[Expired] Why It Makes Sense To Apply for an Amex Business Platinum Card by the End of 2024

Updated: April 8, 2026, 7:33pm CDT

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Earn Double the Statement Credits
Score a Targeted Welcome Bonus Offer
Final Thoughts

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Update:

Some of the information below has expired and is no longer available.

We’re approaching the final weeks of the year, and right now could prove to be a lucrative time to apply for a rewards card. In particular, The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express provides a substantial welcome bonus offer that, after meeting the minimum spending requirements, can give your points balance a boost.

As one of Amex’s premier cards, it’s loaded with numerous benefits and statement credits, though several require prior enrollment.

Some of the Amex Business Platinum card’s benefits are structured in a way that allows you to double-dip on perks, getting you twice the amount of value during your first year of card membership. Let’s go over the reasons you may want to apply before the end of 2024.

Earn Double the Statement Credits

The Amex Business Platinum card is most advantageous for business owners looking for premium travel benefits. Though it charges a $895 annual fee (rates & fees), the combined value of the welcome offer, potential rewards earnings and ongoing benefits can far outweigh the cost.

Upon opening the account, most benefits become immediately accessible. These perks are independent of the welcome bonus offer points, which require meeting minimum spending requirements.

Furthermore, a few of the card’s statement credits are issued annually based on the calendar year rather than your membership year. If there’s ever been an ideal time to apply for the Amex Business Platinum card, it’s now. By applying, you can use some credits before the end of 2024, and they’ll reset on January 1, 2025, for the new calendar year.

2 annual-based statement credits offer wide appeal for potential applicants:

Airline Incidental Fee Credit: Up to $200 annually
Dell Credit: Up to $400 annually — up to $200 can be used from January to June, and up to $200 can be used from July to December

If you were to make use of the above statement credits by the end of the year, you can unlock upwards of $400 in value from the benefits. Then, at the beginning of 2025, these credits reset to give you another up to $400 in value.

Bottom Line:

The Amex Business Platinum card also comes with statement credits to Adobe and Indeed that are doled out annually, though these are more difficult to use than the airline incidental fees and Dell. On the other hand, the wireless phone services statement credit offers up to $120 in value, but it is doled out up to $10 per month.

1. Airline Incidental Fee Credit

Every calendar year, Amex Business Platinum cardholders can earn up to $200 in reimbursements for eligible charges on an airline of your choice. You’ll have to select the airline on your Amex account, which includes Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

American Airlines A321T first class seat looking back — Award taxes and fees count toward the airline incidental fee credit! Image Credit: James Larounis

Note that this benefit is specifically designed for “incidental fees,” so merely purchasing flights with your designated airline likely wouldn’t count. Airport lounge day passes, checked baggage fees, and even domestic award ticket fees (which usually cost $5.60 per one-way flight) will all trigger this airline incidental fee credit.

No matter how you use this benefit, frequent fliers encounter pesky fees from airlines all the time, even if you’re an elite status holder. With this benefit, you can receive up to $200 in reimbursements, potentially doubling your savings by taking advantage at the end of 2024 and again in early 2025.

Hot Tip:

There are also unofficial ways to trigger this airline incidental fee credit, according to reports from cardholders. Airfare below the $99 mark (or in conjunction with an e-credit) on carriers like Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue can sometimes trigger the credit, but your mileage may vary.

2. Dell Credit

After enrolling in the benefit online, you can earn up to $400 in annual statement credits for U.S. purchases with Dell. The first credit, up to $200, applies from January through June, while the second credit is available from July through December.

Whether you need to upgrade your workspace with a new monitor or want to purchase new travel headphones, Dell’s website has a lot to offer. Even if you can’t make use of this benefit for yourself, buying a product on Dell for up to $200 before the end of 2024 would make for a great present for the holidays.

Score a Targeted Welcome Bonus Offer

Double-dipping on 2 of these annual statement credits is just the tip of the iceberg with the Amex Business Platinum card. Other perks include elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors upon enrollment, airport lounge access (upon enrollment), and generous rewards on business and travel purchases. Furthermore, the current welcome offer is:

As High As 300,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $20,000 in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

However, American Express has recently raised the stakes for targeted welcome offers after meeting minimum spending requirements. (These targeted offers are independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.) As you can see, the targeted welcome bonus offers can vary greatly:

The best welcome offer we’ve seen — 250,000 bonus points — is worth approximately $5,500 for travel based on our points and miles valuations. If you do stumble across this incredible (but rare) opportunity, read up on all the great ways to redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for maximum value.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Business Platinum card offers significant value, especially with 2 particular credits that can be maximized by applying toward the end of the calendar year. If you come across a targeted welcome bonus offer, the timing to apply becomes even more lucrative.