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How to use your Amex airline fee credit

American express annual airline fee credits reset each calendar year. use them before you lose them.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit  americanexpress.com  to learn more.

American Express offers premium travel benefits on many cards, including annual airline fee credits. The catch is that these credits reset each calendar year, so it's important you use them before the reset.

Eligible cardholders can benefit from annual airline fee credits up to $250 to cover incidentals, such as seat upgrades, checked bags and in-flight refreshments. The Amex cards that offer these credits often come with steep annual fees, so it's important to use the full benefit in order to offset those costs.

The good news: You can book future travel and use the credit now. For example, if you're planning a vacation for next year, you can purchase the flight and add any checked bags or seat upgrades to your reservation now, therefore using your annual airline fee credit to offset the cost of incidentals.

Amex cards that offer annual airline fee credits

• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Up to $200 credit ( see rates and fees )
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : Up to $200 credit ( see rates and fees )
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card : Up to $250 credit ( see rates and fees )

How to check the status of your airline fee credit

Checking whether you have any credit left is simple and best done via americanexpress.com instead of the Amex app:

• Log in to your Amex account
• Navigate to "Benefits"
• Scroll below "All Benefits" or select "Travel" to find the airline fee credit, which will read something like "$200 Airline Fee Credit"
• Expect to see either the credit you have remaining or a statement saying you used the full credit

Note: Before you can take advantage of the credit, you have to select an airline to benefit from this perk. You should do this before you book your travel.

Check progress on other credits

While you're checking your airline fee credit balance, consider checking any other credits that expire at the end of the year. Enrollment may be required to take full advantage of the credits.

• American Express® Gold Card : Monthly $10 statement credit toward eligible dining at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment Required.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the U.S. annually (Uber Cash and Uber VIP status available to Basic Card Member only, benefits renew annually); *up to $300 statement credit per calendar year on eligible Equinox memberships (enrollment required; visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll); up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® Plus membership(subject to auto-renewal); up to $20 in statement credits each month ($240 annually) when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal (enrollment required) Terms apply for all benefits.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Unlock over $1,000 in value per year for statement credits on select purchases with your card, including up to $400 with Dell Technologies (up to $200 semi-annually), up to $360 with Indeed, up to $150 with Adobe, up to $120 on wireless telephone purchases and $189 back per year on your CLEAR® Plus membership. Enrollment required.

Don't miss: I saved $350 on my vacation by paying with the Amex Gold Card—here's how you can, too

*Starting in 2023, statement credits for the $300 Equinox Credit benefit will be provided on an annual basis of up to $300 per year and will no longer be provided on a monthly basis of up to $25 back per month. See offer terms for details.

Information about the Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been collected independently by CNBC and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the cards prior to publication.

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

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

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, click here .

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

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Amex Platinum Card – Snapshot

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You can pick from the following airlines:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Best Ways To Use Your Airline Incidental Fee Credit

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

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

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

Airport Lounge Day Passes and Annual Memberships

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

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

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

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

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

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

Change Fees

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

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

Checked Baggage Fees

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

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

Inflight Entertainment Fees

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

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

Inflight Amenities

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

Seat Selection Fees

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

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

Pet Flight Fees

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

Phone Booking Fees

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

Priority Boarding

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

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

Fill Your United TravelBank Account

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

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

Admirals Club Food or Drink Purchases

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

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

Delta Airfare Purchased Partially With a Gift Card

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

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

Airfare of $99 or Below on Certain Airlines

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

Spirit Saver$ Club Memberships

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

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

$5.60 TSA Passenger Security Fee on Award Tickets

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

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

Award Taxes and Fees

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

Airline Gift Card Purchases

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

Class of Service Upgrades

Cabin upgrades are not eligible for reimbursement .

Inflight Wi-Fi

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

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

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the american express airline fee credit.

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

Do authorized users get additional airline incidental fee credits?

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

Can I use my airline incidental credit toward airfare?

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

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

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

When does the airline incidental credit renew?

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

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

Yes, you will still earn points on reimbursed purchases.

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About Andrew Kunesh

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

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

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$0 annual fee for the first year.

Eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, fees and charges apply

Save with a $0 annual fee in the first year. Plus, $200 Travel Credit every year.

• $0 annual fee in the first year ($195 p.a. after that)
• $200 American Express Travel Credit each year
• Earn 3 points per $1 spent at major supermarkets and petrol stations, 2/$1 spent overseas and 1/$1 on other eligible purchases

Usually, you'll need to book through American Express Travel to use your travel credit. Depending on your Amex card, you could use the credit to book flights, hotel stays, and/or car rentals.

But there's a few terms and conditions to be aware of:

• You can only use your American Express Travel credit once, in a single booking, so you can’t spread it out over multiple bookings.
• If you have more than one Amex Travel credit, you can’t pool the value of multiple credits to cover the cost.
• Your booking must be valued at more than the credit value. eg you can purchase a $432 flight with a $400 flight credit, but not a $372 flight.
• You can book cruises through American Express Travel, although you can't redeem your travel credits to cover cruise costs.

If you get an Amex card with a complimentary flight, you can book an eligible flight for free.

For example, the American Express Velocity Platinum Card offers a complimentary return domestic flight between select cities with Virgin Australia. Meanwhile, the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card offers a $450 travel credit towards either a domestic or international booking with Qantas.

