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Everything you need to know about Amex Travel

The American Express Travel portal allows you to redeem Membership Rewards points directly for travel reservations and activities rather than transfer your rewards to airline or hotel partners like Delta Air Lines SkyMiles and Marriott Bonvoy .

You also can book discounted premium tickets, use benefits like a 35% points rebate on certain bookings and even book premium hotels with additional perks through Amex Travel.

Let's explore this booking portal to uncover all its benefits and potential disadvantages.

What is the American Express Travel portal?

Amex Travel is the booking portal for most American Express cards . You can book flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises through the site, and you can pay with points, cash or a combination of the two.

How to book flights on the Amex Travel portal

To find flights on American Express Travel, visit this webpage . The flight booking process on the Amex Travel portal is similar to other popular sites like Kayak and Orbitz. You'll find a search box where you can enter your departure and destination cities.

If you're flexible with your departure airport, you can choose an entire city, such as New York, which has multiple airports. Additionally, you can customize your booking by selecting your preferred class and the number of travelers, and choosing between one-way and round-trip flights.

You'll see the price listed in dollars and the number of Amex Membership Rewards points during the booking process.

You can also use the options on the left-hand side to filter flights by number of stops, departure and arrival times, flight duration and airline.

Delta Air Lines is a featured airline in the Amex Travel portal. Sometimes, Delta flights appear at the top of your results, listed as "recommended," but this doesn't mean those flights are always the cheapest.

Additionally, if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and are flying from an airport with a Centurion Lounge , you'll see an indicator that a lounge is available.

Points vs. cash

When paying for your flights on Amex Travel, several American Express cards offer elevated earning rates:

You can also pay with Amex Membership Rewards points to cover the cost of your flight.

You'll see the number of points required next to the cash price of a flight. You can expect a value of 1 cent per point when using Pay with Points . However, TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents apiece when you maximize Amex's transfer partners.

Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

It's important to compare the number of points required for bookings on Amex Travel with the points you'd need to transfer to an airline program . If you can't book a flight through transfer partners and prefer to use your points, Amex Travel remains an option.

There's an additional benefit for Amex Business Platinum cardmembers: You can get 35% of your points back when paying with points on Amex Travel. This applies to first- and business-class flights on any airline plus tickets in any class on your preferred airline (the same one used for your airline incidental credits ; enrollment is required in advance). This 35% points rebate can provide a value of 1.54 cents per point, which may influence your decision to pay with cash or points.

Similarly, the Business Centurion® Card from American Express offers a 50% Pay with Points rebate on eligible flights. Note that Centurion cards are available by invitation only.

The information for the Business Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

More details about flights through Amex Travel

During the payment process, you can use points, your credit card or a combination of both. The minimum number of points you can use is 5,000, and each point is valued at 1 cent.

You can upgrade your flights using cash or points in the Amex Travel portal. This generally gives you a return of 1 cent each, and you can book using your Amex card, points or a combination of both.

During your flight search, you might come across "Insider Fares" that offer a discounted price. But to benefit from the discount, you must redeem points to cover the full fare amount.

Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers have another benefit: discounted premium tickets through Amex Travel's International Airline Program . This program offers discounts on first-class, business-class and premium economy tickets from over 20 participating airlines.

To book a premium ticket using the IAP, go to the Amex Travel portal and pay with cash or points, including the Business Platinum card's 35% airline rebate. Keep in mind that not all flights are eligible and there are restrictions:

• The cardmember must travel on the itinerary.
• A maximum of eight tickets can be booked per itinerary; travel must begin and end in the U.S. or Canadian international airports.
• Tickets are nonrefundable unless stated otherwise.
• Name changes for passengers are not allowed.

Finally, note that flights booked through Amex Travel are typically treated as normal paid tickets, meaning you're eligible to earn points or miles with participating airline loyalty programs.

Related: Why I love the Amex Business Platinum's Pay with Points perk

How to book hotels on the Amex Travel portal

You can book hotels through American Express Travel with a Gold, Platinum or Centurion card. As with other travel portals, you can input your destination, dates, number of rooms and number of guests (with separate input fields for adults and children).

Platinum and Business Platinum cardmembers earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel reservations.

After selecting your hotel, you'll choose your preferred room and pay with points or cash. If you pay with points, you'll only get a value of 0.7 cents per point (compared to 1 cent when you book flights).

Note that these are considered third-party bookings, so you likely won't earn hotel points or elite credits for your stay . While there are reports of people receiving stay credits with Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors on rooms booked through Amex Travel, the hotel is not guaranteed to recognize your elite status in these programs or provide status-qualifying stay credits.

Related: 9 things to consider when choosing to book via a portal vs. booking directly

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts

Platinum and Centurion cardholders also have access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program through Amex Travel. This can add some great benefits to your hotel stays — and may not cost much more than booking directly with the hotel.

Here are the perks you'll receive with every FHR booking, regardless of the length of your stay:

• Room upgrade upon arrival (when available): Some room types may be excluded, but you could receive an upgrade to preferred rooms with better views or a better location in the hotel.
• Daily breakfast for two people: The provided breakfast must be, at a minimum, a continental breakfast.
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
• Noon check-in when available
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Unique property amenity: The amenity varies by hotel but should be valued at $100 or more and usually consists of a property credit, dining credit, spa credit, private airport transfer or similar amenity.

You'll need to book these stays through Amex Travel, but note that FHR is considered a separate program from Amex Travel.

In addition, if you have the personal Amex Platinum , you can also get up to $200 in statement credits every year for prepaid reservations through Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection — which we'll discuss next. Enrollment is required.

Related: A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi

The Hotel Collection

A lesser-known American Express benefit is The Hotel Collection , which allows you to book in cash or with points. Those with Amex Gold, Platinum and Centurion cards have access to this program, which offers the following benefits:

• A room upgrade at check-in (if available)
• $100 on-property credit for qualifying dining, spa and resort activities

Note that The Hotel Collection bookings require a minimum stay of two nights, though they too are eligible for the $200 hotel credit on the Amex Platinum.

How to book rental cars and cruises on the Amex Travel portal

Reserving a car in the Amex portal is relatively simple. You'll input your pickup and drop-off times and location.

You'll see rental car prices listed in cash and points. When using Pay with Points , your points are worth 0.7 cents — just over a third of TPG's valuation of Amex Membership Rewards points.

Although the format differs, you can also search for cruises on Amex Travel.

Rather than typing specific dates and numbers of passengers, you'll see four drop-down menus. These allow you to choose a destination (by region), filter by cruise lines and choose a month for travel — though not specific dates — on this first page. You can also select your desired cruise duration.

From here, you can filter by cruise duration, departure port and ship. You can sort your results by sailing date, value, price or ship rating.

On the final payment page, you can use your card or redeem points, ranging from 1 point to enough to cover the entire cost. Using points for a cruise will result in a low valuation of 0.7 cents per point, but it can be a money-saving option if you prefer not to spend cash.

There's another benefit available if you're a Platinum or Centurion cardholder (including personal and business versions of these cards): the Cruise Privileges Program .

This is available on cruises of five nights or more with select cruise lines, and it offers the following perks:

• $100-$500 in onboard ship credit (note that this cannot be used for casino or gratuity charges)
• Additional onboard amenities vary by line, such as spa vouchers, a bottle of Champagne, shore excursion credits or a private ship tour

Note that the Platinum cardmember must be one of the travelers on the cruise to enjoy these benefits.

Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles

Further things to consider about Amex Travel

When booking through the Amex Travel portal, there are a few factors to consider.

First, using Amex Membership Rewards points on Amex Travel may not provide the best value compared to transferring points to airline or hotel loyalty programs. The Pay with Points feature typically values points at 0.7 to 1 cent per point, which is far lower than our 2-cent valuation .

Additionally, the prices on Amex Travel may not always be the most competitive, so we recommend checking other platforms like Google Flights before booking your travel. Also, booking directly with hotels is advised for those seeking to utilize elite status benefits.

When you need to change your upcoming trips booked through Amex Travel, it can get complicated. You may encounter change and cancellation fees, often around $75, and making a change requires a phone call. Flight credit vouchers from cancellations can only be used for rebooking through Amex Travel via phone.

On the positive side, Amex Travel allows a 24-hour cancellation window for most reservations, and booking flights through the site generally still qualifies for earning miles and status with airline loyalty programs.

Related: Redeeming American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

Bottom line

American Express Travel offers an array of booking options, including the ability to earn bonus Membership Rewards points on select purchases. Although you can use your points to book hotels, flights, rental cars and cruises through Amex Travel, you can get more from your points when you transfer them to Amex's airline and hotel partners .

However, there are exceptions, such as when there is no award availability for last-minute travel. In addition, Amex Travel offers perks like discounted premium flights, added benefits with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and a user-friendly interface. And with a simple redemption scheme that doesn't involve complicated loyalty programs and transfer partners, many Amex cardholders prefer it when planning their trips.

Additional reporting by Ryan Patterson and Kyle Olsen.

American Express travel portal guide

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Key takeaways

• The American Express travel portal (AmexTravel.com) lets individuals book airfare, hotel stays, cruises and more with cash or points.
• In order to book travel with rewards through this portal, you need an American Express credit card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points.
• While booking through the portal can make sense, there are scenarios where you can save points by transferring them to Amex airline and hotel partners instead.
• Make sure to familiarize yourself with Amex transfer partners so you can make an informed decision on the best ways to use your rewards.

Most popular travel credit cards let you redeem your points in more than one way, including the option to use points to book travel through a portal.

This is true of Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ *, both of which let you book travel directly through the Chase travel portal. But it’s also true for Citi credit cards like the Citi Prestige® Card *, which lets you book airfare, hotels and more through the Citi ThankYou travel portal.

American Express also makes it possible for cardholders to book travel through its own portal, found at AmexTravel.com. This portal works similarly to most of the other travel booking portals you can find online, with the exception that you can shop with American Express Membership Rewards points, cash or a combination of the two.

