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Corporate Travel Management, Business Travel Services & Solutions

Modern corporate travel management for the fast-changing travel landscape

Manage risk. Support traveler wellbeing. Plan for the future. How can Egencia™ help you modernize your corporate travel program?

The only proven global B2B travel tech platform

Egencia is always working to deliver travelers, travel managers, and travel arrangers unrivaled choice, value, and experience, with the powerful backing of Amex GBT.

We’re in a league of our own

Our platform can be optimized for all types of users, in companies big or small.

Tech is in our DNA   We originated in the labs of global tech giants and now we are a part of the most valuable B2B travel solution in the world.

AI-driven insights   Our AI delivers custom user experiences that add value to your company’s travel program.

Suite of APIs   Amex GBT Egencia’s open API platform gives you the ability to build robust integrations that help you automate, connect and simplify your travel and expense management.

Unbeatable travel content We lead the industry with over 290 global airlines and 650,000 lodging partners.

Industry-first NDC capabilities Amex GBT Egencia is the first to offer new distribution capabilities to our clients. 

Amex GBT Egencia Preferred Rates  We offer the best value for business travel with access to special discounted air fares.

The unique content from Amex GBT Egencia provides unrivaled choice and value for air, hotel, car and rail.

Our technology-driven customer service and commitment to excellence puts Amex GBT Egencia on another level.

Industry leader in service Our platform and services are consistently rated above 95% satisfaction by customers.

Best-in-class traveler support We provide services to over 2 million travelers in over 60 countries.

Globally proven Amex GBT Egencia proudly supports over 9,000 companies of all sizes around the world.

Constant innovation We consistently deliver enhancements and innovation across our online and offline services.

Smartest shopping experience Our technology provides the smartest, quickest shopping experience to give the best routes and rates based on user preferences.

Proven optimization Our AI and machine learning delivers the best experience and enhancements for savings, traveler wellbeing and sustainability.

We lead the industry in innovation, with data insights from 100s of millions of transactions every year.

The world's business travel platform

• Companies of all sizes in more than 60 countries trust Amex GBT Egencia to modernize their corporate travel programs
• We deliver simple, consumer-like business travel that users love and fast, knowledgeable support for unexpected moments
• With a globally consistent platform and skilled travel program management, rest assured your travel program is optimized to manage risk while maximizing ROI

Ready to update your travel program?

If now is the time to redesign your corporate travel program to manage risk, support traveler wellbeing and monitor your travel spend, this toolkit can help.

Amex GBT Egencia helps you stay connected

14 million business trips were made with Amex GBT Egencia last year. As your travel management company, we’ll be with you every step of the way.

Managing travel risk

Travel risk management has never been more important. Find out how you can manage risk, deliver duty of care and make your business travelers feel secure.

• A comprehensive and quickly adaptable business travel policy is crucial. Use this free guide to help you create a travel policy that adapts to your needs.
• Make traveler wellbeing a priority. Inform, alert and assist them in real-time via the mobile app and online booking tool
• Reduce risk by improving travel policy compliance

Putting traveler wellbeing first

You want employees to feel fully supported from the time they book until they return home. Amex GBT Egencia travel experts are ready to assist.

• Learn how you can enhance your duty of care policies for travelers
• Travel booking is only one part of the equation. Traveler safety is the other. Use this pre-travel safety checklist as a guide
• Learn how Amex GBT Egencia simplifies hotel bookings for travelers .
• Put your travelers in the driver’s seat and take advantage of our fleet of 5 million car rental options worldwide

Savings and ROI

Even as the travel industry changes, businesses still need to make strategic decisions based on cost and ROI. Amex GBT Egencia can help you boost your bottom line.

• Gain insights, identify savings and optimize travel spend in real-time with Amex GBT Egencia Analytics Studio
• Find out how Umpqua Bank maximized their business travel ROI with Amex GBT Egencia
• Amex GBT Egencia travel services can help simplify expense management . Easily track travel expenses that reflect spending with personal or corporate credit cards
• 19 ways our travel management solutions can help you save time and money

Amex GBT Egencia empowers over 2 million business travelers to get the most out of their business travel. Shouldn’t you be one of them?

Amex GBT Egencia’s G2 Winter 2024 Awards

Are you considering a return to business travel.

Amex GBT Egencia partners with Festive Road to offer a permissible travel framework to evaluate an organization’s overall readiness to travel based on corporate, individual and government regulations.

Are you an Amex GBT Egencia travel customer?

I'm a business traveler, i manage travel, recommended for you.

Request a demo to see what Amex GBT Egencia travel management solutions can do for you.

Already a customer? Contact Amex GBT Egencia customer service .

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How to use the amex travel portal: booking flights, hotels and more, you can use amex points to book flights, hotels, car rentals and more through its travel portal..

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit  americanexpress.com  to learn more. Information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Using American Express Membership Rewards (MR) points to book prepaid flights, hotels, cruises, rental cars and vacation packages through the Amex Travel portal can be a great way to save money on your next vacation. But are you really getting the best value by redeeming your hard-earned points this way?

Whether you use the portal or transfer points to an American Express travel partner is up to you, as are other factors — from travel date flexibility, award availability and the type of credit card you're using to personal preferences for brands, seat class and comfort level. These will all come into play during the booking process.

Below, CNBC Select breaks down the best ways to book prepaid flights, hotels, cruises, rental cars and vacation packages with Amex points through the Amex Travel portal.

Our best selections in your inbox. Shopping recommendations that help upgrade your life, delivered weekly.  Sign-up here .

Earning and redeeming Amex Membership Rewards points

You can access the Amex Travel portal and pay for flights, hotels and other travel needs with cash as long as you have an American Express branded credit card, but you will need one that earns Membership Rewards (MR) points to view the number of MR points required for a booking.

Luckily, American Express has several travel rewards cards that you can earn lucrative welcome offers to help you get started:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $8,000 within the first six months of card membership.
• American Express® Gold Card : Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 6 months of card membership.
• American Express® Green Card : Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit.
• Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express : Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership.
• American Express® Business Gold Card : Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership.

Depending on which credit card you have, there may be opportunities to earn bonus points or receive partial rebates when redeeming MR points for flights. The Platinum Card , for instance, lets cardholders earn 5X points on flights booked through the Amex Travel portal or directly with the airline on up to $500,000 worth of flights per calendar year.

The Business Platinum Card also gives cardholders redeeming MR points for economy flights with their preferred airline or booking premium-class flights through the portal a 35% points rebate (up to 500,000 points per calendar year). Those booking with the American Express Business Gold Credit Card receive a similar rebate of 25% back on up to 250,000 points each year.

Another valuable perk of having The Platinum Card or The Business Platinum Card is the up to $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card. You can use these credits to cover checked bag fees, change fees, charges for pet's flights, choosing your seat and inflight amenities with your preferred airline, all of which can quickly add up.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 1X points on all other eligible purchases

Welcome bonus

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.

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Balance transfer fee

Foreign transaction fee, credit needed.

Excellent/Good

See rates and fees , terms apply.

Read our The Platinum Card® from American Express review .

Getting started with the American Express Travel portal

Start by logging in to your American Express account. If you're coming from your account's dashboard page, click "Menu" in the top left corner, then select "Travel" to access more options (pictured below) and select "Book a Trip" to head to the main travel portal.

The Amex Travel portal's front page resembles your average travel booking interface, with options to search for flights, hotels, vacation packages, rental cars and cruises.

Below the main search engine, you'll find current information about cancellation policies and other important pandemic travel details. There's also an interactive map showing Covid-19 testing and vaccination requirements around the world.

Hovering over the "Book" button at the top of the page opens a separate menu with shortcuts to various portal perks, like the International Airline Program (IAP), Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection.

Hovering over the "Explore" button in the main menu leads to many of the same shortcuts, plus options for finding a Travel Insider, Special Offers through Fine Hotels + Resorts and information about destinations and premium hotel packages.

Whether you're booking flights, hotels or other travel through the portal, you'll be given an option to "Use Only Points" or "Use Points + Card" so it's up to you if you want to redeem all your points or just some. Either way, your credit card will be charged the full amount and you'll see a credit for the value of the points used posted separately to your account within 48 hours. Be aware that you will have to use an Amex credit card that's enrolled in the Membership Rewards program and redeem at least 5,000 MR points in order to activate the Pay with Points feature. 