In comparison, the American Express Platinum Edge offers a $200 travel credit you can use for flights, hotels, car hire and more.

Do Amex travel credits expire?

Your travel credits last for 12 months, so keep this in mind when you’re planning to use them. Once your travel credits expire, they can’t be redeemed.

If your card offers an American Express Travel credit, you need to pay the annual fee and make the minimum payment by the due date in order you can access those credits. Then, you can redeem the credits with the following steps:

• Log in to the American Express Travel website and select the card with the travel credits you’re going to use. You’ll see the travel credits in the right-hand corner of your Amex Travel homepage once you’re logged in.
• Select what you want to book (flight, hotel or car hire) and filter your decisions by destination, travel dates, airline carrier and more.
• When you’ve picked an option that costs more than the value of your travel credits, you’ll see the total amount in dollars (which you can cover in your travel credits) or Membership Rewards points.
• Click on the “Use travel credit” button to redeem your credits. The value of the credits will be deducted from your total price and then you can pay for the remainder using your American Express card or Membership Rewards points.
• Finally, review and confirm your booking. You can’t get refunds on redeemed travel credits, so make sure you're 100% certain before you confirm your payment.

Want to redeem a flight with the Velocity American Express Platinum?

The complimentary flight offer on American Express Velocity Platinum Card is available after your first card spend each year. To redeem it go to velocityfrequentflyer.com and log in with your Velocity Frequent Flyer membership details.

• Cancels out annual fee. Some American Express credit cards offer travel credits that can offset the full cost of the annual fee, which can help justify getting the card.
• Cut travel costs. It’s an easy way to save between $200 and $400 on a trip (keeping in mind, the annual fee is still payable).
• Easy to use. The American Express Travel website is simple to use and it’s easy to access your travel credits once you’ve logged in.
• Less competitive prices. The cost of hotels, car rentals and flights booked through American Express Travel can be less competitive than if you were to book directly, as they often don't offer the same sales and deals as airlines offer direct.
• No points earned. In contrast to paying with your Amex card, you can't earn points on travel costs paid for with your travel credits.
• Expiration. You can use your travel credits within exactly 12 months from the issue date. After that they will expire and can’t be redeemed.

American Express Travel credits can be a great way to get extra value from your credit card. However, considering the restrictions and the terms and conditions, it’s good to understand how they work and whether you’re actually going to use the credits before you apply for the card.

Pictures: Shutterstock

Amy Bradney-George

Amy Bradney-George was the senior writer for credit cards at Finder, and editorial lead for Finder Green. She has over 16 years of editorial experience and has been featured in publications including ABC News, Money Magazine and The Sydney Morning Herald.

More guides on Finder

This charge card offers expense management tools and is linked to both Qantas Business Rewards and Membership Rewards.

The American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card offers 170,000 bonus Qantas Points, no pre-set spending limit and perks including complimentary insurance.

Offers a $0 first-year annual fee, up to 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent and complimentary travel insurance.

The American Express Qantas Corporate card offers a combination of expense management tools and rewards for businesses with an annual turnover of $10 million or more.

A step-by-step guide on how to refer a friend through the American Express referral program to earn bonus Membership Rewards points.

The American Express Velocity Business Card earns points per $1 spent and offers complimentary travel insurance and two complimentary Virgin Australia lounge passes each year.

The American Express Velocity Platinum Card offers a range of frequent flyer benefits including a complimentary domestic return flight with Virgin Australia, airport lounge access and points per $1 spent.

From Membership Rewards Points to savings on first, business and premium economy class flights, this charge card is packed with features to help you manage business spending.

How does the huge bonus points offer, $450 annual travel credit and other platinum perks stack up against the Amex Platinum card’s annual fee?

The Qantas American Express Ultimate Card earns up to 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent, a yearly $450 travel credit and additional premium travel features.

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What is a balance transfer?

How to transfer a balance with amex, amex credit cards with balance transfer offers, what happens after you complete a balance transfer with amex, the bottom line, how to do a balance transfer with american express.

If you’re wrestling with credit card debt, an Amex balance transfer card could help tackle your balance.

David McMillin

David McMillin writes about credit cards, mortgages, banking, taxes and travel. Based in Chicago, he writes with one objective in mind: Help readers figure out how to save more and stress less. He is also a musician, which means he has spent a lot of time worrying about money. He applies the lessons he's learned from that financial balancing act to offer practical advice for personal spending decisions.

Dashia Milden

Dashia is a staff editor for CNET Money who covers all angles of personal finance, including credit cards and banking. From reviews to news coverage, she aims to help readers make more informed decisions about their money. Dashia was previously a staff writer at NextAdvisor, where she covered credit cards, taxes, banking B2B payments. She has also written about safety, home automation, technology and fintech.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

American Express is best known for its  premium travel credit cards  and perks. But this card issuer also has a range of credit cards with balance transfer offers -- a potentially helpful benefit if you need more time to pay down your credit card debt.

Approximately 37% of adults with credit card debt aren’t familiar with how  balance transfer credit card offers  work, according to  recent research from CNET’s sister site Bankrate . A balance transfer card lets you move existing credit card debt to a new card, letting you save interest for a period of time. Not only can this help you get out of debt more easily, but it can also help  boost your credit score .

