Here’s Exactly What 175,000 Amex Points Can Get You in 2026

There’s a reason people obsess over American Express Membership Rewards points. Unlike airline-specific miles, Amex points can be transferred to numerous airline partners, opening the door to everything from lie-flat business class to surprisingly affordable family vacations.

That flexibility becomes even more valuable when you’re working with 175,000 Membership Rewards points. For instance, the Platinum Card^® from American Express earns the current public welcome offer:

Apply and find out if you're eligible for as high as 175,000 points after spending $12,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

A huge sum of Membership Rewards points can help you book business class to Europe, island-hop around Asia on Japan Airlines, take your family to Hawaii, or cover nearly a year’s worth of domestic flights. Here are 6 ways I’d consider redeeming 175,000 points in 2026.

Amex Platinum Card: Overview

Before we dive into ways to redeem a welcome offer as high as 175,000 points on the Amex Platinum card, let’s take a moment to review the card and the benefits you receive as a cardholder.

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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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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

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.  

As High As 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$895

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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 card application.

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 1,550 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
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash and Uber One, Resy, lululemon credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR+ credit, and Equinox credit)
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts and Amex International Airline Program
• Access to Amex transfer partners
• No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

 

Cons

• $895 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

 

 

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards^® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel^®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts^® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel^® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
• With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection^®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club^® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges.* As of 07/2025.
• $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card^® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card^® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
• $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card^® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
• $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel^® using the Platinum Card^®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card^® to make eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card^®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you.
• $209 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card^®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card^® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
• Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts^® through American Express Travel^®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
• $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card^® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card^®.* Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• $895 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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American Express Membership Rewards

 

 

Beyond earning points, the card also offers a long list of premium travel and lifestyle benefits that can enhance your overall travel experience and work to make up for the $895 annual fee (rates & fees):

• Up to $200 in airline incidental credit 
• Up to $400 in Resy credit (up to $100 per quarter) 
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash ($15 per month, plus an additional $20 in December; valid on U.S. Eats orders and rides, and you must add your card to your Uber account and pay with an Amex card to redeem this benefit) and up to $120 in Uber One credit
• Up to $300 in digital entertainment credit (up to $25 per month) 
• Up to $600 in prepaid hotel credit, with up to $300 between January and June and up to $300 between July and December, on prepaid bookings through AmexTravel.com with Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection, the latter of which requires a minimum 2-night stay 
• Up to $155 in Walmart+ credit (with delivery and shipping benefits)
• Up to $300 in lululemon credit (up to $75 per quarter) 
• Up to $209 in CLEAR+ credit 
• Access to over 1,550 lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Elite status and benefits with National, Avis, and Hertz (upon enrollment)
• Hilton Honors Gold status, Leaders Club Sterling status, and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (upon enrollment)

1. Fly 3 People in Air France Business Class From 60K Points Each

The Air France-KLM frequent flyer program, Flying Blue, remains one of the best ways to book affordable business-class flights to Europe using Amex points. By transferring Membership Rewards points to Flying Blue, you can often find saver-level business-class awards to Paris for 60,000 miles one-way.

If you’re targeted for the elevated welcome offer as high as 175,000 points on the Amex Platinum card, you can earn well over 180,000 Membership Rewards points once you complete the minimum spending requirement. That’s enough to realistically book one-way Air France business-class flights to Paris for 3 travelers, leaving points to spare.

These flights regularly sell for $2,500 to $4,000 per person in cash, so redeeming 180,000 points for 3 business-class seats can deliver excellent value. I especially like this redemption because Flying Blue availability is usually much easier to find than many other premium-cabin sweet spots.

Hot Tip:

Air France’s long-haul business class is generally solid across the board, but if you can, try to book one of the airline’s Airbus A350 aircraft. Those planes feature newer suites with sliding privacy doors, while many of the Boeing 777-300ERs — which are still very comfortable — have not yet been updated with doors.

2. Book ANA Business Class to Tokyo From 52.5K Points

ANA business class is one of the best ways to redeem Amex points, especially for travelers who can plan far ahead.

While American Express Membership Rewards points transfer directly to ANA Mileage Club, many travelers get better value by transferring their points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to book ANA-operated flights. If you can find the availability, one-way ANA business-class flights between the U.S. mainland and Japan can cost just 52,500 points from the West Coast or 60,000 points from the East Coast.

Considering these tickets often sell for $4,000 to $5,000 in cash, the value can be incredible.

The onboard experience is part of the appeal. ANA’s newer The Room business class suites are widely considered among the best in the world thanks to their generous personal space and privacy.

One downside is that ANA awards booked through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club are usually not available online. After searching the ANA Mileage Club website and finding saver-level ANA award space, call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to complete the reservation.

It’s a little old-school and occasionally time-consuming, but many travelers find the extra effort worth it considering how many points you can save compared to booking directly through ANA or other Star Alliance programs. And it leaves a large chunk of your 175,000-point stash left over for additional tickets or future trips.