Should you need to cancel a booking made with MR points, call 1-800-297-3276 to get them returned. You'll receive a statement credit for any bookings made with your American Express Membership Rewards card through the portal.

How to book flights through the American Express Travel portal

While you're more likely to get the best redemption value by transferring MR points to one Amex's airline partners and taking advantage of airline alliances (Oneworld, SkyTeam, Star Alliance) to book flights, there are still some considerations to keep in mind when it comes to booking through the portal. 

Note that with most Amex Travel Portal bookings your MR points will only be worth 1 cent each towards flights. So if you were booking a $100 flight, you'd need to redeem 10,000 points to cover the cost.

For starters, you'll have more flexibility as far as travel dates and brands, which comes in handy when award availability is limited on certain dates through certain airlines. Flights booked with MR points through the portal are treated as paid bookings, so you won't miss out on earning elite miles or status credits. You'll also be able to see which type of seat you're booking right away, as it's listed on the right side of each search result. 

It's always a good idea to shop around before settling on a redemption method, so price out how many points each flight costs through the Amex Travel portal vs. on the airline's website. Taxes and fees may also be tacked on. Unless you have the Platinum Card or Business Platinum Card , be aware that airline ticket fees of $6.99 for domestic flights and $10.99 for international flights apply when you're booking through the Amex Travel portal.

Note that low-cost carriers like Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines aren't part of the Amex Travel portal, though you will be able to find flights with other major American carriers like Delta and United, among other international airline partners.

During the booking process, you'll have a chance to use MR points to upgrade from economy to nonrefundable or refundable seats in premium classes, though it may not provide the best redemption value. If, however, you do have plenty of MR points lying around and crave a fancier flight experience, this is a good option. Again, it all comes down to personal preference and comfort level.

Deals on international flights can also be found by booking through the International Airline Program (IAP), which offers discounts on non-economy tickets when you book flights through one of 26 participating airlines through the Amex Travel portal with a Platinum Card or Business Platinum Card . Flights must begin in the U.S. or select cities in Canada in order to qualify for this perk and you'll have to pay a $39 service fee per ticket.

Filter search results by the number of stops, departure and landing time, airline or flight number, or sort them according to lowest price, flight duration, departure time or Amex recommendation (which usually means Delta flights will appear first, even if they're not necessarily your cheapest option).

Consider the example below, a search for a round-trip nonstop flight from Washington, D.C. to Paris from November 5-12, 2021, booked with the Amex Platinum Card. The results included a Delta flight from $674 or 67,425 MR points.

Alternatively, if you wanted to transfer your Amex MR points directly to Delta (since it's one of American Express' travel partners and you can switch them over at a 1:1 ratio) and redeem them through Delta's website, a round-trip flight would set you back 58,000 Delta SkyMiles plus another $96 in taxes and fees.

In this case, for 9,425 miles less, you'd end up with a better redemption by transferring MR points to Delta instead of going through the Amex Travel portal. But that's not necessarily the case for every flight, so always test it out first to see if using the portal makes the most sense for your travel needs.

To finish booking your flight through the portal, chose your desired route(s), review the details, select your upgrade option and pick how many MR points you'd like to put toward your purchase.

How to book hotels through the American Express Travel portal

As with flights, it's important to make sure you're getting the best deal on your MR points redemption. Consider transferring them to one of Amex's three hotel partners — Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio, or Choice Privileges (Choice Hotels) at a 1:1 ratio, though there's a special promotion now through October 31, 2021, that bumps up Hilton and Marriott transfers by 30 percent.

Note that with most Amex Travel Portal bookings your MR points will only be worth .7 cent each towards hotel stays. So if you were booking a $100 hotel you'd need to redeem about 14,300 points to cover the cost. However, if you book a stay through Amex's Fine Hotels & Resorts program your points will be worth a little more, at 1 cent apiece.

Unlike MR points redemptions for flights, hotels booked through the portal are viewed as third-party reservations, so you won't be able to earn hotel points or enjoy status-related perks you'd have by booking directly through the hotel.

Begin your search by plugging in your travel dates and destination. Then, filter results by hotel or brand, star rating, price per night, neighborhood, amenities or accessibility, and sort by name, price, star rating or Amex recommendation.

For the following example, we searched for a seven-night stay booked November 5–12, 2021, with the Amex Platinum Card . The Renaissance Paris Arc De Triomphe Hotel, a Marriott Bonvoy property, was one of the best options, with rates from $306 or 43,723 MR points per night.

When booking the same stay through the Marriott website, you'd need 340,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for seven nights (which breaks down to 48,571 points per night), with nightly cash rates starting at 367 euros or $433. In this case, it would make more sense to book it through the portal. You could also earn 5X points for the stay by paying with the Amex Platinum Card or Business Platinum Card.

Make it a habit to compare the number of points required by the portal with the number of points needed to redeem through each hotel's website, as pricing may be affected by location and time of year, among other factors. To complete your booking through the Amex Travel portal, choose your room type, review the details and select how many points you'd like to use.

Premium cardholders also have access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program, which adds extra benefits per stay at more than 1,200 properties around the world, based on availability:

• 12 p.m. check-in and guaranteed 4 p.m. late check-out
• Complimentary room upgrades and Wi-Fi
• Daily breakfast for two
• A $100 credit to use toward on-property activities, dining or other perks like airport transfers, depending on your hotel

Additionally, those with the Amex Gold Card, Business Gold Card, Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card , and in some cases, the Centurion Card, can book trips through The Hotel Collection. Note that Amex Gold Card members earn 2X points, while Platinum Card members earn 5X points on such bookings, but all receive the following benefits per stay of two or more nights:

• A credit of up to $100 to use toward on-property dining, spa, or activities
• Room upgrades (based on availability)
• Discounted rates, depending on the hotel

The Amex Travel portal also lets you search for and book vacation packages, which, depending on what kinds of sales are happening at the time, can save you a bundle or end up costing about the same as it would be to book your flight and hotel separately. If you do book a package, note that the same airline ticket fees apply as when you book separately (not for Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders, who have them waived). Cards earning MR points will score 2X points on packages, while those with Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cards will earn 5X points.

How to book cruises and car rentals

While cashing in a ton of MR points for a cruise or car rental may not yield the best redemption (your points will be worth just .7 cents each), it may still be a good option depending on your travel needs.

Click on the "Cruises" tab of the Amex Travel portal homepage to search by cruise line, destination, travel dates and sailing duration. Below, for example, are some results for Mediterranean cruises in November 2021. 

The prices shown reflect the cost per person, based on double occupancy cabins. Depending on which card you're using and the cruise options available, you should be able to redeem Amex MR points for a portion of or all of your sailing. 

Those booking with Membership Rewards credit cards can earn 2X points per dollar spent on cruises booked through the portal, while folks with Platinum Cards or Business Platinum Cards can score stateroom credits of $100–$300 and other onboard perks through the Cruise Privileges program.

As far as car rentals, it's a pretty similar search process — just plug in your destination, whether you want to drop the car off in the same place or in a different location, your dates and the time you want to begin and end your rental.  

Once the results appear, you can filter by the type of car (standard, compact, premium, etc), the option to pay now or later, price per day, pick-up location, rental car company and features like unlimited mileage, automatic vs. manual transmission, Hybrid/Electric cars or 4WD. Sort results by distance or total price.

After choosing your car, you'll be asked if you want to pay now, which means you'll be able to use MR points to book part of or all of your prepaid rental, or pay later, which means you'll have to pay cash at rental car counter — doing so can earn you 2X points per dollar, so it's an easy way to rack up some more MR points.

Next, enter information about the driver, pick how you want to pay (how many points or with cash), and review the rental car policies. As always, it doesn't hurt to comparison shop, so run the numbers through the actual rental car companies before you book to make sure you're getting the biggest bang for your buck.

Bottom line

Booking through the Amex Travel portal is a simple way to redeem your MR points, however you'll usually get much more value from Amex points if you transfer them to an airline or hotel partner's loyalty program. If you do book through Amex's Travel Portal remember that your points are worth 1 cent per point towards flights and .7 cents apiece towards other travel (except when booking a Fine Hotels + Resort property).

