex EveryDay ® Credit Card has been independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the The Amex EveryDay ® Preferred Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Corporate Platinum Card ® by American Express was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here . For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday ® from American Express, click  here . For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred ® Card from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Blue American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Gold American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees for The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here . For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Business Gold Card, click here . For rates and fees of The Blue Business ® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Gold Business American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Business American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve Business American Express Card, click here . For rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, click  here . For the rates and fees of the Lowe’s Business Rewards Card from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business ® American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of The Plum Card ® from American Express, click here .

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• Introduction to Amex Travel
• Amex Membership Rewards Overview
• Amex Travel Benefits
• Amex Travel Drawbacks
• Amex Credit Cards

Booking with American Express Travel

• Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts
• The Hotel Collection

Navigating American Express Travel: Benefits, Booking, and Tips in 2024

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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: American Express® Green Card, Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

• The American Express Travel Portal works much like an online travel agency for Amex cardholders.
• Use Membership Rewards points, cash, or combine both to book flights, hotels, cars, and more.
• Some cardholders get exclusive deals including luxury hotel benefits and premium flight discounts.
• Read Business Insider's guide to the best American Express cards .

This guide explains what you need to know about booking airfare, hotels, and more through the Amex Travel Portal — and how to make the most of your Amex points.

Introduction to American Express Travel

The American Express Travel Portal is a one-stop website for booking flights, hotel stays, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages. This third-party travel booking platform is primarily designed for people who have an Amex card that earns Membership Rewards points , like The Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, or American Express® Business Gold Card.

American Express Membership Rewards Overview

The American Express Membership Rewards program is one of the most popular and valuable credit card "currencies" because rewards can be used in a variety of ways. You can use Membership Rewards points to pay down your credit card balance.

You can also purchase gift cards, merchandise, food delivery, and more, in addition to booking travel through the Amex Travel Portal. You can also transfer Membership Rewards points over 20 Amex airline and hotel partners  including Delta , British Airways, and Hilton .

How Amex Travel benefits American Express cardholders

Amex Travel functions much the same way as online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia or Booking.com, allowing you to search for and book flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages, and cruises.

Anyone can use Amex Travel, but the best deals and benefits are reserved for American Express cardholders. When you have a credit card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points, you'll have to option to pay for your booking with points (if it's prepaid), your Amex card, or a combination of both. Additionally, you'll earn bonus points when you pay for travel with a Membership Rewards credit card. 

The Amex Travel portal is also where Amex Platinum Card, Amex Business Platinum Card, Amex Gold Card, and Amex Business Gold Card members can access The Hotel Collection to receive room upgrades and an onsite credit to use at participating hotels.

And if you have a Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card, you'll have access to the International Airline Program, which offers lower fares for international premium-class travel on over 20 airlines, and the Fine Hotels & Resorts collection for hotel stays. 

Always compare the cash price of an airline ticket or hotel room before you transfer any type of flexible points to a travel partner. In some cases, you'll pay fewer points by redeeming points for a paid booking instead of an award flight or stay.

Benefits of American Express Travel

As with any OTA, there are pros and cons to using Amex Travel. Here are some of the main considerations for you to understand. 

Use your Amex points at any time

One of the biggest benefits is being able to redeem your points for travel without having to worry about award charts, blackout dates, or transfer partners. Amex Travel makes it simple to use your points, even with independent hotels and smaller airlines without a popular loyalty program.

You'll still earn airline miles and elite-qualifying miles

You won't earn points or elite night credits when you book a hotel with Amex Travel, but you can earn airline and work toward elite qualification on flights, as long as your frequent flyer number is on the reservation. 

Earn bonus points when paying with certain Amex cards

Some American Express cards earn bonus points for travel booked through the Amex travel portal. For example, Amex Platinum Card earns 5 points per dollar spent on airfare booked with Amex Travel or directly with airlines on up to $500,000 in spending per year, and the Amex Gold Card earns 3x points in the same categories with no limit.

Platinum cardholders get discounts on premium airfare

Amex Platinum Card and Amex Business Platinum Card members can access discounts on international premium-class flights through the International Airline Program, and sometimes save hundreds of dollars per ticket.

Get bonus perks at luxury hotels through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts and The Hotel Collection

Platinum cardholders can book through the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program within the travel portal, which gets you upgrades, free breakfast, and elite-like benefits at participating properties. Gold and Platinum cardholders can also book through The Hotel Collection, another program also found within Amex Travel, to get extras including onsite credits and other perks.

