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Your Guide to the AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts Program

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The American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program (FHR) provides exclusive benefits to certain American Express cardholders, delivering an upscale experience at many of the world’s best hotels. Many of these hotels may not participate in a loyalty program , and the FHR travel portal can supplement a stay with similar perks.

FHR is similar to a travel agency and has coordinated special benefits at more than 1,300 hotels worldwide so cardmembers can enjoy an upgraded experience, regardless of having elite status with a loyalty program.

While FHR does not promise the lowest rates (like most hotel websites do with their best rate guarantees ), the rates are often competitive, especially for the extra perks. Since many of the hotels in the FHR program are among the best in their destinations, perks such as complimentary breakfast at luxurious hotels like Ritz Paris can be pretty remarkable.

Here are the ins and outs of the AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts program and how to take advantage of its benefits.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Which cards are eligible?

The only cards with access to FHR are The Platinum Card® from American Express , The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and Centurion Card from American Express. To benefit from FHR extras, cardholders must make travel reservations via the AmEx Travel portal or FHR phone line and pay with their credit card.

There is also a program called The Hotel Collection from American Express. This is a different program open to more cardmembers but with fewer benefits. Be sure you are using the Fine Hotels and Resorts link to benefit from all the perks these rates offer.

What are the benefits?

Both The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offer 5 Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent on hotels reserved via the FHR portal. Once at the hotel, several perks improve the travel experience. These include:

Space-available room upgrades.

Early check-in based upon availability.

Guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout.

Daily breakfast for two people.

$100 experience credit.

Each hotel may categorize a room upgrade differently. Some may provide a boost to a suite, while others may move up one category to a larger room or one with a better view.

At this caliber of hotels, free breakfast for two people can represent exceptional value. Another popular perk is the $100 experience credit at each hotel. These are listed in the search portal, which provides transparency when making a reservation. They can include a spa, food or beverage credit, welcome gift or dining experience.

Some properties such as Conrad Tokyo, offer even more by upping the ante to a $125 credit. The Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok offers a dinner for two people, which could be more than $100 in retail value.

Can you use AmEx points for Fine Hotels and Resorts stays?

Yes, you can pay for the entire stay or just part of it in AmEx points. Membership Rewards points are valued at 1 cent per point when redeeming for a hotel through this portal, which equates to 50,000 points bringing a savings of $500. When using points, a minimum of 5,000 points must be applied.

» Learn more: How to Use AmEx Pay With Points to Book Travel

Can you make Fine Hotels and Resorts bookings for others?

The cardholder must use their credit card to make the reservation and be one of the travelers on the itinerary to earn the 5x Membership Rewards for any prepaid hotel stay. Additional cardholders can also take advantage of the perks of the FHR program.

How do you make a reservation?

To complete a reservation, you will need to log into your American Express account, but it is possible to peruse available hotels and related benefits without logging in by heading straight to the FHR home page . There, you can search for the destination and dates of your trip to see the full list of available hotels. It will also reveal properties from The Hotel Collection, but remember those earn different benefits.

Interestingly, there are reviews from TripAdvisor that also appear. Users can filter results by property type to make it easier to decide on a hotel.

Once you choose a hotel, the different rate options for room types appear, as well as more details on cancellation policies. Once you select a room, the website will ask you to finally log into your account to make sure you are eligible for these benefits from the FHR program.

Once logged in, the option to pay in cash, points or a combination is available. The number of points grows with the cash rate. Other details available in the search engine are a map of the hotel’s location, the square footage of each room, photos, cancellation policy details and bed types.

When doing a search, some hotels may have a “special offer,” which can tack on additional perks. This can include a free night after staying a minimum number of nights or more valuable perks than just a $100 experience credit. For example, the Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town, offers a sixth night free after staying five nights and dinner for two people.

» Learn more: AmEx Travel Portal: What You Need to Know

What if I already have hotel elite status?

Hotel loyalty programs often provide extra perks for elite members , like breakfast or room upgrades, but members must book a hotel stay directly to be eligible. Since the FHR travel portal is considered a third-party booking site, some hotels may not honor any eligible elite status perks.

FHR has independent and boutique hotels that may not otherwise have a loyalty program. Using FHR benefits is a great way to elevate the hotel stay with bonuses like breakfast and space-available upgrades. Anecdotally, some hotels may still honor hotel elite status perks and award points, but this is not a guarantee.

