A Complete Guide to Using the $200 Amex Platinum Hotel Credit

American Express has loaded up The Platinum Card® from American Express with new benefits and money-saving credits while pushing its annual fees up and up to its current $695 a year price tag (see rates & fees). Some new perks are questionable, others are better, but one really shines: The new $200 Amex Platinum Hotel Credit.

Platinum cardholders now get up to a $200 credit to use toward prepaid stays at Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) and Hotel Collection Properties booked through Amextravel.com. This new annual credit resets every year, giving you $200 towards a hotel stay and an easy way to offset your Platinum Card's annual fee – plus, some great perks at top-shelf hotels around the globe during your stay.

But it's up to you to actually put the Amex Platinum hotel credit to use each year. So let's walk through it works and everything you need to know about using it.

 

 

 

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How Does the $200 Amex Platinum Prepaid Hotel Credit Work?

All Amex Platinum cardholders now get an annual credit of up to $200 to use for prepaid hotel stays, and it's easy to use.

All you need to do to get started is search for hotels through the Amex Travel booking portal. This new credit only applies to Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) or Hotel Collection properties. Notably, bookings of the Hotel Collection properties require a minimum stay of two consecutive nights.

Booking through these programs can provide some great value – especially when putting your $200 credit to use. Whether you are booking a Fine Hotels & Resorts or a Hotel Collection property, you'll get great benefits like daily breakfast for two, complimentary space-available room upgrades, late checkout, and credits of up to $100 to spend at the property's spa or restaurants.

Unlike some of the other Amex Platinum benefits, there is no need to enroll for the credit before you use it. All you need to do is log in at Amextravel.com, search for a participating property, pay with your Platinum Card, and that $200 credit will kick in automatically.

A few other important things to note:

• To get the credit of up to $200, you only need to book by the end of each year. Since the credit is for prepaid stays, you can book a stay today for a trip far in the future. You just need to make sure the charge posts to your statement in the proper calendar year to receive your credit.
• If you book a property that doesn't cost $200, you can use the credit across multiple bookings. There is no requirement the $200 be used in one booking … though in practice, it's unlikely you'll run into this.
• When you book with your Platinum Card, you'll still earn 5x points per dollar spent on both airfare and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. That includes bookings that trigger your $200 Amex Platinum hotel credit.

 

How to Find Eligible Properties to Use Your $200 Hotel Credit

First things first, you'll need to start your search on Amextravel.com.

Make sure you are on the “Hotels” tab, enter the number of travelers and rooms you're looking for, dates, and the city where you are looking to stay.

 

 

Once you start your search, you'll get a full list of hotels that are bookable through Amex Travel. But remember, to use your annual $200 hotel credit, you must book one of the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or Hotel Collection properties. These properties should show up at the top of your results, though you can filter to only display these properties about halfway down the page.

 

 

For this example, I searched for properties in Las Vegas, where there's no shortage of Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts properties available. In fact, Amex shows 10 options available for a one-night stay next June – plus another six Hotel Collection properties for a two-night stay.

 

 

After selecting the Wynn Las Vegas, it will provide you with more information on the Fine Hotels & Resorts Benefits like daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade (when available), guaranteed late check-out, noon check-in (when available), complimentary Wi-Fi, and a $100 spa credit to be used during the stay.

 

 

In general, you can expect to pay at least a bit more per night when booking through Amextravel.com as opposed to other platforms or direct through the hotel itself. But the extra perks can easily outweigh that additional cost – and sometimes, you'll find the exact same price.

Remember: To get your $200 credit, you only need to book one night at an Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts property. If you are looking at a Hotel Collection property, you'll need to book a minimum of a two-night stay to get your $200 credit.

And since this is a prepaid credit, you only need to book before the end of the year. You'll still be able to use it even if your stay is far into the following year so long as the charge posts to your account on or before Dec. 31.

 

Great Places to Use Your Amex Platinum Hotel Credit

There are nearly 2,000 properties in Amex's combined Fine Hotels + Resorts and Hotel Collection portfolio. All of them are eligible to put this credit to use.

But a $200 credit only goes so far at ultra-luxe, expensive properties you might not be interested in. And some destinations and regions have more quality properties to choose from than others.

Las Vegas is a fan-favorite city to put this credit to use – especially with benefits like 4 p.m. late checkout. The Delano Las Vegas is near the top of the list, with its quiet location on the south end of the Strip and all-suite setup. Plus, eligible properties in other major U.S. cities like New York and Miami typically go for $1,000 a night or more.

 

 

The value is hit or miss over in Europe, but it's worth poking around on Amextravel.com if you're heading overseas to see if you can put your hotel credit to use. If Ireland is on your radar, the Conrad Dublin is a good choice at a reasonable price.

 

 

Few regions are better for these credits than the Middle East, which is teeming with luxury hotels often at lower prices. For example, our editor Kyle booked a few nights at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah through Amextravel.com earlier this year for just $163 a night. With the $200 Amex Platinum hotel credit, that covers one whole night and part of a second!

 

 

Want to stay in private pool villa perched on the ocean like this? The Amex Platinum hotel credit can make booking the excellent Hotel Las Islas in Baru, Colombia much, much cheaper.

