My Amex Platinum Makes Budget Flights Feel Premium — Here’s How

Flying with ultra-low-cost carriers such as Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines means flying lean, with no seat selection, baggage, or snacks unless you pay for them. But these airlines frequently offer unbeatable fares, oftentimes under $100 round-trip, that are great for budget-friendly getaways or quick trips.

But even with bargain-basement flights, The Platinum Card^® from American Express can unlock premium travel perks, turning low-cost fares into high-value experiences with lounge access, expedited security, rewards points, and travel protections.

Here’s how I’ve hacked the ultra-low-cost-carrier experience using my Amex Platinum card, getting premium benefits even when taking a cheap flight.

How I Score Budget Travel With Luxury Perks

Ultra-low-cost carriers offer extremely cheap fares by stripping flight costs down to the bare minimum. I’ve booked flights for less than $90 round-trip, but that doesn’t include a carry-on, checked bag, seat selection, or even the privilege of speaking with an agent at the airport — that’s all extra.

With these carriers, you’re essentially paying for a seat (but not a seat assignment), and that’s all.

This model works well for me, as I pack light, am flexible when I travel, and prioritize price, especially when I take short flights. It’s not unusual for me to book a low fare and not pay anything else — and a lot of that has to do with the credit card I use to book the flight.

One could argue that traveling at all is a luxury, though the experiences with Spirit and Frontier could hardly be considered the kind of travel most people would associate with a premium card.

But when I use the Amex Platinum card to book ultra-low-cost carrier flights, I get some of the benefits of premium-class flying without paying premium fares. That’s a game-changer for budget travelers like me who value comfort and security.

Amex Platinum Card Unlocks Premium Perks With Any Airline

You get elite travel benefits with the Amex Platinum card even if you’re flying with a no-frills airline. The Amex Platinum card comes with a $695 annual fee (rates & fees), and these are the air travel-related benefits I use the most, though some require prior enrollment:

• 5 points per $1 on airfare booked directly with the airline or on AmexTravel.com
• Most airport lounge access of any travel card
• Trip delay, trip cancellation and interruption, and baggage insurance
• Up to $200 annual airline incidental fee credit
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit
• CLEAR Plus credit

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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

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

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

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$695

APR

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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 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

• You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 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.
• 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.
• Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club^® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
• A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
• $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^® 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.
• $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 get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card^®.
• 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.
• Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

None of these benefits require you to fly a legacy airline or sit in first class. You can book a $40 Spirit flight and still visit a Centurion Lounge 3 hours before departure. And if your budget flight gets delayed by more than 6 hours, you can tap into trip delay protection.

Earning 5x Points on Cheap Flights

I often pay cash instead of using points when I can find a cheap flight on Spirit or Frontier. When the cash rates are so low, it’s tough to justify using points, especially when I can save them for a better redemption later.

With the Amex Platinum card, I earn 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 when I book directly with an airline. I can use these points for luxury travel in the future.

$200 Airline Fee Credit

The Amex Platinum card offers a $200 annual airline incidental fee credit. This credit requires enrollment and selection of a qualifying airline:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Spirit Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines

Unfortunately, Frontier Airlines isn’t on the list of eligible airlines, but Spirit Airlines is. The credit resets annually, and you can use it across multiple trips.

With the $200 airline fee credit, I can choose Spirit as my airline and use this annual credit to pay for bags, seats, snacks, and more — though airfare doesn’t apply. That’s a good way to elevate Spirit Airlines’ offerings without paying out of pocket. For example, you can use the fee credit to upgrade to Spirit First for a more comfortable spot on the plane.

Expedited Security

I get statement credits for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry and CLEAR thanks to my Amex Platinum card.

The credit is up to $85 for TSA PreCheck or $120 for Global Entry and is good every 4 or 4 1/2 years, depending on the program expiration. I can also use my card for an up-to-$199 statement credit to cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus membership.

These benefits help me get through security quickly, no matter what airline I’m flying.

Preflight Airport Lounge Access

The Amex Platinum card offers access to the American Express Global Lounge collection with more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries. Airport lounges are often reserved for passengers traveling on premium fares, but I can get into qualifying lounges even when I’m about to hop into an economy middle seat.

Lounge access is arguably more important when traveling on an ultra-low-cost carrier. When I fly with Frontier or Spirit, I’m not heading to a business-class seat where I’ll get a meal. Instead, I have to pay if I want a drink or snack. I don’t mind packing my own water bottle and snack, but I usually just stop by a lounge before my flight.

I don’t have to worry about picking up an overpriced airport meal or flagging down a flight attendant to eat while airborne. Instead, I get a decent meal at a dining table before my flight, and it’s included with my Amex Platinum card benefits.

Airport lounges can also be a great place to recenter while traveling. The stress of getting to the airport on time, getting checked in, and going through security makes me feel frazzled. I often experience chaotic boarding with Frontier and Spirit, and the inflight experience is far from luxurious or soothing. So having a break in an airport lounge between arriving at the airport and boarding a cheap flight can make a big difference. I have at least a few minutes of quiet, calm, and relaxation before returning to the travel grind.

Travel Protections

Ultra-low-cost carriers are notoriously unreliable and typically rank toward the bottom of customer satisfaction surveys. That time I had to sleep in an airport when my 9 p.m. flight didn’t depart until 2 a.m.? It was with Frontier Airlines.

When things go wrong, travel insurance benefits can save the day. The Amex Platinum card offers extensive travel protections for flights, including:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $10,000 per trip and a maximum of $20,000 per card in a 12-month period
• Trip delay reimbursement of $500 per covered trip that’s delayed for more than 6 hours, covering incidentals such as meals and lodging
• Baggage insurance covering up to $2,000 for checked bags and up to $3,000 for carry-on bags per person, per trip

If I have to cancel my flight for a covered reason, I can get reimbursed even if I didn’t book a refundable fare. I can use my benefits to cover a hotel and meals if my flight is delayed 6 hours or more, as well as get reimbursed for lost bags.

Maximizing Amex Platinum Card Benefits on Cheap Flights

I recently flew with Frontier Airlines from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) with my husband and paid about $204, including taxes and fees. I booked directly with the airline and paid with my Amex Platinum card. From that flight, I got:

• 5x points on airfare: Booking directly with Frontier, I earned 5 points per $1 to get 1,020 Membership Rewards points worth about $22.44, according to our valuations.
• Expedited security: Getting through security took 10 minutes, tops, because I entered the TSA PreCheck and CLEAR line with just a few people ahead of me.
• Lounge access: Before my flight, I visited the Centurion Lounge at IAH for a meal and a quiet spot to relax. My husband joined me using his benefits from The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express. Compared to airport dining prices, we saved at least $30 by eating dinner in the lounge.

Final Thoughts

With the Amex Platinum card, I’ve turned barebones flights into surprisingly comfortable travel experiences with expedited security, lounge access, and the reassurance of some of the best travel protections available.

It’s easy to assume that premium travel cards are only worth it if you fly business class or frequently book international travel, but the Amex Platinum card adds real value to even low-cost domestic flights. I enjoy elite benefits without elite spending.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, the maximum benefit amount for trip cancellation and interruption insurance is $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. 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, up to $500 per covered trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. 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 baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for covered persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per covered trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each covered person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all covered persons per covered trip. 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.