Maximizing the Amex Business Platinum: Road Map for the First 90 Days

The Business Platinum^® Card from American Express is arguably the most popular premium business rewards card on the market — and for good reason. For many business travelers, it’s a household name.

In my own home, it’s front and center in my wallet because I rely on it for Centurion Lounge access, airfare purchases, and up to $600 in prepaid hotel credits, which make travel so much smoother and more affordable.

But the real key to this card isn’t just the big-ticket perks that Amex advertises on its marketing materials — it’s how you set yourself up in the first 90 days as a cardholder. Those first 3 months are crucial in order to maximize both the welcome bonus offer and the long-term value of the card. Miss them and you could leave hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars in value on the table.

Here’s how I would personally map out those first 90 days to make sure I’m getting every last ounce of value from my Amex Business Platinum card.

Make a Plan To Meet the Minimum Spend Requirements

If you’re applying for the Amex Business Platinum card, the first priority is earning the welcome offer:

• Earn 150,000 200,000 points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months.

That’s a big number, but with a clear plan, it’s entirely manageable — and extremely worthwhile.

ELEVATED WELCOME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

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The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 200,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.

150,000 200,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $4,400

Annual Fee

$895

APR

17.99% - 28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,550 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on eligible travel purchases like flights, prepaid hotels, and prepaid short-term rentals booked through AmexTravel.com
• Access to over 1,550 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Earn 2x Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million per calendar year)

Cons

• High annual fee of $895 (rates & fees)
• Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

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Card Highlights

• Elevated Welcome Offer: Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Business Platinum Card^® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card company on the market as of 07/2025.
• See how you can unlock over $3,500 in business and travel value annually after meeting qualifying spend thresholds on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply.
• New! Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using the Business Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• No Preset Spending Limit: The spending limit on the Business Platinum Card is flexible, so unlike a traditional credit card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history.
• Make the Business Platinum Card^® work even harder for you. Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Benefit enrollment required.
• Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
• Use the Business Platinum Card and get up to $209 back per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
• Maximize your time away with Fine Hotels + Resorts through Amex Travel™.
• New! Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
• New! Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
• Get up to $90 in statement credits quarterly for purchases with Indeed on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $360 back per year. Enrollment required.
• Get up to $10 in statement credits per month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $120 back per year. Enrollment required.
• Enhanced! 2X points on purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
• 1X points on other eligible purchases
• $895 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 17.99% - 28.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Why focus on this first? Because from the get-go, those 200,000 Membership Rewards points are easily worth up to $4,400 in travel when redeemed through partners like Air Canada Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, or ANA Mileage Club. With a strategic approach, you can stretch the value even further. I’ve personally redeemed points for more than 5 cents each on premium cabin awards, making the bonus potentially worth $6,000 or more in travel.

The key is planning ahead to meet the minimum spending requirement. Instead of scrambling at the last minute, map out your spending for the first 3 months. Here are some ideas to help you get there:

• Direct everyday business expenses to the card: Office supplies, shipping, software subscriptions, and online advertising can all count toward your total.
• Prepay vendors or services when possible: Some providers allow advance payments, such as preloading digital ad accounts or paying insurance premiums.
• Time larger purchases carefully: Equipment, tech upgrades, or upcoming business travel should be charged to the Amex Business Platinum card first.
• Consider prepaying your taxes: If it makes sense for your business, putting quarterly estimated taxes on the card can ease the pressure of hitting $20,000 in just 3 months.
• Include personal expenses if it works for you: If you’re comfortable combining business and personal spending, larger personal expenses (like family vacations or tuition) can also help you reach the target — just make sure to stay organized and track reimbursements properly.

For example, you can pay your business or personal taxes online with a credit card via Pay1040.com. Yes, there’s a 2.89% convenience fee for using an American Express card, which on a $20,000 bill comes out to approximately $578. But when you consider that meeting your Amex Business Platinum card’s welcome offer could conservatively earn you over $4,000 in travel rewards, paying your taxes this way can actually be a smart move — a small fee to unlock a huge bonus.