If you have elite status with a hotel, it might make sense to compare the rates offered via FHR and those of the hotel’s booking channels. Decide which provides greater value based on the perks related to the price. In many cases, FHR can provide substantial value, especially since you earn 5x Membership Rewards points for the reservation.

» Learn more: The Best Hotel Elite Status Programs for 2023

Are AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts benefits worth it?

The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando's Harbor Piazza. (Photo by Sally French)

Depending on the cost of booking the stay directly with the hotel’s channels and any potential perks of elite status, FHR may provide even more value. Some hotels go above the norm and offer benefits like $100 to spend on unique hotel experiences, complimentary dinners and more.

For example, at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando (which falls under the FHR portfolio), all hotel guests — whether or not you booked it through AmEx — a complimentary Universal Express Unlimited Pass . That benefit is doled out to guests at all Premier tier Universal-owned hotels , of which the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is one. All guests also get early theme park admission.

But on top of that, guests who book through FHR also get free breakfast (critical in jumpstarting a day at the Orlando theme parks) and a $100 food and beverage credit. All those extras make this one of the best hotels for The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders in Orlando .

As this hotel — and others — show, staying at FHR-member hotels as a customer of the top AmEx credit cards in their wallet are in for extra bonuses. Especially for those without any hotel elite status, these hotels can be more lucrative anyway.

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

How to maximize your rewards

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

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

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

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

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

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

Everything you need to know about Amex Travel

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

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

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

What is the American Express Travel portal?

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

How to book flights on the Amex Travel portal

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

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

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

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

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

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

Points vs. cash

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More details about flights through Amex Travel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to book hotels on the Amex Travel portal

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

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

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

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

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

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Hotel Collection

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles

Further things to consider about Amex Travel

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

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

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

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

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

Related: Redeeming American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

Bottom line

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

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

Additional reporting by Ryan Patterson and Kyle Olsen.

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Why the Amex Platinum Is the Only Card I’ll Use To Book Flights

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The Amex Platinum Card Earns Me the Most Points

The amex platinum card has excellent travel insurance, amex’s global lounge collection is industry-leading, amex points are my favorite flexible currency, final thoughts.

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

Although I’m not technically a digital nomad, I fly enough to qualify as one.

With trips taking me on roughly 100 flights per year, I’ve done a lot of research when it comes to booking airfare.

Though I have plenty of credit cards to spare, The Platinum Card ® from American Express always finds its way to the front when it comes time to pay — here’s why.

There are plenty of credit cards that earn bonus points on travel , and especially airfare. However, the Amex Platinum card personally beats out others, despite its $695 annual fee ( rates & fees ).

This is because it earns 5x American Express Membership Rewards points per $1 spent (up to $500,000 per year) on flights booked directly with the airline or via AmexTravel.com .

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

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• Amex Platinum vs Delta Reserve

If you travel often, you know that booking with a third party , such as Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, or even an issuer’s travel portal, can save you some money. But it can also lead to huge amounts of headache s if your flight needs to be changed or canceled or if there are crazy delays and you need to be rerouted.

This is because booking through a third-party agency makes them responsible for your ticket rather than the airline, so they need to be the middleman.

Compare the Amex Platinum card’s earning rates to other premium travel rewards cards :

• Chase Sapphire Reserve ® : 5x points per $1 spent on Chase Travel; 3x points on all other travel purchases
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : 5x miles per $1 spent on airfare booked with Capital One Travel,

In order to earn these elevated rewards, you’ll need to book your flights with either issuer’s travel portal, which means you’ll be using a third party. That opens you up to issues in the event your travel plans change, which mine often do.

While the Amex Platinum card does have a limit on your 5x earnings up to $500,000 annually, I’ve never even come close to hitting the cap. This means that I’m always able to book directly with the airline while still earning the most rewards.

I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest proponent of travel insurance . I know that it’ll protect you if you get injured, lose your bags, or have travel delays, but purchasing a policy goes against my “spend as little as possible” ethos when it comes to travel.

That’s another reason why I love the Amex Platinum card and use it for my flights. As a premium travel card, it offers complimentary travel insurance . For it to kick in, I need to pay for my travel with my card and it will apply in eligible scenarios.

What kind of travel insurance is offered? A lot:

• Rental car insurance (secondary)
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Trip delay insurance
• Baggage insurance plan
• Premium Global Assist Hotline (emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport)

There are two things that really stand out when it comes to the Amex Platinum card’s travel insurance: emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport as part of the Premium Global Assist Hotline. Neither of these has a cap, which isn’t something you’ll find often, even when purchasing a policy.