Here’s how to transfer your balance with an American Express balance transfer card and which cards Amex offers to help you do so. 

A balance transfer moves the outstanding balance from one or more of your current credit cards to a new credit card. For example, if you’re carrying a $4,000 balance on Card A, a balance transfer allows you to move all or part of your balance -- up to your credit limit -- to the new balance transfer card. 

Most balance transfer cards, particularly those from Amex, come with a 0% APR introductory period for the first 12 months of account opening. Utilizing a balance transfer lets you cut out interest for a specific period of time, so you can work on paying down your debt rather than getting buried in high-interest charges. The goal is to pay the balance in full by the end of your introductory period. If not, you’ll pay interest on the remainder.

Balance transfers typically aren’t free, though. Most of them come with a fee between 3% and 5% of the balance, but this upfront cost is usually significantly less expensive than continuing to accrue interest for another year. American Express charges a balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 minimum) -- which is on par with many other credit card issuers. 

Once you open an Amex card with a balance transfer offer, the process is straightforward. The best way to transfer a balance with American Express is through your online account on the Account Services page or by calling 1-800-528-4800.

The 0% introductory APR period starts when you open your new Amex credit card, so make sure you process your transfer right away. You have 60 days from opening your card with Amex to qualify for the introductory offer period to decide.

Before applying for an Amex balance transfer card, make sure the debt you want to transfer is from a different card provider, like Chase or Capital One. You can’t transfer a balance between Amex cards.

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.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card   from American Express

The  Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express * has a 0% introductory APR offer for balance transfers that lasts for 15 months from account opening, then a variable APR of 19.24% – 29.99%. The 0% introductory APR offer also applies to new purchases for 15 months from account opening (19.24% – 29.99% variable APR after that). 

We like that this card has no annual fee and a lower 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum). It’s also a card you can use to earn rewards once you’ve paid off your debt. It earns 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year in each category, then 1%). You’ll receive cash back as Reward Dollars and you can redeem them for a statement credit. This card does have a notable $200 statement credit welcome bonus after spending $2,000 within the first six months of account opening -- but if you’re looking to transfer a balance, we  don’t  recommend putting charges on this card until you’ve repaid your debt.

American Express Cash Magnet® Card

The American Express Cash Magnet® Card* ties with the Everyday Card with a 0% introductory APR period on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening, then a variable APR of 19.24% – 29.99% after that. It also has no annual fee, and after you pay off your balance, you can take advantage of a straightforward 1.5% cashback across all categories. You’ll receive cash back as Reward Dollars which you can redeem as a statement credit. It also earns a solid $200 statement credit welcome bonus after you spend $2,000 within the first six months, but again, we don’t recommend this if you need more than six months to pay down your debt.

Amex EveryDay® Credit Card

The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card* has a 0% introductory APR period on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening, like other Amex cards. There’s a 18.24% – 28.24% variable APR thereafter. Like the first two cards on this list, it also has no annual fee.

But unlike the other no-annual-fee Amex cards above, this card earns  Amex Membership Rewards Points  -- 2x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1x) and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. And you can earn 2x points at Amextravel.com when you pay with your card. There’s also a 10,000 Membership Rewards Points welcome bonus when you spend $2,000 within the first six months -- but you shouldn’t bother chasing this until after you’ve paid off your balance. One unique perk we like about this card is that if you use it 20 or more times on purchases during a billing period, you’ll earn 20% more points on those transactions, making it a good choice if you find yourself in the grocery store several times a week.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express* has a 0% introductory APR offer on new purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from account opening, then a variable APR of 19.24% – 29.99%. That’s a good offer, but not as long as the Blue Cash Everyday. But, if you’re confident you can pay off your debt in that first year, this can be a better card for your wallet after you’ve knocked out your balance.

The cashback structure for the Blue Cash Preferred includes earning 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 each year in purchases, then 1%), 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% on transit (including ridesharing) and 3% on U.S. gas station purchases. You earn cash back in the form of Reward Dollars, which you can redeem for a statement credit. There’s a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, but you’ll pay a $95 annual fee thereafter. So after you pay off your outstanding balance, you get ongoing rewards, but make sure you can take advantage of them to offset the yearly price tag before applying.

Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card

The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card* also has a shorter balance transfer window -- a 0% introductory APR offer for 12 months from account opening (18.24%- 28.24% variable APR thereafter) -- but it can still work well if you don’t need more than a year to tackle your debt. This 0% introductory APR offer also applies to new purchases for 12 months from account opening (then 18.24% – 28.24% variable APR). But there’s a $95 annual fee you’ll need to hand over every year, so we only recommend this option if you can use its rewards after you’ve tackled your debt.

This card also follows the Amex Membership Rewards Points structure, earning 3x points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 each year in purchases, then 1x), 2x on U.S. gas station purchases and 1x on other purchases. 

If you use your card 30 times or more on purchases within a billing period, you’ll earn 50% more points on the purchases you made. Plus, you can transfer your points to transfer partners and book travel with the Membership Rewards program -- which offers 2x points when you book with your card on Amextravel.com. The card also includes travel benefits, including the Global Assist® Hotline and car rental loss and damage insurance**.