Claim What’s Yours: Enroll in Your Credits

One of the most underrated (and often most confusing) parts of the Amex Business Platinum card is its long list of credits. With its $895 annual fee (rates & fees), the key to offsetting the cost is making the most of these statement credits.

But here’s the catch: Many of them require activation. If you don’t take a few minutes to register, you could miss out entirely.

Thankfully, you’ll only have to do it once as an accountholder and never worry about it again. The annual statement credits you need to make sure to enroll in first as an Amex Business Platinum cardholder includes the up to $1,150 Dell Technologies credit, up to $360 Indeed credit, $250 Adobe credit (after spending $600 or more on U.S. purchases), up to $120 wireless credit, up to $200 airline fee credit, and up to $209 in CLEAR^® Plus credit.

Once your card arrives, take a few minutes to set everything up. These credits are use it or lose it, so enrolling and planning now can save you hundreds — or even over $1,000 — over the year. These are the 5 easy steps to follow:

1. Enroll in all credits at onceL Log in to your Amex account and activate all required credits, including Dell, Indeed, and Adobe. Once enrolled, it’s basically set it and forget it.
2. Plan purchases strategically: Time your spending around the reset periods (quarterly or semiannually) to make sure you capture the full value of each credit.
3. Automatic credits still need attention: Some credits, like CLEAR Plus and wireless, autorenew, but you must make the eligible payments. Don’t assume they’ll happen on their own. For example, you’ll want to log in to your wireless account and set up a $10 monthly payment to take full advantage of the $120 annual wireless credit. Once it’s set up, the credit will post automatically each month, allowing you to maximize your card benefits with minimal effort.
4. Select your airline early: For the $200 incidental fee credit, pick your airline as soon as possible so you can start using it immediately for baggage, in-flight purchases, and other incidentals.
5. Use credits up: Credits don’t roll over. If you don’t take advantage of them before each month, quarter, semi-annual or even annual basis, you’ll lose the value on them.

Activate Your Travel Perks Right Away

The Amex Business Platinum card isn’t just about statement credits — it also features a bunch of perks that can make your travel a lot smoother and more enjoyable. The catch? Many of them don’t just turn on automatically. You’ve got to activate them first.

Take it from me: These are easy to forget about in the excitement of getting a new card, but they’re exactly what separates a good card from a great one. A few minutes now can save you from kicking yourself later when you realize you missed out on upgrades, lounge access, or free breakfasts.

Here are the perks I always tell people to activate within the first 90 days:

• Hotel elite status: Enroll for Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite right in your Amex account. These perks alone have gotten me free breakfast, upgrades, and late checkout. It’s one of the easiest wins.
• Car rental elite status: Activate complimentary status with Hertz, Avis, and National. It’s not glamorous, but you’ll thank yourself when you skip the counter and drive away in a nicer car.
• Priority Pass Select: Sign up to unlock access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide. I lean on Centurion Lounges a lot, but Priority Pass is a great fallback when I’m traveling through smaller airports or internationally in a destination where there isn’t a Centurion Lounge present.
• Up to $600 prepaid hotel credit (up to $300 twice a year) for properties with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection (2-night stay required) booked through AmexTravel.com. You don’t technically enroll in this, but I recommend poking around AmexTravel.com now so you know what’s on offer: daily breakfast for 2, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, and room upgrades when available.

Once your card arrives, take 15 minutes to enroll in all these perks requiring activation. That way, the next time you check into a hotel or hit the rental car counter, they’re already working for you.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Business Platinum card can be an incredibly valuable business and travel tool, but only if you take the time to set it up right. The first 90 days are when you lay the groundwork, earning the welcome bonus with intentional spending, enrolling in the available credits so they don’t go to waste, and activating perks like hotel status, lounge access, and airline fee credits.

I’ve had this card for years and still find new ways it comes in handy, but if I were starting fresh, these are the steps I’d focus on. With the basics in place, the card becomes less about chasing perks and more about making travel a little smoother and more rewarding.