How to Find the Amex Platinum 100k (or 125k) Welcome Bonus Offer [May 2021]
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The Platinum Card® from American Express is arguably one of the premier credit cards available today. While the annual fee isn’t for the faint of heart, this card comes with lots of premium perks and benefits.
If this card is on your radar, you will want to apply for the card when the bonus is as high as possible. That’s because American Express only allows you to earn the bonus on a credit card once in your lifetime.
If you have been around the world of points and miles for a while, you’ve likely heard of the coveted 100,000 to 125,000 points introductory offer after spending $5,000 within 3 months. Earning a 100,000 to 125,000 point welcome bonus on this card is an ideal situation, but it isn’t available to everyone every day.
In this post, you’ll find all the information you need to apply for the Amex Platinum card with a 100,000 to 125,000 point welcome bonus offer!
Business Owner?The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has a new welcome bonus of 85,000 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Table of contents
Table of Contents
Amex Platinum Benefits
First, here is a quick look at some of the benefits of the Amex Platinum card, so you can see why you might want to apply for the card in the first place.
While the card does come with a high annual fee, the card is loaded with benefits to help offset the annual fee and make the price tag easier to swallow.
- Up to $200 credit for incidental fees charged by your preferred airline
- Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue shopping credit — $50 January through June and $50 July through December
- Up to $30 monthly PayPal statement credit through June 30, 2021
- Lounge access: Priority Pass Select membership, access to Amex Centurion lounges, and access to Delta Sky Club lounges when you are flying on Delta
- Hotel elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy (Gold)
- American Express concierge access
- Purchase protection, return protection, and extended warranty
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
- Lost baggage insurance
- Travel insurance benefits
- Event and entertainment perks
American Express Membership Rewards points are worth different amounts depending on how you use them. If you are booking travel through the Amex Travel Portal, then you will get 1 cent per point in value.
However, if you transfer your points to one of American Express’ hotel or airline partners, your points can become much more valuable.
Redeeming Amex Membership Rewards points for statement credits, gift cards, or shopping provides less than 1 cent per point in value and aren’t the best in getting value.
How to Find the Amex Platinum 100,000 or 125,000 Bonus Offer
The standard welcome bonus offer for the Amex Platinum card usually varies between 40,000-60,000 Membership Rewards points. We generally value Membership Rewards points at about 2.2 cents per point, which means that a 100,000 Membership Rewards points bonus offer is worth ~$2,200 and a 125,000 is worth ~$2,750 according to us.
Keep in mind that the 100,000 – 125,000 Membership Rewards points welcome bonus does come with a spending requirement of $5,000 within the first 3 months so be sure you’re able to meet this minimum spending requirement.
There are 3 main ways to find your Amex Platinum 100k to 125k welcome bonus:
- Increased Public Offer – Easiest Way
- Use the CardMatch Tool – there’s no credit pull to check to see if you have a 100,000 – 125,000 bonus offer
- Get a targeted mailing
Increased Public Welcome Offer
If you’ve been in the points and miles world for a while now, you know that credit card issuers will periodically run an elevated welcome bonus for a particular card, and American Express is no exception.
So if you’re wanting to add the Amex Platinum card to your wallet, and American Express happens to be promoting an increased welcome bonus, then that would be the perfect time to apply for the card.
Here’s the current welcome bonus for the Amex Platinum:
| Amex Card | Benefits & Info |
|---|---|
The Platinum Card® from American Express  Apply Now (at Amex's secure site) |
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. If you're a business owner, see our review of The Business Platinum Card from American Express. |
If the offer above is above the 40,000-60,000 range, then you’re in luck! If not, there are still some other ways to find an elevated welcome offer.
CardMatch Tool
The CardMatch Tool is a web-based form developed by creditcards.com that allows you to see your best credit card offers from partner banks in seconds.
Keep in mind the CardMatch Tool only shows you offers from banks they are affiliated with; you won’t see every credit card offer that’s available to you. They currently have affiliations with the following banks:
- American Express
- Chase
- Bank of America
- Capital One
- First PREMIER Bank
How to Use the CardMatch Tool
- To use the CardMatch Tool, all simply input your name, address, and last 4 digits of your social security number on the website. Then click on Get Matches.
Image Credit: CreditCards.com - You will see a list of the credit card offers that may be available to you. You can sort your list using the options at the left, but generally, that’s unnecessary because the list won’t be that long.
- Searching for credit card offers using the CardMatch Tool does not affect your credit score. It only requires a soft pull. You won’t get a hard pull on your credit score until you actually apply for a card.
