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The Amex Platinum Card: How To Best Use Your $200 Airline Credit [Every Year]

Andrew Kunesh

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Table of Contents

Amex platinum card – snapshot, what is the amex platinum card’s airline incidental credit, the best ways to use your airline incidental fee credit, what if my purchase isn’t automatically reimbursed, final thoughts.

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The Platinum Card ® from American Express is one of the top premium travel credit cards on the market, but also one of the most expensive.

The card’s annual fee is substantially higher than other cards. Still, it also comes with an extensive list of benefits like airport lounge access, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy hotel elite status, major bonus earnings on flights booked with airlines, and much more.

While the card’s fee may seem like a shocker at first, it’s not so  bad when you take a look at the multiple statement credits offered, including an airline incidental credit of up to $200 (enrollment required).

Many travelers often aren’t sure how to take advantage of the airline incidental credit and what it can cover. After all, it doesn’t let you cover paid plane tickets but does let you cover other fees incurred from an airline — whether inflight or at the airport.

In this article, you’ll finally get clarity as to precisely what the Amex Platinum card’s airline incidental credit is and your best options for redeeming your card’s $200 annual credit. After all, what use is a benefit if you don’t know how to use it, right?

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with 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.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: CLEAR ® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 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 year period for TSA PreCheck ® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck ® official enrollment provider), 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.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip:  Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Both the Amex Platinum card and  The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express offer a $200 airline incidental fee credit upon enrollment.

According to American Express, this credit will be used to cover inflight expenses on your selected airline. Some of the items American Express lists as eligible for reimbursement include inflight refreshments and checked bag fees. Airline tickets, gift cards, and points or miles purchases aren’t eligible for reimbursement.

Here’s what the terms and conditions have to say:

“Incidental airline fees charged prior to selection of a qualifying airline are not eligible for statement credits. Airline tickets, upgrades, mileage points purchases, mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, duty free purchases, and award tickets are not deemed to be incidental fees. The airline must submit the charge under the appropriate merchant code, industry code, or required service or product identifier for the charge to be recognized as an incidental air travel fee.”

Once you’ve selected your airline, you can charge these expenses to your Amex Platinum card. You’ll automatically be reimbursed in the form of a statement credit within 6 to 8 weeks of the charge posting to your account.

If the statement credit has not posted after 8 weeks from the date of purchase, it is best to call the number on the back of the card.

Hot Tip:  You receive the airline incidental once per calendar year. The credit is dispersed on January 1st each year and doesn’t roll over.

Selecting an Airline for Your Airline Incidental Credit

Unlike the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® ‘s $300 travel credit, you’re limited to using your Amex Platinum card’s incidental fee credit on a single airline. You can select your airline when you receive your card and change it once per year in January. However, we at Upgraded Points have had luck changing the airline more than once when chatting (nicely) with an American Express representative.

You can pick from the following airlines:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Spirit Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines

You must select an airline before you can use the airline incidental credit. Charges made to your account before choosing an airline are  not eligible for reimbursement , so select your airline as soon as you receive your Amex Platinum card and have a trip booked.

Thankfully, selecting your Amex Platinum card airline choice is easy. Just head over to the American Express website , log in, and select your Amex Platinum card (should you have more than 1 American Express card).

Click on the Rewards & Benefits  tab on the bar at the top of the screen. And then click on the Benefits tab.

Here, you’ll see the balance of your Airline Fee Credit — how much you’ve used and how much you have left.

Scroll down the page for a list of benefits included with your Amex Platinum card . There will be an option labeled $200 Airline Fee Credit. Click on the Learn More button, and from there you can select your airline using the drop-down menu at the center of the screen.

As mentioned earlier, the Amex Platinum card’s airline incidental fee credit cannot be used toward plane tickets, points purchases, or gift cards.

Frustrating, yes. But, thankfully, there are still plenty of great ways that you can spend the credit over the year.

Here are our favorite ways of utilizing the flight credit. We’ve split this section into 2 parts: official and unofficial ways to redeem the incidental fee credit.

Official Ways To Redeem the Incidental Fee Credit

Airport Lounge Day Passes and Annual Memberships

While the Amex Platinum card includes extensive lounge access , it doesn’t include access to all  of the U.S. carrier’s lounges. You can use your Amex Platinum card’s credit to buy day passes to:

• Alaska Lounge
• American Airlines Admirals Club
• Delta Sky Club
• United Club

Just remember, you have to select the applicable airline for the lounge charge to be covered. So if you choose Delta as your preferred airline, your charges to the Admirals Club won’t be covered by your incidental fees.

United American and American Airlines both sell day passes, which could be an option if you don’t have access to a lounge on a long layover. You must be flying with the airline to have lounge access.

Hot Tip:  If you purchase an annual lounge membership with your Amex Platinum card that costs more than $200, you’ll be credited the entirety of the incidental fee credit at once. So, in this case, you can think of it as a $200 discount on your lounge membership of choice.

Further, note that Amex Platinum cardmembers do not receive complimentary guest access at Delta Sky Clubs . However, guest access can be purchased for $50 for a standard day pass. If you purchase Delta Sky Club guest access and Delta is selected as your Amex Platinum card’s airline, you will be reimbursed for your entry fee.

Change Fees

Changing a trip’s date can be expensive, but your Amex Platinum card’s incidental fee credit covers the itinerary change fee. Note that the incidental fee will not likely cover the airfare difference as this is often charged like a plane ticket.

Hot Tip: Want more information on airline change fees? Learn how to avoid airline change fees in our dedicated article. 

Checked Baggage Fees

So you planned on checking a bag, but it isn’t included with your ticket? Just charge it to your Amex Platinum card. This is especially helpful if you’ve selected a low-cost carrier, such as Spirit, as your airline, as these carriers generally charge more for baggage. Remember that the incidental fee credit only covers baggage fees on your selected airline.

Most airlines have a co-branded credit card that provides perks such as free checked baggage. If you carry an airline’s co-branded credit card , check if that card provides free checked baggage. This allows you to use your Amex airline incidental fee credit elsewhere.

Inflight Entertainment Fees

The incidental fee credit covers inflight entertainment fees including TV, movies, and tablet rentals charged directly by the airline. A good example of this is renting an Alaska Airlines entertainment tablet in flight. The airline charges a fee to rent these in economy class.

Unfortunately, this does  not cover inflight internet, as a third party generally bills this . However, we have heard of United inflight entertainment being reimbursed, as it is usually charged by United directly. Proceed with caution, though, as there’s no guarantee it will be refunded.

Inflight Amenities

Most other inflight purchases are covered, too. Think amenities like headphones, blankets on budget carriers, food, and drink. The airline almost always charges for these directly, and you’re automatically reimbursed for them by your Amex Platinum card’s incidental fee credit.

Seat Selection Fees

Seat selection fees are another great way to redeem your airline incidental fee credit. You can use this when flying low-cost carriers or on a basic economy fare that doesn’t include free seat selection. Note that this  does include things like Even More Space seating on JetBlue and Economy Plus on United Airlines.

Most airlines charge anywhere from $10 up to $50 for a seat assignment on domestic flights.

Pet Flight Fees

If you’re taking a furry companion with you , use your Amex Platinum card’s incidental credit to cover the pet fee. This can take out a nice chunk of your reimbursement, though — for example, JetBlue charges $125 per one-way flight.

Phone Booking Fees

You can usually avoid these by booking online, but there may be instances where you need to call to book an award ticket or a flight with special routing. If you can’t get the agent to waive this fee, your Amex Platinum card’s incidental fee credit should cover it.

Priority Boarding

Priority boarding purchases work on virtually all airlines. This can be especially valuable when flying Southwest Airlines, as it gives you first dibs on the best seats . Again, remember that the incidental fees only cover priority boarding fees on your selected airline.

Unofficial Ways To Redeem the Incidental Fee Credit

The methods below are ways our team members have either tried or seen work for other travelers. Proceed with caution . There’s no guarantee that these will work for you, too. While we try to keep this section as up-to-date as possible, these things can change on a dime, and we can’t be held liable for a charge not  being reimbursed.

Fill Your United TravelBank Account

This might be the easiest unofficial way to use your Amex incidental fee credit. United’s TravelBank allows you to fund the account with cash to use on future United flights. Any money you put in your TravelBank account does not expire for 5 years, provided there is account activity at least every 18 months.

You can fund your account in different increments up to $1,000. However, it is best to fund with how much you have available with your credit. You need to make sure United is selected as your preferred airline.

Admirals Club Food or Drink Purchases

A number of American Airlines Admirals Club locations have premium food and drink available for purchase. American Express has reimbursed these purchases, as they’re billed directly by American Airlines.

Unfortunately, we don’t have data for purchases at other lounges at this time. Again, proceed with caution.

Delta Airfare Purchased Partially With a Gift Card

There are reports of Delta tickets purchased partially with a gift card being reimbursed by American Express. This is because, when the purchase processes, it adds an “additional collection” to the transaction instead of listing an airline route, like most airfare purchases.

This means that American Express sees the transaction as if it were some sort of add-on or other inflight expense. However, this is not officially supported, and American Express may choose not to honor your incidental credit for this purchase.

Airfare of $99 or Below on Certain Airlines

We’ve seen reports of below-$99 fares on Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue being reimbursed by the incidental fee credit. But again, this is very much something you would try at your own risk, as the purchase  will code as airfare.

Spirit Saver$ Club Memberships

Spirit Airlines has a members-only discount club called Spirit Saver$ Club. It provides access to discounted tickets and includes other perks but has an annual fee.

We’ve seen reports of Spirit Saver$ Club memberships being reimbursed by American Express. Definitely keep this in mind if you’re a frequent flyer on this ultra-low-cost carrier, as it can save you a nice sum of money as you travel throughout the year.

$5.60 TSA Passenger Security Fee on Award Tickets

Our team has had the $5.60 TSA passenger security fee reimbursed on multiple award tickets in the past.

Purchases That Do Not Trigger the Airline Incidental Credit

Now that you have a full list of things that  do (or might) trigger the airline incidental fee credit, here’s a quick look at the things that don’t trigger this credit.

Award Taxes and Fees

Aside from the $5.60 TSA security fee mentioned above, our team has not had luck having other award fees reimbursed. This is likely because these purchases code as airfare when posted to your American Express card.

Airline Gift Card Purchases

Airline gift card purchases were a longtime favorite for redeeming the airline incidental fee credit. However, as of this summer, our team has had no luck getting these reimbursed.

Class of Service Upgrades

Cabin upgrades are not eligible for reimbursement .

Inflight Wi-Fi

As mentioned, inflight Wi-Fi generally does not trigger the incidental fee credit, as a third party like Gogo or Panasonic usually bills it. However, we’ve seen reports of United Airlines Wi-Fi purchases being reimbursed because United does bill Wi-Fi purchases on its own or if you purchase the service through the airline before your flight.

