How To Get Amex Platinum 100k or 150k Bonus Offer [2023]

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 150,000-point introductory offer after meeting spending requirements. Earning a big 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 welcome bonus offer of 100,000, 125,000, or 150,000 points.

Table of contents

How To Find the Amex Platinum 100k, 125k, or Even 150k Welcome Bonus Offer

The standard welcome bonus offer for the Amex Platinum card usually varies between 40,000 to 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, a 125,000-point bonus is worth ~$2,750, and a 150,000-point bonus is worth $3,300.

Keep in mind that welcome bonuses come with a spending requirement so be sure you’re able to meet any minimum spending requirement.

There are 3 main ways to find your best Amex Platinum welcome bonus:

Increased public offer or pre-qualified offer — easiest ways
Use the CardMatch tool — there’s no credit pull to check to see if you have a 100,000 to 150,000-point bonus offer
Get a targeted mailing

Increased Public Welcome Offer (Try This First)

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 offer 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.

American Express also offers a pre-qualified tool on their site (see image below), where you can quickly, and easily, check to see if you are eligible for a welcome bonus of up to 150,000 points on the Amex Platinum card!

Amex Platinum Prequalify — Offer capture on May 13, 2022, and may not be available to all applicants. Image Credit: American Express

CardMatch Tool

If you strike out on the American Express website, your next option would be to use the CardMatch tool. CardMatch is a web-based form that allows you to see your best credit card offers from its partner banks in seconds.

Keep in mind the CardMatch tool only shows you offers from banks it is affiliated with; you won’t see every credit card offer that’s available to you. It currently has 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, simply input your name, address, and last 4 digits of your Social Security number on the website. Then click on Get Matches.
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 as a way for consumers to easily see the best credit card offers available to them through its partner banks.

Keep in mind that using the CardMatch tool doesn’t guarantee the welcome bonus you want.

American Express Platinum CardMatch 150K — Offer captured July 1, 2021, and may not be available for all applicants. Image Credit: CardMatch

Also, try searching for the card in “incognito” mode on your browser as this may display a different offer. You may be eligible for up to 150,000 Membership Rewards points through CardMatch.

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 Amex credit card, American Express reserves the right to not honor a welcome bonus that wasn’t intended for you. According to its 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.”

Business Owner?The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has a new welcome bonus of ~~100,000~~ 120,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Amex Business Platinum card within the first 3 months of card membership.

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 its 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.

Amex Marketing Email Preferences — Image Credit: American Express

Reasons You May Not Get a Targeted 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
Aer Lingus	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
AeroMexico	1,000	1:1.6	2-12 days
Air Canada	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-point welcome bonus should be worth at least $2,200, a 125,000-point welcome bonus should be worth at least $2,750, and a 150,000-point welcome bonus is worth $3,300 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 is unmatched.

For example, you can use British Airways Avios and Avianca LifeMiles for short-haul awards, or you can use Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Air Canada 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 1 place keeps your points flexible.

Maximizing the Amex Platinum 100k, 125k, or Even 150k Welcome Offer

To put the value of Membership Rewards points into perspective, we’ve rounded up some of the best uses of 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)

Singapore Airlines new A380 First Suite Double Bed — Singapore Airlines’ new A380 Suites features a double bed and separate lounge chair, and you can book it with your Membership Rewards points. Image Credit: Greg Stone

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 Airbus A330 Business Class Seat — Fly to Hong Kong and beyond by transferring your Membership Rewards points to Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles loyalty program. Image Credit: Greg Stone

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

ANA 777-300ER The Room Business Class — Just 90,000 Membership Rewards points will get you from the West Coast of the U.S. to Tokyo in business class! Image Credit: All Nippon Airways

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.

United Award Flights — Fly around the U.S. for free on United Airlines when you transfer your Membership Rewards points to Avianca LifeMiles. Image Credit: United Airlines

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 (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 to 150,000 bonus points on an Amex Platinum card is like a 4-leaf clover; it exists but the highest offers can be hard to find.

If you are lucky enough to get an elevated welcome offer, make sure you analyze if the Amex Platinum card is worth the annual fee before you apply for the card.

After you have earned your stash of 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.

Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points

Frequently asked questions

How much are Amex Platinum card points worth?

The value of the Membership Rewards points you earn through your Amex Platinum card varies based on how you use them. If you are booking travel through the Amex Travel portal, you will get 1 cent per point in value. But, if you transfer them to hotel or airline partners they can be worth much more!

So, at a minimum, a 100,000 to 150,000 Amex Platinum card bonus would be worth at least $1,000 to $1,500 in travel.

Where can I find an link for Amex Platinum card's 100,000-, 125,000-, or 150,000-point welcome bonus offer?

Finding a link for an Amex Platinum card welcome bonus is easy. First, check our Learn More link in the above table. You need to be targeted for the 125,000 or 150,000 offer.