Bottom Line: The CardMatch Tool was developed by creditcards.com as a way for consumers to easily see the best credit card offers available to them through their partner banks.
Keep in mind, using the CardMatch Tool doesn’t guarantee the welcome bonus you want. Also, try searching for the card in “incognito” mode on your browser, this may display a different offer. Here’s an example of a 75,000 welcome offer that became available when searching in incognito.
If you are getting creative or using incognito browsers to find the best offer, do so with caution. According to the terms and conditions of applying for an American Express credit card, American Express reserves the right to not honor a welcome bonus that wasn’t intended for you. According to their website,
“If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with the welcome offer in any way or that you intend to do so (for example, if you applied for one or more cards to obtain a welcome offer(s) that we did not intend for you; if you cancel or downgrade your account within 12 months after acquiring it; or if you cancel or return purchases you made to meet the Threshold Amount), we may not credit Membership Rewards® points to, we may freeze Membership Rewards® points credited to, or we may take away Membership Rewards® points from your account. “
Targeted Mailings and Offers from American Express
If you are lucky, you might just find an elevated offer for the Amex Platinum card in your mailbox one day. But there are a few things you can do to give yourself the best chances of having this offer mailed to you.
Turn On Email Settings
If you want to put yourself in the best position for receiving targeted offers from American Express, be sure to sign up for their credit card offers by email.
- Log into your American Express account.
- Select Account Services in the top menu bar. Then select Alerts, Communications & Privacy, then General Marketing Email Preferences.
Image Credit: American Express - Make sure the New Card and Credit Offers is toggled to On. Be sure to save your selections at the bottom of the page.
Reasons You May Not Get a Targeted 100,000 or 125,000 Bonus Offer
Bad Credit: First and foremost, make sure your credit score is as high as possible. You should be using your current credit responsibly and paying off your bill in full and on time each month.
You Already Have an American Express Card: According to crowdsourced data, you might be less likely to get a targeted offer like this if you already have an American Express credit card.
Membership Rewards Points Are Super Valuable
It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of American Express Membership Rewards points.
They’re the most valuable points on our monthly valuations, and this is largely due to their wide-range of transfer partners. You can transfer your Membership Rewards points to airlines in every major alliance and a ton of non-alliance partners like Emirates, Etihad, and JetBlue.
Likewise, you can transfer to a handful of hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. This can be useful for booking free hotel rooms during special events and other times when hotel rooms may be unreasonably expensive.
Here’s a look at American Express’ current list of transfer partners:
Amex Airline Transfer Partners
| Amex Airline Transfer Partner | Min Transfer | Transfer Ratio (Amex > Partner) | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| AeroMexico | 1,000 | 1:1.6 | 2-12 days |
| Air Canada | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Alitalia | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Aer Lingus | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| ANA | 1,000 | 1:1 | 3 days |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost instant |
| British Airways | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Cathay Pacific | 1,000 | 1:1 | Up to 1 Week |
| Delta Air Lines | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Emirates | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Etihad Airways | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Flying Blue Air France/KLM | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Hawaiian | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Iberia | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1-3 days |
| JetBlue | 250 | 1:0.8 | Almost Instant |
| Qantas | 500 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Singapore Airlines | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1-2 days |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1-2 days |
Amex Hotel Transfer Partners
| Amex Hotel Transfer Partner | Min Transfer | Transfer Ratio (Amex > Partner) | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choice Privileges | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Hilton Honors | 1,000 | 1:2 | Almost Instant |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
Taking all of these transfer partners into account, we value Membership Rewards points at around 2.2 cents per point. This means that the 100,000 welcome bonus should be worth at least $2,200, and a 125,000 welcome bonus should be worth at least $2,750 when redeemed for travel through transfer partners, but you’ll often be able to get much more in value.
Keep in mind that this is higher than our valuations for Chase Ultimate Rewards points, Citi ThankYou points, and Capital One miles. And that’s not because these other points currencies are bad, but simply because American Express’ list of transfer partners are unmatched.
For example, you can use British Airways Avios and Avianca Lifemiles for short-haul awards, or you can use Asia Miles, Aeroplan, Etihad Guest, and Singapore Airlines Krisflyer miles for long-haul routes in excellent business and first class cabins.
While these transfer partners aren’t exclusive to Amex, having so many transfer partners in one place keeps your points flexible.
Maximizing The Amex Platinum 100,000 or 125,000 Point Bonus Offer
To put this the value of Membership Rewards points into perspective, we’ve rounded up some of the best uses of 100,000 or 125,000 Membership Rewards points below. These are some of the most lucrative Membership Rewards redemptions that show you just how far 100,000 Membership Rewards points really go.
