5 Luxury Hotels You Can Book With 175K Amex Platinum Bonus Points

If you have a big trip in mind, applying for a new card with a generous welcome bonus offer is a great way to quickly earn the points needed to book a flight, a hotel stay, or potentially even both.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express, one of our favorite travel rewards cards, currently offers a welcome bonus offer as high as 175,000 points:

• 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.

These bonus points can give you plenty of options for booking travel, whether it’s premium flights or luxury hotels. Today, we’ll focus on the latter, demonstrating how you can book stays at bucket-list properties around the world using just the bonus points earned from the Amex Platinum card.

Amex Platinum Card — Overview

Beyond the welcome offer, the Amex Platinum card offers numerous features for frequent travelers, some of which require enrollment:

• Up to $600 prepaid hotel credit: Book a prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection stay with your card to get $300 back in statement credits each year, up to $300 semiannually. (The Hotel Collection requires a minimum 2-night stay.)
• Up to $200 airline fee credit: Designate a qualifying airline to receive statement credits of up to $200 per calendar year for incidental expenses, such as baggage fees and seat selection
• Up to $200 Uber Cash credit: Add your card as the payment method in your Uber app and get up to $15 per month in credit and $35 in December, for U.S. Uber Eats orders and Uber rides
• Up to $209 CLEAR+ membership: Pay for a CLEAR+ membership with your card and get up to $209 back yearly (subject to autorenewal).
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit: Every 4 years, get up to a $120 statement credit for a Global Entry application or up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck application.
• Worldwide access to over 1,550 airport lounges, including Amex Centurion Lounges.
• Extensive travel protections, including secondary car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance plan, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and trip delay insurance.

The card has a $895 annual fee (rates & fees), but these benefits and others, when maximized, more than cover that fee.

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Platinum Card^® from American Express

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

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Platinum Card^® from American Express

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

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 card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, the Platinum Card^® from American Express is a top choice.

The card offers premium perks like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and several annual card credits. The Amex Platinum card is easily worth the annual fee for frequent travelers who use the lounges and travel credits, and hard to justify for those who won’t.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far): Get access to over 1,550 worldwide lounges, including Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5 points per $1 spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $895 annual fee (rates & 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 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
• $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 pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card^® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
• $219 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 $219 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 late 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: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card^®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
• 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.

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• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

With the card’s welcome bonus offer, you can earn as high as 175,000 points:

• 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.

We value Amex Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents apiece. If you’re targeted for the maximum 175,000-point bonus offer on the Amex Platinum card, these points are worth up to $3,850. When used strategically with transfer partners, those points can be worth more if you redeem them for premium-cabin flights or exceptional hotels.

Though the Amex Platinum card is offering a welcome offer as high as 175,000 bonus points, you will earn slightly more than that. The spending you do to earn the welcome bonus — a minimum of $12,000 in the first 6 months — counts toward your overall points balance. If all of the spending you do to earn the welcome bonus earns just 1 point per $1 spent, it’s possible to earn around 187,000 points.

Transferring Amex Points to Hotel Partners

Transferring American Express Membership Rewards points to its hotel partners isn’t typically the best use of your points, as they’re usually better redeemed for first or business class flights.

However, there are still ways to get great value from hotel redemptions, though you should understand the quirks of Amex’s hotel partners and how point transfers matter.

The issuer has 3 hotel transfer partners: Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy.

The worst Amex hotel transfer partner is usually Marriott Bonvoy, because the transfer ratio is 1:1. Marriott properties, especially aspirational ones, require a large sum of points per night.

Choice Privileges has the same 1:1 transfer ratio as Marriott Bonvoy, but most of its properties require far fewer points for an award night. The downside is that it doesn’t have as many aspirational properties, though that’s slowly changing.

Usually, the best Amex hotel transfer partner is Hilton Honors. Though Hilton charges high points rates for its high-end properties, the program offers a far more favorable transfer ratio of 1:2, so every Amex point transferred becomes 2 Hilton Honors points. For the Amex Platinum card welcome offer, the 175,000 points earned could be converted to a sizable sum of 350,000 Hilton Honors points.

Though Hilton Honors typically offers the best redemptions, there are great options with all 3 programs, as we’ll cover below.

1. Spend 7 Nights in Luxury in a European Capital

If a long stay is your priority, Choice Privileges is worth considering. Its Ascend Collection skews upscale, typically with boutique hotels in alluring locations around the world.

Take the Hotel Lilla Roberts in Helsinki, Finland, for example. Award nights at this luxurious boutique property in the design district can be booked for just 25,000 Choice Privileges points per night. You could book at least 7 nights after transferring 187,000 Membership Rewards points to Choice Privileges.

2. Extend a Middle East Vacation With 2 Nights in the Desert

The Middle East, and the United Arab Emirates specifically, is known for having opulent hotels and resorts. One of these is The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert, about an hour’s drive from downtown Dubai.

Located within a 1,235-acre private nature reserve, the property has just 109 private villas, each with a terrace and private pool that blend seamlessly with the desert landscape. The resort boasts an equestrian and adventure center, a falconry school, a knockout spa with unique hydrothermal treatments, and access to its sister resort on the beach, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach.

With rates starting at 89,500 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, you can transfer 179,000 Amex points from your Amex Platinum card welcome bonus offer to book 2 nights at the property and extend a Middle East trip with a couple of opulent nights in the desert. Plus, you’ll still have a few thousand points left over in your Membership Rewards account.

3. A Bucket-List Stay in the Seychelles

The Seychelles, located off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, is a dream destination for many. The island nation offers crystal-clear waters, white-sand beaches, nature reserves, and a range of rare animals that visitors flock to see in the wild.

There’s no shortage of luxury hotels. Take, for example, Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts, a Hilton Honors property in the south of Mahe Island. It features just 41 guest rooms and suites, some with private plunge pools.

The resort has multiple pools, a full-service spa, and several restaurants.

Rates start at 120,000 Hilton Honors points per night. With the 1:2 transfer ratio from Amex to Hilton, 187,000 Amex points can become 374,000 Hilton points, enough to book 3 nights at this property.

4. Spend a Long Weekend in California

There’s nothing quite like a weekend in Southern California, and it’s easy to do in style when you have Amex points you can transfer to Hilton.

Oceana Santa Monica, LXR Hotels & Resorts, is a high-end escape overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean. It offers a laid-back coastal feel with luxurious amenities, including 4 dining and drinks outlets, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center and full-service spa, and a wellness program rooted in holistic practices.

Rates start at 105,000 Hilton Honors points per night, so you can book 3 nights by transferring 158,000 Amex points for a total of 316,000 Hilton points. That’s enough to book a 3-night stay and have points left over in both your Amex and Hilton accounts.

5. Enjoy the Holiday Season in the Windy City

Chicago is one of the nation’s great cities, and it is a sight to behold during the holiday season, with festive decor and holiday cheer on display as far as the eye can see.

Why not stay in style when you visit the Windy City, like at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago, located in one of the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods? This luxurious urban property offers large guest rooms and suites, multiple restaurants and bars, an indoor swimming pool and expansive fitness center, a spa, and more.

Rates start at 105,000 Hilton Honors points per night, meaning you can book a 3-night stay — perfect for a long weekend — by transferring 158,000 Amex points to Hilton Honors. This will give you 316,000 points, enough to book 3 nights with a little left over.

Final Thoughts

The welcome offer on the Amex Platinum card can provide enough points to book multiple nights in luxury hotels in every corner of the globe. Hotel transfers may not always provide the highest redemption value, but high-end properties can be exceptional redemptions.