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How to use the Amex Platinum $200 airline fee credit in 2024

Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

It's no surprise that The Platinum Card® from American Express is packed with premium benefits . One of the most generous perks of the premium card is the annual statement credit for up to $200 in airline incidental fees. When fully maximized, this perk can reduce the sting of the card's $695 annual fee (see rates and fees ). Enrollment is required.

This credit operates on a calendar year basis, which means you have from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 to use the credit. Additionally, you usually need to select your airline for the year by Jan. 31, though anecdotally, we've heard Amex has been somewhat flexible with this if you call or chat with a representative.

Usually, it's pretty easy for a traveler to fully maximize an annual airline fee credit of up to $200 over 12 months. First things first: Note that enrollment is required in advance before you can receive credit for this benefit in 2024.

To stay on top of all of your credit card perks and rewards in 2024, be sure to download the free TPG App .

5 suggestions on using the airline fee credit this year

Here are some ideas for using your Amex Platinum airline incidental credits throughout 2024:

• Pay for seat assignments and checked bag fees.
• Use it to splurge on food and beverages while inflight.
• Purchase airline lounge daypasses for future use. These are often valid for one year from purchase, but be sure to check the exact terms before buying any passes. You can purchase single-use passes from United for $59, American for $79 and from Alaska for $60. Also, know that this doesn't work 100% with all the airlines, so do some online searching for recent data points.
• Allow an authorized user to put the fee credit to use on one of their flights.
• Purchase Southwest EarlyBird boarding for future Southwest flights.

Enrollment is required in advance for select benefits.

Related: The ultimate guide to getting Delta Sky Club access

Choose the right airline

If you have an Amex Platinum , you can click here to select or change your airline choice each January (you'll need to log in to access your Amex account). You also can access the airline selection screen by scrolling to your online account's "Benefits" section. Either way, you'll see that you can choose from the following airlines:

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

Amex has been pretty lenient about permitting airline selection changes well beyond the usual Jan. 31 deadline for those who call or use the online chat feature to ask. There's no guarantee that it will work for you, but it's worth trying if you want to change your airline later in the year and haven't used any of the credit yet.

Generally speaking, you might assume that the airline you most frequently fly with is the one to choose. However, picking your primary airline automatically isn't always the best choice. That's because many fees are waived if you have elite status or a cobranded credit card with that airline , so having credits to reimburse you for checked bag fees or seat selection with that airline may not be useful.

Instead, consider an airline with which you're likely to incur at least $200 in fees each year.

For example, imagine that you fly United most frequently and also hold elite status with that airline, but you also fly American a few times each year. In this situation, you might be better served choosing American for your airline fee credit.

You could use that credit for things like seat assignments, extra-legroom seats, bag fees, onboard drinks or food. Remember that enrollment is required in advance to use this benefit through this direct registration link .

Don't forget about budget airlines, either.

Designating a low-cost carrier as your airline of choice could be a smart strategy since they charge extra fees for amenities that come automatically with some other airlines. This includes checked and carry-on bags , seat assignments and onboard snacks and drinks. Maximizing the Amex Platinum airline fee credit should be really easy if you designate and fly on a carrier that charges a high number of add-on fees.

What's covered by the airline fee credit

Generally, the following incidental fees will be reimbursed by using the Amex Platinum credit, as long as you make these purchases separately from the airline ticket itself (so the purchase will show up as a different transaction).

However, anything not expressly an incidental fee is not guaranteed to work and could change based on how the airline codes the transactions. For example, we've recently heard that United lounge passes can be coded as airfare and thus wouldn't be likely to trigger the credit:

• Checked baggage fees
• Overweight/oversized baggage fees
• Change fees
• Phone reservation fees
• Pet flight fees
• Airport lounge daypasses and annual memberships
• Seat assignment fees
• Inflight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, etc.)
• Inflight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet)

As you can imagine, it's not difficult for many frequent travelers to use the airline fee credit in a typical year.

For example, you could select Spirit Airlines as your airline and then use the credit to purchase Big Front Seats , snacks or checked bags. Additionally, if you fly with your pet, based on the pet fees on most — but not all — airlines, you might use up your airline fee credit on just one or two flights with your pet .

If American Airlines is your selected airline, check out this post on which American Airlines expenses trigger the Amex airline fee credit . And here's a real-world look at what triggers the fee credit across more airlines .

According to the terms, the Amex Platinum airline fee credit is not applicable for the following:

• Fees charged to other card accounts (besides authorized user accounts )
• Charges that aren't separate from airline ticket payments (for example, you may pay to select seats when purchasing a ticket but that may not trigger the credit)
• Fees not charged by the cardmember's airline of choice (for example, wireless internet and fees incurred with airline alliance partners)
• Incidental air travel fees charged prior to the selection of a qualifying airline
• Airline tickets
• Mileage points purchases
• Mileage points transfer fees
• Duty-free purchases
• Award tickets

The airline must submit the charge under the appropriate merchant code and required service or product identifier for the charge to be recognized as an incidental air travel fee. The terms say to allow six to eight weeks after each charge for the statement credit to post to your account (though, in our experience, it is often faster). If the credit hasn't posted after that time, you can call the number on the back of the card to get the credit manually approved for valid charges.

Related: How long does it take to receive statement credits from Amex?

It's also worth highlighting the bullet point for "fees not charged by the cardmember's airline of choice." If you book a ticket through your preferred airline but will fly on a partner airline, expect that you won't be able to use your incidental credits.

Here's an example. Say that your preferred airline is United, you book a flight through United's website, but you will actually fly on Air Canada. When you check-in at the airport with Air Canada, checked bag fees would be charged by Air Canada — not United — so you wouldn't be able to use your Amex Platinum incidental credits here.

As with most things, there are clear-cut cases when the credit reliably does and does not work while there also are some grey areas. For example, we have heard reports that the airfare credit kicks in when you pay for a portion of a Delta ticket with a gift card and then charge the remainder to your Amex Platinum. This happens because the remaining airfare becomes an "additional collection" and triggers the reimbursement credit.

Sometimes, other small airline ticket purchases, Travel Bank reloads and even the taxes/fees also trigger the credit, as have some purchases of smaller ($50-ish) amounts of future airline travel credit.

However, those are off-label uses that could change at any time. Additionally, remember that only purchases with the airline you selected will trigger the credit.

Other Amex cards with airline fee credits

The Amex Platinum isn't the only Amex card that offers an annual airline fee credit (up to a certain amount). The following Amex cards also offer credits (advance enrollment is required):

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (up to $200)- enrollment is required

The Hilton Aspire did have a $250 airline fee credit, but it has been replaced with a $50 quarterly airline credit valid on eligible flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com.

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex 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.

The details of the airline fee credit on these cards and the Amex Platinum are similar. But there's one important wrinkle for the Business Platinum Card . Business Platinum cardholders receive a 35% rebate on any points redeemed for business- or first-class travel on qualifying airlines when booked through Amex Travel (up to 1 million points back per calendar year) or when using Pay with Points to book travel on their preferred airline — the same airline associated with the $200 in annual airline incidental credits.

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

Because of that, Business Platinum cardholders may want to select an airline for which they use points to purchase economy tickets for their annual airline credit, instead of one where they'll incur fees that the credit can offset.

Bottom line

The up to $200 Amex airline fee credit is one of those use-or-lose benefits that is only worth what you make of it.

Normally, it's pretty easy to maximize this airline fee credit if you understand how it works and have a plan for the year ahead. At this point, you should have a good understanding of what does and doesn't work for the Amex Platinum card's airline incidental credits and how you can use these credits even if you aren't traveling right away.

Official application link: Amex Platinum Official application link: Amex Business Platinum

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here . For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here .

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How to use your $200 Amex Platinum airline fee credit in 2023

Choose the airline that’s best for you to use your Amex Platinum airline credit

Published: January 28, 2022

Author: Nicole Dieker

Editor: Kaitlyn Tang

Reviewer: Claire Dickey

How we Choose

The Platinum Card from American Express offers a number of premium travel benefits – including an annual $200 airline credit that can help offset the cost of incidental air travel fees.

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Please review our list of best credit cards , or use our CardMatch™ tool to find cards matched to your needs.

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a number of premium travel benefits – including an annual $200 airline credit that can be used to offset the cost of incidental air travel fees.

The Amex Platinum airline credit helps make this top rewards credit card an excellent choice for frequent flyers who don’t mind paying a $695 annual fee for a luxury travel experience . But what does the Amex Platinum airline credit cover, and how do you use your Amex Platinum airline credit during a year when travel may not yet be back to normal?

Let’s take a close look at this valuable American Express perk and what you need to know about using your $200 Amex Platinum airline fee credit in 2022.

How to use the Amex Platinum airline credit

Before you can use your American Express airline credit, you need to choose a qualifying airline. Select your airline by logging in to your Amex card’s online account and selecting your airline for this credit. Choose carefully because you won’t be able to change your qualifying airline until January of the next calendar year.

The following airlines currently qualify for the Amex $200 travel credit:

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

Once you choose your qualifying airline, how do you use your Amex Platinum airline credit? Taking advantage of your Amex airline credit is fairly easy. As you make qualifying purchases, American Express will automatically apply statement credits to your account. You can receive up to $200 in Amex airline credits per calendar year.

Since the Amex Platinum card rewards purchases made with a specific airline, you might want to combine your Platinum card with an airline miles card that would increase both your rewards and frequent flyer perks. This way, you can combine your premium credit card rewards with other travel benefits, such as free flights and elite status.

What does the Amex airline credit cover?

The Amex airline credit can be put toward incidental air travel fees – but not all travel fees qualify, so it’s good to know what your Amex $200 credit covers in advance.

Airline fees that qualify for the $200 Amex Platinum credit include:

• Checked baggage fees
• Flight change fees
• Premium seat fees
• Airport lounge day passes
• In-flight purchases made with the airline

Airline fees that do not qualify for the Amex Platinum credit include:

• Airline tickets
• Award tickets
• Mileage points purchases
• Mileage points transfer fees
• Duty-free purchases
• In-flight purchases made with a third-party provider (such as wireless internet)

Remember, all qualifying fees must be purchased through your selected airline. Fees incurred while flying a partner airline won’t qualify – so keep that in mind when you book your next flight.

Choose the right airline for 2022

Choosing the best airline for the Amex travel credit might be different this year. Travel in the time of COVID-19 has changed everything, including airline rules – so plan ahead when you select your qualifying airline for 2022.

Start by checking to see whether a potential airline has any COVID-related restrictions that might make booking travel more difficult. Major airlines are doing their best to make traveling during the pandemic as safe and flexible as possible, including making flight changes easier and more affordable, but it’s still a good idea to check whether you’ll need to provide a negative COVID test before traveling, for example. It’s also worth checking to see whether a potential airline is currently restricting travel to certain destinations, especially if you already know where you plan to fly this year.

In most cases, airlines will follow recommended protocol from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – whether that includes requiring passengers to wear masks or restricting travel to certain areas. Take these factors into consideration as you choose your qualifying airline and try to select an airline that gives you plenty of options in case you need to change your plans.

Maximize your Amex travel credit

Want to know how to spend your Amex travel credit? To maximize your Amex airline credit, it’s a good idea to apply for the American Express Platinum card as early in the year as possible. Since your Amex $200 credit starts over annually, you’ll want to make sure you can take full advantage of your Amex travel credit before the calendar year ends.

With that said, you’ll also want to make sure you’re making enough qualifying airline purchases to maximize your Amex statement credits. The $200 annual Amex airline credit is a use-it-or-lose-it perk – so go ahead and check that bag, book that premium seat and get your money’s worth out of this great card perk.

Bottom line

The Amex airline credit is a luxury travel perk that can help you offset the cost of the Platinum card’s $695 annual fee . Choose your qualifying airline carefully, and try to make enough qualifying incidental airline purchases to claim the full $200 in statement credits each year.

The pandemic may make 2022 another challenging year for travelers. If you don’t plan on traveling enough to take advantage of the Amex $200 airline credit, consider applying for another top travel credit card instead – or hold off on applying for the Platinum card until you’re more likely to return to your old travel habits.

Editorial Disclaimer

The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.

Nicole Dieker is a freelance writer with a focus on personal finance and habit formation. She spent five years as a writer and editor at The Billfold, a personal finance site where people had honest conversations about money, and she regularly teaches classes on how to build your income as a freelancer.

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How to use your Amex airline fee credit — even for flights!

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One of the best American Express credit card perks is the annual credit for airline incidental fees. This is a valuable benefit that comes with cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

With it, you can get from up to $200 to up to $250 toward incidentals on your airline of choice — and the credits renew each calendar year. You can choose which airline the credit will apply to when you open the card, but it must be used by the end of the year .

Normally you can only use the credit towards incidental purchases. But there’s another way to essentially use your airline credit towards United flights (more on that below).

Here’s how to select your airline — and a look at what types of fees do and don’t qualify for these credits.

The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

How to select your airline

You can change your selected airline by logging into your Amex account or calling the number on the back of your card. You can choose one of these airlines for your credit:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• United Airlines

Step 1. Choose your qualifying card

To begin,  log into your Amex account . If you’ve got multiple Amex cards (like most of us), you’ll have to select the card that comes with the airline incidentals credit. Click on the card you want to access from the top right of the screen. In my case, it’s the Amex Platinum.

Step 2. Select “Benefits”

You’re now on the correct landing page for the card that offers the airline fee reimbursement. Next, you’ll click “Benefits” at the top navigation bar. It’ll take you to an outline of all the significant benefits that come with this specific card.

Step 3. Click “Enroll Now”

Scroll down the page until you see “Airline Fee Credit.” Simply click “Enroll Now” to get the process started. I’ve already enrolled my account, which is why the big “Enroll Now” button isn’t showing. (enrollment required).

Step 4.  Pick your airline and confirm

Afterward, you’ll see a screen with a drop-down menu with all your airline options.

Once you set your airline, the terms state that you can’t change it until the following January, so be certain you select the one you want most. If you’re really in a bind, however, cardholders have been able to change it at other times by chatting with an Amex representative — as long as you’ve not used your credit yet.

Once you’ve made your choice, click “Submit Selection.”

Step 5.  Remember your selection

You can start spending on your selected airline right away. Should you forget which airline you chose, you can always log back into your online Amex account to find out.

Amex says qualifying fees will be reimbursed within two to four weeks, but in my experience, it’s much faster – usually two to five business days. If you made a qualifying charge and haven’t received a statement credit after a few weeks, call Amex at the number on the back of your card to see if they’ll manually apply the credit for you.

Amex cards that offer an airline-fee credit

These Amex cards come with airline-fee credits that reset each calendar year (terms apply):

• The Platinum Card® from American Express (read our review ) — Up to $200 airline incidental credit on your selected airline
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (read our review ) – Up to $200 airline incidental credit on your selected airline
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Up to $250 airline incidental credit on your selected airline

If you have The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, choosing the right airline is even more important because you’ll get an extra benefit: Using the Amex Pay With Points feature to purchase airfare through the Amex Travel portal , cardholders get a 35% points rebate on all business and first-class tickets (up to 500,000 points back per calendar year). And you’ll get the same 35% points rebate on all coach flights booked with your selected airline through the Amex travel portal using the Pay With Points feature.

You can use the airline credit for fees including:

• Checked baggage fees (including overweight/oversize)
• Itinerary change fees
• Phone reservation fees
• Pet flight fees
• Seat assignment fees
• Inflight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, headphones)
• Inflight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet because it’s not charged by the airline)
• Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships
• United TravelBank funding

You cannot use fee credits for fees including:

• Airline tickets
• Mileage-points purchases
• Mileage-points transfer fees
• Duty-free purchases
• Award tickets

Unofficial ways to use the Amex Airline credit

While airline tickets are officially not recognized, there are reports which indicate Southwest, Delta and JetBlue flights under $99 will be reimbursed. However, this is not guaranteed as the purchase codes as airfare. You can scour the internet for data points to see what’s working at the moment.

Purchasing a Southwest or Delta flight partially with a Southwest or Delta gift card, respectively, and the rest with an Amex card will sometimes trigger the reimbursement credit. Spirit’s $9 Fare Club membership and Frontier’s Discount Den membership have also been known to work — though I’ve got no experience with those myself.

Using the Amex airline credit to load your United TravelBank

In the past, it was possible to get these fee credits to work for things like gift cards, but that is no longer true.

However, the option to load your United TravelBank with funds to trigger the airline fee credit is working again. Loaded funds won’t expire for five years and can be extended beyond for another five years that by having any TravelBank activity (funding or usage). You can use United TravelBank funds for United flights purchased on United.com. What this means is that you’re essentially able to use your airline credit towards United flights. Enrollment required for select benefits.

It’s very important to note that it’s not guaranteed for these methods to work. Reaching out to Amex won’t help either since these things are not on the official list of reimbursable items. I just tried this recently with two $100 loads and it did not work, but I tried again with four $50 loads and it worked like a charm. In other words, I purchased $200 in United credit that I didn’t intend to. I’ll use the credit, so I’m not miffed, but it’s very important you understand this isn’t a given.

Before making a purchase, you’ll want to look around the internet for data-points to make sure this method is still working.

Bottom line

Amex cards with airline incidental credits include (Terms Apply):

• Up to $200 with The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Up to $250 with the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express

These fee credits reset each calendar year and can be used for incidentals like checked bag fees, seat assignment fees, airport lounge day passes and more. However, you may be able to indirectly purchase airline tickets with them.

If you have experience with reimbursement for airline-fee credits, please share! And subscribe to our newsletter for more travel tips and credit card tricks like this delivered to your inbox once per day.

Meghan Hunter

Contributor

Meghan Hunter is an editor for Million Mile Secrets. She covers points, miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels and general travel. Her work has also appeared in The Points Guy.