To book travel with points through AmexTravel.com, all you need is a credit card that earns points in the American Express Membership Rewards program. That said, anyone can book travel through this portal and pay with another form of payment, such as a credit card.

What are the benefits of booking through AmexTravel.com?

AmexTravel.com is a third-party booking site that works similarly to competitors like Expedia.com or Orbitz.com. You can use it to compare prices for airfare, hotels and more across the web, just like you would with another booking site.

But there are more benefits to using this portal if you’re an American Express cardholder. If you have The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , for example, you can get 35 percent of your points back (up to 1,000,000 points per calendar year) when you use rewards to book first or business class tickets or any flight with your selected airline.

Also, note that both the business version and The Platinum Card® from American Express for consumers let you earn 5X points when you purchase prepaid flights or prepaid hotels through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 in airfare spending with the consumer card). Meanwhile, the popular American Express® Gold Card lets you earn 3X points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com.

Beyond specific cardholder benefits, AmexTravel.com makes it easy to compare flight and hotel options. You may also find offers that include additional benefits when you book a cruise through the portal, such as onboard credits or free specialty meals.

How to use the Amex travel portal to book flights and hotels

Using the Amex travel portal to book flights, hotels, cruises and other travel is a lot like using any other travel booking site. AmexTravel.com is set up to make it easy to search for travel and compare multiple flight and hotel options in one place.

Besides flights, hotels and cruises, you can also use AmexTravel.com to book rental cars and vacation packages. All you have to do is head to AmexTravel.com and enter some basic details on the travel you want to book. From there, you’ll be shown a selection you can choose from.

Cash vs. points

When using the Amex travel portal to pay for hotels, flights and other bookings, you have the option to pay with points, cash or a combination of the two.

To fully or partially pay with points, all you have to do is head to the American Express website and log in to your account. Once you find the travel you want and prepare to book, you can select the option to “Use only points” or to “Use points + card.” You can also pay for travel through AmexTravel.com with only your credit card as payment or use the Amex “Plan it” feature for your booking.

Once you book and choose how you want to pay, your credit card will be charged the full dollar amount of your booking. A credit for any points you used, however, will be applied to your account within 48 hours, per American Express.

Note that you’ll need at least 5,000 Membership Rewards points to pay with points. This rule makes it a little more difficult to use up any leftover points you might have from other bookings. However, it shouldn’t be too hard to reach the 5,000 point threshold for travel if you have an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points.

When it comes to booking flights, there are a few interesting details to note. If you have an Amex card that offers access to Centurion Lounges or Delta Sky Clubs, for example, you’ll see a note showing qualification for lounge access on flights that apply. You can use Amex points to book a business or first class flight or to upgrade your flight.

You also have the option to transfer your American Express Membership Rewards points to Amex airline and hotel partners . Using the American Express travel portal may or may not be a better deal, but you do get the benefit of booking any travel you want without having to worry about award availability.

Booking flights through Amex

Before you book flights through AmexTravel.com with your points, find out if you could get a better deal by transferring your rewards to an Amex airline partner instead. Fortunately, you can easily find this out by comparing award flights with your favorite airline to what the cost would be for airfare through AmexTravel.com.

Here’s an example of how this could work. Let’s say you want to fly from Indianapolis, Indiana to Miami, Florida on Delta Air Lines on a specific travel date in February of 2024. In that case, you could easily see how many miles you would need on the Delta website by searching for the travel you want and clicking on the button that says “Shop with Miles.”

As you can see, the flight in question starts at 11,500 miles plus $6 in basic economy and 14,500 miles plus $6 in main cabin economy through the Delta website.

Interestingly, whether or not you have a Delta credit card can also come into play here. This is due to the fact that Delta credit cards offer a feature called “TakeOff 15” that automatically grants cardholders 15 percent off flights they book with miles. If you were a Delta credit card customer, this flight would cost you 9,700 miles in basic economy or 12,300 miles in main cabin economy instead.

When you compare this cost to what you would pay for the same flight through AmexTravel.com, it’s easy to see where transferring your Amex points to Delta makes more sense even if you don’t have a Delta credit card. For the same flight on the same travel date, AmexTravel.com wants 18,320 miles.

In the meantime, Amex lets you transfer points to Delta Air Lines at a ratio of 1,000:1,000 in increments of 1,000. This means you would transfer as little as 10,000 Amex points to your Delta SkyMiles account (as a Delta card customer) and make this booking.

This is just one example of how transferring your Amex points to a partner can make more sense than booking a flight through AmexTravel.com. That said, you’ll want to run the numbers with each booking you make before deciding, as there may be scenarios where booking through Amex is a considerably better deal — and you won’t know unless you do the research upfront.

It can also help to familiarize yourself with Amex transfer partners ahead of time so you know what your options are.

Booking hotels through Amex

Using AmexTravel.com to book a hotel or resort stay works similarly, requiring you to enter your travel information to identify properties in the destinations you plan to visit. Once again, you can pay for your booking with points, cash or a combination of the two. You’ll need to have at least 5,000 Membership Rewards points in your account in order to pay with points.

Again, you’ll want to compare your options when deciding whether to book hotels with hotel loyalty points or directly through Amex. That’s because, in addition to the many frequent flyer programs Amex partners with, the program lets you transfer Amex points to the Choice Privileges program, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy.

Consider the following example: Let’s say you’re planning a trip to Paris, France, and that you want to splurge with Amex points for a stay at the Westin Paris – Vendôme in May of 2024. If you do a quick search on the Marriott Bonvoy website, you can see that free night awards start at 88,000 points per night over your travel dates, and that the cash rate works out to 527 euros per night (around $570 USD, as of this writing).

When you search for the same hotel through AmexTravel.com, however, you can see that a free night award will set you back 75,160 points.

Since Amex points transfer to Marriott Bonvoy at a ratio of 1,000:1,000, this is a scenario where you’re better off using your Amex points to book this hotel directly through the portal. In fact, doing so will save you more than 12,000 points per night.

Pay It Plan It

You can now pay for airline tickets with Pay It Plan It. Amex’s Pay It Plan It is a flexible payment option that allows cardholders to make payments on large purchases over time. With this option, cardholders can avoid interest charges and pay down balances with predictable, monthly payments.

The payment option is only for airline tickets booked through the American Express travel website. At checkout, cardholders are presented with up to three different plans to pay for any flight purchase of $100 or more. Note that the installment payment plan doesn’t have any interest associated with it, but there is a fixed monthly fee based on the card’s APR.

International Airline Program

The business and personal Platinum cards let you access a newer Amex program for frequent flyers known as the International Airline Program. This program was created to increase access to lower fares on 24 participating airlines, but it’s only good for international premium class tickets.

To search for fares that qualify, log in to your personal or business Platinum account. From there, use AmexTravel.com to search for First Class, Business Class or Premium Economy to an international destination. At that point, you may see some flight options that show an International Airline Program banner.

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program

Note that select premium American Express credit cards, like the Business Platinum Card from American Express and the Platinum Card from American Express, let you access an additional hotel program known as American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts .

This program lets cardholders book stays at over 1,300 luxury hotels in the world with added benefits worth up to $550 per stay. Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts perks can include:

• Daily breakfast for two people
• 4 p.m. late checkout
• Complimentary internet access
• Noon check-in, based on availability
• Room upgrades based on availability
• Unique resort amenity worth up to $100

The Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program is available only for eligible premium cardholders. Using this program also typically means going without elite hotel benefits or points for paid stays.

Does American Express cover trip cancellations?

Individual airlines and hotels have their own policies that cover cancellations. AmexTravel.com, however, does offer the option to view all your booked travel and cancel or rebook a flight with ease using your My Trips page. You will still be subject to any change or cancellation fees imposed by the carrier if you’re not covered by a flexible policy or existing waiver.

Some American Express credit cards offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which could apply in some situations where you have to cancel or rebook your plans.

Popular cards that offer this benefit include the Business Platinum Card and the Platinum Card, as well as co-branded airline and hotel credit cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card .

Is booking through AmexTravel.com worth it?

Only you can decide which travel booking option works best for your needs. Regardless of the value of rewards earned, some travelers like being able to book directly through a portal that offers multiple options.

AmexTravel.com also gives customers the benefit of booking any travel available on the portal without having to find award space on a flight or search for available award nights in high-demand hotels. American Express Membership Rewards points, however, are usually worth more if you transfer them to Amex transfer partners , particularly airlines.

Either way, it makes sense to compare all your options before you book travel through AmexTravel.com. See if a transfer partner might let you book the flights you want for fewer miles, but don’t be afraid to use AmexTravel.com if you don’t want to deal with award availability or you find a better deal.

Learn more : Check out Bankrate’s travel toolkit for tips and tricks on how to maximize travel with a credit card.

*The information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Citi Prestige® Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer .

Related Articles

Guide to American Express transfer partners

Guide to Fine Hotels + Resorts by American Express

Guide to the American AAdvantage online shopping portal

Capital One Travel portal guide

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The Amex Platinum Card: How To Best Use Your $200 Airline Credit [Every Year]

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Amex Platinum Card – Snapshot

Selecting an airline for your airline incidental credit, official ways to redeem the incidental fee credit, unofficial ways to redeem the incidental fee credit, purchases that do not trigger the airline incidental credit, what if my purchase isn’t automatically reimbursed, final thoughts.

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The Platinum Card ® from American Express is one of the top premium travel credit cards on the market, but also one of the most expensive.

The card’s annual fee is substantially higher than other cards. Still, it also comes with an extensive list of benefits like airport lounge access, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy hotel elite status, major bonus earnings on flights booked with airlines, and much more.

While the card’s fee may seem like a shocker at first, it’s not so  bad when you take a look at the multiple statement credits offered, including an airline incidental credit of up to $200 (enrollment required).

Many travelers often aren’t sure how to take advantage of the airline incidental credit and what it can cover. After all, it doesn’t let you cover paid plane tickets but does let you cover other fees incurred from an airline — whether inflight or at the airport.

