Big Platinum Card Promotion: Find Out Your Welcome Offer!

An interesting promotion rolled out that allows you to apply for a Platinum card — and see what welcome bonus you’re offered.

Considering a card refresh is on the way, now might be a great time to become a member. We’ll explain why in a minute.

As High As 175k!

The Platinum Card® from American Express allows new applicants to earn as high as 175,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new card within six (6) months of being approved. (Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Terms apply.)

$8,000 isn’t prohibitively high — especially stretched across six months. That averages about $1,334 a month in eligible purchases.

Here’s another interesting facet to this promotion: if you don’t like the offer Amex gives you, simply decline it without your credit score being affected. If you choose to accept the offer, then Amex might report the application to the credit bureaus. It’s a pretty consumer-frendly proposition. Learn here how to apply for this promotion.

We like Amex Membership Points because they can be transferred to a number of partners such as:

• AerClub (Aer Lingus)
• AeroMexico Club Premier
• Aeroplan (Air Canada)
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• Ana Inspiration of Japan (All Nippon Airways)
• ASIA MILES
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Delta SkyMiles
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Airways
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Iberia Plus
• True Blue JetBlue (JetBlue)
• Frequent Flyer (QANTAS Loyalty)
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Choice Privileges Rewards
• Hilton Honors
• Marriott Bonvoy

Lock in the Annual Fee!

The Amex Platinum Card carries a $695 annual fee. (Rates & Fees) American Express recently announced that both the Platinum Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express will undergo major refreshes this fall.

We expect the card’s annual fee to increase. (Rates & Fees) How high? We don’t know. But the Chase Sapphire Reserve® just cranked up its annual fee from $550 to $795. There are all-but-officially-confirmed rumors that a new, bougie Delta SkyMiles® American Express Card (with an annual fee to match) is in the pipeline.

I expect we’ll see a Platinum Card annual fee of at least $795 — if not somewhere in the $825-$950 range. Again, that’s me guessing.

However, you wouldn’t pay that potentially increased annual fee until your second year of card membership. Last time Amex refreshed the Platinum Card, existing members could enjoy the new perks pretty much right away. Given that current Chase Sapphire Reserve® members must wait several months (unless their annual fee is due sooner than later) to dive into the updated features, I wonder if Amex might let Platinum Card holders immediately start using the new perks and features. Sort of like a, Hey! We’re more consumer-friendly than Chase! move.

Take Advantage of Expiring Statement Credit and Uber Cash!

As of this post, less than a week remains in June. If you’re approved right away, you can likely get a digital card number from Amex. That means you can take advantage of:

• $50 Saks statement credit offer: earn up to $50 in statement credit for eligible purchases made at Saks Fifth Avenue stores or Saks.com from January through June. Make sure to start your shopping sesh through a portal such as Rakuten and earn some bonus Amex points or cashback! (You can earn up to $50 for eligible Saks purchases made from July through December, too. But don’t sit on the credit expiring soon!) Enrollment is required.
• $15 Uber Cash for June with the Uber Cash Benefit: Enjoy Uber VIP status and earn up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or Uber Eats eats orders in the US annually. (Receive $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December.) Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to the primary cardholder only. An Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit. (Enrollment is required. Terms apply. Uber Cash deposits are made monthly and expire if not used. To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible Amex Platinum Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.)

Other Platinum Card Benefits

This is quite the luxury travel laundry list.

Foreign Transaction Fees: $0 (See Rates and Fees)

Points Earnings (terms apply to each):

• 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year)
• 5X Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®
• 1X Membership Rewards points on all other eligible purchases

Travel Benefits:

• Complimentary access to airport lounges for eligible cardmembers
  • American Express Centurion Lounges when traveling with a confirmed seat on a same-day flight
  • Delta Sky Clubs when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated or -marketed flight.
    • receive up to 10 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. A “Visit” is an entry to one or more Delta Sky Clubs or usage of the Delta Sky Club “Grab and Go” feature at one or more airports for a period of up to 24 hours starting upon the first Delta Sky Club entry or Grab and Go usage, during an Eligible Card Member’s travel on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight. A single Visit permits using Delta Sky Club(s) in multiple airports during the 24-hour period.
    • Once all 10 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits (including Grab and Go) at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card. To earn an unlimited number of Visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more during a calendar year and each calendar year thereafter.
    • Up to two guests may be brought in for $50 per person. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Escape Lounge by Centurion Suites (with up to two guests) when traveling on a same-day flight
  • Select Plaza Premium Lounges when traveling on a same-day flight
  • Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required)
• Up to $200 Airline Fee Statement 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 card. (Enrollment is required.) Read this post for more information.
• Up to $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and earn up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or Uber Eats eats orders in the US annually. (Receive $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December.) Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to the primary cardholder only. Effective November 8, 2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit. (Enrollment is required. Terms apply. Uber Cash deposits are made monthly and expire if not used. To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible Amex Platinum Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.)
• Up to $199 CLEAR® Plus Statement Credit: Receive up to $199 in statement credits each calendar year for CLEAR Plus membership costs charged to your card. (Enrollment required. Taxes and fees not eligible. Terms apply)
• Up to $120 Global Entry Statement Credit: Receive either a $120 statement credit every four (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 charged to your Platinum Card. (Terms apply.) Global Entry comes with TSA PreCheck and is the better value, in our opinion. So many travel credit cards offer this benefit — keep in mind you can “gift” it to someone else.
• Up to $200 Hotel Statement Credit: Earn up to $200 back in statement credits each calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel® when you pay with your Platinum Card®. (Terms apply. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.) Read about our FHR stay at Bellagio Las Vegas!
• Fine Hotels + Resorts: Enjoy early check-in and room upgrades (when available), daily breakfast for two (valued at up $60 total each day), a resort or spa credit (varies by property), and guaranteed late check-out. (Terms apply.)
• Complimentary Gold Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required.)
• Complimentary Gold Elite Status with Hilton Honors (enrollment required.)

Lifestyle Statement Credit Opportunities:

• Up to $240 Digital Entertainment Statement Credit: Earn up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with one or more of the following:
  • Disney+
  • a Disney+ Bundle
  • ESPN+
  • Hulu
  • The New York Times
  • Peacock
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • Enrollment is required and terms apply.
• Up to $155 Walmart+ Statement Credit: Earn back the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) plus applicable local sales tax with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your card.
• Up to $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Statement Credit: Earn a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card. You must have an Equinox+ subscription to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. You must charge the full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping is available in the contiguous U.S. only. (Enrollment is required and terms apply.)

Final Approach

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers new applicants to earn as high as 175,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new card within six (6) months of being approved. (Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Terms apply.) Learn here how to apply for this promotion.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this link.