Let’s take a look!
Singapore Suites From New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA)
Ever wanted your own bed in the sky? Well, now you can have it: just transfer your Membership Rewards points to Singapore Airlines Krisflyer and book the famous Singapore Suites first class.
Singapore Airlines flies this product on its A380 fifth-freedom route between New York (JFK) and Frankfurt (FRA), making it the most fashionable way to fly between the U.S. and Europe.
To book, find dates with saver award space on the Singapore Airlines website and transfer 86,000 Membership Rewards points to Singapore Airlines. Check out our full guide to booking Singapore Airlines award tickets here.
Once on-board, you’ll be treated to some of the best service in the sky, with top-notch champagne, complimentary caviar, and all of the other bells and whistles you’d expect from one of the world’s best first-class products. And if you depart from Frankfurt, you can enjoy Lufthansa’s first class Senator lounge pre-flight.
Cathay Pacific Business Class Awards To Asia
Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles loyalty program lets you book reasonably priced Cathay Pacific business class awards to Asia.
For example, you can book business class flights from the U.S. East Coast to Hong Kong and beyond for just 85,000 Membership Rewards points transferred to Asia Miles, giving you a chance to try one of the best business class products in the sky.
Hot Tip: Enjoy a free stopover on all Asia Miles award tickets — just perform a multi-city search and enter the city you’d like to stop in. There are no additional points required to take advantage of this benefit.
Even better, you’ll pay very minimal award taxes and fees when you book through Asia Miles, so you won’t break the bank in the process. You can also use Asia Miles to book tickets on other Oneworld carriers like American Airlines, British Airways, Qatar Airways, and more. Check out our full guide to the best Asia Miles redemptions for more info.
Fly ANA Business Class From The U.S. to Tokyo
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is one of the more overlooked Amex transfer partners, but it has an interesting partnership with Tokyo-based ANA.
Despite not being in the same airline alliance, the 2 airlines have joined forces to let Flying Club members redeem points on ANA flights for an insanely low points cost.
Currently, you can book a round-trip award ticket from the U.S. to Tokyo for 90,000 miles from the U.S. west coast or 95,000 miles from the U.S. midwest or east coast.
And if you have the miles to spare, you can book the airline’s award-winning first class for 110,000 or 120,000 miles from the U.S. west coast or midwest/east coast respectively.
This is an excellent deal, especially when you consider that Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program charges 105,000 miles for a one-way ticket from the U.S. to Tokyo in first class. So if Japan is on your bucket list, make sure to check out our full guide to booking ANA flights.
13 Short-Haul Trips in The U.S.
Transfer your Membership Rewards points to Avianca LifeMiles and you can book short-haul United Airlines tickets starting at just 7,500 miles one-way.
Mileage costs vary by route as Avianca splits the U.S. into 3 different award regions: United States 1, 2, and 3. In short, region 1 is the East Coast, 2 is the Midwest, and 3 is the West Coast.
Hot Tip: Domestic U.S. award tickets booked with Avianca LifeMiles are operated by United Airlines as both carriers are in the Star Alliance.
Flights within a single region cost 7,500 miles in economy class, moving 1 region over costs 10,000 miles, and a trip spanning 3 regions costs 12,500 miles.
This means that you can book a flight from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Austin (AUS) for 7,500 miles as they’re in the same region. This is by far the cheapest way to book short-haul domestic U.S. award tickets with Amex points.
So if you’re someone that likes to travel around the U.S., definitely give LifeMiles transfers a shot. Your 100,000 Membership Reward welcome bonus is enough for 13 short-haul trips within the U.S.!
Final Thoughts
An offer for 100,000 or 125,000 bonus points on an Amex Platinum card is like a 4-leaf clover; it exists but can be hard to find.
If you are lucky enough to get a 100,000 or 125,000 welcome offer after spending $5,000 within your first 3 months, make sure you analyze if the Amex Platinum card is worth the annual fee before you apply for the card.
With a 100,000 or 125,000 welcome offer worth at least $1,000 – $1,250, it most likely is, but always see if it makes sense for you and your finances. It’s always smart to know all the perks the card offers before you apply
After you have earned the 100,000 or 125,000 bonus points, let the fun begin by figuring out the best way to use all those Membership Rewards points.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
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Sounds like a great credit card offer but I’m still searching for a something with no annual fee.
Hi,
Yes, this is a great offer but definitely not if you are looking for a no annual fee card! American Express does have some great no fee cards that you might want to check out.