In this article, you’ll finally get clarity as to precisely what the Amex Platinum card’s airline incidental credit is and your best options for redeeming your card’s $200 annual credit. After all, what use is a benefit if you don’t know how to use it, right?

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.

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.

• 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, 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
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with 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.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $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: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 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.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. 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.
• Terms Apply.

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Hot Tip:  Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

What Is the Amex Platinum Card’s Airline Incidental Credit?

Both the Amex Platinum card and  The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express offer a $200 airline incidental fee credit upon enrollment.

According to American Express, this credit will be used to cover inflight expenses on your selected airline. Some of the items American Express lists as eligible for reimbursement include inflight refreshments and checked bag fees. Airline tickets, gift cards, and points or miles purchases aren’t eligible for reimbursement.

Here’s what the terms and conditions have to say:

“Incidental airline fees charged prior to selection of a qualifying airline are not eligible for statement credits. Airline tickets, upgrades, mileage points purchases, mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, duty free purchases, and award tickets are not deemed to be incidental fees. The airline must submit the charge under the appropriate merchant code, industry code, or required service or product identifier for the charge to be recognized as an incidental air travel fee.”

Once you’ve selected your airline, you can charge these expenses to your Amex Platinum card. You’ll automatically be reimbursed in the form of a statement credit within 6 to 8 weeks of the charge posting to your account.

If the statement credit has not posted after 8 weeks from the date of purchase, it is best to call the number on the back of the card.

Hot Tip:  You receive the airline incidental once per calendar year. The credit is dispersed on January 1st each year and doesn’t roll over.

Unlike the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® ‘s $300 travel credit, you’re limited to using your Amex Platinum card’s incidental fee credit on a single airline. You can select your airline when you receive your card and change it once per year in January. However, we at Upgraded Points have had luck changing the airline more than once when chatting (nicely) with an American Express representative.

You can pick from the following airlines:

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

You must select an airline before you can use the airline incidental credit. Charges made to your account before choosing an airline are  not eligible for reimbursement , so select your airline as soon as you receive your Amex Platinum card and have a trip booked.

Thankfully, selecting your Amex Platinum card airline choice is easy. Just head over to the American Express website , log in, and select your Amex Platinum card (should you have more than 1 American Express card).

Click on the Rewards & Benefits  tab on the bar at the top of the screen. And then click on the Benefits tab.

Here, you’ll see the balance of your Airline Fee Credit — how much you’ve used and how much you have left.

Scroll down the page for a list of benefits included with your Amex Platinum card . There will be an option labeled $200 Airline Fee Credit. Click on the Learn More button, and from there you can select your airline using the drop-down menu at the center of the screen.

The Best Ways To Use Your Airline Incidental Fee Credit

As mentioned earlier, the Amex Platinum card’s airline incidental fee credit cannot be used toward plane tickets, points purchases, or gift cards.

Frustrating, yes. But, thankfully, there are still plenty of great ways that you can spend the credit over the year.

Here are our favorite ways of utilizing the flight credit. We’ve split this section into 2 parts: official and unofficial ways to redeem the incidental fee credit.

Airport Lounge Day Passes and Annual Memberships

While the Amex Platinum card includes extensive lounge access , it doesn’t include access to all  of the U.S. carrier’s lounges. You can use your Amex Platinum card’s credit to buy day passes to:

• Alaska Lounge
• American Airlines Admirals Club
• Delta Sky Club
• United Club

Just remember, you have to select the applicable airline for the lounge charge to be covered. So if you choose Delta as your preferred airline, your charges to the Admirals Club won’t be covered by your incidental fees.

United American and American Airlines both sell day passes, which could be an option if you don’t have access to a lounge on a long layover. You must be flying with the airline to have lounge access.

Hot Tip:  If you purchase an annual lounge membership with your Amex Platinum card that costs more than $200, you’ll be credited the entirety of the incidental fee credit at once. So, in this case, you can think of it as a $200 discount on your lounge membership of choice.

Further, note that Amex Platinum cardmembers do not receive complimentary guest access at Delta Sky Clubs . However, guest access can be purchased for $50 for a standard day pass. If you purchase Delta Sky Club guest access and Delta is selected as your Amex Platinum card’s airline, you will be reimbursed for your entry fee.

Change Fees

Changing a trip’s date can be expensive, but your Amex Platinum card’s incidental fee credit covers the itinerary change fee. Note that the incidental fee will not likely cover the airfare difference as this is often charged like a plane ticket.

Hot Tip: Want more information on airline change fees? Learn how to avoid airline change fees in our dedicated article. 

Checked Baggage Fees

So you planned on checking a bag, but it isn’t included with your ticket? Just charge it to your Amex Platinum card. This is especially helpful if you’ve selected a low-cost carrier, such as Spirit, as your airline, as these carriers generally charge more for baggage. Remember that the incidental fee credit only covers baggage fees on your selected airline.

Most airlines have a co-branded credit card that provides perks such as free checked baggage. If you carry an airline’s co-branded credit card , check if that card provides free checked baggage. This allows you to use your Amex airline incidental fee credit elsewhere.

Inflight Entertainment Fees

The incidental fee credit covers inflight entertainment fees including TV, movies, and tablet rentals charged directly by the airline. A good example of this is renting an Alaska Airlines entertainment tablet in flight. The airline charges a fee to rent these in economy class.

Unfortunately, this does  not cover inflight internet, as a third party generally bills this . However, we have heard of United inflight entertainment being reimbursed, as it is usually charged by United directly. Proceed with caution, though, as there’s no guarantee it will be refunded.

Inflight Amenities

Most other inflight purchases are covered, too. Think amenities like headphones, blankets on budget carriers, food, and drink. The airline almost always charges for these directly, and you’re automatically reimbursed for them by your Amex Platinum card’s incidental fee credit.

Seat Selection Fees

Seat selection fees are another great way to redeem your airline incidental fee credit. You can use this when flying low-cost carriers or on a basic economy fare that doesn’t include free seat selection. Note that this  does include things like Even More Space seating on JetBlue and Economy Plus on United Airlines.

Most airlines charge anywhere from $10 up to $50 for a seat assignment on domestic flights.

Pet Flight Fees

If you’re taking a furry companion with you , use your Amex Platinum card’s incidental credit to cover the pet fee. This can take out a nice chunk of your reimbursement, though — for example, JetBlue charges $125 per one-way flight.

Phone Booking Fees

You can usually avoid these by booking online, but there may be instances where you need to call to book an award ticket or a flight with special routing. If you can’t get the agent to waive this fee, your Amex Platinum card’s incidental fee credit should cover it.

Priority Boarding

Priority boarding purchases work on virtually all airlines. This can be especially valuable when flying Southwest Airlines, as it gives you first dibs on the best seats . Again, remember that the incidental fees only cover priority boarding fees on your selected airline.

The methods below are ways our team members have either tried or seen work for other travelers. Proceed with caution . There’s no guarantee that these will work for you, too. While we try to keep this section as up-to-date as possible, these things can change on a dime, and we can’t be held liable for a charge not  being reimbursed.

Fill Your United TravelBank Account

This might be the easiest unofficial way to use your Amex incidental fee credit. United’s TravelBank allows you to fund the account with cash to use on future United flights. Any money you put in your TravelBank account does not expire for 5 years, provided there is account activity at least every 18 months.

You can fund your account in different increments up to $1,000. However, it is best to fund with how much you have available with your credit. You need to make sure United is selected as your preferred airline.

Admirals Club Food or Drink Purchases

A number of American Airlines Admirals Club locations have premium food and drink available for purchase. American Express has reimbursed these purchases, as they’re billed directly by American Airlines.

Unfortunately, we don’t have data for purchases at other lounges at this time. Again, proceed with caution.

Delta Airfare Purchased Partially With a Gift Card

There are reports of Delta tickets purchased partially with a gift card being reimbursed by American Express. This is because, when the purchase processes, it adds an “additional collection” to the transaction instead of listing an airline route, like most airfare purchases.

This means that American Express sees the transaction as if it were some sort of add-on or other inflight expense. However, this is not officially supported, and American Express may choose not to honor your incidental credit for this purchase.

Airfare of $99 or Below on Certain Airlines

We’ve seen reports of below-$99 fares on Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue being reimbursed by the incidental fee credit. But again, this is very much something you would try at your own risk, as the purchase  will code as airfare.

Spirit Saver$ Club Memberships

Spirit Airlines has a members-only discount club called Spirit Saver$ Club. It provides access to discounted tickets and includes other perks but has an annual fee.

We’ve seen reports of Spirit Saver$ Club memberships being reimbursed by American Express. Definitely keep this in mind if you’re a frequent flyer on this ultra-low-cost carrier, as it can save you a nice sum of money as you travel throughout the year.

$5.60 TSA Passenger Security Fee on Award Tickets

Our team has had the $5.60 TSA passenger security fee reimbursed on multiple award tickets in the past.

Now that you have a full list of things that  do (or might) trigger the airline incidental fee credit, here’s a quick look at the things that don’t trigger this credit.

Award Taxes and Fees

Aside from the $5.60 TSA security fee mentioned above, our team has not had luck having other award fees reimbursed. This is likely because these purchases code as airfare when posted to your American Express card.

Airline Gift Card Purchases

Airline gift card purchases were a longtime favorite for redeeming the airline incidental fee credit. However, as of this summer, our team has had no luck getting these reimbursed.

Class of Service Upgrades

Cabin upgrades are not eligible for reimbursement .

Inflight Wi-Fi

As mentioned, inflight Wi-Fi generally does not trigger the incidental fee credit, as a third party like Gogo or Panasonic usually bills it. However, we’ve seen reports of United Airlines Wi-Fi purchases being reimbursed because United does bill Wi-Fi purchases on its own or if you purchase the service through the airline before your flight.

While American Express states that it will reimburse eligible charges within 4 weeks, some charges don’t make it through the system. If you’re not reimbursed for an eligible charge, you can call the number on the back of your card or use the American Express live chat service to request reimbursement.