There is only one exception where I’ll use a card other than the Amex Platinum card to pay for my flights, and that’s when I’ve booked an award flight.

This is because Amex has limitations on its baggage insurance plan for award flights, whereas competitors, such as the travel insurance on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card , do not. In this case, the Amex Platinum card won’t cover lost luggage unless you’ve paid the ticket in cash or you’ve used Amex Membership points for your flight. Other award flights outside of this don’t count :

“Other loyalty programs (i.e. non-American Express) do not qualify on purchases redeemed in part or full or pre-arranged travel cost,” according to the terms of baggage insurance plan on the Amex Platinum card. “An example would be common carrier frequent flyer miles point redemption.”

I’m not a snob about a lot of things, but airport lounge access is certainly one of them. I know that as more credit cards offer lounge access, they can be crowded.

That’s one reason I value the Global Lounge Collection offered by Amex’s high-end cards.

This collection includes a Priority Pass Select membership (upon enrollment), Centurion Lounges, Escape — The Centurion Studio lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa), Delta SkyClubs (when flying Delta), and more.

That’s far more than you’ll get with other credit cards and lessens the chance that you’ll find yourself in a standing-room-only situation.

This is probably not the most popular opinion, but I think Amex Membership Rewards beat out Chase Ultimate Rewards , Capital One Miles , Citi ThankYou points , and Bilt Rewards .

While each currency has their own strengths and weaknesses, Amex points fit my travel style better than the others. Sure, I love that Chase has World of Hyatt (and it’s where I use my points most often) and that Citi transfer to Choice at double Amex’s rate, but Amex has more usable transfer partners .

I’ll be even more unpopular and say that I’ll often transfer Amex points over to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, especially when they’re offering a transfer bonus . This isn’t usually a good idea, but I spend my Hilton points at high-end resorts such as the Conrad Maldives and the Conrad Bora Bora , where I can easily net 5-10 cents in value per point. That makes it worth it for me.

Other transfer partners that I frequently use include:

• ANA MileageClub : For low-cost business class flights to Europe
• Avianca LifeMiles : For Lufthansa first class
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club : For first and business class redemptions on ANA
• Qantas Frequent Flyer : For cheap Air Tahiti Nui flights to French Polynesia

Beyond transfer partners and the Amex Platinum card, I also find Amex points easier to earn . This is due to a variety of reasons, including their robust lineup of Amex point-earning cards , Amex Offers (upon enrollment), and their Rakuten partnership.

I’m not going to throw out all my other credit cards in favor of the Amex Platinum card — I love points and miles too much ever to let that happen. But there’s certainly a strong case for it sticking around in my wallet.

Sure, it offers lots of statement credits (enrollment required for some benefits) and other perks. But I’ll keep the Amex Platinum card to book my airfare. And it’ll stay that way until someone else can match the high earnings and travel insurance offerings, which I don’t anticipate happening anytime soon.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the Amex Platinum card, 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.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of the Amex Platinum card, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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

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About Carissa Rawson

Carissa served in the U.S. Air Force where she developed her love for travel and new cultures. She started her own blog and eventually joined The Points Guy. Since then, she’s contributed to Business Insider, Forbes, and more.

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Credit Cards

American Express Business Platinum benefits guide 2024

Ashley Barnett

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

Robin Saks Frankel

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

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

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

Amex Business Platinum Card overview

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

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

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

Major Amex Business Platinum Card benefits

Travel benefits .

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

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

Small business benefits 

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

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

Insurance and protection benefits

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

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

Bonus points for spending

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

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

Additional benefits worth noting

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

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

³The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

⁴Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

⁵Coverage for a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Bars & Nightlife

The nightlife scene in Moscow is varied, and long gone are the days when the only kind of venues in operation were luxury establishments guarded by stern-looking bouncers. Although some places still enforce FC/DC, many are now leaning towards a more casual approach to entry - the recent decade has seen a rise in the number of casual bars modelled after hip urban haunts of West European capitals. Wine bars, craft breweries, bohemian cafes, indie bars, and glitzy nightclubs are all to be found in abundance, spread throughout the city's many neighbourhoods. And here are the best bars and nightclubs in Moscow, Russia:

Chinese Pilot Jao Da

16 Tons Club

Hookah Bar Friends

In order to satisfy the wishes of Moscow's well-off upper middle classes, many chic designer stores have opened their stores in Moscow. Today there is definitely a risk that tourists will return home with considerably more expensive souvenirs than fur hats and Russian "matryoshka" dolls, which are readily available throughout - a good place to start browsing for these is the souvenir market right next to the Red Square.