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Wherever you go, be in the know when a table at the world’s most sought-after restaurants becomes available with Priority Notify from Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log in to Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.‡

Arrive on Time With Uber

Book your Uber in advance so you can head to the airport on your schedule. As a Platinum Card Member, you receive $15 in Uber Cash, available to you through the Uber app, for orders with Uber Eats or rides with Uber in the US each month plus a bonus $20 in December*, delivered through an exclusive Uber app experience. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card to your Uber account to get started. *Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.

Get Through Airport Security Faster With CLEAR® Plus

CLEAR® uses unique attributes, such as eyes or fingerprints, to digitally verify identity to help its members move faster through security at select airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership‡, excluding any applicable taxes, with up to $189 in statement credits per year after you enroll and pay for CLEAR Plus, which is subject to auto-renewal with your Platinum Card.† †Taxes and fees subject to autorenewal. Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.

Save $200 on Airline Fees

Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card or any of the Additional Cards on your Platinum Card account.§ §American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.

Start Your Next Adventure

You deserve the best from every journey. We’re here to help you get it.

‡ Terms and Conditions

Fine Hotels + Resorts Program Show Details Hide Details

Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer, Business, and Corporate Platinum Card® Members, and Centurion® Members. Additional Platinum Card Members on Consumer and Business Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts are also eligible for FHR program benefits. Companion Card Members on Consumer Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts, Additional Business Gold and Additional Business Expense Card Members on Business Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts, and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Card Members are not eligible for FHR program benefits. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. The average total value of the program benefits is based on prior-year bookings for stays of two nights; the actual value varies. Noon check-in and room upgrade are subject to availability and are provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of experience credit or additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the experience credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the experience credit. Advance reservations are recommended for certain experience credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amount will be applied at check-out. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for FHR program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

The Hotel Collection Program Show Details Hide Details

The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Gold Card, Platinum Card® Members, and Centurion® Members. Additional Card Members on Consumer and Business Platinum Card Accounts, and Additional Card Members on Consumer and Business Centurion Accounts are also eligible for THC program benefits. Delta SkyMiles® Gold and Platinum Card Members are not eligible. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. Room upgrade is subject to availability and is provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of experience credit or additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the experience credit will be applied to eligible charges up to $100. Advance reservations are recommended for certain experience credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

International Airline Program Show Details Hide Details

International Airline Program benefits are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum Card ® and Centurion ® Members (Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Card Members are not eligible), on international tickets booked through American Express Travel for select first class, business class, and premium economy tickets with participating airlines, subject to availability. Travel must originate in and return to U.S. gateway (may exclude certain overseas territories) and select Canadian gateways. One-way travel is permitted on some airlines where routing originates in U.S. or select Canadian gateways. An eligible Card Member can book for himself/herself and up to seven passengers traveling on the same itinerary as that Card Member. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card in the Card Member’s name. Discounts are applied to the base airfare. Discounts are not combinable with other offers unless indicated and may not apply to codeshare partners. Airline fare rules and restrictions apply and are subject to change at the discretion of the airline. Tickets are non-refundable unless otherwise indicated. Tickets are non-transferable; name changes are not permitted. Benefits, participating airlines, and ticket availability are subject to change.

Cruise Privileges Program Show Details Hide Details

Cruise Privileges Program (“CPP”) benefits are valid only for new CPP bookings made with participating cruise lines through American Express Travel. CPP benefits are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum and Centurion ® Card Members (Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Card Members are not eligible). CPP bookings must be made using the eligible Card. CPP benefits are non-transferable. Participating cruise lines and program benefits are subject to change. The benefits of an onboard credit and amenity are valid for new CPP bookings of at least five nights and require double occupancy; the eligible Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked; the total cost of the CPP booking must be paid using an American Express ® Card in the eligible Card Member's name. Onboard credits and amenities cannot be combined with other offers unless indicated; blackout dates, category and fare restrictions may apply. Onboard credits and amenities may not be available to residents outside of the 50 United States. Onboard credits and amenities apply per stateroom, with a three-stateroom limit per eligible Card Member, per cruise. For new CPP bookings with Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit (in USD) of: $100 for inside and outside staterooms, $200 for balcony, verandah, and mini-suite staterooms, and/or $300 for suites. For new CPP bookings with Cunard, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit (in USD) of: $300 for all Queen Mary ocean-view staterooms category EF or higher, and/or Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth ocean-view staterooms category FA or higher. For new CPP bookings with Ama Waterways, Oceania, Regent, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea, Uniworld, and Windstar, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit of US$300 for all stateroom categories. For new CPP bookings, Centurion Members receive an additional US$200 onboard credit on Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, and Silversea. Onboard credits will be applied at checkout upon completion of the cruise; credit amounts in local currency may vary due to foreign exchange rates; credits are subject to cruise line terms and policies; credits cannot be used for casino charges, gratuities or other similar charges. Any unused portion of a credit is non-refundable and is not redeemable for cash. Other restrictions may apply. Onboard amenities vary by participating cruise line and are not available on Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos and Silver Discoverer. Onboard credits and amenities are not available on Celebrity Cruises Galapagos sailings.

Extra Membership Rewards ® points: CPP-eligible Card Members that are Membership Rewards program-enrolled will receive one (1) extra Membership Reward ® point per eligible dollar spent on new CPP bookings made with participating cruise lines through American Express Travel; separate airfare and other charges associated with such bookings are not eligible. CPP bookings must be made using the eligible Card (described above). The extra points will be credited to the Card Member’s Membership Rewards account 8-12 weeks after completion of the CPP cruise. For more information visit membershiprewards.com/terms .

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our travel consultants. For more information visit americanexpress.com/travelterms

California CST#1022318; Washington UBI#600-469-694

$200 Hotel Credit Show Details Hide Details

Basic Card Members on U.S. Consumer Platinum Card Account are eligible to receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when they or Additional Platinum Card Members use their Cards to pay for eligible prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® and The Hotel Collection bookings made through American Express Travel (meaning through amextravel.com, the Amex ® App, or by calling the phone number on the back of your eligible Card) or when Companion Platinum Card Members on such Platinum Card Accounts pay for eligible prepaid bookings for The Hotel Collection made through American Express Travel (meaning through amextravel.com, the Amex ® App, or by calling the phone number on the back of your eligible Card). Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account are eligible for statement credits. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $200 per calendar year, per Card Account. Fine Hotels + Resorts ® program bookings may be made only by eligible U.S. Consumer Basic Platinum and Additional Platinum Card Members. The Hotel Collection bookings may be made by eligible U.S. Consumer Basic and Additional Platinum Card Members and Companion Platinum Card Members on the Platinum Card Account. Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Card Members are not eligible for the benefit. To receive the statement credits, an eligible Card Member must make a new booking using their eligible Card through American Express Travel on or after July 1st, 2021, that is prepaid (referred to as "Pay Now" on amextravel.com and the Amex App), for a qualifying stay at an available, participating Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection property. Bookings of The Hotel Collection require a minimum stay of two consecutive nights. Eligible bookings must be processed before December 31st, 11:59PM Central Time, each calendar year to be eligible for statement credits within that year. Eligible bookings do not include interest charges, cancellation fees, property fees or other similar fees, or any charges by a property to you (whether for your booking, your stay or otherwise).

Statement credits are typically received within a few days, however it may take 90 days after an eligible prepaid hotel booking is charged to the Card Account. American Express relies on the merchant to process transactions within the same calendar year that you made the prepaid booking in order to apply the statement credit in the calendar year that it was intended. For example, if you make an eligible prepaid booking on the last day of the year, but the merchant doesn't process that transaction until the next day, then the statement credit available in the next calendar year will be applied to the Card Account, if the purchase is eligible. Statement credits may not be received or may be reversed if the booking is cancelled or modified. To be eligible for this benefit, your Card account must not be cancelled or past due at the time of statement credit fulfillment. If American Express does not receive information that identifies your transaction as eligible, you will not receive the statement credits. For example, your transaction will not be eligible if it is a booking: (i) made with a property not included in the Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection programs, (ii) not made through American Express Travel, or (iii) not made with an eligible Card. Participating properties and their availability are subject to change. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit, American Express will not have an obligation to provide and may reverse any statement credits provided to you. If a charge for an eligible purchase is included in a Pay Over Time balance on your Card Account, the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time balance. Instead, the statement credit may be applied to your Pay In Full balance. Please refer to AmericanExpress.com/FHR and AmericanExpress.com/HC for more information about Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection, respectively.

5X Air and Hotel Show Details Hide Details

Basic Card Members will get 1 Membership Rewards® point for each dollar charged for eligible purchases on their Platinum Card® or an Additional Card on their Account and 4 additional points (for a total of 5 points) for each dollar charged for eligible travel purchases on any Card on the Account (“Additional Points”), minus cancellations and credits. Eligible travel purchases are limited to: (i) purchases of air tickets on scheduled flights, of up to $500,000 in charges per calendar year, booked directly with passenger airlines or through American Express Travel (by calling 1-800-525-3355 or through AmexTravel.com); (ii) purchases of prepaid hotel reservations booked through American Express Travel; and (iii) purchases of prepaid flight+hotel packages booked through AmexTravel.com. Eligible travel purchases do not include: charter flights, private jet flights, flights that are part of tours, cruises, or travel packages (other than prepaid flight+hotel packages booked through AmexTravel.com), ticketing or similar service fees, ticket cancellation or change fees, property fees or similar fees, hotel group reservations or events, interest charges, or purchases of cash equivalents. Eligible prepaid hotel bookings or prepaid flight+hotel bookings that are modified directly with the hotel will not be eligible for Additional Points. 

Bonuses that may be received with your Card on other purchase categories or in connection with promotions or offers from American Express cannot be combined with this benefit. Any portion of a charge that the Basic Card Member elects to cover through redemption of Membership Rewards points is not eligible to receive points. Additional terms and restrictions apply. 

Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. We group certain merchant codes into categories that are eligible for Additional Points. A purchase with a merchant will not earn Additional Points if the merchant’s code is not included in an Additional Points category. Basic Card Members may not receive Additional Points if we receive inaccurate information or are otherwise unable to identify your purchase as eligible for an Additional Points category. For example, you may not receive Additional Points when: a merchant uses a third-party to sell their products or services, a merchant uses a third-party to process or submit your transaction to us (e.g., using mobile or wireless card readers), or you choose to make a purchase using a third-party payment account or make a purchase using a mobile or digital wallet. 

To be eligible for this benefit, the Card Account must not be cancelled. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit in any way American Express may remove access to this benefit from the Account. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card or visit  americanexpress.com/rewards-info  for more information about rewards.

Hilton Honors Gold Status Enrollment Show Details Hide Details

Enrollment through American Express is required to receive the benefit. Platinum Card Members and Additional Platinum Card Members on the Platinum Card Account can enroll in complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status in the Benefits section of their americanexpress.com online account or by calling the number on the back of their Card. If a Card Member already has a Hilton Honors Number, they may enter it on the benefit page prior to enrollment. Benefit available only to Platinum Card Members and is not transferable. Once the Card Member requests enrollment in the Hilton Honors program, American Express will share their enrollment information with Hilton. Hilton may use this information in accordance with its privacy policy available at hilton.com/en/p/global-privacy-statement/ . Enrolled Card Members will maintain Hilton Honors Gold Status without meeting otherwise required Hilton Honors criteria as long as the Card Member remains an eligible American Express Card Member or until American Express notifies the Card Member that the benefit is terminated. If your Platinum Card is cancelled for any reason, your complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status provided with the Card will be cancelled. American Express reserves the right to change, modify or revoke complimentary Gold status at any time. If your complimentary Gold status is cancelled, you may be able to maintain your Gold status by qualifying under the Hilton Honors Program terms. Gold status benefits are subject to availability and vary by hotel; see Hiltonhonors.com/MemberBenefits and Hilton.com/en/hilton-honors/benefit-terms/ for additional details. The Hilton Honors Program, including the benefits of Hilton Honors membership, are subject to Hilton Honors Terms and Conditions; see hiltonhonors.com/terms .

To be eligible for this benefit, Card Account(s) must not be cancelled. If your Card has been replaced, please check the Benefits section of your americanexpress.com account, mobile app or call the number on the back of your Card to confirm your continued enrollment in the benefit. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit in any way, American Express may remove access to this benefit from the Account. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy ™ Gold Elite Status Show Details Hide Details

Enrollment through American Express is required to receive the benefit. Platinum Card Members and Additional Platinum Card Members are eligible to enroll in the complimentary Marriott Bonvoy™ Gold Elite Status benefit in the Benefits section of their americanexpress.com online account or by calling the number on the back of their Card. If a Card Member already has a Marriott Bonvoy account number, they may enter it in the Benefits section prior to enrollment. Once the Card Member requests enrollment, American Express will share their enrollment information with Marriott International Inc. Marriott Bonvoy may use this information in accordance with its privacy statement available at www.marriott.com/about/privacy.mi . Enrollment into the Marriott Bonvoy program is required to receive program benefits, and enrollment may be terminated without prior notice subject to Marriott Bonvoy terms and conditions. Enrollment usually occurs within 3-5 business days, but in limited instances it may take longer. Please call the number on the back of your Card for assistance if you have not received a benefit enrollment confirmation within 10 days from the time you requested enrollment. The Marriott Bonvoy program is subject to change and certain eligibility requirements and benefit availability may vary by property. Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status benefits may be combined with the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program. Not all Marriott International brand properties participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program. Reservations booked through third parties and online booking services are not eligible to earn Marriott Bonvoy points, miles or Gold Elite Status benefits. All Marriott Bonvoy program terms and conditions apply; for complete terms and conditions, visit www.marriottbonvoy.com/terms . American Express reserves the right to instruct Marriott Bonvoy to remove Gold Elite status if the Card Member ceases to be a Platinum Card Member or their account is cancelled or past due. To be eligible for this Gold Elite status benefit, Card Account(s) must not be cancelled and you must remain in good standing with Marriott Bonvoy. If your Card has been replaced, please check the Benefits section of your americanexpress.com account, mobile app or call the number on the back of your Card to confirm your continued enrollment in the Gold Elite status benefit. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this the Gold Elite status benefit in any way, American Express may remove access to this benefit from the Account. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

Car Rental Privileges Show Details Hide Details

Consumer Platinum Card® Members, Corporate Platinum Card® Members and Business Platinum Card® Members are eligible to receive complimentary status in the following programs: Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®, and/or National Car Rental® Emerald Club. Additional Platinum Card Members on Consumer and Business Platinum Accounts are also eligible for this benefit. Companion Platinum Cards® on Consumer Platinum Card Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Card Accounts are not eligible to receive this benefit. Benefits provided to Platinum Card Members are subject to each car rental company’s terms and conditions, including age restrictions, and require enrollment in each car rental program through your American Express online account to receive benefits. Payment must be made using the Platinum Card. Platinum Card Members are required to enroll in Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and National Emerald Club memberships to receive the car rental program benefits. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® is a registered trademark of Hertz System, Inc. Minimum rental age is 25 (exceptions apply). Minimum age to join Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is 21. Standard rental terms and conditions apply. National collects Frequent Flyer Tax Recoupment Surcharge to cover the federal tax on the cost of the miles awarded at the time of rental. Discount applies to base rate only. Taxes (including GST), other governmentally authorized or imposed surcharges, license recoupment/air tax recovery and concession recoupment fees, airport and airport facility fees, fuel, additional driver fee, one-way rental charge, and optional items are extra. Renter must meet applicable age, driver, and credit requirements. Advance reservation required. May not be combined with other discounts. Availability is limited. Subject to change without notice. Blackout dates may apply. National’s Emerald Club and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and their services require a signed Master Rental Agreement to be on file. Please note that the Car Rental Privileges program available to Platinum Card Members is a separate program from the Premium Car Rental Protection insurance product offered by American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. and underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. 

To be eligible for this benefit, Card Account(s) must not be canceled or past due. If you have a Card on file with one of the eligible partners, make sure that the most up to date Account information is on file or else you may not receive the benefit. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit in any way, American Express may remove access to this benefit from the Account. For additional information, call the number on the back of your card.

The Global Lounge Collection Show Details Hide Details

The American Express Global Lounge Collection®

U.S Consumer and Business Platinum Card Members and any Additional Platinum Card Members on the Account are eligible for access to the participating lounges in the American Express Global Lounge Collection. Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for the Global Lounge Collection benefit. All lounge access is subject to space availability. Each lounge program within the Global Lounge Collection has its own policies and access to any of the participating lounges is subject to the applicable rules and policies. Participating lounges reserve the right to remove any person from the premises for inappropriate behavior or failure to adhere to rules, including, but not limited to, conduct that is disruptive, abusive, or violent. To be eligible for this benefit, Card Account must not be cancelled. Please refer to each program’s terms and conditions to learn more.

The Centurion® Lounge U.S. Platinum Card Members have unlimited complimentary access to all locations of The Centurion Lounge. Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for access to The Centurion Lounge. All access to The Centurion Lounge is subject to space availability. To access The Centurion Lounge, Platinum Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight and present The Centurion Lounge agent with the following upon each visit: their valid Card, a boarding pass showing a confirmed reservation for a departing flight on the same day on any carrier and a government-issued I.D. Note that select lounges allow access to Card Members with a confirmed reservation for any same-day travel (departure or arrival). Refer to the specific location’s access policy for more information. Failure to present this documentation may result in access being denied. Card Members must be at least 18 years of age to enter without a parent or legal guardian. All Centurion Lounge visitors must be of legal drinking age in the jurisdiction where the Lounge is located to consume alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly. American Express reserves the right to remove any person from the Lounge for inappropriate behavior or failure to adhere to rules, including, but not limited to, conduct that is disruptive, abusive or violent. Soliciting other Card Members for access into our Lounge is not permissible. Hours may vary by location and are subject to change. Amenities vary among The Centurion Lounge locations and are subject to change. Card Members will not be compensated for changes in locations, rates or policies. In addition to the complimentary services and amenities in the Lounge, certain services, products or amenities may be offered for sale. You are responsible for any purchases and/or servicing charges you make in The Centurion Lounge or authorize our Member Services Professionals to make on your behalf. Services available at the Member Services Desk are based on the type of American Express Card used to enter the Lounge. American Express will not be liable for any articles lost or stolen or damages suffered by visitors to The Centurion Lounge. If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with Lounge access in any way or that you intend to do so, we may remove access to The Centurion Lounge from the Platinum Account. Use of The Centurion Lounge is subject to all rules and conditions set by American Express. American Express reserves the right to revise the rules at any time without notice.

