Card Promotions Amex Platinum Card Benefits, Offers & Discussion

Enjoy a world of travel benefits and 150,000 bonus Amex Membership Rewards Premium Ascent points...​

Learn more and apply for this card:

American Express® Platinum Card

The American Express (Amex) Platinum charge card is one of the best publicly-available cards in Australia for travel benefits.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

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What are the main benefits of this card?

1. Signup bonus: 150,000 Amex Membership Rewards Points (worth 75,000 Qantas Points, Velocity Points, Avios or Asia Miles, among other options) when you apply by 28 January 2025 and spend at least $5,000 within 3 months
2. Earn 2.25 Amex Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on everyday purchases, uncapped. You can transfer these points to 12 airline & 2 hotel programs, including Qantas Frequent Flyer.
3. Enjoy unlimited access to many airport lounges, including Virgin Australia and Priority Pass lounges
4. Gift Priority Pass membership to one additional cardholder
5. Receive complimentary elite status with hotel loyalty programs including Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Radisson Rewards & Accor Live Limitless
6. Complimentary international travel insurance
7. Receive a $450 annual travel credit, plus airfare discounts, $400 worth of annual dining credits, subscriptions to The Australian & Wall Street Journal, plus many more exclusive benefits!

Why we like the American Express Platinum Card

Packed full of travel perks, the American Express Platinum Card is one of the best publicly-available cards in Australia for frequent flyers.

With a $1,450 annual fee, this metal card is not for everyone. But the return on investment for the high annual fee is strong, as it comes with a lot of useful benefits! This includes an annual travel credit, dining credits and unlimited access to Virgin Australia, Delta, Lufthansa, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium and Amex Centurion airport lounges.

There are also some great hotel perks including a free annual hotel night, Accor Plus membership, Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits and complimentary elite status with Hilton, Marriott and Radisson.

For points collectors, this is one of the most lucrative cards available in Australia. You’ll earn 2.25 Amex Membership Rewards Ascent Premium points per $1 spent on eligible transactions. Points transfer to most frequent flyer programs at a 2:1 rate, although there are some exceptions (e.g. it's 3:1 to KrisFlyer and Emirates).

You can convert your Amex points to around 12 airlines including Qantas, Virgin Australia, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Etihad! Plus, you can transfer points to two hotel loyalty programs for even more redemption possibilities.

To sweeten the deal, new cardholders who apply by 28 January 2025 can also earn 150,000 bonus Amex Membership Rewards points when spending at least $5,000 on the card within 3 months of approval. See our card guide for the full details:

American Express® Platinum Card

The American Express (Amex) Platinum charge card is one of the best publicly-available cards in Australia for travel benefits.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

AFF members are welcome to discuss this card in this thread.

 

[tinkybelle]

I didnt renew found it hard to get availability and to not be able to check one hotel when u have grabbed another out of desperation is rediculous! What sort of system doesnt allow the agents to check availability?

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Would anyone here who is a member be able to check availability for me? I can send you a pm with the details. Thanks!

Sure not a problem send me a PM

 

[exp1k]

I didnt renew found it hard to get availability and to not be able to check one hotel when u have grabbed another out of desperation is rediculous! What sort of system doesnt allow the agents to check availability?

Totally agree, what a joke. A year ago, you could check and even book multiple free nights, despite having only one available. Now you cannot even check anymore once you have booked one.
Thanks M@rcoPolo, I've sent you a pm.

 

[mlob]

interesting. Yes Ive had multiple rooms booked in the past too. Just until I finalised my plans. Equally frustrating as I am planning to renew in December but haven't been able to search for feb which is when I would like to use the free night. Even if you can't book multiple you should at least be able to see availability!!

 

[scwappy]

They did highlight the 50% off dining in their restaurants even if not staying at the hotel. I'm not sure personally I'd use it that much - nothing says "I love you" on date night quite as much as taking Mrs Albyd to my local Accor hotel for a half price dinner. I know it's each to their own on this count. Anyone else get good use of the dining discounts?

As people who eat out a lot we have got great value out of the dining discount. As you state though, it's not actually a romantic date night when using
Some of the restaurants in Asia (especially Bangkok) are fantastic and you would possibly want to eat in them anyho

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Some of the restaurants in Asia (especially Bangkok) are fantastic and you would possibly want to eat in them anyho

I'm going to Bangkok in March (staying at the Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit) do you have any suggestions for Accor restaurants while there?