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

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The Business Platinum Card ®

Annual Fee: $695 ¤

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How You Earn

5x points on flights & prepaid hotels on flights & prepaid hotels, 1.5x points on eligible purchases on eligible purchases, 1x points on other eligible purchases ‡ on other eligible purchases ‡, 5x points on flights & prepaid hotels 5x points on flights & prepaid hotels, 1.5x points on eligible purchases 1.5x points on eligible purchases, 1x points on other eligible purchases ‡ 1x points on other eligible purchases ‡, unlock over $1,000 in business & travel value annually.

Enroll in each of the below and get statement credits of up to:

$200 back semi-annually for U.S. purchases with

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Shop Dell Technologies

Upgrade your tech, enhance your business. Enroll and get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually on U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card through 12/31/24. That's up to $400 back. ‡

$90 back per quarter for purchases with

Build Your Team with Indeed

Build your team, grow your business. Enroll and get up to $360 in statement credits(up to $90 back per quarter) for purchases with Indeed on the Card through 12/31/24. ‡

$150 back per year for select business subscription purchases with

Adobe Creative Solutions

Get the creative solutions your business needs. Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits for eligible annual prepaid business plan purchases of Adobe Creative Cloud for teams or Adobe Acrobat Pro for teams on the Business Platinum Card through 12/31/24. 1 ‡

1 Annual prepaid business plans automatically renew each year on your annual subscription date until cancelled.

$10 back monthly for select purchases with U.S. wireless phone service providers

Wireless Credit

Enroll and get up to $120 in statement credits per year for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $10 back per month. ‡

$200 back per year for baggage fees and other incidentals with one qualifying airline

$200 Airline Fee Credit

Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Business Platinum Card Account. 1‡

1 American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.

$189 back per year for your CLEAR ® Plus Membership

$189 CLEAR® Plus Credit

CLEAR ® uses unique attributes, such as eyes or fingerprints, to digitally verify identity to help its members move faster through security at select airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership 1 with up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with your Business Platinum Card. ‡

1 Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.

$400 Statement Credit

Up to $400 back (up to $200 semi-annually) on U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies through 12/31/24. Enrollment required. ‡

$360 Statement Credit

Get up to $360 back (up to $90 quarterly) for purchases with Indeed on the Card through 12/31/24. Enrollment required. ‡

$150 Statement Credit

Enroll and get up to $150 back for select auto-renewing annual business subscription purchases with Adobe on the Business Platinum ® Card through 12/31/24. ‡

$120 Statement Credit

Get up to $120 back per year for purchases with U.S. wireless telephone service providers on the Business Platinum Card. Enrollment required. ‡

$200 Statement Credit

Select one qualifying airline and receive up to $200 in credits per year for baggage fees and more. ‡

$189 Statement Credit

Breeze through security with CLEAR ® Plus. CLEAR lanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership when you use the Business Platinum Card. Learn More. ‡

Featured Benefits

The Global Lounge Collection ®

The American Express Global Lounge Collection ® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market ‡ 1 . 1 As of 3/2023

American Express Global Lounge Collection ®

Enjoy complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion ® Lounge, Escape Lounges - The Centurion ® Studio Partner, Delta Sky Club ® when flying Delta, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass ™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges. Lounges may have their own rules, like age restrictions and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express ® App ‡ or visit americanexpress.com/findalounge . ‡

Marriott Bonvoy ® Gold Elite Status

As a Business Platinum Card Member, you can upgrade to Marriott Bonvoy ™ Gold Elite status without meeting any stay requirements. Terms and limitations apply. ‡

Business Platinum Card Members and Additional Business Platinum Card Members may enroll (or upgrade an existing membership) directly into Marriott Bonvoy ® Gold Elite Status, bypassing the usual annual minimum night/stay requirements. Once enrollment is completed, the Card Member may take advantage of the Gold Elite benefits at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy and booked with a Qualifying Rate. ‡ With Gold Elite status, members enjoy: 1. 25% bonus points on eligible hotel purchases 2. A Welcome Gift of Points and Complimentary In-room Wi-Fi Access 3. Enhanced Room Upgrades at select properties (when available) 4. 2pm Late Checkout (when available)

Fine Hotels + Resorts ® Program

For every type of traveler and every type of trip, find your stay with American Express Travel. For hotels that are destinations unto themselves, there’s Fine Hotels + Resorts ® . ‡

Fine Hotels + Resorts Program

When you're ready to relax and need an escape, enjoy an unforgettable experience with Fine Hotels + Resorts ® . When you book through American Express Travel, you'll receive an average total value of $600 1 in perks, like daily breakfast for two, 4pm check-out, and more. Plus, book on AmexTravel.com and you can earn 5X Membership Rewards ® points ® , or use Pay with Points ® , on prepaid stays with a minimum 2-night stay required to be eligible for the benefit. 1 Average value based on Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings in 2022 for stays of two nights. Benefits include daily breakfast for two, room upgrade upon arrival when available, $100 amenity, guaranteed 4PM late checkout, and noon check-in when available. Certain room categories not eligible for upgrade. $100 amenity varies by property. Actual value will vary based on property, room rate, upgrade availability, and use of benefits.

All Benefits & Features

5x membership rewards ® points, the global lounge collection ®, $189 clear plus credit, fine hotels + resorts ® program ‡, fee credit for global entry or tsa precheck ®, no foreign transaction fees ¤, marriott bonvoy ® gold elite status, hilton honors ™ gold status, premium car rental privileges, business platinum travel service, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

• Cash Flow Flexibility
• Expense Management
• Additional Services

Business Platinum Card ®

Annual fee: $695 ¤, get a decision in as little as 30 seconds.

• ♦︎ ‡†Offer & Benefit Terms
• ¤Rates & Fees

• Introduction to Amex Travel
• Amex Membership Rewards Overview
• Amex Travel Benefits
• Amex Travel Drawbacks
• Amex Credit Cards

Booking with American Express Travel

• Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts
• The Hotel Collection

Navigating American Express Travel: Benefits, Booking, and Tips in 2024

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• The American Express Travel Portal works much like an online travel agency for Amex cardholders.
• Use Membership Rewards points, cash, or combine both to book flights, hotels, cars, and more.
• Some cardholders get exclusive deals including luxury hotel benefits and premium flight discounts.
• Read Business Insider's guide to the best American Express cards .

This guide explains what you need to know about booking airfare, hotels, and more through the Amex Travel Portal — and how to make the most of your Amex points.

Introduction to American Express Travel

The American Express Travel Portal is a one-stop website for booking flights, hotel stays, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages. This third-party travel booking platform is primarily designed for people who have an Amex card that earns Membership Rewards points , like The Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, or American Express® Business Gold Card.

American Express Membership Rewards Overview

The American Express Membership Rewards program is one of the most popular and valuable credit card "currencies" because rewards can be used in a variety of ways . You can use Membership Rewards points to pay down your credit card balance.

You can also purchase gift cards, merchandise, food delivery, and more, in addition to booking travel through the Amex Travel Portal. You can also transfer Membership Rewards points over 20 Amex airline and hotel partners  including Delta , British Airways, and Hilton .

How Amex Travel benefits American Express cardholders

Amex Travel functions much the same way as online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia or Booking.com, allowing you to search for and book flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages, and cruises.

Anyone can use Amex Travel, but the best deals and benefits are reserved for American Express cardholders. When you have a credit card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points, you'll have to option to pay for your booking with points (if it's prepaid), your Amex card, or a combination of both. Additionally, you'll earn bonus points when you pay for travel with a Membership Rewards credit card. 

The Amex Travel portal is also where Amex Platinum Card, Amex Business Platinum Card, Amex Gold Card, and Amex Business Gold Card members can access The Hotel Collection to receive room upgrades and an onsite credit to use at participating hotels.

And if you have a Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card, you'll have access to the International Airline Program , which offers lower fares for international premium-class travel on over 20 airlines, and the Fine Hotels & Resorts collection for hotel stays. 