Your balance won’t transfer immediately. You’ll usually see the new balance reflected on your Amex card within five to seven days. However, the company also warns that some transfers can take  up to six weeks . 

The clock on balance transfers starts ticking as soon as your account opens. So, if you open an Amex Everyday Credit Card tomorrow, the 15-month introductory APR period begins as soon as your application is approved. It’s important to put your payback strategy to work immediately. If you transfer a balance of $6,000, for example, and you have 15 months to pay it back, after including the $180 balance transfer fee ($6,000 x the 3% balance transfer fee), this breaks down to a $412 payment every month. We always recommend paying a little extra to kick down your balance sooner if you can. 

Lastly, be sure to check your mailbox: That’s where you’ll receive the final word about the completion of your balance transfer. And while you’re waiting for that verification, continue paying on the card you transferred so you don’t miss any upcoming payments before your transfer goes through.

And once your debt is gone, you can use the card to earn rewards. If you don’t have a plan for the card, try not to close it and instead use it for monthly small purchases to keep it active and your credit score healthy.

Credit card APRs have been steadily increasing in 2023, and the average APR is now over 20%. If you’re struggling to knock your credit card debt down to $0, rising rates make this process even more expensive. Taking advantage of a 0% introductory balance transfer offer can be  smart move -- as long as you have a plan in place to pay off your balance before the introductory no-interest period ends.

While Amex has plenty of balance transfer options, it also typically requires good to excellent credit. If you have less-than-perfect credit, consider other options to help  pay down your credit card debt  to reach your financial goals, like a  debt consolidation loan .

The amount you can transfer depends on your credit limit and other Amex terms. For example, if your credit limit is $7,500, you can transfer up to this amount, minus the 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum).

While Amex doesn’t specifically note credit score requirements for balance transfer card offers, the company typically looks for a minimum credit score of 670. If your score is lower, you might explore other balance transfer offers or consider a personal loan .

Yes, but we don’t recommend doing this until your debt is paid off, since adding more to your balance can make repaying your debt more challenging. Oftentimes the 0% APR introductory period applies to both balance transfers and new purchases for most cards, but not all. It’s best to check before applying for the card.

*All information about the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express, Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, American Express Cash Magnet Card, Amex EveryDay Credit Card and Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

**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.

CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.

How to cancel your Amex Travel booking online

No one wants to cancel a trip, but when you're faced with unforeseen circumstances like illness, a canceled meeting or — as we've seen in recent months — the coronavirus outbreak , it's important to have a course of action in place for when you do need to cancel a trip.

Canceling a trip booked directly through the airline is pretty simple — generally, you can do this on the airline's website or by calling up the airline. However, things get tricky when you need to cancel airfare booked through a credit card portal like Amex Travel . Canceling a ticket booked with Membership Rewards points can be difficult if you don't know where to look.

Things get even more confusing when your travel is covered by a carrier-issued travel waiver of change and cancellation fees. These are generally issued when airlines think they will cancel a lot of flights at once, helping save gate and ticket counter agents time at the airport.

Here's how to cancel travel booked through the Amex Travel — bookmark this guide and refer to it the next time you need to book travel booked with Membership Rewards points.

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

Check your common carrier's website for information

When you book travel through Amex Travel, your travel is covered by the change or cancellation policy of the airline, hotel car rental company that you're booked with. For example, if you booked a United Airlines flight through Amex Travel, you're subject to United's change and cancellation policies . Before you start the change or cancellation process for a ticket, make sure you know your carrier's policy.

Due to current circumstances with the coronavirus and travel restrictions , most U.S. travel providers are waiving fees for changing or canceling plans. You can find this information on your airline or hotel's website. TPG has also compiled current U.S. airline and hotel policies regarding changes made to travel due to coronavirus:

• Coronavirus hotel change and cancellation policies: What to know
• Flight waivers in place at U.S. carriers

Canceling American, Delta, and United tickets with a coronavirus waiver

Amex Travel recently started letting customers booked on American, Delta and United cancel and change tickets directly through the airline. Doing this is pretty simple too — just find your reservation on the airline's website and follow the instructions to amend your reservation.

With United, for example, type your confirmation number and last name into the My Trips window on the United homepage and click the Search button. Then, click the Cancel flight or Change flight button at the top of the screen and follow the on-screen prompts.

As is the case with all airlines, canceling your flight will generally result in future flight credit, not a refund to your original form of payment. In the case of the example above, this means that you'd receive a United credit in lieu of your Membership Rewards points.

Changing a flight will be subject to the airline's specific travel waiver. Make sure to check the specifics for American , Delta , and United before you opt to change your flight, so that you know what to expect.

Related Reading: Can I cancel or change a ticket booked through the Amex or Chase Travel Portal due to coronavirus?

Canceling other airfare with a coronavirus waiver

Tickets booked with another airline through Amex Travel that's subject to a travel waiver can still be canceled online, but with a few caveats. Amex Travel has an online form that you can use to cancel your tickets.

The main restriction to keep in mind is that your departure date must be must be more than five days away. These restrictions are in place because the cancellations are manually processed and the Amex team is likely swamped right now. If you're looking to cancel travel booked within the last 24 hours or your departure is within the next five days, you'll need to call Amex.

