Travel Rebates, Cell Phone and Airline Credits, and Much More: Why You Might Like the Amex Business Platinum Card as Much I Do

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a card René convinced me to get. (It took him all of about five seconds.)

And, wow, am I glad he did.

Here are the top reasons I’ve held the card for over six years — and plan to keep it for a while.

35% Pay With Points Rebate

This feature hooked me.

My dad needed help after he had knee surgery in the winter of 2017. He lives in Fargo, North Dakota. I live in Los Angeles. My wife and I were expecting our daughter in April. We just started birthing classes.

Of course, my turn to care for Dad fell during the second week of the classes — and I really wanted to attend. So, I figured out how to fly back to Los Angeles for a few hours and surprise her at class.

But as I griped to René, airfares were expensive.

He told me to pay with the then-50% Pay With Points rebate. I was like, “Wait. What’s that now?”

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express allows members to earn back 35% of any points they apply toward the cost of eligible flights they purchase on AmexTravel.com. (Amex converts each point to a penny each; a maximum of 1,000,000 points can be earned back each calendar year.)

So, I applied for the Card, was approved immediately, and booked my 24-hour roundtrip from Fargo to Los Angeles. There’d be no staying overnight, so I treated myself to First Class trip on Delta — and it was totally worth it. (Especially because I earned back so many points.)

So what is considered an “eligible flight”?

You select an airline from a list of selected carriers. Any class fare you book on that airline — again, booked through AmexTravel.com — qualifies for the 35% Pay With Points rebate.

Also, Business Class or First Class trips booked any airline offered through AmexTravel.com are also eligible.

You can redeem as many points as you want toward a flight’s purchase (and the pay the balance with your card, if you really want). Remember that Amex is writing the airline a check — so, you still earn that carrier’s redeemable and elite status miles. You’ll also enjoy any applicable elite status benefits.

The Pay With Points rebate is how recoup most of the $695 annual fee each year. (Here’s a detailed post about how I earn back the annual fee — and then some — each year.)

$120 Wireless Credit

Cardholders can earn up to $10 in statement credits each month when using their Business Platinum Card to pay at least $10 off their U.S. wireless carrier’s bill.

I generally charge $10 of my monthly Verizon bill to my Business Platinum Card and put the balance on my Ink Business Cash® Credit Card.

Why? That no-annual-fee (yay!) card earns 5% cash back (5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year on Internet, cable, and phone services, and at office supply stores.

$200 Airline Incidental Credit

So many people complain about this First World credit.

Like its sister personal/consumer version, the Amex Business Platinum card gives cardholders the option to choose one airline on which they’ll earn up to $200 in statement credits each calendar on purchases such as:

• Airline fee charge billed after airline selection
• Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships
• Change fees
• Checked baggage fees
• Early check-in fees
• In-flight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, and so on)
• In-flight entertainment fees (excluding wireless Internet)
• Overweight/oversize baggage fees
• Pet flight fees
• Phone reservation fees
• Seat assignment fees
• Unaccompanied minor fees

Many of us have elite status with (at least) one airline and hold their credit card(s). We generally don’t worry about checked baggage costs, airport lounge access, onboard drinks, and change fees.

So, what can we do?!

Check out this post on Eye of the Flyer for some ideas.

The airline incidental credit is so handy for our daughter’s Delta Sky Club guest fees. I also have a trip planned with a business associate later this year. That’ll help cover their Sky Club entrance fee, too.

$400 Dell Statement Credit

Here’s where things get more interesting.

I’m a Mac guy. (René, bless his heart, is not.)

Cardholders get $200 in statement credit for Dell purchases made on their card from January through June. Then another $200 from July through December. (The credit opportunities do not roll over.)

I still find ways to use my statement credits.

I absolutely love this travel external monitor I use all the time. It works so well with my MacBookPro.

Do you love photography? Dell sells a bunch of photo gear. There are so many easy ways to use the Dell credit.

Dell purchases also earn 1.5X points on the Business Platinum card. There frequently are Amex Offers for Dell purchases. You can come out ahead on Dell purchases.

Cruise Benefits

For what it’s worth, you may enjoy these benefits on eligible sailings of five nights or more booked through Amex Travel.

• $100 – $300 per stateroom shipboard credit
• Additional exclusive amenities unique to each cruise line
• Earn one extra Membership Rewards point on each dollar you spend per booking with American Express Travel

Airline Club Lounge Access

Cardholders receive complimentary admission to certain airport club lounges:

• American Express Centurion Lounges when traveling with a confirmed seat on a same-day flight
• Delta Sky Clubs when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated or -marketed flight.
• Escape Lounge by Centurion Suites (with up to two guests) when traveling on a same-day flight
• Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required)

Guest fees vary.

Enrollment is required, but, again, it takes about two seconds.

Fine Hotels & Resorts

When you stay overnight at a port before and/or after your cruise, you can get the vacation going (or continuing) with some great benefits at select hotels.

• Early check-in (when available)
• Room upgrades (when available)
• Daily breakfast for two (valued at up $60 total each day)
• A resort or spa credit (varies by property)
• Guaranteed late check-out

Worth mentioning: the consumer/personal Platinum Card gives cardholders up to $200 in statement credit each year for eligible Fine Hotels & Resorts stays (with a minimum two-night stay).

Complimentary Gold Status

Here’s another pre- or post-cruise hotel perk that might come in handy.

Cardholders receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors elite Gold status as long as they hold the card. Enrollment is required.

Up to $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit

Receive up to $189 in statement credits each calendar year for CLEAR® Plus membership costs charged to your card. (Enrollment required. Taxes and fees not eligible. Terms apply)

Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Application Credit

Like many other travel rewards credit cards, the Business Platinum offers cardholders either a $100 statement credit every four (4) years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® application fee. (Terms apply.)

What About Points Earnings?

Here’s where the card is a little underwhelming. Its bonus points are rather meh.

• 5X points on flights and pre-paid hotels booked with American Express Travel
• 1.5X on eligible purchases at:
  • software & cloud system providers
  • US construction material
  • hardware suppliers
  • electronic goods retailers
  • shipping providers
• 1.5X on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year)
• 1X on all other eligible purchases

I really like that software & cloud system provider bonus. But, to be honest, most of my non-bonused business purchases now go on my Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, because that earns 2X on all eligible purchases (on the first $50,000 in spending each calendar year, then 1X thereafter).

But because all of my Amex cards are on the same account, the Membership Rewards points pool together — and that makes the Pay with Points rebate so valuable.

The Other Features

Other Business Purchases Statement Credit Opportunities:

• $150 Adobe Credit: Earn up to $150 in statement credits each calendar year for eligible annual prepaid business plan purchases with Adobe on Creative Cloud for teams or Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for teams. Note that personal or individual plans (i.e., “only for Photoshop”) are not eligible. (Enrollment is required and terms apply.)
• $360 Indeed Credit: Earn up to $90 in statement credits for eligible purchases made with Indeed. (Enrollment is required and terms apply.)

Final Approach

On the surface, business travel cards aren’t exactly sexy. But many are packed with great features and points-earning opportunities.

I love The Business Platinum Card® from American Express because of its 35% Pay With Points rebate. It’s also stocked with a bunch of other features that make it well worth the squeeze.

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