Always compare the cash price of an airline ticket or hotel room before you transfer any type of flexible points to a travel partner. In some cases, you'll pay fewer points by redeeming points for a paid booking instead of an award flight or stay.

Benefits of American Express Travel

As with any OTA, there are pros and cons to using Amex Travel. Here are some of the main considerations for you to understand. 

Use your Amex points at any time

One of the biggest benefits is being able to redeem your points for travel without having to worry about award charts, blackout dates, or transfer partners. Amex Travel makes it simple to use your points, even with independent hotels and smaller airlines without a popular loyalty program.

You'll still earn airline miles and elite-qualifying miles

You won't earn points or elite night credits when you book a hotel with Amex Travel, but you can earn airline and work toward elite qualification on flights, as long as your frequent flyer number is on the reservation. 

Earn bonus points when paying with certain Amex cards

Some American Express cards earn bonus points for travel booked through the Amex travel portal. For example, Amex Platinum Card earns 5 points per dollar spent on airfare booked with Amex Travel or directly with airlines on up to $500,000 in spending per year, and the Amex Gold Card earns 3x points in the same categories with no limit.

Platinum cardholders get discounts on premium airfare

Amex Platinum Card and Amex Business Platinum Card members can access discounts on international premium-class flights through the International Airline Program, and sometimes save hundreds of dollars per ticket.

Get bonus perks at luxury hotels through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts and The Hotel Collection

Platinum cardholders can book through the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program within the travel portal, which gets you upgrades, free breakfast, and elite-like benefits at participating properties. Gold and Platinum cardholders can also book through The Hotel Collection, another program also found within Amex Travel, to get extras including onsite credits and other perks.

Downsides of American Express Travel

Now that we've listed a number of Amex Travel benefits, there are some drawbacks that may significantly impact your booking strategy.

You won't earn hotel credit or elite status when booking through Amex Travel

Most hotels will not let you earn loyalty program points or elite credits on stays booked through Amex Travel, and you may not be able to use your hotel elite status benefits during your stay. This is because most properties consider the Amex travel portal to be a third-party booking site, and elite benefits usually apply only when you book directly with the hotel. 

This drawback won't matter as much at smaller chains or boutique hotels, but you'll need to weigh the benefits of booking through Amex if you're chasing elite status with a major chain such as Marriott or Hilton.

Trip changes, interruptions, and cancellations can be harder to change through Amex Travel 

Many airlines allow you to change your flights these days, especially if you booked a refundable fare or are willing to pay some additional fees. But when you book through a third-party website like Amex Travel, you may get mixed messages regarding which company you should contact if you need to change your travel plans.

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, many travelers ping-ponged back and forth between customer service representatives at the airline that canceled their flight home, as well as those from the third-party OTA that sold them their ticket. 

American Express Membership Rewards cards

Limited time offer: Earn 10X Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants worldwide for three months, on up to $25,000 in purchases when eligible card member refers a friend and the friend applies by May 22, 2024 and gets the card (terms apply). Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.

See Pay Over Time APR

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.

• 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.

To get the most from the Amex Travel Portal, you'll need a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points . There are a number of options including premium cards, small business credit cards, and cards with a low or no annual fee.

Personal cards that earn Amex Membership Rewards points include:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express (read our Amex Platinum card review )
• American Express® Gold Card (read our Amex Gold card review )
• American Express® Green Card (read our Amex Green card review )
• Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card (read our Amex EveryDay Preferred card review )
• Amex EveryDay® Credit Card (read our Amex EveryDay card review )

Small business Amex Membership Rewards cards include:

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (read our Amex Business Platinum card review )
• American Express® Business Gold Card (read our Amex Business Gold card review )
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (read our Amex Blue Business Plus card review )

Now let's take a look at each part of the Amex Travel portal. 

Book flights through Amex Travel 

To get started, navigate to American Express Travel and click the "Flights" tab on the homepage, then enter your departure airport, destination, travel dates, and the number of passengers. You'll also select whether you want a round-trip or one-way flight, class of service, and if you prefer non-stop flights.

On the next page, you'll see a list of flight options with a set of filters on the left side of the screen. You can filter based on the number of stops, departure and arrival time, airline, fare type, and any available benefits from your cards. 

American Express has a preferred relationship with Delta, so you'll see Delta flights listed first when they're available. Further down the list, flights are arranged by price, starting with the lowest. Next to each option, you'll see how many bonus points you'll earn and any other perks you'll receive.

For example, I have Amex Platinum Card and see a note that says I can enter the Delta Sky Club or Centurion Lounge when I fly out of LaGuardia in New York. The search results also remind me that Delta is a featured airline and I'll earn 5x points on my booking. 

The fares you'll see are often the same as what you'll find on other websites, including booking directly with the airline. Sometimes they're an extra few dollars so it's worth double-checking, but for the most part, they're similar. 

Note that Amex normally charges a fee of $6.99 per domestic ticket and $10.99 per international ticket you book through the website. This fee is waived if you have a Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card. You can purchase a maximum of nine tickets per transaction. 

Remember that you'll still earn miles and have your airline elite status recognized when you fly as long as your frequent flyer number is attached to your reservation when you book through a third-party OTA. If you forget, you can always add it through the airline later on.

Note that you will not see budget airlines listed on AmexTravel.com. That includes popular options like Norwegian, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, and others. Because of this, there may be cheaper options available that aren't displayed, so it's worth double-checking directly if you have a low-cost airline you like to fly.

Book with cash, points, or a combination of both — or set up a Buy Now, Pay Later plan 

If you have a Membership Rewards-earning card, you can use your points to partially or completely pay for travel on the Amex Travel portal, including flights, hotels, cruises, and car rentals.

You can also choose to pay entirely with your Amex card, and there's a new payment option. Amex personal cardholders now have the choice, at checkout, to pay for their flight over time with Plan It — Amex's buy now, pay later feature.   

Plan It is an existing program, but the ability to set up a payment plan directly at checkout with Amex Travel is brand new. Cardholders can create up to three plans to pay for flight purchases of $100 or more in monthly installments with a fixed monthly fee and no interest.

You'll see each option on the final payment screen: select to use all points, all cash, a combination of both, or set up monthly installments with Plan It.

Note that when you use points and cash, you must redeem a minimum of 5,000 points. Each point is worth 1 cent toward airfare, so this comes to at least $50 toward your trip. 

No matter how you pay, you'll be able to earn miles and credit toward elite status when you fly because they're all treated as cash bookings by the airlines. 

If you have Amex Business Platinum Card and choose to use points to pay for your flights, you'll receive 35% of your points back as a rebate for economy fares on your selected airline , up to 500,000 points per calendar year. You'll get this same rebate on business or first-class flights on any airline as well. 

Insider Fares displayed on the Amex Travel Portal

Flights with Insider Fares are an exception to the rules above, which are directly discounted exclusively for Amex customers.

Your points are worth a little more than 1 cent each on Insider Fares, and the exact value varies based on the flight. These fares are only available with points bookings, and you must use your Membership Rewards points to cover the entire fare cost. As a result, you won't see these fares in the Amex Travel portal if you don't have enough points to cover the flight. 

Don't forget the International Airline Program if you have a Platinum Card

If you have Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card, you also have access to the International Airline Program , which offers lower fares on premium-class international travel. More than 25 airlines participate in the program, and savings can be substantial compared to published fares. 

You can buy discounted fares in premium economy, business, or first-class through this program. The exact savings you'll get varies based on the airline and route, but can often be several hundreds of dollars. That's a great deal if you're someone who books paid travel to fly internationally. 

Read more: You can transfer Amex points to 22 loyalty programs to book travel, from first class to Japan on ANA to hotel stays with Hilton

You can cover much of the card's annual fee with the savings from just one well-priced booking. There's also no limit to how much you can save, or how often you can take advantage of the lower fares offered here. 

Book hotels through Amex Travel

Booking a hotel stay functions much the same as the flight booking process. Make sure the "Hotels" tab is selected, then enter your trip details.

Again, you have the opportunity to use cash, points, or a combination of both to pay for your stay (the Plan It feature isn't available through Amex Travel for hotel bookings). Prices are usually similar to booking directly, but some of the big-chain hotels cost a few dollars more, presumably because Amex is adding their commission to the cost. 