The 24-hour rule is especially important. Per Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, airlines must let travelers cancel tickets within 24 hours of booking for a full refund to the original form of payment. Make sure to call Amex Travel if you just booked travel and need to cancel.

If your flight is eligible, using the online form the cancel airfare only takes a minute or two. Just navigate to the form, enter your airline record locator, Amex Travel ID and answer a few on-screen questions. Then, submit the form and your cancellation will be processed within the next few days.

After submitting this form, Amex will follow up with you over email when your itinerary is canceled. The refund depends on the airline's specific travel waiver , so make sure to check with the airline you're booked with for more information.

We highly recommend that you don't use this form for travel on American, Delta or United — instead, follow the steps in the last section. This will ensure that your cancelation is processed correctly and that you're not adding unnecessary stress to the cancellation team at Amex Travel.

What if I want to change my plans, not outright cancel?

Itinerary changes are processed differently than outright cancellations and — in the case of the coronavirus waiver — depend on the specifics of your airline's travel waiver. With this in mind, check your airline's specifics before you proceed with changing a flight.

As discussed, changing an American, Delta or United flight can be done through the airline's website. You have to call in changes to itineraries to flights operated by other airlines by calling Amex Travel at 1-800-297-2977. It's important to know your airline's cancellation policy before you call so you're not met with any surprises.

Also, note that hold times may be longer than usual when calling in changes during the coronavirus outbreak. We've heard reports of customers waiting hours to get in touch with a phone representative, so be prepared to call back if there's you experience an unrealistically long hold time.

What if my travel isn't 5+ days away?

If your travel is within the next five days, you must call Amex Travel to cancel your flight. Again, this is because the online cancellation form is manually processed. Your cancellation may not be processed in time and your ticket may not be eligible for a refund after the fact.

You can call Amex Travel at 1-800-297-2977 to cancel your trip if it's within the next five days. Again, you may need to wait on hold, but it will be worth it in order to receive a refund if you're entitled to one.

What about hotel and rental car reservations?

Hotel and rental car reservations can often be canceled on the Amex Travel website. Navigate to the My Trips page on Amex Travel and locate the reservation you'd like to cancel. In most cases, this process can be handled entirely online.

Amex Travel has made an exception for all hotel reservations made prior to Mar. 19, 2020 with check-in scheduled through Apr. 30, 2020. These reservations can be canceled with no penalty so long as its done at least 24 hours prior to when the stay is set to begin. All stays — including restrictive prepaid reservations — are eligible for this exception.

All other hotel stays are subject to the hotel's individual cancellation policy. Some hotels may offer a coronavirus travel waiver, so make sure to contact the hotel beforehand so that you know what to expect when you cancel.

Rental car reservations are all subject to the cancellation policy imposed by the rental car company, but all reservations can be canceled directly through Amex Travel. You should be due a full refund for canceling your rental car in most cases.

Will I be refunded in points or as a statement credit?

Your refund will depend on how your carrier chooses to process your refund. If you cancel a Delta ticket , for example, the airline will issue an eCredit that can be used towards a future reservation. However, if you cancel a hotel or other type of travel reservation that issues a refund to the original form of payment, you will receive your refund in the form of a statement credit, not Membership Rewards points.

If you receive a refund in the form of a statement credit and you originally paid for your travel booking with Membership Rewards points, you may be able to convert the statement credit back to points. Amex Travel's website notes that cardmembers in this situation can call 1-800-296-3276 and request that the points are reinstated.

TPG resources

TPG is dedicated to helping readers navigate travel changes during the global coronavirus outbreak. We've built an extensive library of travel news, advice and guides that are meant to keep you up in the know on how the coronavirus outbreak is changing the travel world. Make sure to bookmark our dedicated coronavirus page to stay up to date.

Looking for a good place to start? Check out these guides:

• Here's what to consider if you're thinking about booking future travel now
• The best credit cards that offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage
• These are the global coronavirus travel restrictions by country
• Complete guide to airline elite status during the coronavirus outbreak
• Tips to reach airline customer service quickly
• Complete guide to hotel elite status during the coronavirus outbreak

Bottom line

Amex Travel has made it easier than ever to cancel bookings made through its portal. Whether you're canceling through the online form or directly through American, Delta or United, it's miles easier than calling Amex Travel and waiting on hold. Plus, you're saving time for people that do need to call to cancel a reservation.

Remember, though, there are still a couple of cases where you'll need to call Amex Travel to cancel a reservation. Namely, if you just booked a ticket or have travel within the next five days. So with this in mind, make sure to proactively cancel online if you can.

And with that: stay safe out there. Make sure to check CDC recommendations before you start traveling again. This will keep everyone safe and will only expedite our return to normalcy in the travel world and beyond.

Feature photo by Al Diaz/Miami Herald/MCT via Getty Images

The best way to spend your Amex points, according to the experts

Visit Telegraph Money

Your complete guide to being better off

American Express, or “Amex”, credit cards have made their way into millions of wallets since they first landed in Britain in 1963. Sixty years on and there are still tricks little known to most users that can boost your points far more than you might think.

In their flashy platinum, gold and British Airways branding, Amex cards have become one of the most popular cashback and rewards cards, as well as a status symbol. But are Amex as good as they seem, and are they worth it for everyone?

Here, Telegraph Money explains everything you need to know about the cards and how you can make the most of your points.

