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$600 hotel credit offered with American Express Platinum Card® 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.
The American Express Platinum Card® has one of the highest credit card annual fees on the market, but it also comes with some of the most lucrative benefits. This is especially true after the recent Platinum Card® overhaul, where Amex added several brand new (or enhanced) benefits to the card in exchange for a bump in the annual fee.
Previously, cardholders received a $200 credit, but this jumped to a whopping up to $600 annual credit for hotel bookings (up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually). This enhanced credit alone is enough to justify the higher annual fee for most people. It's automatically enabled on your card and does not require any additional registration or enrollment. However, the credit has its restrictions.
Here's how to use this perk each year and the benefits you can expect to receive when you visit your hotel.
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How to Use the Platinum Card® Hotel Credit
First, head to the Amex Travel® website, 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. I'm planning a relaxed birthday trip to the beaches of Mexico in November, so I'm hoping to use my hotel credit for this trip.
Once you receive your search results, click “filter” and select Fine Hotels + Resorts properties, The Hotel Collection properties, or both. You can also filter by neighborhood, price, rating, property type, and if the property is offering any special promotions.
If you're anything like me, you love a deal. So, I like to sort by lowest price. Or, you can leave it as sorting by recommended, which is the default.
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.
You can also find some excellent deals and promotions through the Amex Travel portal. For instance, I can stay at a 5-star, adults-only property in Bacalar, Mexico, and receive my third night free. After factoring in my hotel credit, I'm paying a fraction of the sticker price for a luxury vacation.
Completing the booking, ensuring you get credit
After choosing your property and room type, you will be given payment options. Choose Book and Pay Today, as the credit only applies to prepaid bookings made with your Platinum Card® card. Luckily, Amex makes it incredibly clear to see which option allows you to use your hotel credit. Plus, you might get a better rate when paying today by taking advantage of promotions.
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 $300 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. After the $300 credit, I'll pay just $530.78 out-of-pocket for three nights. Given that the room would cost $1,132.56 when booked directly with the property, I feel like I'm getting a great deal.
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.
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. But let's walk through a couple of examples, assuming your rate is refundable, and you cancel after you get the 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 statement 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 Platinum Card® Hotel Credit?
You should use your hotel credit if the hotel's price is the same or similar to rates on the property's website.
Using the earlier example for a stay at Our Habitas Bacalar, you'd pay $1,132.56 to book directly with the hotel, after taxes and fees.
Amex Travel advertises two different fares: one for prepaying using a promotion, and another for paying at check-in.
If you didn't prepay when booking through Amex Travel, I'd pay an additional $164.07 compared to booking direct. However, by taking advantage of the promotion, I'll save $301.78 by prepaying through Amex Travel and taking advantage of the promotion. And that's before the hotel credit even comes into play.
In addition, because the Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection rates also include a $100 property credit to be used during your stay and are eligible for the Amex credit, your out-of-pocket cost of booking with your Platinum Card® on AmexTravel.com is several hundred dollars below Our Habitas Bacalar's hotel rate.
The hotel credit is also great for covering all (or nearly all) of the entire cost of cheap bookings as well. Take this $172 nightly rate at Hôtel des Arts Saigon – MGallery Collection in May 2026.
After taxes, the total cost for a room for two nights at this property is $391.04.
More than 75% of the cost would be covered by your Platinum Card® hotel credit — you'd pay just $91.04 out of pocket. At check-in, you would also receive a $100 hotel credit for amenities, more than covering the amount you paid! Plus, you'll have your other $300 semi-annual hotel credit waiting for a future stay.
Keep in mind that this credit is doled out semi-annually. It's a use-it-or-lose-it style credit, so you'll want to make sure you maximize your bookings twice per year so you don't leave money on the table.
Related: How to Use MaxFHR To Find Cheap Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts Stays
When Shouldn't I Use the Platinum Card® 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 Platinum Card® statement 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 1,800 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. There are at least 1,300 properties in THC.
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 $600 in hotel credits is an excellent feature of the Platinum Card®. You receive up to $300 in statement credit, twice per year, 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 of less than $300, 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 $600 hotel credit is an excellent feature of the Platinum Card®. You receive up to $600 in credits for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection bookings each year, as well as an additional $100 credit at check-in on each stay. 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 $300, you can use the remainder of the credit on any additional bookings.
- 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.
- 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®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees)
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