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Do you qualify for the new $200 Amex Travel credit?

  • Joseph Hostetler

    • Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.

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    The Platinum Card® from American Express might just be the all-around best American Express card. It provides the most comprehensive airport lounge access; it gifts you with automatic hotel elite status; it’s got a welcome bonus worth potentially $1,200+ in travel; it comes with hundreds and hundreds of dollars in statement credits annually.

    It’s time to add another perk to the list, a bonus Amex Travel credit available for select cardmembers. It’s a $200 reimbursement for booking travel through the American Express Travel portal. This benefit was added to offset the fact that you’re probably not employing the card’s amazing travel benefits as you were pre-coronavirus. This is on top of the streaming and wireless telephone service credits (up to $40 a month through December 2020) that Amex added in May.

    Here’s what you need to know about this easy $200 in travel.

    The Amex Platinum now comes with potentially $1,000 in statement credits in 2020. (Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)

    Do you qualify for the $200 Amex Travel credit?

    If you hold the Amex Platinum (personal version only), you probably qualify for this bonus credit. The caveat is that you have to renew your card (pay the annual fee again) before the credit will appear. As long as you’ve renewed your card (or will renew your card) between April 2020 and March 2021, you will receive this credit. In other words, you won’t get this benefit if you open the card now.

    After you pay your annual fee, check out this page to see if the credit has posted. It should arrive at the beginning of the cardmember renewal month.

    How to use the credit

    Before you use your credit, know this: Amex Travel is an online travel agency, meaning you aren’t booking “direct” with travel companies. That’s not really a big deal unless you’re booking a hotel. With hotels, you won’t receive elite status perks, elite night credits, or redeemable points if you book through a third-party.

    If you’ve never booked with Amex Travel you can compare it to an online travel agency like Orbitz or Expedia where it’s possible to book an array of travel services, like airfare, hotels, car rentals and more.

    Fortunately, there are no hoops to jump through when redeeming your bonus $200 — but there are a few things to know:

    You can use the online Amex Travel portal, or call Amex to make your reservations. Statement credits usually post within a week.

    Bottom line

    Here is the current tally of Amex Platinum statement credits:

    That’s potentially up to $1,000 in credits in one year alone! Not bad for a $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).

    Let me know your thoughts on this Amex Travel credit. And subscribe to our newsletter for more how-to posts like this delivered to your inbox.

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

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)