Where is Amex accepted?

You can use your Amex card in a large number of retailers across the country, and 66 million businesses globally, but not everywhere. 

For example, it’s accepted at every major supermarket chain in the UK, including Aldi and Lidl. You can also use your card at the Post Office, Argos and Airbnb (in most countries).

In the past few years B&M, Timpson, B&Q, H&M, Dulux and Lego have also started taking Amex payments. In 2023, Amex signed acceptance agreements with a host of further retailers including Savers, McColl’s and Morrisons Daily convenience stores.

Acceptance in charity shops has also recently expanded, and attractions such as Chester Zoo, The London Dungeon and Alton Towers now take Amex payments. 

Where can I use Amex points?

The Amex Membership Rewards scheme is available with certain cards, where you can earn points with eligible card spending.

You can spend your Amex Membership Rewards points online at over 1,000 retailers including Currys, Amazon and Holland & Barrett, order gift cards from a number of well-known brands and book travel on the American Express Travel website. 

You can also use the points as credit to clear your credit card balance. 

Alternatively, points can be donated to more than 9,000 charities via JustGiving or transferred to other travel and hotel loyalty programmes, such as Avios, Virgin Points, Emirates Skywards, Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors points. Amex points converted to Avios can then be switched for Nectar points, too. 

The points you earn depend on what card you have, but the basic offering is typically one point per £1 spent on purchases. There is usually a generous bonus for signing up, which is currently as high as 60,000 points on the Platinum card.

Is it actually worth getting an Amex card?

Not for everyone, according to Rob Burgess, editor of travel and credit card rewards website Head for Points. 

While the lure of bonus points for signing up and making purchases are attractive, when it comes to spending them, the best rewards – flights, hotel rooms and Eurostar seats – require high levels of points. 

Mr Burgess said: “Unless you are spending £100,000 a year on credit cards, Amex points are likely to be used to top up an existing Avios or other travel rewards balance, rather than provide 100pc of the points you need for a free flight or room.  

“Once you’ve spent your card sign-up bonus, most people will struggle to generate enough points for free flights or hotel rooms purely from card spend.”

But if you’re not interested in travel, the best reward is probably a little known trick transferring Amex Membership Rewards to British Airways Avios to Nectar, Sainsbury’s loyalty reward scheme, which gets you 0.66p of Nectar points per Amex point.

This beats the 0.45p per Amex point if you take statement credit and 0.5p per Amex point if you redeem for retailer gift cards. Oddly, it also beats the 0.5p per Amex point you get if you move Amex points directly to Nectar.

Secondly, customers should be mindful of the cost of borrowing on an American Express card.

Mr Burgess said: “As all Amex cards have high interest rates compared to the cheapest cards on the market, they’re not a great option for anyone who doesn’t repay their bill in full every month. This knocks out the 65pc of the UK population who don’t clear their balance every single month without fail.”

Thirdly, as Amex isn’t accepted everywhere, you’ll always need to take an alternative debit Visa or Mastercard card out with you anyway. 

Would an Amex card work for me?

With some cards, you can work out yourself if they are worth it based on your spend and the points you can earn.

There are 16 Amex cards to choose from, so it can be quite tough to know which one best suits you. You need to make sure you pay them off in full each month as, in most cases, the interest rates are comparatively high.

Here is a selection of the most popular and their benefits.

Amex Rewards Credit Card 

One of the most basic of Amex credit cards is the Rewards card. It doesn’t have an upfront cost. 

New members receive 10,000 Amex Rewards points if they spend £2,000 in their first three months. For everyday use, you earn one point for every £1 spent. You can also earn 4,000 points if you invite a friend and they are approved for a card.

The Amex Rewards Credit Card’s representative APR is 31pc variable.

Amex Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card 

The Amex Gold card is free in the first year, but has an annual fee of £195 from year two onwards. In exchange, there are freebies and potential extra points up for grabs.

New cardholders get a bonus of 20,000 Rewards points for spending £3,000 in the first three months. You can get three points for every £1 spent on American Express Travel (where members can book flights, hotels and make other travel purchases), two points for each £1 spent directly with airlines, and one point for every £1 spent elsewhere. 

You can also get up to 12,500 bonus points each year.

The card comes with four free Priority Pass airport lounge visits each year, and the chance to get £5 back on eligible Deliveroo purchases twice a month.

The Amex Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card has a representative APR of 88.8pc variable.

Amex Platinum Card 

The next step up the ladder after gold is the platinum card, which comes with an annual fee of £650. This is predominantly aimed at big spenders who travel a lot.

For the high  price, there are a number of perks available, which repeat each year, including Priority Pass airport lounge access, £150 credit to spend at UK restaurants, £150 credit to spend at international restaurants, £100 Harvey Nichols credit and worldwide family travel insurance. The credit benefits alone add up to £600, more than covering the cost of the card – but they may not appeal to everyone.

If you spend £6,000 in the first three months on the Amex Platinum Card you can earn 40,000 Amex Membership Rewards points. 

The Platinum Card has a representative APR of 704.6pc variable.

The best ways to spend your Amex points

Transfer your points to air miles.

Consider switching Amex Membership Rewards Points to airline miles. The value depends on which scheme you opt for but expect 1:1 conversions for Avios, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Flying Blue, Qantas and SAS, and 3:2 for Singapore Airlines. 