Popular Shopping Streets

Eliseyevskiy Store

Perlov Tea House

Tourist Information

Vnukovo International Airport

The city's third and most compact airport, Vnukovo is located approximately 28 kilometres southwest of the city centre. The air hub is best reached by Aeroexpress trains departing from the Kievskaya Railway Station. Several mini-buses also run here from Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station (south end of the red line).

Phone: +7 495 937-55-55

Website: www.vnukovo.ru/en

More Information:

Sheremetyevo International Airport

The largest international airport in Moscow is Sheremetyevo International Airport, located 30 kilometres from the city centre. The easiest and fastest way to reach any of Moscow's three major airports is by Aeroexpress - a fast train designated for air travelers (train departs from Belorussky Railway Station). The train ride takes 35 minutes. Another way to get here is by taxi. At the airport you can order taxis at the operator desk. You can usually book a taxi in advance through the hotel or travel agency when going to the airport. Alternatively, there are different bus routes. The buses take about 30-70 minutes depending on the route and your final destination. When traveling by car or bus, do keep in mind that rush hour traffic may sometimes be very dense, and significant delays are possible.

Address: Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow

Phone: +7 495 578 65 65

Website: https://www.svo.aero/en/main

Domodedovo International Airport

Another large airport in Moscow is Moscow Domodedovo Airport. The airport is located 22 kilometres away from the city. You can also reach the airport from Domodedovskaya underground station by mini-bus or bus and from Paveletsky railway station by train. The train from Paveletsky railway station takes 40-50 minutes going on the Aeroexpress train, and 1 hour and 10 minutes on the commuter train. The express buses and shuttles from Domodedovskaya underground station take 25-30 minutes and leave every 15 minutes. Buses run from 6am-12am. Taxis can be ordered at the domestic and international arrivals hall. There are car rental services at the airport.

Address: Moscow Domodedovo Airport, Moscow

Phone: +7 495 933 6666

Website: www.domodedovo.ru

Moscow has one of the world’s most beautiful underground railways which operates very efficiently. If you carry big luggage on the metro, make sure you buy a special luggage ticket. Tickets can be bought at station entrances - either at vending machines or special staffed kiosks.If you plan to use the metro multiple times during your stay, it makes sense to purchase a top-up card called "Troika".

Phone: +7 495 688 02 93

Website: www.mosmetro.ru

Public Transport

In Moscow there are also buses, trolley buses and trams apart from the beautiful metro. Tickets can be bought from the kiosks in the street or from the driver and validated once aboard.

Phone: +7 495 950 4204

Website: www.mosgortrans.ru

In Moscow the easiest way to get a taxi is the traditional way: to stand in the street and hold out your arm. Civilian cars like to operate as taxis, it is therefore recommended to only use professional taxi services. Taxi meters are not always used, so agree on a price before travelling. English-speaking taxi services in Moscow: Welcome Taxi +7 499 922 06 74 www.welcometaxi.ru LingoTaxi: +7 495 204 21 34

There are many post offices around town. If you want to send a letter you can drop it of in one of the dark blue post boxes. Main Post Office:

Address: Ul. Myasnitskaya 26, Moscow

Phone: +7 495 623 67 01

Website: https://www.pochta.ru

Medical care may be very expensive if you do not have insurance. Hotels often have their own doctor, so start there if you need help. There are dozens of pharmacies all throughout the city, and many work 24/7. Rigla 102 www.rigla.ru 15/43 Arbat, Moscow Apteka 36,6 www.366.ru 25 str 1A Zemlyanoy val, Moscow

National code: +7 Area code: 495/499

Electricity

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Now Arriving at an Airport Lounge Near You: Peloton Bikes, Nap Pods and Caviar Service

In recent months, a handful of exclusive credit card lounges have opened in airports in the United States. More are coming this year.

By Christine Chung

A handful of new lounges opened by credit card issuers, including Capital One and American Express, have recently landed in airports across the United States, promising posh spots of refuge for select travelers awaiting their flights. At La Guardia Airport, caviar service will be available for pre-order. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, travelers can get complimentary massages, and at Denver International Airport, there are nap pods. In addition to amenities, the new lounges provide an ambience reminiscent of a luxury hotel lobby, both in interior design and scale, and fit several hundred people at a time.