Downsides of American Express Travel

Now that we've listed a number of Amex Travel benefits, there are some drawbacks that may significantly impact your booking strategy.

You won't earn hotel credit or elite status when booking through Amex Travel

Most hotels will not let you earn loyalty program points or elite credits on stays booked through Amex Travel, and you may not be able to use your hotel elite status benefits during your stay. This is because most properties consider the Amex travel portal to be a third-party booking site, and elite benefits usually apply only when you book directly with the hotel. 

This drawback won't matter as much at smaller chains or boutique hotels, but you'll need to weigh the benefits of booking through Amex if you're chasing elite status with a major chain such as Marriott or Hilton.

Trip changes, interruptions, and cancellations can be harder to change through Amex Travel 

Many airlines allow you to change your flights these days, especially if you booked a refundable fare or are willing to pay some additional fees. But when you book through a third-party website like Amex Travel, you may get mixed messages regarding which company you should contact if you need to change your travel plans.

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, many travelers ping-ponged back and forth between customer service representatives at the airline that canceled their flight home, as well as those from the third-party OTA that sold them their ticket. 

American Express Membership Rewards cards

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.

See Pay Over Time APR

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.¤
• Terms Apply.

To get the most from the Amex Travel Portal, you'll need a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points . There are a number of options including premium cards, small business credit cards, and cards with a low or no annual fee.

Personal cards that earn Amex Membership Rewards points include:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express (read our Amex Platinum card review )
• American Express® Gold Card (read our Amex Gold card review )
• American Express® Green Card (read our Amex Green card review )
• Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card (read our Amex EveryDay Preferred card review )
• Amex EveryDay® Credit Card (read our Amex EveryDay card review )

Small business Amex Membership Rewards cards include:

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (read our Amex Business Platinum card review )
• American Express® Business Gold Card (read our Amex Business Gold card review )
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (read our Amex Blue Business Plus card review )

Now let's take a look at each part of the Amex Travel portal. 

Book flights through Amex Travel 

To get started, navigate to American Express Travel and click the "Flights" tab on the homepage, then enter your departure airport, destination, travel dates, and the number of passengers. You'll also select whether you want a round-trip or one-way flight, class of service, and if you prefer non-stop flights.

On the next page, you'll see a list of flight options with a set of filters on the left side of the screen. You can filter based on the number of stops, departure and arrival time, airline, fare type, and any available benefits from your cards. 

American Express has a preferred relationship with Delta, so you'll see Delta flights listed first when they're available. Further down the list, flights are arranged by price, starting with the lowest. Next to each option, you'll see how many bonus points you'll earn and any other perks you'll receive.

For example, I have Amex Platinum Card and see a note that says I can enter the Delta Sky Club or Centurion Lounge when I fly out of LaGuardia in New York. The search results also remind me that Delta is a featured airline and I'll earn 5x points on my booking. 

The fares you'll see are often the same as what you'll find on other websites, including booking directly with the airline. Sometimes they're an extra few dollars so it's worth double-checking, but for the most part, they're similar. 

Note that Amex normally charges a fee of $6.99 per domestic ticket and $10.99 per international ticket you book through the website. This fee is waived if you have a Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card. You can purchase a maximum of nine tickets per transaction. 

Remember that you'll still earn miles and have your airline elite status recognized when you fly as long as your frequent flyer number is attached to your reservation when you book through a third-party OTA. If you forget, you can always add it through the airline later on.

Note that you will not see budget airlines listed on AmexTravel.com. That includes popular options like Norwegian, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, and others. Because of this, there may be cheaper options available that aren't displayed, so it's worth double-checking directly if you have a low-cost airline you like to fly.

Book with cash, points, or a combination of both — or set up a Buy Now, Pay Later plan 

If you have a Membership Rewards-earning card, you can use your points to partially or completely pay for travel on the Amex Travel portal, including flights, hotels, cruises, and car rentals.

You can also choose to pay entirely with your Amex card, and there's a new payment option. Amex personal cardholders now have the choice, at checkout, to pay for their flight over time with Plan It — Amex's buy now, pay later feature.   

Plan It is an existing program, but the ability to set up a payment plan directly at checkout with Amex Travel is brand new. Cardholders can create up to three plans to pay for flight purchases of $100 or more in monthly installments with a fixed monthly fee and no interest.

