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Credit Cards

The complete guide to the Amex Travel portal

Carissa Rawson

Allie Johnson

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

Robin Saks Frankel

Published 7:39 a.m. UTC Feb. 28, 2024

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The American Express Travel portal offers valuable benefits to American Express cardholders, including special prices. Depending on which card you hold, you may also be able to pay for travel with Membership Rewards® points and get access to perks such as discounted airfare and specialty benefits at luxury hotels. Let’s take a look at how the Amex Travel portal works, whether the benefits are worthwhile and who can access Amex Travel’s website. 

• American Express Travel offers hotels, vacation rentals, flights, rental cars and cruises.
• Luxury hotel benefits and discounted airfare are two benefits of booking through Amex’s travel portal. 
• American Express cardholders can access Amex Travel. 

How to book travel through the Amex Travel portal

Booking travel through the Amex Travel portal requires you to have an online account associated with an Amex card. While you can complete a search on the Amex Travel website without logging in, you will need to do so in order to make a booking.

After you choose whether to book a flight, hotel, vacation rental, vacation package, rental car or cruise, you’ll need to enter your travel details.

For example, if you want to book a flight through Amex Travel, you’ll need to put in your departure airport and destination as well as your dates of travel. The site will then bring up a list of matching results.

You can filter based on when the flights take off as well as how many stops you’re willing to tolerate, among other options. 

The Amex Travel site offers a wide variety of hotel stays and flights, but you’ll always want to double check elsewhere before booking since it doesn’t always feature every option. 

Once you’ve selected a booking, you’ll be taken through the checkout process. This includes providing your personal information and can also include seat requests and adding in loyalty program numbers.

To pay for your booking, you can use your American Express Membership Rewards, if you have a card that earns them, or your American Express card or a combination of both. 

After you’ve booked, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing your reservation information. You can also find your bookings under the My Trips section of Amex Travel.

Who can use the portal?

Any American Express cardholder can use the Amex Travel portal to book travel. But those whose cards don’t earn Amex Membership Rewards points will need to pay with their Amex card.

However, many American Express cards  earn Membership Rewards points that can be redeemed for travel through the Amex Travel portal. These cards include (terms apply):

The Platinum Card® from American Express

• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Green Card * The information for the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
• Amex EveryDay® Credit Card * The information for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
• 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.
• 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.

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

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Welcome bonus

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Over $1,500 in travel and entertainment credits can offset the annual fee.
• Comprehensive lounge access benefit.
• Generous travel and purchase protections.
• High annual fee and spending requirements.
• Amex’s once-per-lifetime rule limits welcome bonus eligibility.
• Annual statement credits have limited use.

Card details

• 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.

Is the portal worth using?

The Amex Travel portal can be worth using in certain cases, though it won’t always make sense. For example, some flights aren’t bookable via Amex Travel, so if what you need isn’t available you’ll want to look elsewhere.

That being said, those with certain cards are entitled to exclusive benefits that can lower prices or allow them to redeem points for travel. There are also perks for booking luxury hotels within the portal. In these cases, Amex Travel is definitely worth investigating. 

How to maximize your Amex Travel benefits through the portal

International airline program.

Available to those who hold a high-end American Express card, including The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express and the American Express Centurion Black Card * The information for the American Express Centurion Black Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , the International Airline Program (IAP) can save you money on certain international flights booked via the Amex Travel portal. 

All information about American Express Centurion Black Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

This benefit is only available on tickets booked in premium economy, business or first class, but the savings can be significant. 

For example, we looked at a round-trip flight in premium economy from San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo (NRT). Booking with Japan Airlines (JAL) directly resulted in a cost of $4,431.40, while the Amex Travel portal and the IAP charged just $3,797.40 for a savings of over $600.

Fine Hotels + Resorts ® and The Hotel Collection

American Express also offers the Fine Hotels and Resorts and The Hotel Collection to eligible cardholders. 

Fine Hotels and Resorts allows guests to book luxury hotels with special benefits. These include room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, an experience credit, late check-out, early check-in and more. 

The Hotel Collection offers similar but less exorbitant benefits. It’s directed toward more midscale properties and includes an experience credit as well as a room upgrade. 

35% rebate on redeemed points

Those who hold The Business Platinum Card from American Express are able to get a 35% rebate on points redeemed for eligible flights booked through the Amex Travel portal (up to 1,000,000 points per calendar year). 

Eligible flights include all fare classes on an airline that you select each year. It also includes first and business class tickets on any airline. 

Quick guide to Amex Membership Rewards

American Express Membership Rewards are the points you earn with eligible Amex cards. These highly flexible and valuable points can be redeemed in a number of ways, though they tend to be most valuable when transferred to Amex airline partners.

Other ways of redeeming Amex points include:

• Gift cards.
• Travel booked via Amex Travel.
• Online shopping. 
• Statement credits. 

While these are nice options to have, you’ll generally get much less value from your Membership Rewards points by redeeming them in these ways. Finally, although you can redeem your points in the Amex Travel portal, this isn’t necessarily a good idea if you aim to reap maximum value. Even if you’re taking advantage of the 35% rebate on redeemed points for flights, you’ll only ever receive a value of 1.54 cents per point. This is lower than you’d expect when transferring your Amex points to many airline and hotel partners. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

No, travel insurance is not automatically included when booking through the Amex portal. But many of the best credit cards feature complimentary travel insurance when using your card to pay, including those from American Express. Otherwise, you may be able to opt in to travel insurance during the booking process or via a third party provider.

Those with the The Platinum Card from American Express can earn 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. The card has an annual fee of $695 ( rates & fees ). 

Those with the 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. , meanwhile, 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 and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. The card has a $695 annual fee.