While American Express states that it will reimburse eligible charges within 4 weeks, some charges don’t make it through the system. If you’re not reimbursed for an eligible charge, you can call the number on the back of your card or use the American Express live chat service to request reimbursement.

While the Amex Platinum card’s airline incidental fee credit is limited compared to travel credits offered by other premium credit cards, it still provides a ton of value. It has gotten hard to use the credits, but there are still ways to get the total value.

When you use the methods listed above, you’ll save money and have a better travel experience with extra checked bags, lounge access, and more. Better yet, the airline incidental credit can help offset the hefty annual fee of the Amex Platinum card.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the american express airline fee credit.

The American Express airline incidental fee credit allows you to receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged to your account. You must select a qualifying airline before you can use the airline incidental credit.

Do authorized users get additional airline incidental fee credits?

No, the airline incidental fee credits are up to $200 per account per calendar year.

Can I use my airline incidental credit toward airfare?

Generally speaking, no. The terms and conditions prohibit this, and it has not worked in practice for a majority of Amex Platinum cardholders. However, there are reports of fares of $99 or below triggering the credit when you book on certain airlines.

Can I cash out my incidental fee credit if I don't use it?

No, you must use the entirety of the incidental fee credit before the end of a calendar year. Otherwise, the credit expires.

When does the airline incidental credit renew?

You receive $200 per year in incidental fee credit. The credit renews on January 1 of the new calendar year.

Will I earn points on purchases reimbursed by the incidental fee credit?

Yes, you will still earn points on reimbursed purchases.

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About Andrew Kunesh

Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.

He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.

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Advertiser Disclosure

How does the Amex Platinum travel credit work?

The statement credit covers incidentals on one airline that you must designate at the start of the year

Published: March 30, 2020

Author: Emily Sherman

Editor: Rebekah Hovey

How we Choose

The airline fee statement credit on the Amex Platinum card can go a long way toward offsetting its annual fee – if you know how to use it.

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Please review our list of best credit cards , or use our CardMatch™ tool to find cards matched to your needs.

The Bank of America content was last updated on March 22, 2021.

For frequent travelers who enjoy lush perks, you can’t ask for more luxury benefits than what comes with The Platinum Card® from American Express . From comprehensive airport lounge access to complimentary gold status with Hilton Honors, the Platinum card is designed for reward travelers – if they can shoulder the card’s steep $695 annual fee.

See related: Best travel credit cards

Despite the large price tag, the Amex Platinum offers plenty of great ways for users to offset this cost. Beyond the value of perks like lounge access, cardholders can enjoy credits with real cash value – including up to $200 in Uber credits per year.

One of the Platinum card’s most valuable credits covers up to $200 in airline incidental purchases each year, on a designated airline of the cardholder’s choice. To get the full value out of this particular benefit, it is important to understand what purchases it will cover and how to get credit for them.

A favorite of luxury travelers

What airlines are eligible for the airline fee credit.

At the beginning of each calendar year, Amex Platinum cardholders must select one qualifying airline for their up to $200 airline fee credit. You are allowed to change your choice once per year, in January. You can choose from these airlines:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Spirit Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines

If any year you do not select a new airline, your choice from the previous year will roll over.

What purchases are eligible for the travel credit?

Once you make your selection, your credit will cover incidental purchases and fees charged to your card, but not airfare. Despite your ticket price being excluded, there are still plenty of transactions you can cover with the credit. Eligible purchases include the following:

• Checked baggage fees
• Premium seat fees
• Flight change fees
• In-flight purchases, such as food and entertainment (must be charged by airline and not a third party)
• Airport lounge day passes

Since baggage fees often cost as much as $60, you can easily use up the entire $200 credit by flying just a few times per year.

What purchases are not eligible for the travel credit?

Most notably, the Amex Platinum airline fee credit cannot be applied toward airfare. Additionally, in-flight purchases billed by a third-party (instead of the airline) will not be covered by the credit. For instance, if you purchase in-flight Wi-Fi, but the purchase is billed by the internet provider, you won’t get a credit. Other purchases that are excluded from the credit include the following:

• Mileage points transfer fees or purchases
• Award tickets
• Duty-free purchases

How do I receive my travel credit?

Luckily, it is easy to take advantage of your $200 airline fee credit with the American Express Platinum card, since it posts automatically. As you make qualifying purchases, you’ll receive statement credits to cover the cost within two to four weeks of the purchase date – until you meet the full $200.

Tips for maximizing the Amex Platinum travel credit

The Amex Platinum airline fee credit is incredibly easy to take advantage of, but make sure to follow these tips to get the most value out of the perk.

• Don’t forget to select your preferred airline each January to receive the travel credit.
• Add up your purchases with each airline at the end of each year to inform your next selection.
• Charge all purchases with an airline to your Platinum card, including in-flight transactions.
• Keep a close eye on your card statement to ensure your credit covers all the purchases you want it to.

Other travel cards with travel credits

While it’s true the Amex Platinum has a travel credit that can be hugely beneficial to frequent flyers, other travel credit cards offer a similar perk with more flexible redemption options. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® , for example, charges a $550 annual fee and offers a $300 travel credit that is automatically applied toward any travel purchase – including airfare. If you don’t spend much on travel incidentals, this could be a better option for you.

Alternatively, some cards with a lower annual fee also come with a travel credit – if a $695 price tag is out of your reach. One option is the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card , which comes with up to a $100 statement credit per year for airline incidentals. Since the card’s annual fee is only $95, it is easy to get plenty of value out of this perk.

If you’d prefer to stick with Membership Rewards, the American Express® Gold Card charges a more affordable annual fee than the Amex Platinum – $250 – and offers an airline fee credit of up to $100 with the same restrictions and qualifications as the Platinum credit. However, the airline credit on the Amex Gold Card will no longer be available to applicants and existing cardholders after Dec. 31, 2021.

Final thoughts

The Platinum Card from American Express is loaded with benefits for frequent travelers – including an up-to-$200 credit per year for airline incidentals. Although you have to be proactive and select your qualifying airline each year, the credit can help cover all kinds of fees and extras that save you money on your travel all year long.

Editorial Disclaimer

The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.

Emily Sherman is a senior editor at CreditCards.com, focusing on product news and recommendations. She is also one of the founders of To Her Credit, a biweekly series of financial advice by women, for women. When she's not writing about credit cards, she's putting her own points and miles to use planning her next big vacation.

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How To Use The Platinum Card ® from American Express Travel Credit

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Back in 2010, American Express launched an innovative first for premium rewards cards: a $200 airline fee travel credit on The Platinum Card ® from American Express to cover the costs of checked bags, in-flight food, airfare change fees, lounge passes, and more (enrollment required).

While groundbreaking at the time of its release, the up-to-$200 Amex airline fee credit on the Amex Platinum has been a staple for over a decade. In addition, Amex has also added an airline credit to other cards. However, these have been overshadowed by more lucrative offers from rival cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , and Citi Prestige ® Card. In short, these all offer higher annual credits and a broader range of eligible purchases. And they come with lower annual fees ( Rates & Fees ).

• 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with 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.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 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 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), 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.
• Rates & Fees
• Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
• Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

We've covered the Sapphire Reserve $300 annual travel credit in detail, along with the $250 Prestige Card annual travel credit . In this post, we’ll explain the Amex Platinum Airline Fee Credit. We'll discuss what it covers and which cards provide it as a benefit. In addition, this post will cover how to ensure cardholders are extracting maximum value from the travel credit to offset the higher cost of holding a premium travel rewards card .

Which Amex Cards Offer the Airline Fee Credit?

Amex offers an annual airline credit (issued as a statement credit) across two different rewards cards.

• The Platinum Card ® from American Express : Up to $200
• The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express : Up to $200

The airline credits share common definitions and cover the same types of incidental charges, and you need to enroll with your chosen airline to receive the credit on either card.

• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that's an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
• $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 the Card.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
• 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.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
• Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards ® points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
• Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards ® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
• Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards ® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
• Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards ® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
• 1.5X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.

What Will Amex Credit as a Travel Purchase?

Firstly, you should note that the Amex airline fee credit will only credit purchases from your nominated airline. You must pre-select one airline from the Airline Choice page on Amex's website. Select the airline with which you're most likely to fully utilize the airline credit. You can generally only change your Amex airline credit selection in January, so it pays to think about your decision when making your initial selection. Selecting an airline is one of several things we suggest that you do right after receiving a new card .

The Amex airline fee credit is not as wide-ranging as its Citi and Chase counterparts. However, it still covers a wide variety of airline incidentals and amenities. The Terms & Conditions explicitly state that “Incidental air travel fees must be separate charges from airline ticket charges,” and the following charges are not eligible for the airline credit:

• Airline tickets
• Mileage points purchases
• Mileage points transfer fees
• Duty-free purchases
• Award tickets

In theory, that should cover any other purchase made directly with a cardholder's nominated airline. However, any charges from a third-party provider — such as Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi — aren't eligible for a statement credit as they aren't provided by the airline.

The benefit terms state:

“The airline must submit the charge under the appropriate merchant code, industry code, or required service or product identifier for the charge to be recognized as an incidental air travel fee.”

Airline incidentals that credit towards the Amex airline fee credit include:

• Airline change fees
• Airport lounge day passes & annual memberships
• Booking fees
• Checked baggage fees
• In-flight fees and entertainment
• Seat assignment fees

Charges made by the primary cardholder and additional card members both qualify for the Amex airline fee credit.

Will Airline Purchases on Amex Cards Credit Automatically?

Yes, as long as the transaction credits correctly from the merchant. As per the Amex website :

“Please allow 6-8 weeks after the qualifying incidental air travel fee is charged to your Card Account for statement credit(s) to be posted to the Account. We rely on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions, so please call the number on the back of the Card if statement credits have not posted after 8 weeks from the date of purchase.”

Historically, purchases on your Amex card that are eligible for a statement credit still count towards minimum spend and earn points. However, this is not clearly stated in the cards' benefits guides. If you're unsure about meeting your minimum spending or promotional spending requirements, contact Amex to clarify.

Which Airlines Can You Choose?

You can choose from eight airlines, all based in the U.S.:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Southwest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• United Airlines

You can choose your preferred airline when you open your card. Then, you can change it in January each year if you want to select a new airline. We've also seen Amex allow people to change their airline later in the year (assuming they haven't used any of the credit yet), but this isn't guaranteed.

Claim the Amex Airline Fee Credit Twice in the First Year

One of the big benefits of the Amex airline fee credit is that it can be claimed twice in the first cardholder year. This is due to the credit resetting at the start of every calendar year (January 1) rather than the cardholder year.

If you time your application right, the airline credit can be claimed once during the first calendar year as a card member. Then, you can claim it again before the annual fee is due on your account anniversary.