The value of your points will depend on a number of factors including your destination, cabin and what class or airline you’d opt for if you weren’t using points. 

Be mindful, only high spenders will be able to earn enough air miles purely from card spend to get premium cabin free flights.

Switch to Club Eurostar points

Club Eurostar lets you use points on any train – if there is a seat available, you can pay for it in points. Mr Burgess values one Club Eurostar point at 12p and the 15:1 transfer rate from Amex points to Club Eurostar points means you are getting 0.8p per point. 

He said: “As with airline miles, you will find that your points have substantially more value if your lifestyle means that you are likely to need to travel at short notice when cash fares are higher.”

Convert to Nectar

Swap your Amex points to Avios and then to Nectar and get 0.66p per point if you use them at Sainsbury’s, eBay or Argos.

You can convert 50,000 Avios per month to Nectar at a rate of 300:400. This is more lucrative than transferring Amex points directly into Nectar which only gets you 0.5p per Amex point. 

Converting via Avios first results in a 32pc increase in points.

Amex does also offer a designated Nectar Credit Card, which is free in the first year (£30 in year two onwards). 

New members can get 20,000 Nectar points when they spend £2,000 in the first three months. You earn two Nectar points for every £1 spent.

This article was first published on May 7 2023, and has since been updated.

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Travel on Point(s)

• 5 Ways To Get Your Money Back From An Amex Negative Balance

• October 24, 2023
• Mark Ostermann

Travel on Point(s) is an independent, advertising-supported website. This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites like Cardratings.com. This compensation does not impact how or where products appear on this site. Travel on Point(s) has not reviewed all available credit card offers on this site. Reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any partner entities.

Amex Credit Balance Refund

I don't often end up with a negative balance on my credit card accounts, but when I do, it seems to always be with American Express. This is probably because of all of the credits (err coupons) their cards offer as perks. That, plus a slew of other things like Amex Offers and merchant refunds and I assume most will end up with a negative number showing a time or two. Because of that we can all be in the need of an Amex credit balance refund from time to time.

Table of Contents

How do we go about doing it, though? American Express offers a plethora of ways to get that negative balance money back in your pocket. It is your money after all! Let's go through each of them and see which one works best for you.

What Is A Credit Balance Or Negative Balance & How Do You End Up With One?

Before we get into how you can get your money back with an Amex credit balance refund, we should discuss how you end up with one in the first place. I discussed some of the ways it can happen above, but it is basically when you gave the card issuer more money than you owed. That means the issuer, American Express in this case, actually owes you money. Usually this isn't a whoopsie mistake where someone added a 0 to their payment check. It is often a bit more nuanced than that. Here are some examples of how I have ended up with a credit balance in the past:

• Credit from a merchant because of a returned item or refund from them after I had already paid my statement off.
• Paid for the annual fee of the card and then credited back after closure.
• Redeemed credit card rewards to the account which took it negative.
• Amex Offer posted to the account after my payment was made.
• Statement credit posted to the account after payment was made (card perk credit etc.)

How To Get An Amex Credit Balance Refund

Now that we know what causes a negative balance on your credit card account we need to go over how to get an Amex credit balance refund. I'll list all 5 options I am aware of from easiest option to most difficult / time consuming option.

Spend More Money On Your Card

The easiest thing to do is spend more money on your card to use up the negative balance. If it is a card you use regularly, like the Amex Gold , then this should be easy to do. If it is a card you were just using to take advantage of an Amex Offer, or card perk like with the Business Platinum , then this may not be a great option for you. That is because the earning structure on some cards makes it not worth spending on them outside of perks and other offers. If it is a card you use all of the time this is the easiest option though.

Do Nothing & Wait

If you don't mind waiting a few months for your money then you can simply do nothing. After around 3 – 4 months American Express will mail you a check for the negative credit card balance on the account. This won't be a great option if the credit is a larger amount and you don't want to wait that long. This is the approach I often take when I have a $10 or $20 American Express credit balance.

I should note, this will likely not work on a closed card . I let a credit sit for 6 months on a closed account and they never mailed a check. It required me being proactive with one of the following options on this list to get my Amex credit balance refund.

Fill Out A Refund Request Online

American Express lets you file a negative balance refund request online too. Word of caution here too, do not request the refund to a card that doesn't have a large enough balance to cover it . Even if there are enough charges pending it will not work. They will end up reverting to mailing you a check and it is kind of a mess. Send it to an account that has enough of a balance to cover the entire thing. If you don't have that then wait until you do, or ask for a check instead.

Here are the steps required for an Amex credit balance refund request online:

First up you want to go to the account with a negative balance on your desktop. Once there select Payments from the ToP of the screen.

Request Credit Balance Refund

After you hit Payments you need to go to Request Credit Balance Refund on the right hand side under useful links.

Dispute A Payment

This seems a bit off but the next step is to Dispute A Payment .

Credit Balance

Once you select you want to Dispute A Payment you will get 3 options. You will want to select I Have A Credit Balance On My Account and then hit submit.

Enter Credit Balance Amount

I find this step mildly annoying since it doesn't prompt you with your negative balance amount. You may want to write it down before getting started if it is a weird amount. Enter your credit balance amount and select continue.