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

The phone number for American Express Travel is: 1-800-297-2977.

The number of Amex points that you’ll need to redeem for a flight will depend on the cash cost of your flight and whether you’re booking through Amex Travel or transferring your Membership Rewards points to an Amex airline partner. Amex Points are worth about one cent when booking flights through the portal, so a flight that costs $500 in cash would require about 50,000 Amex points. You’ll typically get a better deal with transfer partners than booking through the portal.

For rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page .

*The information for the American Express Centurion Black Card, American Express® Business Gold Card, American Express® Green Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit 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.

Carissa Rawson is a credit cards and award travel expert with nearly a decade of experience. You can find her work in a variety of publications, including Forbes Advisor, Business Insider, The Points Guy, Investopedia, and more. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her in your nearest airport lounge sipping a coffee before her next flight.

Allie is a journalist with a passion for money tips and advice. She's been writing about personal finance since the Great Recession for online publications such as Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MyWalletJoy and ValuePenguin. She's also written personal finance content for Discover, First Horizon Bank, The Hartford, Travelers and Synovus.

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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Welcome to the Help Center

How do i contact american express.

As a Card Member, you can reach us anytime through your online account at americanexpress.com.

Once you're logged in, look for the "Chat" icon in the bottom corner of the "Home" screen. You can also call us at the phone number on the back of your Card.

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How can I contact American Express Customer Service?

It’s easy to connect with an American Express Representative by phone. Personal credit card users can access 24/7 support by calling 1-800-528-4800. You can also correspond online with American Express Customer Service representatives 24/7 by logging into your existing account dashboard or through your mobile app and clicking on the “Chat” icon in the bottom corner of your home screen.

American Express’s customer service is noted for its general excellence. Account holders typically report high levels of satisfaction with their customer service experiences. One reason is because American Express offers its customers a variety of ways to get in touch. Customers may connect with representatives by:

• Online Chat
• Social Media

In order to access many of these channels, you must be an American Express account holder. Not yet an American Express account holder? Find out how likely you are to qualify .

Otherwise, read on to learn more about connecting with American Express Customer Service.

How can I get the fastest customer service?

The fastest way to get customer service is to call the phone number connected to your specific account type. American Express customer service makes it easy to connect with live human help by channeling accounting holders to specific customer services departments. So for the most efficient help, your best bet is to check out the American Express directory of numbers.

You’ll find contact numbers for every type of credit card that American Express offers along with hours of availability, options for hearing impaired customers, and alternative automated calling systems if you just wish to make payments over the phone.

American Express offers unique phone numbers for Personal Cards, Corporate Business Accounts (1-800-528-2122), Traveler Rewards Cards (1-800-297-2977) and Membership Rewards Cards (1-800-297-3276). But really, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

The phone numbers listed in the American Express customer services directory include specific departments for small businesses, merchants, and those who use AmEx for their accounts payable solutions. You can also find specific phone numbers for booking cruises, managing personal loans, and much more.

Still shopping around for the right American Express Card? Check out this list of 30 questions you should ask before settling on the right credit card offer for you.

How can I contact American Express customer service online?

You may contact American Express Customer Service online using the “Chat” feature on your American Express website account dashboard. In order to use the Chat feature, you must be an account holder with access to your online account portal. If you already have an American Express card, but you have not yet created an online account, you can register here .

Once you have created an account, you will not only be able to manage payments, request higher credit limits, redeem rewards and and replace lost or stolen cards through your online dashboard, but you will also be able to use the online “Chat” feature to contact 24/7 customer service. Simply locate the “Chat” icon on the bottom of your homepage to initiate a conversation.

How can I connect with American Express Customer Service using my mobile app?

Once you have an American Express account, you’ll want to grab the AmEx mobile app for your smartphone or tablet. The mobile app gives you the power to manage your account, make payments, request credit limit increases, and replace lost or stolen cards all while on the go. And the mobile app also offers direct access to a 24/7 Chat feature. Find the “Chat” icon on the top right corner of your mobile app, click it, and connect with American Express customer service.

How can I connect with American Express on Social Media?

American Express also invites its customers to reach out directly through a number of leading social media channels in order to engage on a variety of topics. Customers may use these channels to engage directly with public facing company representatives.

For instance, American Express has a publicly accessible Facebook page on which customers are free to share their views–both positive and negative–on the company, their experiences as customers, and their views on the company’s policies writ large. A quick scan of comments on the page shows that American Express representatives are highly responsive to customer feedback of all shapes and sizes.

At one time, American Express also operated a Twitter page called Ask AmEx. This page is no longer active, instead directing visitors, “For Amex service, please contact us directly by phone, app or at http://amex.co/contactus .”

And in general, American Express strongly advises its customers to reach on through more private channels to address personal customer service matters. According to its own community service guidelines, “For customer care inquiries specific to your account, please call the number on the back of your Card, chat with us on americanexpress.com or within our mobile app . If you have a Card issue from an American Express Network Partner, please contact your issuer by calling the number on the back of your Card.”

How can I contact American Express Customer Service by mail?

You may contact American Express Customer Service by mail. If this is your preferred form of correspondence, you may send communications, forms, and documents to the following address:

American Express P.O. Box 981535 El Paso, TX 79998-1535

Protect Your Privacy

Before corresponding and transmitting personal information through any of these channels, be sure that you’ve taken all the appropriate steps to protect your privacy, your identity, and your account information. American Express stresses the importance of protecting your privacy, especially when corresponding through its social media channels.

In its Community Guidelines statement , American Express advises account holders to “protect your privacy and don’t share personal information about you, your family, or others on the American Express Facebook page. For example, you should never post your Card number, Social Security Number, phone number, or other non-public personal information about yourself or anyone else.”