U.S. Platinum Card Members, U.S. Business Platinum Card Members and Additional U.S. Platinum Card Members on the Account will be charged a $50 fee for each guest (or $30 for children aged 2 through 17, with proof of age) unless they have qualified for Complimentary Guest Access. U.S. Platinum Card and U.S. Business Platinum Card Members may qualify for Complimentary Guest Access for up to two (2) guests per visit to locations of The Centurion Lounge in the U.S., Hong Kong International Airport and London Heathrow Airport (“Complimentary Guest Access”), after spending $75,000 or more on eligible purchases on the Platinum Account in a calendar year. Once effective, Complimentary Guest Access will be available for the remainder of the calendar year in which it became effective, the following calendar year, and until January 31 of the next calendar year (for example, if Complimentary Guest Access became effective on May 1, 2023, it would remain effective until January 31, 2025). Eligible purchases made by any Additional Card Members on the Platinum Account will contribute to the purchase requirement. Complimentary Guest Access is limited to two (2) guests per Card Member per visit, regardless of whether you are eligible for complimentary guest access through multiple Platinum Accounts or through other Amex Cards. Guest access policies may vary internationally by location and are subject to change.

  Eligibility for Complimentary Guest Access will typically be processed within a week of the Platinum Account’s meeting the purchase requirement, but may take up to 12 weeks to become effective. Complimentary Guest Access status will be reflected in the Benefits tab of your online Account and in the American Express App. Eligible purchases to meet the purchase requirement are for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, purchases of gift cards, person-to-person payments, or other cash equivalents. If a Card Member upgrades or downgrades from a different American Express Card to a Platinum Account, eligible purchases made on that Card Account will count toward meeting the purchase requirement to achieve Complimentary Guest Access on the new Platinum Account. 

Escape Lounges – The Centurion® Studio Partner This benefit is available to U.S. Platinum Card Members. Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for access to Escape Lounges – The Centurion® Studio Partner. Card Members receive complimentary access to all US locations of the Escape Lounges. Card Member must present their valid Card, a boarding pass showing a confirmed reservation for same-day travel on any carrier and government-issued I.D. Card Member must be at least 18 years of age to enter without a parent or legal guardian. All Escape Lounge visitors must be of legal drinking age in the jurisdiction where the Lounge is located to consume alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly. The eligible flight must be booked on a U.S. issued American Express credit card and Card Members may bring up to two complimentary guests per visit. Card Member must adhere to all house rules of participating lounges. Card Members and their guests will receive all of the complimentary benefits and amenities afforded to the Escape Lounge customers, including access to purchase non-complimentary items. Some product features may be subject to additional charges. Escape Lounge locations are subject to change without notice. Additional restrictions may apply. 

Delta Sky Club

This benefit is available to U.S. Platinum Card Members and Additional Platinum Card Members on the Account (each, an “Eligible Platinum Card Member”). Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for the Delta Sky Club benefit. Platinum Card Members must present their valid American Express Card, government-issued I.D., and boarding pass to the Delta Sky Club ambassador. Boarding pass must show a reservation for a same-day Delta-operated flight (Delta or Delta connection) departing from or arriving at the airport in which the Delta Sky Club is located. Name on boarding pass must match name on the Card. Eligible Platinum Card Members on departing flights can only access the Delta Sky Club or the Delta Sky Club “Grab and Go” feature within 3 hours of their flight's scheduled departure time. During a layover between Delta-operated flights on the same ticket, you may use the Delta Sky Club in your connecting airport at any time during the layover. Delta reserves the right to limit access for non-revenue flyers at any Delta Sky Club. Individuals must be at least 18 years of age to access Delta Sky Club, and 21 years of age to access locations with a self-service bar, unless accompanied by a responsible, supervising adult who has access to the Delta Sky Club. Benefit valid only at Delta Sky Club. Partner lounges are not included. Note that amenities may vary among Delta Sky Club locations. Participating airport clubs and locations subject to change without notice. Eligible Platinum Card Members may bring guests into the Delta Sky Club subject to the most current Delta Sky Club access and pricing policies and must use their valid Platinum Card as the payment method for guest access. Guests also must be flying on a same-day Delta-operated flight. Guest access and fees subject to terms and conditions of participating airport clubs. Access is subject to Delta Sky Club rules. To review the rules, please visit  delta.com/skyclub . Benefit and rules subject to change without notice. Additional restrictions may apply.

Effective January 1, 2024:  Eligible Platinum Card Members traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight with Basic Economy (E) fare tickets will not have access to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go.  

Effective September 14, 2023 through January 31, 2025:  Eligible Platinum Card Members receive complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight. Eligible Platinum Card Members may bring either up to two guests, or their immediate family (spouse/domestic partner and children under 21) to the Club at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location or to Grab and Go at a per-visit rate of $25 per person, per location. The Eligible Platinum Card must be used as the payment method to purchase guest access. Guests must also be flying on a same-day Delta-operated flight. Children under 2 years of age may accompany the Eligible Platinum Card Member for free.

Effective February 1, 2025:  Eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight. Visits are non-transferable and may only be used by the Eligible Platinum Card Member. Visits issued from February 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026 will expire on January 31, 2026, and Visits issued in subsequent years will expire on January 31 of each calendar year thereafter. 

A “Visit” is an entry to one or more Delta Sky Clubs or usage of the Delta Sky Club “Grab and Go” feature, at one or more airports, for a period of up to 24 hours starting upon the first Delta Sky Club entry or Grab and Go usage, during an Eligible Platinum Card Member’s travel on a same-day Delta-operated flight. A single Visit permits usage of Delta Sky Club(s) in multiple airports during the 24-hour period. For example, if you visit a Delta Sky Club in different airports on a trip, entry into one or more of these Clubs will be considered part of the same Visit as long as these additional entries occur within 24 hours of the first Delta Sky Club entry. If travel exceeds 24 hours from the first Delta Sky Club, then a second Visit will be deducted if entering the Delta Sky Club or using Grab and Go more than 24 hours after the first entry. Eligible Platinum Card Members may not access the Club or a Grab and Go location in the three hours from the time of previous Grab and Go usage at the same airport. Once all 10 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits (including Grab and Go) at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person. Visits cannot be used for guest entry. During a Visit, Eligible Platinum Card Members may bring either up to two (2) guests, or their immediate family (spouse/domestic partner and children under 21) to the Club (including Grab and Go) at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person. The Eligible Platinum Card must be used as the payment method to purchase Card Member and guest access. Guests must also be flying on a same-day Delta-operated flight and be accompanied by the Eligible Platinum Card Member. Children under 2 years of age may accompany the Eligible Platinum Card Member for free.

To earn an unlimited number of Visits (“Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access”) starting on February 1, 2025, the total eligible purchases on the Eligible Platinum Card Account must equal or exceed $75,000 (the “Purchase Requirement”) between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 and in each calendar year thereafter. Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access will be provided to all Eligible Platinum Card Members once the Account has reached the Purchase Requirement. Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for the Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access benefit. All entry requirements set forth above will continue to apply with respect to Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access.

Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access will be processed within a week of the Eligible Platinum Card Account’s satisfying the Purchase Requirement in most instances but may take up to 12 weeks to become effective. Once effective, Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access will be available for the remainder of the calendar year in which it became effective, the following calendar year and through January 31 of the next calendar year (for example, if Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access becomes effective on May 1, 2025, it will remain effective through January 31, 2027). Eligible purchases made by any Additional Card Members on the Eligible Platinum Card Account will contribute to the Purchase Requirement. Eligible purchases to meet the Purchase Requirement are for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees, interest charges, cash advances, purchases of travelers’ checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, purchases of gift cards, person-to-person payments, or other cash equivalents. If a Card Member upgrades or downgrades from a different American Express Card to an Eligible Platinum Card, eligible purchases made on the prior Card Account will count toward the Purchase Requirement. Delta reserves the right to revoke Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access if you return, reverse or charge back eligible purchases in a way that reduces your eligible spend below the Purchase Requirement for the calendar year. If Delta and/or American Express determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this Delta Sky Club Access Benefit in any way or that you intend to do so, Visits may be deducted from your account and/or Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access revoked.  

This benefit is available to U.S. Platinum Card Members. Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for the Lufthansa lounges benefit. Platinum Card Members have complimentary access to select Lufthansa Business Lounges (regardless of ticket class) and Lufthansa Senator Lounges (when flying business class) when flying on a Lufthansa Group flight. To access the Lufthansa lounges, a Platinum Card Member must present their valid Platinum Card, a government issued I.D., and a same-day departure boarding pass showing confirmed reservation on a Lufthansa Group flight (Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian airlines). Card Members must adhere to all rules of participating lounges. Participating lounges and locations subject to change without notice. Additional guest access and fees subject to terms and conditions of participating lounges. In some Lounges the Platinum Card Member must be at least 18 years of age to enter without a parent or guardian. Must be of legal drinking age to consume alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly. For the most current list of Lufthansa lounges, guest access requirements, rules, and pricing policy, please visit  https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/lounges .

Plaza Premium Lounges This benefit is available to U.S. Platinum Card Members. Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for the Plaza Premium Lounges benefit. Card Members receive complimentary access to any global location of Plaza Premium Lounges. To access Plaza Premium Lounges, Card Member must present their valid Card, a boarding pass showing a confirmed reservation for same-day travel on any carrier and government-issued I.D. In some cases, Card Member must be 21 years of age to enter without a parent or guardian. Card Members may bring up to two (2) companions into Plaza Premium Lounges as complimentary guests. Must be of legal drinking age to consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly. Card Member must adhere to all house rules of participating lounges. Card Members and their guests will receive all of the complimentary benefits and amenities afforded to the Plaza Premium Lounge customers, as well as access to purchase non-complimentary items. Some product features may be subject to additional charges. Plaza Premium Lounge locations are subject to change.

Priority Pass Select This benefit is available to U.S. Platinum Card Members. Platinum Card Members and Additional Platinum Card Members must enroll in the Priority Pass™ Select program through the benefits section of their americanexpress.com account or by calling the number on the back of their Card to receive the benefit. Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for the Priority Pass Select benefit. Priority Pass is an independent airport lounge access program. You acknowledge and agree that American Express will verify your Card Account number and provide updated Card Account information to Priority Pass. Priority Pass will use this information to fulfill on the Priority Pass Select program and may use this information for marketing related to the program. Once enrolled, Platinum Card Members with a valid Card Account may access participating Priority Pass Select lounges by presenting their Priority Pass Select card and airline boarding pass. If the Card Account is canceled, you will not be eligible for Priority Pass Select and your enrollment will be canceled. When visiting a Priority Pass Select lounge that admits guests, Platinum Card Members receive complimentary access for up to two accompanying guests. After two guests, the Card Account on file with Priority Pass Select will be automatically charged the guest visit fee of the Priority Pass Standard program for each additional guest after you have signed up for the additional guest visit and it has been reported to Priority Pass by the participating lounge. Some lounges limit the number of guests or do not admit guests. In some lounges, Priority Pass Select members must be 21 years of age to enter without a parent or guardian. Priority Pass Select members must adhere to all house rules of participating lounges and access to participating lounges is subject to all rules, terms and conditions of the applicable lounge. Amenities may vary among airport lounge locations. Conference rooms, where available, may be reserved for a nominal fee. Priority Pass Select lounge partners and locations are subject to change. All Priority Pass Select members must adhere to the Priority Pass Conditions of Use, which will be sent to you with your membership package, and can be viewed at  www.prioritypass.com . Upon receipt of your enrollment information, Priority Pass will send your Priority Pass Select card and membership package which you should receive within 10–14 business days. If you have not received the Priority Pass card after 14 days, please contact American Express using the number on the back of your American Express® Card. To receive immediate access to lounges after your enrollment in Priority Pass Select has been processed, you can activate your membership online by using your Priority Pass Select membership details to receive a Digital Membership Card. For a step-by-step guide on the activation process, visit  prioritypass.com/activation .  

Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges

American Express offers access to additional lounges in the Global Lounge Collection where U.S.Platinum Card Members have unlimited complimentary access to participating locations. Companion Platinum Cards on Consumer Platinum Accounts and Additional Gold and Additional Business Expense Cards on Business Platinum Accounts are not eligible for access to participating locations. Card Members must present their valid Platinum Card, a government-issued I.D., and a boarding pass showing a confirmed reservation for same-day travel on any carrier. Guest access and associated fees are subject to the terms and conditions of the participating lounge provider. Participation, locations, rates, and policies of lounges are subject to change without notice, and Card Members and their guests will not be compensated for such changes. Amenities, services, and hours may vary by participating lounge and are subject to change without notice. American Express and the participating lounge will not be liable for any articles lost or stolen, or damages suffered by the Card Member or guests inside the participating lounge. For participating lounges with a self-service bar, the Card Member may be required to be of legal drinking age in the participating lounge jurisdiction to enter without a parent or legal guardian. All Card Members and their guests must be of legal drinking age to consume alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly. Each participating lounge may have their own policy allowing for children under a certain age to enter for free with the Card Member who is a parent or legal guardian. Card Member must adhere to all house rules of participating lounges. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that the Card Member or their guests have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with access to participating lounges in any way, or that the Card Member or their guests intend to do so, we may remove access to the Additional Lounges from the Account. American Express and the participating lounge reserve the right to revise the rules at any time without notice. For the most current list of participating lounges and access requirements, please use the Lounge Finder feature in the American Express App or visit  www.americanexpress.com/findalounge .

Global Dining Access by Resy Show Details Hide Details

The Global Dining Access program (“GDA”) is a benefit available to eligible Card Members. “Eligible Card Members” are account holders of Platinum Card ® or Centurion ® Card from American Express, Business Platinum Card ® , Business Centurion ® Card from American Express, Corporate Platinum Card ® or Corporate Centurion ® Card from American Express, Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve Business American Express Card, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, The Platinum Card ® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley, The Platinum Card ® from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab, The Platinum Card ® from American Express for Goldman Sachs, and The Centurion ® Card from American Express for Goldman Sachs (and any Additional Card Member(s) on their accounts). GDA may not be available for Cards issued from some countries. GDA provides eligible Card Members with (a) access to exclusive reservations, (b) Priority Notify, which allows GDA members to set notifications to be in the first group notified when tables become available before they are made available to other Resy users, and (c) access to exclusive events. GDA reservations are accessible through the Resy iOS App and Website (“Resy Sites”) and Concierge. Some features of GDA, like Priority Notify, may not be available through Concierge. To access this benefit through the Resy iOS App, you must download the Resy App; or if you already have the Resy iOS App, ensure the latest update is downloaded. When using the Resy Sites, create a Resy account or log into your existing Resy account and add your eligible Card to your Resy account. If you are assigned a new Card number, you must update the Card number in your Resy account. When you use GDA, a badge will be placed on your Resy profile, letting restaurants know that you are a member of the GDA program. Reservations are based on a first-come, first-served basis. In the event of a reservation cancellation, you will be subject to the restaurant’s cancellation policy. Generally, same-day reservations that are not booked by GDA members are released back to restaurants at certain times of day that vary across restaurant policies. American Express and Resy make no representations or warranties regarding the availability of reservations, events, and/or experiences, which shall at all times be subject to availability and the discretion of the applicable restaurant. American Express and Resy are not responsible for informing the restaurants of any dietary restrictions or for a restaurant being able to accommodate such restrictions. There is no cost to you for booking services through GDA, although you are responsible for any purchases or fees you authorize to be charged to your Card account. GDA reservations and events are intended for personal use only and cannot be resold or used for commercial purposes. By participating in the GDA program, you are accepting these GDA terms and conditions, which are in addition to and do not replace the Resy Sites’ Terms of Service. To be eligible for this benefit, your Card account must not be cancelled.

$200 Uber Cash Show Details Hide Details

Basic Card Members on a Consumer Platinum Card or Centurion account and Additional Centurion Card Members are eligible for Uber VIP and the monthly Amex Benefit (“Amex Benefit”). To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible Platinum Card or Centurion Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.

To be eligible for the Amex Benefit, your Card Account must not be canceled or past due. American Express reserves the right to suspend your eligibility for the Amex Benefit if we suspect any violation or abuse. To continue to receive the Amex Benefit, the details for your eligible Card must be kept up to date in your Uber Account. Cards added to your Uber account through a third party such as Apple Pay or PayPal will not be eligible. An eligible Platinum Card or Centurion Card may receive the Amex Benefit on one Uber account. If the same Card is added to multiple Uber accounts, only the first Uber account to which the Card is added will receive the Amex Benefit. If your American Express Card details change, you will need to make required updates to your Card details in your Uber payment profile before the end of the current month to ensure you remain enrolled in the Amex Benefit. If you do not update your Card details prior to the first day of the following month, you may need to re-enroll to continue to receive your Amex benefit. It may take up to 48 hours for the Amex Benefit to become available in your Uber account after your eligible Card has been added to that account. Uber VIP is available in select cities and is governed by Uber’s terms and conditions.

The Amex Benefit is found within your Uber Cash balance. In order to use the Amex Benefit, Uber Cash must be turned on. If Uber Cash is turned on when you request a ride, Uber Cash will appear above the confirmation button. If Uber Cash does not appear above the confirmation button, tap on the current payment option and turn on Uber Cash. If you do not see the Amex Benefit in your Uber Cash balance within 48 hours from the time you enroll, call the number on the back of your Card for assistance.