 

 

How Long Does the $200 Hotel Credit Take to Post?

Once you book, American Express states that the credit can take up to 90 days to post to your account. In practice, it can be much quicker.

Members of the Thrifty Traveler staff who have used the $200 Amex Hotel credit this year have reported the credit hitting their account within a week of the booking posting to their card account. In fact, our editor Kyle had that credit hit his account just one day after booking in early January.

While it might not always post that quickly, you shouldn't have to wait 90 days to receive it.

 

 

If you wait 90 days and still don’t see your statement credit posted to your account, you can reach out to Amex via the chat function in your online account or via the number on the back of your card.

 

Amex Platinum $200 Hotel Credit Frequently Asked Questions

Is There a Minimum Stay Requirement?

In order to use your $200 hotel credit issued from the Platinum Card, you need to make sure you stay the correct number of days based on the property you are booking.

• If you are booking a Fine Hotels & Resorts property, you are only required to book at least a one-night stay to be eligible for the $200 credit.
• If you are booking a property in The Hotel Collection, you must book a stay of at least two nights to be eligible for the $200 credit.

 

Do You Have to Use the Credit by Dec. 31 Each Year?

Yes. The $200 credit is a use-it-or-lose-it benefit. That means it won't roll over into the following year if you don't use it.

That said, since you are booking a prepaid hotel stay, you can book in one year for a stay the next. That should give you far more flexibility to use it up.

 

When Will I Get My New Hotel Credit?

The Amex Platinum hotel credit is based on the calendar year – not your cardmember year.

That means it resets each and every year on Jan. 1. It doesn't matter when you first applied for your Platinum Card and when it will renew.

 

Do Business Platinum Cardholders Get a $200 Hotel Credit?

Have The Business Platinum Card® from American Express? Unfortunately, you won't have a $200 hotel credit available for use.

While the personal and business Platinum cards do have a lot of overlapping benefits, they have some unique perks too. The $200 hotel credit is only a benefit of the personal Platinum card.

 

Do Platinum Card Authorized Users Get Their Own $200 Hotel Credit?

From unrivaled lounge access to a free membership in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, the American Express Platinum card has the richest set of travel perks on the market. And by adding an Amex Platinum authorized user, your travel companion can share many of them.

Unfortunately, Platinum Card authorized users won't get their own $200 hotel credit. You'll get one $200 credit each year per account.

The cost of adding authorized users is $195.

Here is a quick look at the benefits that authorized users will receive:

• American Express Centurion Lounge Access: Yes.
• Priority Pass Select Lounge Membership: Yes.
• Delta SkyClub Access (When Flying Delta): Yes.
• Up to $100 Credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry: Yes.
• Up to $189 Credit for CLEAR: No.
• Earn 5x Points on Airfare Booked Directly with Airlines and Hotels Booked Through Amextravel.com: Yes.
• Up to $200 in Annual Airline Fee Credits: No.
• Up to $200 in Credits for Prepaid Hotels Booked Through Amex Travel: No.
• Up to $200 in Annual Uber Ride Credits: No.
• Up to $100 in Annual Saks 5th Ave. Credits: No.
• Up to $300 in Equinox Gym Credits: No.
• Up to $200 in Entertainment Credits: No.
• Instant Hotel Status with Marriott and Hilton: Yes.
• Get access to Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts: Yes.
• Instant Rental Car Agency Status with Hertz, Avis, and National: Yes.

Related Reading: Everything You Need to Know About Credit Card Authorized Users

 

Can You Use the Platinum Hotel Credit On Multiple Bookings?

In theory, you can use the hotel credit on multiple bookings.

For example, if you booked a Fine Hotels & Resorts property that cost $150 a night, you would get $150 of your $200 credit and still have $50 to use on a future booking through the end of the year.

In practice, you won't find many FHR or Hotel Collection properties that are cheap enough to apply the credit across multiple bookings.

 

What Happens If You Cancel A Booking?

Change and cancellation policies vary from property to property. But as a general rule of thumb, if you cancel a booking and don't make another new reservation, expect that Amex will claw the $200 credit you received back.

If you make another booking, your credit should be safe.

 

Will My Hotel Elite Status Benefits Be Recognized On These Bookings?

It's possible.

Typically, booking any hotel through any online travel agency (OTA) means you shouldn't expect any hotel elite status recognition or benefits – including earning points. Amex Travel is one such agency, so it's hit or miss.

That said, Amex Travel is typically treated a bit differently (and better) than your average third-party agency. So be sure to plug your hotel loyalty number into your reservation. Just keep in mind that it will vary widely from property to property: It's no guarantee, but worth a shot!

Read more: Can You Earn Hotel Points By Booking Through An OTA?

 

Bottom Line

Amex has added a more than a half-dozen new credits and other perks to the Amex Platinum over the last year, some better than others. This credit for up to $200 for prepaid hotel bookings at both Fine Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Collection properties made through Amex Travel is easily among the best.

Use it right, and you can extract a lot of value from this great new benefit. Just make sure your booking posts to your Platinum Card account before the end of the year to receive your credit – even if that means booking a hotel stay now for a trip far out in 2023.

 

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