 

[scwappy]

The L'Appart (French) at the hotel you are staying in is very good, but does normally not offer the full dining privileges. They do offer the full privileges sometimes though so if you like the look of it it is worth keeping an eye out .
Medici (Italian) at the Hotel Muse was great with opera singers to boot. That was fantastic. The rooftop bar at the Muse is great for a pre dinner drink. There is also a steakhouse, Babbettes, which gets good reviews though have not yet been myself.
Have not been as yet but the YTSB (Japanese) at a Novotel gets great reviews also.
The Sunday brunch at Red Oven at Sofitel So is great also. Certainly not as posh as some others but the price reflects this, and the discount makes it nearly free.

 

[BacchusMarsh]

I got a call from Accor yesterday seeking my renewal. I was offered the Accor Plus for a year for $259 vs $329 usually. They also offered to let me keep my Platinum status which might be of interest - although I've only had 3 stays with them in the last year - not likely to qualify under my own steam given I direct all my stays to Hilton & SPG.

I received my renewal call today... I've stayed 11 nights this year, but they weren't prepared to offer anything more than Silver. So I wasn't prepared to renew.

 

[exp1k]

I received my renewal call today... I've stayed 11 nights this year, but they weren't prepared to offer anything more than Silver. So I wasn't prepared to renew.

The told me the requirement for getting Platinum status is one eligible stay between April 2015 and April 2016.

 

[BacchusMarsh]

The told me the requirement for getting Platinum status is one eligible stay between April 2015 and April 2016.

Well, I certainly have more than that.

I usually book up to a year ahead anyway, and haven't made any Accor bookings for next year due to the uncertainty as to what status I'd have and whether I'd be a Plus member. So no great loss not renewing. The hotels I've stayed at haven't been all that great, although the lounge access and late checkout have been worth something to me.

 

[zig]

I still haven't received a call for renewal following my November expiry dates. Did others get their phone call prior to expiry or sometime after?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

The told me the requirement for getting Platinum status is one eligible stay between April 2015 and April 2016.

the old terms said 1 qualifying night every 5 years so long as you keep amex plat.

another easy way is to buy $2000 of accor stock, which comes with free platinum so long as you're a shareholder.

i don't know why anyone would bother to try and retain accor status the hard way!

 

[M@rcoPolo]

I still haven't received a call for renewal following my November expiry dates. Did others get their phone call prior to expiry or sometime after?

Mine was expiring at the end of November and got a call at the beginning of November, I took up the offer.

 

[zig]

Mine was expiring at the end of November and got a call at the beginning of November, I took up the offer.

Thanks, I might have to follow up with them myself.

 

[mlob]

Thanks, I might have to follow up with them myself.

Do it soon. Their office is shutting down for xmas on the 18th. Husband who is the primary plat card holder ended up taking the offer for Accor and I also a took a sup card for $99.

 

[mlob]

another easy way is to buy $2000 of accor stock, which comes with free platinum so long as you're a shareholder.

i don't know why anyone would bother to try and retain accor status the hard way!

I was curious about this so did a quick search. I can only find VIP status with gold if you are a shareholder.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Do it soon. Their office is shutting down for xmas on the 18th. Husband who is the primary plat card holder ended up taking the offer for Accor and I also a took a sup card for $99.

I guess the $99 supp card does not include the free night? Did they give you a quote for a supp card that also includes a free night? If it's < $200 I may get one for my wife, too!

 

[mlob]

I guess the $99 supp card does not include the free night? Did they give you a quote for a supp card that also includes a free night? If it's < $200 I may get one for my wife, too!

My husband is the primary amex card holder and I have a supp amex card. They would only do the discounted accor plus card with plat status for him. I tried getting it additionally for me but that was a no go. They said they had been provided with a list from amex who was eligible . I was able to get a $99 plus card which has all the benefits without the free night. But no plat status. Cant remember what i got with it....maybe silver. I probably use the dining benefit more then him. They quoted $299 for an additional accor card with the free night but again no plat status for the second card.

 

[Hache-eLle]

Same here for both AMEX Charge Platinum and AMEX Platinum Reserve cards

With the AMEX Platinum Charge, the website lists there's $300 travel credit per year.

With the companion/complimentary Platinum Reserve, there's a free flight. Does that mean there's potentially *two* free flights per year?

 

[BacchusMarsh]

With the AMEX Platinum Charge, the website lists there's $300 travel credit per year.

With the companion/complimentary Platinum Reserve, there's a free flight. Does that mean there's potentially *two* free flights per year?

Not sure what you mean. It pretty much means that at present there's a $300 travel credit for the Charge and either a hotel night or a free flight for the Reserve, and potentially two travel credits ($300+$400?) if the rumoured changes go ahead.

All seems like a bit of a shambles to me, really.