While the Amex Platinum card’s airline incidental fee credit is limited compared to travel credits offered by other premium credit cards, it still provides a ton of value. It has gotten hard to use the credits, but there are still ways to get the total value.

When you use the methods listed above, you’ll save money and have a better travel experience with extra checked bags, lounge access, and more. Better yet, the airline incidental credit can help offset the hefty annual fee of the Amex Platinum card.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the american express airline fee credit.

The American Express airline incidental fee credit allows you to receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged to your account. You must select a qualifying airline before you can use the airline incidental credit.

Do authorized users get additional airline incidental fee credits?

No, the airline incidental fee credits are up to $200 per account per calendar year.

Can I use my airline incidental credit toward airfare?

Generally speaking, no. The terms and conditions prohibit this, and it has not worked in practice for a majority of Amex Platinum cardholders. However, there are reports of fares of $99 or below triggering the credit when you book on certain airlines.

Can I cash out my incidental fee credit if I don't use it?

No, you must use the entirety of the incidental fee credit before the end of a calendar year. Otherwise, the credit expires.

When does the airline incidental credit renew?

You receive $200 per year in incidental fee credit. The credit renews on January 1 of the new calendar year.

Will I earn points on purchases reimbursed by the incidental fee credit?

Yes, you will still earn points on reimbursed purchases.

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About Andrew Kunesh

Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.

He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.

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Who can use the American Express Travel portal?

Benefits of booking travel on amex travel, how to book travel in the portal, is travel insurance included when booking through amex travel, downsides of booking via amex travel, final thoughts on the amex travel portal.

The American Express Travel portal is similar to many other online booking sites in that it allows you to purchase flights, hotels and other travel reservations. The main difference is that only those who hold an American Express card can use it.

Certain cards come with additional perks for booking in the portal. For instance, some AmEx cards allow travelers to earn extra points for bookings, receive a 35% points rebate, pay for a portion of the reservation with points, get room upgrades and more. Terms apply.

Here's a look at what the AmEx Travel portal offers and how to use it to maximize your benefits.

American Express Travel flights, hotels and other reservations are available for American Express cardholders. Depending on which American Express card you have, you may earn additional points on your reservation or unlock additional features. Terms apply.

For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders earn 5x points on flights booked directly with an airline or through AmEx Travel and 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through AmEx Travel. They also have access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts collection through the travel portal. Additionally, American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders can book room reservations with The Hotel Collection . Terms apply.

Here are eight reasons why booking with AmEx travel could be a good idea.

1. Earn up to 5x points

When you book flight through the AmEx Travel portal, your credit card may earn additional points for the purchase. In addition, prepaid hotel reservations through the AmEx travel portal also earn extra points. These are a few of the cards that offer a bonus when making reservations through AmEx travel:

on American Express' website

• 5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per year.

• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

• 4 points per $1 at restaurant plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.

• 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year).

• 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.

• 3 points per $1 on eligible travel purchases.

• 3 points per $1 on restaurants worldwide.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

• 2 points per $1 on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year.

• 1 point per $1 on purchases above $50,000 in a calendar year.

» Learn more: AmEx Membership Rewards: How to earn and use them

2. Pay for reservations using Pay with Points

With American Express Travel, flights, hotels and more can be paid for with points instead of cash. Members can even choose to pay a portion of the trip with points and the rest with cash. Once your reservations have been booked, the full amount of your trip will be charged to your American Express credit card, and then a credit will be posted for the points redeemed within 48 hours.

You must redeem at least 5,000 points in order to use Pay with Points. Points are redeemed at a value of 1 cent per point when booking flights or making Fine Hotels & Resorts reservations. Other eligible travel receives only 0.7 cents per point. NerdWallet values Membership Rewards points at 2.8 cents per point if you take advantage of transferring to and booking through travel partners, so the redemption rates in the travel portal are significantly below our ideal value.

If you need to cancel your reservation, you'll receive a statement credit on your card for the cash equivalent. Members who would rather have the unused Membership Rewards points returned to their accounts must contact American Express customer service at 800-297-3276. Terms apply.

3. Upgrade flights with points

Eligible flights booked with cash can be upgraded using your American Express Membership Rewards points. You'll receive 1 cent per point credit towards the cost when upgrading a flight with points (which is again below our AmEx point valuation ).

To upgrade your flight with points, select your airline and provide your reservation details in the AmEx travel portal. You will be notified if your flight is eligible or not. If your flight is eligible, you can submit an offer to the airline for the upgrade. The airline will accept or reject your bid between one and five days of your flight's departure and you'll receive a decision via email.

If your upgrade offer is accepted, the points will be deducted from your account. Your statement will show a charge and a credit for the corresponding points.

» Learn more: You can now use AmEx points to bid on flight upgrades

4. Discounted international flights through AmEx IAP

Platinum cardholders have access to discounted flights through International Airline Program (IAP) , which allows members to book first, business and premium economy at a discount on select airlines and routes. Plus, you'll receive 5x Membership Rewards points on the booking when using your The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express to pay for the flight. Terms apply.

There are 25 airlines that participate in this program. You can book refundable and nonrefundable tickets for up to eight passengers through the IAP. Tickets can be paid with your card, points or a combination of the two. You will have to pay a $39 nonrefundable ticketing fee, however the discount received on these tickets should outweigh the fee.

5. Cancel For Any Reason insurance

CFAR is shorthand for an insurance policy that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason whatsoever and receive a refund. In May 2022, AmEx launched its own version of CFAR coverage for airfare booked through the travel portal using an AmEx card.

This feature, called Trip Cancel Guard, will get you up to a 75% reimbursement on nonrefundable airfare costs, provided you cancel at least two calendar days out from your departure. You'll need to purchase Trip Cancel Guard coverage at the point of booking and if you cancel, whether through the airline directly or through AmEx Travel, you can request reimbursement online or over the phone.

» Learn more: The guide to Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance

6. 35% points rebate with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

When The Business Platinum Card® from American Express cardholder book flights using points through the AmEx travel portal, they can receive up to 35% of their points back . The benefit is available on first or business class flights on any airline and all economy flights with their chosen airline. This benefit provides up to 500,000 points back per calendar year.

However, as with all AmEx credits , it's not as straightforward as you may hope. You will have to designate the airline for the 35% rebate and the airline must be the same as the one chosen for the $200 airline incidental credit .

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

7. Fine Hotels & Resorts

The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. (Photo by Sally French)

Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) is a collection of resorts and benefits available only to Platinum Card members. There are over 2,000 properties worldwide that participate in this program. When making reservations with Fine Hotels & Resorts for one night or more, you'll receive the following benefits:

$200 statement credit provided once per year.

Noon check-in (when available).

Room upgrade upon arrival (when available).

Daily breakfast for two.

Guaranteed 4 pm late checkout.

Complimentary in-room WiFi.

Unique property benefit valued at least $100.

These benefits rival those that many travelers receive when booking directly with hotels to obtain elite status perks. Some locations also offer a last-night free benefit, depending upon when you make your reservation. And some of the best hotels to book using FHR credits offer especially-unique amenities.

For example, many theme park fans consider Loews Portofino Bay Hotel as the best FHR hotel in Orlando . That's because — on top of all the above benefits — guests receive complimentary Universal Express Unlimited ride access, which allows you to skip the lines inside the Universal theme parks .

8. The Hotel Collection

The Loews Sapphire Falls at Universal Orlando falls under The Hotel Collection. (Photo by Sally French)

AmEx Gold and Platinum cardholders receive elite status-level perks at more than 600 hotels worldwide. When you stay for two nights or more, you'll receive a $100 resort credit and an upgrade upon arrival (when available). In addition, you can use your AmEx Membership Rewards credit card to book and pay for your reservation entirely or partially with your points.

While you can book travel over the phone with an agent, it is often quicker and more convenient to make your reservations through the AmEx Travel portal.

Here's how to book travel in the American Express travel portal:

Go to americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/ .

Log in with your username and password.

Select flights, hotels, flight + hotel, cars, or cruises.

Enter your travel dates, cities and other relevant information.

Choose options based on your trip.

Pay with your American Express credit card, points, or a combination.

Since you need an American Express card to make reservations through AmEx travel, you may already hold a card that offers complimentary travel insurance . If you don’t get travel insurance perks through your AmEx card, you can purchase Trip Cancel Guard through when making your booking.

Trip Cancel Guard works similarly to CFAR in that it allows you to cancel your trip for any reason whatsoever and get up to a 75% reimbursement of your travel costs as long as the cancellation is made two full days before your trip.

What is the AmEx Travel cancellation policy?

When you book travel through the American Express travel portal, you may be eligible to cancel your reservation within 24 hours and get a full refund. However, the cancellation policy is determined by the airline.

As such, AmEx instructs travelers to refer to the cancellation policy on the itinerary or reach out to customer service with any questions. Terms apply.

There are many appealing reasons why travelers want to book reservations with the AmEx travel portal. However, there are some downsides as well. These are some of the most common reasons why you shouldn't:

Low value for your points. Redeeming points through the AmEx travel portal yields a value of 1 cent per point or less. That's at least a 50% reduction compared to our value of Membership Rewards points.

Complicated customer service. Resolving flight or hotel reservation issues becomes more complicated when you book through a third party such as AmEx travel. The airline or hotel blames the booking agency and may not immediately resolve the problem in some instances. However, providers have no scapegoat when you book direct.

No hotel elite status benefits or loyalty credits. Most hotels require you to book directly to receive elite status benefits, stay credits or earn points. For travelers looking to take advantage of their elite status or earn status for the next year, booking AmEx travel hotel reservations is not a good idea.

Despite the above policy, hotels booked through Fine Hotels & Resorts allow you to earn elite night credit and earn loyalty perks associated with your elite status level on any hotel reservations — regardless if you book in the portal or not.