Final Thoughts

The annual Amex airline fee credit may look a little dated when compared directly with credits from the Sapphire Reserve , Capital One Venture X , or the Prestige Card. However, it still offers a fantastic way of claiming incidental fees and costs back via statement credits. In addition, if fully used, it can significantly reduce the out-of-pocket expense of holding a premium rewards card.

If you have any interesting data points on purchases Amex has credited via the Airline credit, let us know in the comments below.

For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Platinum Card ® from American Express ( Rates & Fees ), and The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express ( Rates & Fees )

The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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Buying United TravelBank will trigger AMEX Airline Fee. There are occasional bonus from United also. AMEX would change the airline designation for you, providing no credit has been redeemed.

I recently received part of my airline credit unexpectedly, because I actually received it just for purchasing airline tickets. I purchased a $240 round trip ticket on Delta (my Amex Platinum preferred airline) and used a $100 Delta voucher for part of the payment. When the remaining $140 charge posted to my Amex card, I received a $140 Airline Fee Reimbursement the following day. I would assume using the voucher somehow caused the remaining amount to be coded differently, or perhaps it was just a mistake – either way I’m not complaining…

interesting data point. Thanks for sharing!

It’s awesome that it will credit automatically! That makes everything so much easier!

I did not know that you could claim the travel credit twice in the first 12 months, thanks for the information.

I was considering the gold card last night with a 50K bonus then this morning it became 25K. Bummer.

I use this to reimburse me for travel fees for associated with award ticketsfrom AA. Anything remaining I buy a gift card with AA

Any sense of whether United gift registry / TravelBank will trigger the credit?

if only amex made it easy there wouldn’t be a need to read up on how to use it.

lots of nice perks here to dream about

Amex also has the offers you can add to your card. While they vary for different cardholders, I find useful things that has given me hundreds of dollars in statement credits. You just have to check the bottom of the page when checking your account online and activate them. Occasionally they are things like cashback on any mobile phone carrier, cable carrier or supermarkets.

Amex offers are great: https://awardwallet.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-saving-with-amex-offers/

I wonder if Amex will be changing the terms to better align with others to make the card more lucrative. I know others who have the card for mostly their other benefits rather than this benefit and just chalk it up to an added on surprise.

I doubt it. Amex isn’t one to follow what others are doing (based on my experience)

I believe the travel credit for the Hilton Aspire works the same way.

Yes, exactly!

Hm – these CC’s should be available in Europe too!

We both know that isn’t going to happen! 🙁

The signup bonus is just great. Will get a return tic to Hawaii.

Competition among the banks is a good thing. So many tempting products out there and I’m of the school that says I should try as many as I can and see what I like long term.

And, the final step there is to report back here with your experiences!

Canadian AMEX Gold version needs a Travel Credit too.

I like my Amex Platinum however, it is kind of a pain to jump through the hoops. Buy the AA gift card then remember to use it for flights. I tend to do this every January so I don’t forget it!

Seems a good advantage to people who travel a lot. I don’t travel for work and usually take only cabin luggage so this offer is not for me I think.

This is a solid perk, but AmEx needs to step up its game and offer a higher travel credit amount if it wants its card to stay competitive against Chase and Citi’s offerings.

This Travel-Bonus only comes with the us-based Card, am i right?

I can only assume yes as I don’t know the details on all the international offerings.

Used it for delta e-gift cards in $50 increments. Worked perfectly every time

can apply for 50$ gift card multiple times?

Between my wife and I we have 7 platinum cards and a gold. The extra 1500 dollars a year is incredibly lucrative.

I forgot to select my airline before buying my gift cards, but luckily i remembered to do it before the charge posted, and got credited.

In my second calendar year with PRG and will definitely be taking advantage of this before assessing whether or not to keep the card for future years.

There are some really good other benefits to this card, but the airline travel credit is very restrictive.

Agree that gold is more productive and not the mighty annual fee to contend with. Great to see other options on board now to use credit.

Well yes but with the Platinum you get Uber Credits, Soulcycle Discounts, and the $200 Travel Credit. So to me really worth it. Depends for each person i guess

i was thinking of updating my amex gold to platinum, but as far as accumulating points, i think the gold is more productive.

glad you mentioned that citi was 250, I thought it was only 200

I was able to use the credit twice on Gold in the first year via AA gift certificates bought online. I think AXP is still allowing this even though it isn’t officially in the list above. My SO just got the CSR and agree that the credit is a lot easier to use.

To me the easiest way is buying airline GC.

Yes, but according to the terms these are not eligible — it just seems to work though 🙂

I heard you can only have 4 AMEX cards at once. True?

Definitely not true based on current data. This may have been the fact previously, but not the fact right now.

Absolutely true. I have 6 Amex Platinums, the Gold Card, Green Card, Ameriprise Financial Gold Card, Business Gold Card, and 5 credit cards. Total of 15 Amex Cards.

It posts in a few days time, in my experience with the Premier Rewards Gold card. A nice perk, especially in the first card member year, when it can,(and does!), work twice, as this blog points out. Might not carry the PRG card for additional years, as the Everyday cards are less expensive.

Finally thinking about giving up my AMEX Biz Plat due to getting the CSP. The travel credit is nice but $100 is $100.

Nice to read these kind of articles to know more in the less known matters.

It looks as if the competition in our beloved points/miles credit card programs is heating up. This is good for the consumer and for the banks and airlines.

Yes, and we must all continue to play the game to our benefit!

I am continuing. This year I am concentrating on picking up bank points.

It’s not a bad perc, but definitely the others have surpassed it over time, and the other cards also offer a broader range of what the travel reimbursement will cover, which is a big key if you’re not necessarily a weekend warrior.

Hopefully they’ll step up a notch with the Travel Credit to be more flexible like its competitors

one of the reasons I haven’t applied for this card is the difficulty associated with using its credits. They need to change that otherwise they will lose to their competitions.

I mean it is pretty flexible within a particular airline. Just look on Flyertalk to get some ideas

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How to Use AmEx’s Airline Fee Credit

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Table of Contents

Which cards offer an AmEx airline fee credit

How the amex airline fee credit works, what qualifies for the amex airline fee credit, ineligible airline expenses, if you're trying to utilize your amex airline fee credit ….

The AmEx airline fee credit is a valuable perk of a handful of American Express premium travel cards. This perk can provide cardmembers with up to $200 or $250 — depending on the card — in statement credits to reimburse eligible incidental airline expenses.

However, cardmembers can be frustrated by AmEx's lack of clarity about which types of transactions trigger the airline fee credit. AmEx only lists a few types of transactions that qualify and a much longer list of transactions that don't qualify. This can leave cardmembers guessing if an unlisted expense will be eligible or not.

Thankfully, AmEx provided us with a list of 11 expenses that qualify for the AmEx airline fee credit — and 13 types of expenses that don't. So here's everything that you need to know about how to utilize the AmEx airline fee credit.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Only three AmEx cards currently offer an airline fee credit. That means you'll only need to learn more about the AmEx airline fee credit if you have — or are considering getting — one of these cards:

The Platinum Card® from American Express : $200 annual airline fee credit.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : $200 annual fee credit.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card : $250 annual airline fee credit.

Enrollment required. Terms apply.

The American Express® Gold Card used to offer a $100 airline fee credit, but that was discontinued in January of 2022.

To get started using the AmEx airline fee credit, cardmembers of eligible AmEx cards first need to enroll in this card perk. You can open this page and log into your American Express account to see if your AmEx card is enrolled.

The AmEx airline fee credit is only valid on the qualifying airline you choose when you enroll. So make sure to choose wisely. Once you select an airline, you're stuck using that airline for the rest of the calendar year.

Officially, you can only change your airline selection once per year in January. However, AmEx agents have sometimes let card members change their enrolled airline when the card member hasn't used any of the credit so far that calendar year.

To use the airline fee credit, charge an eligible purchase to your enrolled card. AmEx should automatically reimburse the fee to your card.

The terms and conditions say the credit will typically post two to four weeks after you make the purchase — although, in practice, the credit usually posts in a matter of days. If the credit doesn't post after four weeks, you can contact American Express online or via the phone number on the back of your card to request that the fee is manually applied.

Eligible expenses charged by authorized users will also trigger the AmEx airline fee credit. However, authorized users don't get their own airline fee credit allotment.

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

Eligible airlines for the AmEx airline fee credit

Cardmembers must select which airline they want to apply the airline fee credit to when enrolling. AmEx only lets cardmembers select from an abbreviated list of domestic U.S. airlines.

Eligible airlines for the AmEx airline fee credit are limited to:

Alaska Airlines.

American Airlines.

Delta Air Lines.

Frontier Airlines.

Hawaiian Airlines.

JetBlue Airways.

Spirit Airlines.

Southwest Airlines.

United Airlines.

This list covers almost all of the large U.S. airlines. But, card members are out of luck if they often fly Air Canada, British Airways, AeroMexico or other airlines that aren't included on this list of eligible airlines. Cardholders must choose from the list of eligible airlines to use this credit; there's no way around this limitation.

» Learn more: The best AmEx transfer partners — and ones to avoid

American Express doesn't list all expenses that qualify for the AmEx airline fee credit. However, in describing the benefit, AmEx summarizes that the credit is "for incidental fees such as checked baggage, in-flight refreshments and flight change fees."

Most of the rest of the terms and conditions focus on what doesn't qualify. Thankfully, an AmEx chat representative provided a much more detailed list of the expenses eligible for the AmEx airline fee credit.

Per AmEx, the eligible charges include, but are not limited to:

Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships.

Change fees.

Checked baggage fees.

Early check-in fees.

In-flight amenity fees (including beverages, food, pillows/blankets).

In-flight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet).

Overweight/oversize baggage fees.

Flight fees for pets.

Phone reservation fees.

Seat assignment fees.

Unaccompanied minor fees.

If you're struggling to use all of your airline fee credit, keep in mind that you can pre-pay some expenses before the end of the year.

You can buy lounge day passes for future use or pay to select seats for a flight you're taking next year.

As long as the purchase is charged to your enrolled card this year, it should count toward the airline fee credit.

The AmEx airline fee credit details state that "airline tickets, upgrades, mileage points purchases, mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, duty free purchases and award tickets are not deemed to be incidental fees."

However, AmEx utilizes an even longer list of ineligible expenses.

Here's the list of airline expenses that are explicitly ineligible for the AmEx airline fee credit:

Air freight.

Airline tickets.

Award ticket fees.

Cancellation fees.

Charges processed by merchants other than the airline the card member has selected (i.e., in-flight entertainment service providers such as GoGo).

Charges made by airline partners.

Duty-free purchase.

Frequent flyer miles purchase.

Gift cards issued by airlines.

Point transfer fees.

Trip insurance/baggage insurance.

Ticket upgrades.

Travel agent fees.