While it may seem obvious that you shouldn’t share your Social Security Number on Facebook, there are plenty of far less obvious ways that identity thieves, hackers, and credit card scammers can steal your information. To learn more, and keep yourself safe, check out our list of ten ways you can protect yourself against credit card fraud.

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• Amex Platinum Card

The Amex Platinum Card’s Concierge Service – All You Need To Know

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Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card

Platinum card concierge service, don’t confuse the platinum card concierge with amextravel.com, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Have you ever been stuck in a meeting while those coveted concert tickets went on sale? Ever needed to send flowers to a loved one? Or maybe you’ve needed last-minute dinner reservations in an unfamiliar city? If so, consider the value you might find in the Platinum Card Concierge service.

Before focusing on the Platinum Card Concierge service, here’s a quick peek at some of the other benefits of the Amex Platinum card .

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.)

Other Key Benefits:

• Airport lounge access , including Centurion Lounges and a Priority Pass Select membership
• Hotel elite status : Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold
• Access to The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels & Resorts
• Car rental privileges and insurance benefits
• Purchase protection and extended warranty
• Travel insurance and lost baggage insurance

Hot Tip: If you’re a small business owner, check out our full review of the Amex Business Platinum card .

The Platinum Card Concierge promises to be a resource, day or night, for almost anything you can think of. Whether it’s tickets to a concert or a teddy bear for your significant other, they are ready to assist.

What Can the Platinum Card Concierge Do for You?

The Platinum Card Concierge is there for you to help you with whatever you may need:

• Use the concierge to book theater tickets to avoid some booking fees
• Book tickets to a sold-out show
• Reserve tables in otherwise booked restaurants
• Request travel guides for any location
• Send a last-minute gift or flowers to someone special
• Get help planning an event
• Research specific requests: restaurant with a patio, vegan restaurant in Toronto, wedding venue that can hold 1,000+ people
• Search for a specialist: a contractor with great ratings, a pet groomer that will come to your home, a caterer that only uses organic food

While there is no cost to you for the Platinum Card Concierge services, you are responsible for any purchases, fees, and/or shipping charges you authorize to be charged .

After making a request, you will get all the requested information emailed to you, usually within 48 hours.

Remember that the concierge may not be able to help you with all requests — a restaurant may indeed be fully booked up or a concert at capacity. While you can certainly hope the concierge will help with your request (and many times they do), there are occasions where your request simply can’t be honored.

AmexTravel.com and the Platinum Card Concierge are separate entities. So, if you need to book a flight, hotel, or rental car, contact AmexTravel.com. Otherwise, try out the Platinum Card Concierge.

It can get a little confusing when you are following the prompts on the phone. However, they can easily transfer you to the correct department if you end up in the wrong place.

You should note that if you have any requests dealing with travel, you should ask to speak with the travel department right away — the concierge team will defer travel requests, even those that are minor, to the folks who specifically handle travel.

Platinum Card Concierge Contact Information

In the U.S., call 800-525-3355. From there, an automated voice prompt will ask you what you need — and you can say anything like “flowers,” “dining,” “travel,” “reservations,” and more. The system will direct your call to the agent handling those types of requests.

You can also dial the number on the back of your Platinum Card and select Concierge.

For international, collect calls, dial 617-622-6756.

Hot Tip: The ability to email Platinum Card Concierge ended on August 18, 2021. All requests must now be submitted over the phone. 

You can find more information about your Platinum Card Concierge benefits online. After logging into your Amex Platinum card account, click on Rewards & Benefits in the main menu at the top.

Then click the Benefits tab.

And from there, scroll down until you see the box labeled as Platinum Card Concierge .

There’s no question that the Amex Platinum card offers lots of perks and benefits . The concierge service is one of the benefits that can often be overlooked.

This service offers you access to a concierge staff that can help you with various tasks, like purchasing event tickets, sending flowers, or even researching travel destinations.

If you haven’t tried out the Platinum Card Concierge, you may be missing out on a valuable benefit that comes with your Amex Platinum card and Amex Business Platinum card.

Take a look at this Amex Platinum offer if you think the concierge service would be beneficial to you.

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 platinum card concierge service.

The concierge service from the Amex Platinum card and Amex Business Platinum card is a complimentary service that offers a well-informed concierge staff member to help you with anything from making dinner reservations to planning an event. This service is included with each card’s annual fee.

How do I contact the American Express Concierge?

To contact the Platinum Card Concierge, call 800-525-3355. If you are international and need to call collect, call 617-622-6756. You can also call the number on the back of your card and select Concierge from the list of options.

How much does the Amex concierge cost?

You can utilize the services of the concierge at no cost, but you’ll be responsible to pay for any tickets, goods, or services that they’re purchasing for you.

Can I text the Platinum Card Concierge?

The only way to contact the concierge is over the phone.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Platinum problem solvers: How Amex’s Concierge team handles ordinary, extreme requests

Update : Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Years ago, I came across a great Reddit thread about a former American Express Concierge. I loved re-reading his entertaining stories about member requests that came to his office. Today, I'll cover my own personal experiences in conjunction with other data to show you how to maximize the capabilities of the American Express Concierge.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Cards that are eligible for American Express Concierge

The Concierge is available to anyone who holds one of the Platinum variety of cards from American Express, as well as select premium cobranded cards. Eligible cards include Business Platinum Card® from American Express, The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and the exclusive "Black Card" known as the Amex Centurion Card. Centurion cardholders will have a dedicated concierge assigned to them. Meanwhile, Platinum cardholders receive a different concierge for each request.

The information for the Hilton Aspire 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.