You'll see each option on the final payment screen: select to use all points, all cash, a combination of both, or set up monthly installments with Plan It.

Note that when you use points and cash, you must redeem a minimum of 5,000 points. Each point is worth 1 cent toward airfare, so this comes to at least $50 toward your trip. 

No matter how you pay, you'll be able to earn miles and credit toward elite status when you fly because they're all treated as cash bookings by the airlines. 

If you have Amex Business Platinum Card and choose to use points to pay for your flights, you'll receive 35% of your points back as a rebate for economy fares on your selected airline, up to 500,000 points per calendar year. You'll get this same rebate on business or first-class flights on any airline as well. 

Insider Fares displayed on the Amex Travel Portal

Flights with Insider Fares are an exception to the rules above, which are directly discounted exclusively for Amex customers.

Your points are worth a little more than 1 cent each on Insider Fares, and the exact value varies based on the flight. These fares are only available with points bookings, and you must use your Membership Rewards points to cover the entire fare cost. As a result, you won't see these fares in the Amex Travel portal if you don't have enough points to cover the flight. 

Don't forget the International Airline Program if you have a Platinum Card

If you have Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card, you also have access to the International Airline Program, which offers lower fares on premium-class international travel. More than 25 airlines participate in the program, and savings can be substantial compared to published fares. 

You can buy discounted fares in premium economy, business, or first-class through this program. The exact savings you'll get varies based on the airline and route, but can often be several hundreds of dollars. That's a great deal if you're someone who books paid travel to fly internationally. 

You can cover much of the card's annual fee with the savings from just one well-priced booking. There's also no limit to how much you can save, or how often you can take advantage of the lower fares offered here. 

Book hotels through Amex Travel

Booking a hotel stay functions much the same as the flight booking process. Make sure the "Hotels" tab is selected, then enter your trip details.

Again, you have the opportunity to use cash, points, or a combination of both to pay for your stay (the Plan It feature isn't available through Amex Travel for hotel bookings). Prices are usually similar to booking directly, but some of the big-chain hotels cost a few dollars more, presumably because Amex is adding their commission to the cost. 

An important reminder: There is one major caveat to booking hotels through American Express Travel, or any third-party booking site for that matter. You will not earn hotel points or elite status credit and likely will not have your elite status recognized when you book through the portal. If you care about earning points and elite status, you should avoid booking through third-party sites like this one.

However, if you're booking an independent or boutique hotel that isn't part of any rewards programs or like the simplicity of booking this way, this isn't an issue. And sometimes the hotel you choose is based on location or other personal preferences. 

Book with Fine Hotels & Resorts: Amex Travel's luxury hotel program

What is amex fine hotels & resorts.

The Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) program offers select American Express card members exclusive benefits at over 1,400 hand-picked luxury properties. The list is vetted and periodically reviewed to ensure every hotel and resort meets Amex's exacting standards. American Express isn't the only credit card issuer to curate a luxury hotel booking program, but Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts sets the standard among them.

Properties are added to and (occasionally) removed from the Fine Hotels and Resorts program over time, so the list isn't static. You'll find far-flung tropical beach escapes, stately mountain ski lodges, lavish city digs, and tranquil countryside retreats in dozens of countries worldwide. These properties range from high-end to very high-end, with many charging thousands of dollars per night. In short, Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts isn't a good fit for traveling on a tight budget, but not all prices are stratospheric, and the program benefits can elevate any stay regardless of cost.

Who can book American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts stays?

To book an Amex FHR stay, you must have an The Platinum Card® from American Express , The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , or  Centurion Card (also known as the Black Card). Different versions of the Platinum card are all eligible, including co-branded cards from Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley. These are all premium cards that carry hefty annual fees in exchange for high-end benefits.

You must use your eligible card to book your stay, and payment must be made in the primary card member's name. That means you generally can't book Fine Hotels and Resorts stays for other people, though you can book additional rooms for your party.

You can book online through the landing page for Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or by searching for hotels at American Express Travel and limiting the results to Fine Hotels and Resorts properties. You can also book over the phone by calling the number on the back of your card.

Note that Amex also curates a second list of properties called The Hotel Collection, which is available to those with the American Express® Gold Card and American Express® Business Gold Card , as well as to Platinum and Centurion cardholders. The Hotel Collection is a step down from the Fine Hotels and Resorts program, but still offers high quality and valuable benefits.