“Lounges have certainly gotten busier, so we’ve expanded our footprint,” said Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, which in February opened its largest Centurion lounge, at 26,000 square feet at Hartsfield-Jackson , bringing its total number of lounges in the United States to 14.

Broadly, there are three types of airport lounges available to travelers: airline operated; shared-use spaces that aren’t limited to one airline or frequent flier status (think Priority Pass); and credit card lounges. Many are operated in partnership with lounge development companies.

For more than a decade, American Express was the only credit card issuer with lounges in the United States. That changed last year, when Chase Sapphire and Capital One each opened locations at major airports across the country, with plans to unveil a handful more in the coming years.

The proliferation is driven in part by changing demographics and travel patterns of fliers today. This year may set a record for the number of air travelers, with an estimated 4.7 billion people expected to fly globally. According to a survey published last May by the polling firm Morning Consult, younger travelers are more inclined than older generations to book travel with credit card loyalty programs, and those in the Gen Z age group, in particular, have signaled a declining loyalty to airline frequent flier programs.

While credit card companies saw opportunities to expand their brand awareness with lounges, the facilities also provide additional benefits to card members who pay hundreds of dollars in annual membership fees. Card fees range from $395 a year for a Capital One Venture X to $695 for an American Express Platinum.

Here are the latest highlights of new credit card lounges from around the country.

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club

Domestic locations: John F. Kennedy Airport’s Terminal 4, La Guardia Airport’s Terminal B, Boston Logan International Airport by Gate B40.

Forthcoming locations: San Diego International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and Philadelphia International Airport.

Who can use: Travelers with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, J.P. Morgan Reserve or Ritz-Carlton credit cards who have activated their Priority Pass memberships. Those without these cards but who have Priority Pass can enter once a year. Chase Sapphire Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders can bring up to two guests per visit for free, and additional guests cost $27. Those with the Ritz-Carlton card can bring unlimited guests at no extra cost.

What’s on offer: Locally made draft beers and coffee, menus designed by local restaurants, private bathrooms with showers and, at La Guardia Airport’s 16,200-square-foot space spanning two floors, three suites with caviar service that can be reserved up to 72 hours before a flight ($2,200 to book).

American Express Centurion

Domestic locations: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Denver International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Los Angeles International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Miami International Airport, Kennedy Airport, La Guardia Airport, Philadelphia Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Forthcoming locations: Reagan National Airport later this year, Newark Liberty International Airport in 2026.

Who can use: Eligible American Express cardholders, and those with Delta’s SkyMiles Reserve Card or Reserve Business Card; details vary based on the card. Complimentary guest access depends on credit card use; American Express Platinum and Business Platinum Card Members who spend $75,000 or more a year can bring up to two guests in free per visit.

What’s on offer: A whiskey bar, phone booths and work stations, wellness rooms, food by local celebrity chefs, complimentary massages, game rooms and wine tastings

Capital One

Domestic locations: Dallas-Fort Worth Airport’s Terminal D, Denver Airport’s Concourse A, Dulles International Airport’s Main Terminal.

Forthcoming locations: Harry Reid International Airport.

Welcomed travelers: Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders, who can bring up to two guests per visit. Additional guests cost $45. All other travelers can pay $65 per visit to enter.

What’s on offer: A fitness room with Peloton bikes, nap pods, shower suites, small plate dining options and grab-and-go food, luggage lockers, coffee bars.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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VKO lounge amex platinum - Moscow Forum

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I have my grandmas amex platinum is there any amex lounges or the equivalent that this card will get me into?

I have a 4 hour layover before going to tel aviv.

How is transearos 777s economy btw, i usually fly turkish and that is fine.

You need to ask Amex about participating Priority Pass lounges worldwide and whether one of the VKO lounges is among them.

http://www.prioritypass.com/select/select/index.cfm

If your AMEX has an Priority Pass facilities, you will be admitted into general Business class lounge. Just AMEX does not mean much in this part of the world...

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Best no annual fee travel credit cards of April 2024

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

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.  

Travel rewards cards are a lot like gyms. The best ones may come with tons of added benefits (saunas, yoga class, etc.) but they also cost a lot, usually with a big financial commitment upfront. 

As a result, whether you’re considering a Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card (with its $95 annual fee) or a CrossFit membership, you probably have the same question on your mind: will I really use it enough to justify paying for it? 