An important reminder: There is one major caveat to booking hotels through American Express Travel, or any third-party booking site for that matter. You will not earn hotel points or elite status credit and likely will not have your elite status recognized when you book through the portal. If you care about earning points and elite status, you should avoid booking through third-party sites like this one.

However, if you're booking an independent or boutique hotel that isn't part of any rewards programs or like the simplicity of booking this way, this isn't an issue. And sometimes the hotel you choose is based on location or other personal preferences. 

Book with Fine Hotels & Resorts: Amex Travel's luxury hotel program

What is amex fine hotels & resorts.

The Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) program offers select American Express card members exclusive benefits at over 1,300 hand-picked luxury properties. The list is vetted and periodically reviewed to ensure every hotel and resort meets Amex's exacting standards. American Express isn't the only credit card issuer to curate a luxury hotel booking program , but Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts sets the standard among them.

Properties are added to and (occasionally) removed from the Fine Hotels and Resorts program over time, so the list isn't static. You'll find far-flung tropical beach escapes, stately mountain ski lodges, lavish city digs, and tranquil countryside retreats in dozens of countries worldwide. These properties range from high-end to very high-end, with many charging thousands of dollars per night. In short, Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts isn't a good fit for traveling on a tight budget, but not all prices are stratospheric, and the program benefits can elevate any stay regardless of cost.

Who can book American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts stays?

To book an Amex FHR stay, you must have The Platinum Card® from American Express , The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , or  Centurion Card (also known as the Black Card). Different versions of the Platinum card are all eligible, including co-branded cards from Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley. These are all premium cards that carry hefty annual fees in exchange for high-end benefits .

You must use your eligible card to book your stay, and payment must be made in the primary card member's name. That means you generally can't book Fine Hotels and Resorts stays for other people, though you can book additional rooms for your party.

You can book online through the landing page for Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or by searching for hotels at American Express Travel and limiting the results to Fine Hotels and Resorts properties. You can also book over the phone by calling the number on the back of your card.

Note that Amex also curates a second list of properties called The Hotel Collection, which is available to those with the American Express® Gold Card and American Express® Business Gold Card , as well as to Platinum and Centurion cardholders. The Hotel Collection is a step down from the Fine Hotels and Resorts program, but still offers high quality and valuable benefits.

Maximizing Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts

There are multiple benefits of booking with American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts. People with Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card have access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program , which is a collection of over 1,000 hotels worldwide that offer special perks when booking through Amex, including:  

• Noon check-in when available
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout when available

Daily breakfast for two

• Room upgrade upon arrival when available

Complimentary Wi-Fi

• Experience credits, like property credits to use at a spa, dining credits, or another unique amenity (often worth $100 or more)

Exact benefits vary by property and can add serious value to your booking. 

Read more: Amex's Fine Hotels and Resorts program offers exclusive benefits to cardholders at luxury hotels around the world — here's how it works

I've used this benefit a couple of times and was pleased by how seriously the hotels considered their part in the program. Having late checkout at 4 p.m. can essentially add an extra day to your stay, and comes in handy when you have a late flight. And early check-in can help you get settled sooner if you have a morning arrival. 

Again, you likely won't earn points and elite status if the hotel has its own rewards program. Some people report earning hotel points despite booking through Amex, but it's not guaranteed and I wouldn't count on it. 

That said, the perks you get can be substantial, so it's worth considering on a case-by-case basis whether you want to earn hotel points or use Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts. You can use your benefits to book up to three rooms at a time, and you'll be able to use your perks on all of them. 

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Benefits

Cardholders who book through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts get a set of explicit core benefits, some guaranteed and consistent across the whole portfolio, and others that depend on availability and vary from one property to the next. 

Room upgrade upon arrival

When you check in for a stay booked through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts, you're eligible for an upgrade to a higher-category room or one with a better view in the same category. Upgrades depend on availability, so you're more likely to be offered one when demand is low — don't expect to get bumped from a standard room to the presidential suite when you show up at a busy resort on a holiday weekend.

Upgrades have the most upside of Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts benefits, but also the greatest variance. The distinctions between hotel room categories are often murky, so an "upgrade" sometimes means getting a room that was recently renovated (for better or worse) or one with an extra amenity you may not care about.

On the other hand, upgrades are not limited to a single category, so you very well could end up in that presidential suite with some good fortune and timing. If you're willing to risk it, you can try to game the upgrade benefit by identifying the room categories at your property and booking one category below the room you really want. Not all room categories are eligible for upgrades, so call ahead if you need clarification.

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts describes this benefit as a complimentary breakfast for up to two people per room, which is generally accurate. However, the benefit terms clarify that the breakfast is valued at a minimum of $60 per room per day. You may be charged for purchases exceeding that amount, so breakfast isn't strictly "complimentary" depending on menu prices and how much you order.

The daily breakfast benefit is another that varies widely between properties. Some offer a specific complimentary option in one restaurant (like a breakfast buffet). Others offer a range of specific complimentary options in one or more venues, and some simply offer daily statement credits to offset qualifying on-property charges up to the preset amount, even covering multiple transactions.

If this makes the benefit sound unpredictable, don't worry. In my experience, daily breakfast benefit options have always been explained clearly at check-in for Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts stays.

Experience credit

When you book at an Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts property, you're guaranteed an experience credit of at least $100 toward eligible on-property charges. The amount and nature of the experience credit are clearly indicated for each property when you book. 

The benefit is most commonly provided as a statement credit to offset food and beverage charges, spa services, or any purchases billed to your room. However, in some cases, it comes in the form of a specific experience (like a complimentary meal or massage) rather than a credit. The baseline value is $100, but you'll often receive more. I've seen on-property credits offered up to $200, and some of the experiential options have sticker prices well beyond that amount.

You're eligible for the experience credit regardless of how long you stay — even a single night qualifies. That makes it an exceptional value for shorter stays.

Early check-in and late check-out

While the benefits above provide fairly well-defined value, these two are harder to quantify. Nonetheless, early check-in and late check-out are useful in the right conditions, like when you have a morning arrival or evening departure.

Early check-in at Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts starts at noon and is subject to availability; if your room is unavailable, then you'll have to wait until it's ready. Regardless of the official early check-in time, some hotels will accommodate you before noon if they can.

Unlike early check-in, the late 4 p.m. checkout is guaranteed. In my experience, Fine Hotels and Resorts properties are proactive about honoring this benefit, so you shouldn't have to worry about your key demagnetizing prematurely or hotel staff entering the room while you're still in it.

The final core benefit of the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program is free Wi-Fi, which is guaranteed even if the property normally charges for it. At properties where Wi-Fi charges are folded into another mandatory fee (like a resort fee), a daily credit will be applied to your bill at checkout to offset the cost.

Other benefits of booking with American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts

Aside from the core benefits listed above, there are other perks of booking with the Fine Hotels and Resorts program, some more tangible than others.

First, Amex maintains a list of special offers available at select properties. These include complimentary nights (like a free fourth night), discounts on nightly room rates, on-property credits, and more, all provided in addition to the core benefits. Special offers show up in standard Fine Hotels and Resorts searches, so you don't have to browse the linked page to find them.

Next, Fine Hotels and Resorts bookings are eligible for the Amex Amex Platinum Card's up to $200 annual hotel credit (minimum two-night stay), so you can stack that discount on top of the other benefits you receive. You'll also earn 5 points per dollar for booking Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts stays with your Amex Platinum Card.

Finally, you may receive an elevated level of service when you check in as a Fine Hotels and Resorts guest. That has consistently been my experience, especially comparing stays at a single property booked through Amex versus other channels. The differences in service are subtle and hard to define, but palpable.

Important considerations for booking with American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts

The terms and conditions of the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program are mostly benign to cardholders, but there are a few potential pitfalls and other details to keep in mind.

Reservations are mostly prepaid

When you book through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts, you typically pay for room charges and taxes up front, while additional charges (like resort fees and incidentals) are paid at the property. You can sometimes opt to put down a deposit rather than prepay the entire reservation. Either way, bookings are mostly cancelable, but Amex does not impose a universal cancellation policy, so keep yourself out of trouble by reading the hotel's cancellation policy in the listing before you book.