Maximizing Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts

There are multiple benefits of booking with American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts. People with the Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card have access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program, which is a collection of over 1,000 hotels worldwide that offer special perks when booking through Amex, including:  

• Noon check-in when available
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout when available

Daily breakfast for two

• Room upgrade upon arrival when available

Complimentary Wi-Fi

• Experience credits, like property credits to use at a spa, dining credits, or another unique amenity (often worth $100 or more)

Exact benefits vary by property and can add serious value to your booking. 

I've used this benefit a couple of times and was pleased by how seriously the hotels considered their part in the program. Having late checkout at 4 p.m. can essentially add an extra day to your stay, and comes in handy when you have a late flight. And early check-in can help you get settled sooner if you have a morning arrival. 

Again, you likely won't earn points and elite status if the hotel has its own rewards program. Some people report earning hotel points despite booking through Amex, but it's not guaranteed and I wouldn't count on it. 

That said, the perks you get can be substantial, so it's worth considering on a case-by-case basis whether you want to earn hotel points or use Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts. You can use your benefits to book up to three rooms at a time, and you'll be able to use your perks on all of them. 

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Benefits

Cardholders who book through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts get a set of explicit core benefits, some guaranteed and consistent across the whole portfolio, and others that depend on availability and vary from one property to the next. 

Room upgrade upon arrival

When you check in for a stay booked through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts, you're eligible for an upgrade to a higher-category room or one with a better view in the same category. Upgrades depend on availability, so you're more likely to be offered one when demand is low — don't expect to get bumped from a standard room to the presidential suite when you show up at a busy resort on a holiday weekend.

Upgrades have the most upside of Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts benefits, but also the greatest variance. The distinctions between hotel room categories are often murky, so an "upgrade" sometimes means getting a room that was recently renovated (for better or worse) or one with an extra amenity you may not care about.

On the other hand, upgrades are not limited to a single category, so you very well could end up in that presidential suite with some good fortune and timing. If you're willing to risk it, you can try to game the upgrade benefit by identifying the room categories at your property and booking one category below the room you really want. Not all room categories are eligible for upgrades, so call ahead if you need clarification.

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts describes this benefit as a complimentary breakfast for up to two people per room, which is generally accurate. However, the benefit terms clarify that the breakfast is valued at a minimum of $60 per room per day. You may be charged for purchases exceeding that amount, so breakfast isn't strictly "complimentary" depending on menu prices and how much you order.

The daily breakfast benefit is another that varies widely between properties. Some offer a specific complimentary option in one restaurant (like a breakfast buffet). Others offer a range of specific complimentary options in one or more venues, and some simply offer daily statement credits to offset qualifying on-property charges up to the preset amount, even covering multiple transactions.

If this makes the benefit sound unpredictable, don't worry. In my experience, daily breakfast benefit options have always been explained clearly at check-in for Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts stays.

Experience credit

When you book at an Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts property, you're guaranteed an experience credit of at least $100 toward eligible on-property charges. The amount and nature of the experience credit are clearly indicated for each property when you book. 

The benefit is most commonly provided as a statement credit to offset food and beverage charges, spa services, or any purchases billed to your room. However, in some cases, it comes in the form of a specific experience (like a complimentary meal or massage) rather than a credit. The baseline value is $100, but you'll often receive more. I've seen on-property credits offered up to $200, and some of the experiential options have sticker prices well beyond that amount.

You're eligible for the experience credit regardless of how long you stay — even a single night qualifies. That makes it an exceptional value for shorter stays.

Early check-in and late check-out

While the benefits above provide fairly well-defined value, these two are harder to quantify. Nonetheless, early check-in and late check-out are useful in the right conditions, like when you have a morning arrival or evening departure.

Early check-in at Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts starts at noon and is subject to availability; if your room is unavailable, then you'll have to wait until it's ready. Regardless of the official early check-in time, some hotels will accommodate you before noon if they can.

Unlike early check-in, the late 4 p.m. checkout is guaranteed. In my experience, Fine Hotels and Resorts properties are proactive about honoring this benefit, so you shouldn't have to worry about your key demagnetizing prematurely or hotel staff entering the room while you're still in it.

The final core benefit of the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program is free Wi-Fi, which is guaranteed even if the property normally charges for it. At properties where Wi-Fi charges are folded into another mandatory fee (like a resort fee), a daily credit will be applied to your bill at checkout to offset the cost.