While there aren’t any free gyms we know of, there thankfully are plenty of no-annual-fee travel rewards cards that require essentially zero commitment. And just like an ab roller or a Richard Simmons DVD, you can simply use them a few times, forget about them, and put them in a drawer until beach season. Or, you can stick with it and make them part of your daily routine—whatever works for you.

You’re also far more likely to see “instant results” with these cards, too. From 100,000-point welcome bonuses to rewards for paying rent, free travel insurance to 3X on gas, these cards offer way more than you’d expect for a fee of $0 per year. 

The best no-annual-fee travel cards for April 2024

Best overall: bilt mastercard, best for hotel rewards: ihg one rewards traveler credit card, best for airline rewards: united gateway℠ card, best for travel earnings: wells fargo autograph℠ card, best for flat-rate earnings: capital one ventureone rewards credit card.

The Bilt Mastercard allows you to earn points from paying rent and transfer them 1:1 to well over a dozen different travel partners including United MileagePlus and Marriott Bonvoy. Toss in some surprisingly robust travel insurance and you have our unconventional—yet logical—choice for the best overall no-annual-fee travel card of 2024.

Bilt Mastercard®

See Rates and Fees

Special feature

Rewards rates.

• 1x Earn 1X points on rent up to 100K/year
• 1x Earn 3X points on dining
• 2x Earn 2X points on travel
• 1x Earn 1X points on other purchases
• Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points
• Uniquely earns points on rent
• Rent Day bonus every first of the month offers double points (excluding rent)
• Robust travel transfer partners
• Cash redemption rate is poor
• No traditional welcome bonus
• Travel perks: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
• See this page for details
• Foreign Transaction Fee: None

Why we like this card: As mentioned, the Bilt Mastercard’s most compelling feature is that it allows you to pay rent with a credit card—even if your landlord doesn’t take plastic—and avoid the transaction fee paying rent by credit card would typically incur. Then, as long as you complete five transactions each month, you’ll trigger 1X rewards on your rent payments. 

Note that rewards on rent are capped at 100,000 points per year.

In terms of earning potential, if you pay the median ~$2,000 rent in the U.S., you could earn approximately 24,000 points per year which can be used to book travel in Bilt’s portal at a value of 1.25 cents per point or transferred to any of Bilt’s airline or hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. In other words, you could likely earn a domestic flight with United or a weekend stay at Hyatt, all for simply paying rent on time.

The Bilt card also provides trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay reimbursement, and primary rental car insurance (terms apply)—perks you wouldn’t typically find on a no-annual-fee credit card.

If you’re looking for a hotel rewards card that offers the most free nights for no annual fee, wait until you read about the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card. With a six-figure welcome bonus, up to 17X on stays and other compelling rewards, it’s currently the gold standard for no-fee hotel rewards.

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

Intro bonus.

• 17x Earn up to 17X points when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts 
• 3x Earn 3X points on dining, utilities, internet, cable, and phone services, select streaming services, and at gas stations
• 2x Earn 2X points on all other purchases
• Generous welcome bonus not typically seen in a $0 annual fee card
• Travel protections that are unusual for a no-annual-fee card
• Fourth night free on award bookings
• Limited redemption options outside of IHG
• IHG points are worth less than some other rewards currencies
• Silver status granted with the card has limited benefit
• Additional perks: Trip cancelation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection, ability to spend to Gold status
• Foreign transaction fee:None

Why we like this card: We like calling the IHG One Rewards Traveler card the “Liam Hemsworth” of travel rewards cards because it lives in the shadow of its big brother—the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card —but still delivers plenty of quality and substance in its own right (with no annual fee, to boot). 

For starters, you can get a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, potentially worth around $500 to $700 in IHG redemption. 

Plus, enjoy up to 17X points when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts, instant Silver Elite status and a handy bonus where you redeem points for three consecutive nights and get the fourth night in your stay free. So, if you book a three-night stay using your welcome bonus, you’ll essentially be getting a complimentary four-night stay at a nice IHG property for no annual fee. The IHG One Rewards program could be very rewarding for the right traveler.

Check out our full review of the IHG One Rewards Traveler .

As a no-annual-fee airline card, the United Gateway℠ Card currently edges out its rival the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card by offering a more generous welcome bonus and travel insurance that the Delta card does not provide. If you fly occasionally and would like to earn miles, but aren’t willing to make the commitment of $95 or more for a mid-tier airline card with more perks, the Gateway is a strong choice. 