We also highly recommend checking through the American Express site directly by using the pre-qualified offer checker, or using the CardMatch tool is a good way to check to see if can get a higher offer.

Also, make sure you are signed up to receive credit card offers from Amex. You might get lucky and find this offer waiting for you in your mailbox soon.

Is the Amex Platinum card worth it?

This is a great question, but the answer will vary from person to person. The Amex Platinum card comes with a lot of benefits, but also a steep price tag. If you aren’t sure if this card is right for you, check out our analysis of the perks and benefits to help you determine if the Amex Platinum card is worth it.

Is the Amex Platinum card prestigious?

The Amex Platinum card is certainly one of the most prestigious cards that you can sign up for. This metal card comes with a hefty annual fee but is loaded with travel benefits and perks, as well as a huge welcome bonus — valued anywhere between $2,200 to $3,300.

What's the credit limit on the Amex Platinum card?

There’s actually no preset spending or credit limit for Amex Platinum cardholders. What’s handy though is that when you’re logged into your Amex account, you can Check Spending Power which means you can see if an amount will be preapproved to be spent on your card. This is great for making large purchases as you can find out before charging your card whether you’ll be approved for that purchase.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie fell in love with travel during a semester abroad in college spent in Nottingham, England. During that time, she got to see Scotland, Ireland, London, and Amsterdam and knew she wanted to see more of the world. Fast forward to 2015 when Katie discovered the world of points and miles. She jumped in full force and hasn’t looked back. After starting her own blog, Zen Life and Travel, in 2016, she began freelance writing in 2017. In addition to being a contributor to Upgraded Points since 2018, she also writes for Forbes Advisor and has previously written for Million Mile Secrets.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

28 comments

L deol April 25, 2019

Sounds like a great credit card offer but I’m still searching for a something with no annual fee.

Reply
- Katie Seemann April 25, 2019
  
  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.
  
  Reply
Jason May 31, 2019

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?

Reply
- Katie Seemann June 5, 2019
  
  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.
  
  Reply
- Membership December 22, 2020
  
  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.
  
  Reply
D Cooper June 3, 2019

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.

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton June 3, 2019
  
  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.
  
  Reply
Sasha Luko August 23, 2019

Hi Katie,

You mentioned that transferring points to airlines or hotel partners may increase the value. Can you give some specific examples?

Thank you

Reply
- Jarrod West August 25, 2019
  
  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/credit-cards/best-ways-to-redeem-amex-membership-rewards-points/
  
  Reply
Raul F Bustos November 3, 2019

Amex is not a premier credit card it’s a “Charge” card, pay in full at the end of the month!

Reply
- Jarrod West November 4, 2019
  
  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!
  
  Reply
Cynthia Jones January 4, 2020

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?

Reply
- Jarrod West January 4, 2020
  
  Hi Cynthia,
  
  You might. Generally speaking, its best to keep the card open for at least 1 year after receiving the welcome bonus.
  
  Reply
John T January 12, 2020

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?

Reply
- Jarrod West January 13, 2020
  
  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!
  
  Reply
Sally January 23, 2020

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?

Reply
- Jarrod West January 24, 2020
  
  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!
  
  Reply
Sunday February 27, 2020

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?

Reply
- Jarrod West February 27, 2020
  
  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!
  
  Reply
Byron Tyson April 3, 2020

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?

Reply
- Jarrod West April 4, 2020
  
  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.
  
  Reply
JR Mayes February 17, 2021

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?

Reply
- Jarrod West February 17, 2021
  
  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.
  
  Reply
Clare May 28, 2021

Just got the 125k offer using the card match tool you linked! So excited!

Reply
Ike August 26, 2021

I’m currently on month #4 of my 6th month of 10X points. Any idea if Amex would repeat this or extend it? I’m loving the bonus points; however, I don’t drive much (so not a lot of points for me at the gas station right now) or spend much at the market (I live alone). Thank you.

Reply
- Jarrod West August 27, 2021
  
  Hi Ike,
  
  I cannot speak for American Express, but I would say they are unlikely to extend the offer. But they might offer it again at some point in the future!
  
  Reply
JC October 25, 2021

I signed up for the 100K bonus for $15K spend earlier. I just saw a 150K offer (incognito) for the same spend online now. Has anyone had any luck having Amex do an offer match before you finish your spend?

Reply
- Jarrod West October 25, 2021
  
  Hi JC,
  
  American Express can be hit or miss with matching offers. Either way, there is no harm in asking!
  
  Reply

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How To Find the Amex Platinum 100k, 125k, or Even 150k Welcome Bonus Offer [Current Public Offer is 80K]

How To Find the Amex Platinum 100k, 125k, or Even 150k Welcome Bonus Offer