How to contact the American Express Concierge

Call 1-800-525-3355 to reach an American Express Concierge. For international collect calls, dial 954-473-2123. There is no service charge to use the concierge. Any charges related to your request will be placed on your Platinum Card. In my experience, the concierge usually asks for a not-to-exceed amount based on what you're trying to get done.

Types of Amex Concierge requests

Most requests coming into the Platinum Concierge fall into one of the following categories: flowers, concert/show tickets or restaurant reservations. Here are some tips on how to proceed with each:

Have the concierge contact local florists instead of online services like 1-800-Flowers or FTD. Because my last two online confirmed orders weren't delivered on time, I now use the concierge. The service works directly with a local shop to confirm details like delivery time, price range and the particular arrangement I request.

Related: The best ways to earn rewards when ordering flowers

Concert/show tickets

Perhaps an undersold value of this service is that Amex can grab tickets the second they go on sale for your desired concert. This means you don't have to step out of a meeting at an awkward time or continually hit the refresh button only to miss out on the tickets anyway.

Give the concierge an adequate heads-up before tickets going on sale, with as much or little direction about the location and ticket costs as you desire. Tickets purchased by the concierge through TicketMaster don't have the online convenience fee.

Restaurant reservations

The Amex Global Dining Collection allows you to search a database of restaurants that are familiar with taking reservations from the Amex team. Some of the concierges who routinely work the dining reservations are rumored to be on a first-name basis with the host and maitre d' of some of the best restaurants in New York City, Paris and London. You should still plan as far in advance as possible to ensure you'll get a table.

I've found the concierge helpful for dining situations where I say, "I'd like a romantic Italian dinner in Chicago near the Navy pier. Can you provide three or four options for me that have reservations for tonight?" I once got a last-minute table at the classic Parisian restaurant A la Biche au Bois — and it was fantastic. I've even got extra perks like free drinks at appetizers at Global Dining Collection restaurants.

Related: Booking reservations at some of the top restaurants in the world is about to get easier

Travel-related assistance

Although you should contact Amex Travel if you need help booking new travel, the concierge may be able to help with already-booked trips. During the pandemic, many cardholders have utilized the concierge to help with complicated cancelations, trip rebookings and getting refunds while airlines were slammed with other requests. Similarly, they can help you get home quickly when things go wrong during a trip. For instance, when TPG's Brian Kelly was stranded in Bali during the Mount Agung volcano eruption , his Centurion concierge strung together a series of vans, ferries and planes to get him off the island at a time when most other people were out of options.

Related: Unadvertised perks of the invite-only Amex Centurion Card

Unusual Amex Concierge requests

The sky's the limit here, but you must give your request a common-sense check before submitting something so outlandish that no one can accomplish it. My own requests have included:

• Having a baby sun hat waiting at the Hyatt Regency Guam. I was flying in from cold Japan with my four-month-old on a last-minute business trip. A few hats were waiting at the check-in desk when we arrived — unfortunately, none that fit.
• A few years ago, the concierge located a two-foot-tall balloon in the shape of the number one, for my son's first birthday party and had it delivered to the house.

Some of my favorite (successful) requests I've read about include:

• A gentleman asking the concierge to have his children picked up from school because he was with his mistress. The concierge arranged a limo service to pick them up.
• A gentleman in a hotel bathroom requested a new wardrobe as he had an accident during a business meeting. The concierge contacted the hotel concierge, who delivered new slacks, underwear and socks to the man in the stall.
• A woman saw a pair of earrings in an obscure foreign film. She called the concierge, told them the film and scene with the earrings. The concierge was able to locate a store that sold them.

Success with unusual requests can come down to the individual concierge and how much effort they're willing to put into getting you what you want. As with all customer service, not all concierges are created equal. It's obvious that many times they did a quick Google search or made a single phone call and found out a reservation or ticket was not available. However, most have tried to go the extra mile for me and provide an alternative if my number-one choice wasn't attainable.

Related: 10 bizarre hotel guest requests that were actually granted

Is concierge service worth the call?

The concierge service available to Amex Platinum cardholders is most valuable to people too busy to complete time-sensitive tasks like making reservations, buying tickets and doing a little research. Relying on the good people on the other side of the phone for these errands can simplify things. Plus, if you're polite and gracious to a concierge who has been particularly helpful, they do have the option of giving you their extension so you can work with them routinely.

If you're counting on the concierge to come up with last-minute heroics, my experience suggests success would not be the norm, but it still is a possibility. For routine requests, I've had nothing but positive experiences.

There are similar stories of success and failure from the Amex concierge over at FlyerTalk , which may get your creative juices flowing for how you could best utilize the service.

Other Amex Platinum benefits

Aside from the concierge benefit, The Platinum Card® from American Express offers lots of other valuable benefits. Some of these benefits aren't useful, with the coronavirus pandemic impacting our ability to travel. Some of these benefits have been amended so that cardholders can use them from home.

$200 airline fee credit

As a cardholder, you get an up to $200 airline rebate once per calendar year, meaning every Jan. 1, you get $200 to spend on an airline that you designate. Enrollment required for select benefits.

Airport lounge access

Airport lounge access is a cornerstone of the Platinum Card. Cardholders get complimentary access to Delta SkyClubs when holding a valid ticket for same-day travel. Amex has ramped up access to its own Centurion Lounges, with locations in Dallas (DFW), Las Vegas (LAS), New York (LGA), San Francisco (SFO), Miami (MIA) and Seattle (SEA). Cardholders get complimentary access , along with immediate family or up to two guests. You'll also receive Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required for select benefits.

Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee reimbursement

Platinum cardholders can receive a statement credit of up to $85 for TSA Precheck application fee every 4.5 years or up to $100 Global Entry application fee once every 4 years. Global Entry will get you out of lengthy customs and immigration lines when you return from traveling abroad.

Automatic Marriott and Hilton Gold status

With the Platinum Card, you can get automatic Gold status with Marriott and Hilton Honors. Marriott Bonvoy Gold status gets you 25% bonus points on stays, late checkout, room upgrades and more.

Meanwhile, Hilton Honors Gold members get 80% bonus points, free breakfast and space-available room upgrades, among other perks.

This Platinum card benefit is incredibly valuable, especially considering that Gold status normally requires you to complete 25 nights with Marriott and 40 nights or 25 stays with Hilton.

Fine Hotels & Resorts program

The Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program for American Express Platinum and Business Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders is a hotel booking site that includes added perks and benefits when you use it to book stays. Benefits include availability-based room upgrades, free night offers, complimentary breakfast, early check-in and guaranteed 4 p.m. check-out, resort credits for expenses like restaurants or spa treatments and free Wi-Fi at select properties.

Amex Concierge FAQ

How long do amex concierge requests take to process.

I've had most usual requests handled in a matter of hours, but some have taken 2-4 days depending on business hours and the amount of research required.

Can I use the Amex concierge to book travel?

I don't recommend calling the concierge to arrange any type of travel. They'll pass you off to an American Express Travel Services representative who will begin a very long, drawn-out process of trying to book standard travel over the phone.

Will anyone else be notified of my concierge request?

Your requests will not be shared with anyone, including authorized users, except yourself. If you're having flowers delivered to someone other than (cough) your spouse, they cannot find out. Apparently, many angry spouses have called the service demanding answers for charges on the statement.

Bottom line

The American Express Platinum Concierge is an often-overlooked perk of Amex's premium cards but can be highly valuable. From scoring hard-to-get tickets to finding exactly what you need anywhere in the world, the sky's the limit with what type of requests the concierge can fulfill.

Benji Stawski contributed to this story.

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Table of Contents

When does the AmEx Platinum travel insurance kick in?

Amex platinum travel insurance benefits and limits, how to make an amex travel insurance claim, what if the card’s insurance benefits are insufficient, the platinum card® from american express travel insurance, recapped.

Travel insurance can provide peace of mind when you’re away from home, especially when you’ve spent significant money on your vacation. Although you can choose to buy a separate travel insurance policy, not everyone wants or needs to do so.

Many travel credit cards offer complimentary insurance for a variety of occurrences. The Platinum Card® from American Express offers travel insurance with a suite of benefits for eligible travelers, including coverage for trip interruption, rental car damage and lost luggage.

Let’s take a look at travel insurance on The Platinum Card® from American Express , its limits and the benefits it provides.

» Learn more: What is travel insurance?

So, does The Platinum Card® from American Express have travel insurance? The short answer to this is yes, but you’ll need to meet specific requirements for it to apply.

To get coverage from your card, you’ll need to use it to pay for your trip in its entirety. This is true whether you’re looking to utilize the trip insurance or the rental car insurance — you must pay for the full cost with The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Be aware of coverage limitations if you’re traveling using points or miles. While it’s possible to receive benefits when using your card to pay the taxes and fees on a reward redemption, coverage may not always apply.

You may still be covered for trip interruption, delay, and cancellation insurance when using points or frequent flyer miles.

However, rental car and baggage insurance only apply when you’ve used your card to pay for the full cost of whatever you’re buying — no points allowed. The exception is if you redeem American Express Membership Rewards to pay for some or all of the booking.

» Learn more: How does credit card travel insurance work?

We’ve included a breakdown of all the insurance benefits and other travel protections provided by The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Trip cancellation protection

The trip cancellation insurance you’ll receive will pay for any nonrefundable losses you incur due to a covered event.

Given the current climate, you may also be wondering: does The Platinum Card® from American Express travel insurance cover COVID? It can, depending on the reason you need to cancel. Covered events include quarantine imposed by a physician or illness for you, your family members or a traveling companion.

Other eligible events include a change in military orders, inclement weather or jury duty.

If you need to cancel your trip, AmEx will provide up to $10,000 per trip and a maximum of $20,000 every 12 months. Terms apply.

» Learn more: The guide to American Express travel insurance

Trip interruption coverage

As with trip cancellation protection, trip interruption insurance will reimburse you for nonrefundable losses by a covered event.

If your trip is interrupted, American Express will cover you for prepaid land, air and sea travel bookings you’ve missed. They’ll also pay for the cost of an economy-class ticket on the most direct route to rejoin your covered trip (or take you home).

The maximum benefit you’ll receive is $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 every 12 months. Terms apply.

Trip delay insurance

As it sounds, trip delay insurance will reimburse you for expenses incurred when your trip doesn’t go as scheduled. In the case of The Platinum Card® from American Express , coverage kicks in after you’ve been delayed by at least six hours for a covered reason.

Covered purchases may include food, toiletries, lodging, medication and other personal use items. You’ll be reimbursed for up to $500 on a covered trip and can make two claims within a 12-month period. Terms apply.

Rental car insurance

The Platinum Card® from American Express provides secondary rental car insurance . This means it’ll kick in after other claims — like those made to your personal insurance — have been paid. To activate coverage, you’ll need to decline the insurance offered by the rental car company.

AmEx will provide up to $75,000 due to damage or theft of the rental vehicle, but be aware that the policy doesn’t provide liability insurance.

It’ll also give you up to $1,000 per person (max of $2,000) for personal property lost in the incident and up to $5,000 for accidental injury. Finally, you’ll receive up to $300,000 for accidental death or dismemberment, though the rates will vary depending on the severity of your injuries.