Other benefits of booking with American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts

Aside from the core benefits listed above, there are other perks of booking with the Fine Hotels and Resorts program, some more tangible than others.

First, Amex maintains a list of special offers available at select properties. These include complimentary nights (like a free fourth night), discounts on nightly room rates, on-property credits, and more, all provided in addition to the core benefits. Special offers show up in standard Fine Hotels and Resorts searches, so you don't have to browse the linked page to find them.

Next, Fine Hotels and Resorts bookings are eligible for the Amex Amex Platinum Card's up to $200 annual hotel credit (minimum two-night stay), so you can stack that discount on top of the other benefits you receive. You'll also earn 5 points per dollar for booking Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts stays with your Amex Platinum Card.

Finally, you may receive an elevated level of service when you check in as a Fine Hotels and Resorts guest. That has consistently been my experience, especially comparing stays at a single property booked through Amex versus other channels. The differences in service are subtle and hard to define, but palpable.

Important considerations for booking with American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts

The terms and conditions of the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program are mostly benign to cardholders, but there are a few potential pitfalls and other details to keep in mind.

Reservations are mostly prepaid

When you book through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts, you typically pay for room charges and taxes up front, while additional charges (like resort fees and incidentals) are paid at the property. You can sometimes opt to put down a deposit rather than prepay the entire reservation. Either way, bookings are mostly cancelable, but Amex does not impose a universal cancellation policy, so keep yourself out of trouble by reading the hotel's cancellation policy in the listing before you book.

Benefits are non-transferable

 All perks and credits must be used during your stay (i.e., prior to checkout). You can't save or bank them for later, so use them or lose them.

Back-to-back stays count as one

If you or your party book separate stays at the same property within a 24-hour period, it will be considered a single stay and only eligible for one set of Fine Hotels and Resorts benefits. In other words, you can't rack up multiple experience credits by making separate reservations on consecutive nights at the same property.

Benefits apply to multiple rooms

 You can book up to three rooms for an Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts stay, and all three are eligible for the full slate of benefits. That adds a lot of value to the program for those traveling in a group.

You must present a valid Amex card in your name at check-in

In addition to booking Fine Hotels and Resorts stays with an eligible American Express card, you must present a valid Amex card at check-in to cover incidentals. However, the card you check in with doesn't have to be the one you used to make your reservation. If you canceled your Amex Platinum Card or simply forgot to bring it, for example, you could provide another Amex card. The terms say the card you present must be in the name of the primary guest, but my wife and I had no trouble presenting my Amex card at check-in for a reservation in her name.

Hotel rewards and elite benefits are not guaranteed

Many hotels offer rewards and elite benefits only when you book directly. As a result, booking through a third party like Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts may cause you to miss out on those perks. From my own experience and anecdotal evidence, reward outcomes are unpredictable. I've sometimes earned rewards automatically, sometimes earned them upon request, and sometimes been denied. Case in point: The Bellagio Las Vegas honored my MGM status and waived resort fees for one Fine Hotels and Resorts stay, but flatly refused to do so for another.

You can pay with points, but you shouldn't

Amex lets you redeem Membership Rewards points  for Fine Hotels and Resorts stays, but the redemption rate is only 1 cent per point. That's far below our average valuation of 1.8 cents for Amex points, so save your points for transfers to airline and hotel partners (or other award redemptions that provide a better return).

Leveraging The Hotel Collection for additional value

If you have Amex Platinum Card, Amex Business Platinum Card, Amex Gold Card, or Amex Business Gold Card, you can also access the Hotel Collection, which also offers room upgrades and a $100 onsite credit for dining, spa, or resort activities at 600+ hotels.

The Hotel Collection is entirely separate from Fine Hotels and Resorts, and has different hotels that participate with minimal overlap. When you book through Amex, Platinum cardmembers will earn 5x points per dollar on prepaid bookings, and Gold cardmembers will earn 2x points. 

You can pay with cash at the time of booking or at hotel checkout after your stay. Or you can pay with points, or a combination of points and cash on prepaid bookings only. And there's the same guidance about earning hotel points here, too. You might decide you'd rather have the $100 hotel credit rather than points, depending on the hotel. 

To use this benefit, you must book a minimum stay of two nights, and can't book consecutive stays within 24 hours of each other. This benefit is available for up to three rooms per stay. So if you book three rooms at the same time, you can get a total onsite credit of $300 between three rooms maximum. 

