How to Use the New American Express Statement Credits [2020]

BY 

Stephen Au

- UPDATED: November 30, 2020

1. Credit Cards  / 
2. Strategies & Guides

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American Express is one of the world’s most recognizable brands. American Express has traditionally appealed to the luxury segment, and around a third of its cardholders’ spending was on travel or entertainment. All of this started plummeting at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. American Express has, yet again, swooped in with valuable benefits to save the day.

American Express has identified that consumer spending patterns are beginning to shift dramatically, and it has introduced a slew of perks. Of these perks, Amex has begun to offer new types of statement credits, mostly to help offset the annual fee and to continue to retain customers.

In this guide, we’ll specifically be examining 6 types of statement credits:

• Expanded dining credits
• Increased Dell credits
• New wireless telephone credits
• Streaming services credits
• Shipping credits
• Variis by Equinox credits

First, we’ll include a broad overview of the specific statement credit. Next, we’ll discuss the terms and conditions for the statement credit. We’ll then highlight which cards receive the credit. At the end of each section, we’ll show you how you can make the most of each statement credit.

Expanded Amex Dining Credits

Perhaps the most valuable addition to the (very long) list of Amex card perks is the ability to use a hotel credit for restaurants. Keep in mind that these aren’t new statement credits. Instead, these are expanded statement credits that are now easier to use. Let’s look at the cards that offer this versatility.

Cards With Dining Credit Changes

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card is one of the best credit cards for Marriott loyalists, and it comes with a $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit benefit, which resets every cardmember anniversary year. You can now use the entirety or a portion of this statement credit at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

The Hilton Aspire card comes fully loaded with a laundry list of amazing benefits. Previously, the $250 Hilton resort credit could only be used at select Hilton resorts. You could use it for room nights, though Advance Purchase rates were explicitly excluded.

This perk, which resets every cardmember anniversary year, has now been expanded to include purchases at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery.

Dining Credit Details

When is this Credit Valid?

This statement credit is valid from June through August 2020.

What Purchases Qualify for the Credit?

Eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, will qualify for these credits. There aren’t many restrictions on qualifying purchases. Click here to access the categories.

Best Ways to Maximize Dining Credits

Luckily, the expanded credits are easy to make use of. All you have to do is make a purchase from a restaurant for dine-in, takeout, or delivery using your eligible credit card for the credit to kick in.

Increased Amex Dell Credits

Card With Dell Credit Changes

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Of the many benefits of Amex Business Platinum card, the Dell credit is perhaps one of the most useful. Traditionally, the Dell credit was split up into 2 equal credits of $100 each. You could use 1 credit from January to June and the other credit from July to December.

Now, select cardholders can receive up to $200 in additional statement credits.

The Amex Business Platinum card has one of the best value propositions out there. It is the only card that offers a statement credit for purchases with Dell Technologies.

Now, you can earn up to $200 in additional statement credits. When you take into account the existing $200 in statement credits, you can earn up to $400 in statement credits in 2020.

Credit Card

Card Overview

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Apply Now (at Amex's secure site)

Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $15,000 within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. Access more than 1,300 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, including the amazing Centurion lounges. Up to $200 Airline Fee Credit. Terms Apply Annual Fee: $595 For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here. Must Reads: For more info on the Amex Business Platinum, see our insights on its benefits, and the 24 best airport lounges you can access. Go here for our full review. This is 1 of several Amex business credit cards.

Dell Credit Details

When is this Credit Valid?

You’ll receive up to $100 in statement credits from May 1 through June 30, 2020, and another $100 in statement credits between July 1 and December 31, 2020, on top of the existing statement credits.

Simply put, you’re potentially doubling your Dell statement credits for 2020.

What Purchases Qualify for the Credit?

You’ll only receive this statement credit on purchases made directly with Dell or at Dell.com in the U.S. and U.S. territories where Dell is the merchant of record for the purchase.

Also, the Dell credit is invalid on online purchases shipped outside of the United States.

Best Ways to Maximize Dell Credits

As a reminder, the Dell credit requires enrollment by logging into your online Amex account.

Once you’re enrolled, the best way to make use of Dell credits is to shop online at dell.com and pay using your Amex Business Platinum card. You can seriously upgrade your electronics by purchasing items such as:

• Desktop or laptop computers
• Audio accessories, like headphones and speakers
• Office accessories, like keyboards, mice, and monitors
• Home improvement appliances, such as a Roomba
• Video games

Hot Tip: Using Rakuten to earn bonus cash-back on Dell purchases you were going to make anyway is a great way to maximize the value you get from every dollar you spend. We’ve detailed everything you need to know about Rakuten, including how it works, how to earn cash-back, and some tips to supercharge your earnings.