United Gateway℠ Card

• 2x 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, including tickets, Economy Plus, in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, baggage service charges and other United purchases.
• 2x 2 miles per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services, taxicabs, train tickets, tolls, and mass transit.
• 1x 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
• Reward bonus categories outside of United Airlines
• Robust travel protections for a no-annual-fee card
• No baggage or expanded award availability benefits like with other United cards
• Subject to Chase 5/24 rule.
• United perks: 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
• Other perks: Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Why we like this card: The United Gateway card offers 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting plus 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Considering a United Mile is worth roughly around 1.2 cents these days, effectively earning 2.4 cents back on everyday purchases is a solid value proposition. 

You’ll also get a welcome bonus of 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. And, you can save with a discount of 25% back on United in-flight and Club Premium drink purchases. 

New cardholders will enjoy a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, after 21.99%–28.99% variable applies.

If the United Gateway card has a small lead on the Delta Skymiles Blue Amex at this point, it soars ahead (pun intended) when you look at the included travel and shopping protections. Both cards offer secondary rental car insurance, but only the Gateway includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty protection. 

So, if you’re seeking a no-annual-fee card you can use to rack up miles—and you either tend to fly United most of the time or you’re at minimum not devoted to a competing airline—the United Gateway is the card to beat.

Check out our full review of the United Gateway Card for more info.

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

With a generous welcome bonus in exchange for an attainable spend amount, 3X on travel, and a fancy name, you’d think the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card would command an annual fee of at least $95. But it doesn’t, making it a superb candidate for general travel use.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Intro bonus.

• 3X 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans
• 1X 1X points on other purchases
• No annual fee
• 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that's a $200 cash redemption value)
• Points transfer to partners
• Car rental insurance is secondary
• No travel insurance
• Transfer partners are limited
• Additional perks: Cell Phone Protection: Provides up to $600 in cell phone protection when you pay your monthly cell bill with your Wells Fargo Autograph card. Coverage is subject to a $25 deductible and limited to two claims every 12-month period.
• Foreign transaction fee: N/A

Why we like this card: The Wells Fargo Autograph offers unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans and even your landline bill too if you have one, plus 1X points on other purchases—all without charging an annual fee. And, to make traveling a little cheaper/less stressful, you’ll also get $600 worth of cell phone protection (minus a $25 deductible) as long as you pay your phone bill with this card and secondary rental car insurance. 

Cardholders can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to Wells Fargo’s first wave of transfer partners including Air France‑KLM Flying Blue, Avianca Lifemiles, British Airways Executive Club, AerClub, and Iberia Plus and 1:2 to Choice Privileges. 

But even if you aren’t a member of those loyalty programs, earning 3X on dining, travel, gas, and more is hard to pass up. You can redeem points at a value of 1 cent each to offset past purchases on your account, meaning you can wield the Autograph either as a no-annual-fee travel card or as a cash-back card effectively earning unlimited 3% back in a wide swath of useful categories. 

Check out our full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph .

Sometimes, you just want a card that offers a little more than 1X on every purchase—without having to worry about what this quarter’s rotating rewards are, or whether a specific merchant qualifies as “groceries” for the purposes of your card’s rewards. If you value simplicity and the lack of an annual fee in your travel card, you’ll probably be a fan of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and its straightforward rewards program.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Reward Rates

• 5x Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 1.25x Earn 1.25x miles on every other purchase
• Flexible travel rewards
• No foreign transaction fee
• Maximizing Capital One Miles requires a learning curve
• Cash redemption value is limited
• The VentureOne offers travel accident insurance, rental car coverage, extended warranty protection, exclusive access to events through Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment

Why we like this card: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards offers 1.25X miles per dollar spent on everyday purchases and 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. That’s pretty much all that you have to remember. You can also get a nice welcome bonus of 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, which is a solid payout for a very attainable spending target. 

Capital One Miles can be transferred to well over a dozen airline and hotel partners, most at a 1:1 rate. Partners include Air Canada’s Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Choice Privileges, Virgin Red, and Wyndham Rewards, among others. Other ways to book travel include redeeming miles through Capital One’s portal or making the purchase directly, paying with your card like normal, then using miles for a statement credit to cover the transaction. 

The Venture One also offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months (after that, the variable APR will be 19.99%–29.99%). There’s an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account during the first 15 months that your account is open , then 4% per transfer for any promotional APR offered after. 