The Amex Benefit may be applied to all vehicle types with Uber, orders on Uber Eats and to any other services to which Uber permits Uber Cash to be applied. If your Uber Cash balance does not satisfy the cost of your ride or order, the primary payment method on your Uber account will be charged for the difference.

The Amex Benefit will not apply to previous Uber transactions and cannot be used when paying with an UberFAMILY profile. New and existing Uber users are eligible. Uber will apply the Amex Benefit at the point of sale and it will be displayed on your emailed receipt. There is no limit to the number of transactions you may apply your Amex Benefit to each month, up to a total of $15 per month (up to a total of $35 in December).

Your monthly Amex Benefit expires at 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time on the last day of each calendar month. Unused balance in Uber Cash from your Amex Benefit will not carry over to the following month. Your Amex Benefit will be applied for the month in which the transaction is completed. If a transaction is eligible for another promotion that you have added to your Uber account, the promotion will be applied before your Amex Benefit. Certain other types of balances in Uber Cash may be applied to the cost of your ride or order prior to your Amex Benefit in Uber Cash. For purposes of fulfilling this benefit, American Express will share with Uber certain information about your Card, including the Card type, and updated Card information from time to time. If you do not wish to receive the Amex Benefit, please call the number on the back of your Card. If you do not see the Amex Benefit in your Uber Cash balance by 5:00 PM Hawaii Standard Time on the first day of each calendar month, call the number on the back of your Card for assistance.

$189 CLEAR Plus Credit Show Details Hide Details

Basic Card Members can earn up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year when the Platinum Card or Additional Cards on the Account are used to pay for an annual CLEAR Plus membership. Enrollment in CLEAR Plus is required and is subject to CLEAR’s terms and conditions. CLEAR Plus memberships automatically renew each year unless canceled and CLEAR will charge the applicable membership fee to the Card CLEAR has on file. American Express has no control over the application and/or approval process for CLEAR, and does not have access to any information provided to CLEAR by the Card Member or by CLEAR to the Card Member. American Express has no liability regarding the CLEAR program. If a Card Member's application is not approved by CLEAR, CLEAR will refund the charges. If the statement credit benefit has been applied before CLEAR refunds the charges, that statement credit will be reversed. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account are eligible for statement credits. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $189 across all Cards on the Account per calendar year. For additional information on the CLEAR program, including information regarding membership, eligibility, and for a list of participating locations, as well as the full terms and conditions of the program, please go to www.clearme.com . The CLEAR program is subject to change, and American Express has no control over those changes. Please allow up to 6-8 weeks after a qualifying CLEAR transaction is charged to the Card Account for the statement credit to be posted to the Account. American Express relies on accurate transaction data to identify eligible CLEAR Plus purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, please call the number on the back of your Card. Card Members remain responsible for timely payment of all CLEAR charges. If you are assigned a new Card number or have a Card number on file with CLEAR that is outdated (for example, if you replace your Card or if your Card has expired), you must update your Card information on file with CLEAR to help ensure that statement credits are received for eligible CLEAR Plus membership fees. To be eligible for this benefit, the Card Account must not be cancelled or past due at the time of statement credit fulfillment. If a charge for an eligible purchase is included in a Pay Over Time feature balance on your Card Account, the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time feature balance. Instead, the statement credit may be applied to your Pay In Full balance. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

$200 Airline Fee Credit Show Details Hide Details

Enrollment through American Express is required to receive the benefit. Basic Card Members on U.S. Consumer and Corporate Platinum Card Accounts can enroll in the benefit by making their airline selection in the Benefits section of their americanexpress.com online account or by calling us. Enrolled Basic Card Members on U.S. Consumer Platinum and U.S. Corporate Platinum Card Accounts are eligible to receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental airline fees charged by their one selected qualifying airline to the enrolled Card Account. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and Additional Card Members on the enrolled Card Account are eligible for statement credits. However, the total amount of statement credits will not exceed $200 per calendar year, per Card Account. To receive statement credits, the Basic Card Member must select one qualifying airline through their American Express Online Account or the link for their Card below:

• American Express Platinum Card ®
• Goldman Sachs Platinum Card ®
• Morgan Stanley Platinum Card ®
• Charles Schwab Platinum Card ®
• American Express Corporate Platinum Card ®

Qualifying airlines include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, and are subject to change. Only the Basic Card Member or Authorized Account Manager(s) on the Card Account can select the qualifying airline. Card Members who have not chosen one qualifying airline will be able to do so at any time. Card Members who have already selected one qualifying airline will be able to change their choice one time each year in January through their American Express Online Account or by calling the number on the back of the Card. Card Members who do not change their airline selection will remain with their current airline. Incidental airline fees must be separate charges from airline ticket charges. Fees not charged by the Card Member’s selected airline (e.g. wireless internet and fees incurred with airline alliance partners) do not qualify for statement credits. 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.

Please allow 6-8 weeks after the qualifying incidental air travel fee is charged to your Card Account for statement credit(s) to be posted to the Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions, so please call the number on the back of the Card if statement credits have not posted after 8 weeks from the date of purchase. Card Members remain responsible for timely payment of all charges. Statement credits may be reversed if an eligible purchase is returned/cancelled. To be eligible for this benefit, Card Account(s) must be not canceled and not past due at the time of statement credit fulfillment. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit, American Express will not have an obligation to provide statement credits and may reverse any statement credits provided to you. If a charge for an eligible purchase is included in a Pay Over Time feature balance on your Card Account, the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time feature balance. Instead, the statement credit may be applied to your Pay In Full balance. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

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How To Use The Platinum Card ® from American Express Travel Credit

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Back in 2010, American Express launched an innovative first for premium rewards cards: a $200 airline fee travel credit on The Platinum Card ® from American Express to cover the costs of checked bags, in-flight food, airfare change fees, lounge passes, and more (enrollment required).

While groundbreaking at the time of its release, the up-to-$200 Amex airline fee credit on the Amex Platinum has been a staple for over a decade. In addition, Amex has also added an airline credit to other cards. However, these have been overshadowed by more lucrative offers from rival cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , and Citi Prestige ® Card. In short, these all offer higher annual credits and a broader range of eligible purchases. And they come with lower annual fees ( Rates & Fees ).

• 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.
• Rates & Fees
• Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
• Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

We've covered the Sapphire Reserve $300 annual travel credit in detail, along with the $250 Prestige Card annual travel credit . In this post, we’ll explain the Amex Platinum Airline Fee Credit. We'll discuss what it covers and which cards provide it as a benefit. In addition, this post will cover how to ensure cardholders are extracting maximum value from the travel credit to offset the higher cost of holding a premium travel rewards card .

Which Amex Cards Offer the Airline Fee Credit?

Amex offers an annual airline credit (issued as a statement credit) across two different rewards cards.

• The Platinum Card ® from American Express : Up to $200
• The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express : Up to $200

The airline credits share common definitions and cover the same types of incidental charges, and you need to enroll with your chosen airline to receive the credit on either card.

• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that's an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
• $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 the Card.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
• Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards ® points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
• Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards ® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
• Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards ® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
• Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards ® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
• 1.5X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.

What Will Amex Credit as a Travel Purchase?

Firstly, you should note that the Amex airline fee credit will only credit purchases from your nominated airline. You must pre-select one airline from the Airline Choice page on Amex's website. Select the airline with which you're most likely to fully utilize the airline credit. You can generally only change your Amex airline credit selection in January, so it pays to think about your decision when making your initial selection. Selecting an airline is one of several things we suggest that you do right after receiving a new card .

The Amex airline fee credit is not as wide-ranging as its Citi and Chase counterparts. However, it still covers a wide variety of airline incidentals and amenities. The Terms & Conditions explicitly state that “Incidental air travel fees must be separate charges from airline ticket charges,” and the following charges are not eligible for the airline credit:

• Airline tickets
• Mileage points purchases
• Mileage points transfer fees
• Duty-free purchases
• Award tickets

In theory, that should cover any other purchase made directly with a cardholder's nominated airline. However, any charges from a third-party provider — such as Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi — aren't eligible for a statement credit as they aren't provided by the airline.

The benefit terms state:

“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.”

Airline incidentals that credit towards the Amex airline fee credit include:

• Airline change fees
• Airport lounge day passes & annual memberships
• Booking fees
• Checked baggage fees
• In-flight fees and entertainment
• Seat assignment fees

Charges made by the primary cardholder and additional card members both qualify for the Amex airline fee credit.

Will Airline Purchases on Amex Cards Credit Automatically?

Yes, as long as the transaction credits correctly from the merchant. As per the Amex website :

“Please allow 6-8 weeks after the qualifying incidental air travel fee is charged to your Card Account for statement credit(s) to be posted to the Account. We rely on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions, so please call the number on the back of the Card if statement credits have not posted after 8 weeks from the date of purchase.”

Historically, purchases on your Amex card that are eligible for a statement credit still count towards minimum spend and earn points. However, this is not clearly stated in the cards' benefits guides. If you're unsure about meeting your minimum spending or promotional spending requirements, contact Amex to clarify.

Which Airlines Can You Choose?

You can choose from eight airlines, all based in the U.S.:

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

You can choose your preferred airline when you open your card. Then, you can change it in January each year if you want to select a new airline. We've also seen Amex allow people to change their airline later in the year (assuming they haven't used any of the credit yet), but this isn't guaranteed.

Claim the Amex Airline Fee Credit Twice in the First Year

One of the big benefits of the Amex airline fee credit is that it can be claimed twice in the first cardholder year. This is due to the credit resetting at the start of every calendar year (January 1) rather than the cardholder year.

If you time your application right, the airline credit can be claimed once during the first calendar year as a card member. Then, you can claim it again before the annual fee is due on your account anniversary.

Final Thoughts

The annual Amex airline fee credit may look a little dated when compared directly with credits from the Sapphire Reserve , Capital One Venture X , or the Prestige Card. However, it still offers a fantastic way of claiming incidental fees and costs back via statement credits. In addition, if fully used, it can significantly reduce the out-of-pocket expense of holding a premium rewards card.

If you have any interesting data points on purchases Amex has credited via the Airline credit, let us know in the comments below.

For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Platinum Card ® from American Express ( Rates & Fees ), and The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express ( Rates & Fees )

The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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Buying United TravelBank will trigger AMEX Airline Fee. There are occasional bonus from United also. AMEX would change the airline designation for you, providing no credit has been redeemed.

I recently received part of my airline credit unexpectedly, because I actually received it just for purchasing airline tickets. I purchased a $240 round trip ticket on Delta (my Amex Platinum preferred airline) and used a $100 Delta voucher for part of the payment. When the remaining $140 charge posted to my Amex card, I received a $140 Airline Fee Reimbursement the following day. I would assume using the voucher somehow caused the remaining amount to be coded differently, or perhaps it was just a mistake – either way I’m not complaining…

interesting data point. Thanks for sharing!

It’s awesome that it will credit automatically! That makes everything so much easier!

I did not know that you could claim the travel credit twice in the first 12 months, thanks for the information.

I was considering the gold card last night with a 50K bonus then this morning it became 25K. Bummer.

I use this to reimburse me for travel fees for associated with award ticketsfrom AA. Anything remaining I buy a gift card with AA

Any sense of whether United gift registry / TravelBank will trigger the credit?

if only amex made it easy there wouldn’t be a need to read up on how to use it.

lots of nice perks here to dream about

Amex also has the offers you can add to your card. While they vary for different cardholders, I find useful things that has given me hundreds of dollars in statement credits. You just have to check the bottom of the page when checking your account online and activate them. Occasionally they are things like cashback on any mobile phone carrier, cable carrier or supermarkets.

Amex offers are great: https://awardwallet.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-saving-with-amex-offers/

I wonder if Amex will be changing the terms to better align with others to make the card more lucrative. I know others who have the card for mostly their other benefits rather than this benefit and just chalk it up to an added on surprise.

I doubt it. Amex isn’t one to follow what others are doing (based on my experience)

I believe the travel credit for the Hilton Aspire works the same way.

Yes, exactly!

Hm – these CC’s should be available in Europe too!

We both know that isn’t going to happen! 🙁

The signup bonus is just great. Will get a return tic to Hawaii.

Competition among the banks is a good thing. So many tempting products out there and I’m of the school that says I should try as many as I can and see what I like long term.

And, the final step there is to report back here with your experiences!

Canadian AMEX Gold version needs a Travel Credit too.

I like my Amex Platinum however, it is kind of a pain to jump through the hoops. Buy the AA gift card then remember to use it for flights. I tend to do this every January so I don’t forget it!

Seems a good advantage to people who travel a lot. I don’t travel for work and usually take only cabin luggage so this offer is not for me I think.

This is a solid perk, but AmEx needs to step up its game and offer a higher travel credit amount if it wants its card to stay competitive against Chase and Citi’s offerings.

This Travel-Bonus only comes with the us-based Card, am i right?

I can only assume yes as I don’t know the details on all the international offerings.

Used it for delta e-gift cards in $50 increments. Worked perfectly every time

can apply for 50$ gift card multiple times?

Between my wife and I we have 7 platinum cards and a gold. The extra 1500 dollars a year is incredibly lucrative.

I forgot to select my airline before buying my gift cards, but luckily i remembered to do it before the charge posted, and got credited.

In my second calendar year with PRG and will definitely be taking advantage of this before assessing whether or not to keep the card for future years.

There are some really good other benefits to this card, but the airline travel credit is very restrictive.

Agree that gold is more productive and not the mighty annual fee to contend with. Great to see other options on board now to use credit.

Well yes but with the Platinum you get Uber Credits, Soulcycle Discounts, and the $200 Travel Credit. So to me really worth it. Depends for each person i guess

i was thinking of updating my amex gold to platinum, but as far as accumulating points, i think the gold is more productive.

glad you mentioned that citi was 250, I thought it was only 200

I was able to use the credit twice on Gold in the first year via AA gift certificates bought online. I think AXP is still allowing this even though it isn’t officially in the list above. My SO just got the CSR and agree that the credit is a lot easier to use.

To me the easiest way is buying airline GC.

Yes, but according to the terms these are not eligible — it just seems to work though 🙂

I heard you can only have 4 AMEX cards at once. True?

Definitely not true based on current data. This may have been the fact previously, but not the fact right now.

Absolutely true. I have 6 Amex Platinums, the Gold Card, Green Card, Ameriprise Financial Gold Card, Business Gold Card, and 5 credit cards. Total of 15 Amex Cards.

It posts in a few days time, in my experience with the Premier Rewards Gold card. A nice perk, especially in the first card member year, when it can,(and does!), work twice, as this blog points out. Might not carry the PRG card for additional years, as the Everyday cards are less expensive.

Finally thinking about giving up my AMEX Biz Plat due to getting the CSP. The travel credit is nice but $100 is $100.

Nice to read these kind of articles to know more in the less known matters.

It looks as if the competition in our beloved points/miles credit card programs is heating up. This is good for the consumer and for the banks and airlines.

Yes, and we must all continue to play the game to our benefit!

I am continuing. This year I am concentrating on picking up bank points.

It’s not a bad perc, but definitely the others have surpassed it over time, and the other cards also offer a broader range of what the travel reimbursement will cover, which is a big key if you’re not necessarily a weekend warrior.

Hopefully they’ll step up a notch with the Travel Credit to be more flexible like its competitors

one of the reasons I haven’t applied for this card is the difficulty associated with using its credits. They need to change that otherwise they will lose to their competitions.

I mean it is pretty flexible within a particular airline. Just look on Flyertalk to get some ideas

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You have eTicket Flight Credit(s) available that can be applied to your booking with applicable airlines. Please see below for redemption options.

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How to Maximize Amex Hilton Aspire $200 Flight Credit?

American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card has a high $550 annual fee. However, one of the cash value benefits to offset the annual fee is the annual $200 flight statement credits.

It’s up to you to decide whether to keep or close your American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card . If you keep the card, here are a few ways to maximize that $200 flight credit yearly.

Table of Contents

Amex Hilton Aspire $200 Flight Credit

Here’s a quick rundown on the Amex Hilton Aspire $200 flight credit benefit:

• You do not need to enroll in the American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card for the benefit.
• January – March
• April – June
• July – September
• October – December
• Purchases made with third-party travel agents or websites may be eligible for this benefit if the airline charges the airfare directly to your card account.
• Also, eligible purchases do not include charter flights, private jet flights, flights that are part of tours, cruises, travel packages or ticketing or similar service fees, ticket cancellation or change fees, interest charges, or purchases of cash equivalents.
• Lastly, you use the Aspire card to pay for the airfare directly with the airlines or through Amex Travel ; Amex issues the statement credit within 8-12 weeks per the benefit term. However, the statement credit takes sooner than that to post to your card account.

Amex Hilton Aspire $200 Flight Credit Terms & Conditions

Below are the official Amex Hilton Aspire $200 flight credit benefit terms and conditions:

Basic Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Members can receive up to a total of $50 in statement credits each calendar quarter (January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December), for up to $200 annually for eligible purchases of airfare made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com. To be eligible for this benefit, an airfare purchase must be for a scheduled flight on a passenger carrier and purchased directly from the airline or through amextravel.com. Eligible purchases do not include: charter flights, private jet flights, flights that are part of tours, cruises, or travel packages or ticketing or similar service fees, ticket cancellation or change fees, interest charges, or purchases of cash equivalents. Purchases of scheduled flights made with third party travel agents or websites may be eligible for this benefit if the airfare is charged directly to your Card account by the airline. Please visit americanexpress.com/rewards-info for more information. Eligible purchases can be made by both the Basic and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $200 per Card Account per calendar year. Please allow 8-12 weeks after the eligible purchase is charged to your Card Account for statement credit(s) to be posted to the Account. To receive this benefit, your Card account must not be cancelled or past due at the time of statement credit fulfillment. Statement credit(s) may not be received or may be reversed if the purchase is cancelled or modified, or if you engage in abuse or misuse in connection with the benefit. Amex Hilton Aspire $200 Flight Credit Terms

Maximizing Amex Hilton Aspire $200 Flight Credit

You receive a $50 flight credit per quarter, up to $200 per calendar year.

