The Platinum Card from American Express is a rewards credit card allowing cardholders to earn Membership Rewards points. American Express cardholders usually earn Membership Rewards points depending on their card and the eligible purchases made. For example, the Amex Platinum Card is specifically made for frequent travelers who use the card mainly for travel and travel purchases.
The Platinum Card is a premium card from American Express, offering a big welcome bonus of 80,000 Membership Rewards points. However, cardholders must spend $6,000 within the first six months of card membership to receive the rewards points.
Aside from the welcome bonus, cardholders of the American Express Platinum Card can earn extra points in different ways. American Express can offer 100K, 125K, and 150K worth of Membership Rewards points to eligible cardholders. Cardholders can check their Amex account to see whether they are eligible for offers through the CardMatch tool or targeted offers.
Thus, American Express cardholders must always be on the lookout to receive the most points and fully maximize their card to receive offers. However, terms and conditions will apply for cardholders who wish to receive bonus points through the different ways American Express offers.
Key Takeaways
· The Platinum Card from American Express carries a welcome bonus of 80,000 Membership Rewards points for new cardholders
· However, some cardholders may qualify for targeted offers that can earn them up to 150,000 Membership Rewards points at a time
· Cardholders must meet some conditions to see whether they are eligible to receive the offers, which can be checked through the Amex account
The Amex Platinum 100K, 125K, and 150K Welcome Offers
American Express offers cards that allow the cardholder to earn Membership Rewards points while spending using the card. However, the number of points earned through the card will depend on the eligible purchase made using the card. Cardholders will earn the most points by booking their flights or prepaid hotels directly, receiving 5X Membership Rewards points.
The five points per dollar spent can also be earned through flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. The 5X points have a cap of $500,000 spent yearly, with cardholders earning one point per dollar alongside other purchases made.
Other benefits earned by cardholders of the American Express Platinum Card include complimentary benefits, annual statement credits, and access to exclusive spaces. Although the Platinum Card carries a hefty annual fee, the card’s benefits make it worth the. Below is a list of a few of the card benefits received by Platinum cardholders:
· An 80,000-point welcome bonus for cardholders who spend $6,000 within the first six months of the Platinum Card membership.
· Complimentary insurance that covers free cell phone protection, baggage insurance covering checked bags, and trip insurance for a round-trip flight.
· Complimentary access to exclusive spaces, including airport lounge access to lounges such as Escape lounges.
· Exclusive benefits include Global Dining access by Resy and free Premium Private Jet program access.
· $200 statement credits every calendar year for prepaid Fine Hotels & Resorts booked through Amex Travel.
· Every calendar year, a $240 digital entertainment credit for a select digital subscription, including Hulu, Disney Bundle, and New York Times.
· Fee credit for security programs such as Global Entry while traveling through airport security.
· credit and welcome offers for cardholders booking prepaid hotels through the Hotel Collection properties, with a minimum stay of two nights. Cardholders will receive a $100 statement credit, including free breakfast and room upgrades, if available.
The Membership Rewards points earned do not expire as long as the cardholder keeps the Amex Platinum Card account open. American Express offers various options for redeeming your points, each offering different values for your points. The highest value you will get for a point is 2.2 cents, earned by transferring your points to partnering airlines and hotels.
Some partnering airlines with a 1:1 transfer ratio include British Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Air Canada. Other redemption options include gift card redemption, checking out in partnering retailers such as the Saks Fifth Avenue, or paying for flights with points.
How to Earn Bonus Amex Points through an Amex Platinum Offer
American Express benefits include offers to its cardholders as a means of earning a massive welcome offer, especially through targeted offers. The targeted Amex offers are usually limited; thus, cardholders must check their account to see whether they are eligible. Additionally, the targeted offers are not always available to all cardholders, depending on the cardholder’s creditworthiness.
However, American Express will offer other means to earn an extra 100,000 or 150,000-point sign-up bonus. For example, cardholders can check whether they are eligible to receive the extra Amex points via the CardMatch or referral links.
Earning a welcome bonus comes with a spending requirement where the cardholder must make a minimum purchase. Normally, each massive welcome offer will require the same of $6,000 as the minimum purchase required. Cardholders must make the minimum spending requirement within six months of account opening to receive the bonus points.
American Express has terms and conditions around purchases made, especially international purchases, to ensure cardholders maximize their points. Whether checking for an elevated welcome offer or receiving a referral link, cardholders must meet the right requirements to receive the bonus offers.
The three main ways to receive the big welcome bonus offer from American Express include the following:
Increased Public Welcome Offer
The easiest way to receive an elevated welcome offer is to check through your Amex account when adding a new Platinum Card. You can check whether you qualify for up to a 150,000-point bonus offer through the American Express pre-qualified tool. Pre-qualification does not negatively affect your credit score since you are just checking whether you are a fit applicant for a specific card.