Hi Katie,
I’m very interested in the Amex Platinum, but I don’t want to miss out on the 100k offer the way I missed out for my CSR. I’m told that if I already have an Amex card, it will be unlikely that I will receive this offer. I currently do have a Blue Cash Everyday, however, I do get targeted offers directly from Amex for the 50k bonus offer on the Gold Card. I’ve got this offer at least twice, if not 3 times, in the last year. Would closing out my BCE increase my odds of getting this offer? I also try card match, but for some reason, the only results I get are for 3 Chase Cards (the Freedom and Freedom Unlimited, which I already have, and the CSP, which I don’t need since I have the CSR). I have gotten special offers from my browsers (Chrome and Safari) for 70k and 75k offers. Some people tell me I should just accept that and give up on the 100k, but I’m not sure if I want to do that. What are your thoughts on this?
Hi Jason,
Unfortunately, there is not one right or wrong answer here. While I don’t know for sure, I don’t think canceling your Blue Cash Everyday card would increase your odds of getting the 100K Platinum Card offer.
If you have an immediate need for the Platinum card or could start using the benefits right away, I would seriously consider the 75K offer – that’s a pretty good bonus! However, if you can wait, it might not hurt to give it a little more time.
I had both the Amex Blue Cash Preferred and the Amex Gold card (which I opened just over a year ago). I found the offer for the 100K sign up bonus for the Platinum card and I was approved without any issues. No need to use alternate email address or phone number, I entered all the information that matched me to my current Amex accounts and it wasn’t an issue at all.
How would a new customer without an active Amex card sign up for email settings on the Amex website?
It says you need an American Express card to sign up.
You are correct, D. Cooper, signing up to receive email offers for additional Amex cards requires having an American Express account. You could try using the Card Match tool to see if you have any offers available.
Hi Katie,
You mentioned that transferring points to airlines or hotel partners may increase the value. Can you give some specific examples?
Thank you
Hi Sasha,
We actually have a dedicated guide with 60 ways to maximize your Membership Reward points with transfer partners. You can check it out here: https://upgradedpoints.com/redeem-amex-membership-rewards-points-for-max-value/
Amex is not a premier credit card it’s a “Charge” card, pay in full at the end of the month!
Hi Raul,
American Express offers both credit cards and charge cards. If you’re referring to the Platinum card outlined in this post, then yes that is a charge card.
Thanks for reading!
How long do I need to keep my Amex Card at this level to qualify for the bonus? If I decide to downgrade to a lower fee after 6 months, do I lose the bonus I received?
Hi Cynthia,
You might. Generally speaking, its best to keep the card open for at least 1 year after receiving the welcome bonus.
Curious why incognito mode would make a difference checking offers on CreditMatch. After providing your name, address, and partial SSN, how stealthy could you be?
Hi John,
The article is referencing using incognito mode to check for new offers displayed on the American Express website (since it doesn’t track your cookies), not through Card Match. Apologies if that wasn’t clear!
If I have a delta sky miles credit card, are you saying I can transfer those miles to Air Canada? Or any of those other airlines you mentioned or does it have to be just Amex and not a delta Amex?
Hi Sally,
This article is referring to the American Express Membership Reward transfer partners. To utilize those you would need an American Express card that earns Membership Reward points like the Amex Platinum card or the Amex Gold card.
You can use your Delta Skymiles to book flights with their SkyTeam airline partners, but you cannot transfer your Delta SkyMiles to those airlines, the booking must be done through Delta.
I hope that helps clear things up!
Thanks for reading!
Hello,
My flight is about 24 hours away but I’m unable to pay for extra luggage online because of a pop up that the system wasn’t available.
Please, do you know when the online payment option will become active?
Hi Sunday,
I cannot say as depending on who you purchased your flight with, it could be passed their allowable window for adding luggage online, or even an IT issue. With that said, you should be able to purchase your extra luggage when you arrive at the airport and check your bags.
Thanks for reading!
Hello Upgraded Points Team,
I know this post is about the Amex Platinum card but was curious about your thoughts on the Delta Amex Platinum card. I recently missed the window for the 100k (80k first year after 3k spend and 20k once renewed) sign on bonus. When, if ever, do you think an offer like this would return?
Hi Byron,
We cannot say definitely, but American Express usually runs increased transfer bonuses on their cards a couple of times per year. More likely than not, it will probably be a few months before we see an increased offer on the Delta cards again.
Just got approved for the 100k bonus, but cannot find any info about it in my account. The “full” card member/user agreement doesn’t show anything in reference to bonus points or the amount of time. Where can I find this information?
Hi JR,
The user agreement or your account information will not show any information regarding the welcome bonus. Any information or questions you have regarding the welcome bonus can be addressed by contacting the American Express customer support team via chat or phone call.