The challenging part here is if you don’t fly every quarter, you will forfeit the Hilton Aspire $50 flight credit. The good news is that most U.S. airlines offer flexible fares because if you cancel the ticket, you receive the travel voucher in your account available for use in the future, typically one year from the original booking date.

Use The Flight Credits For Travel Vouchers

Here’s what you would do:

• It is crucial to avoid booking Saver or Basic economy fares because those fares will not work for this.
• Do not cancel the ticket within 24 hours because the refund will go back to the card and, thus, is not eligible for the Amex statement credit.
• Amex will then issue the $50 statement credit to cover the eligible charge, and you can successfully use the quarterly $50 flight credit on your Aspire card.

I suggest that if you are booking speculatively to use the Aspire $50 flight credit each quarter, then choose an airline you most likely fly with or an airline that does not expire the travel voucher credits after cancellation.

The following is a chart I made to help you out regarding the travel voucher expiry policies and rules by the major U.S. airlines:

Use The Flight Credits For Award Taxes and Fees

When you redeem an award flight ticket, you still need to pay for the taxes and fees, such as fuel surcharges. Therefore, I put this to the test with British Airways by using the Aspire card to pay for the tax/fee charge, and I received the $50 statement credit from Amex.

Use The Flight Credits For Seat Assignment Fees

Some airlines charge to select a seat, and in some instances, you may want to upgrade your seat. In the case of any seat assignment-related fees, you can use your Hilton Aspire card to pay for those fees and expect to receive the Amex statement credit accordingly. This is because airlines charge and process those seat assignment fees as if you were purchasing an airfare.

Use The Flight Credits For Airline Baggage Fees

Likewise, Airlines process the checked baggage fees directly, and therefore, the charge will be eligible for Hilton Aspire flight credit.

Use The Flight Credits For Change or Cancellation Fees

In the event you must pay for airline change or cancellation fees for revenue or an award ticket, you can use the Hilton Aspire card to pay for those incidental fees and receive the Amex statement credit after that. However, it is vital to know that all change and cancellation fees must be processed directly by the airline; third-party travel agencies are not eligible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some questions and my answers regarding the American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card flight credit benefit. Meanwhile, if you have any other questions, do not hesitate to ask.

Do you need to enroll in Amex Hilton Aspire flight credit?

Do you need to select a specific airline for the amex hilton aspire flight credit benefit.

No, any airlines qualify, both U.S. and International airlines, including bookings made through Amex Travel .

Is the Hilton Aspire Card flight credit per calendar year or account anniversary year?

The benefit is per calendar year. You receive $50 quarterly, up to $200 credit in a calendar year. See the following quarter months:

Does the quarterly $50 flight credit rollover?

No. If you do not use the $50 flight credit by the end of each quarter, the credit will not roll over to the next quarter. In other words, you use it or lose it.

How long does the Hilton Aspire flight credit take to post?

The benefit term states that 8-12 weeks. However, in practice, it only takes 3-5 days after the eligible charge is posted to your credit card account. In some instances, you may need to wait up to 7-10 days. However, if you ask the Amex customer service representative, you will receive the standard 8-12 weeks reply.

Can you use the Hilton Aspire flight credit for someone else?

Yes, as long as the airline charges the airfare or when you book through Amex Travel . The passenger’s name does not matter.

Does Amex claw back the statement credits on refunds?

Yes. If the refunds go back to the original payment Aspire card, Amex may claw back the statement credits later.

Can you use the Hilton Aspire flight credit for a refundable airfare?

Yes, you can. However, if you cancel the ticket and refund to the original payment Aspire card, Amex may claw back the statement credits later.

How do you keep track of the Hilton Aspire flight credit?

Using the computer’s web browser on a desktop:

• Firstly, Log into your Amex Hilton Aspire card account online .
• Then, click the Rewards & Benefits tab on the top.
• After that, scroll down until you see Track Your Progress .
• Finally, the flight credit tracker appears there. See the screenshot below.

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Delta SkyMiles Gold AmEx Review: Pricey for What You Get

What’s on This Page

The bottom line, pros and cons, detailed review, compare to other cards, benefits and perks, drawbacks and considerations, how to decide if it's right for you.

It can deliver value to Delta devotees, but thanks to its increased annual fee, it's not the no-brainer it used to be.

$0 intro for the first year, then $150

Rewards rate

Bonus offer

Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Ongoing APR

APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable APR

Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable

Penalty APR: 29.99%, Variable

Balance transfer fee

Foreign transaction fee

• Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
• Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $240 per round-trip flight.
• Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• $100 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
• Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
• Terms Apply.

Free checked bag

Early boarding

Rewards don't expire

Has annual fee

Requires good/excellent credit

For travelers who regularly fly Delta Air Lines, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has some useful features.

In exchange for its healthy annual fee — $0 intro for the first year, then $150 — the card features a decent welcome offer, complimentary checked bags and priority boarding, as well as bonus rewards in everyday spending categories, not just on airfare.

Still, it's more expensive than other airline credit cards in its class, and those competitors tend to offer more in exchange for their lower fees. For example, there's no credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, like you might expect at this price point. And while the card's checked-bag benefit can potentially help defray the cost of its annual fee, that's no longer a given, depending on how you normally travel.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card also no longer offers access to Delta Sky Club lounges. (Previously, you were able to use the card to purchase a single-visit pass for $29.)

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card : Basics

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card , see this page .

Card type: Airline .

Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $150 .

Bonus offer: Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

APR: The ongoing APR is 20.99%-29.99% Variable APR .

Earn 2X miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets.

Earn 1X mile on all other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

NerdWallet values  Delta miles at  1.2 cents  each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer  1.2 cents  or more in value from your Delta miles.

First checked bag is free for you and up to 8 other passengers traveling on the same reservation.

Priority boarding.

20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases.

$200 Delta flight credit when you spend $10,000 with the card in a calendar year.

$100 annual credit for Delta Stays that can be used to book a prepaid hotel stay or vacation rental through delta.com.

» MORE: Benefits of Delta Air Lines credit cards

A welcome offer, plus a bonus for big spending

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card starts off with a generous welcome offer: Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

You’ll also get an extra $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year. Terms apply. If you’re using this card for big travel purchases or everyday spending, that could be a relatively easy bar to clear.

Decent ongoing rewards

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card earns 2 miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S) and U.S. supermarkets, in addition to the 2 miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases. Terms apply. This gives you a reason to use the card for more than just airfare and free checked bags.

Free checked bags

Instead of just offering a first free checked bag for one or two travelers on your itinerary, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card gives you baggage waivers on the first checked bag for up to nine people on your reservation. That's enough waivers to cover the whole family from "The Brady Bunch," including Alice.

But a caution here: Depending on your travel plans, the math may not be in your favor. Let's say you generally take one round-trip flight with a companion every year, and both of you check one bag apiece. Because Delta Air Lines charges $30 for your first checked bag (each way), you'd owe $120 total. But the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card will cost you more than that in Year Two and beyond.

If you travel solo with the same frequency and number of bags, the math is even worse. You might be better off just paying for the checked bag.

» MORE: Airline credit cards that offer free checked bags

Priority boarding

With this card, you'll also get to board with the Main Cabin 1 boarding group, which gets you early access to that coveted overhead bin space. If you always board with a rolling suitcase or large carry-on, this is a nice perk. But it doesn’t mean you’ll be the first to step on the plane. You’ll still board after a handful of other groups, including first class and Delta Comfort+ travelers and flyers with certain types of elite status.

» MORE: American Express credit cards mobile app review

How it compares with other Delta cards

In the family of Delta cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is the mass-market option. It offers richer benefits than its $0 -annual-fee counterpart, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card . But you get fewer benefits than you would with the more premium cards, which are the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card . For more analysis about how these cards stack up, read NerdWallet’s comparison of Delta credit cards .

Here’s a quick look at what these cards offer:

*Effective 2/1/25,  Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year  to the Delta Sky Club. To earn an unlimited number of visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more the previous year. To earn unlimited visits in 2025, you’ll need to spend this amount between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24.

High annual fee

Other mass-market airline credit cards in this class tend to have annual fees hovering around $100 or less, making them a bit more palatable than what the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card charges. Those competitors, too, offer free checked bag benefits that can easily outweigh their lower annual fees. (The "luggage math" isn't as difficult when traveling with a smaller party.)

If you're looking to avoid an annual fee entirely, while still reaping some Delta-centric benefits, you could consider Delta’s $0 -annual-fee option, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card — although it doesn't offer any kind of checked-bag benefit. Or you might also want to look into no-annual-fee general travel cards, which offer more versatile points.

The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card could be a good match, for example. It doesn't offer free checked bags, but it does earn 1.5 points per $1 on all purchases, meaning it might be a better card for your everyday spending. Points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel. It also comes with a good sign-up bonus and an introductory 0% APR offer.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best no-annual-fee travel credit cards

No lounge access or TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit

If you want a card that helps you get into airport lounges, go with another card. The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card could be a good match. It comes with up to $100 a year in statement credit for airline incidentals (enough to cover the annual fee), including day passes to lounges among other travel expenses, and offers up to $100 in statement credit for a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application. It earns a respectable 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining purchases, and 1.5 points for every dollar spent on all other purchases. Its airline incidental credit won't get you into Delta Sky Club lounges, but it could help you cover the cost of a couple of day passes to other airport lounges. If the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card doesn't fit the bill, check out NerdWallet's list of best credit cards for more options.

No help in reaching elite status

Some airline cards make it a bit easier to reach elite status through spending. Not the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card .

You need a certain number of Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs, measured in distance and fare class) or Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQSs, measured in flights you take) as well as Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs, measured in dollars spent on personal Delta flights) to gain membership into the next awards tier. While the bonus miles you earn on this card can be redeemed for free flights, they won't get you closer to elite status.

If you want a card that offers a way to get closer to elite status, consider the two higher-end Delta cards in AmEx’s collection, which do just that.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, Delta is changing the way flyers earn elite status. However, you still will not be able to earn elite status through spending with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card .

This card isn’t the right match if you’re looking for lounge access, a pathway to elite status or cards without annual fees. But if you want to earn miles with Delta and can make good use of the card’s priority boarding or free checked bags perks, it could be a valuable choice.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card , see this page .

A general-purpose travel credit card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card gives you more flexibility than a card that locks you in to a single airline. This card earns 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases. Miles can be redeemed for credit against any travel expense. Book travel however you want, then use miles to pay for it. There's a great sign-up bonus, and the annual fee is $95 .

Looking For Something Else?

Methodology.

NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

About the author

Claire Tsosie

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Don’t Lose Travel Credits: How To Use the JetBlue Travel Bank

Julian Kheel

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Keri Stooksbury

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What Is the JetBlue Travel Bank?

Credits aren’t transferable, but you can book for others, can only use with 1 other form of payment, travel bank credits expire after 12 months, what can you use the jetblue travel bank for, how to check your jetblue travel bank balance, how to use a jetblue travel bank credit, can you extend a jetblue travel bank credit, final thoughts.

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If you’ve canceled a flight with JetBlue and received a travel credit for the value of your ticket, you might be wondering how to find and use that credit. The answer is the JetBlue Travel Bank . It’s a special account issued to the airline’s customers to hold their travel credits until they can be applied to a new flight or JetBlue Vacations package.

But when it comes to using your credits, there are several tricks and pitfalls to be aware of. Here are all the details you’ll need to ensure you can use your JetBlue Travel Bank account when you need it — and with the fewest headaches.

Most JetBlue tickets can be canceled without paying a fee. The only exception is the airline’s Blue Basic fare , which can be canceled for $100 per person on routes to and from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and $200 per person on other routes.

That means you can get at least some value from almost any JetBlue ticket as long as you cancel your flight before it departs .

However, you don’t get the money back when you cancel a nonrefundable JetBlue ticket. Instead, you’re issued a travel credit that can be used for a future JetBlue flight. That credit is automatically deposited into the JetBlue Travel Bank and linked to you either by name or to your JetBlue TrueBlue frequent flyer account, which also contains any points you’ve earned from flying or with the JetBlue credit cards .

What Are the JetBlue Travel Bank Rules?

Like most airline travel credits, there are several rules and restrictions on JetBlue Travel Bank credits that you’ll need to know.

While you cannot transfer a JetBlue Travel Bank credit to someone else, you can use it for a friend, family member, or anyone you’d like by booking a new ticket in their name.

As long as you’re booking the flight with your Travel Bank, the passenger name on the ticket doesn’t need to match the name on the account. You don’t even need to be traveling with the person to apply your credit to their ticket.

Travel Bank credits can be used to pay any type of JetBlue fare. But if you want to use it to pay the taxes and fees on award tickets, the credit must be enough to cover the entire amount. That’s because you can only use 2 forms of payment on a single ticket . So if one of those is points, the other form of payment has to cover the entire cash amount.

This is a particularly annoying limitation when you’re trying to change an award ticket. With JetBlue, the only way to change a ticket booked with points is to cancel the original ticket, get the points back, and then book a new one.

But while the points from the original ticket will instantly go back into your JetBlue TrueBlue account, any taxes and fees you paid will go into your Travel Bank instead of back to your original form of payment. Then, if the new flight you want has higher taxes and fees, you can’t use the credits in your Travel Bank to pay for them. Instead, you’ll have to pay the cash portion again.

JetBlue Travel Bank credits have a hard expiration date — 12 months after your original ticketing date . That’s the day you booked the original ticket, not the date you were scheduled to fly or the date you canceled.

That means you’ll likely have less than 12 months to use the credit. So, it’s important to be aware of the calendar to make sure you use your credit before it expires.

You only have to book a new ticket using the credit before it expires — you don’t have to actually fly before that date. JetBlue opens its schedule nearly a year in advance, so if you’ve got a trip planned for months in the future, you can still use your Travel Bank credit for it. Just book far enough in advance to apply the credit before its expiration date.

There are only 4 things you can use JetBlue Travel Bank credits for:

• Airfare and taxes on JetBlue-operated flights booked through jetblue.com or its mobile app ( iOS , Android )
• Taxes and fees on JetBlue award flights (as long as the credit covers the entire amount)
• The air portion of a JetBlue Vacations package
• Any applicable increase in airfare when changing a booking

That means any other fees you might be charged during your travels with JetBlue, such as checked bags , in-cabin pets, seat selection, and the like, cannot be paid using credits from the Travel Bank. Essentially, you can only use it for forms of airfare for you or others and nothing else.

When you cancel a JetBlue flight, if you don’t already have a Travel Bank account, a new one is created automatically. Then, if you have a JetBlue TrueBlue frequent flyer account, the 2 accounts are linked. You can see your balance anytime by logging into your TrueBlue account on JetBlue’s website and clicking on the account menu in the upper right corner.

If you don’t have a TrueBlue account, the login info for your Travel Bank is sent to you after you cancel your ticket in 2 separate welcome emails , one of which has a temporary password that you’ll need to change within 48 hours. You can use that info to log into your Travel Bank account to see your current balance and expiration date.

Can’t find one of the emails or forgot to change your temporary password? You can use JetBlue’s Login Lookup Form to find the information.

If you’re booking a ticket with cash, using your Travel Bank credit is relatively easy. All you need to do is search for the new flight you want to book using JetBlue’s website or app.

Then, when you get to the payment page, you’ll have the opportunity to log into your TrueBlue account to apply your Travel Bank credit (if you aren’t already logged in) or to access your Travel Bank with the login info that JetBlue previously provided.

You don’t even have to use up your entire Travel Bank credit all at once . If your ticket costs less than the credit, the remaining amount will stay in your Travel Bank to be used later.

Or, if you’d simply prefer not to use your entire credit on 1 ticket, you can set the amount you want to use as partial payment. Then, if your credit doesn’t cover the entire cost of your new ticket, any remaining amount due can be paid for with any major credit card.

If you’re booking with points, you’ll have the same opportunity to use your Travel Bank credits toward the taxes and fees on your award flight. But again, in this case, the credit must be able to cover the entire amount.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to extend the expiration date on a JetBlue Travel Bank credit . While you can use the credit for a flight as far out in the future as JetBlue has available, you must book that new ticket with the credit before the 12-month clock expires, or you’ll lose it. Even having JetBlue Mosaic elite status won’t exempt you from this policy.

Also, unlike other airlines, if you book a new ticket with the credit and then cancel that new ticket, the credit will retain its original expiration date . And if the original expiration date has passed, you won’t get the credit back.

This is one of the less customer-friendly airline policies regarding travel credits. Many airlines will reset the date on your credit if you book a new ticket and then cancel it, but JetBlue doesn’t. And some airlines like Southwest don’t have expiration dates on their travel credits .

So, when booking JetBlue tickets, keep in mind that canceling the ticket later will mean less flexibility with JetBlue than it does with other airlines.

As long as you’re booking a ticket with cash, or the taxes and fees on your award ticket are fully covered by your existing credit, you should be able to access and use your JetBlue Travel Bank right during the booking process. That’s good news since you have such a limited amount of time to use it, with a 12-month expiration clock starting from the date you booked the original ticket.

Finally, remember that if you cancel a reservation with multiple passengers, each person will receive their own separate Travel Bank credits . So, it’s important to keep track of all the Travel Bank logins and TrueBlue accounts to ensure you’re not leaving any of your hard-earned money on the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you have to use the jetblue travel bank.

JetBlue Travel Bank credits expire 12 months after the date the original ticket was issued. It’s not based on the date you were planning to fly, or the day you canceled. That means you likely have less than 12 months to apply the credits, and there’s no way to extend the expiration date.

However, you don’t need to actually fly before the credits expire. You only need to book a new ticket by then. Your actual travel date can be as far in the future as JetBlue’s schedule allows.