New Amex Wireless Credits

The next credit we’ll be discussing is the new wireless telephone credit. You can get up to $20 per eligible card in monthly wireless credits for your cellular bills.

This wireless credit is in addition to all the other perks, so you’re getting this for free instead of making use of expanded but existing statement credits.

Cards With Wireless Credit Changes

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Amex Platinum card offers some of the best travel perks out there. Amex has temporarily added wireless statement credits for up to $20 per month.

The Amex Business Platinum Card

The Amex Business Platinum card is one of the best, if not the best, ultra-premium business cards in the world. In addition to its numerous existing perks, you can now get wireless statement credits for up to $20 per month, making the Amex Business Platinum worth a consideration.

American Express® Green Card

The Amex Green card offers jam-packed value without a massive price tag. It’s one of the most well-rounded cards for spending, thanks to its bonus categories at restaurants worldwide and travel purchases.

To add even more to its value proposition, American Express has included an additional wireless statement for up to $10 per month.

Wireless Credit Details

When is this Credit Valid?

The wireless telephone credit is valid from May through December 2020.

What Purchases Qualify for the Credit?

Be sure to read this section carefully because not all purchases will qualify for the credit.

According to Amex, wireless telephone service purchases must be made for monthly wireless telephone service charges and made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.

Here are some purchases that don’t qualify:

• Purchases from authorized retailers, resellers or third party sellers
• Purchases for hardware (e.g phones and accessories) or repair services
• Bundled services offered by wireless companies for TV, internet, and VoIP
• VoIP services

Here are some merchants that don’t qualify:

• Authorized retailers or resellers (e.g. Spring Communications, Wireless Zone)
• Bundled packages (e.g. AT&T U-verse, Verizon Fios)
• Superstores (e.g. Walmart, Target)
• Electronics stores (e.g. Best Buy, Staples)

Here are some merchants that can qualify:

• AT&T
• Sprint
• T-Mobile
• Verizon Wireless

As you can see, you can eliminate 2 avenues:

• Bundled packages, such as Spectrum bundles
• Online, 1-time purchases, such as for an iPhone charger on Verizon’s website

Best Ways to Maximize Wireless Credits

The best way to make the best use of your wireless credits is to make partial payments to your recurring phone bill.

For example, if you have the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Green card, you’ll be able to qualify for up to $30 ($20 plus $10) per month in wireless credits.

Let’s say your wireless bill from AT&T comes in at a cost of $50 per month. By scheduling partial payments manually online each month, you can save $30 off your wireless bill, which translates into cold, hard cash. You’ll only pay $20 per month after these credits are applied.

When maximized properly via partial payments, you can definitely value these wireless credits at face value since you’re saving cash on your wireless bill directly.

Bottom Line: Wireless telephone credits are a neat, new benefit for select American Express cards. The best way to make the most of them is to schedule partial payments to your phone bill of either $20 or $10 to offset the actual cost of your wireless bill.

New Amex Streaming Credits

Amex’s new streaming subscription credits are a bit more difficult to make great use of. These new statement credits are primarily for content consumption, though there are some gems within the eligible list of services.

Card With Streaming Credit Changes

The Amex Platinum Card

The Amex Platinum card currently offers up to $20 per month on select streaming services purchased directly from the service provider. In total, you can earn up to $160 in streaming statement credits.

Credit Card

Benefits & Info

New Welcome Offer The Platinum Card® from American Express Apply Now (at Amex's secure site)

Earn 60,000 75,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first 6 months. Earn 10x points on eligible purchases, in your first 6 months, on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases). Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year Access 1,300+ airport lounges across 140 countries, including the amazing Centurion lounges. (This is our favorite lounge access card.) Up to $200 Uber Savings Annually. Up to $200 Airline Fee Credit. Up to $100 fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit Annual Fee: $550 Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here. Must Reads: For more info on the Amex Platinum, see our thoughts on its benefits & perks, travel insurance coverage, and unbeatable airport lounge access. Take a look here for our full review.

Streaming Credit Details

When is this Credit Valid?

The streaming statement credit is valid from May through December 2020.

