Here’s Why I Love the Amex Travel App as a Frequent Traveler

I book a lot of travel: flights, hotels, or the occasional rental car when I end up somewhere trains won’t cut it.

For years, most of that booking happened on AmexTravel.com on a laptop, and that was fine. Then, in September 2025, American Express launched the Amex Travel app, and the way I plan trips shifted.

Here’s what the Amex Travel app does well and how it pairs with the American Express^® Gold Card.

3 Features I Love on the Amex Travel App

The Amex Travel app (iOS, Android) launched on September 18, 2025. At its core, it’s a mobile version of AmexTravel.com — flights, hotels, rental cars, and the full portal condensed into something you can pull up while waiting for coffee.

However, it’s more than just a pocket-sized version of AmexTravel.com. American Express built in trip planning tools that let you create, save, and organize itineraries, and it pulls through access to Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection, so eligible cardholders can book luxury stays from their phone.

Here are a few features I think most people overlook.

1. Find Travel Inspiration

The Inspiration tab is where I start when I don’t know where I want to go. It’s full of destination guides, trending lists (2026’s picks are genuinely solid), hotel spotlights, and itinerary ideas.

When something catches my eye, I add it to my Wishlist and include a private note — things like “good for a birthday trip” or “has family-friendly activities.” It’s minor, but having that context attached to a property 6 months later has saved me from forgetting why I bookmarked it.

2. Benefit Reminders

After you book, the app surfaces all the benefits you’ll get at that property under “Exclusive Hotel Benefits.” Just scroll down in your booking, and you’ll see it. I check this before every trip now.

It’s a nice way to get excited about what’s coming and make sure you’re not leaving an amenity credit or upgrade on the table.

3. Concierge-Like Booking Tools

The newest addition is Perfect Stay, which launched recently for those with the Platinum Card^® from American Express and the Amex Gold card.

It’s a guided search experience that asks about scenery, ambiance, and the kind of experience you’re after, then serves up personalized hotel recommendations based on your answers. Think of it as a concierge built into the search bar. I ran it for a Colombia trip I’ve been working on and got recommendations I probably wouldn’t have discovered on my own.

Enhancements to the Main American Express App

Over on the main American Express app (iOS, Android), the Overview and Membership tabs are being reconfigured to keep the Amex Gold card benefits top of mind. Cardholders can see welcome offer tracking, upcoming Resy reservations, benefit usage trackers, Explore Resy, Book Travel, Explore Amex Experiences, and entry points for linking your Resy account to pull everything into one hub.

BEST FOR DINING

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American Express^® Gold Card

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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!

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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!

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 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.

As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

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

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

• 5x points per dollar on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App
• 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

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 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 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.
• New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Pay It^® lets you tap in the American Express^® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It^® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
• Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express^® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• New! As an American Express^® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star^® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
• Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
• Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express^® service and support. Only for American Express^® Card Members.
• 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.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

This is the kind of nudging I wish I’d had when I first got the card, as these perks are important for justifying the card’s $325 annual fee (rates & fees).

The benefit usage tracker is the one I’m most excited about. Anyone who has ever hit December and realized they forgot to use a statement credit will understand why. Pair that with the Resy reservation surfacing, and the up-to-$100 annual Resy credit on the Amex Gold card (enrollment required) starts feeling a lot less like homework and a lot more like a perk that works on its own.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Travel app isn’t reinventing travel booking, but it’s doing a great job of bringing together everything a cardholder already has access to in one place. If you haven’t downloaded the app yet, it’s worth the 5 minutes to set it up and start getting reminders about the perks available to you.