How do I access my Travel Bank on JetBlue?

JetBlue TrueBlue frequent flyer members can access Travel Bank credits by logging into their TrueBlue account. However, if you’re not a JetBlue TrueBlue member, the airline will send you emails with the information needed to access your Travel Bank credits.

If you can’t find the emails that were sent to you, you can request the information from JetBlue via its website.

Can I use my JetBlue Travel Bank credit for someone else?

Yes, you can use your Travel Bank credit to book a JetBlue ticket for a friend or family member — literally anyone. Just make sure you’re signed into your own TrueBlue or Travel Bank account, and then book the ticket using the other person’s name. The name on the Travel Bank account doesn’t need to match the name on the ticket.

Can JetBlue Travel Bank balances be transferred?

No, JetBlue Travel Bank balances and credits cannot be transferred to other people. However, since you can book a ticket in someone else’s name while using your own Travel Bank account, this is only a burden when booking with multiple Travel Bank credits in multiple names.

Can I use the JetBlue Travel Bank for baggage fees?

JetBlue Travel Bank credits can only be used for airfare, including taxes and fees on award tickets, and for JetBlue Vacations packages. It cannot be used for baggage fees, seat fees, or any other ancillary fees on JetBlue.

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About Julian Kheel

Julian Kheel first learned the ins and outs of credit card rewards and travel loyalty programs while flying more than 200,000 miles a year as a TV producer and director for World Wrestling Entertainment. With over 15 years of professional experience studying travel loyalty programs, Julian has served as CNN’s Senior Editor covering travel and credit cards, as well as the Editorial Director of The Points Guy, and has worked as a consultant for the Big 3 U.S. airlines.

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Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024

14 best travel credit cards of 2024, best overall: chase sapphire preferred® card.

Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is an affordable option fit for beginners and experienced travelers. For a reasonable $95 annual fee, you get generous perks, including high bonus rewards, intro bonus, annual hotel credit and bonus anniversary points. Plus points can be redeemed for 25% more value toward travel through Chase Travel. Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred review .

• Earns flexible rewards that transfer to airline and hotel partners
• Get 25% more value when redeeming for travel booked through Chase Travel
• Generous welcome offer and bonus categories
• No intro APR
• No luxury travel perks like airport lounge access

Best for Travel Rewards: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best premium travel cards thanks in large part to the generous rewards and outsized redemption value. On top of travel credits, lounge access and other airport perks, the card rakes in flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points in a range of bonus categories. Plus cardholders get 50% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase. Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve review .

• Comes with luxury travel benefits
• Generous welcome bonus and earning rates
• Get 50% more value for travel when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel
• No intro APR offer
• $550 annual fee and $75 annual fee per authorized user
• Earns just 1X points on regular purchases

Best Premium Value: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital one venture x rewards credit card.

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers enhanced travel perks for a lower annual fee than other premium cards. For $395 per year, users get a $300 annual travel credit, a credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership, Priority Pass Select membership, access to Capital One airport lounges and more. Read our Capital One Venture X review .

• Comes with robust travel benefits
• Generous minimum earning rate of 2X miles on all other purchases
• Earns flexible miles that transfer to partners
• Transfer partners aren’t as good as some competing programs
• $300 annual travel credit must be used through Capital One Travel
• Fewer rewards bonus categories than some other premium cards

Best for Luxury Perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Why we chose it: The Platinum Card from American Express is best for luxury perks since, in our view, it comes with the most extensive list of credits and features. This includes the broadest airport lounge membership possible, airline fee credit for incidental fees and automatic Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. Cardholders also earn a very generous welcome bonus and heightened rewards on eligible travel purchases. Read our Amex Platinum Card review .

• Comes with the best airport lounge membership available
• More than $1,500 in annual statement and merchant credits available
• Earns flexible Amex Membership Rewards points
• $695 annual fee and $195 annual fee for each additional Platinum Card ( see rates and fees )
• Earns just 1X points on other eligible non-category purchases
• Statement credits may be difficult to use

Best for Flat-Rate Rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital one venture rewards credit card.

After spending $4,000 in first 3 months from account opening

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with a promising flat rewards rate of unlimited 2X miles on all purchases and unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. This card also earns flexible miles that can be used for multiple purposes like travel statement credits, gift cards , travel bookings through Capital One or miles transfers to Capital One airline and hotel partners. Read our Capital One Venture Rewards card review .

• Earns impressive flat-rate rewards
• Miles come with flexible redemption options

Best With No Annual Fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Wells fargo autograph℠ card.

After spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

Why we chose it: For no annual fee, the Wells Fargo Autograph Card comes with a solid sign-up bonus and earns an unlimited 3X points on travel, gas, transit, restaurants, popular streaming services and phone plans, and 1X points on other eligible purchases. Read our Wells Fargo Autograph review .

• No annual fee required
• Earns 3X points in six popular categories
• Intro APR on purchases
• No transfer partners
• Few travel-specific benefits

Best Overall Hotel Card: World of Hyatt Credit Card

World of hyatt credit card.

Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more by earning 2 bonus points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point, on up to $15,000 spent.

Why we chose it: The World of Hyatt Credit Card is packed full of features. It offers an annual free night certificate each year after your cardmember anniversary, five elite qualifying nights per year just for having the card and a way to spend toward additional elite nights and an additional free night certificate each year.

• Category 1-4 free night certificate annually after your cardmember anniversary
• Earns two nights toward elite status for every $5,000 spent on the card
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance and lost luggage reimbursement
• Full welcome bonus requires costly spending
• Lackluster earnings outside of Hyatt stays
• Lower overall point value on hotel stays than some competing cards

Best for Budget-Friendly Delta Loyalists: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

Why we chose it: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers excellent value for its $150 ongoing annual fee. The card’s first free checked bag benefit applies to you and up to eight other people in your same reservation. When redeeming miles for Delta flights, you’ll receive a 15% off discount when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. You’ll also get a $200 Delta flight credit when you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year. Finally, you can receive an annual statement credit of up to $100 when you use your card book hotel nights through Delta Stays bookings on delta.com. Read our Delta SkyMiles Gold review .

• Free first checked bag for you and up to eight other people on your reservation
• 15% off Award Travel when using miles on Delta flights (through delta.com and the Fly Delta app)
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year (then $150)
• Earns only 2X miles on Delta purchases
• No ability to earn Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) using the card
• $200 Delta flight credit requires $10,000 in spending on the card in a calendar year

Best for Business Travel Rewards: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Why we chose it: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns generous rewards on travel and in a range of popular business categories. Plus cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. Read our Ink Business Preferred review .

• Earns flexible Chase Ultimate rewards points
• Get 25% more value when booking travel with points through Chase Travel
• Earns 3X points in popular eligible business categories (on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year, then 1X points)
• Bonus category spending caps limit rewards potential
• Earns just 1X points on all other regular purchases

Best for Business With No Annual Fee: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Why we chose it: For no annual fee, the Blue Business Plus Credit Card offers 2X points on up to $50,000 spent in purchases each year, then 1X points on other purchases. Plus rewards earned fall within the flexible American Express Membership Rewards program. Read our Blue Business Plus card review .

• Earns Amex Membership Rewards points
• Get 2X points on the first $50,000 spent in purchases each year (then 1X points)
• Earns just 1X points after $50,000 in spending each year
• Small welcome bonus
• Limited travel-specific benefits

Best for Everyday Spending: Citi Premier® Card

Citi premier® card.

After spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com

Why we chose it: The Citi Premier Card offers a robust selection of bonus rewards categories. Not only do cardholders earn a generous sign-up bonus, but they also earn 3X points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels. All other purchases earn 1X points. Cardholders can also earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal (through June 30, 2024). Read our Citi Premier review .

• Earns flexible rewards for travel
• Generous 3X earning rate in five popular categories
• Elevated rate on eligible travel purchases via Citi Travel through June 2024

Best for Travel Rewards on Dining: American Express® Gold Card

Why We Chose It: The American Express Gold Card might be the ultimate dining card for travelers. It offers 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide—that’s the most points you’re likely to earn without jumping through hoops like making dining purchases through a portal. Read our Amex Gold card review .

• 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (plus on takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
• 4X points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per year in purchases (then 1X points)
• Up to $120 in Uber Cash annually
• Steep $250 annual fee
• Poor redemption value beyond airfare
• U.S. supermarket bonus rewards are capped at $25,000 in spending each year

Best for Travel and Transit: American Express® Green Card

American express® green card.

After spending $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership

Why We Chose It: The American Express Green Card offers 3X Membership Rewards points on almost every type of eligible travel and transit expense. If you prefer to earn travel rewards and want a single card to consolidate your expenses on, the Amex Green Card is likely your best choice.

• Earns 3X points on a wide variety of eligible travel and transit, plus at restaurants worldwide
• Earns transferable Membership Rewards points
• Offers trip delay insurance*, baggage insurance plan* and car rental loss and damage insurance*
• $150 annual fee
• Limited cash redemption options
• No introductory APR

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• How Many Credit Cards Should I Have?

A Closer Look at the Best Travel Cards

Best overall: chase sapphire preferred card.

Why we love this card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points that transfer to airline and hotel partners like British Airways, Southwest Rapid Rewards and World of Hyatt, yet cardholders can also get 25% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase.

Other reasons to love this card include its exceptional welcome offer (earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, worth $750 redeemed through Chase Travel) and earning rates: 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 5X points on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025); 3X points on dining, online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) and select streaming services; 2X points on general travel; and 1X points on all other purchases.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is ideal for consumers who want to earn flexible travel rewards they can redeem in more than one way without having to pay hundreds of dollars toward an annual fee each year. That said, the fact you can redeem points for cash back, statement credits, gift cards and merchandise means the Sapphire Preferred can also work as a cash back credit card.

Other cards to consider: If you want a travel credit card with perks like airport lounge access or annual travel credits, you’ll have to be willing to pay a higher annual fee. In that case, you can consider cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Best for Travel Rewards: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Why we love this card: The Chase Sapphire Reserve starts new customers off with a welcome offer to earn 60,000 bonus points when they spend $4,000 within three months of account opening, and they also earn 10X points on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase; 10X points on Chase Dining purchases with Ultimate Rewards; 5X points on flights booked through Chase Travel; 5X points on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025); 3X points on dining and general travel purchases (not purchased through Chase); and 1X points on everything else. Rewards on travel are after the $300 travel credit is spent each year.

Premium perks that come with the card include a $300 annual travel credit, an application fee credit for Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck membership, Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership and a suite of premium travel insurance benefits.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Sapphire Reserve is for frequent travelers who want to earn flexible rewards they can use for direct travel bookings through Chase or point transfers to airlines and hotels. The ideal cardholder also wants luxury travel benefits like airport lounge access and annual travel credits.

Other cards to consider: For a more affordable premium travel card, consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. But for more extensive lounge access and the chance to earn more credits, look into the Amex Platinum Card.

Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve

Best for Premium Value: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Why we love this card: Despite the fact this card charges just $395 per year, it comes with a $300 annual travel credit, a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership, Priority Pass Select membership, access to Capital One airport lounges and more. Users also earn flexible Capital One miles that can be redeemed for travel through Capital One Travel, used for gift cards, merchandise and travel statement credits or transferred to Capital One airline or hotel partners. Rewards include 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on all other purchases.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is for people who can utilize its airline and hotel partners or want to use their miles to book travel directly through Capital One. Individuals who want a card with airport lounge access at the lowest possible cost can also consider this premium travel credit card.

Other cards to consider: If you research Capital One airline and hotel partners and like what you see but want to pay a lower annual fee each year, you should also consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95 annual fee). If you want airport lounge access and other premium benefits, however, you should check out the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Read our review of the Capital One Venture X

Best for Luxury Perks: The Platinum Card from American Express

Why we love this card: The Platinum Card from American Express has so many perks and statement credits it’s hard to keep track. For example, cardholders get more than $1,500 in statement and merchant credit offers with the card, plus the broadest airport lounge membership possible (Global Lounge Collection), Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy with enrollment, access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and plenty of other luxury travel perks.

Cardholders also earn a generous welcome bonus (earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new card in the first six months of card membership), plus 5X points on up to $500,000 spent each calendar year on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, 5X points on eligible prepaid hotels booked via American Express Travel and 1X points on all other purchases.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Platinum Card from American Express is best for frequent travelers who can use most of its statement credit offers and benefits each year. Individuals who fly a lot and want access to the most airport lounges worldwide will also love the fact they can enter Priority Pass lounges, Amex Centurion lounges and even Delta Sky Clubs when they fly with Delta Air Lines. This card also works best for people who want to earn flexible points for travel that can be redeemed for airfare, hotel stays, car rentals and other travel in more than one way. After all, points earned with the card fall within the popular American Express Membership Rewards program.

Other cards to consider: If you want airport lounge access, consider premium travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Capital One Venture X, which charge annual fees of $550 and $395, respectively. You can pay an even lower annual fee if you give up some luxury travel benefits and pick a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Citi Premier.

Read our review of the Amex Platinum

Why we love this card: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns a nice flat rewards rate of 2X unlimited miles on all purchases and 5X unlimited miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Plus, miles can be redeemed for options like statement credits to offset travel, gift cards, travel through Capital One or transfers to airlines and hotels. While the annual fee is just $95, cardholders get perks like a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership every four years.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideal for frequent travelers who want some upgraded perks without paying more than $100 per year for their travel credit card. The card’s flat rewards rate also makes it a good choice for consumers who don’t want to keep track of confusing earning rates or bonus categories. Finally, this card works well for people who want to use their miles for travel but also want some flexibility in how they redeem them.

Other cards to consider: Several other flexible travel credit cards let users transfer rewards to airlines and hotels without paying more than $100 in annual fees each year. For example, you could consider the Citi Premier or the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which earn points in the Citi ThankYou Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards programs, respectively.

Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review

Best for No Annual Fee: Wells Fargo Autograph Card

Why we love this card: The Wells Fargo Autograph Card earns 3X points in so many bonus categories with no annual fee required. The welcome offer is also higher than other travel and cash back credit cards with no annual fee (30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first three months), and rewards are fairly flexible. For example, you can redeem rewards with this card for travel, gift cards, statement credits or PayPal purchases. The card also has more benefits than one would think, including cellphone protection, auto rental coverage, travel and emergency assistance services and roadside dispatch.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is best for people who want to earn rewards with no annual fee required, as well as those who want some flexibility when it comes to cashing in their rewards. The intro APR offer on purchases also makes this card a good option for people who want to earn rewards on a large purchase and then pay it down interest-free for the first year.

Other cards to consider: If you want to earn travel rewards with no annual fee required, several top cards can fit the bill. For example, you could also look at the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, the Discover it® Miles and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

Read our Wells Fargo Autograph Card review

Why we love this card: The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers 4X points on Hyatt hotels, an annual free night certificate and a second free night certificate once you spend $15,000 in a calendar year. The card also helps you earn elite status with Hyatt. You start out with World of Hyatt Discoverist status and five elite-qualifying night credits just for having the card, plus you earn two bonus elite night credits for every $5,000 you spend on the card. That’s plenty of value for a $95/year card.

Who should have this in their wallet: The World of Hyatt Credit Card is a great choice for anyone who stays at Hyatt hotels at least a few times a year. If you stay at Hyatt hotels occasionally and can make use of the annual category 1-4 free night, you’re likely to get value in excess of the card’s $95 annual fee. Those who stay at Hyatt hotels often enough to pursue Hyatt status will find that the card both helps boost their status and offers the best rewards value on Hyatt stays of any card.

Other cards to consider: If you want a credit card that offers a free night certificate, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card also offer a free night annually each account anniversary just for having the cards.

Why we love this card: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card comes with plenty of features and benefits. The card’s first checked bag free benefit applies to everyone in your reservation—up to eight companions—making it a great value for family travelers. The $100 Delta Stays credit offers easy value when you book a hotel stay through Delta Stays on delta.com and the $200 Delta Flight credit you’ll receive after spending $10,000 in a calendar year should be easy to use for loyal Delta flyers.

Who should have this in their wallet: Anyone who regularly checks bags on Delta and doesn’t already have Delta elite status should get the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. The card will pay for itself in saved checked bag fees after just three round trips each year by our estimation.

Other cards to consider: If you’re pursuing Delta elite status, consider holding one of the airline’s more premium cards. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card both earn the Medallion Qualifying Dollars you’ll need to earn frequent flyer status with Delta.

Best for Business Travel Rewards: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Why we love this card: The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card earns 3X points on up to $150,000 in spending each anniversary year in the following categories (then 1X points): shipping purchases; advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines; internet, cable and phone services; and travel. You earn 1X points on all other purchases.

Rewards fall within the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, so points can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, merchandise, travel through Chase Travel (for 25% more value) or 1:1 point transfers to Chase airline and hotel partners. Benefits for business owners include free employee cards, primary auto rental coverage when renting a car for business purchases, cell phone protection, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty protection and more.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Ink Business Preferred is for business owners who spend a lot in its bonus categories and want to earn travel rewards points they can use in more than one way. Many business owners also pair this card with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve as their personal card since Chase lets users pool rewards in one account for convenience (and premium redemptions).

Other cards to consider: If the bonus categories don’t fit your spending, the no-annual-fee Amex Blue Business Plus offers a flat rate of 2X points on up to $50,000 in purchases each year, followed by 1X points.

Read our review of the Ink Business Preferred

Best for Business With No Annual Fee: Blue Business Plus Credit Card

Why we love this card: The Blue Business Plus Credit Card earns Amex Membership Rewards points with no annual fee required. While the welcome bonus is on the small side (earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in purchases with the card in the first three months), cardholders can earn 2X points on up to $50,000 spent on purchases each year, then 1X points on other purchases.