AmEx provides examples for several of these ineligible expenses. One example features a charge made by an airline partner: "Card member purchases tickets on selected airline Delta, but purchases food on an Air France flight."

» Learn more: Airline alliances: How they work, who's in which

The AmEx airline fee credit provides eligible AmEx cardmembers with $200-$250 in statement credits each year. That means it isn't a perk to take lightly.

Due to the limitation on expenses that qualify for the credit and the restriction to just one eligible airline, cardmembers may find that they need to work throughout the year to use this credit. Hopefully, having this list of which types of expenses qualify for the AmEx airline fee credit will make it easier for you to utilize this credit.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

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

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit 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

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Best Amex Credit Cards for Travel in 2024

American Express provides many appealing credit cards that serve different travel-related requirements. While some of these cards are co-branded, others are not. All the Amex travel credit cards we've selected offer reward points or miles.

Updated: March 14, 2024

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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Travelers have multiple credit card options to choose from when they turn to American Express. If you favor using a particular airline or group of hotels over others, you might benefit by getting a co-branded Amex travel card. Irrespective of the card you choose from our selection, you stand to earn rewards in some form.

While some of the best Amex credit cards for travel come with annual fees, a few do away with them completely. This largely depends on the rewards and perks on offer. For example, while the benefit-laden Amex Hilton Honors Surpass Card charges an annual fee, the simpler Hilton Honors Card does not. However, it earns fewer points on bonus category purchases and includes fewer benefits. It is common for Amex travel cards to come with no foreign transaction fees.

• Our Top 5 Picks
• Summarized List of All Winners
• Tips for Comparing Credit Cards

This article is part of our larger series on Best Travel Credit Cards

MoneyGeek's Take: Top 5 Amex Credit Cards for Travel

Quick Summary

The best Amex credit cards for travel offer a variety of travel-related perks and high points/miles earn rates on category-based spending, although these tend to come at a cost. We’ve selected the top five cards from this category based on factors such as annual fees, APRs, welcome offers and value of points/miles.

A great miles rewards card with no annual fees

• up to 2 Miles per $1* Rewards Rate
• 20.99% – 29.99% Variable APR
• $0 Annual Fee
• Good–Excellent Recommended Credit

WHY WE GEEK OUT

We love the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card for more than its no-annual-fee feature. This card lets you earn 2X miles on restaurants worldwide and Delta purchases. All other purchases come with 1X miles.

An welcome offer gives you the ability to earn 10,000 bonus miles. All you need to do is spend at least $1000 on purchases within the first six months.

This card comes with no international transaction fees, which makes it perfect for use when traveling overseas. Other travel benefits include earning 20% as a statement credit when you use your card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases and complimentary car rental loss and damage insurance.

Cardholders also stand to benefit through purchase and fraud protection in different scenarios.

PROS & CONS

• No annual fee
• With welcome offer
• Gives perks for Delta purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• Good/excellent credit needed
• Limited benefits compared to others
• No lounge access perks
• Less rewarding for non-Delta spend

CARD DETAILS

Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. No Annual Fee. Earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Pay with Miles: take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com. Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets. No Foreign Transaction Fees. Terms Apply.

An excellent credit card for earning Hilton Honors points

• 3–12 Points per $1* Rewards Rate
• $150 Annual Fee

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is a fantastic option for travelers, especially those with a penchant for Hilton stays. Imagine walking into a Hilton property and enjoying complimentary upgrades, thanks to the Gold Status that comes with this card. Whether you're dining out stateside or shopping online, you're racking up points at an impressive rate. And for the globetrotters, there's no need to worry about those pesky foreign transaction fees. The card does have an annual fee, and while the perks cater primarily to Hilton enthusiasts, its broad rewards system can offer value to many.

• Generous welcome bonus
• Purchases from Hilton get bonus points
• Complimentary Hilton upgrades
• With annual fee
• Benefits mostly Hilton-centric
• Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
• Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
• Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors ™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
• Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status. Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club® program is required. Terms apply.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• $150 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

A rewarding travel card for people who are casual guests at Hilton hotels and resorts

• 3–7 Points per $1* Rewards Rate

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a traveler's dream come true. With no annual fee and a generous welcome bonus, it's a financial no-brainer for those frequenting Hilton properties or just seeking exceptional value. Whether dining out stateside or shopping abroad, you'll accumulate points seamlessly without those pesky foreign transaction fees. And here's the kicker — this card instantly boosts you to Hilton's Silver status! Want more perks? Just up your spending game, and Gold status awaits. This card truly embraces both the occasional and the dedicated traveler.

• High earning rates with Hilton
• Automatic Hilton Silver status
• Potentially high APR
• High credit requirement
• Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
• No Annual Fee.

An excellent card for earning Delta SkyMiles

• 1–3 Miles per $1 Rewards Rate
• $350 Annual Fee

We recommend the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card to people who fly with Delta frequently. While this card comes with a $350 annual fee, it offers a number of Delta- and SkyMiles-specific benefits.

A welcome offer gives you the ability to earn 50,000 bonus miles by spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months. All purchases made directly with Delta earn 3X miles, as do hotel bookings made directly with hotels. A couple of categories come with 2X miles and all others with 1X miles.

Cardholders may check their first bags on Delta flights for free, and they receive one domestic main cabin round-trip companion certificate every year. You also get a fee credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck. Using this card outside of the U.S. makes sense as it comes with no foreign transaction fees.

Cardholders stand to benefit through different travel insurance coverage and purchase protection.

• Generous welcome offer
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
• Free first checked bag on Delta flights
• Get to the next Medallion membership status faster
• Exclusive rate for Delta Sky Club access
• 20% back as a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases
• Statement credit toward Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
• Complimentary travel insurance and purchase protection
• $350 annual fee
• Cannot transfer miles to other airline loyalty programs
• Penalty APR may apply in case of late/returned payments
• Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
• Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Resy Credit: With the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Resy Credit, earn up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: You can earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Enrollment Required.
• Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
• Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive $100 back for Global Entry or up to $85 back for TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Official Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $350 Annual Fee.

A great credit card for individuals looking for basic travel perks and more opportunities to earn miles

• 1–2 Miles per $1 Rewards Rate
• 0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 Annual Fee

We like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card because it comes with a sizable welcome bonus and multiple bonus categories for earning Delta SkyMiles. As a part of its welcome offer, you earn 40,000 Bonus miles if you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first six months.

This card offers 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

This card offers a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, after which it becomes $150. Additionally, it does not charge any foreign transaction fees. You receive a $200 Delta flight credit if you spend $10,000 on purchases each year. You save 20% when you use this card to pay for Delta in-flight purchases. All cardholders get access to priority boarding on Delta flights.

• No foreign transaction fee
• $200 Delta flight credit
• Free first checked bag
• Priority boarding
• Up to 20% savings on in-flight purchases
• Annual fee of $150 after the first year
• No luxury travel benefits
• Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
• Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $240 per round-trip flight.
• $100 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
• Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
• With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
• ( See rates and fees )

Summary of the Best Amex Cards for Travel

Check this brief Amex travel card comparison table that’s based on aspects such as APRs, annual fees and welcome offers.

• Credit Card Best For Avg. Reward Rate Annual Fee Credit Needed

While many travelers gravitate towards cards with no annual fees, you are often better off choosing a card with a fee. The included perks, like a free checked bag or annual free night, often outweigh any annual fee that you pay. -- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com .

How to Compare Amex Credit Cards & Intro Offers

Features and benefits that you may find in one Amex travel card might be specific to the card in question. This requires that you pay attention to different aspects before arriving at a decision.

Co-branded or not

American Express offers co-branded cards in the form of Delta SkyMiles cards, Hilton Honors cards and Marriott Bonvoy cards. These cards might work well for you if you’re a frequent user of any of these brands. Otherwise, you can choose a card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points, which offer numerous redemption options.

Travel cards tend to come with higher APRs than cards that don’t offer any rewards/cash back. If you plan to carry balances from one month to the next, consider looking at what the top low-interest credit cards have to offer.

Annual fees

The annual fee you might need to pay depends on the features and benefits you’re after. For example, the no-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card comes with up to 2x miles on category-based spending. While the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card charges a $250 annual fee, it offers up to 3x miles on category-based spending. Besides, it comes with a more rewarding welcome offer as well as other perks such as an annual companion certificate, first checked bag free and credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees.

Welcome offer

All the top Amex travel credit cards give you the opportunity to earn bonus points or miles through different welcome offers. If you get the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card, you earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 miles by spending $500 on eligible purchases in the first three months. The Hilton Honors Card , on the other hand, offers 100,000 bonus points if you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months, and an additional 50,000 bonus points if you spend a total of $5,000 in the first six months.

Points/miles earn rate

The annual fee that you might or might not need to pay typically has a bearing on this aspect, so you need to weigh your options after accounting for your spending patterns. For instance, the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors Card lets you earn up to 7x points on category-based spending. This increases to 12x points with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card , which charges a $95 annual fee.

Value of points/miles

If you get a card that offers American Express Membership Rewards Points, their value may vary from 0.5 cents to 1 cent per point or higher based on how to choose to redeem them. If you get a co-branded card that offers miles or points linked to an airline or a hotel loyalty program, you typically get the best value when you use them to pay for flight or prepaid hotel bookings. In such cases, aspects such as dates, routes and specific properties may also affect the value of your miles/points.

Additional features

You may expect various card-specific features and perks from our selection of the best Amex credit cards for travel. These include no foreign transaction fees, no preset spending limits , complimentary travel insurance coverage, status upgrades in loyalty membership programs, weekend night rewards, Priority Pass lounge access, annual companion certificates and additional savings on in-flight purchases.

Further Reading

Best Business Credit Cards

Business vs. Corporate Credit Cards

About Rajiv Baniwal

Rajiv Baniwal is a journalist who has been covering financial topics for over 15 years. Meticulous in his research, he provides accurate and up-to-date information. His expertise includes mortgages, loans, credit cards, insurance and international money transfers.

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Credit cards

The complete guide to the Amex Travel portal

Carissa Rawson

Allie Johnson

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Robin Saks Frankel

Published 7:39 a.m. UTC Feb. 28, 2024

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onurdongel, Getty Images

The American Express Travel portal offers valuable benefits to American Express cardholders, including special prices. Depending on which card you hold, you may also be able to pay for travel with Membership Rewards® points and get access to perks such as discounted airfare and specialty benefits at luxury hotels. Let’s take a look at how the Amex Travel portal works, whether the benefits are worthwhile and who can access Amex Travel’s website. 

• American Express Travel offers hotels, vacation rentals, flights, rental cars and cruises.
• Luxury hotel benefits and discounted airfare are two benefits of booking through Amex’s travel portal. 
• American Express cardholders can access Amex Travel. 

