Activate these 14 Amex Platinum card benefits so you can get hundreds of dollars in perks

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Enroll your Amex Platinum for perks like digital subscription credits and airline fee credits to get the most from your card.

Amex Platinum; Insider

The Platinum Card® from American Express

offers a ton of value from its welcome bonus and benefits.
The annual fee is high, but the card pays for itself if you maximize its rewards and benefits.
Some of these perks and credits require activation before you can use them — they aren’t automatic.
Read Insider’s guide to the best travel rewards credit cards.

The Platinum Card® from American Express has one of the highest annual fees of any publicly available consumer credit card —$695 — but the perks of the card can more than outweigh the annual cost. For many frequent travelers, the Platinum Card is a must-have, but even if you’re sticking closer to home, you can still get hundreds of dollars in value from its benefits.

What’s more, there’s currently a great welcome offer on the card that is incredibly rewarding even if you’re not traveling right now. You’ll earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the Card in the first six months of card membership. That’s worth around $1,440 in travel, based on Insider’s points and miles valuations.

With a full six months to meet the minimum spending requirement, it should be easy for most people to unlock the welcome bonus.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

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Activate your Amex Platinum benefits

American Express The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express

4.4

A five pointed star

$695

Annual Fee

Intro offer

80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the Card in the first six months of card membership

Rewards

Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

Apply now

American Express The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express

4.4

A five pointed star

$695

Annual Fee

Intro offer

80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the Card in the first six months of card membership

Rewards

View Full Details

$695

Annual Fee

Apply now

On American Express’s website

The Platinum Card® from American Express

American Express The Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply now

Rewards

Annual Fee

$695

Intro offer

80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the Card in the first six months of card membership

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

See Pay Over Time APR

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

N/A

Editor’s Rating

4.4

A five pointed star

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Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
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 $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®.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, The New York Times, and other participating providers. Enrollment required.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Now there are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
$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 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.
$300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back each year on an Equinox+ subscription, or any Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Enrollment required. Learn more.
$189 CLEAR® Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus at 45+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card.
$695 annual fee.
Terms Apply.

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Some of the Amex Platinum’s best benefits need to be activated before you can use them. To make sure you don’t miss out, here’s what you should do as soon as you get your card so that you can make the most of it.

Choose an airline for the Amex Platinum incidental fee credit

One of the biggest perks of the Platinum Card is a yearly airline incidental fee credit. Each calendar year, you can choose one airline on which you can get up to $200 in fees reimbursed as a statement credit when you use your card for the purchase**.

While the fee credit isn’t meant to include airfare, it covers extras like checked bags, flight-change fees, inflight food and drinks, fees for traveling with a pet, lounge day passes (for lounges you don’t already have access to), and sometimes things like seat assignments and extra legroom upgrade fees.

The best part of the airline credit is that because you get it each calendar year (instead of cardmember year), you can get it twice before you pay your second annual fee. For example:

If you opened the card in March, you could earn the full $200 credit before the calendar year ends
Once the credit resets on January 1, you can get it again

This means you can get up to $400 in value from this credit in a single cardmember year.

To designate your airline, you can either call the number on the back of your card or log in to your online account. If you’re not sure which airline to choose because you don’t have travel plans yet, you can make the selection when you’re ready; otherwise, once you’ve made your choice, you can change it each January either online or by phone.

Add your Amex Platinum card to your Uber account

The Platinum Card offers cardholders up to $200 in Uber Cash credits** each calendar year. If you don’t take Uber rides, don’t worry — you can still use the credit toward Uber Eats food delivery and takeout.

The Amex Uber credit is broken into monthly chunks. At the start of each month, you’ll get $15 of credits added to your Uber account, with a $20 bonus each December (for a total of $35). Additionally, your account will be upgraded to Uber VIP status, which comes with a few perks, like the option to only request rides from top-rated drivers.

To get the credit, just add your new Platinum Card to your Uber account as a payment method. You don’t actually have to use the card to pay; as long as you have it stored in your account you’ll get the credits and VIP status.