What Purchases Qualify for the Credit?

Here’s Amex’s official list of Select U.S. Streaming Subscriptions:

Best Ways to Maximize Streaming Credits

There really isn’t a catch-all way to maximize these streaming credits because everybody watches different content and prefers different platforms.

For example, someone might love HBO, while someone else might love Netflix.

That being said, there are some powerhouse brands that most people use. Some of these are:

If you’re already a subscriber to these platforms, all you have to do is change your payment method to an eligible card. That way, you’ll save big on your monthly streaming services.

If you’re not a subscriber to these platforms, it might be a great time to pick up some audiobooks with Audible, read some books with Kindle Unlimited, see what the craze is with Game of Thrones using HBO Now, or start listening to your favorite music on-demand with Apple Music or Spotify.

New Amex Shipping Credits

The very last credit we’ll be discussing is the new Amex shipping credit, which is a perk that many businesses consider essential.

Shipping makes up the backbone of business activity, so it’s great to see Amex thinking forward with this.

Hot Tip: Be sure to stack some Amex Offers to earn bonus points or save even more on your shipping purchases!

Card With Shipping Credit Changes

The Amex Business Platinum Card

The only card that offers this new shipping credit is the Amex Business Platinum card. This is yet another benefit that makes getting this a vital card for business owners to hold.

Shipping Credit Details

When is this Credit Valid?

The shipping credit is valid from May through December 2020.

What Purchases Qualify for the Credit?

Currently, only U.S. shipping purchases qualify. These include courier, postal, and freight shipping services.

Here are the most popular merchants:

• FedEx
• United States Postal Service
• UPS

It’s important to note that shipping costs for retail purchases won’t qualify, such as paying for shipping on your Amazon orders. You also won’t qualify for the shipping credit with moving services, local trucking, and trash removal.

Best Ways to Maximize Shipping Credits

The easiest way to make the most of this shipping credit is to pay for shipping.

If you don’t normally send packages or letters, you can try paying for printing services at FedEx, though it’s unclear if Amex will honor this shipping credit.

Hot Tip: Looking for the best business cards for shipping purchases? We’ve got you covered in our in-depth guide. 

New Variis by Equinox Monthly Credits

Variis is an on-demand virtual fitness app from Equinox, a luxury gym brand. Users can take classes using their at-home SoulCycle bike, follow workout videos, relax with PURE Yoga, and more.

Cards With Variis by Equinox Changes

The Amex Platinum Card

Amex Platinum cardholders can receive up to 9 $25 Variis by Equinox monthly credits.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Blue Cash Preferred cardholders can receive a $10 Variis by Equinox monthly credit, though the number of credits is unknown.

Amex Credit Card

Benefits & Info

New Welcome Offer Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express Apply Now (at Amex's secure site)

Earn a $250 $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months. Offer expires December 10, 2020. Limited Time Offer: $0 introductory annual fee for one year, then $95. Offer expires December 10, 2020. 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, 1% back on other purchases. Low intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, currently 13.99% to 23.99% Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred card, click here. Must Reads: For more info on the Blue Cash Preferred, see our guide on its benefits and our full review.

Other Eligible Amex Cardholders

Eligible cardholders can receive a $10 monthly credit for the first 3 months.

Variis by Equinox Credit Details

When is this Credit Valid?

The credits for the Amex Platinum card are valid through June 30, 2021. The credits for other eligible Amex cardholders are valid through April 1, 2021.

What Purchases Qualify for the Credit?

A monthly subscription before any statement credits costs $39.99.

Best Ways to Maximize Variis by Equinox Credits

Start your monthly subscription using Variis by Equinox’s Amex landing page and paying with your eligible Amex card.

Hot Tip: Cardholders of the Amex Platinum Card are also eligible for 2 new complimentary 12-month subscription offers — an Uber Eats Pass featuring discounts and free delivery (enroll by December 31, 2021) and a Calm Premium subscription, designed to help Calm app users sleep, meditate, and relax (enroll by December 31, 2020).

Final Thoughts

These new, increased, and expanded statement credits that American Express has begun offering are a nice addition. American Express recognizes that there’s not going to be a whole lot of travel during this period, so it’s widened the perks it offers.

Whether it’s content consumption via the streaming credit, offsetting your phone bill via the wireless credit, or upgrading your home or business via the increased Dell credit, you’ll probably be able to extract solid value from your card during these times.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, click here.