This rental car insurance is valid worldwide with a few notable exceptions, including Australia, Italy and New Zealand. Terms apply.

» Learn more: Credit cards that provide travel insurance

Baggage coverage

Cardholders and their families are eligible for baggage insurance provided they’ve paid for the fare using The Platinum Card® from American Express . This benefit is only for lost baggage; delayed luggage is not protected.

Coverage limits vary depending on whether you’ve checked your bag or carried it on:

Checked bags: Up to $2,000 per person.

Carry-on: Up to $3,000 per person.

Note also that checked baggage is only covered when you’re actually traveling with a common carrier. Meanwhile, carry-on luggage is also covered when traveling to and from or waiting at the terminal.

There are also specific limits for high-risk items such as jewelry and electronic equipment. For these items, you’ll receive a maximum of $1,000 per person per trip. Terms apply.

» Learn more: Baggage insurance explained

Premium Global Assist

What else does The Platinum Card® from American Express travel insurance cover? Although this last benefit isn’t technically a type of travel insurance, it’s worth including as it can offer help while you travel.

AmEx’s Premium Global Assist hotline is a 24/7 service that can assist you in various ways, such as helping you get a new passport, finding translation services and even arranging for emergency medical evacuation.

Although using Premium Global Assist is free, the services that you may end up using are not necessarily covered by AmEx.

There are exceptions to this — if you need repatriation of mortal remains, emergency medical evacuation or if a child under 16 is left without care, AmEx will provide aid at no additional cost. Terms apply.

To file a claim, you’ll need to contact your benefit administrator. The phone number and timeframe will vary according to the type of insurance you’re using:

Trip cancellation, interruption or delay insurance: Within 60 days, call 844-933-0648.

Baggage insurance: Within 30 days, call 800-228-6855 or online .

Rental car insurance: Within 30 days, call 800-338-1670 or online .

» Learn more: The guide to AmEx Platinum rental car benefits

If The Platinum Card® from American Express travel insurance doesn’t seem like it’ll be enough for your trip, or if its coverage doesn’t include features that you’d like to have, consider purchasing a separate travel insurance policy before you travel.

Several companies allow you to compare various policies for any vacation and modify inclusions as you shop.

» Learn more: How much is travel insurance?

The travel insurance offered by The Platinum Card® from American Express includes some pretty generous benefits for travelers, especially since it’s complimentary (the $695 annual fee notwithstanding). Terms apply.

If you want to take advantage of this insurance, pay for your trip using your AmEx card and double-check any other stated requirements before heading out to ensure coverage.

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...

UponArriving

Amex Travel: Everything You Need to Know [2021]

Offers contained within this article maybe expired.

American Express has a very robust travel portal. Not only can you book different types of travel, but you can also take advantage of a lot of additional perks and benefits depending on the type of cards you have.

But you need to know the ins and outs of how everything works in order to squeeze out all the value you can.

In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about Amex Travel.

I’ll start by explaining the bonus points you can earn and how to use your points to book travel. I’ll then cover some of the special perks you can get through the program like 5X earnings.

And I’ll show you the results from my research I did to see if Amex Travel is cheaper or more expensive than booking directly (the results are a little surprising).

Finally, I’ll show you how to efficiently use Amex Travel to book your travels.

Table of Contents

What is Amex Travel?

Amex Travel is an online travel portal that allows you to book various forms of travel including:

Rental cars

• Vacation Packages

Amex Travel overview

Bonus earnings.

Membership Rewards-earning cards will earn one extra Membership Rewards point for every dollar spent on certain purchases like:

• Pre-paid hotels
• Vacation packages (flight + hotel packages)
• Cruise reservations

Eligible travel purchases do  NOT  include car reservations, non-prepaid hotels, ticketing service or other fees

These Membership Rewards-earning cards that earn an extra point include favorites like the:

• Amex Gold Card
• Amex EveryDay
• Amex EveryDay Preferred
• The Centurion Card
• Blue Business Plus Credit Card
• Business Gold Card
• Business Green Rewards Card

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Platinum Cards

Platinum and Business Platinum Cardmembers are only eligible for 1 additional point on cruise reservations. However, they earn 5X on prepaid hotels and airfare.

If you value Membership Rewards at 1.75 cents per point then it’s like earning  8.75% back on airline purchases !

The Platinum Card earns some pretty impressive rates across the board when it comes to Amex Travel.

Take a look at all of the 5X categories:

Tip: The Platinum Card also comes with some pretty stout benefits including the best airport lounge access offered by any credit card.

Amex Green Card

The Amex Green Card earns a very respectable 3X on a wide range of travel purchases which include amextravel.com. Therefore, you can earn 3X on airfare, hotel bookings, cruises, etc.

Lowest price guarantee

When it comes to booking hotels, you can get the lowest price guarantee with Amex Travel.

Like other similar guarantees, the terms are very strict about when this can be honored.

You will need to find the exact same room in the same hotel for the exact same dates and number of children and adults.

The price will need to be found online before taxes and fees and you must submit your claim prior to your stay before the date of check-in. This perk is only valid for American Express cardmembers.

Certain types of rates not available to the public will be excluded including:

• Rates or discounts that are not available to the general public (e.g., corporate, AAA, government, etc.)
• Hotel rooms booked with loyalty points, coupon promotions, etc.
• Rooms booked on websites that do not allow you to see the name of the hotel until your reservation is complete
• Promotional packages, deals, all-inclusive packages
• Bundles that include additional amenities such as parking, meals, etc.
• Rates booked through the Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection programs.

Elite benefits

If you book through Amex Travel, you will likely lose out on the ability to earn elite credits and also you might even lose out on receiving elite benefits.