Benefits are non-transferable

 All perks and credits must be used during your stay (i.e., prior to checkout). You can't save or bank them for later, so use them or lose them.

Back-to-back stays count as one

If you or your party book separate stays at the same property within a 24-hour period, it will be considered a single stay and only eligible for one set of Fine Hotels and Resorts benefits. In other words, you can't rack up multiple experience credits by making separate reservations on consecutive nights at the same property.

Benefits apply to multiple rooms

 You can book up to three rooms for an Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts stay, and all three are eligible for the full slate of benefits. That adds a lot of value to the program for those traveling in a group.

You must present a valid Amex card in your name at check-in

In addition to booking Fine Hotels and Resorts stays with an eligible American Express card, you must present a valid Amex card at check-in to cover incidentals. However, the card you check in with doesn't have to be the one you used to make your reservation. If you canceled your Amex Platinum Card or simply forgot to bring it, for example, you could provide another Amex card. The terms say the card you present must be in the name of the primary guest, but my wife and I had no trouble presenting my Amex card at check-in for a reservation in her name.

Hotel rewards and elite benefits are not guaranteed

Many hotels offer rewards and elite benefits only when you book directly. As a result, booking through a third party like Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts may cause you to miss out on those perks. From my own experience and anecdotal evidence, reward outcomes are unpredictable. I've sometimes earned rewards automatically, sometimes earned them upon request, and sometimes been denied. Case in point: The Bellagio Las Vegas honored my MGM status and waived resort fees for one Fine Hotels and Resorts stay, but flatly refused to do so for another.

You can pay with points, but you shouldn't

Amex lets you redeem Membership Rewards points  for Fine Hotels and Resorts stays, but the redemption rate is only 1 cent per point. That's far below our average valuation of 1.8 cents for Amex points , so save your points for transfers to airline and hotel partners (or other award redemptions that provide a better return).

Leveraging The Hotel Collection for additional value

If you have Amex Platinum Card, Amex Business Platinum Card, Amex Gold Card, or Amex Business Gold Card, you can also access the Hotel Collection, which also offers room upgrades and a $100 onsite credit for dining, spa, or resort activities at 600+ hotels.

The Hotel Collection is entirely separate from Fine Hotels and Resorts, and has different hotels that participate with minimal overlap. When you book through Amex, Platinum cardmembers will earn 5x points per dollar on prepaid bookings, and Gold cardmembers will earn 2x points. 

You can pay with cash at the time of booking or at hotel checkout after your stay. Or you can pay with points, or a combination of points and cash on prepaid bookings only. And there's the same guidance about earning hotel points here, too. You might decide you'd rather have the $100 hotel credit rather than points, depending on the hotel. 

To use this benefit, you must book a minimum stay of two nights, and can't book consecutive stays within 24 hours of each other. This benefit is available for up to three rooms per stay. So if you book three rooms at the same time, you can get a total onsite credit of $300 between three rooms maximum. 

Book Flight + Hotel packages through American Express Travel

The point of booking a vacation package is usually to save money, take advantage of a promotion, simplify the booking process, or all of these. You can search for a flight and hotel, then pay one price for everything. 

Amex doesn't give you a breakdown of how much the flights and rooms cost, and only shows savings on selected hotels. However, when you search for flights and hotels individually and compare the prices, you'll find the savings are often hundreds of dollars, especially on longer trips. 

To book, select the "Flight + Hotel" tab and enter where you want to go, along with the number of travelers and how many rooms you want to reserve. 

You'll see a list of hotels, along with the price per person, total price, and cost if you want to pay for the trip with your Membership Rewards points. Select the hotel you want to stay at, then you'll see a list of flight options. The cheapest flights are already included in the price, but you can select alternate flights for an upcharge. 

Likewise, the cheapest room options are displayed in the base price, but you can pay more for a different room, like a mountain or beach view, a double or king room, or a suite, depending on what's available at the hotel you select. 

I priced out a couple of packages. For the first, I didn't find any notable differences. Booking flights and hotel separately cost nearly the same. But for another, the savings were substantial even though they weren't explicitly stated on the Amex Travel portal. It's worthwhile to compare, especially if you're interested in earning points if the hotel participates in a loyalty program. Otherwise, prices are comparable or better in most cases. 

Similar to booking airfare separately, for each airline ticket you purchase as part of a package, you'll pay $6.99 per domestic ticket and $10.99 per international ticket. This fee is waived if you have a Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card. You can purchase a maximum of nine tickets per transaction.

Personal and business Platinum cardholders will earn 5x points on their package, and other Membership Rewards cards earn 2x points. 

Book car rentals through the Amex Travel Portal

You can also rent cars through American Express Travel. Just type in the city or airport where you want to pick up a car and the dates and times you'll need it under the "Cars" tab. 

You'll see a list of your options starting with the lowest price. At a glance, you can see the price per day, total price, and what's included with the car. On the left side, you can add filters for the car type, price, rental car company, and any special features you're looking for (like an automatic transmission and four-wheel drive). 

Prices are usually the same or comparable to other booking sites or booking directly. However, I always check a couple of different places to make sure I'm getting the best deal. It's worth comparing, especially if you're looking to add a second driver to the reservation, or need to drop the car off later in the day. I've found different sites can vary a lot in pricing, so recommend shopping around. 

You can use cash, points, or a combination to pay for prepaid rentals, or use cash to pay at the counter. 

When you use your Membership Rewards card to pay for your rental, you'll earn 2x points.

Book cruises with American Express Travel

You're able to book a cruise on most of the popular cruise lines around the world through American Express Travel under the "Cruises" tab on the homepage. I found the prices were similar to other booking sites with the main difference being the specific promotions, like onboard credits or prepaid gratuities. Certain websites also run sales, so it's worth shopping around if you're not committed to a particular route or ship. 

After you enter where you want to go and how many nights you'd like to spend on the water, you're taken to a list of results, along with a prominent section for special offers, which are mostly onboard credits. This is worth exploring to get some ideas if you're open. 

And if you have Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card, you can also take advantage of the Cruise Privileges program, which partners with several big-name cruise lines. When you book through Amex Travel, you'll receive an onboard stateroom credit worth up to $100 to $300, and another exclusive amenity that varies by cruise line like premium wine or extra food options. 

If you have the Amex Green Card, you'll earn 3x points per dollar spent booking your cruise through Amex Travel. All other Membership Rewards-earning cards earn 2x points. 

American Express Travel Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, people who don't have Amex credit cards can still book travel through the American Express portal. 

After you log into your Amex Travel account, you can find all of your travel reservations by clicking on the "My Trips" tab toward the top right of the page. 

If you need to change or cancel a reservation, you can do so online through your AmexTravel.com account, or by calling 1-800-297-2977.

How can I use my Membership Rewards points to book travel?

Amex cardholders can use Membership Rewards points to book flights, hotels, and more directly through the American Express Travel website or app, often with the option to pay with points, by card, or a combination of both.

Yes, booking through American Express Travel can grant you access to exclusive benefits like room upgrades, early check-in/late check-out, and complimentary breakfast at participating Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection properties.

Many American Express cards offer complimentary travel insurance benefits, including travel accident insurance, baggage insurance, and car rental loss and damage insurance. Coverage details and eligibility may vary by card.

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

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, please click here.

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

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

• Main content

How to maximize the Amex Business Platinum's 35% Pay With Points rebate on flights and when you might want to do so

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

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is simultaneously one of the greatest small business cards and travel cards in existence. It currently offers a staggering 120,000 bonus Amex Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening -- a haul worth $2,400 in travel, per TPG valuations .

But for the card's $695 annual fee (see rates and fees), you'll get a list of valuable ongoing benefits , too:

• Comprehensive airport lounge membership (including access to the fabled Amex Centurion Lounges )
• Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status *
• Access to the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program
• Up to $400 in Dell statement credits for U.S. purchases each calendar year*
• Up to $200 in incidental air travel fee statement credits each calendar year*
• Statement credits toward either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85)

*Enrollment required for select benefits.

But there's another exceptional power that this card unlocks for your Amex Membership Rewards points: a 35% rebate when redeeming your rewards via Pay With points (up to 1 million points per calendar year).