How to book travel through the Amex Travel portal

Booking travel through the Amex Travel portal requires you to have an online account associated with an Amex card. While you can complete a search on the Amex Travel website without logging in, you will need to do so in order to make a booking.

After you choose whether to book a flight, hotel, vacation rental, vacation package, rental car or cruise, you’ll need to enter your travel details.

For example, if you want to book a flight through Amex Travel, you’ll need to put in your departure airport and destination as well as your dates of travel. The site will then bring up a list of matching results.

You can filter based on when the flights take off as well as how many stops you’re willing to tolerate, among other options. 

The Amex Travel site offers a wide variety of hotel stays and flights, but you’ll always want to double check elsewhere before booking since it doesn’t always feature every option. 

Once you’ve selected a booking, you’ll be taken through the checkout process. This includes providing your personal information and can also include seat requests and adding in loyalty program numbers.

To pay for your booking, you can use your American Express Membership Rewards, if you have a card that earns them, or your American Express card or a combination of both. 

After you’ve booked, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing your reservation information. You can also find your bookings under the My Trips section of Amex Travel.

Who can use the portal?

Any American Express cardholder can use the Amex Travel portal to book travel. But those whose cards don’t earn Amex Membership Rewards points will need to pay with their Amex card.

However, many American Express cards  earn Membership Rewards points that can be redeemed for travel through the Amex Travel portal. These cards include (terms apply):

The Platinum Card® from American Express

• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Green Card * The information for the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
• Amex EveryDay® Credit Card * The information for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
• American Express® Business Gold Card * The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

All information about American Express® Green Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

our partner

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Welcome bonus

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s take

• Over $1,500 in travel and entertainment credits can offset the annual fee.
• Comprehensive lounge access benefit.
• Generous travel and purchase protections.
• High annual fee and spending requirements.
• Amex’s once-per-lifetime rule limits welcome bonus eligibility.
• Annual statement credits have limited use.

Card details

• 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with 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.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 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 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), 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.

Is the portal worth using?

The Amex Travel portal can be worth using in certain cases, though it won’t always make sense. For example, some flights aren’t bookable via Amex Travel, so if what you need isn’t available you’ll want to look elsewhere.

That being said, those with certain cards are entitled to exclusive benefits that can lower prices or allow them to redeem points for travel. There are also perks for booking luxury hotels within the portal. In these cases, Amex Travel is definitely worth investigating. 

How to maximize your Amex Travel benefits through the portal

International airline program.

Available to those who hold a high-end American Express card, including The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express and the American Express Centurion Black Card * The information for the American Express Centurion Black Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , the International Airline Program (IAP) can save you money on certain international flights booked via the Amex Travel portal. 

All information about American Express Centurion Black Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

This benefit is only available on tickets booked in premium economy, business or first class, but the savings can be significant. 

For example, we looked at a round-trip flight in premium economy from San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo (NRT). Booking with Japan Airlines (JAL) directly resulted in a cost of $4,431.40, while the Amex Travel portal and the IAP charged just $3,797.40 for a savings of over $600.

Fine Hotels + Resorts ® and The Hotel Collection

American Express also offers the Fine Hotels and Resorts and The Hotel Collection to eligible cardholders. 

Fine Hotels and Resorts allows guests to book luxury hotels with special benefits. These include room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, an experience credit, late check-out, early check-in and more. 

The Hotel Collection offers similar but less exorbitant benefits. It’s directed toward more midscale properties and includes an experience credit as well as a room upgrade. 

35% rebate on redeemed points

Those who hold The Business Platinum Card from American Express are able to get a 35% rebate on points redeemed for eligible flights booked through the Amex Travel portal (up to 1,000,000 points per calendar year). 

Eligible flights include all fare classes on an airline that you select each year. It also includes first and business class tickets on any airline. 

Quick guide to Amex Membership Rewards

American Express Membership Rewards are the points you earn with eligible Amex cards. These highly flexible and valuable points can be redeemed in a number of ways, though they tend to be most valuable when transferred to Amex airline partners.

Other ways of redeeming Amex points include:

• Gift cards.
• Travel booked via Amex Travel.
• Online shopping. 
• Statement credits. 

While these are nice options to have, you’ll generally get much less value from your Membership Rewards points by redeeming them in these ways. Finally, although you can redeem your points in the Amex Travel portal, this isn’t necessarily a good idea if you aim to reap maximum value. Even if you’re taking advantage of the 35% rebate on redeemed points for flights, you’ll only ever receive a value of 1.54 cents per point. This is lower than you’d expect when transferring your Amex points to many airline and hotel partners. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

No, travel insurance is not automatically included when booking through the Amex portal. But many of the best credit cards feature complimentary travel insurance when using your card to pay, including those from American Express. Otherwise, you may be able to opt in to travel insurance during the booking process or via a third party provider.

Those with the The Platinum Card from American Express can earn 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. The card has an annual fee of $695 ( rates & fees ). 

Those with the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , meanwhile, earn 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels through American Express Travel, 1.5 points per $1 at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, shipping providers, and purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million per calendar year and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. The card has a $695 annual fee.

All information about The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint.

The phone number for American Express Travel is: 1-800-297-2977.

The number of Amex points that you’ll need to redeem for a flight will depend on the cash cost of your flight and whether you’re booking through Amex Travel or transferring your Membership Rewards points to an Amex airline partner. Amex Points are worth about one cent when booking flights through the portal, so a flight that costs $500 in cash would require about 50,000 Amex points. You’ll typically get a better deal with transfer partners than booking through the portal.

For rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page .

*The information for the American Express Centurion Black Card, American Express® Business Gold Card, American Express® Green Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Carissa Rawson is a credit cards and award travel expert with nearly a decade of experience. You can find her work in a variety of publications, including Forbes Advisor, Business Insider, The Points Guy, Investopedia, and more. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her in your nearest airport lounge sipping a coffee before her next flight.

Allie is a journalist with a passion for money tips and advice. She's been writing about personal finance since the Great Recession for online publications such as Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MyWalletJoy and ValuePenguin. She's also written personal finance content for Discover, First Horizon Bank, The Hartford, Travelers and Synovus.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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You’re a Member When Every Trip Can Be Extraordinary

Book through American Express Travel® and elevate your next journey.

Plan Your Ideal Getaway 

With the inspiration, personal advice, and tools to help you make your trip perfect.

Find New Inspiration

Your new favorite destination is always a few clicks away. From adventures close to home to the farthest reaches of the globe, we can help you plan the adventure of a lifetime – and then find your next. 

American Express Travel

Help yourself to more – for less. American Express Travel offers multiple ways to unlock extra savings and get the most for your travel dollar. When you book through American Express Travel, using your full suite of Card benefits is seamless. Terms apply. ‡

Ready, Set, Book

Spend fewer days dreaming about your trip and more days on it. Book directly with American Express to use benefits that could help you extend your travel.

Go Farther With Membership Rewards ® Points

Let Membership Rewards points cover this trip, or the next. From short flights to long stays, eligible Card Members can earn extra points when you book flights, prepaid hotels, prepaid car rentals, and cruises through American Express Travel using your eligible Card. Then you can use those points toward your next adventure. Terms apply. ‡

Lowest Hotel Rates Guarantee

Book with confidence, knowing you’ll always get the lowest rate through American Express Travel. If you book a qualifying hotel rate on AmexTravel.com and then find the same room, in the same hotel, for the same dates, the same number of children and adults, at a lower price online, before taxes and fees, we’ll refund you the difference. Terms apply.‡

Take Advantage of Insider Fares

Go further with fewer Membership Rewards points. With Insider Fares, it takes fewer points to get around the globe. Access select flights at AmexTravel.com if there are enough points for the entire fare. Terms apply.‡

Elevate Your Travel Experience With a Gift Card

Card Members like you are redeeming Membership Rewards ®  points for Gift Cards from Delta, Uber, and other favorite travel brands. Browse from a selection of Gift Cards and use the points you've worked hard to earn.‡

Book Your Trip Now, Pay Later With Plan It®

Ready to get going? You can use Plan It to pace out your payments for purchases of $100 or more. Split the cost of your trip into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee, and still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do. Terms apply.‡

Split Travel Expenses With Ease 

Traveling with friends or a big group? Seamlessly split any pending or posted American Express purchase right from the American Express® App with any other Venmo or PayPal user and get paid back directly to your Card as a statement credit. Terms apply.‡

Coverage and Benefits Options for Your Next Trip

Help Protect Your Travels

Prepare for unexpected events with American Express® Travel Insurance◊ . Build your own insurance coverage or choose one of our packages. Fees, coverage limits, and coverage areas apply. Please read important exclusions and limitations. Enrollment required.

The Flexibility to Change Your Mind

With Trip Cancel Guard , you can cancel your flight for any reason up to two full calendar days before departure and receive up to 75% reimbursement when an airline credit or voucher is not available or expires. Available exclusively at AmexTravel.com at time of booking. Terms apply. ‡

Drive Forward With Confidence

Enroll your American Express ® Card in Premium Car Rental Protection◊ . Your Card will be charged one flat rate per rental period, not per day like rental companies may charge. Fees, coverage limits, and coverage areas apply.

Enjoy Your Adventure

From local finds to legendary favorites, take advantage of unique rewards and access at stops along your journey.

Multi-Card Carousel

Explore Local Hot Spots

Wherever your travels take you, you can find a table with Resy. Explore Resy’s curated itineraries to find beloved local restaurants along your trip.

Enhance Your Trip With Amex Offers

Whether you’re preparing for your journey, booking accommodations, or exploring your destination, Amex Offers‡ has got you covered. Simply add offers to your eligible Card and make qualifying purchases to earn rewards throughout your travel experience.

Make Every Moment More

When you’re a Member, any event is more rewarding. Experience exclusive Card Member benefits – like 10% off concessions, exclusive Card Member entrances, and more – at some of the most iconic venues around the world.‡

Unlock Savings on Great Events

Get 10% off tickets to live events, including concerts, sports events, theater shows, and more through the Tikety Live Event Site for Amex® Card Members.‡

Explore the World with GetYourGuide

Whether it’s marveling at unique scenery, appreciating local art museums, or tasting local cuisine, experience the wonders of travel by booking an activity at gyg.me/amex. Terms Apply.‡

Explore Your Options

Find the best Card, and benefits, for you.

Looking for a New Travel Card?

Explore Your Current Card Benefits

Start Your Next Adventure

You deserve the best from every journey. We’re here to help you get it.

‡ Terms and Conditions

Seller of Travel Show Details Hide Details

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our Travel Consultants. For more information visit www.americanexpress.com/travelterms .

California CST#1022318; Washington UBI#600-469-694

Membership Rewards Show Details Hide Details

Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards ® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo .

Lowest Hotel Rates Guarantee Show Details Hide Details

Valid only for American Express Card Members. If you book a qualifying hotel rate on amextravel.com and then find the same room, in the same hotel, for the same dates, the same number of children and adults, the same rate type and cancellation policy at a lower price online, before taxes and fees, we'll refund you the difference. For pre-paid reservations, your claim must be submitted prior to your stay, before the date of check-in. For verification of “pay later” hotel bookings, your claim must be submitted within thirty (30) days after you have completed the hotel stay, and the customer service representative may instruct you to mail a copy of your hotel receipt to American Express within that time period. American Express will honor the lower price for verified requests. The "Lowest Hotel Rates Guarantee" policy applies only to online rates available to the general public and excludes (1) rates or discounts that are not available to the general public, including, but not limited to, corporate, group, charter, meeting/convention, AAA, government/military, and senior citizen rates/discounts; or (2) hotel rooms booked through or in combination with frequent stay, loyalty, points, coupon promotions, rooms won through contests or sweepstakes or transferred, or rooms booked on opaque websites that do not allow you to see the name of the hotel until your reservation is complete; or (3) promotional packages, deals, all-inclusive packages, or bundles that may include additional amenities such as parking, meals, or entertainment, or (4) rates booked through the Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection programs.

Insider Fares Show Details Hide Details

Insider Fares are valid only for Membership Rewards ® program-enrolled Cards when a Card Member is booking through AmexTravel.com. Insider Fares will display in search results on AmexTravel.com only if an eligible Card Member is logged into his/her account and has enough Membership Rewards points for the entire fare; otherwise, publicly available fares will display. Insider Fares are fares for which less Membership Rewards points are required to purchase the flight. The entire amount of the purchase must be covered using Membership Rewards points. Insider Fares are only available on select flights. When purchasing an Insider Fare, the dollar amount of the fare will be charged to the Card Member’s account and a credit will be issued in that dollar amount on the Card Member’s statement; additionally, the number of Membership Rewards points required for the fare will be deducted from the Card Member’s Membership Rewards account balance. Participating airlines and benefits are subject to change. For more information about the Membership Rewards program visit www.membershiprewards.com/terms .

Delta Gift Card Show Details Hide Details

Once Membership Rewards points are redeemed for a Delta Gift Card, the award becomes subject to the terms and conditions of the Delta Gift Card Program. All Membership Rewards redemptions for Delta Gift Cards are final and transactions cannot be returned or reversed.Use of the gift card is subject to the below terms and conditions and, in addition, to the full terms provided at www.delta.com/giftcard . A maximum of 3 Delta Gift Cards can be used per Delta air transportation purchase.Each Delta Gift Card may only be used towards the purchase price of air transportation on Delta Air Lines marketed flights (including as part of a Delta Vacations® package) and may not be used to pay other amounts, such as baggage fees, in-flight purchases, mileage booster, premium seating (e.g., Preferred Seating or Economy Comfort™) or other ancillary products. Delta Gift Cards are not reloadable; will not be replaced by Delta for any reason; are not refundable and cannot be redeemed or exchanged for cash, check or credit except where refund or redemption is required by law; are not a credit, debit or charge card; have no implied warranties; and may only be sold by Delta and Delta-licensed vendors. Use of a Delta Gift Card is subject to applicable law. If there is a conflict between the terms and conditions and applicable law, applicable law will govern. The Delta Gift Card is issued by, and represents an obligation of, Delta Gift Cards, Inc. Call 800-221-1212 for balance information and customer service.

All Delta Gift Card terms apply. For complete terms and conditions, please visit delta.com/giftcards. Delta name and logo are registered trademarks of Delta Air Lines, Inc. and used with permission.  Delta is not a sponsor of the program/promotion and is not affiliated with American Express.

Uber Gift Card Show Details Hide Details

By using this gift card, you accept the following terms and conditions: This card is redeemable via the Uber® or Uber Eats app within the U.S. in cities where Uber or Uber Eats is available. Funds do not expire. The card is non-reloadable and, except where required by law, cannot be redeemed for cash, refunded, or returned. You may be required to add a secondary payment method to use this gift card with the Uber or Uber Eats app. The card is not redeemable outside the U.S. Issuer is not responsible for lost or stolen cards, or unauthorized use. This card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. For full terms and conditions and customer service, visit uber.com/legal/gift.

Pay It Plan It ® Show Details Hide Details

Pay It ® is only available in the American Express® App for your eligible Account. With the Pay It feature, you can make a payment equal to the amount of a billed purchase less than $100. Payments made with Pay It are not applied to that billed purchase but to your outstanding balance in accordance with how we apply payments.

Your Account is eligible for Pay It if you are a Basic Card Member or Additional Card Member of a Card account issued by a U.S. banking subsidiary of American Express that is not canceled, excluding Accounts that do not have either a Credit Limit or the Pay Over Time feature. Prepaid Cards and products, American Express Corporate Cards, American Express Small Business Cards and American Express-branded Cards or account numbers issued by other financial institutions are not eligible.

With Plan It®, you can create up to 10 active payment plans, each subject to a plan fee. The plan fee is a fixed finance charge that will be charged each month that the corresponding plan is active. You will be offered 1-3 plan duration options for the qualifying purchase. The plan duration options can vary based on a variety of factors such as the purchase amount, your Account history and your creditworthiness. If you are enrolled in an intro or promotional APR, you may see limited plan duration options during the intro or promotional period when you use Plan It on your Account. If you create a plan during an introductory or promotional APR period, your plan fee will be based on the introductory or promotional APR as long as the plan is created before 11:59pm MST on the last day of the introductory or promotional period.

To create a plan, select qualifying purchases of $100 or more and a plan duration. If you have a Card with a Credit Limit, you may also be able to select a qualifying amount of $100 or more and a plan duration. When creating a plan for purchases, you may select up to 10 qualifying purchases for each plan that you create in your American Express online Account. However, you may select only one qualifying purchase for each plan that you create in the American Express App. Qualifying purchases will be identified in your American Express online Account and American Express App. Qualifying purchases (or a qualifying amount, if you have a Card with a Credit Limit) do not include purchases of cash or cash equivalents, balance transfers (if offered), purchases subject to Foreign Transaction Fees, or any fee owed to us, including Annual Membership fees. Unless you are creating a plan at checkout, please allow 2-3 days for your purchase to post to your Account. Once your purchase posts and is no longer pending, you can create a plan for that purchase.

Your ability to create plans will be based on a variety of factors such as your creditworthiness, and your Credit Limit or Pay Over Time Limit, as applicable. The Pay Over Time Limit applies to the total of your Pay Over Time, Cash Advance, and Plan balances. You may not be able to create a plan if it would cause you to exceed your Pay Over Time Limit or cause your Plan balance to exceed 95% of your Account Total New Balance on your last billing statement. You will not be able to create plans if your Pay Over Time feature is suspended or your Account is canceled. You will also not be able to create plans if one or more of your American Express Accounts is enrolled in a payment program, has a payment that is returned unpaid, or is past due. The number and length of plan duration options offered to you, the number of active plans you can have at a time, and your ability to include multiple qualifying purchases in a single plan, will be at our discretion and will be based on a variety of factors such as your creditworthiness, the purchase amount(s), and your Account history. After a plan is paid in full, it will be removed from your Account in the next billing period.

Plan It is available on Card Accounts issued by a U.S. banking subsidiary of American Express, excluding Accounts that do not have either a Credit Limit or the Pay Over Time feature. Only the Basic Card Member or Authorized Account Managers on the Account can create a plan. Prepaid Cards and products, American Express Corporate Cards, American Express Small Business Cards and American Express-branded Cards or Account numbers issued by other financial institutions are not eligible.

Send & Split ® Show Details Hide Details

Send & Split ® is only available in the American Express® App (“Amex App”) to Card Members with an eligible Card. Eligible Cards are US-issued Basic Consumer Cards that are issued by American Express National Bank and are not cancelled. Prepaid Cards, American Express Corporate Cards, American Express Small Business Cards, American Express-branded cards or account numbers issued by other financial institutions and American Express Cards issued outside of the United States are not eligible Cards. To use Send & Split, you must first have an email address on file, enroll in Send & Split® in your American Express Online Account (“Online Account”) and open an Amex Send® stored balance account in the Amex App (“Send Account”). Send & Split allows you to: (i) send a person-to-person payment from your Send Account to Venmo and PayPal users (“Send”) and (ii) split a Card purchase (“Split”) and receive funds to your Card account as a statement credit or to your linked Venmo or PayPal account. You may use Send & Split® with an Additional consumer Card that is issued in the US by American Express National Bank and is not cancelled if you also have an eligible Card in the same Online Account and that Online Account is enrolled in Send & Split. You must have or create an account with Venmo or PayPal and link your Online Account to your PayPal or Venmo account to use Send & Split. You must add money to your Send Account from your eligible Card(s) to Send to a Venmo or PayPal recipient. The money you add will be reflected in your Send Account balance. The charge on your Card for an Add Money transaction does not earn rewards and is subject to the Card’s purchase APR. Once the Send from your Send Account is available in the recipient’s Venmo or PayPal account, you do not have the ability to cancel the transaction. There is no fee to Send to US recipients. PayPal charges a fee to Send to non-US recipients. With Split, you can split pending or posted purchases that are made with your eligible Card in your Amex App. Once you select a purchase to Split, select the contacts you want to request to Split with. You can choose to get paid back as a statement credit to your Card account (a Split credit) or to your linked Venmo or PayPal account. Split credits to your Card account apply when we receive confirmation that the Split request was completed but may take 24-36 hours to post to your Card account. You are still responsible to pay the full purchase amount charged to your Card, regardless of whether you are paid back via Split. You earn rewards for purchases that you split in the same way that you earn rewards for other purchases. Other eligibility and restrictions apply. For complete details visit americanexpress.com/sendandsplitterms to view Terms & Conditions. Send Account issued by American Express National Bank.

◊ American Express Travel Insurance Show Details Hide Details

American Express Travel Insurance (Policy AX0126, or Policy AETI-IND) is underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company, Administrative Office, Phoenix AZ. Coverage is determined by the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the respective policies (see above) and is subject to change with notice. This document does not supplement or replace the Policy.

American Express Travel Insurance is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., California license number 0649234.

Trip Cancel Guard Show Details Hide Details

American Express Trip Cancel Guard is an optional benefit enabling You to receive partial reimbursement for Eligible Trip Itineraries purchased through/on TRS that are cancelled for any reason at least 2 full calendar days before your Departure Date and before the Benefit End Date. This benefit is a cancellation fee waiver and is not an insurance product. Trip Cancel Guard is only available for purchase from TRS at the time of the Eligible Trip Itinerary booking. With this benefit, the Eligible Beneficiaries may receive reimbursement for up to 75% of Nonrefundable Prepaid Expenses listed on the Eligible Trip Itinerary purchased through TRS as stated on Your Schedule of Benefits. Reimbursement is subject to requirements and restrictions. Visit americanexpress.com/tripcancelguardterms for full Terms & Conditions.