For example, if you are a Hilton Honors Gold member, typically you would earn 18 points per dollar spent at a Hilton property.

In addition, you would be eligible for benefits like a free breakfast, upgrades, and late check out.

But if you use Amex Travel to book a stay at a Hilton property, you would not earn 18 points per dollar and you may not receive things like a free breakfast.

You won’t always miss out on receiving your elite perks as I recently received an upgrade as a Hyatt Discoverist on a stay I booked through Amex Travel.

However, it will be on you to contact the property and add your loyalty number to your accounts. In addition, you likely will need to be proactive about requesting benefits like upgrades.

Tip: You can still get elite benefits with the Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection programs.

Access to Amex Travel

Initially I thought that only American Express cardmembers could use Amex Travel to book travel. But I inquired with an American Express agent and they informed me that anybody can use the travel portal.

Is Amex Travel cheaper?

The most important question you are probably wondering is whether or not it is cheaper to book your travel through Amex Travel or directly through the airlines, hotels, etc.

To answer this question, I did a handful of sample bookings for flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises.

Below are the results.

For flights, all five sample bookings were a little bit cheaper when I chose to book directly. In many cases the price was about $7 cheaper which isn’t a huge gap but is still cheaper nonetheless.

Here are the prices that I compared:

It’s worth noting that American Express imposes small fees for certain airline bookings.

For example, they will charge a non-refundable fee of $6.99 per domestic ticket and $10.99 per international ticket for each ticket for an airline that pays them a standard fee or commission.

So the price differences above likely were affected by these fees.

Tip: Logged in Platinum cardmembers and Centurion members will not be charged this fee.

For hotels, the opposite was true.

Amex Travel was cheaper on more occasions although in some cases the price was virtually identical.

Also, you can earn 5X Membership Rewards on pre-paid hotel stays with your Platinum Card. That’s a lot of points and in some cases it could make up for the lost value of elite benefits.

The rental car prices were almost completely identical.

The cruises were generally cheaper with direct booking. This was partially the result of flash sales that were happening with some of the cruise lines. These flash sales were not showing up on Amex Travel.

Overall, my data points showed that booking flights is slightly more expensive through Amex Travel (likely due to Amex fees) but that booking hotels and rental cars can be virtually identical.

Cruises may also be identical in pricing but you may not have access to flash deals which can cause significant discrepancies in price.

Tip: The Platinum Card receives special perks on some cruise packages such as credits.

Using Membership Rewards to book Amex Travel

One of the cool things about Amex Travel is that you can use your Membership Rewards points to book travel.

Your redemptions must involve a minimum of 5,000 Membership Rewards.

Something important to know is that the value of your points will differ based on the type of travel that you book.

Here is a breakdown of the value your points get for different types of travel.

Tip: You can also use the points calculator to check out the value of your Membership Rewards.

As you can see, flights and hotels through the FHR get the most value for your points. Other types of redemptions like hotels are not great.

When you consider that a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred can get you 1.25 cents per point in the Chase Travel Portal on all different types of travel, all of a sudden redeeming Membership Rewards for .7 cents per point seems very poor.

If you have a small business card like the Business Platinum Card or the Business Gold Card , you can actually get more value for your points.

The Business Gold Card has a 25% bonus which comes out to 1.33 cents per point . Meanwhile, the Business Platinum Card  has a 35% bonus which comes out to 1.54 cents per point.

You can only get the bonus/rebate for either a First or Business class flight on any airline or for flights with your selected qualifying airline.

Here some of the airlines you might be able to choose:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Spirit Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines

Note: There is a limitation on your rebate as you will only be able to receive up to 250,000 bonus points per calendar year for the Business Gold Card and up to 500,000 points per calendar year for the Business Platinum Card.

Alternative to using points for Amex Travel

Instead of using your points on travel, you could redeem them in other forms such as cash back, gift cards, or on Amazon.

The values for cashback and Amazon are not very good as you can see below but sometimes gift cards can be a decent option when you can cash out at one cent per point.

Should you use your Membership Rewards?

Even though your Membership Rewards can be transferred out to valuable travel partners for optimal value, sometimes it could make sense to use a travel portal.

One of the biggest reasons is that using something like Amex Travel is simpler.

You don’t have to deal with black out dates, award inventory, or figuring out how to do transfers and booking with partners.

However, if you do decide to transfer your points to American Express travel partners, here is a breakdown of the partners you can transfer to:

Related travel programs

There are three programs that are related to Amex Travel but are also different and stand out in different ways.

These include the:

The Hotel Collection

Fine hotels and resorts, international airline program.

These programs are mostly focused on premium and luxury travel so if you are in those markets, you will get the most value out of these related programs.

The Hotel Collection is a special hotel portal that allows you to receive up to $100 in property credits and upgrades when you book hotels of two nights or longer.

The Hotel Collection is only available to the following U.S. American Express Card Members:

• Consumer and Business Gold Card Members
• Business Gold Rewards Card Members
• Consumer and Business Platinum Card Members
• Consumer and Business Centurion Members

The hotel credit will equal the amount spent on the hotel at checkout up to $100 and it will be credited at check out based on qualifying charges made excluding charges for taxes, gratuities, fees and cost of room.

You must make your payment in full with an American Express Card in the Eligible Card Member’s name.

Also, the cardholder must travel on the itinerary booked. There is a limit of one credit per room per stay and a three room limit per card member per stay.

Room upgrade is based on availability and eligibility at check-in.

For bookings made on  amextravel.com , you will earn 2X Membership Rewards on each The Hotel Collection booking and you can also use Pay with Points.