In this case, you can take a pre-qualification test to check whether you can apply for an Amex Platinum Card. However, pre-qualification does not guarantee approval when adding a new Card account.
The timing of applying for an Amex Platinum Card will determine when you can receive the 150,000-point welcome offer. You can only receive the bonus points when the offer is still on, which usually happens in a limited time. Additionally, if you have other Amex card accounts open, such as the Amex Gold Card, you may not be eligible for an elevated offer.
American Express has a once-in-a-lifetime reward policy, which allows cardholders to receive the welcome bonus once after card membership. The welcome bonus is not always available to all cardholders; therefore, cardholders can always try their luck and check for the offer.
CardMatch Tool
The CardMatch tool is a special tool that allows American Express cardholders to check whether they are eligible for Amex offers. Many other financial institutions, including Chase and Bank of America, allow cardholders to check their offers through the CardMatch tool. Only targeted cardholders will receive the offers from the CardMatch tool; thus, cardholders must check the tool occasionally.
CardMatch will not cause damage to your credit report since it does not cause a hard pull on your credit score. The CardMatch tool is an independent program used as an alternative when you cannot find a public welcome offer from American Express.
CardMatch has different offers for cardholders who can receive 100,000 points, 125,000 points or 150,000 points. Sometimes, the offer in the CardMatch tool does not always carry a welcome bonus, which you should check before applying. Additionally, opening other Amex card accounts, including the Amex Gold Card, may limit your chances of receiving an offer.
You do not require to make an account to access the CardMatch tool, but you must use your details to log in. You should provide the last four digits of your Social Security number, name, and address to access the tool.
How to Use CardMatch Tool
It is advisable to check with the CardMatch tool before applying for a new credit card to receive the best bonus offers. CardMatch will pair you with the best credit card through a pre-qualification test which does not mean guaranteed approval. However, CardMatch offers are about 25,000 to 50,000 points more than those from the American Express website.
Therefore, qualifying cardholders will enjoy extra points at the same spending requirements as those on the American Express website. The CardMatch tool is unavailable for business cards like the American Express Business Platinum Card.
It is important to note that the CardMatch tool has the highest form of encryption, providing the best security for applicants’ details. PCI Level 1 Compliance is the highest security certification issued by the Payment Card Industry Security Standard Council. Thus, your personal information is safe when you use the CardMatch tool while applying for bonus points.
You can use the following steps while logging in to the CardMatch website and apply for the Amex Platinum offers:
(i) Go to the official CardMatch tool website
(ii) Fill out the form on the website by filling in your name, address, and last four digits of your Social Security number
(iii) You may also be required to fill in your annual income, employment status, and mortgage payment and click Get Matches
(iv) Read the terms and conditions before you select the Submit button
(v) After submitting the form, you will receive a list of the credit card offers with their benefits and other important information
(vi) Additionally, you can use the Features option to filter out and bring up the credit card offers of your preferred financial institution
(vii) Once you see a card that fits you, select the Apply Now button on the right-hand part of the preferred card’s information box
(viii) You will be directed to the official card website for you to apply for the card and receive the offer
(ix) You must use the link from the CardMatch tool so that you can receive the CardMatch targeted offers
Targeted Mailings and Offers from American Express
Targeted mailings and offers are another way American Express rewards its cardholders by offering them a huge welcome bonus. Targeted offers are usually only available to a few cardholders, depending on factors such as creditworthiness. The offers are usually limited; you can check for them through your Amex account or emails for American Express.
The best way to position yourself to receive the targeted offers is to sign up for a Platinum Card through email. You can receive an email from a friend sending you a referral link to apply for a card and receive an offer.
American Express’s referral program allows cardholders to send a referral link to their friend or family member. The referred individual and the referee will earn extra Amex points, making it a win-win situation. As long as the referred friend applies for the Amex Platinum Card through the personalized link, they will receive the offer.
The referee will receive bonus points only when the referred individual has a successful card application. The referee must have an existing Amex card account to receive the offer, which occurs in a limited time for eligible cards.
Usually, the referred individual will receive a massive welcome bonus, between 100,000 to 150,000 Membership Rewards points instead of 80,000 points. However, they must follow the minimum purchase requirements of $6,000 within the first six months to receive the offer. New cardholders will also receive 10X Membership Rewards points for eligible purchases worth up to $25,000.
The referee normally receives 30,000 Membership Rewards points with a maximum of 55,000 points every calendar year. However, they can receive up to 45,000 points for a referral through targeted offers from American Express.
