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!
Business Owner?The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has a new welcome bonus of 100,000 125,000 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.
Amex Platinum Card 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. Be sure to note that terms apply and enrollment may be required, so explore your American Express account to ensure you’re getting the most out of your benefits.
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 isn’t the best in getting value.
How To Find the Amex Platinum 100k, 125k, or Even 150k Welcome 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 — easiest way
- 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
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 card:
If the offer above is above the 40,000 to 60,000 range, then you’re in luck! If not, there are still some other ways to find an elevated welcome offer.
The CardMatch tool is a web-based form developed by CreditCards.com 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, 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 its 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 as this may display a different offer. You may be eligible for up to 150,000 Membership Rewards points through CardMatch.
Offer captured on July 1, 2021, and may not be available to all applicants. Image Credit: CardMatchIf 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 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.”
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.
Image Credit: American ExpressReasons 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 |
|---|
| 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
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 Suites features a double bed and separate lounge chair, and you can book it with your Membership Rewards points. Image Credit: Greg StoneEver 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
Fly to Hong Kong and beyond by transferring your Membership Rewards points to Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles loyalty program. Image Credit: Greg StoneCathay 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
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 AirwaysVirgin 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.
Fly around the U.S. for free on United Airlines when you transfer your Membership Rewards points to Avianca LifeMiles. Image Credit: United AirlinesTransfer 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.
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