Enroll in Priority Pass lounge membership

The Platinum Card offers the most comprehensive airport lounge access of any card on the market. But you won’t automatically have access to all lounges.

The card comes with Priority Pass Select membership**, which you must first sign-up for. It gives you unlimited access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, and even allows you to bring along two guests for free.

This membership tier is better than any membership you can buy. The highest tier available for purchase costs $429, and doesn’t allow for free guests.

Enroll your Amex Platinum for up to $100 each year in Saks credits

The Amex Platinum Saks credit is split into two chunks: You’ll get up to $50 in statement credits between January and June, and another $50 from July to December when you use your card at Saks Fifth Avenue**.

This perk also requires activation. To do so, sign in to your Amex account, click on the “Benefits” tab, and scroll down to find the credit listed. Click “Enroll,” and you’re all set going forward — you don’t need to re-enroll to get the credit each time.

While items from Saks can be expensive, there are plenty of lower-priced items available, especially during sales and holiday shopping season. It’s a perfect opportunity to splurge on a luxurious treat you might not otherwise consider.

Enroll your card for up to $240 in digital entertainment credit

Another newer perk on the Platinum Card is up to $240 annually in digital entertainment credits**, handed out in chunks of up to $20 per month. You need to enroll before you can use this perk by calling the number on the back of your card or activating the benefits through your online Amex account.

Eligible digital subscription services (and current pricing) include:

Hulu — $6.99 per month for the standard version, $12.99 for ad-free plan, $69.99 for Hulu + Live TV, $13.99 for Hulu bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, $19.99 for Hulu with no ads bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, $75.99 per month for Hulu with no ads + Live TV bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+
Disney+ — $7.99 per month, $13.99 per month bundled with Hulu and ESPN+, $19.99 per month bundled with Hulu (no ads) and ESPN+
ESPN+ — $6.99 per month
Peacock — $4.99 per month for Premium
Sirius XM — $10.99 per month for Streaming Platinum (after three months free), $5 per month for 12 months for Car + Streaming Select (then $16.99 per month), and $8.25 per month for 12 months for Car + Streaming All Access (then $21.99 per month)
Audible — $7.95 per month for Audible Plus, with the option to pay more for Audible Premium Plus with a range of additional “credits” each month
The New York Times — $4 every four weeks for one year (then $17 every four weeks)

Once you’ve activated the benefit, be sure to use your Platinum Card to pay your monthly bill to receive the credit.

Enroll in Walmart+

The Platinum Card reimburses you for Walmart’s subscription service, Walmart Plus, in the form of a statement credit** ($12.95 plus applicable sales tax each month). To be clear, this credit is only beneficial for a Walmart+ monthly membership — not an annual one.

Walmart+ comes with things like:

Free delivery
Free shipping (with no minimums)
Gas discounts
Pharmacy discounts

Enroll in Paramount+

Another benefit of Walmart+ is free Paramount Plus Essential subscription**. While this version costs a mere $4.99 per month (and is ad-supported), it’s still an easy way to save $50+ each year if you would normally pay for the Paramount streaming service, anyway. Paramount comes with access to programs from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, CBS, and more.

Within your Walmart+ account, you’ll see the option to subscribe to Paramount Plus for free.

Sign up for Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors Gold elite status

Getting complimentary Marriott and Hilton hotel elite status from the Platinum Card is an excellent perk that offers real value, especially if you don’t stay at one chain often enough to qualify for the mid-tier Gold level status.

Before you enroll, make sure you’ve signed up for loyalty accounts with each of the hotel brands. Then, either call the number on the back of your Platinum Card, or log in to your Amex online account. Enter your Marriott and Hilton account numbers to request Gold status — it typically takes a day or two for it to show up in your accounts.

Elite status perks vary between brands and each individual hotel, but typically include things like early check-in and late checkout, a better chance at room upgrades, bonus points on stays, and, in Hilton’s case, free breakfast (or a dining credit) — which can add up to hundreds in savings if you’re a frequent guest.