3. Hawaii Flights From 15K Points One-Way

One of the most practical ways to stretch your 175,000 Amex points is to use airline partners to book flights to Hawaii with carriers such as Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines.

For example, you can transfer Amex points to The British Airways Club at a 1:1 ratio and book nonstop Alaska Airlines or American Airlines flights to Hawaii starting around 22,000 Avios plus just $5.60 in taxes and fees, one-way, from certain West Coast cities.

Another solid option is transferring points to Air Canada Aeroplan, also at a 1:1 rate, where United-operated flights to Hawaii can sometimes start at just 15,000 Aeroplan points plus roughly $45 in taxes and fees.

That’s what makes American Express Membership Rewards points so valuable. You can essentially transfer your points and book flights to Hawaii across all 3 major airline alliances, including Oneworld, Star Alliance, and even SkyTeam partners, depending on the route and program you use.

With 175,000 Amex points, you can easily cover multiple round-trip tickets to Hawaii. That becomes especially valuable during school breaks and holiday periods when cash fares to Honolulu, Maui, or Kauai can easily skyrocket.

4. Book Multiple Trips to London

While Virgin Atlantic Upper Class awards have become significantly more expensive in recent years — particularly after the airline essentially doubled the taxes and surcharges on award tickets — Flying Club can still offer one of the cheaper ways to get to Europe using points.

You can often find the best value in economy and premium economy awards to London. I’ve regularly booked one-way flights from the East Coast to London for just 6,000 points plus taxes.

Sometimes Virgin Atlantic premium economy awards to London start at just 10,500 points one-way — occasionally pricing lower than economy awards on the same flight.

Though surcharges can still be higher than many travelers would like, the overall value is hard to ignore given how inexpensive the award rates are.

With 175,000 Amex points transferred to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, travelers could potentially book multiple trips to London, a round-trip flight for an entire family, or premium economy tickets for a more comfortable transatlantic experience.

5. Fly TAP Air Portugal Business Class From 69K Points

An under-the-radar redemption is using Avianca LifeMiles to book TAP Air Portugal business class to Europe.

Because LifeMiles is one of Amex’s airline transfer partners, travelers can transfer points directly into the program and redeem them for TAP Air Portugal flights to Lisbon and Porto. I frequently find TAP Air Portugal business-class availability from cities like Miami, Newark, Boston, and Washington, D.C., to Lisbon for around 69,000 LifeMiles one-way.

That means a 175,000-point Amex Platinum card welcome bonus could realistically cover a round-trip lie-flat business-class ticket to Portugal or 2 separate one-way business-class flights to Europe.

Part of what makes this redemption especially appealing is that Lisbon serves as an excellent gateway to the rest of Europe. Travelers can continue onward to destinations such as Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, or Rome while taking advantage of TAP’s relatively strong business-class award availability compared to many other European airlines.

Hot Tip:

TAP Air Portugal may not offer the flashiest or most cutting-edge business class product in the sky, but it offers fully lie-flat seats across the Atlantic, solid catering, decent service, and the ability to arrive in Europe rested. If Portugal is already on your travel radar, there’s no easier way to fly there nonstop from the U.S. using points.

6. Use Amex Points To Skip Europe’s Low-Cost Airlines

One of the most underrated ways to stretch Amex points is using them for flights around Europe, especially if you want to avoid the baggage fees, strict rules, and constant upsells from many of the continent’s low-cost airlines.

Instead of flying carriers like Ryanair, EasyJet, or Eurowings, travelers can transfer Amex points to programs such as Flying Blue or British Airways Club and book flights on full-service airlines for surprisingly low rates.

For example, I found Air France flights from Paris to Prague priced at just 4,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points one-way in economy or only 8,000 miles in business class.

If you book a business-class ticket for 8,000 points, you get lounge access, priority boarding, and a much more comfortable experience than if you booked with a budget airline.

Another standout example is the route from Madrid to Marrakech. Rather than getting nickel-and-dimed by Ryanair on this route, travelers can book nonstop Iberia flights starting at just 6,500 Avios one-way in economy.

Since cash fares between Spain and Morocco can easily climb above $250 during busy periods, this option can be a fantastic way to stretch a 175,000-point Amex balance across a much bigger Europe or North Africa trip.

If you’re planning a big trip across the Atlantic and expect to hop around Europe or even venture into North Africa, Amex points for multiple short-haul flights can deliver just as much value as a long-haul business-class redemption — while making the overall experience far more comfortable and convenient.

Final Thoughts

What I love most about Amex points is that there’s no single best way to use them. The welcome offer on the Amex Platinum card can go a long way, whether you want to splurge on a bucket-list business class flight or stretch your points across several trips throughout the year.

Personally, I’d probably do a bit of both. Some of my favorite redemptions are the flashy premium-cabin flights, but I get just as much value from using points for the multiple trips I don’t want to pay cash for. The possibilities with Amex points are endless, and these ideas can give you some inspiration for just how far 175,000 points can take you.