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How I Earned 300,000 Amex Points From Just 2 Cards

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Stella Shon
Updated: 
Edited by: Ryan Smith
How I Earned 300,000 Amex Points From Just 2 Cards
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There was a time when earning 100,000 points felt impossible — let alone 300,000 of them. Whether you’re saving for an unforgettable honeymoon or a dream vacation, building up a strong rewards balance has allowed me to bring my travel dreams to life while drastically cutting my out-of-pocket costs.

Here’s a look at the strategy that helped me rack up over 300,000 Amex Membership Rewards points — valued at approximately $6,600 for flights and hotels, based on our latest estimates — and how I did it with just 2 cards in my wallet.

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Finding the Best Amex Welcome Bonus Offers

Applying for The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card within the same year has helped me effortlessly earn 300,000 points. However, before applying, it’s crucial to know that welcome bonus offers can change often for Amex cards.

At the end of last year, American Express reintroduced its “variable welcome offers,” allowing you to submit an application for certain cards before knowing the exact number of bonus points you could receive. If you don’t end up finalizing the application, there won’t be an impact to your credit score.

Let’s take a look at the publicly available welcome offers on these 2 cards:

  • Amex Platinum card: Earn 80,000 points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchase in your first 6 months.
  • Amex Gold card: Earn 60,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months.

With Amex’s variable welcome offers, you could be targeted to earn even more bonus points. For example, I strategically applied for the Amex Platinum card with a 150,000-point bonus offer (though 175,000 is the highest we’ve ever seen) and the Amex Gold card with a 100,000-point bonus offer — for the same amount of spending required to earn the welcome bonus. That’s nearly an 80% difference just by applying when I saw even better welcome offers!

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

What Are 300,000 Amex Points Worth?

I won’t ignore the fact that earning 300,000 Membership Rewards points doesn’t come without a price. The Amex Platinum card has a $695 annual fee (rates & fees), while the Amex Gold card has a $325 annual fee (rates & fees).

Upgraded Points values Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents apiece. Therefore, 300,000 points are worth around $6,600 for travel, and I easily maximized their value by booking business-class flights to Rome plus a handful of domestic flights.

United Polaris business class 787 10 seats HND LAX
My partner and I enjoyed a comfortable ride to Italy! Image Credit: Ryan Smith

Besides the giant haul of points, I also considered the various travel and lifestyle benefits on each card. I won’t go into too much detail since we have full guides to the Amex Platinum card benefits and the Amex Gold card benefits, but getting to know them and enrolling in the perks made sure these annual fees were a worthy investment.

» Related: 53 Best Ways To Redeem Amex Membership Rewards Points for Max Value

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How I Met the Minimum Spending Requirements

I didn’t apply for the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Gold card within the same week — or even the same month. Instead, I spaced out my applications by a few months, allowing me to align my routine expenses strategically and meet the spending requirements more efficiently. This way, I could earn my welcome bonus points as quickly as possible without spending beyond my normal habits.

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS
The Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
The Platinum Card® from American Express
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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.

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

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

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.
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 to $1,760
$695
See Pay Over Time APR
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)
Read Full Review
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

When I applied, the minimum spending requirement on the Amex Platinum card was $8,000 in 6 months, while the Amex Gold card required $6,000 in the first 6 months from account opening. I met the Amex Platinum card threshold by paying my tax bills in advance, booking flights and hotels for trips for the year, and purchasing a couple of kitchen appliances.

BEST FOR DINING
American Express® Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
American Express® Gold Card
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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 is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express® Gold Card
This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
60,000 points
Up to $1,200
$325
See Pay Over Time APR
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 American Express® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
  • 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
  • 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com
Cons
Read Full Review
Card Highlights
  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • 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

Meanwhile, the Amex Gold card became my go-to dining and grocery card since it earns 4x points per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x) and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x). A couple of purchases I made didn’t earn any bonus point multiplier (just 1x points), but I figured anything would be worth it to cross the $6,000 finish line.

In addition to the welcome bonus offer, here’s how I earned bonus points with the Amex Gold card:

  • $3,600 at U.S. supermarkets: 14,400 points
  • $2,200 at restaurants: 8,800 points
  • $200 on miscellaneous purchases: 200 points

And here’s how I met the minimum spending requirement on the Amex Platinum card, which earns 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year, then 1x) as well as on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com:

  • $2,500 on flights booked through airlines: 12,500 points
  • $1,300 on prepaid hotels through AmexTravel.com: 6,500 points
  • $4,200 on miscellaneous purchases: 4,200 points
Bottom Line:

In all, I earned nearly 297,000 points within a span of 6 months — an incredible amount for me! No matter what I used these cards for, I made sure that I could pay off these balances immediately so I didn’t accrue any interest charges.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the scoop: You don’t necessarily need a wallet full of credit cards to rack up a substantial number of points. However, for travelers interested in learning about rewards, being open to applying for a few key cards — especially those with generous welcome bonuses — can make a big difference. So can timing your applications for those cards to coincide with elevated welcome offers.

By focusing on a couple of big-name cards (the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Gold card) and maximizing their respective rewards rates and benefits in the long run, I’ve come out ahead by adding nearly 300,000 points to my balance over the course of a few months.

Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Stella Shon's image

About Stella Shon

With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in The New York Times, USA Today, and more.

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