Book Flight + Hotel packages through American Express Travel

The point of booking a vacation package is usually to save money, take advantage of a promotion, simplify the booking process, or all of these. You can search for a flight and hotel, then pay one price for everything. 

Amex doesn't give you a breakdown of how much the flights and rooms cost, and only shows savings on selected hotels. However, when you search for flights and hotels individually and compare the prices, you'll find the savings are often hundreds of dollars, especially on longer trips. 

To book, select the "Flight + Hotel" tab and enter where you want to go, along with the number of travelers and how many rooms you want to reserve. 

You'll see a list of hotels, along with the price per person, total price, and cost if you want to pay for the trip with your Membership Rewards points. Select the hotel you want to stay at, then you'll see a list of flight options. The cheapest flights are already included in the price, but you can select alternate flights for an upcharge. 

Likewise, the cheapest room options are displayed in the base price, but you can pay more for a different room, like a mountain or beach view, a double or king room, or a suite, depending on what's available at the hotel you select. 

I priced out a couple of packages. For the first, I didn't find any notable differences. Booking flights and hotel separately cost nearly the same. But for another, the savings were substantial even though they weren't explicitly stated on the Amex Travel portal. It's worthwhile to compare, especially if you're interested in earning points if the hotel participates in a loyalty program. Otherwise, prices are comparable or better in most cases. 

Similar to booking airfare separately, for each airline ticket you purchase as part of a package, you'll pay $6.99 per domestic ticket and $10.99 per international ticket. This fee is waived if you have a Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card. You can purchase a maximum of nine tickets per transaction.

Personal and business Platinum cardholders will earn 5x points on their package, and other Membership Rewards cards earn 2x points. 

Book car rentals through the Amex Travel Portal

You can also rent cars through American Express Travel. Just type in the city or airport where you want to pick up a car and the dates and times you'll need it under the "Cars" tab. 

You'll see a list of your options starting with the lowest price. At a glance, you can see the price per day, total price, and what's included with the car. On the left side, you can add filters for the car type, price, rental car company, and any special features you're looking for (like an automatic transmission and four-wheel drive). 

Prices are usually the same or comparable to other booking sites or booking directly. However, I always check a couple of different places to make sure I'm getting the best deal. It's worth comparing, especially if you're looking to add a second driver to the reservation, or need to drop the car off later in the day. I've found different sites can vary a lot in pricing, so recommend shopping around. 

You can use cash, points, or a combination to pay for prepaid rentals, or use cash to pay at the counter. 

When you use your Membership Rewards card to pay for your rental, you'll earn 2x points.

Book cruises with American Express Travel

You're able to book a cruise on most of the popular cruise lines around the world through American Express Travel under the "Cruises" tab on the homepage. I found the prices were similar to other booking sites with the main difference being the specific promotions, like onboard credits or prepaid gratuities. Certain websites also run sales, so it's worth shopping around if you're not committed to a particular route or ship. 

After you enter where you want to go and how many nights you'd like to spend on the water, you're taken to a list of results, along with a prominent section for special offers, which are mostly onboard credits. This is worth exploring to get some ideas if you're open. 

And if you have Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card, you can also take advantage of the Cruise Privileges program, which partners with several big-name cruise lines. When you book through Amex Travel, you'll receive an onboard stateroom credit worth up to $100 to $300, and another exclusive amenity that varies by cruise line like premium wine or extra food options. 

If you have the Amex Green Card, you'll earn 3x points per dollar spent booking your cruise through Amex Travel. All other Membership Rewards-earning cards earn 2x points. 

American Express Travel Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, people who don't have Amex credit cards can still book travel through the American Express portal. 

After you log into your Amex Travel account, you can find all of your travel reservations by clicking on the "My Trips" tab toward the top right of the page. 

If you need to change or cancel a reservation, you can do so online through your AmexTravel.com account, or by calling 1-800-297-2977.

How can I use my Membership Rewards points to book travel?

Amex cardholders can use Membership Rewards points to book flights, hotels, and more directly through the American Express Travel website or app, often with the option to pay with points, by card, or a combination of both.

Yes, booking through American Express Travel can grant you access to exclusive benefits like room upgrades, early check-in/late check-out, and complimentary breakfast at participating Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection properties.

Many American Express cards offer complimentary travel insurance benefits, including travel accident insurance, baggage insurance, and car rental loss and damage insurance. Coverage details and eligibility may vary by card.

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Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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