Who should have this in their wallet: This business credit card is ideal for business owners who want to earn Amex points without paying an annual fee each year. Many consumers pair this card with a Membership Rewards card for consumers such as the Amex EveryDay, the American Express® Gold Card, and the American Express® Green Card.

Other cards to consider: There are few other business credit cards to consider if you want a card for travel with no annual fee that’s specifically for small businesses and entrepreneurs. However, you can consider consumer credit cards for travel with no annual fee required, including the Discover it® Miles and the Capital One VentureOne.

Read our review of the Amex Blue Business Plus

Best for Everyday Spending: Citi Premier Card

Why we love this card: The Citi Premier Card is a solid choice as a top-of-wallet card due to its bonus category potential. The card earns 3X points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels; 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through the Citi travel portal (through June 30, 2024); and 1X points on other purchases. While a $95 annual fee applies, benefits like a $100 annual hotel savings on a $500+ hotel stay booked with Citi Travel help make up for it. Also note that this card earns Citi ThankYou points that can be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, travel through Citi or transfers to Citi ThankYou airline and hotel partners.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Citi Premier Card is best for people who want to earn 3X points in as many categories as possible, as well as those who want some flexibility in how they redeem their rewards. This card also works well for people who have a cash back credit card from Citi that they use for points pooling.

Other cards to consider: The Wells Fargo Autograph is another flexible credit card for travel that earns 3X points in a bunch of different categories, yet with no annual fee. If you want points that transfer to partners with an annual fee below $100 each year, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred or even the Amex EveryDay.

Read our review of the Citi Premier Card

Best for Travel Rewards on Dining: American Express Gold Card

Why we love this card: Almost every rewards card that earns extra points for dining at any restaurant worldwide will give you at most three points per dollar. The Amex Gold Card gives you 4X points. If restaurants worldwide (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) is one of your biggest spending categories, this bonus to the amount of rewards you earn can really add up. Plus, the card offers respectable rewards of 4X points on up to $25,000 a calendar year at U.S. supermarkets (then 1X) and 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

Who should have this card in their wallet: If you are invested in the Membership Rewards ecosystem and know how to use the points for high-value redemptions, the Amex Gold Card is a rewards powerhouse. The Gold card can earn you a great return on your worldwide restaurant spending and up to $25,000 of charges you make at U.S. supermarkets a calender year (4X points before cap, then 1X).

Other cards to consider: If you prefer earning travel rewards that are easier to use, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve might be a better bet. Both cards earn 3X points on dining at restaurants—rewards that can be easily redeemed for cash back, travel or transferred to travel partners.

Best for Business Travel Expenses: American Express Green Card

Why we love this card: With the Amex Green Card, you’ll earn 3X Membership Rewards on core travel expenses like eligible airfare and hotels, but you’ll also earn increased rewards on most other eligible travel expenses like tours, cruises, travel purchases on third party websites, rideshare, tolls and dining at restaurants worldwide. If you’re after travel rewards, you can do pretty well carrying only the Amex Green Card when you travel.

Who should have this card in their wallet: The frequent traveler who wants a single card that offers a good rate of rewards on all of their travel purchases should carry the Amex Green Card. The card not only offers 3X Membership Rewards on almost every eligible purchase you’ll make on the road, but it also provides essential travel insurance protections.

Other cards to consider: If cash-like rewards on your travel is your preference, you can earn rewards on most of your travel and transit expenses with the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. You won’t get the travel protections that you will with the Green Card, but you will pay no annual fee for the card.

What Is a Travel Credit Card?

A travel credit card is a type of rewards credit card that offers points that can be redeemed for travel and other options. Many travel credit cards also offer travel-specific benefits that can apply in certain situations, such as free checked bags when flying with an airline or late checkout when staying with specific hotel brands.

While some travel credit cards earn airline miles for a specific airline or hotel points that work within a specific hotel loyalty program, other cards earn flexible travel rewards points that can be redeemed for several flexible options. Additional travel credit card benefits can also be included, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, auto rental coverage, roadside dispatch, automatic elite status, annual travel credits, airport lounge access and more.

How Do Travel Credit Cards Work?

How travel credit cards work depends on the type of card and the program its rewards fall in. However, all travel credit cards have certain things in common. For example:

• Travel credit cards tend to offer welcome bonuses when you meet a minimum spending requirement within a few months of account opening.
• You can earn travel rewards points (or miles) based on spending and the card’s earning structure.
• Some cards offer bonus points or miles in certain categories, while others do not.
• Travel credit card benefits (e.g. travel insurance, annual travel credits, airport lounge access, free checked bags, etc.) can apply, although these perks vary widely by card.
• Travel credit card annual fees range from $0 all the way up $695, and there are cards for consumers as well as businesses.

Other than the card amenities that apply specifically to travel, cards in this niche work like other types of credit cards. All travel credit cards give consumers a line of credit they can borrow against, and they can avoid credit card interest if they pay their statement balance in full by their payment due date. When consumers don’t pay their balance in full, they get charged interest based on the average daily balance and the card’s annual percentage rate (APR).

Types of Travel Credit Cards

As you decide on a travel credit card for your wallet, you should know about the types of cards that are out there. This can help you figure out which travel credit card is best for you based on the type of rewards you want to earn and the benefits you desire.

• General travel credit cards: Some cards are considered general travel credit cards because they earn bonus points or miles in multiple categories and let you redeem rewards for travel without offering a lot of travel-specific perks or benefits. Cards in this category do not let you transfer points to airline and hotel programs like flexible travel credit cards do.
• Flexible travel credit cards: Flexible travel credit cards fall within programs like Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards, and they let you redeem rewards for travel through a portal or rewards transfers to airlines and hotels affiliated with the program. Premium cards in this category may also come with benefits like airport lounge access, annual travel credits and robust travel insurance protections.
• Co-branded airline cards: Co-branded airline credit cards are offered by card issuers alongside frequent flyer programs like American Airlines AAdvantage and Delta SkyMiles. Cards in this category earn miles that are redeemable for flights with the airline itself or its partners, and they can come with perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, airport lounge access and more.
• Co-branded hotel cards: Hotel brands like Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt also offer co-branded credit cards alongside major card issuers . Cards in this category earn hotel points that can be used for free award stays, suite upgrades and other on-site benefits, and they tend to come with perks like automatic elite status, early check-in and late checkout. Some premium hotel credit cards also come with annual travel credits and airport lounge membership.

How To Choose the Best Travel Credit Card

The best travel credit card for one person can be totally different for another, mostly because there are so many variables to keep in mind. Not only are there different types of travel rewards you can earn, but earning rates and cardholder perks and fees vary widely by product.

As you look for the right travel credit card for what you’re hoping to get in return, keep the following factors in mind.

Type of Rewards

First off, you’ll want to think over the type of travel rewards you want to earn, whether that’s flexible points, airline miles or hotel points. If you fly with a specific airline or stay with a specific brand of hotels often, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of earning rewards that are specific to that program versus earning flexible rewards that may or may not transfer to your favorite travel brands.

Redemption Options

Speaking of that, make sure you have a general idea of the redemption options available for the rewards you earn, and keep in mind that airline miles and hotel points tend to be more limited overall. If you want rewards that are as flexible as they can be, consider picking up a flexible travel credit card that lets you redeem rewards through a portal or transfer to a range of airline and hotel partners.

Cardholder Benefits

Also consider the perks you want to get with your credit card for travel, keeping in mind that some cards offer general benefits and others offer more specific perks. For example, airline credit cards tend to offer benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding, whereas hotel credit cards offer hotel-specific perks like entry-level elite status, early check-in and late checkout. Meanwhile, flexible travel credit cards tend to offer more general benefits like fee credits as reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership or Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership.

Learn more about the benefits found with some of the best travel rewards cards:

• New Amex Delta SkyMiles benefits (and fees)
• Amex Platinum benefits
• Amex Gold Card benefits
• American Express® Business Gold Card benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits
• Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits

Earning Rates

Also look at the earning rates travel credit cards offer and compare them to see which cards would net you the most in rewards over time. If you spend a lot of money in specific categories each month like gas, groceries or travel, it can help to look for cards that offer bonus points in these categories.

Welcome Offers

Consider travel credit card welcome bonuses and see which ones entice you the most. If a card has a high minimum spending requirement to earn a welcome bonus, make sure you can easily meet it with regular, organic spending and bills within the timeline required.

If you have to spend $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening, for example, that breaks down to spending at least $1,334 on purchases each month for the first three consecutive months in a row after becoming a cardholder.

Travel Protections

Although you might be tempted to book your travel with your card that earns the greatest amount of rewards, you should also consider what travel protections your card provides. Many travel credit cards offer a suite of travel protections that can be far more valuable than a few marginal points if things go wrong. Here are a few of the essential travel protections that many travel cards offer.

• Trip delay insurance can cover incidental expenses and even an overnight stay if travel you book with your card is delayed significantly or overnight. Booking a trip with a card that offers this benefit can mean that you’re not out hundreds of dollars if you suddenly need to check into a hotel for an overnight flight delay.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver insurance can cover damage to or theft of a rental car you book using your card. Ideally, you’d rent a car using a card that offers primary insurance, which can provide protection without requiring you to make a claim to your personal auto insurance. Keep in mind that this benefit doesn’t cover liability and often doesn’t cover car-sharing services like Turo.
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance may cover reimbursement of non-refundable prepaid travel expenses in the event that your trip gets interrupted or canceled for a covered reason. Which expenses this benefit covers vary widely by card—some cards only cover prepaid travel by common carrier, while others will cover expenses like tours and lodging booked through travel providers.

Finally, compare travel credit cards based on their annual fees, and make sure you feel comfortable with the annual fee you’re planning to pay. If a credit card for travel you’re considering charges an annual fee, look closely at its benefits and rewards to make sure you’re getting more value out of the card than its annual fee the first year. Also check for other fees like foreign transaction fees, but note that credit cards geared to travel usually don’t charge them.

You can also look at cards based on their variable interest rates and intro APR offers. That said, you’ll typically only want to get a travel credit card if you plan to pay off your purchases in full each month. If you carry a balance on your card or end up in long-term debt, the variable rates you pay will more than wipe out the rewards you earn.

What Are Your Points and Miles Worth?

How much points and miles are worth may not seem like a big consideration, but this is one of the most important factors to keep in mind as you compare card earning rates and redemption options. After all, some rewards points are worth considerably more than others, and some cards have different redemption rates depending on how you use your points.

Knowing how much your points are worth can help you decide if a travel credit card is the right fit for you. For example, Amex Membership Rewards points are worth an average of 1.19 cents per point according to Newsweek valuations. For maximum value, you’ll need to transfer your points to an airline partner.

Other Amex redemption options aren’t as valuable. You can redeem Amex points for airfare through AmexTravel.com at 1 cent per point. But points are only worth 0.6 cents per point if you redeem for statement credits and 0.7 cents per point for many travel redemptions through Amex Travel.

If cash back is your preferred redemption option, a cash back credit card is likely a better fit over an Amex travel card. And if you’re not booking flights through Amex travel or transferring to a high-value transfer partner, a different travel rewards card could give you better value when redeeming your rewards.

Also note that similar points from different programs can be worth varying amounts, and this can skew how generous the earning rates and welcome bonuses appear with different cards. For example, Hilton Honors points are worth an average of 0.41 cents each, whereas World of Hyatt points are worth 2.11 cents each based on our internal valuations.

*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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What credit score do you need for the best travel credit cards.

Minimum credit score recommendations vary by card product and card issuer. But the best travel credit cards are geared toward individuals with good to excellent credit (or a FICO Score of 670 and up).

What Is the Best Credit Card for Travel Points?

The best credit card for travel rewards can vary based on the type of rewards, fees charged and perks included. However, some of the best travel credit cards on the market today include the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X.

Do I Have To Pay Interest on a Credit Card?

Avoid interest completely on credit cards by paying your card’s statement balance in full by your card’s payment due date each month. Some cards also come with introductory APRs for purchases, balance transfers or both, yet this isn’t a common feature among credit cards for travel rewards.

The post Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024 first appeared on Newsweek Vault .

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Best Card to Pair with the Amex Gold: 4 Options to Consider

Melanie Lockert

Credit & Credit Cards Expert

Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer with nearly a decade of experience in the personal finance space. She is the founder of the blog and author of the book “Dear Debt” and paid off $81,000 in student loans. She has an M.A. from New York University and is an LA native based in Brooklyn, NY.

Robert Thorpe

Senior Editor

Robert is a senior editor at Newsweek, specializing in a range of personal finance topics, including credit cards, loans and banking. Prior to Newsweek, he worked at Bankrate as the lead editor for small business loans and as a credit cards writer and editor. He has also written and edited for CreditCards.com, The Points Guy and The Motley Fool Ascent.

Updated April 23, 2024 at 2:29 pm

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.

The American Express® Gold Card is one of the best travel credit cards , with high earning potential on dining and travel. Earning 4X points at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, cardholders who spend in these categories can rack up rewards easily.

While the card can be a good standalone option, travelers who want to maximize their spending and rewards strategies can pair another credit card with the Amex Gold. Find out the best credit card to pair with Amex Gold and other solid alternatives.

Understanding the value of cash back is simple, but valuing airline miles or points redeemable for travel requires digging a bit deeper. At Newsweek, we’ve developed a common language to talk about the value of points and miles: our valuations.

Our valuations translate points into dollars and cents in a way that reflects reality. They are based on actual data across a balance of accessible redemption options, not just the aspirational first and business class redemptions that require a PhD in miles and points to book. The upshot is that our valuations help you understand the actual value you can easily get from your miles and points.

Vault’s Viewpoint

• The Amex Gold card is ideal for restaurants worldwide, U.S. supermarkets, and flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, but not other everyday expenses.
• Getting another credit card that offers higher earning potential in other categories can optimize your rewards strategy.
• The best credit card to pair with Amex Gold is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Amex Gold and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

While the Amex Gold has generous rewards for restaurants worldwide, U.S. supermarkets and flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, all other eligible purchases only earn 1X points. One of the best credit cards to pair with Amex Gold is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card for several reasons.

Complementary Rewards

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card fills the gaps that Amex Gold has and offers a minimum of unlimited 2X miles on all purchases. On top of the flat rate rewards , you can also earn 5X miles when you book hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel.

So a good strategy would be to use the Amex Gold for restaurants worldwide, U.S. supermarkets and flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card for all other everyday purchases as well as hotels and rental cars that are booked through Capital One Travel. For travel lovers, this can cover all your bases and ensure you’re optimizing your rewards and spending.

Lower Annual Fee

The Amex Gold card has an elevated annual fee clocking in at $250. While it’s not the most expensive travel rewards card on the market, it’s a step above many other mid-tier rewards cards.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card annual fee is more than 50% lower than the Amex Gold at $95, making it easier to stomach. Pairing a card with a higher annual fee with another that has a lower annual fee can balance out your strategy and ensure you’re not spending a good chunk of change on annual fees.

Extra Travel Perks

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with two major travel perks that the Amex Gold doesn’t offer as part of its suite of benefits:

• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit. You can get up to a $100 credit on either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. To qualify, you must use your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card when paying either application fee and be in good standing with your account. You’ll get a statement credit, which you’re eligible for every four years.
• Travel Accident Insurance. Having both of these cards can round out your travel protections so you cover your bases. If you use your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to purchase your fare, you could have insurance kick in for a covered loss at no cost when you use your card to purchase your fare. These benefits go well with Gold benefits like the baggage insurance plan*.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

After spending $4,000 in first 3 months from account opening

Why Would You Want To Pair One Card With Another?

If you have a rewards-rich card like the Amex Gold, you might wonder why you’d want to pair it with another card. You might think getting another card is a distraction, but in reality, it’s a way to diversify your rewards. There are many potential benefits when you take advantage of each card.

Different Rewards Programs

The Amex Gold card offers users Membership Rewards Points, while the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns you miles. Having two different rewards programs can be advantageous as each card has a different reward structure and redemption value. When it’s time to take advantage of your rewards, you might find that one is more valuable than the other. Having both can help you assess the redemption value and decide which is most effective.

Pool Together Rewards With a Transfer Partner

Since the Amex Gold and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Cards are from two different credit card issuers, you get different rewards and can’t pool them together. But both Amex Gold and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card have transfer partners that overlap. For example, the following are transfer partners for both Amex and Capital One:

• Emirate Skywards
• Etihad Guest
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Singapore KrisFlyer

That means you can pool your points and miles together by transferring them to one of those eligible partners. Doing so can increase your rewards, which can help you book award travel faster. For frequent fliers on airlines associated with these rewards programs, this strategy can be particularly effective.

Fill the Gaps

All rewards credit cards have unique benefits, but also limitations. To optimize your rewards strategy, it can be a good idea to mix and match different credit cards. In this case, Amex Gold should be your go-to card for restaurants worldwide (plus on takeout and delivery in the U.S.), U.S. supermarkets, and flight purchases that are booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

But everything else, like subscriptions, utilities , gas, insurance, etc., should be on the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. If you only had the Amex Gold, you’d earn only 1X points. But when using the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you’ll earn 2X miles. Having more than one card paired with another ensures you’re maximizing your rewards and being strategic with your spending.

Other Cards To Consider

While the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card may be the best credit card to pair with Amex Gold, there are other compelling options to consider.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is popular with travel lovers and rewards enthusiasts—and for good reason. The card has a significantly lower annual fee of $95 than its premium counterpart, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® at $550.

The card has an attractive welcome bonus and offers up to a $50 hotel credit each year in the form of statement credit for stays booked using the Chase Travel portal. Somewhat similar to the Amex Gold, you’ll earn 3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out) and on online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).

