Earn as High as 175K Points With Targeted Amex Platinum Card Bonus Offer

Welcome bonuses are the best way to earn mass amounts of points in a short amount of time. The key to it is to have upcoming purchases you were planning on anyway, so you aren’t forcing yourself to spend money. Or, in my case, I do my best to recruit friends and family to use my card for me.

In any case, The Platinum Card^® from American Express is currently offering one of its best new welcome bonuses for new cardholders.

• The current public offer is: Apply and find out if you're eligible for as high as 175,000 points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Here’s the scoop on how you can score as high as 175,000 bonus points from one single welcome bonus offer, where to find it, and how you can potentially redeem this hoard of points.

Targeted offers are discussed in the article below. Please note that these offers are not available to all applicants. Any information related to targeted offers has been collected independently and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex Platinum Card Welcome Bonus Offer

One of the tricks of the points and miles game is to find offers that may not be directly served to you on the card issuer’s homepage. Sometimes you can find offers that may be slightly higher than others.

However, our writers have seen targeted welcome offers. The card also comes with an annual fee of $695 (rates & fees). At our valuation, 175,000 points are worth $3,850 for travel in the first couple of months of holding the card. This doesn’t even take into account the laundry list of benefits the card offers.

Option 1: Check On Amex Directly (Try This First)

First and foremost, you should try applying directly on American Express’ website to find the best possible offers on the Amex Platinum card.

By checking directly with American Express first, you can earn as high as 175,000 bonus points. However, the exact number of points you qualify for will be revealed after you submit your application and upon approval. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Typically, applying for any new credit card triggers a hard inquiry that affects your credit score. However, approved applicants will now be able to see their welcome offer without any credit score impact. Here’s an example of a targeted 175,000-point welcome bonus offer we’ve found in our research when applying directly through American Express:

If you choose not to move forward, your credit score will remain unaffected. However, if you do accept the card and your personalized welcome bonus offer, then your credit score may be impacted.

Option 2. Targeted Email Offers

Another way you can find elevated welcome offers is via targeted emails or mailers. If you want to receive these targeted offers, opt-in to receive New Card and Credit Offers in your Amex account’s General Marketing Email Preferences.

Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card

The Amex Platinum card is in a class of its own. It offers a significant amount of benefits for someone looking to have a luxurious touch to their travel experience. But if you can take advantage of enough of the perks (some require prior enrollment), you can potentially make up for the expense.

• 5x points for flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com.
• Access to 1,400 lounges Worldwide: Receive access to Centurion Lounges (U.S. and international locations), Priority Pass upon enrollment, Escape Lounges – The Centurion Studio Partner, Plaza Premium Lounges, select Virgin Clubhouses, select Lufthansa Lounges when flying with Lufthansa Group the same day, and 10 visits a year to Delta Sky Clubs when flying with Delta the same day (with ability to unlock unlimited visits).
• Hotel and rental car elite status and benefits upon enrollment
• $199 CLEAR Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 back per year on your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal).
• Up to $300 Equinox Credit: Upon enrollment, get up to $300 back each year on eligible Equinox memberships when you pay with your card.
• Up to $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your card on one or more of the following: Disney+, The Disney+ Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• Up to $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through AmexTravel.com when you pay with your card. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum 2-night stay.
• Up to $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a $12.95 monthly credit toward a Walmart+ membership.
• Global Dining Access by Resy

Maximizing Your Membership Rewards Points

Membership Rewards points are extremely valuable as you can transfer them to a wide array of airline and hotel loyalty programs to book award travel. By transferring your Amex points, you can take advantage of booking your hotel or airfare directly with the airline and take advantage of any status you may have.

Here are 2 examples, among many, that you can redeem those points for valuable travel.

1. Virgin Atlantic Business Class From New York to London in November

If your inner traveler is pulling you to Europe, you can hop over the pond to London in style. Virgin Atlantic business class round-trip will run you 72,000 Virgin Flying Club points and $1,050 in taxes and fees.

Once the points have transferred to your account, you can book the flight by visiting the Virgin Atlantic website. From there, you can redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for the itinerary.

Yes, you’ll have to pay over $1,000 in taxes and fees for this ticket, but considering the cash price is nearly $5,000, it’s still an incredible deal. Even better, this welcome bonus gives you enough points to book 2 round-trip flights. And don’t miss the flagship Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Lounge at Heathrow — it’s a must-visit!

2. 3 Nights at the Oceana Santa Monica Hotel

There’s nothing better than a few nights in the shadow of the Santa Monica Pier (my old stomping grounds as a kid). While 3 nights can seem like a less-than-exciting redemption for your Amex points, keep in mind the Oceana Santa Monica hotel can run upwards of $1,000 per night.

The good news is that the 3 nights will run you roughly 157,000 Amex points, and you will get 315,000 Hilton points as they transfer at a 1:2 ratio. To book this, simply transfer your Amex points directly to your Hilton Honors account.

3. Change the Season in South America

Remember that summer in the Northern Hemisphere is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. So if you want to change the season and explore a cooler climate, consider visiting South America. While temperatures can drop below freezing in the far south, the Andes Mountains, especially in Peru and Ecuador, experience dry conditions and are ideal for exploring places like Machu Picchu.

You can fly on Air Canada’s Star Alliance partners Avianca, Copa, or United in business class to South America for as few as 50,000 Aeroplan points. Transferring your Membership Rewards points 1:2 to Hilton Honors might be another option, for hotels like the Hilton Colon Quito in Ecuador’s capital city or the Hilton Mendoza in Mendoza, Argentina.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Platinum card can be a staple for someone who wants a lifestyle card but doesn’t want to sacrifice the ability to earn valuable rewards.

Sound personal finance decisions should always come before splurging on luxurious travel. But if you can afford it, earn a generous welcome bonus without overspending, and take advantage of the majority of the benefits, it may be worth applying for.