Activate Your American Express Platinum Card Benefits for Travel, Lifestyle, and More: A 2024 Guide

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• 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 Business Insider's guide to the best travel rewards credit cards.

Introduction to American Express premium benefits

The Platinum Card® from American Express has one of the highest annual fees of any publicly available consumer card: $695. However, the card's perks can more than outweigh the annual cost for the right cardholder. Some benefits automatically come with the card, while other perks require enrollment before you can access their value.

Activating your Amex Platinum benefits

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

Designate an airline for your $200 incidental fee credit

One of the biggest perks of the Amex Platinum Card is a yearly airline incidental fee credit. Every calendar year, you can designate a single 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 doesn't include airfare, it covers incidental expenses 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), or seat assignments and extra legroom upgrade fees.

You can take advantage of this benefit twice in your first year of card ownership because you get the $200 airline credit once per calendar year instead of on a rolling basis calculated from your cardholder anniversary. For example:

• If you open the card in August, you can earn the full $200 credit before the end of 2024
• The credit resets on January 1, 2025, so you will have another $200 at your disposal

This means you can get up to $400 in value from this credit in your first year.

How to enroll in the $200 airline incidental fee credit 

To designate your airline, 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.

Once you've made your choice, you can change it online or by phone each January; after January 31, you're locked in with that airline until the end of the year.

Add your Amex Platinum card to your Uber account

The Amex 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.

How to activate your Uber credits

To get this credit, just add your new Amex 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 earn the monthly credits and VIP status.

Enroll in Priority Pass lounge membership

The Amex Platinum Card offers the most comprehensive airport lounge access of any card on the market. It offers access to more than 1,500 lounges in the Priority Pass lounge network alone, as well as to Amex Centurion Lounges and Delta SkyClubs on eligible flights.

But you won't automatically have access to these lounges just by holding the card: You'll have to sign up for Priority Pass membership.

How to activate your Priority Pass membership 

You can do so by logging into your Amex cardholder account online, navigating to your card's account summary from the top right corner, then clicking on "Benefits and Awards." From that page, scroll down to "The American Express Global Lounge Collection" and click the button to begin enrollment.

Alternatively, you can call the number on the back of your card to activate your Priority Pass lounge benefits.

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 through December when you use your card at Saks Fifth Avenue.

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

How to activate your Saks credit

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.

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

Another newer perk on the Amex Platinum Card is up to $240 annually in digital entertainment credits, doled out in chunks of up to $20 a month. 

Eligible digital subscription services (and current pricing) include:

• Hulu — $7.99 per month for the standard version, $17.99 for ad-free plan, $76.99 for Hulu + Live TV and ES[M+ with adds, $89.99 for Hulu + Live TV and Disney+ with no ads and ESPN+ with adds, $14.99 for Hulu bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, $24.99 for Hulu with no ads bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, $81.99 per month for Hulu with no ads + Live TV bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+ 
• Disney+ — $7.99 per month, $13.99 per month for Disney+ Premium (no ads), $14.99 per month bundled with Hulu and ESPN+, $24.99 per month bundled with Hulu (no ads) and ESPN+
• ESPN+ — $10.99 per month
• Peacock — $5.99 per month for Premium
• The New York Times — $4 every four weeks for six weeks (then $25 every four weeks)
• The Wall Street Journal — $2 every four weeks for one year, then $9.75 per week

How to activate up to $240 in digital entertainment credit

You need to enroll before using this perk by calling the number on the back of your card or activating the benefits through your online Amex account.

Once you've activated the benefit, use your Amex Platinum Card to pay your monthly bill, and the statement credit will automatically be reflected on each card balance.

Enroll in Walmart+

The Amex 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 perks such as:

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

How to activate your Walmart+ benefit

To take advantage of this credit, sign up for a Walmart+ subscription and charge the monthly fees on your Platinum card. 

Enroll in complimentary Paramount+ access

Another benefit of Walmart+ is a free Paramount Plus Essential subscription**. While this ad-supported version costs a mere $5.99 per month, it's still an easy way to save $50+ each year if you normally pay for the Paramount streaming service. Paramount comes with access to programming from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, CBS, and more.

How to activate free Paramount access

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

Sign up for Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors Gold elite status 

Getting complimentary Marriott and Hilton hotel elite status from the Amex 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.

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 Amex Platinum Card.

How to activate Marriott Bonvoy Gold and Hilton Honors Gold elite 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 Amex 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.

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

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

There are around 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.

How to earn your $200 FHR and THC credit

To get up to $200 back on each hotel booking through FHR and THC, just use your Amex Platinum 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 Plus and use up to $189 in credit

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

The CLEAR Plus credit on the Amex Platinum Card will reimburse you for the $189 annual membership fee. Keep in mind that CLEAR Plus 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.

How to activate your CLEAR Plus credit

To activate this benefit, simply sign up for CLEAR® Plus at any participating checkpoint and pay for your membership using your Platinum card. The credit will automatically appear on your monthly statement. 

Activate up to $300 in Equinox credits

The Amex 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.

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.

How to earn up to $300 in Equinox credits

Activate this benefit by calling Amex or logging on to your account to enroll in the Equinox benefit, then use your card to pay your monthly membership charge.

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 Amex 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 car upgrades, guaranteed availability, and waived fees for additional drivers.

How to activate rental car elite status benefits

Log into your Amex card account, then link your Avis, Hertz, or National accounts through the benefits page for a status upgrade. 

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 for PreCheck, or you can pay extra 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, $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or up to $85 statement credit every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck®.

How to receive credit for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application

To get the credit, fill out the relevant program application online and pay for the service with your Amex Platinum Card. If you already have Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, you can use the credit to cover the application cost for someone else — just use your card to pay at checkout.

Sign up for ShopRunner to get free two-day shipping

The Amex Platinum Card comes with a free ShopRunner membership, which normally costs $79 a year, and offers free two-day shipping and returns from hundreds of participating retailers.

How to activate free ShopRunner

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 Amex Platinum Card to trigger the credits.

If you don't know all the discounts that come with this card, you could unwittingly waste hundreds of dollars in value each year. Use the above checklist when you receive your Amex Platinum Card to maximize its benefits.

American Express premium benefits frequently asked questions

What travel benefits does the Amex Platinum offer?

Benefits include annual travel credits, complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide through the Global Lounge Collection, elite status with select hotel and car rental programs, and no foreign transaction fees.

How can I maximize my Membership Rewards points?

Maximize points by leveraging 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, and on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.

What lifestyle perks come with the Amex Platinum?

Perks include dining credits at select restaurants, exclusive access to events and experiences, and memberships to premium digital entertainment services.

Are there any annual credits available with the Amex Platinum?

Yes, cardholders receive annual statement credits for airline fees, Uber rides, and Saks Fifth Avenue purchases, among others.

How does the Platinum Card's purchase protection work?

The card offers protection against damage or theft for purchases made with the card, including an extended warranty and return protection on eligible items.