Why It Makes Sense To Apply for an Amex Platinum Card Before Summer

Few cards are as rewarding as The Platinum Card^® from American Express, offering exclusive perks such as airport lounge access and a substantial welcome bonus offer. However, your application timing can greatly affect what you get from the card.

For travelers gearing up for summer adventures, now is the perfect time to apply for an Amex Platinum card — here’s why.

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

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

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• With American Express Global Lounge Collection^® you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion^® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club^® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express^® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Score a Targeted Welcome Bonus Offer

The Amex Platinum card is currently offering one of its most impressive welcome bonuses. The opportunity to earn a massive points haul is enticing and can go a long way for flights or hotels this summer:

• Earn 80,000 points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchase in your first 6 months.

However, when it comes to any welcome offer, it’s crucial to allow yourself enough time to meet the sizable minimum spending requirement within the allotted timeframe. Since you have up to 6 months, planning strategically is important. According to American Express, even after you meet the threshold, these bonus points can take anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks to post.

In the experience of many of our staffers, we’ve received our welcome bonus offer points from Amex cards within a few business days. However, you’ll want to account for plenty of buffer time, especially if you’re interested in redeeming Membership Rewards points for travel plans this summer.

Earn Travel Statement Credits

Some say the Amex Platinum card is just a shiny metal coupon book. After all, the card comes with a laundry list of statement credits.

All jokes aside, many of these perks are worth it for any frequent traveler. Even though the $695 annual fee (rates & fees) seems daunting, a handful of the statement credits (enrollment required for some perks) are perfectly aligned for summer travel:

• Airline Incidental Fee Credit: Up to $200 annually
• Prepaid Hotel Credit: Up to $200 annually
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Credit: Up to $120 every 4 years for Global Entry or up to $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck
• Clear Plus Credit: Up to $199 annually
• Uber Cash Credit: Up to $200 annually — $15 can be used every month, increased to $35 in December

We only touched on a few statement credits with tangible value, though there are many other meaningful benefits on the Amex Platinum card. This includes airport lounge access (upon enrollment), 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and prepaid hotels through AmexTravel.com, and elite status benefits with Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive (upon enrollment).

Summer flights often experience the most delays or cancellations, but booking with the Amex Platinum card provides travelers with peace of mind, with benefits such as a baggage insurance plan, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and trip delay protection.

1. Airline Incidental Fee Credit

The airline incidental fee credit offers up to $200 in annual reimbursements for fees incurred on an airline of your choice upon enrollment. Designate your airline on your Amex account, and charges such as seat selection fees, lounge passes, or checked bag fees are all eligible for reimbursement.

For instance, let’s say you choose Delta Air Lines as your airline. The up-to-$200 airline incidental fee can be used for annual membership for lounges, inflight amenity fees, and more.

2. Prepaid Hotel Credit

To use the up to $200 prepaid hotel credit, you must book with your card on AmexTravel.com with Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties. Bookings through The Hotel Collection require a 2-night stay, while Fine Hotels & Resorts bookings can be for just 1 night.

I love to book high-end properties through the Amex FHR platform, even if it’s just for 1 night. I get incredible benefits such as complimentary room upgrades (upon availability), breakfast for 2, an on-property credit valued at $100, early check-in, and late check-out.

I recently booked the Westin Anaheim for 1-night through the Amex FHR program. The room rate was only $250, so my out-of-pocket cost was $50. Considering that I got a 12 p.m. early check-in, a complimentary breakfast valued at nearly $100, and a “free” dinner with the $100 on-property credit, I was impressed with how easy it was to maximize this credit.

3. TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Credit

The Amex Platinum card comes with a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit, which can make navigating long airport lines this summer a breeze. By charging the application fee to your Amex Platinum card, you can receive up to $120 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck application fees every 4.5 years.

What’s the difference between these 2 trusted traveler programs? TSA PreCheck allows passengers to use dedicated security lanes at U.S. airports, where they can keep their shoes on and leave laptops in their bags. Global Entry, on the other hand, provides expedited customs clearance when re-entering the U.S.

However, a Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck, making it the better option, especially since the Amex Platinum card covers the full membership cost.

4. Clear Plus Credit

Clear Plus is a biometric security program available at most major U.S. airports. It allows members to verify their identity using fingerprints or an eye scan instead of a driver’s license or passport.

Members can access dedicated Clear Plus security lanes, but as an Amex Platinum cardholder, you’ll enjoy the benefits of both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR Plus. This combination ensures the fastest possible airport screening experience. First, you’ll use CLEAR Plus to breeze through the ID checkpoint, then proceed to the TSA PreCheck line, where you can keep your shoes on and leave laptops in your bag.

This streamlined process makes airport security faster and more efficient, especially during peak travel seasons. With summer storms causing delays and airports crowded with vacationers, having both CLEAR Plus and TSA PreCheck can be a game-changer, helping you easily move through security and minimize travel stress.

5. Uber Cash Credit

Once you link your Amex Platinum card to your Uber account as the payment method, you’ll receive your monthly Uber Cash credit directly in your Uber account as Uber Cash.

Each month, you’ll receive $15 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides exclusively within the U.S. (plus a $20 bonus in December). However, credits don’t roll over month to month. I love to use my monthly Uber credits for airport rides, so I have no problem using the full value, especially during the peak summer season.

Final Thoughts

They say timing is everything — and that’s definitely the case for the Amex Platinum card. With a range of travel perks and statement credits, you can lower the cost of your summer trips, enjoy peace of mind with travel insurance benefits, or earn 5x points on eligible flights and hotels.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.