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$200 hotel credit offered with The Platinum Card® from American Express applies to prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings made via American Express Travel®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
One of the key benefits to help offset the annual fee of The Platinum Card® from American Express is its $200 annual credit for hotel bookings. This benefit is automatically enabled on your card and does not require any additional registration or enrollment. However, the credit only applies to prepaid hotel bookings in Amex's The Hotel Collection® (THC) or Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) programs.
Here's how to use this perk each year and the benefits you can expect to receive when you visit your hotel.
Page Contents
How To Use the Amex Platinum Hotel Credit
First, head to AmexTravel®.com, log in, and input your destination and dates. While Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings can be made with a minimum one-night stay, The Hotel Collection bookings require a minimum of two nights. Keep that in mind when choosing your check-in and check-out dates.
Once you receive your search results, scroll down and look for this filter on the left side to choose if you want to search Fine Hotels + Resorts properties, The Hotel Collection properties, or both.
Your filters will automatically apply, and you can see and filter the hotels that qualify for the Amex Platinum‘s $200 hotel credit.
Generally speaking, The Hotel Collection hotels are usually cheaper than Fine Hotels + Resorts hotels. Most FHR hotels are typically five-star hotels and retail for several hundred dollars a night. However, you might also find some THC properties to be in a similar price range as their FHR counterparts.
Completing the booking, ensuring you get credit
After choosing your property and room type, you will be given payment options. Choose Pay Now — Pay With Card, as the $200 credit only applies to prepaid bookings made with your Amex Platinum card.
Once you get to the checkout screen, ensure that your rate says either Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection underneath the section listing “My Trip Summary.”
You'll also want to note the total trip cost, as Amex lists the cost of the room before any additional taxes, fees due at booking, and fees due at the hotel. Keep these costs in mind if you are trying to find a hotel that prices as close to $200 as possible, as hotel properties in very large cities or popular resort destinations can tack on significant taxes and hidden fees at checkout.
Fill out the guest information and complete your purchase.
When do you receive the statement credit?
The statement credit is almost always applied within a day of your qualifying prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection booking through the Amex Travel portal.
While we can’t promise that it will always post within 24 hours — it occasionally takes a few days to receive the credit. But as long as you book through AmexTravel.com, select a hotel in Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection, and pay in advance, you should get the credit automatically. It's that simple.
What if I cancel my The Hotel Collection or Fine Hotels + Resorts booking?
Change and cancellation policies will vary. Let's assume your rate is refundable, and you cancel after you get the $200 in statement credits from American Express.
If you cancel and make a new booking immediately, the statement credit often remains on the account. You will just pay the cost of the new hotel. You already got the credits, so you come out even.
If you cancel and don't make a new booking, expect American Express to take back the $200 in credits you received. Then, if you make a new booking later on, the process will work like normal, and you'll receive the credit on your ensuing booking. If you don't get the credit on this new booking, contact American Express for an adjustment.
When Should I Use the Amex Platinum Hotel Credit?
You should use your $200 hotel credit if the hotel's price is the same or similar to rates on the property's website. For example, The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm‘s rate above is identical (even after fees due at the hotel) to the rate Marriott publishes on its own website for the same room and dates (after currency conversions).
However, because the Fine Hotels + Resorts rate also includes a $100 property credit to be used during your stay and is eligible for the $200 Amex credit, your out-of-pocket cost of booking with your Amex Platinum on AmexTravel.com is several hundred dollars below The St. Regis Dubai's hotel rate.
The $200 hotel credit is also great for covering all of or nearly the entire cost of cheap bookings as well. Take this $141 nightly rate at the Cordis in Auckland, New Zealand, in January 2025.
After taxes, the total cost for a room at this Langham-affiliated property is $162.90.
The entire amount would be covered by your Amex Platinum hotel credit, meaning you'd pay nothing out of pocket. Better yet, you'll have just under $40 to put towards a future booking. At check-in, you would also receive a $100 hotel credit for amenities, making your stay one you'll come out ahead of.
When Shouldn't I Use the Amex Platinum Hotel Credit?
At times, we've seen hotel prices in Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection significantly higher than rates offered directly from the hotel. If the rate is significantly more expensive than booking directly, hold off on using your credit. Unless you have no plans to use the credit for the remainder of your statement year, you should wait for a better opportunity.
You also should think twice about booking here if your hotel elite status benefits are essential. We'll discuss this in detail below.
Benefits of Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection — Plus the Differences
Both Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection properties offer wonderful benefits. While you can use your Amex Platinum $200 credit at both Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection hotels, there are some important differences in benefits to understand.
Fine Hotels + Resorts
The Fine Hotels + Resorts program offers luxury hotels with elite benefits. You’ll get a $100 hotel credit to spend on things like dining, spa, and resort activities, free breakfast every day, room upgrades (when available), late checkout, and other elite perks. There are more than 1,600 properties in FHR.
The Hotel Collection
The Hotel Collection offers a wider array of hotels, ranging from three to five stars. With The Hotel Collection, you’ll get room upgrades when available, plus up to a $100 hotel credit. It’s also important to note that The Hotel Collection bookings require a booking of at least two nights. FHR bookings do not have this requirement.
Similarities and differences to note
Both Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection include a $100 credit. However, it is important to mention that purchases that qualify for this credit are at the hotel's discretion, rather than Amex's. While some hotels might allow you to use that credit at swanky hotel restaurants, others might only allow you to use the credit when taking items from the minibar or the lobby's grab-and-go. FHR credits typically cover higher-end amenities than THC credits.
You may get free breakfast included with The Hotel Collection bookings, though this isn’t guaranteed. Perks you enjoy can vary by property, but the items mentioned above in the FHR and THC sections are the standards you should expect to enjoy at any property when using your prepaid hotel credit.
What About Hotel Loyalty Programs and Elite Status?
Since you are not booking directly through the hotel or loyalty program, hotels aren't required to honor your elite status. That said, during the booking process, there occasionally is a space to input your loyalty number. If you are booking a property that belongs to Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, Hilton Honors, or any loyalty program you participate in, it doesn’t hurt to put in your loyalty number.
We've noticed the big chains often honor elite status and provide points, upgrades, and elite nights for bookings made via AmexTravel.com. And yes, this comes alongside any Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection perks. With that said, it is safer to assume you will not receive status perks with any third-party booking. That's because these benefits are not guaranteed.
If you can utilize the perk to fit your travel needs, the $200 hotel credit is an excellent feature of the Amex Platinum. You receive a $200 credit for prepaid FHR and THC bookings and an additional $100 credit at check-in. This enables you to save hundreds on accommodations. You don’t need to enroll in advance, unlike most Amex benefits. If you make a booking less than $200, you can use the remainder of the credit on future bookings.
Related: Credit Card Hotel Collections That Offer Elite-Like Benefits Without Needing Elite Status
Bottom Line
If you can utilize the perk to fit your travel needs, the $200 hotel credit is an excellent feature of the Amex Platinum. You receive a $200 credit for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection bookings, as well as an additional $100 credit at check-in. This enables you to potentially save hundreds on accommodations. You don’t need to sign up in advance, unlike most Amex benefits. If you make a booking less than $200, you can use the remainder of the credit on any additional bookings.
- 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.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)
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