Currently, the publicly advertised welcome offer for the Amex Platinum is not 100k points. It is in its typical range (see offer below). Over the past few years, the Amex Platinum 100k offer has only been available to targeted customers.
Maybe you heard about an Amex Platinum 100k offer that they’ve offered previously? Yep, it really was that high! It’s actually been raised to 100k on multiple occasions. I got in on one of these offers way back in 2012 or 2013. At that time, the offer was 100k membership rewards points after spending $5000 in the first 3 months. I also remember it being pretty tough to meet that minimum spend.
I did it though and ended up transferring my points to British Airways when they had a 35% bonus for transferring membership rewards. So, all in all, I ended up with 135,000 British Airways miles that allowed me to take 5+ round trip flights from my home on the West coast to Hawaii. I’m gonna go out on a limb here, and tell you that it ended up being my most valuable welcome offer ever.
With things like airline credits, airport lounge access, Uber credits, and TSA PreCheck, the Amex Platinum is a very valuable card to have for travel. At Travel Freedom, we see it as one of the best premium credit cards in the travel industry.
The Current Amex Platinum Card Offer
Amex Platinum Card  |
|---|
| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You’ll earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months. |
| REWARDS You’ll earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel. You’ll earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. |
| BENEFITS Enjoy Uber VIP status and free rides in the U.S. up to $15 each month (bonus $20 in December). Enjoy access to the exclusive Global Airport Lounge Collection. $200 Airline Fee Credit, up to $200 every calendar year with one qualifying airline. Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your card. Enrollment required. Fine Hotels & Resorts Access. Hilton & Marriott Gold Status. Discounts on First/Business/Premium Economy tickets. |
| FEES $550 annual fee. No foreign transaction fees. Terms Apply |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS With a large introductory offer, statement credits, and airport lounge access, this is an excellent premium travel credit card. |
| [earnist_link ref="the-platinum-card-from-american-express" id="6500"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Targeted Offers for 100k Points
On occasion, there are special offers that are not available publicly for 100k points when you apply for the Amex Platinum. We’ve seen this type of offer sent directly to customers via an Amex Platinum RSVP code through email or mail. It’s also been available through the “Card Match” feature of creditcards.com. If you’re planning on applying for the Platinum Card from American Express, be sure to check for these targeted offers before settling for the public offer. The same can be said for the Amex Business Platinum 100k offer.
Amex Platinum: 100k 60k Welcome Offer Value
As mentioned, even with a welcome offer half as big as it is on occasion, we still think that the Platinum Card from American Express is one of the best premium credit cards in the market. How is that possible? Well, it’s possible because the Amex Platinum has some of the best travel benefits ever seen offered by a credit card.
First, let’s examine the welcome offer. 60,000 Membership Rewards points can be valued at $1200 or more if redeemed through travel partners. Second, we’ll take a look at a few of the travel benefits of the card. It offers statement credits for Uber and for an airline of your choice, and it also offers the most comprehensive airport lounge access of any premium credit card. You’ll not only get access to Priority Pass Select, but you’ll also be able to access Centurion lounges and a few other options. These are just a few of the travel benefits that come along with being an Amex Platinum cardmember.
Redeeming Membership Rewards Through AmexTravel
In our reward points value chart, we value Membership Rewards at 2.0 cents per point. You can make your Amex Platinum 100k 60k offer worth more than the average redemption. There are 19 Membership Rewards travel partners consisting of airlines and hotels. You can transfer your points to most of these programs at a 1:1 ratio. We often transfer our Membership Rewards to British Airways, Delta and Hyatt hotels to often earn redemptions well above 2 cents per point.