How to Activate Your Amex Account Email Settings
Having your email settings on will immediately notify you if you receive targeted mailings and offers from American Express. Use the following steps to navigate your way through the settings and turn them on for your convenience:
(i) Go to the American Express website and log in to your account
(ii) Select the Account Services option from the top menu bar
(iii) Then, select the Alerts, Communication, and Privacy option from the drop-down menu
(iv) Then, select the General Marketing Email Preferences from the options given
(v) Under the American Express Services bar, toggle on the New Card and Credit Offers option
That way, you will receive emails alerting you of special offers, which will depend on one cardholder to another. Once you see the offer, take it as the best time to add a new Platinum Card if you had previously wished. If you refer a friend, ensure they apply for a new card through the personalized referral link to receive the bonus points.
Reasons You May Not Get a Targeted Offer
The main reason for not getting a targeted offer is that you may have an existing American Express Platinum Card. Also, having an Amex Gold Card or other eligible Amex credit cards may reduce your chances of receiving the offer. American Express is strict regarding its once-in-a-lifetime welcome bonus policy, which must be followed by the cardholder. Additionally, cardholders must refrain from referring themselves by sending a referral link to avoid facing penalties from American Express.
Therefore, cardholders must follow the conditions set by American Express when it comes to receiving targeted offers.
Another reason that cardholders may not receive the targeted mailings is bad credit or a negative credit report. The Platinum Card from American Express is a luxurious card not easily approved by many applicants. American Express requires the applicants for the Platinum Card to have a good to excellent credit score. If you are approved for a Platinum Card, but your credit score lowers, you may be excluded from targeted offers.
Although targeted offers are random, cardholders with outstanding credit scores will receive targeted offers more frequently.
Maximizing the Amex Platinum Welcome Offer
The Membership Rewards points from American Express are one of the market’s most valuable and versatile points. Their versatility is mainly due to the different options for redeeming the points and transfer partners associated with American Express. Therefore, American Express cardholders will have the best value for their points, depending on the redemption options.
Transferring points to partner airlines and hotels has the highest points value, up to 2.2 cents per point. Thus, the bonus offers will be useful when cardholders wish to enjoy business class through partner airlines.
Although partnering hotels and airlines are not exclusive to American Express, the wide selection of partners is an advantage for cardholders. American Express also has partners in retail, including Amazon, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Walmart. Therefore, you can redeem your points as a gift card, pay against a statement credit, or check out in select stores.
Usually, the value of points will range between 0.5 cents to one cent per point, depending on how you redeem the points. Instead of transferring points to partner airlines, cardholders can upgrade their tickets to business class at one cent per point.
From room upgrades to paying with points, the Rewards points offer the best redemption options to its cardholders. Maximizing your American Express Platinum Card also includes taking advantage of all benefits the card offers. Thus, you can enjoy and use statement credits during travel, have airport lounge access to exclusive lounges, and have complimentary insurance.
The Platinum Card has the best benefits, despite the $695 annual fee that may deter some from applying for the card.
Conclusion
The Platinum Card from American Express has various offers and benefits that give the cardholder the best credit card experience, despite the high annual fee. Since the Amex Platinum Card is a premium card, most cardholders will be targeted for a huge welcome bonus. Thus, cardholders can receive either 100K points, 125K points, or 150K points during account opening.
You can receive the elevated welcome bonus through targeted mailings, the CardMatch tool, or the increased public welcome offer. The offers are usually up for a limited time; thus, cardholders must check their Amex account often to see whether they qualify. Cardholders can maximize their Membership Rewards points through various means, including transferring to partner airlines and hotels.
FAQs
How do you get a 150K point offer on Amex Platinum?
You can get the 150,000-point offer on your Amex Platinum Card through various means as offered by American Express. First, you can check for an increased public offer through your Amex account, giving you an elevated welcome offer. Also, you can use the CardMatch tool to receive offers of up to 150,000 points as a sign-up bonus.
Usually, offers in the CardMatch tool are about 25,000 to 50,000 more than those in the increased public offer. Additionally, you may receive targeted mailings and offers through emails or a personal referral link used to apply for a Platinum Card.
Is Amex Platinum 150K offer worth it?
150,000 American Express Membership Rewards points have a value of more than $3,000 when cardholders transfer points to partnering airlines. Thus, the points are worth it, especially when you wish to upgrade to business class through partner airlines. Transferring points usually have a value of about 2.2 cents per point, making it the highest value among competing financial institutions.
You can also use your points to book flights, for room upgrades, or check out partnering retailers. Amex Membership Rewards points are versatile, giving you more redemption options and use.
How do you get 10X points on Amex Platinum?
The Refer-a-Friend program from American Express allows the referred individual and referee to earn Membership Rewards points. After meeting the minimum purchase requirement, the referred friend will earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points as a huge welcome bonus. Also, the referred friend will receive 10X Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases of up to $25,000 within three.
After that, the new cardholder will earn points normally using the Platinum Card, as stipulated by American Express. However, the referred individual must use the personalized link sent to them to receive the bonus points and rewards.