While you can earn 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com with the Amex Gold, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card offers 5X points on travel purchased using Chase Travel and 2X points on all other travel purchases. This is a great complement as Chase has an expansive definition of travel purchases including:

• Car rental agencies
• Discount travel sites
• Campgrounds
• Toll bridges and highways
• Parking lots and garages

Your Amex Gold would be ideal for purchasing flights (booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com) and your Chase Sapphire Preferred® for all other eligible travel-related purchases. When you get a Chase Sapphire Preferred® card you start earning Chase Ultimate Rewards. Your rewards are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel using Chase Travel, elevating the point value to 1.25 cents instead of 1 cent.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

If you want another American Express card, the best credit card to pair with Amex Gold is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express . While the card doesn’t earn you Membership Rewards like Amex Gold, you earn cash back through Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. This can help offset costs and lower your credit card balance. The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Despite having two different reward types, this is a great pairing with the Amex Gold as it has significant earning potential in many categories that fall under everyday spending. For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns you 6% cash back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit, and 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations. For everything else you only earn 1% cash back. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

The Blue Cash Preferred Card has a higher redemption value for statement credits at one cent each for every Reward Dollar compared to the Amex Gold’s Membership Rewards which are worth 0.6 cents when used this way. Your best bet is to use your Amex Gold in categories like travel which have a higher redemption value while earning cash back as a statement credit with the Blue Cash Preferred Card.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

If you want to pair your Amex Gold with a premium card that can earn you more Membership Rewards and unlock more travel perks, The Platinum Card® from American Express is your go-to option. The card has a high spending minimum requirement to earn the welcome bonus but a high value earned that matches the spending. Though the annual fee is $695 ( see rates and fees ), there are numerous credits to take advantage of that help offset this cost including:

• Up to $200 hotel credit back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when charged to your card (two-night stay required on The Hotel Collection)
• Up to $240 digital entertainment credit (up to $20 in statement credits each month) on eligible purchases made directly from one or more of the participating providers
• $155 Walmart+ credit to cover the cost of $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (plus tax) back in statement credit after you pay each month with your card
• Up to $200 Uber Cash that’s use it or lose it savings for eligible Uber Eats and rides in the U.S. annually, made up of $15 issued monthly and a bonus $20 in December
• Up to $200 airline fee credit in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged to your card by one selected qualifying airline
• Up to $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit back in statement credits each calendar year when you use your card to pay for membership
• Up to $300 Equinox credit in statement credits annually for cardholders who use their card to pay for an eligible membership
• $100 fee statement credit for Global Entry every four years when you pay with your card or $85 fee statement credit for TSA PreCheck application fee every four and a half years

Some credits may require enrollment and there are terms that apply. If you can take advantage of these benefits, the annual fee isn’t so bad. Through The Platinum Card® from American Express, you earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1X), 5X points on eligible prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel, and 1X points on all other eligible purchases.

This is a great companion with the Amex Gold because you can earn more Membership Rewards. Plus, the card has high earning potential for eligible flights and hotel stays through American Express Travel and provides premium benefits the Gold card doesn’t. The Platinum Card® benefits include lounge access at over 1,400 airport lounges through The Global Lounge Collection. Through the card, you’re also eligible for Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status which can help elevate your hotel experience and get added perks.

*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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will applying for an amex gold card affect my credit score.

If you’re interested in applying for the American Express® Gold Card, you can go to the website and check your approval for the card with zero impact on your credit. You can submit an application, which will lead to a hard inquiry that can cause a temporary drop in your score.

Is It Hard To Get Approved for the Amex Gold Card?

As a rewards credit card, it can be more difficult to get approved for the American Express® Gold Card. Typically, you’re recommended to have at least good to excellent credit to qualify and sufficient income.

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If you’re traveling abroad, there’s no need to worry as the Amex Gold card doesn’t have any foreign transaction fees ( see rates and fees ). So that’s one less cost to think about when planning for international travel.

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Amex and Delta's Newest Credit Card Is Actually Made Out of a Retired Boeing 747 — How to Get One

The cards are available to Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business card members through June 5 — or while supplies last.

Courtesy of American Express

Travelers hoping to get their hands on a piece of aviation history are in luck as American Express and Delta Air Lines prepare to bring back limited-edition credit cards made from a pair of retired Boeing 747 planes.

Featuring a white glossy design inspired by the clouds, the cards were produced from two Delta planes that were retired in 2017 after more than 27 years in the air, American Express shared with Travel + Leisure . The cards are available to Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business card members through June 5 — or while supplies last.

The limited-edition cards were first introduced in 2022 , and American Express said they were so popular, the credit card company is producing twice as many cards this time around.

“We’re bringing back one of our most popular Card designs ever with a new look honoring the ‘Queen of the Skies,” Jon Gantman, the senior vice president and general manager of cobrand product management at American Express, said in a statement shared with T+L. “Given the strong response from customers with our first Card design, we wanted to find another exciting opportunity for aviation enthusiasts and Card Members to have a piece of aviation history in their wallets.”

Each card is made from 33 percent metal from the aircraft and will include the plane’s first and last flights, tail number, and total miles flown.

Prashant Sharma, the v.p. of loyalty at Delta, said in the statement that each Boeing-crafted card “carries the legacy of countless journeys and embodies the spirit of exploration that drives our customers and all of us at Delta.”

The new design comes as Delta is adding more perks to its American Express-branded cards , but charging a premium for them. The annual fee for the Delta Reserve card, for example, will increase to $550 from $650. For that fee, customers will receive a $240 Resy credit, $120 rideshare credit, and $200 Delta Stays credit.

The decision to raise the cost of a card also comes on the heels of major changes to Delta’s loyalty program with the airline choosing to just count Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) toward elite status.

Best credit cards for airport lounge access in April 2024

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.

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.  

Stepping into an airport lounge from the chaotic main terminal can feel like stepping onto dry land from a whitewater raft. It evokes a feeling of peace, tranquility and “phew – we made it.”

As a result, airport lounge access is one of the most enviable perks you can get with a travel rewards credit card. But which cards still offer it in 2024, and from that list, which are still worth getting?

The best cards for airport lounge access in April 2024

Best overall: capital one venture x rewards credit card, best for extensive lounge access: the platinum card® from american express, best for affordable lounge access: u.s. bank altitude® connect visa signature® card, best for delta: delta skymiles® reserve american express card, best for united: united club℠ infinite card, best for american airlines: citi® / aadvantage® executive world elite mastercard®.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to a wide lounge network comprising Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Group. Plus, its $395 annual fee is easy to recoup on account of the $300 back annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel plus 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary. 

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus.

Rewards Rates

• 10X 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5X 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• 2X 2x miles on everyday purchases
• Annual $300 travel credit and 10,000 Miles upon card anniversary make up for the annual fee
• Airport lounge access
• Capital One Miles require effort to maximize
• Limited cash redemption options

Other benefits

• Travel protections including car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption and travel delay protection
• Consumer protections including extended warranty and return protection

Why we like this card: We like how the Capital One Venture X comes with a hefty 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ airport lounges, including Capital One Lounges and our Partner Lounge Network, and 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 

The $395 annual fee may seem steep, but it’s actually a relative bargain among premium travel cards offering unlimited lounge access. Plus, you’ll earn $300 back annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel plus 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary–a combined $400 in travel value–which instantly covers your fee for the year.

The cherry on top is up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, so you can scoot through security and get to the lounge a little faster. And the Capital One Lounge network is small, but mighty, with game-changing features such as extensive to-go options. All things considered, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the airport lounge card to beat. 

The Platinum Card® from American Express claims to have the widest lounge access of any card on the market, with access to well over 1,500 lounge locations in over 140 countries. Combine that with a list of travel-centric benefits longer than a CVS receipt, and it’s an easy pick for this list. 

The Platinum Card® from American Express

See Rates and Fees

Reward Rates

• 5X 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)
• 5X Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
• 1X Earn 1x points on all other eligible purchases
• Packed with valuable potential credits for digital entertainment, Equinox gym, Walmart+ membership, and more.
• Airport lounge access with a larger network than any other card
• Membership Rewards are valuable due to their flexibility.
• The multiple potential credits can be cumbersome to track.
• Sky-high annual fee
• Some of the perks can be hard to use if they don’t align with your lifestyle.
• Travel benefits including hotel and car rental chain statuses, car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption and travel delay protection

Why we like this card: Like a fully-loaded Mercedes S-Class, The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with an eye-watering price tag but an expansive list of benefits to justify it. 

Naturally, one of those benefits is airport lounge access. You’ll have access to Amex’s Global Lounge Collection, which includes the Centurion Network, Delta Sky Club, Lufthansa Lounge, Plaza Premium Lounge and Priority Pass Select. That’s 1,500+ lounges in total, meaning an Amex Platinum is the closest we have to an airport lounge master key. 

You’ll also get up to $189 back per year on a CLEAR® Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®, up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your card, 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), 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® (minimum 2-night stay required) and a welcome bonus of at least 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of card membership, so there are plenty of ways to extract value from your “Plat” outside of an airport lounge. 

To view rates and fees of the The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page  

Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta review Best travel credit cards What is Global Entry and why should I want it? What is TSA Precheck and why should I want it?

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect VISA Signature® Card card includes four free visits to over 1,500 Priority Pass locations worldwide, a $100 TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit and a $500 welcome bonus–all for a modest annual fee of $95, which is waived for the first year.

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect

• 5x 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center
• 4x 4X points on travel, at gas stations and EV charging stations
• 2x 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining and streaming services
• 1x 1X on all other purchases
• High earnings on travel
• No annual fee the first year
• 4 Priority Pass lounge visits per year
• Points not transferable to travel partners
• Additional perks: Cell phone protection, Trip cancellation/interruption, TSA/Global Entry fee rebate
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Why we like this card: As an affordable travel rewards card, U.S. Bank’s Altitude Connect card is a worthy rival to the reigning Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card . Unlike the “CSP,” the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect VISA Signature® Card includes complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with four airport lounge passes, a $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and up to 4X on travel purchases. 

The card also waives its $95 annual fee for the first year and offers a hefty welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 120 days worth $500 towards travel and more. In short, it’s positively packed with value for travelers, and if you’re not sure whether you’ll even visit a lounge more than four times this year, it’s a logical choice.

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers Delta fans a truly elevated experience, with 15 visits to the Delta Sky Club per year, four guest passes, free checked bags, an Annual Companion Certificate, upgrade priority and more. It doesn’t include automatic Medallion status, but offers plenty of ways to to get there faster (e.g. MQD Headstart).

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Intro bonus.

• 3x Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases
• 1x Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
• Premium benefits for Delta flyers, like first checked bag free and access to the Delta Sky Club
• Companion certificate good for a round trip domestic Main Cabin, Comfort+ or First Class flight each year upon renewal of your card
• Access to Centurion Lounge network
• High annual fee
• Access to Delta Sky Club limited to 15 passes a year after February 2025
• Base earnings rate is low compared to other cards
• 15% discount on Delta award flights
• Travel protections including accident insurance, rental car coverage, trip cancellation and delay insurance
• Consumer protections including cell phone insurance, extended warranty, purchase and return protection

Why we like this card: Though it charges a heart-stopping $650 annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card does include a 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership to help cover your first two years with the card. You’ll also 3X Miles on Delta purchases, up to 15% off award travel on Delta when booked on Delta.com, a free first checked bag, up to $240 Resy Credit, up to $200 Delta Stays statement credit and more to make the card’s high fee more palatable. 

In terms of lounge access, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card includes 15 visits to the Delta Sky Club per year. That’s objectively pretty stingy considering there are cheaper cards on the market offering unlimited access to a larger network for both you and multiple guests. Still, if you’re a solo Delta traveler, 15 visits to the Delta Sky Club per year may be all you need.

The United Club℠ Infinite Card may charge $525 per year, but it covers a United Club membership–which alone retails for $650–and includes a litany of other travel-friendly benefits like Free first and second checked bags - a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) - and Premier Access® travel services, 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases and 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

United Club℠ Infinite Card

• 4x 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
• 2x 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel and dining
• 1x 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• United Club lounge membership
• Valuable welcome bonus
• Path to earn elite airline status by card spend
• Mostly useful if you want lounge access
• Additional perks: Primary rental car coverage, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement

Why we like this card: If you and your travel companion frequently fly United, check multiple bags each and relish the thought of decompressing in the United Club lounge, the United Club℠ Infinite Card might deserve a place in your wallet. 

That’s because the card’s marquis feature is a $650 United Club membership, granting unlimited access for you and your travel companions. You’ll also get Free first and second checked bags - a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) - and Premier Access® travel services, 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, 25% back on food/beverage/Wi-Fi purchases and 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 

Once the welcome bonus dries up it can be hard to continue justifying the United Club℠ Infinite Card‘s $525 annual fee–especially since you can only take advantage of the card’s best benefits while traveling with United. The lack of Polaris Lounge access is a bummer, too. But if you’re a hardcore brand loyalist who doesn’t travel light, the United Club℠ Infinite Card could still be a worthy travel companion. 

With complimentary Admirals Club membership (valued up to $850), up to nine free checked bags per trip and an “enhanced airport experience,” the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® rolls out the figurative red carpet for AA frequent flyers.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

• 10x Earn 10X AAdvantage miles on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels and on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars.
• 4x 4x AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (5X after you spend $15,000 on airfare)
• 1x 1x AAdvantage miles on all other purchases
• Earns AAdvantage miles, which are not easily accessible outside of co-branded AAdvantage credit cards.
• Every dollar spent earns one Loyalty Point toward elite status.
• Includes Admirals Club lounge membership, valued at up to $850.
• High spending requirement for earning the 70,000-mile welcome bonus
• No category bonuses outside of American Airlines spending.
• Travel perks: AAdvantage club membership, checked bag benefit, trip cancellation and interruption protection
• Credits: Up to $120 annual credit to Avis or Budget rental cars, Up to $10 monthly credits to Lyft and Grubhub

Why we like this card: If you’re ready to pledge fealty to American Airlines via a $595 rewards card, you’ll be receiving plenty of perks and value in return from the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. For starters, you’ll get a complimentary Admirals Club membership and free first checked bags for you and up to eight travel companions–saving up to $720 per round trip. 

You’ll also get 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening, 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights and 10X AAdvantage® miles on hotels booked through aa.com/hotels. But perhaps most intriguingly, the card unlocks an “enhanced airport experience” with priority check-in, screening and boarding when flying with AA. 

Just keep in mind that Admirals Club membership only includes access to 50ish Admirals Clubs and 60ish partner lounge locations total, so you may want to confirm that there’s one in your home airport before committing. 

Frequently asked questions

Which card is best for airport lounge access.

The Platinum Card® from American Express has the most expansive lounge access, with unlimited visits to locations within the Centurion Network, Delta Sky Club, Lufthansa Lounge, Plaza Premium Lounge and Priority Pass Select. 

However, we think the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers better value, with access to Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Group locations for a $395 annual fee ($300 less than the Platinum).  If you are looking for a lower price tag, check out our article about the best cards for cheap airport lounge access .

Are lounge access cards worth it? 

A rewards card with airport lounge access could be worth it if you fly several times a year, value having a secluded place to work, and relax and plan to take advantage of the card’s other benefits. 

Some say that the most underrated perk of airport lounges is having access to a dedicated airline representative inside. That way, you can skip the long customer service line outside if something goes wrong with your travel plans. 

How do I know if my credit card has lounge access? 

Check your card benefits, which can usually be found online following a quick search. While you’re there, check to see if any of the included lounge networks require you to register your membership in advance–that way, you can save time and hassle at the airport.

Methodology

Fortune Recommends surveyed all the cards still offering airport lounge access in 2024 and handpicked the very best. In evaluating cards that offer airport lounge access, we compared the annual fees to the amount of lounge access provided. From the card granting access to the most locations worldwide to another charging a mere $95 annual fee ($0 for the first year), we found the best credit cards for airport lounge access in 2024.

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.  

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE : The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends ™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.

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It’s back by popular demand — Delta and American Express unveiled the next iteration of the limited-edition Boeing 747 Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card on the heels of the overwhelming response from Card Members when first launched in 2022 .  

The new limited-edition cards are cloud-white in color and made from two Delta Boeing 747 aircraft 1 that were retired after more than 27 years of service and feature each plane’s history, including their first and last flights, tail number and number of miles flown.   

The card is available exclusively for new and existing Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business Card Members from April 25 through June 5, 2024, while supplies last. The new design comes after recent enhancements made to the Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards to improve the travel experience and deliver everyday value to Members, both in the air and on the ground. 

“At Delta, innovation and experience are at the core of everything we do,” said Prashant Sharma, V.P. of Loyalty at Delta Air Lines. “Each card carries the legacy of countless journeys and embodies the spirit of exploration that drives our customers and all of us at Delta. When combined with the recently upgraded benefits, these cards provide a nod to our storied past and symbolize the elevated experiences our customers can expect in their future travels.” 

In 2022, Delta and American Express launched the first iteration of the limited-edition Boeing Delta 747 Card design, one of the most iconic airplanes in aviation history. The new design is made with 33% metal from a retired Delta Boeing 747 plane and has a white glossy finish, which is inspired by clouds.  

“We’re bringing back one of our most popular Card designs ever with a new look honoring the ‘Queen of the Skies,’” said Jon Gantman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cobrand Product Management at American Express. “Given the strong response from customers with our first Card design, we wanted to find another exciting opportunity for aviation enthusiasts and Card Members to have a piece of aviation history in their wallets.” 

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business American Express Cards offer premium travel benefits for Delta loyalists, including an enhanced Companion Certificate each year after renewal 2 , an MQD Headstart that helps you get closer to Status, miles accelerators, access to exclusive reservations through Global Dining Access by Resy 3 , and more. 

For more information about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business Cards, visit go.amex/747card . 

1 The new limited-edition Boeing 747 Card design is made with 33% metal from retired Delta Boeing 747 aircraft.

2 The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.

3 Card Members must add their Delta Skymiles Reserve or Reserve Business American Express Card to their Resy profile to access Global Dining Access by Resy.

• American Express
• Delta Reserve Business AMEX Credit Card

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