Membership Rewards Airline Transfer Partners
- Aeromexico 1:1.6
- Air Canada (Aeroplan) 1:1
- Air France KLM (Flying Blue) 1:1
- Alitalia (Millemiglia) 1:1
- All Nippon Airways 1:1
- Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles) 1:1
- British Airways 250:200
- Delta Air Lines (SkyMiles) 1:1
- El Al Israel Airlines 1,000: 20
- Emirates 1:1
- Etihad Airways 1:1
- Hawaiian Airlines 1:1
- Iberia Plus 250: 200
- JetBlue Airways 250: 200
- Singapore Airlines 1:1
- Virgin America 200: 100
- Virgin Atlantic Airways 1:1
Membership Rewards Hotel Transfer Partners
- Choice Privileges Rewards 1:1
- Hilton Honors 1:1.5
Earn Rewards on Flights and Hotels
This card will give you more than just the Amex Platinum 100k 60k signup bonus. It has a couple of valuable spending bonus categories. You’ll earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com. For this reason, the Platinum card from American Express is one of the best cards for people who travel often. It’s also very beneficial for those who travel in premium cabins.
Because you’re interested in this card, I’m going to guess that you are interested in travel. Spending bonuses are a great way to earn some extra Membership Rewards without really doing anything. By earning 5X points on these purchases and then redeeming the Membership Rewards at a value of up to 2 cents each or more, you’re essentially earning 10% back on those purchases. 10% value back on a credit card is quite nice!
Amex Platinum Statement Credits
- $200 airline credit
- $185 Uber credit
- $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit
- $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
If you spend at least $200 with airlines yearly, the Amex Platinum $200 travel credit essentially erases 40% of the annual fee. There is also the Uber statement credits of $15 per month ($20 in December) that add up to $185 if used completely. Get TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and you’ll get a statement credit for the cost. Plus, there’s a $100 statement credit at Saks Fifth Avenue that can be taken advantage of yearly.
As a cardmember, if you take advantage of each of all these statement credits (up to $585 value), you’ll essentially be paying nothing for the rest of the card benefits. No cost for airport lounge access, rental car insurance, access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts, and discounts on premium airline seats. As you can see, if you take advantage of all the benefits of the Amex Platinum, it can far outweigh the cost of the high annual fee.
Lounge Access is the Best Benefit of the Amex Platinum
The Platinum Card from Amex offers complimentary Priority Pass Select airport lounge access as well as Centurion Lounge access and a few other airline specific programs. After being approved for your credit card, you’ll have to activate your Priority Pass Select account. Then you’ll automatically receive a new membership card each year you keep your Platinum Card. Airport lounges range in quality, but they’re all a nice relaxing place to get away while you wait at the airport. My wife and I like to grab a snack and a drink, charge our phones, and hang out in the comfort of lounge chairs with our lounge access.
Below, are some of the amenities you can expect in an airport lounge.
- Digital Membership Card Option
- Free Wifi
- Drinks & Snacks
- Alcoholic Drinks
- TV’s
- Internet Data Ports
- Newspapers & Magazines
- Disabled Access
Some lounges even have a few extra features.
- Showers
- Conference Rooms (subject to a fee)
Even when you’re at an airport with no lounges, there’s a chance you’ll be able to get credit at restaurants and markets within the airport. Priority Pass now features a few restaurants as well as their lounges. At Priority Pass restaurants, members can use their membership card to earn a $28 credit for both themselves and one guest. So, if you and your guest go to a Priority Pass restaurant, you’ll have $56 to spend that will be covered by Priority Pass.
At PDX airport in Portland Oregon, for instance, there are three locations at which you can use your Priority Pass before your flight. A pair can get a $56 meal, spend $56 on drinks at a local distillery, and purchase $56 worth of snacks at their market. Having a layover there doesn’t have to be a waste of time…
The Amex Platinum 100k 60k Welcome Offer is Still Worth It
While the Amex Platinum 100k welcome offer is only available on occasion, the regular offer can be well worth it. At a value of up to $1200 or more, it’s still one of the premier bonuses of all travel credit cards. What makes it such a great offer is the amazing travel benefits the card comes with. Yes, the annual fee is high at $550, but it’s worth every penny and more if you take advantage of the benefits.
Whether the welcome offer for the Amex Platinum is 100k or 60k, if you’re someone who travels often, this will be a great credit card for you. It sure was valuable to me when I had it. An Amex Platinum 100k 60k offer is still well worth the application. It’s one of the best premium travel credit cards in the industry.