◊ Premium Car Rental Protection Show Details Hide Details

Premium Car Rental Protection is underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company, Administrative Office, Phoenix, AZ. Coverage is determined by the terms, conditions, and exclusions of Policy AX0610 or Policy PCRP-IND and is subject to change with notice. Coverage is not available for ride-sharing companies that allow individuals to rent out their personal vehicle. This document does not supplement or replace the Policy.

Premium Car Rental Protection is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., California license number 0649234.

Amex Offers Show Details Hide Details

Eligible Card Members can redeem an Amex Offer by first enrolling in the offer in their online account or in the American Express ® App and then using their enrolled Card to pay. Only U.S.-issued American Express Consumer and Business Cards and registered American Express Serve ® and Bluebird Cards may be eligible. We may consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your eligibility to access Amex Offers. You may not be eligible to access Amex Offers if we, in our sole discretion, determine that you have previously engaged in abuse, misuse or gaming of the Amex Offers program, or any other Amex program. Offers are also available to Additional Card Members and available offers may vary for each eligible Card Member. Please review the terms of each offer for details on how to redeem. For full Program Terms, visit www.americanexpress.com/us/amexoffersterms/ .

Events Show Details Hide Details

Early Access.

Early access to purchase 2023 US Open tickets has expired. Information and terms of purchase for 2024 US Open tickets will be made available in 2024 prior to the Early Access on sale date. Early Access tickets are subject to the terms and conditions of the Early Access program. Early Access tickets may be purchased for select seats during a specified period prior to the general on-sale dates for the US Open. Tickets must be purchased using an American Express Card (including, for example, the American Express International Dollar Card). Tickets are sold by and fulfilled by third party ticket sellers (not American Express), and such tickets are subject to the rules, terms and conditions, prices and fees set by the ticket seller, event promoter and/or the venue. Early Access tickets are subject to availability and supply may be limited. Not all seats may be offered; purchase limits and blackout dates may apply. Refunds, exchanges and resale may be prohibited by the ticket seller. For more information, please visit americanexpress.com/entertainment .

On Site Benefits.

American Express Card Members that have a valid ticket to the US Open can get access to certain benefits on site at the US Open by presenting an American Express Card in their name (pre-paid American Express Cards are not eligible). These on-site benefits are subject to change year-over-year, including Card Member eligibility and benefit terms. For the 2023 US Open, on-site benefits include access to the American Express Shop (checkout-free/contactless shopping using an American Express Card), American Express radios (limit one per Card per day, available while supplies last), American Express Card Member lounge located on the second level of the US Open American Express Fan Experience (Card Members may visit the lounge with up to two (2) guests, capacity limitations apply), and more. To the extent alcohol is available in the lounge, you must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages; please drink responsibly. For additional on-site benefits and terms, please visit usopen.org .

Fan Experiences

American Express hosts American Express Fan Experiences at select music festivals and sporting events. In 2023, Fan Experiences are available at Coachella music festival, US Open golf, NBA and WNBA All-Star games, Wimbledon, British Summer Time music festival, All Points East music festival, US Open tennis, and Austin City Limits music festival. The music festivals and sporting events at which Fan Experiences are hosted are subject to change year-over-year, including Card Member eligibility and terms. American Express Card Members that have a valid ticket to an applicable event can visit the Fan Experience by presenting an American Express Card in their name (pre-paid American Express Cards are not eligible). The number of Card Member guests permitted may vary by event. Capacity limitations apply. Additional rules and terms may apply by event. American Express reserves the right to not allow or to remove Card Members and their guests from the Fan Experience for any reason, including, without limitation, not adhering to applicable rules and terms of the Fan Experience. To the extent alcohol is available at the Fan Experience, you must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages; please drink responsibly. Fan Experiences may be modified or discontinued at any time and without notice. For more information, please visit americanexpress.com/entertainment .

Event Access

Eligible American Express Card Members can get access to purchase tickets to select events through the American Express Early Access, Access, and/or Preferred Access programs. For program eligibility and terms, please refer to the program terms and conditions below. Additional terms of purchase may apply for the event selected. Tickets are sold by and fulfilled by third party ticket sellers (not American Express), and such tickets are subject to the rules, terms and conditions, prices and fees set by the ticket seller, event promoter and/or the venue. Not all seats may be offered; purchase limits and blackout dates may apply. Refunds, exchanges and resale may be prohibited by the ticket seller. For more information, please visit  americanexpress.com/entertainment .

Early Access Program.

Early Access tickets may be purchased by American Express Card Members for select events and select seats, during a specified period prior to the general on-sale dates for those events. Tickets must be purchased using an American Express Card (including, for example, the American Express International Dollar Cards). Tickets are sold by and fulfilled by third party ticket sellers (not American Express), and such tickets are subject to the rules, terms and conditions, prices and fees set by the ticket seller, event promoter and/or the venue. Early Access tickets are subject to availability and supply may be limited. Not all seats may be offered; purchase limits and blackout dates may apply. Refunds, exchanges and resale may be prohibited by the ticket seller. For more information, please visit americanexpress.com/entertainment .

Access Program.

Access tickets may be purchased by American Express Card Members for select events and select seats, during a specified period. Tickets must be purchased using an American Express Card (including, for example, the American Express International Dollar Cards). Tickets are sold by and fulfilled by third party ticket sellers (not American Express), and such tickets are subject to the rules, terms and conditions, prices and fees set by the ticket seller, event promoter and/or the venue. Access tickets are subject to availability and supply may be limited. Not all seats may be offered; purchase limits and blackout dates may apply. Refunds, exchanges and resale may be prohibited by the ticket seller. For more information, please visit americanexpress.com/entertainment .

Preferred Access Program.

Preferred Access tickets may be purchased by eligible American Express Card Members for select events and select seats, during a specified period. Tickets are sold by and fulfilled by third party ticket sellers (not American Express), and such tickets are subject to the rules, terms and conditions, prices and fees set by the ticket seller, event promoter and/or the venue. When purchasing tickets, enter the 10-digit customer service phone number on the back of your eligible Card when prompted. Tickets must be purchased using one of the following U.S.-issued American Express Cards: American Express Cards: Consumer, Business, or Corporate Platinum Card ® or Centurion ® Card; Consumer or Business Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Card; Consumer or Business Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve Card; Consumer, Business, or Corporate Gold Card; Classic Business Gold Card; Business Gold Rewards Card; Executive Business Card; Hilton Honors American Express Surpass ® Card; Hilton Honors Aspire Card; Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® Card; Marriott Bonvoy Bevy ™ Card; or Marriott Bonvoy ® Card. Tickets are subject to availability and supply may be limited. Not all seats may be offered; purchase limits and blackout dates may apply. Refunds, exchanges, and resale may be prohibited by the ticket seller. For more information, please visit americanexpress.com/entertainment .

Card Member Entrances & Fast Lanes

American Express Card Member entrances are available at select venues. Card Member entrances may not be available for all events; hours of availability may vary and are subject to change. Entrances may be modified or discontinued at any time and without notice. Card Members that have a valid ticket to the event can get access through the Card Member entrance by presenting an American Express Card in the Card Member’s name (pre-paid American Express Cards are not eligible). The number of Card Member guests permitted may vary by venue. Additional rules and terms may apply by venue and by event (including, without limitation, security protocols). American Express does not operate the Card Member entrances; the applicable venue operates the entrance. Venue personnel reserve the right to not allow Card Members and their guests admittance through the Card Member entrance for any reason, including, without limitation, not adhering to security protocols. To determine if the venue for the event you would like to attend has a Card Member entrance, please visit americanexpress.com/venues .

Fast Lanes.

American Express Card Member fast lanes are available at select music festivals for the purchase of music festival merchandise. Card Members that have a valid ticket to the music festival can get access to the Card Member fast lane by presenting an American Express Card in the Card Member’s name (pre-paid American Express Cards are not eligible). The number of Card Member guests permitted may vary by event. Additional rules and terms may apply by event. To determine if the music festival you would like to attend has a Card Member fast lane, please refer to the American Express Card Member benefits for that music festival (as applicable). For more information, please visit americanexpress.com/entertainment .

American Express Shops

American Express Shops are checkout-free/contactless shops available to American Express Card Members at US Open tennis and select venues (currently, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York and the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah). An American Express Card is required for entry and to make purchases in American Express Shops (pre-paid American Express Cards are not eligible). Capacity limitations apply. American Express Shops may not be available for all events at a venue; hours of availability may vary and are subject to change. American Express does not operate American Express Shops. American Express Shops are operated by third party concessionaires selected by the venue; that third party concessionaire is the merchant of record on all purchases at that American Express Shop. Purchases are subject to the policies and terms of the operator of the American Express Shop and the venue. All sales are final, no refunds or exchanges. American Express Shops may be modified (including, without limitation, the concessions offered) or discontinued at any time and without notice. To determine if the venue for the event you are attending has an American Express Shop, please visit americanexpress.com/venues .

Tikety US Pilot Site Show Details Hide Details

American Express® Card Members in the United States (including its territories and possessions) (“US Card Member(s)”) booking through us.tikety.com/amex (the “Website”) with a valid US issued American Express Card (“US Card”) can access and receive a 10% discount on tickets purchased on the Website between August 29, 2023 and November 29, 2024. The 10% discount on ticket purchases made through the Website will be applied automatically at checkout and may not be combined with any other offers. The 10% discount is applied before applicable taxes and fees. Upon purchasing tickets, you will receive a confirmation email and e-ticket. In certain instances, the ticket supplier may delay delivery of the ticket(s) until a minimum of 48 hours prior to the event itself, in which case you will be advised at booking. In such cases your email confirmation will contain all relevant details. The e-ticket is your ticket and includes your confirmation number, ticket and event information, your event contact details, relevant cancellation policies, and other important details. The personal information you provide to make your booking will be processed by Tikety in accordance with Tikety’s Privacy Policy located at https://tikety.com/privacy-policy . Tikety may share certain information regarding any Tikety booking you make through the Website (e.g., cardholder name, transaction date, transaction amount, etc.) with American Express to provide insight into your use of the Website. Any personal information American Express receives about you will be used in accordance with the American Express Online Privacy Statement www.americanexpress.com/us/company/privacy-center/online-privacy-disclosures . If American Express determines in its sole judgment, exercised reasonably, that you engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this program or that you may attempt to do so we may disqualify you from redeeming offers in the future. American Express acts solely as a marketing provider for Tikety and does not operate the Website or act as a commercial agent for the Tikety ticket suppliers. Tikety operates as a Merchant of Record and an intermediary platform on which tickets are offered online and fulfilled by a variety of ticket suppliers around the world. American Express is not responsible for the platform, Website, tickets, or other actions or inactions of Tikety or Tikety ticket suppliers. For customer service, you can contact Tikety’s Customer Service Team, available 24/7, by calling 888-805-3993, emailing them at [email protected] , or accessing Tikety’s Help Center for FAQs. Tikety’s Terms and Conditions apply.

