The 3 Best Amex Platinum Perks for Holiday Travelers
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Holiday travel can be chaotic. Airports are packed, hotels are pricey, and even the most seasoned travelers can feel frazzled by long lines and flight delays.
But the American Express Platinum Card® can take the sting out of that stress.
Here are three awesome benefits for smoother (and saner) holiday trips.
1. Skip the airport lines with PreCheck, CLEAR, and Global Entry
Nothing kills holiday spirit faster than waiting in a 90-minute security line with restless kids and a backpack full of gifts.
Holding an American Express Platinum Card® is like knowing the bouncer at a club. Except that club is airport security. It includes statement credits for these expedited security programs.
- Global Entry: Up to $120 credit every 4 years (includes TSA PreCheck®)
- TSA PreCheck®: Up to $85 credit every 4.5 years if you only want PreCheck
- CLEAR® Plus: Up to $209 annually for faster ID verification at select airports and stadiums
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
And once you're past security, you can relax in one of the 1,550+ airport lounges that you have access to worldwide, including the luxurious Centurion Lounges. Free food, drinks, wifi, and a quiet place to decompress -- it's one of those "once you have it, you can't go back" perks.
Pro tip: Enroll for these benefits before your trip, as processing can take a few weeks.
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Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards 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®. 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms apply.
1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points
Annual Fee
$895
Welcome Offer You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 175,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
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The American Express Platinum Card® isn’t just a credit card — it’s a status symbol. With over $3,500 in annual credits like $400 for dining with Resy, $600 in luxury hotel stays, and $300 in digital entertainment, plus VIP access to 1,550 airport lounges and automatic Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy elite status (enrollment required), it delivers prestige few cards can match. The fee is steep, but for those who want the best, the Platinum Card® can more than pay for itself — starting with a powerful welcome offer. Terms apply.
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- 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
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- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 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. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $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 the 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.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®.*Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
2. Save hundreds with the Platinum Card®'s hotel credits
Hotel prices skyrocket during busy holidays. But the Platinum Card® can soften the blow with its annual hotel credits.
Here's how it works: You can get up to $300 back in statement credits twice a year on prepaid bookings through Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection when you book through Amex Travel. Terms apply.
Even if that doesn't cover your full stay, it can easily knock a few hundred dollars off your trip.
Plus, Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings often include extras like:
- Room upgrades when available
- Late checkout at 4 p.m.
- Daily breakfast for Fine Hotels + Resorts® bookings
- $100 experience credits for dining or spa services
Outside of the hotel credits, Platinum Card® holders also get automatic Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. This can mean free room upgrades, early check-in, or bonus points at those chains when traveling.
It all adds up to a much more comfortable (and affordable) holiday escape.
See our picks for the best premium travel cards that make flying easier.
3. Travel protections can save your holiday trip
Holiday delays are practically a tradition at this point -- snowstorms, missed connections, luggage going AWOL, etc.
But this is where travel insurances can save the day. Here's what's covered when you pay for your trip with your Platinum Card®:
- Trip delay insurance can reimburse you for meals, lodging, and other expenses when your flight is delayed more than six hours.
- Trip cancellation/interruption coverage helps if illness, weather, or other covered reasons derail your plans.
- Lost luggage insurance covers the essentials if your bags take an unexpected detour.
- Rental car insurance can give you coverage when you're driving on unfamiliar roads.
Insurance won't erase the frustration of a canceled flight. But it will keep it from turning into a financial nightmare. That peace of mind alone is worth something.
The bottom line
If you travel even a few times a year, the American Express Platinum Card® can make sense. The card's $895 annual fee (see rates and fees) might make you hesitate. But it includes more than $3,500 in potential annual value.
As long as you're actually using those perks, it's a great card to carry. Especially during cray cray holiday travel.
Explore the best travel credit cards for 2025 and see how much smoother your next trip could be.
Our Research Expert
Joel O’Leary is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, mortgages, and other personal finance topics. Joel has been writing about personal finance since 2018, previously leading editorial content for the How To Money podcast and serving as a resident writer at Budgets Are Sexy. He bought his first rental property at age 18, funding the down payment with savings from his high school job at McDonald’s -- a testament to his lifelong passion for smart money decisions. His work aims to make personal finance accessible and actionable for everyday readers. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys surfing and spending time with his family.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by American Express. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express.
For rates and fees for the American Express Platinum Card®, click here