Amex Business Platinum Card Loses a Popular Hilton Credit Workaround

Updated: September 22, 2025, 10:44am CDT

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New Amex Business Platinum Card Terms for Hilton Credit
Final Thoughts

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If you’ve used the Hilton statement credit on The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express to stock up on gift cards, those days are officially numbered. American Express has updated the terms of this benefit to exclude Hilton gift card purchases starting January 31, 2026.

This shift means cardholders must look for other ways to maximize the $200 Hilton statement credit benefit each year. Let’s dive in.

New Amex Business Platinum Card Terms for Hilton Credit

The Amex Business Platinum card offers up to $200 in Hilton statement credits per calendar year — doled out in $50 increments per quarter — when you enroll in the Hilton credit and make eligible purchases directly with Hilton hotels and resorts.

For a while, one of the easiest ways to use the credit was buying Hilton gift cards. You could purchase them online in $50 chunks, triggering the statement credit. Some cardholders found it tricky to redeem these physical gift cards on-property, but they were still a reliable way to save up to $200 annually on Hilton stays.

Hilton Pensacola Beach front desk — Gift cards are no longer an option to trigger the Amex Business Platinum card ‘s Hilton credit. Only direct hotel charges count now. Image Credit: Jessica Merritt

However, Amex has now changed the game. The updated terms clearly state:

“Effective January 31, 2026, Hilton gift card purchases will no longer be considered an eligible purchase, and you will not receive the statement credit for any Hilton gift card purchases.”

It’s worth noting that this language only appears for the Amex Business Platinum card at the moment. Other Amex cards with a similar Hilton credit — like the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card — don’t currently have this exclusion in their terms. Of course, that could change in the future.

Hot Tip:

Don’t wait until 2026 to change your strategy. Gift cards haven’t reliably worked with this benefit for quite some time, due to being listed as unavailable quite often, so the most straightforward way to use the $50 quarterly credits is to apply them directly to Hilton hotel stays, dining, spa charges, or other on-property purchases billed to your room.

Final Thoughts

While it was nice to have the flexibility of Hilton gift cards, the Amex Business Platinum card’s Hilton credit still has plenty of value for those who stay at Hilton properties. You’ll need to use the benefit more traditionally — directly with hotels — but it’s still a simple way to shave $200 off your annual travel budget.

If you’re holding onto the card for its premium perks, this change is a small tweak, rather than a dealbreaker. However, it’s one to keep in mind when planning out your credits for the year.