How I Used the Amex Business Platinum’s Hilton Credit To Pay for a Fancy Dinner

My wife and I both have The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express in our wallets. We both opened them partially for the bonuses, partially for airport lounge access, and partially because we can use the card’s included statement credits to offset most of the card’s $695 annual fee (rates & fees).

And, right now, the Amex Business Platinum card features an enticing welcome bonus offer for eligible applicants:

• LIMITED TIME TRAVEL OFFER: Earn 150,000 points after spending $20,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel in the first 3 months. Offer ends 6/30/25.

One perk we love on the Amex Business Platinum card is the up-to-$200 annual Hilton credit, which gives you $50 per quarter in statement credits when you make eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and resorts. Generally, we’d have no issue spending this during our usual travel, but this quarter is different. We just got back from our honeymoon, so we don’t have any Hilton stays on the books until later this year.

Hilton recently stopped selling gift cards, so I had to come up with a creative way to use this quarter’s credits. My solution? A date night at the restaurant at a Hilton property near our home in New York City.

Here’s how we did it.

Amex Business Platinum Card’s Hilton Credit

To recap, the Amex Business Platinum card offers a $200 annual Hilton credit, which is awarded in up to $50 credits per quarter. You must enroll in this benefit online and sign up for a free Hilton for Business account. The whole process takes 5 minutes or less.

According to American Express, the credit is awarded for purchases “made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Business Platinum Card.” This generally means Hilton stays booked directly through Hilton’s website, but it could mean other purchases at these hotels. More on that soon.

Hilton for Business is an interesting perk, too. It offers preferred rates to small businesses and frequently runs promotions that offer bonus stays on employee travel. It’s a program worth looking into if you’re a Hilton Honors fan with an Amex Business Platinum card.

Beyond the Hilton credit, the Amex Business Platinum card comes packed with benefits. It includes extensive airport lounge access and a variety of other business-friendly statement credits (some require enrollment). Further, I regularly use its exclusive 35% Pay With Points rebate, which gives a nice discount on eligible AmexTravel.com flight bookings when I pay with Membership Rewards points.

LAST CHANCE

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!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

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 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Business Platinum Card^® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel with your Business Platinum Card^® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends 6/30/25.

150,000 points + $500 statement credit

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $3,800

Annual Fee

$695

APR

18.49% - 27.49% 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 cardapplication.

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 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights, prepaid hotels, and short-term rentals and prepaid flight and hotel packages booked through Amex Travel
• Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection (as of 10/2024).
• Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) 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 $695 (rates & fees)
• Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Limited Time Travel Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Business Platinum Card^® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel with your Business Platinum Card^® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends 6/30/25.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 10/2024.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card^®. 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.
• NEW! 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.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® points for flights, prepaid hotels, and short-term rentals and prepaid flight + hotel packages booked at AmexTravel.com. 1X points on other eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card^®.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Using Amex Business Platinum Card’s Hilton Credit … For a Meal

While you might assume the Amex Business Platinum card’s quarterly Hilton credit only applies to room rates, the reality is that — at least in my experience — it may apply to any purchase charged directly by a Hilton property.

There are a slew of Hilton properties in New York City — from mid-range Hilton Garden Inn hotels to luxury brands like Conrad — and many of them have restaurants. Oftentimes, hotel restaurants process credit card transactions like any other purchase at the hotel.

The anniversary of when my wife and I met was coming up, so we decided to get dinner in Lower Manhattan at a restaurant we’ve wanted to check out for years. It was near the Conrad New York Downtown, which has a restaurant called Atrio Wine Bar & Restaurant. So, before dinner, I made a reservation for drinks and appetizers to see if the Hilton credit would trigger if we charged it to our Amex Business Platinum cards.

We arrived for our reservation and had an excellent cocktail, a beer, and 2 appetizers (which were much larger than we thought they’d be). The whole experience was great, and we’d return to the restaurant for a drink if we were in the area. Ultimately, our bill was just over $100 before leaving a tip, so we split it across our 2 Amex Business Platinum cards.

After we left, I checked the Amex app and confirmed that the purchase was billed directly by the Conrad New York Downtown — not a third-party restaurant operator. Sure enough, the $50 statement credit posted to both of our accounts a few days later.

It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t guaranteed. I browsed Reddit and FlyerTalk and found reports of which New York City hotels had restaurants that triggered the Amex Business Platinum card’s Hilton statement credit. A few didn’t work, so do your research and know there’s no guarantee that a purchase at a Hilton restaurant will qualify for the Hilton credit.

Further, many Hilton properties have on-site gift shops that sell things like souvenirs, bottled beverages, snacks, and other everyday items. The hotel often charges these directly, so it could be worth earning your statement credit at these shops. But again, there’s no guarantee this will trigger the credit.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Business Platinum card offers up to $200 in annual Hilton statement credits, awarded in $50 quarterly increments. These apply to charges billed directly by a Hilton property, so if you book a hotel room through Hilton’s website, chances are, you’ll earn the credit.

That said, many Hilton hotels have on-site restaurants and gift shops that bill purchases directly, and thus, they may qualify for the credit. There’s no way to guarantee that this will work, but it could be worth a shot if you can’t use your quarterly Hilton credit on a hotel stay.