Come to think of it, provided you have the excellent credit needed to apply, the VentureOne could make a great travel companion for a grad student given its simplicity, lengthy intro APR period and low spending threshold required to trigger the welcome bonus.

Check out our full review of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards .

Frequently asked questions

Which card is best for international transactions without extra charges.

Zero foreign transaction fees is actually a common benefit among travel rewards cards, including many with no annual fee. For example, neither the Bilt Mastercard nor the United Gateway card charges a foreign currency conversion fee. 

What is the best travel credit card for a young person? 

If you’re still paying rent, the Bilt Mastercard is an excellent choice since it can generate points from rent payments which can then be transferred 1:1 to well over a dozen airline and hotel partners. If you’d prefer a card with a welcome bonus, which the Bilt card lacks, the IHG One Rewards Traveler card currently offers a massive welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee card—potentially worth hundreds of dollars toward a future IHG hotel stay. 

Is a travel card with an annual fee worth it?

Using a travel rewards card with an annual fee can be worth it as long as you’re extracting enough points and benefits to justify paying the fee each year. If you travel infrequently or just want one less fee to worry about, consider one of the no-annual-fee cards on our list above. But, the best perks and protections are typically available on cards with annual fees.

For example, the Capital One Venture X card offers a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel. If you use that every year, you’ve gone a long way toward offsetting the $395 annual fee. You also get 10,000 bonus miles, worth at least $100 toward travel, every year starting on your account anniversary.

Methodology

To bring you our top picks for the best travel rewards cards with no annual fee, the Fortune Recommends surveyed more than a dozen cards currently available from today’s top issuers. From there, we ranked each one based on the following core categories and weights:

• Welcome bonus (10%): Some cards—even those with no annual fee—offer welcome bonuses that you can earn once you make enough purchases within a certain time frame, such as spending $1,000 within three months of account opening.
• Travel earnings (25%): These are the point rewards you’d earn by making travel-related purchases (e.g. 3X on hotels, 2X on airfare).
• Car rental insurance (15%): Many, but not all travel-centric rewards cards include an auto rental collision damage waiver, which allows you to decline a portion of the rental company’s insurance and save potentially up to $30 per day. We gave extra consideration to if a card offers primary rental car insurance versus secondary, because primary kicks in immediately in a covered scenario—whereas secondary only applies after your own, personal insurance. 
• Travel insurance benefits (15%): Some travel rewards cards automatically apply trip cancellation/interruption insurance, lost/delayed luggage reimbursement and even travel accident insurance on travel bookings made using the card.
• Gas earning (5%): Since road trips remain a common form of travel, whether or not a card offers points rewards at the pump factored into our rankings.
• Dining earning (10%): If a no-annual-fee travel rewards card offered 2X or more on restaurant purchases it favored well in this category.

The remaining 20% was based on the card’s main focus: hotel, airline or general travel rewards. 

• For general travel—points transferrable to partners (20%): Points are literally worth more if you can transfer them to certain partners, so a card’s ability to transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners factored into our rankings.
• For hotel rewards—free award night with booking (20%): Some hotel rewards cards offer a BOGO-like perk where if you redeem a certain number of nights with points you get an extra tacked on for free.
• For airline rewards—ability to spend towards status (20%): Most airline rewards cards allow you to earn miles, but not all of them count those miles towards your next loyalty status. If a card treated them as “qualifying miles,” it fared better in this category.

Lastly, just keep in mind that virtually every aspect of a travel rewards card—from the rewards to the welcome bonus and fee structure—is subject to change, which could impact how many miles or points you earn. 

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.  

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.  

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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AMEX use and best place to exchange local currency - Moscow Forum

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AMEX use and best place to exchange local currency

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Many thanks for any advice/help!

MC and Visa are relatively widely accepted (but still not everywhere), Amex much less widely. I've got an Amex card and I just stopped carrying it on me long ago because it's no use around here. There is a LOT of ATMs around to draw roubles with your debit/ATM card. If you bring cash for some reason DON'T exchange it at the airport, save it for the city. There is a lot of exchange offices in the city, just walk around and compare the rates. Some people here recommend exchanging in a bank branch but in my personal experience the rates in some banks (like CITI Bank for instance) are absolutely atrocious, even the airport crooks must be crying in envy. Commissions are not common but some still can charge them, so inquire before committing.

Please also avail yourself of the excellent article we have (top right of this page)...should still be largely accurate...we do try to keep these up to date!

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294459-s601/Russia:Banks.And.Money.html

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