The AmEx travel portal offers numerous benefits for all American Express cardholders. If you have a Membership Rewards credit card, you can pay for all or part of eligible travel reservations using your points.

And any portion that you pay with your Membership Rewards card can earn up to 5x points. AmEx Travel also offers two hotel collections that provide additional perks similar to elite status benefits.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

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American Express Cobalt vs. Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

Published: Apr 10, 2024, 3:21pm

Table of Contents

At a glance: american express cobalt vs. scotiabank gold american express, side-by-side comparison summary table.

Welcome Bonus

Redeeming Points

Insurance coverage, alternatives to the american express cobalt and the scotiabank gold american express, bottom line, frequently asked questions (faqs).

When comparing the American Express Cobalt Card with the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card , it’s important to keep in mind that each card has its own unique features that cater to different spending habits and reward preferences.

The American Express Cobalt Card stands out for its flexible reward structure, offering up to 5 points per dollar on eats and drinks and a range of point redemption options, including travel and retail. The card’s monthly fee, when annualized, is slightly higher but justified by a rich earn rate in everyday categories.

Conversely, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers a competitive 6 Scene+ points per dollar on eligible grocery, dining and entertainment purchases in Canada. It also is one of the few credit cards in Canada with no foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for travelers and international spenders.

In essence, if your spending leans heavily towards dining and entertainment, the American Express Cobalt Card may offer more value, despite its fee. However, for cardholders who travel or make foreign transactions frequently, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card could be a superior choice, especially with its foreign transaction fee waiver and higher point earning potential in multiple categories.

Ultimately, the better card hinges on your spending behaviour and reward preferences. The American Express Cobalt Card is tailored for maximized rewards on daily expenses, whereas the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card appeals to users seeking diverse point-earning opportunities and savings on foreign transactions.

Best Overall American Express and Travel Credit Card

American Express Cobalt® Card

Up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points

$155.88 ($12.99 per month)

Regular APR

The American Express Cobalt will not only earn you 2 American Express Membership Rewards per dollar spent on travel or gas purchases (make that 3 points per dollar if you make travel bookings online through the Amex Travel Portal), but it also comes with many valuable travel insurance coverages and a $100 USD hotel credit. Plus, Membership Rewards points are super flexible, with four ways to redeem them for travel purchases, including transferring them at a 1:1 rate to a myriad of other travel partners.

• 2 points per dollar on gas, transit and travel purchases and 3 points per dollar when you book online through the Amex Travel Portal.
• Amex Membership Rewards can be redeemed multiple ways.
• $100 USD hotel credit when you book at select hotels.
• 10 types of insurance, including $5 million in emergency travel medical coverage.
• Relatively high annual fee.
• Amex is still not accepted everywhere, including Loblaws stores and Costco .
• In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. That’s up to $150 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets
• Earn 5x the points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery. Spend cap applies.
• Earn 3X the points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
• Earn 2X the points on eligible ride shares, transit & gas in Canada
• Earn 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings via American Express Travel Online
• Earn 1X point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else
• Enjoy access to hotel bookings, and up to $100 USD hotel credit to use on amenities when charged to the room for a stay of 2 or more consecutive nights through The Hotel Collection from American Express Travel
• Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs
• Cobalt Cardmembers receive regular Perks such as bonus reward offers and access to great events
• Access Front Of The Line® Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with American Express® Experiences
• American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

Up to 40,000 Scene+ Points

With over $800 worth of rewards potential per year—and that’s with the annual fee factored in—this is the highest earning card on our list. It also gives you some of the highest earn rates at select grocery stores, on dining and movie theatre purchases—and its flexibility for redemption is excellent. Plus, it’s one of the few cards in Canada that doesn’t charge foreign exchange fees and it includes 13 types of insurance. In fact, the only reason it didn’t rank higher up on this list is because of that pesky annual fee and a few minor drawbacks.

Learn more:  Read our Scotiabank Gold American Express Card Review

• Earns Scene+ rewards on every purchase
• No foreign transaction fees
• Built-in travel insurance
• American Express perks like Amex Front Of The Line
• $120 annual fee
• Amex is not accepted at all locations
• Welcome bonus of up to 40,000 Scene+ points (Earn 20,000 points by making at least $1,000 in the first three months, get 20,000 points when you spend at least $7,500 in your first year). Must open card by July 1, 2024 to qualify.
• Earn 6 Scene+ points per dollar spent at select grocery stores including Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and Foodland.
• Earn 5 Scene+ points per dollar spent at other grocery stores, restaurants and on food delivery and entertainment.
• Earn 3 Scene+ points per dollar spent on gas, transportation and streaming services.
• Earn 1 Scene+ points per dollar spent on everything else.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• American Express perks like Amex Front Of The Line.
• Comprehensive travel insurance covers emergency medical, trip interruption, flight delays, travel accidents, rental car collision and hotel burglaries.
• Includes mobile device coverage up to $1,000.
• Includes purchase security and extended warranty protection.

Featured Partners

On American Express’s Secure Website

• TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

On TD’s Website

Up to $1200 in value†

Credit Score Description

Good/Excellent

On Scotia Bank’s Website

Up to 40,000 Scene+ points

The American Express Cobalt Card comes with a welcome bonus that can reach up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points, equalling a maximum of $300 if leveraged optimally through specific travel partner points transfers. This flexibility in redemption, particularly for travel, where points can be worth up to $0.02 each, offers significant value for cardholders seeking diverse redemption avenues, from airfare to hotel partners.

In contrast, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card’s welcome bonus of up to 40,000 Scene+ points translates directly to $400 if redeemed for travel or other eligible expenses, offering straightforward value for most cardholders. While this card’s dollar value is higher, Scene+ points maintain a consistent value of $0.01 across every category, lacking the higher potential value in travel redemption that the American Express Cobalt offers.

Bottom line: While the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card’s bonus initially appears more lucrative, the American Express Cobalt Card’s points provide a more flexible and potentially more valuable redemption choice for savvy users, especially when it comes to travel.

We break down average Canadian spending and how it would translate to rewards. We used the average redemption value of $0.01 for each Scene+ and Membership Reward point, though keep in mind, points for these cards in particular can have higher or lower value depending on how they are redeemed.

Both cards offer diverse redemption options, but the American Express Cobalt Card provides a potentially higher value for travel redemptions, especially when transferring points to airline and hotel partners. In contrast, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers solid and straightforward value across a variety of redemption options, like entertainment, travel, gift cards, donations and merchandise making it versatile for different types of spenders.

American Express Cobalt Point Value

With the American Express Cobalt Card, the value of Membership Rewards points varies by redemption option:

• Travel: Redeeming points for travel through American Express Travel offers $10 per 1,000 points (or one cent per point). Transferring points to airline partners could raise a point’s value up to $0.02 each, while hotel partners could value them at $0.10 each. Based on the total annual points of 62,538.4, travel redemptions could yield between $625.38 and $1,251.92 annually if transferred to airlines, or up to $6,253.84 annually with hotel partners.
• Statement Credits: Points redeemed for statement credits offer a consistent value of $10 per 1,000 points, equating to an annual value of $625.38.
• Merchandise: Points used for merchandise in Amex’s online portal maintain a value of $10 per 1,000 points, translating to $625.38 annually.
• Gift Cards and Certificates: Redeeming points for gift cards or certificates provides a flexible spending option, also valued at $10 per 1,000 points, or $625.38 annually.
• Experiences: Using points for unique experiences through the American Express Experiences program maintains the $10 per 1,000 points value, totaling $625.38 annually.
• Online Purchases: Points spent on Amazon.ca purchases are slightly less valuable at $7 per 1,000 points, resulting in an annual value of $437.69.

Scotiabank Gold American Express Point Value

Scene+ points from the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offer diverse redemption values:

• Travel: Points are worth one cent each when booking travel through Scene+ Travel or when applied to travel purchases, giving an annual value of $892.39 based on 89,239.1 points.
• Merchandise: Points redeemed for merchandise on the Scene+ portal are valued at one cent each, equating to $892.39 annually.
• Gift Cards: Exchanging points for gift cards or eCertificates maintains the typical one cent per point value, translating to an annual value of $892.39.
• Statement Credits: Using points for statement credits varies in value; the highest redemption rate is $0.71 per 100 points for a $100 to $150 credit, potentially offering up to $634.09 annually.
• Dining and Entertainment: Redeeming points in these categories maintains the one cent per point value, amounting to $892.39 annually.
• Special Experiences: Scene+ special experiences adhere to the standard point value, representing $892.39 in annual value.

American Express Cobalt Card

• Annual Fee: $155.88 (charged as $12.99 per month)
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.5%
• Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
• Annual Fee: $120
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%

Comparison and Outcome:

• Annual Fees: The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card’s annual fee is $35.88 cheaper than the American Express Cobalt.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: The American Express Cobalt has a standard 2.5% foreign transaction fee, whereas the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card has no foreign transaction fees.

Bottom line: In terms of fees, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card comes out on top, with a lower annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, offering better value for travelers and cardholders who frequently make purchases in foreign currencies. The American Express Cobalt Card, while offering robust rewards, has a higher annual cost when its monthly fees are calculated over the course of a year, plus the additional cost of foreign transactions.

• Out of Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance: Up to $5 million dollars in coverage for those under 65 for up to 15 consecutive days of travel
• Travel Accident Insurance: Up to a maximum of $250,000
• Flight Delay Insurance: Up to $500
• Baggage Delay Insurance/Loss or Stolen Baggage Insurance: Up to $500 (Amex counts these as two seperate coverages)
• Hotel Burglary Insurance: Up to $500
• Rental Car Loss/Damage Insurance: Up to 48 days
• Mobile Device Insurance: Up to $1,000
• Purchase Security: 90 days
• Extended Warranty: Up to one additional year
• Total Coverages: 9 insurance benefits.
• Travel Emergency Medical Insurance: Up to $1 million dollars in coverage for those under 65 for up to 25 consecutive days of travel (up to 3 consecutive days for people 65 and older)
• Travel Accident Insurance: Up to a maximum of $500,000 (to a maximum of $1,000,000 per occurrence)
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Up to $1,500 per person for travel expenses (maximum $10,000 per trip)
• Flight Delay Insurance: Up to $500 per person
• Delayed and Lost Baggage Insurance: $1,000 per person
• Hotel Burglary Insurance: Up to a maximum of $1,000
• Total Coverages: 10 insurance benefits.