GetYourGuide Show Details Hide Details

US American Express® Card Members booking through gyg.me/amex with a US-issued American Express Card can receive 10% off the total cost of tours, attractions, or other activities (after taxes and fees) when booked by 05/31/2024 (“Limited Time Offer”). Discount will be applied automatically at check out.

  By using the website or booking an Activity, you and Co-Travellers agree to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions. Please review these terms and conditions carefully. If you do not agree to these or the other applicable terms and conditions, you should not use the website or book an Activity. We may modify these terms and conditions at any time by posting the modified terms and conditions on the website. Any such modifications will be effective immediately. Your continued use of the website after modifications have been made to the terms and conditions signifies and confirms your acceptance of the modified terms and conditions.

Upon booking an Activity, you will receive a confirmation email and PDF voucher. The PDF voucher is your ticket and includes your booking reference and PIN Code, booking information, Supplier contact details, relevant cancellation policies, and other important details. We may offer promotions or curated offers in connection with the website. Any promotions or offers will be denoted accordingly on the website and will be subject to additional terms and conditions. Other restrictions may apply.

The personal information used to make your booking will be handled by GetYourGuide in accordance with GetYourGuide’s Privacy Policy. GetYourGuide may share certain information regarding any GetYourGuide booking you make through the website (e.g., cardholder name, transaction date, transaction amount, etc.) with American Express to provide insight into your use of the website. Any personal information American Express receives about you will be used by American Express in accordance with the American Express Online Privacy Statement. If American Express determines in its sole judgmentthat you engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with promotions or offers or that you may attempt to do so, it may suspend your ability to redeem promotions or offers in the future or cancel your American Express cards.

American Express acts solely as a marketing partner for GetYourGuide and does not operate the website or act as a commercial agent for GetYourGuide or Suppliers. GetYourGuide operates as a commercialagent and an intermediary platform on which Activities are offered online and fulfilled by a variety of Suppliers around the world. American Express does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and will have no liability with respect to, the website, Activities, or actions or inactions of GetYourGuide or Suppliers.

Additional terms and conditions apply to you and Co-Travellers which release American Express from liability and exclude or limit certain damages. American Express can be referred to as a distribution partner in those additional terms and conditions.

Your guide to the Amex Platinum Saks Fifth Avenue credit

Of all the personal travel cards on the market, the one that offers the most perks and access is The Platinum Card® from American Express .

It's also one of the most expensive cards due to its $695 annual fee (see rates and fees ). However, you can get your money's worth with lounge access , up to $200 in annual Uber credits (for use in the U.S.), up to $200 in airline incidental fee credits and a statement credit of up to $100 per year at Saks Fifth Avenue. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

If you're like me and spend more than $100 a year at Saks Fifth Avenue, this is like money in the bank. Even those who don't typically shop at Saks can find value in this credit, which resets every six months.

If you associate Saks Fifth Avenue with $4,000 Prada dresses, you're not wrong. However, you might be surprised to find that they also offer many other more reasonable and affordable items .

Let's take a closer look and see what this credit offers.

How the Saks Fifth Avenue credit works

The credit is available as two up to $50 statement credits per calendar year. Your first $50 statement credit is available from Jan. 1 to June 30, and your second $50 statement credit is available from July 1 to Dec. 31.

You need to enroll for this benefit to take effect, and you can do this through your online Amex account .

There is no minimum purchase required to trigger these statement credits, meaning you could make a purchase of $50 (or less) once every six months and not owe anything out of pocket once the credit posts to your Amex Platinum account.

To many people's surprise, Saks offers items that cost $50 or less . While the merchant's frequent sales drop the prices of all sorts of items to palatable levels, some items are always below that price point.

There are some limits to this cardmember credit, however.

First, you must enroll before you can use it.

Second, the terms state that this Amex Platinum statement credit is valid at Saks Fifth Avenue online or at locations in the U.S. and U.S. territories. It is not valid on Saks Fifth Avenue gift cards or purchases at outlet locations (in stores and online). It excludes purchases at restaurants within the store and online bill pay for Saks credit.

Third, there is a $100 minimum (before taxes) for free shipping. You could choose to meet that minimum to avoid the shipping fee of $9.95 for orders less than $100. Some readers have had success by asking American Express for a goodwill credit through the store's online chat function, saying something like this:

Saks Fifth Avenue no longer participates in ShopRunner, which used to offer free two-day shipping. Now I have to pay a $9.95 shipping fee on orders under $100, which reduces the value of the $50 statement credit on my Amex Platinum offered every six months. Can I request a goodwill credit in the amount of $9.95 to offset this?

Finally, you may have to wait up to four weeks after an eligible purchase is charged to your card for a statement credit to be posted. That's because Saks typically won't charge your card until after your item(s) ship. This means waiting until the last minute to use this benefit may mean missing out on the statement credit due to potential shipping delays.

Read more: How to maximize benefits with the Amex Platinum Card

However, if you've made a qualifying purchase with plenty of time before the June 30 or December 31 deadline, you should receive your statement credit in an average of four days .

Maximizing your Saks Fifth Avenue credit

If you're not an avid Saks Fifth Avenue shopper, you might wonder how to best take advantage of this credit each year — especially since many items Saks sells are in the "outrageously expensive" category. Here's how to find the sweet spots and get the most out of this Amex Platinum benefit.

Know what to buy

Yes, Saks is home to $1,695 Gianvito Rossi knee-high boots and a $3,850 Givenchy bomber jacket (both a bit out of most people's price range). However, you can also find plenty of great items for under $50.

One of my favorite sunscreen primers, Unseen Sunscreen from Supergoop (an amazing travel primer if you'll be out in the sun), costs around $40 for a 1.7-ounce bottle at Saks. You can also find products from popular makeup brands such as MAC and Benefit for less than $50.

If you have kids, you can use your Saks credit for many adorable kids items, such as dresses, raincoats and shoes.

Take advantage of sales

If you watch for sales, you can score a great deal on Saks items that normally cost more than the $50 semi-annual credit. The Saks website has an entire section dedicated to sales items.

Like any department store, sale items can be hit or miss, but you can find excellent deals if you're patient. Even if you have your eye on a sale item costing more than $50, think of your Saks credit as a $50 coupon.

You can find all items currently $50 or less at this link .

Always use a shopping portal

Any time you shop online, start through a shopping portal to earn points, miles or cash back on your purchase — in addition to your Saks credit. Numerous sites operate as shopping portal aggregators , which compare rewards to see which portal makes the most sense for you to use.

Rakuten offers anywhere from 1% to 10% cash back (or 1-10 Amex points per dollar spent) on Saks Fifth Avenue purchases, depending on current promotions.

Bottom line

Whether you're obsessed with Saks Fifth Avenue or have rarely shopped there, you should take advantage of the $100 annual Saks credit that your Amex Platinum card offers. If you're unfamiliar with the brand, it can be overwhelming to know how to maximize the credit (especially since it's broken into two $50 credits each year). However, these tips will help you find the best options to utilize the available statement credits.

To learn more, read our full Amex Platinum card review

Apply here: Amex Platinum

Check the CardMatch tool to see if you're targeted for a 150,000-point Platinum Card offer (after meeting minimum spending requirements). These offers are subject to change at any time.

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

Avianca Airlines Launches U.S. American Express Credit Cards

Avianca credit cards offer rewards for U.S. customers of Colombia's largest airline.

Avianca Launches U.S. AmEx Cards

Businesswire

Avianca has partnered with Cardless to launch two new credit cards to the U.S. market.

Key Takeaways

• Avianca Airlines introduces two new American Express cards in the U.S.
• Cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of up to 100,000 LifeMiles.
• Both cards come with perks such as priority check-in and boarding and lounge access.

Avianca, South America's second-largest airline, has partnered with fintech company Cardless to introduce two new credit cards to the U.S. market: the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card and the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card. Each card offers a wide range of benefits, including lounge access, an extra checked bag for no fee and upgrades.

Cardholders earn LifeMiles, which can be redeemed to fly to South America and other destinations from several major U.S. cities, such as Miami, Boston, Dallas, Houston and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. LifeMiles can also be redeemed to book a flight with one of Avianca's 26 partner airlines. Read on for the details of each card to help you decide which one might be a fit for your wallet.

How the New Avianca Credit Cards Differ

Each card comes with LifeMiles Silver Elite Status, which includes perks such as priority boarding and check-in, the option to choose premium seating, Avianca lounge access and 30% bonus miles. However, the Elite version of the card gives you access to extra perks and a higher earning rate in some spending categories, but you'll pay a higher annual fee.

Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card

• Welcome offer. You can earn 40,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months with the card.
• Redemption rate. Earn 2 miles per dollar on Avianca or LifeMiles purchases, 2 miles on dining and groceries, and 1 mile on other purchases.
• Fees. Pay a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card

• Welcome offer. Earn up to 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 within the first three months with the card. You can also earn up to 40,000 extra miles after spending $25,000 in the first year.
• Redemption rate. Earn 3 miles per dollar on Avianca purchases, 2 miles on dining, 2 miles on travel expenses such as hotels and taxis, and 1 mile on other purchases. As a bonus Elite card feature, you can receive double the miles earned during each statement period up to 1,000 miles through a complimentary LifeMiles+ subscription.
• Additional Benefits of LifeMiles+. Includes 500 extra miles per month, up to a 10% discount on Star Alliance flight redemptions, up to 25% discount on Avianca flights, bonus miles for LifeMiles hotels and rental cars and up to a 10% discount on LifeMiles rental cars.
• Fees. Pay a $249 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

How to Redeem Rewards

You can redeem Avianca LifeMiles to purchase flights with Avianca or partner airlines, such as United, Air Canada and Turkish airlines. LifeMiles can also be redeemed for upgrades to the VIP lounge area or more legroom in business class.

Alternative Airline Credit Cards to Consider

The United℠ Explorer Card might be a better choice if you often fly with United Airlines. This card has an annual fee of $95 that is $0 the first year. New United Explorer cardholders can earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 within the first three months with the card.

If you're looking for a card with more flexible travel redemption options, the American Express® Green Card earns three points per dollar on every travel purchase, which you can use to help pay for cruises, flights or hotels booked through AmexTravel.com. It has a $150 annual fee but comes with perks that can offset it, such as up to $189 in annual Clear Plus statement credits and up to $100 per year in LoungeBuddy Credit.

The information for the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by U.S. News and the card is not currently available on the site. The information has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer and it is accurate as of the date posted.

Tags: credit cards , Airline Credit Cards

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