Select Payment Method

This is the decision I alluded to earlier in this thread. If you have a card with a balance substantial enough to cover the negative balance select that. It will be the quicker option and there is no chance of the USPS losing the check in the mail. If not, then you need to select to have a check mailed to you.

Enter Credit Card Info (If You Select That Option)

Instead of giving you a drop down option of your cards and balances you will need to now manually input the card number you want the Amex credit balance refund to go to.

Estimated Resolution

On the last page they will give you an estimated resolution for the credit. It took a day or two for me.

The next easiest option is to just fire up Amex Chat and ask the rep to handle it for you. They can mail you a check or apply it to another card on your account with a balance. This will take a little longer than doing it yourself online, but there is less of a chance you mess something up.

The last, and most time consuming option, is to call the number on the back of your card and request a transfer to another card or check via mail. The reps will be happy to help, but you will likely be on hold to get one, and it could take a while to get it all processed.

Amex Credit Balance Refund: ToP Thoughts

I think I have all of the bases covered, but if I missed an Amex credit balance refund option please let me know. Which one works best for you will depend on the balance amount, what other cards you have and if you prefer speed or the hands off approach. There should be an option that works for everyone though.

Let me know which route you go when you have a negative balance with American Express over in the ToP Facebook Group .

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Who can use the American Express Travel portal?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Earn up to 5x points

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

on American Express' website

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

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

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

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

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

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

• 3 points per $1 on eligible travel purchases.

• 3 points per $1 on restaurants worldwide.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

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

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

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

2. Pay for reservations using Pay with Points

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

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

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

3. Upgrade flights with points

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

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

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

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

4. Discounted international flights through AmEx IAP

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

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

5. Cancel For Any Reason insurance

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

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

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

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

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

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

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

7. Fine Hotels & Resorts

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

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

$200 statement credit provided once per year.

Noon check-in (when available).

Room upgrade upon arrival (when available).

Daily breakfast for two.

Guaranteed 4 pm late checkout.

Complimentary in-room WiFi.

Unique property benefit valued at least $100.

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

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

8. The Hotel Collection

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

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

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

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

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

Log in with your username and password.

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

Enter your travel dates, cities and other relevant information.

Choose options based on your trip.

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

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

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

What is the AmEx Travel cancellation policy?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to maximize your rewards

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

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

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

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

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

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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I love earning travel rewards. For me, the only thing better than taking a great vacation is doing so for free, or very close to it. And as any award travel junkie will tell you, the best kind of rewards don’t come from a single airline or hotel program, they’re flexible points you can transfer to multiple airlines or hotel programs. There are only a handful of credit card issuers that offer these kinds of rewards, and Wells Fargo just joined this exclusive club with its new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card * The information for the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . When I first heard the details, I decided to apply as soon as the card became available. Here’s why:

Strong rewards for spending

This card offers 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. That’s decent, but not earth-shattering. What does move the needle is how many rewards points you can earn from your spending. This card features 5 points per $1 on hotels, 4 points per $1 on airlines, 3 points per $1 on other travel and dining and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. For a frequent traveler like myself, this card has serious potential.

Compelling transfer partners, and the promise of more

Cardholders can transfer their Wells Fargo Rewards points to the following airline and hotel programs, most at a 1:1 ratio:

• Choice Privileges (1:2 ratio)
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• Avianca Lifemiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Iberia Plus

While this is a modest list, Wells Fargo has indicated that more partners will be added throughout the year. But even now, Wells Fargo Rewards points are extremely valuable. For example, you can transfer points to the Choice Privileges program of Choice Hotels at a 1:2 ratio. That means that 10,000 Wells Fargo Rewards points will turn into 20,000 Choice points, which can be a great deal, especially at their high-end hotels in the U.S. and their hotels in Europe. 

You can also transfer your card earnings to Avianca Lifemiles, which can be redeemed on flights operated by the airline’s Star Alliance partners such as United, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Swiss and Turkish Airlines. Likewise, the Flying Blue program is great for awards on SkyTeam airlines such as Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and others. And the British Airways Executive Club offers strong value for awards on their Oneworld partners such as American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines (JAL). 

Earning travel rewards is a long game, and by the time I’ve earned enough rewards for a big redemption, I’m hopeful that Wells Fargo might add some additional, valuable transfer partners. 

Low annual fee 

This card has an annual fee of just $95, which is common among cards of this type, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. and the Citi Premier® Card * The information for the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . However, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card also comes with a $50 annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase. You don’t have to purchase the flights from Wells Fargo’s travel agency — any airline should work. For me, that brings the net yearly cost down to just $45, which is very low for a card with these features. 

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

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

Editor’s Take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Final verdict

I write about credit cards for a living, but I can’t rush out and apply for every new credit card on the market. However, the value proposition for the new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card is strong enough to make even this veteran credit card journalist take a chance at submitting an application. Thankfully, I was immediately approved, and I’m looking forward to using this card and taking some fun trips with the rewards.

*The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Citi Premier® Card and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card 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.

Jason Steele is a freelance writer specializing in credit cards and award travel. Since 2008, Jason's work has appeared in over 100 outlets and he's been widely quoted in the mainstream media. Jason also produces CardCon, which is The Conference for Credit Card Media.

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

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

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