3 Amex Platinum Perks Most People Don't Know About (May 2025 Edition)

Published on May 3, 2025

Joel O'Leary

By: Joel O'Leary

Full Time Writer

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KEY POINTS

  • My favorite Amex Platinum Card perk is the Saks credit -- I use it twice a year for gifts for my wife.
  • The free Walmart+ membership also unlocks Paramount+ Essential streaming.
  • New Card Members can currently earn an 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points-point welcome offer (after meeting spending requirements).

The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with over $1,500 in annual perks -- like travel credits, lounge access, upgrades, and more. (Terms apply.) But with so much packed in, it's easy to miss a few little gems. Sometimes the best perks are nestled in the fine print.

Here are three sneaky Amex Platinum Card benefits I love. And one of them involves a twice-a-year shopping ritual that saves me money and keeps my wife happy (no small feat).

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The Platinum Card® from American Express

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The Platinum Card® from American Express
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Rewards Circle with letter I in it. 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. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.

1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points

Annual Fee

$695

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 Membership Rewards® Points

  • This luxury travel card has some of the most prestigious perks you'll find — access to over 1,400 airport lounges, elite status with Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required), and spending credits worth over $1,500 in value every year. Just be ready for the hefty annual fee, which can be offset in the first year with a welcome bonus worth $800 in points. Terms apply.

    Read Full Review
    • Big welcome offer
    • Substantial spending credits
    • Airport lounge access
    • Hotel benefits
    • Flexible travel points
    • Annual fee
    • Limited bonus categories
    • Spending credits can be complicated to manage
    • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new 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 up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using 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.
    • With American Express Global Lounge Collection® eligible Card Members can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
    • A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
    • $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 Platinum Card® Account. 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.
    • $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
    • $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Use the dedicated CLEAR Lane to confirm your identity without taking out your passport or ID – this can mean shorter lines, less waiting. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
    • Receive either a $120 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.
    • Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
    • $695 annual fee.¤
    • Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
    • Terms Apply.

1. The $100 Saks credit

Every year, Amex gives Amex Platinum Card holders up to $100 in statement credits at Saks Fifth Avenue -- split into $50 from January to June, and another $50 from July to December. Terms apply.

Now, I'm not usually shopping at Saks for high fashion, but here's my hack. Twice a year, I go online to the Saks website and hit the "Sale" tab. July is my wife's birthday, and December is Christmas, which is a perfect time to get both $50 credits. I've gotten her fancy skincare stuff, new workout tops, and fun slippers once, too.

To activate the Saks benefit, just log in to your Amex account and enroll once. Then just use your Amex Platinum Card to buy online (or in U.S. stores) and that's it!

2. Get free Paramount+ through Walmart+

Walmart+ doesn't get nearly enough love. The Amex Platinum Card comes with credits to cover the full cost of a Walmart+ membership (normally $12.95/month). Terms apply.

But here's the sneaky part: Walmart+ includes Paramount+ Essential at no extra cost.

So not only do you get free grocery delivery, gas discounts, and early Black Friday access from Walmart -- you're also getting access to shows like 1883, Tulsa King, and PAW Patrol reruns (I have a 6-year-old, so this is big for me).

Credits for Walmart+ happen automatically, so just sign up and make sure to pay with your Amex Platinum Card.

Not a Card Member yet? Apply for the Amex Platinum Card today (see rates and fees) and, upon approval, snag a massive welcome offer to jumpstart your rewards.

3. You don't need to book through Amex Travel to get hotel perks

Just for being a Card Member, you get Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status -- no stays or points necessary. Terms apply; enrollment may be required.

Here's what you get:

  • Hilton Gold Status: Free breakfast at most hotels, space-available upgrades, and extra points on stays
  • Marriott Gold Status: Room upgrades when available, 2 p.m. late checkout, and boosted points earnings

You do need to enroll once through your Amex benefits hub. But after that it's automatic.

Pro tip: It never hurts to flash your Amex Platinum Card at the hotel check-in desk. Just ask the clerk if there are any extras it unlocks for you!

Make the most of your Amex Platinum Card benefits

To make the Amex Platinum Card worth it and fully offset the $695 annual fee (see rates and fees), you've gotta take advantage of both the big and small perks.

Trust me -- nothing feels better than kicking back in an airport lounge, sipping a free mimosa, streaming a rom-com and knowing your card is footing the bill.

But if this premium travel card isn't quite a match for your lifestyle, there are plenty of others to explore. Check out our list of the best travel credit cards to find the best fit for you.

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Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary icon-button-linkedin-2x

Joel is a full-time writer at Motley Fool Money, known for his clear, approachable voice on topics like credit cards, savings hacks, and side hustles. He’s been writing about money since 2018 and previously managed editorial content for the How To Money podcast.