While both cards offer a range of travel and purchase protection insurances, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card provides one additional key insurance benefit compared to the American Express Cobalt Card. The inclusion of Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance is a significant advantage for travelers, offering an extra layer of protection.

Bottom line: Considering the breadth and variety of insurance coverage that come with both cards, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card edges out the American Express Cobalt Card in this category with its additional trip cancellation/interruption insurance.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card and American Express Cobalt Card have many differences, but both credit cards are meant to appeal to different segments of the market.

The American Express Cobalt Card attracts everyday spenders and those travel-savvy cardholders looking to transfer points between loyalty programs for the most value.

Meanwhile, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card appeals to travellers when they reach their destination and are looking for strong earn rates and savings on foreign transactions.

The American Express Cobalt Card stands out for its strong rewards program, particularly in categories like dining and travel. Its flexible redemption options, especially the transfer to travel partners, are seen as a significant advantage. However, some cardholders might consider its monthly fee structure annoyingly unconventional compared to the typical annual fee model because of the frequency of the charge.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express is viewed favourably for its no foreign transaction fee feature, which is a standout in the Canadian credit card market. Additionally, its generous earn rates in popular spending categories like groceries, dining and entertainment make it competitive. However, some financial experts see its rewards as less flexible compared to the American Express Cobalt Card, especially for cardholders who value travel perks and transfer options.

Bonus categories

Bmo eclipse visa infinite card.

60,000 points

$120 (waived in the first year)

A premium rewards card with a competitive flat earn rate and a 10% boost on points for adding an authorized user.

• 10% more points for adding a supplementary card
• $50 annual lifestyle credit
• Limited travel insurance
• Travel redemptions only available through BMO Rewards
• Welcome bonus of 60,000 points (30,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months and 2,500 points for each billing cycle with $2,000 in purchases for 12 months)
• 5 points per dollar on groceries, gas, restaurants and transit (capped at $50,000 annually)
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
• Forbes Advisor estimates a rewards value of $432.99 in annual earnings based on average Canadian spending, with the annual fee factored in
• Earn 10% more points when you add another cardholder
• Exclusive benefits and discounts at Visa Infinite luxury hotels, dining series and golf resorts.
• Includes travel insurance for emergency medical care, car rental loss and damage and common carrier accidents

Best for no fee perks

Scotiabank american express® card.

Up to 7,500 bonus Scene+ points

Regular APR (Purchases) / Regular APR (Cash Advances)

19.99% / 22.99%

The Scotiabank American Express Card offers big rewards and generous reward categories with no annual fee.

• No annual fee
• Welcome bonus of up to 7,500 Scene+ points
• Earns Scene+ points on every purchase
• No travel insurance coverage
• $12,000 annual income requirement
• Earn up to 7,500 bonus Scene+ points within your first 3 months (that’s up to $75 towards travel).¹
• Earn 3x Scene+ points¹ on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshcoand more
• Earn 2x Scene+ points¹ for every $1 you spend on restaurants, fast food, drinking establishments and other eligible grocery stores. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.
• Earn 2x Scene+ points¹ for every $1 you spendon eligible entertainment purchases.Includes movies, theatre and ticket agencies stores.
• Earn 2x Scene+ points¹ for every $1 you spend on eligible gas and daily transit.Includes rideshares, buses, subway, taxis and more
• Earn 2x Scene+ points¹ for every $1 you spend on eligible select streaming sevices
• Plus earn 1 Scene+ point for every $1 spent on all other eligible everyday purchases
• Mobile Device Insurance coverage
• American Express Invites®
• Rates, fees and other information are effective as of Mar.1, 2023. Subject to change.
• ¹ To qualify for these offers make sure to open a new Scotiabank American Express credit card account (“Account”) by July 1, 2024.

Best for no annual fee

Rogers red world elite® mastercard®.

Regular APR (Purchases)

The Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard® is a great card to have on hand solely for the purpose of travel: It has no annual fee, a 3% cash back rate for purchases made in U.S. dollars and a variety of travel insurance benefits. Plus, it saves you that FX fee.

• No annual fee.
• Free membership to Mastercard Travel Pass, which gives you access to more than 1,300 airport lounges.
• Travel insurance coverage.
• High annual income requirement ($80,000 for individuals and $150,000 for households).
• Must spend at least $15,000 a year to keep this card.
• Lower cash back rate for purchases made in currencies other than U.S. dollars.
• No free lounge visits included.
• 2% unlimited cash back (exclusively for eligible Rogers, Fido or Shaw customers); otherwise, earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on non-U.S. dollar purchases.
• 3% unlimited cash back on U.S. dollar purchases.
• 5 Roam Like Home days at no cost with an eligible Rogers mobile plan (up to $75 value).
• 50% more cash back every time you redeem for Rogers, Fido or Shaw purchases.
• Annual income requirements of $80,000 personal and $150,000 household
• Complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass with access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide at a cost of $32 USD ($41.72 CAD) per person, per visit
• Included insurance benefits: Extended Warranty and Purchase Protection, Rental Car Collision/Damage, Out-of-Province/Out-of-Country Emergency Medical, Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation

Determining a clear winner between the American Express Cobalt Card and the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card depends on your priorities and spending habits.

Related : Best Rewards Credit Cards

The American Express Cobalt Card stands out for its robust rewards program, especially when it comes to earning on dining and entertainment. It scores big on flexibility when redeeming points, since you can transfer your Membership Rewards points 1:1 to other loyalty programs, like Aeroplan. Plus, the card’s array of insurance coverage is comprehensive, although slightly less extensive than the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. However, its foreign transaction fees and monthly fee structure might be downsides for frequent travellers.

If you’re a frequent traveler or spend a significant amount in foreign currencies, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card likely offers better overall value with its no foreign transaction fees and strong insurance package. However, if your spending is heavily skewed towards dining and entertainment, and you value flexible travel rewards, the American Express Cobalt Card could be the better choice despite its higher fee structure and foreign transaction fees. Ultimately, the choice depends on your spending habits and priorities when it comes to card benefits and rewards.

Is the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card good?

Yes, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is considered good, particularly for individuals who spend significantly on groceries, dining and entertainment.The lack of foreign transaction fees makes it an excellent choice for travelers or cardholders who make purchases in foreign currencies. The card also offers a competitive welcome bonus and a comprehensive insurance package, adding to its appeal.

Is the American Express Cobalt Card worth it?

The American Express Cobalt Card can be very worthwhile, especially for cardholders who also spend heavily on dining and entertainment.Its flexibility when it comes to redeeming points, particularly transfers to travel partners, is also a huge plus that increases its value as a credit card along with how much you can earn from it each year. The card’s range of insurance coverage and its monthly fee structure might not be to everyone’s liking, but for the right user, the benefits here can outweigh the costs.

Is the Scotiabank Amex the same as a regular American Express card?

While the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is part of the American Express network and offers many of the benefits associated with American Express cards, it’s issued by Scotiabank, not American Express directly. This means it combines features typical of Amex cards, like access to Amex offers and experiences, with unique benefits provided by Scotiabank, such as the Scene+ rewards program.

What’s the best gold card in Canada?

Determining the “best” gold card in Canada depends on individual spending habits, reward preferences and financial goals. The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is often highly rated for its rewards structure and no foreign transaction fees, making it a strong contender as one of the best gold credit cards in Canada. However, the best card for one person might not be the best for another, so it’s essential to compare features, fees and rewards to find the credit card that aligns best with your financial lifestyle and goals.

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Kevin Nishmas is an expert financial content writer with a long and successful history of working with Canada's largest financial institutions. His knack (and passion) for transforming complex personal finance information into clear, compelling content has landed him in leading business publications such as Report on Business, Advisor’s Edge, Benefits Canada and Investor's Digest of Canada.

Credit Card Bonuses up to $1,600 for New Cardholders

With credit card bonuses, you can make banks pay for your business. Here are the best sign-up deals.

• Newsletter sign up Newsletter
• Amex Platinum: $1,600
• Marriott Bonvoy: $1,050
• Alaska Airlines: $770 + free ticket
• Blue Cash Preferred: $250
• Other bonus offers
• Rewards cards warning

This article reviews our picks of the best rewards credit cards. We may get compensation if you visit partner links on our site. We may not cover every available offer. Our relationship with advertisers may impact how an offer is presented on our website. However, our  selection of products  is made independently of our relationship with advertisers. 

Credit card bonuses really can get you a free airline ticket or line your pocket with some extra cash. But as is the case with many rewards credit cards , the devil is in the details. Since you want to keep your credit cards active and avoid having them closed by the issuer, you should only sign up for credit cards that you want for the long term.

Here are the personal cards that will land you the biggest sign-up bonuses as measured by cash back or the value of miles or points (as calculated by Bankrate ). Each card offers the top value in the categories of general travel credit cards , hotel cards, airline cards and cash back cards . 

Some cards have low annual fees, while others have high fees that we have deemed worth the cost. 

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Best General Travel Card Bonus: $1,600 for Amex Platinum

<a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/pdp/the-platinum-card-from-american-express/?aid=d7da4e43&tid=a5c94a31662f4f9abed073210cd0dc33" data-link-merchant="bankrate.com"" target="_blank"> The Platinum Card® from American Express  

Annual fee : $695. 

Sign-up bonus : Worth $1,600. Up to 80,000 points if you spend $8,000 in the first six months.