New to The Points Guy? Want to learn more about credit card points and miles? Sign up for our daily newsletter .

I'll explain how this benefit works and help you decide when to use it.

What is Pay With Points?

You've got a handful of options for redeeming Amex Membership Rewards points . Only a couple of those options result in a good deal, though. We recommend transferring points to airline and hotel partners to get the biggest bang for your points.

Amex Pay With Points allows you to book flights through Amex Travel at a rate of 1 cent each (and between 0.7 and 0.85 cents each for hotels, car rentals, cruises, etc.). This is far from an optimal value for your points, but it's a simple and effective choice if you don't want to deal with blackout dates, finding available award space and other headaches that sometimes arise when booking award flights.

Related: Amex Business Platinum card review

When you pay with points, your Amex card will be charged for the purchase. You'll then get a statement credit for the portion of your bill you paid with points.

What is the Amex Business Platinum Pay With Points rebate?

The Amex Business Platinum gives you the ability to stretch your Amex Membership Rewards points much further than most other Amex cards when redeeming via Pay With Points.

See, the Amex Business platinum gives you a 35% rebate on flights booked with:

• Your selected airline, which is the same airline you selected for the up to $200 annual airline fee credit (enrollment required).
• First- and business-class flights on any airline

A 35% rebate means your points are worth a full 0.54 cents more each! You're getting a value of 1.54 cents per point when using Pay With Points whenever you take advantage of the Amex Platinum rebate. That turns a pretty miserable redemption option into a tolerable one.

Just note that because this is a rebate, you'll need all the required points for your flight ahead of time. Amex will post the rebate to your account within 10 weeks. Any portion of the ticket you can't cover with points will obviously not qualify for the rebate.

Here are some terms and conditions you need to know:

• Pay with Points requires a minimum redemption of 5,000 points
• You're eligible to receive up to 1 million points per calendar year as a rebate
• If your selected airline is Frontier, Spirit or Southwest, you must book by calling Amex at 1-800-553-9497 to receive your rebate
• The airline you select for the 35% airline bonus and the $200 airline fee credit must be the same
• A flight booked as part of a travel package or booked with the American Express U.S. Representative Travel Network is not eligible for the 35% bonus
• To be eligible to receive extra points, your card accounts must not be canceled or past due at the time of extra points fulfillment
• Terms Apply

Related: Amex Pay With Points guide

When should you use the Pay With Points rebate?

The ability to redeem points for flights at a rate of 1.54 cents each is well above average. Even the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can't achieve that, topping out at 1.5 cents each through the Chase Travel Portal .

The decision to use Pay With Points with the Amex Business Platinum isn't difficult. Ask yourself these questions:

• Will you get a value higher than 1.54 cents per point by transferring points to an airline?
• Can you travel during your desired dates and times by transferring points to an airline?

If the answer is yes to both, you should transfer your points to an airline. The only exception would be if you'll earn a meaningful amount of airline miles by booking through Pay With Points. Airlines don't award miles for award flights, so you'll earn zero redeemable miles when transferring your points to an airline.

Let's look at a couple of real-life examples.

Pay With Points: Good deal

Here is a screenshot of a Delta One award seat between the U.S. and Paris. As you can see, Delta is charging a criminal 290,000 miles for the flight. You'll need to transfer 290,000 Amex points to Delta to get this flight for free.

However, the same flight on the exact same day costs $2,924 through Amex Travel . If you were to use Pay With Points for this flight, you'd pay 292,400 Amex points. However, thanks to your Amex Business Platinum, you'd receive a 35% points rebate! That means you'll get 102,350 points back. You'll have effectively paid 190,060 Amex Membership Rewards points for this flight -- that's 99,940 fewer points than had you transferred your points to Delta.

Pay With Points: Bad deal

There are plenty of scenarios in which you should not use Pay With Points. Transferring your points to airlines allows you to give wildly outsized value for your rewards. To boot, there are sometimes transfer bonuses that make converting your points into airline miles even more alluring.

Related: Amex Travel guide

Here's an example containing many reasons why it would be better to transfer points than using Pay With Points through Amex Travel . It's a flight between Newark and Athens in glamorous Emirates first class -- one of the many great airline sweet spots . These seats cost 85,000 miles each way -- and the cash price is nearly $8,000.

However, when we search through Amex Travel , we find the following issues that make booking with Pay With Points a bad idea:

• American Express cannot book Emirates flights
• No other airlines fly nonstop between Newark and Athens during your selected departure date
• The other bookable airlines don't offer a true first-class experience to Athens -- they're either purely business class or only partially first class
• Even the lowest business class flight costs 135,980 points via Pay With Points. That's 50,000+ points higher than you'll pay by transferring Amex points to Emirates

Bottom line

The Amex Business Platinum has the ability to boost the value of your points by 54% for select airfare when booked through Amex Travel . This is a fantastic way to stretch your points for more air travel -- and one of the most compelling reasons to hold this premium travel rewards card .

You can check out its other valuable benefits here . And remember, the card currently has one of the most valuable welcome bonuses we've ever seen on any card -- ever. We're not sure how long it'll stick around.

Apply here for the 120,000-point Amex Business Platinum welcome offer .

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

Photo courtesy of Ryan Patterson/The Points Guy

• Get 7 Days Free

American Express and American Express Global Business Travel Launch New Integration to Help Streamline Spend Management for Small Businesses

American Express (NYSE:AXP), American Express Global Business Travel (NYSE: GBTG):

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240304014854/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

What it is:

• American Express, a leader in global business payments, and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) 1 , a leader in B2B software and services for travel and expense, announce a new integration to help small and mid-sized businesses manage their spend and expenses.
• American Express is making it possible for businesses to issue a virtual Card (a dynamic payment option that replaces a physical card number with a digital Card number) for their employees via Amex GBT Neo1 , a spend management platform. U.S. Card Members must enroll in Amex GBT Neo1. Once enrolled, Card Members can simply add eligible American Express® Business or Corporate Card accounts into the platform 2 .
• The seamless integration of American Express virtual Cards into the Amex GBT Neo1 spend management platform supports automated expense management processes by combining the capabilities of an expense system, procurement platform, online business travel booking tool, and virtual Card issuance into a single smart ecosystem.

Why it matters:

• The new American Express and Amex GBT integration provides small and mid-sized businesses with better visibility and control over a range of employee spend including budgeting, purchasing with virtual Cards, booking business travel, and streamlined expense processing.
• Manual employee expense management processes cost businesses significant time and money and are prone to human error - issues that are only magnified for small and mid-sized businesses with more finite resources. More than a third (37%) of financial leaders say processing expense reports is a drain on time, according to Amex GBT .
• Digital payments like virtual Cards can help address these issues, as they help automate the expense management process, including employee spend management, with the option for employers to set specific spending controls and permissions.
• Businesses are looking for a seamless management solution that minimizes the traditional complexities of manual expense processes.

How it works:

• With the new integrated features in Amex GBT Neo1, businesses can set budgets, and issue American Express virtual Cards as payment options with controls that support their business needs and help make better, faster purchasing decisions.
• All-in-one platform: Businesses can approve and manage budgets, connect accounting systems, efficiently submit, reconcile, and approve payments in one place, and configure visual dashboards for greater visibility into company spend.
• Travel: Businesses can access Amex GBT’s marketplace, with comprehensive and competitive air, hotel, car and ground transportation services along with exceptional 24/7 traveler support.
• Virtual Cards: Businesses can generate and assign American Express virtual Cards to specific users with flexible parameters to control employee spending, while also enabling individuals to spend online or at point-of-sale through their mobile wallet.
• Transaction Data: Businesses get near real-time visibility to review and reconcile spend within a single platform.
• Built-In Integrations: Businesses have the ability to access built-in integrations to leading supply marketplaces and finance systems without the need for complex system integration.
• Mobile App: Businesses have app access to capture receipts and book travel on the go.

Who it’s for:

• American Express’ integration with Amex GBT Neo1 is available for small to mid-sized U.S. businesses with eligible American Express® U.S. Business or Corporate Cards that are seeking an easy way to plan, monitor, purchase, approve, and reconcile employees’ business spending.