Note that you can also get complimentary Hilton status with the best Hilton credit cards, and Marriott elite status with some Marriott credit cards. Depending on which card you have, the elite status you get from one of these cards can be much more valuable than what you’ll get from the Platinum Card.

Check out Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection for your $200 credit

The Platinum Card offers up to $200 in annual credit toward prepaid Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay) and Fine Hotels & Resorts bookings made through Amex Travel.

There are about 1,800 properties between Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection, although this curated list changes each year as new properties are added and dropped.

There’s no enrollment required to get up to $200 back on your bookings each year — just use your card to prepay for your hotel stay. You’ll get exclusive perks at the hotel, which can include room upgrades, early check-in, late checkout, complimentary breakfast, and an on-property credit to use on dining or spa services.

Sign-up for CLEAR® and use up to $189 in credit

CLEAR® is an expedited airport security program, similar to TSA PreCheck, but it’s also available for fast-track access at select stadiums.

The CLEAR® credit on the Platinum Card will reimburse you for the $189 annual membership fee — just use your card to pay when you sign up. Keep in mind that CLEAR® isn’t available at as many airports as TSA PreCheck, and you’ll still have to remove items like your laptop and shoes before getting screened.

Activate up to $300 in Equinox credits

The Platinum Card has added up to $300 per year in credit towards any gym membership with Equinox, including digital subscriptions for fitness classes through the Equinox+ app. To receive the credit, you’ll have to activate through Amex first, then use your card to pay your monthly membership charge.

This could be a valuable benefit if you live in a city with Equinox locations, or if you’re a fan of the fitness app. Just keep in mind that Equinox memberships are not cheap. For example, with a 12-month commitment, you’d pay $240 per month for membership at the Rockefeller Center location, and $275 per month if you want access to all US clubs.

Enroll your Amex Platinum for rental car elite benefits

In addition to hotel status, you can get elite status with several car rental agencies. When you get your Platinum Card, log in online and request Avis Preferred, Hertz President’s Circle Status, and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status — you’ll just need to create accounts with those providers first.

Benefits include things like car upgrades, guaranteed availability, and waived fees for additional drivers.

Use your Amex Platinum to apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck

If you don’t have Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, you’re missing out on one of the most valuable, time-saving tools frequent travelers swear by.

TSA PreCheck is a program that offers expedited security screening at airports. Instead of having to take off their shoes and light jacket, unpack laptops, tablets, and liquids from their hand luggage, and go through slow full-body scanners that create a bottleneck at the security checkpoint, PreCheck members can just put their bags through the x-ray machine, empty their pockets, and walk through a metal detector. It’s a faster, easier process, and typically leads to shorter and quicker lines.

You can pay an application fee of $78 for PreCheck, or you can pay an extra $22 to apply for Global Entry, which, if you’re approved, includes PreCheck. Global Entry lets you use self-service kiosks at passport control and customs when you return from abroad, skipping the long, snaking lines that typically form in the border control halls.

The Platinum Card offers a statement credit to cover either program’s application fee every four years. To get the credit, fill out the application online and pay with your card. If you already have Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, you can use the credit to cover the cost of the application for someone else.

Sign up for ShopRunner to get free two-day shipping

ShopRunner is like Amazon Prime for other retailers. With a ShopRunner account, you can get free two-day shipping and free returns from hundreds of participating online stores.

The Platinum Card comes with a free ShopRunner membership (which normally costs $79 per year). To sign up, visit ShopRunner’s American Express website, enter your email and card number, and follow the prompts.

Bottom line

The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with potentially thousands of dollars in statement credits and benefits each year. Some of them must be activated, however — and others require that you at least use the Platinum Card to trigger the credits.

If you don’t know all the discounts that come with this card, you could unwittingly waste many hundreds of dollars in value each year. Use the above checklist as soon as you receive your Platinum Card to ensure you’re maximizing its benefits.