Frequent travelers can offset the card’s hefty annual fee by taking advantage of its bountiful perks and valuable points structure. For example, you can get yearly credits of up to $200 for incidental fees with one airline you choose, $200 for select hotel bookings through Amex, $189 for membership with the CLEAR airport security screening program, $200 in Uber Cash (for Uber Eats orders and Uber rides) and $155 for a Walmart+ membership (which provides free shipping from Walmart, among other benefits). 

Travelers enjoy access to airport lounges, including Amex’s Centurion lounges, Airspace, Delta Sky Club, Escape, Plaza Premium, and Priority Pass Select networks. Plus, you get up to $100 in fee reimbursement for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. 

Cardholders earn five Membership Rewards points per dollar for flights booked with airlines or through American Express (on up to $500,000 per year spent) and on prepaid hotel bookings through Amex; two points per dollar spent on other qualifying Amex Travel reservations (such as cruises); and one point per dollar on other spending.

Interest rates: Pay over time 21.24% to 29.24% APR, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. Terms Apply. <a href="https://oc.brcclx.com/t?lid=26689075" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" data-link-merchant="bankrate.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">See rates and fees.

For more on this and other general travel cards, read <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/605269/the-best-travel-rewards-credit-cards" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" data-link-merchant="bankrate.com"">Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards.

Best Hotel Card Bonus: $1,050 from Marriott Bonvoy

<a href="https://creditcards.chase.com/travel-credit-cards/marriott-bonvoy/boundless" data-link-merchant="creditcards.chase.com"" target="_blank"> Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Annual fee:  $95

Sign-up bonus: Worth $1,050. Earn Three Free Night Awards  (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from your account opening. You'll also enjoy a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary.

Frequent guests of Marriott hotels can get good value from this card from Chase; redeem points for Marriott stays or transfer them to the frequent-flier programs of nearly 40 airlines. You can also transfer Ultimate Rewards points earned on other Chase cards to your Bonvoy account.

You can rack up points quickly on this card. Earn up to a total of 17x bonus points by layering reward categories. Earn six Marriott points per dollar spent at Marriott properties, ten points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, three points per dollar on up to $6,000 spent yearly at grocery stores, gas stations and dining, and two points per dollar on all other spending. 

Interest rate: 21.49% to 28.49% variable.

Read the full review: <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/marriott-bonvoy-bonus-offer" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="creditcards.chase.com""> Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Offer: Three Nights Free

Best Airline Card Bonus: $770 + free ticket from Alaska Air

<a href="https://www.alaskaair.com/content/credit-card/visa-signature" data-link-merchant="alaskaair.com"" target="_blank"> Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

Annual fee : $95.

Sign-up bonus : For a limited time, new cardholders get a free companion pass and 70,000 Bonus Miles (worth about $770) after spending $3,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening the account. 

This card offers three points for every dollar spent on Alaska Airlines travel, two points on gas, cable, streaming and local transit, and one point on all other purchases. 

Interest rates: 20.24% to 28.24% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers.

Read  <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/alaska-airlines-credit-card-a-great-deal-for-bank-of-america-customers" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="alaskaair.com"" target="_self"> our article detailing the Alaska Airlines credit card  for more details.

Best Cash Back Card Bonus: $250 from Amex Blue Cash Preferred

<a href="https://oc.brcclx.com/t?lid=26689024" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" target="_blank"> Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express  

Annual fee:  $95, waived the first year. 

Intro bonus:  $250 back if you spend $3,000 in the first six months.

This intro bonus is high when compared to other cash back cards, most of which offer $0 to $200 as a welcome offer.

Many consumers could benefit from this card's exceptional 6% cash back on up to $6,000 of supermarket spending annually. (Big-box stores such as Walmart and Costco are excluded.)

The card also offers 6% back on select streaming subscriptions, 3% at gas stations and on transit (such as ride-sharing services and tolls), and 1% on other spending. Redeem cash back for statement credits.

The Card has a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, so select another <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/605269/the-best-travel-rewards-credit-cards" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" target="_self">credit card for travel abroad. See <a href="https://oc.brcclx.com/t?lid=26689061" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">rates and fees. 

Interest rate: Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%. See rates and fees. Terms apply.

For more on this and other general travel cards, read <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/605269/the-best-travel-rewards-credit-cards" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"">Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards.

Other sign-up bonus offers

• Hilton Honors Increases Bonus Offer: Now Worth $1,130  ($930 bonus + $200 annual credit)
• Wyndham Bonus Offer: 13 Nights Free  (worth up to $900)
• Jet Blue Credit Card Offer Worth over $780
• Capital One Venture Rewards Launches $750 Bonus Offer
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Launches $750 Bonus Offer
• Best Airline Credit Card Bonuses with a Free Ticket
• Southwest Credit Cards Launch $750 Bonus Deal
• Earn Delta SkyMiles Worth up to $720

Rewards Cards Dos and Don'ts

As with any  rewards credit card , be sure to weigh these benefits against fees — a $150 annual fee in this case — and make sure you understand how to use the card effectively. That said, $150 may be more than offset by those maxing out the benefits. 

In addition, while reward credit cards are great if you use them wisely,  always pay them off in full and on time each month  to avoid interest, which can dwarf any rewards you earn. Don't change your spending habits to earn extra points. That's a slippery slope that can lead to overspending.

If this is your first foray into credit cards, or you just want a refresher, make sure you know  how to choose a credit card . And ensure you are familiar with what counts as a  good credit score . 

All information about the Platinum Card from American Express and the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express has been collected independently by Kiplinger. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.    As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view of the best deals and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities.

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Ellen writes and edits personal finance stories, especially on credit cards and related products. She also covers the nexus between sustainability and personal finance. She was a manager and sustainability analyst at Calvert Investments for 15 years, focusing on climate change and consumer staples. She served on the sustainability councils of several Fortune 500 companies and led corporate engagements. Before joining Calvert, Ellen was a program officer for Winrock International, managing loans to alternative energy projects in Latin America. She earned a master’s from the U.C. Berkeley in international relations and Latin America. 

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Credit Cards

American Express Business Platinum benefits guide 2024

Ashley Barnett

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Robin Saks Frankel

Published 6:04 a.m. UTC April 9, 2024

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With an eye-watering $695 annual fee (terms apply), there’s no denying that The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is an expensive card. But without a doubt, it’s also one of the best business travel cards , thanks to its extensive array of perks and ability to earn flexible, valuable Membership Rewards® points . Although the annual fee is high, it’s offset by valuable perks like statement credits, airport lounge access and top-notch travel and purchase protection¹.

All information about The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint.

Amex Business Platinum Card overview

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is one of the best cards for high-end travel benefits, lifestyle perks and ways to make your business run more smoothly. Of course, it all comes at a significant cost (a $695 annual fee). Therefore, it’s important to assess the card’s features to see if it’s worth it for you and your business. 

Those features include access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, elite status with select hotel and rental car partners, airline fee statement credit and CLEAR ® Plus reimbursement, business-focused statement credits like Dell, Adobe, Indeed and much more. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Looking for an Amex Business card with a less-lofty annual fee? Our list of the best American Express business cards will help you choose the right one for you.

Major Amex Business Platinum Card benefits

Travel benefits .

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , like the consumer version, The Platinum Card® from American Express , is a powerhouse for premium travel benefits. Let’s break it down: 

• Airport lounge access: You will have access to a wide range of airport lounges. They include The Centurion® Lounge ; Delta Sky Club® lounges (when flying on a same-day Delta flight; limited to 10 annual visits starting Feb. 1, 2025); Priority Pass Select lounges upon enrollment (but not Priority Pass restaurants); Escape Lounges — The Centurion Studio Partner; Plaza Premium lounges and Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa Group (access varies depending on what airline and cabin you’re flying).
• Hotel elite status: You’ll receive complimentary Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status with enrollment. This offers benefits such as 25% bonus points on eligible hotel purchases, complimentary in-room Wi-Fi access and room upgrades at select properties (when available).
• Rental car elite status: You’ll get complimentary elite status with Avis Preferred Plus, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle and National Emerald Club Executive. One of the best parts of elite status, at select locations, is the ability to skip the line and go straight to your car at the start of your rental. In addition, you may receive car upgrades and waived second driver fees. Enrollment is required.
• Other hotel benefits: You will also get access to Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection programs through Amex Travel. Perks include complimentary breakfast for two (varies by property), early check-in when available, late checkout, complimentary Wi-Fi and room upgrades when available (certain rooms may not be eligible for upgrade). At select properties, you’ll also receive an experience credit of at least $100. The credit can be used towards purchases of on-site services, such as dining or spa treatments. Experience credits vary by property and will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the credit.
• Airline fee credit: You’ll receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental airline fees charged to your card. One qualifying airline must first be selected in advance before receiving this benefit, which can cover fees such as changes and cancellations, seat selection, upgrades, checked bags, lounge access and more.
• CLEAR Plus reimbursement: You can get a credit for up to $189 per calendar year for Clear Plus membership fees. No advance enrollment is required for this benefit; pay with your Business Platinum card to automatically receive a statement credit.
• TSA PreCheck/Global Entry reimbursement : You’ll also receive statement credits to reimburse your application fees for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85). This benefit is available every 4 years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck.
• Pay with Points airline bonus: With The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , you’ll get 35% of your points back (3.5 extra points for every 10 points redeemed – up to 1,000,000 bonus points per calendar year) when booking a flight with points through Amex Travel. This applies to flights in any cabin on your selected qualifying airline, or for first or business class flights on any airline.

Small business benefits 

As a small business card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers tailored statement credits and perks to help companies run more smoothly (enrollment is required for select benefits):

• Adobe statement credit: You’ll get up to $150 back in Adobe statement credits for eligible annual prepaid business plans for Creative Cloud for teams or Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams through Dec. 31, 2024.
• Dell statement credit: You can get up to $200 back semi-annually ($400 per year) on U.S. purchases with Dell technologies through Dec. 31, 2024. 
• Indeed statement credit: Through Dec. 31, 2024, you can also get up to $90 back quarterly ($360 per year) via statement credits for purchases with Indeed.
• Wireless credit: You’ll receive up to $10 back per month ($120 per year) in statement credits for wireless telephone service purchases made directly through a wireless provider in the U.S. on your Business Platinum card.