American Express and Amex GBT on-the-record:

• “American Express and Amex GBT are coming together to help improve spend management for small businesses. We know managing employee expenses is becoming more complex, and our small business customers are looking for a solution that combines a range of features and capabilities,” said Dave Holmes, Vice President, Enterprise Strategic Partnerships, American Express. “Now, for the first time, businesses have access to American Express virtual Cards within Amex GBT's Neo1 platform, providing a better way to manage a variety of business expenses.”
• “We see businesses of all sizes facing increased complexity managing growth, spending and productivity,” said Fiona Hastings, Vice President of Neo1, Amex GBT. “Growing businesses simply don’t have time for cumbersome expense reports, disjointed budgeting processes, and the hours it takes to rebook and support more frequently disrupted travelers. Amex GBT is excited to bring Neo1 to more small and mid-sized businesses through our partnership with American Express, to help them overcome today's spend management challenges while paving the way for a smart, more efficient future where all employee spending needs can be serviced in one place,” added Hastings.

Learn more:

• To learn more about the American Express and the Amex GBT Neo1 integration or to register, visit here .

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS

American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress , instagram.com/americanexpress , threads.net/@americanexpress , tiktok.com/@americanexpress , linkedin.com/company/american-express , twitter.com/americanexpress , and youtube.com/americanexpress .

Key links to products, services and corporate responsibility information: personal cards , business cards and services , travel services , gift cards , prepaid cards , merchant services , Accertify , Business Blueprint , Resy , corporate card , business travel , diversity and inclusion , corporate responsibility and Environmental, Social, and Governance reports .

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL

American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) is the world’s leading B2B travel platform, providing software and services to manage travel, expenses, and meetings & events for companies of all sizes. We have built the most valuable marketplace in B2B travel to deliver unrivalled choice, value and experiences. With travel professionals in more than 140 countries, our customers and travelers enjoy the powerful backing of American Express Global Business Travel.

1 GBT Travel Services UK Limited (GBT UK) and its authorized sublicensees use the [“American Express Global Business Travel”/“American Express GBT Meetings & Events”] trademark under a limited license from American Express. “American Express” and the American Express logo are trademarks and the property of American Express Company or its affiliated or related companies (American Express). GBT UK is a subsidiary of Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (NYSE: GBTG). American Express holds a minority interest in GBTG, which operates as a separate company from American Express.

2 Card enrollment required for eligible American Express Business and Corporate Cards. Separate enrollment with each of Neo1 and American Express is required to utilize combined product offering. There is no fee to generate American Express virtual Cards. Other fees on the Neo1 platform may apply. For you to make a Card payment through the service, the supplier must be an American Express accepting merchant. Please contact your Neo1 representative or email [email protected] to learn more.

Source: American Express

Location: U.S.

American Express Megan Hunsicker, [email protected]

Amex GBT Taylor Aaron, [email protected]

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240304014854/en/

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Last-minute ANA business-class award availability to Japan for just 35,000 Amex points

L ooking to book a last-minute trip to Japan ? Well, if so, you're in luck. There is decent award availability in business class, but you'll need to act fast.

Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways consistently releases award seats in premium cabins to partner airlines, and the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club option is one of the best sweet spots in the industry.

As first reported by Upgraded Points , you can use the award search tool Seats.aero to find business-class availability. To search, click "Explore," then click "United MileagePlus," as this program shows ANA availability online. There are various dates between now and June 7 showing at least two seats available in business class to Tokyo's Haneda Airport (HND) and Narita International Airport (NRT) from the following U.S. airports:

• O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Related: 7 of the best airline award chart sweet spots

If you were to book these flights through United MileagePlus, you could do this online for 110,000 miles each way per person.

However, you can also book this award ticket through Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program , and you would need just 45,000 Virgin points one-way from the West Coast or 47,500 from central and eastern U.S. destinations.

Virgin Atlantic partners with all major transferable points programs, and if you have American Express Membership Rewards points, this becomes an even more attractive redemption. Amex is offering a 30% bonus when you transfer Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program through May 31. Transferring Membership Rewards points would bring the cost down to just 35,000 Amex points from the West Coast or 37,000 from other U.S. destinations. Transfers from Amex to Virgin are usually instant, and can be done online.

Unfortunately, you must call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to book ANA award flights. While this can be a point of contention for most, it is fairly easy to book these awards via phone. To book, call 800-365-9500 and give the phone agent the exact dates and flight numbers you want to book.

Related: Best American Express credit cards

Aside from Amex, Capital One is also offering a 30% transfer bonus to Virgin Red (where the points will appear in your Flying Club account). However, this transfer bonus ends Tuesday.

For flights retailing for more than $4,000 each, these award rates represent exceptional value.

When booking your flight, note that ANA operates different types of business-class seats between the United States and Japan. The best product, known as "The Room," is on new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and can be found on flights from New York and select flights from Chicago and San Francisco.

Related: Feels like first class: Flying ANA The Room business class from LA-Tokyo

Other destinations and dates will see ANA's older business-class seat . You can check Google Flights for that if you find availability on a particular date. The newest product will be listed as an "Individual suite," while the older seat will be listed as a "Lie flat seat."

The food, service and amenities will be the same regardless of whether you fly the newer or older seat, but if you can book the new seat, it is an excellent product and one of the most comfortable ways to fly to Japan.

Bottom line

While a last-minute trip to Japan might not suit everyone's schedule, traveling in luxury for just 35,000 American Express Membership Rewards points is a terrific offer. While there are a few hoops to jump through, it's worth your time for a deal this good. To summarize how to book this deal:

• Use either Seats.aero or a United MileagePlus account to check the availability of traveling with ANA.
• Optional: Check Google Flights to see if your flight will be operated with a newer or older product.
• Transfer Amex points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (points should transfer instantly).
• Call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to book over the phone.

Then, pack your bags for a terrific time in Japan!

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology .

[Award Alert] ANA Business Class to Tokyo From 35K Points

Carissa Rawson

Senior Content Contributor

258 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 51 U.S. States Visited: 36

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

34 Published Articles 3151 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Fare Details

Best ways to book, final thoughts.

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Want to try out All Nippon Airways’ (ANA) lauded business class for yourself? Well, you’re in luck because we’ve found a huge amount of last-minute award space from airports all over the U.S. and Canada.

Here’s a look at everything you need to know.

These planes will be flying ANA’s newest business class product, “The Room,” which is both roomy and high-tech. Even more unusually, we’ve found up to 9 seats available on these flights, which is unheard of for such a premium product.

• Class:  Business
• Routes: Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK, EWR), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), Vancouver (YVR), and Washington, D.C. to Tokyo (HND)
• Dates:  April and May 2024
• Rates: As few as 45,500 Virgin Points one-way (or 35,000 with a transfer bonus )

The best way to look for availability is via Seats.aero . Because these flights are fewer than 60 days out, you’ll be able to use the free version to look for award space:

Once you’ve found flights on Seats.aero, you’ll want to head to United’s website to verify availability :

Your best bet to book these flights is to use Virgin Atlantic Flying Club . While you’ll need to call Virgin to book your flight, an excellent transfer promotion means you’ll be paying as few as 35,000 points one-way for your flight.

After you’ve verified availability on United’s website, call Virgin at 800-365-9500.

The best part about using Virgin Points is that they are very easy to earn. You can transfer Amex Membership Rewards , Bilt Rewards , Chase Ultimate Rewards , and Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic at a 1:1 ratio. Capital One miles can be transferred 1:1 to Virgin Red, which can then be transferred 1:1 to Virgin Atlantic.

American Express and Capital One both feature a 30% transfer bonus to Virgin . If you depart from the West Coast, your out-of-pocket cost drops to 35,000 points. If you leave from the East Coast, you’ll need to transfer 37,000 points.

Finally, don’t forget to pay your taxes and fees with a credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , which will qualify you for its complimentary (and excellent) travel insurance .

Join UP PULSE™ —The Upgraded Points Newsletter to stay informed about the latest deals and award alerts!

If the screenshots above didn’t make it obvious, paying just 35,000 points to fly business class across the Pacific is an incredible deal, especially since United would charge you 110,000 miles for the same flights.

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About Carissa Rawson

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

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UP's Bonus Valuation

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