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts , also known as “FHR,” is a luxury hotel program that offers special elite-like perks at over 975 world-class properties all around the world. 

There are also special hotels within this program known as Preferred Hotels & Resorts which “represents one of the world’s finest and most diverse portfolios of independent hotels.”

These hotel networks are only available to cardmembers of Platinum Cards and Centurion Cards.

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts offers an entire suite of benefits which include: 

• Noon check-in, when available
• Guaranteed 4pm late check-out
• Room upgrade upon arrival, when available
• Daily breakfast for two people
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Special amenity unique to each property

As mentioned above, you can earn 5X with the Platinum Card on prepaid bookings through FHR . Something else that stands out is that you can still receive your elite benefits and elite credits when going through this portal.

The Amex International Airline Program (IAP) is a special program available to Platinum cardholders and Centurion cardholders that allows you to receive special discounts on up to eight first class, business class, and premium economy fares when booking through Amex.

The discounts can range from saving a couple of hundred bucks to saving a few thousand bucks so the International Airline Program can be arguably the most valuable benefit offered by any American Express card.

Not every airline participates in the program. Currently, here is the list of airlines that participate:

• Air New Zealand
• Asiana Airlines
• British Airways
• Brussels Airlines
• Cathay Pacific
• China Airlines
• Etihad Airways
• Japan Airlines
• South African Airways
• Virgin Atlantic

You’ll notice that notably absent are domestic carriers United and American.

How to use Amex Travel

• Head to the Amex Travel website
• Choose the type of travel you want to book and input your destinations, travel dates, etc.
• Utilize filters to find the type of booking best suited for you
• Complete your booking!

The main menu

If you hover over “Book” you will then be able to select the type of travel you want to book.

(The default menu already displays flights, hotels, and vacations so you can easily start the booking process for those.)

For flights, simply enter in your departure and arrival locations along with your dates and other details such as cabin preference.

You’ll then see results populated and you can use filters to narrow down the results. You can sort by things like price, duration, and departure time. You can also filter the results down by airline.

The search results allow you to quickly view details like baggage fees and in some cases you’ll also be able to view the seat map which is very convenient.

The hotel search results also provide you with robust filters and sort features to make your searching efficient.

I like to use the map feature and to filter by stars to narrow down my potential properties.

You can also filter by price and if you are interested in the luxury hotel collection or find hotels and resorts you can filter by those programs.

If you do come across a hotel that is part of the Fine Hotels and Resorts, you will see that clearly indicated on the search result.

The same applies for The Hotel Collection.

Make sure that you pay attention to the cancellation policy for that specific hotel.

As you view the search results, you can see if there is flexible cancellation which would allow you to cancel up to a certain window prior to booking.

If there is a flexible cancellation policy, you will be able to view the exact terms to see the deadline to get a refund. When you click on “cancellation policy” you will see a message like this:

There is no charge for cancellations made before 18:00 (property local time) on March 16, 2021. Cancellations or changes made after 18:00 (property local time) on March 16, 2021 or no-shows are subject to a property fee equal to 100% of the total amount paid for the reservation.

Other hotels will be completely nonrefundable.

Again, you can always click on a hotel and then click on view cancellation policy to get the specific terms for that booking.

For rental cars, you have a lot of filters that you could use for things like the size of the rental car, the rental car company, price, etc. You will be able to easily view if the booking has free cancellation or not.

If you have an account, you should take a short amount of time to fill in your profile.

You will be able to input your personal details like your name and birthdate to make a booking quicker in the future. You can also input your known traveler number and your redress number if you have one.

In addition to your personal information, you can also easily add loyalty numbers to your frequent flyer program and hotel loyalty programs.

Next you can select things like your travel preferences. So for example, for flights you can select if you want a window or aisle seat. Or perhaps you have a meal preference such as gluten free meals.

And then if there are any additional preferences like unaccompanied minor status , vision impairments , etc., you can select those.

Finally, you can also add companions.

Amex Travel also has a section where you can view all of your booked trips.

This is really convenient when you need to change or cancel the booking since you have a quick way to find them.

You can also view past trips.

Amex Travel FAQ

Based on my 20 data points, Amex Travel is slightly more expensive for airfare (likely due to Amex fees) but prices are virtually identical for other types of travel such as hotels and car rentals. In some cases, Amex Travel had cheaper prices.

The Platinum Card is the best Amex card to use because you can take advantage of special 5X earnings on flights and hotels and also receive solid travel protections.

You may not receive your elite status benefits when booking hotels through Amex Travel because it is considered an OTA. However, you can still contact the hotel ahead of time and ask them to add your loyalty number to your reservation. After they do that, you may be able to receive some elite benefits depending on the brand and property. You can still get elite benefits with the Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection programs.

Yes, you can book travel with points on Amex Travel. However, you will have to use a minimum of 5,000 Membership Rewards.

Yes, Membership Rewards earning cards will earn one additional point when booking on Amex Travel for certain types of purchases. However, some cards like the Platinum Card and the Green Card will earn additional points.

Yes, but you may be subject to a non-refundable telephone air transaction service fee of $39 per ticket for airline tickets or air + hotel packages. Also, reservations within 6 hours of departure cannot be made by telephone.

Yes, you can change your airline booking but you may be subject to fees from the airline. In addition, American Express may charge you a $39 change fee per ticket reissue .

For bookings made online you can call Amextravel.com at: 1-800-297-2977. If you made your booking by phone with a Platinum Travel Counselor, you can call 1-800-443-7672.

No, you will need to use a card that has travel insurance like the Platinum Card or purchase a travel insurance package to get insurance for your bookings.

Flights Hotels Rental cars Cruises Vacation Packages

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

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