Insurance and protection benefits

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. has a robust array of travel and purchase protections¹. These include: 

• Trip delay insurance: Trip delay insurance applies to eligible round-trip travel expenses paid for with the Business Platinum. Coverage is good for up to $500 per trip, and for incidental expenses that apply (including meals, lodging, toiletries, medication and more) when a trip is delayed by six hours or longer. You are eligible to file two claims per 12-month period.²
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Trip cancellation and interruption insurance will apply to eligible round-trip travel purchases charged to the Business Platinum card. This coverage is good for up to $10,000 per covered trip with a maximum benefit of $20,000 per eligible card every 12 months.³
• Baggage insurance: You’ll get automatic baggage insurance when paying with the card on a common carrier (like an airline or cruise line). This coverage is good for up to $2,000 per person for checked baggage and up to a combined $3,000 per person for checked and carry-on baggage.⁴
• Cellphone protection: Paying your cellphone bill with your card provides cellphone protection. There is a maximum of $800 liability per claim, and each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. There’s also a limit of two claims per eligible account in a 12-month period. You can maximize this perk by combining it with the wireless credit benefit above.⁵

Bonus points for spending

While The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. isn’t the best card to use for all spending categories, there are certain instances where it does make sense to use it — like on flights and prepaid hotels through Amex Travel, as well as on large purchases — cardholders earn: 

• 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels through American Express Travel.
• 1.5 points per $1 at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, shipping providers, and purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million per calendar year.
• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Additional benefits worth noting

• Global Dining Access with Resy: Global Dining Access perks include Priority Notify at all of Resy’s thousands of restaurants worldwide. This gives you special access to primetime tables at many of the most in-demand restaurants across the U.S. and internationally.
• Secondary Auto Insurance Coverage: Rental cars booked with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. receive secondary car rental loss and damage insurance⁶. Consider getting a credit card with primary rental car insurance if you want primary, as compared to secondary, coverage.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Yes, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. has access to over 1,400 airport lounge locations worldwide with the Amex Global Lounge Collection.

First, to make the most of the Amex Business Platinum, be sure to maximize your points potential by meeting the minimum spending requirements to earn a welcome bonus.

Then, enroll your card in the statement credit offers such as those with Adobe, Indeed, Dell, select U.S. wireless telephone service providers, CLEAR and more. Also, sign up for hotel and rental car elite status programs that are included with the Business Platinum. Travelers will want to utilize lounge access, Resy benefits and more. 

Maximize the points you earn by putting larger purchases on The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . Beyond earning as many points as possible, you’ll also want to maximize the value upon redemption .

Both cards serve different purposes. While The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is geared more towards frequent travelers with more premium perks like lounge access, the American Express® Business Gold Card * The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) is tailored to those with high spending who may not travel as frequently.

Overall, it’s better to spend on the Amex Business Gold card, with bonus-earning spending categories that include purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media, U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, transit purchases such as taxis or rideshare, and more.

All information about American Express® Business Gold Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. does not come with a traditional preset spending limit. The amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.

Yes, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. comes with travel insurance, including trip delay insurance², trip cancellation and interruption insurance³ and baggage insurance⁴.

The publicly available offer for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express * The information for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. waxes and wanes. The current offer is for 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership. However, you may be targeted for even higher offers through your Amex account or via a tool like Cardmatch or even mailers.

¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

²Up 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.

³The 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.

⁴Baggage 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.

⁵Coverage for a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 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.

⁶Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

*The information for the American Express® Business Gold Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Chris Dong is a travel, loyalty, and credit cards reporter. He has covered travel and personal finance content for national print and digital publications including The Washington Post, Business Insider, The Points Guy, Travel + Leisure, AFAR, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, and more. When he’s not on the road, Chris calls Los Angeles home after nearly 10 years in New York City.

Ashley Barnett has been writing and editing personal finance articles for the internet since 2008. Before editing for USA TODAY Blueprint, she was the Content Director for an international media company leading the content on their suite of personal finance sites. She lives in Phoenix, AZ where you can find her rereading Harry Potter for the 100th time.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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Free airport lounge access has become an increasingly rare and elusive perk. These days, it feels like you either need diamond-level status with the airline, a credit card with a sky-high annual fee or A-list celebrity status to breeze through the entryway and grab a cabernet before your flight. 

Or do you? 

To find out, Fortune Recommends conducted research to find what–if any–credit cards still include airport lounge access for a reasonable annual fee in 2024. The good news is that there are several, and each of them has far more to offer frequent flyers than just a pair of lounge coupons. From free checked bags to welcome bonuses worth $750 or more, here are the best credit cards for affordable lounge access in 2024. 

The best credit cards for cheap lounge access in April 2024

Best overall: u.s. bank altitude connect, best for checked bags: united sm explorer card.

• Best for CLEAR Plus: American Express® Green Card

Best value premium card: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card includes a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with four free passes each year to over 1,500 lounge locations worldwide. That–combined with a 50,000-point welcome bonus worth $500 and no annual fee for the first year–made it an easy pick for the best overall card for affordable lounge access in 2024.

Why we like this card: Similar to how Pepsi challenges Coke, the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card seems poised to keep the reigning Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card on its toes. The latter offers a staggering array of travel benefits for its modest $95 annual fee, including a 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with four free passes each year and up to $100 in statement credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. 

But the buck doesn’t stop there–you’ll also get free travel insurance (Trip Cancelation/Interruption, Trip Delay Reimbursement and SmartDelay), no foreign transaction fees and up to 5X on prepaid hotels/car rentals and 4X on travel/gas. Did we mention that it charges no annual fee for the first year, either? 

So if free PreCheck and lounge access with a $0 upfront commitment sounds good to you, check out the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect card.

The United SM Explorer Card card may only offer two United Club passes per year, but it more than makes up for it with a free checked bag for you and a companion, priority boarding, a $100 Global Entry/PreCheck/NEXUS fee credit and a 50,000-point welcome bonus. Plus, it even waives its $95 annual fee for the first year. 

Why we like this card

While the United Explorer card by Chase only offers two lounge passes per year, we thought it deserved a space on this list given how much cheaper–and smoother–it makes virtually every other step of your flight experience. 

Starting at check-in, you’ll get a free checked bag for yourself and one companion. Then, you’ll scoot through security a little faster thanks to the $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS. After cashing in your lounge passes, you’ll be able to board a little early thanks to priority boarding. Lastly, even after takeoff you’ll enjoy 25% off all in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi packages. 

The caveat, of course, is most of these perks only apply to United flights so you’ll need to show some brand loyalty to maximize the United Explorer card’s benefits. But if you’re already a fan of United–and you’d finally like to experience the United Club on your next trip–it’s an obvious choice.

Best for CLEAR Plus: American Express Green

For a modest $150 annual fee, the American Express® Green Card includes up to $100 LoungeBuddy statement credit, up to $189 credit toward cost of CLEAR® Plus per calendar year and 3X on travel/transit/dining. All things considered, it’s a solid and well-rounded travel companion.

If you like the idea of flying through security quickly and arriving at the lounge mere minutes after you enter the airport, the American Express Green card may be your ticket to that fantasy. 

That’s because the Amex Green comes with a handy pair of credits for both CLEAR Plus and LoungeBuddy. For the uninitiated, CLEAR Plus allows you to move faster through security by scanning your eyes and/or fingerprints in a dedicated CLEAR Lane, and LoungeBuddy allows you to pre-book lounge access worldwide starting at $25 per visit. 

The Amex Green also offers a 40,000-point welcome bonus worth up to $400 in travel or gift cards (earned after spending $3,000 within six months) plus 3X on travel/transit dining, making it a rewarding card to take on the go. Even better, those points are Membership Rewards points which can have even more value when transferred to partners.

All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Fortune Recommends™ .

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card quickly justifies its $395 annual fee by offering a $300 travel credit, $100 TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit, 75,000-mile welcome bonus and perhaps best of all, unlimited airport lounge access for you and up to two guests. Not only that, authorized users are free and can each get their own memberships. So while the Venture X certainly isn't cheap, the value proposition earns it a place on the list.

While it may be a stretch to say that a card charging $395 a year provides “affordable” anything, consider this: the Capital One Venture X also comes with a 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, an annual $300 back annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel and a 10,000-mile Anniversary Bonus. This means that while you’re technically paying a $395 fee each year, you’re getting $400 in travel credit right back. 

That’s not to mention the card’s marquis benefit for frequent flyers: unlimited airport lounge access for you and up to two guests at any Capital One, Priority Pass or Plaza Premium Group location. The pampering doesn’t end there, either, since you’ll also be treated to instant Hertz President’s Circle status (until Jan. 1, 2025), a $100 experience credit at the Premier Collection of hotels and more. 

So if you’re looking for a premium travel card with easy-to-use benefits and unlimited lounge access, your search may end with the Capital One Venture X. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card offers free lounge access for no annual fee .

At the time of this writing, there are no rewards cards offering airport lounge access for a $0 annual fee. However, both the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect and the United Explorer card offer airport lounge access for a $0 annual fee for the first year and $95 per year thereafter. 

What’s the best card offering airport lounge access for an annual fee below $100? 

Our pick for the best card offering airport lounge access under $100 is the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect card. The card comes with a welcome bonus worth $500, complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with four lounge passes per year and charges no annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter). 

Is lounge access free on AmEx Rewards cards?

Complimentary lounge access is a perk of the Amex Green (up to $100 per year) and Platinum cards. 

Which airline rewards cards include lounge access for under $100? 

The United Explorer card, Miles & More World Elite Mastercard (Lufthansa), and SKYPASS Visa Signature cards (Korean Air) all include two complimentary lounge passes per year for an annual fee under $100. 

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.  

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefits guide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.  

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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