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.

 

[potm]

Thanks for that, was the edge already linked to ascent premium when reactivated?

 

[foggy]

Thanks for that, was the edge already linked to ascent premium when reactivated?

yes

 

[foggy]

received email "There's still time to make use of our Global Hotel Sale with complimentary nights and up to 30% off selected hotels."

Discounted hotel stays with amex travel but it seems like it only applies to 3-4 star hotels. Has anyone found anything decent?

 

[albyd]

I tried to get through to Amex on the platinun charge like last night after 11pm AEST and again this morning at 7am. When got through the menus and chose to speak to a human, said the line was closed and to call back during business hours. Happened to me again tonight. Also tried the Explorer line & had the same result.

Have Amex reduced their hours of operation? I’ve always called them whenever I like (particularly as I get him from work late) and got through even if to an offshore call center. Thought they were 24 hours.

 

[cynix]

I tried to get through to Amex on the platinun charge like last night after 11pm AEST and again this morning at 7am. When got through the menus and chose to speak to a human, said the line was closed and to call back during business hours. Happened to me again tonight. Also tried the Explorer line & had the same result.

Have Amex reduced their hours of operation? I’ve always called them whenever I like (particularly as I get him from work late) and got through even if to an offshore call center. Thought they were 24 hours.

That has happened to me a few times. To work around it, you need to call from a number that's not recognised by their system (i.e. not the home/work/mobile numbers registered on your account).

 

[Mr_Orange]

That has happened to me a few times. To work around it, you need to call from a number that's not recognised by their system (i.e. not the home/work/mobile numbers registered on your account).

So by paying $1200 pa you are less likely to get the phone answered than a potential new customer would or someone calling from behind a PBX or who blocks their caller ID?

That seems to me to be the very anthesis of good customer support.

 

[cynix]

So by paying $1200 pa you are less likely to get the phone answered than a potential new customer would or someone calling from behind a PBX or who blocks their called ID?

That seems to me to be the very anthesis of good customer support.

Their explanation was that their system is trying to be helpful by routing you to the correct department based on your phone number, but there's a bug that sometimes causes the call to be routed to a non-24/7 line. Of course this was given to me by their Filipino call centre so take it with a grain of salt.

It did eventually get resolved after I raised this issue when I got through to a human, so it's worth mentioning to them.

 

[albyd]

Thanks for the advice. Will raise it with Amex this morning as I don’t call out of hours for late night companionship but because I can’t do it while I’m at work.

Update: I called at 7am & blocked my caller ID. Even though I still entered my card # into the IVR, I got through to a human. They said the same thing the IVR tried to be ‘helpful’.

 

[foggy]

Can anyone tell me what the "International Airline Program – Platinum Card Member Benefit" is? I don't see the actual "benefit"

 

[blueythecat]

Quite often there isn’t any benefit, but a few times I’ve found them to be quite a bit cheaper than what I was able to source elsewhere.

You need to be traveling on a return business ticket and on the selected airlines they list. I’ve also found calling up has worked better than using the Amex travel site. Your mileage may of course vary!

Good luck!!

 

[daft009]

thinking of swapping my explorer with the platinum charge.

was on the cards pre-devaluation as my domestic travel has increased so having domestic virgin lounge access & PP would be beneficiary.

rang amex and they said they could not advise if I would be successful or not & just to give it a go, anyone else been in a similar boat?
thing is I'll close the explorer if I get the charge, which is not really explainable on the online application

 

[cynix]

thing is I'll close the explorer if I get the charge, which is not really explainable on the online application

Maybe just cancel the Explorer and apply, then have the Explorer reinstated if your application gets rejected?

 

[daft009]

Unfortunately not an option as I have daily expenses on the explorer

 

[potm]

If there’s a problem with existing limits, they may contact you to reduce them.

 

[daft009]

So I applied and was successful without modifying the explorer.

Wondering if the 4 supp card limit also includes "additional card" under my name?

 

[Vik park]

So I applied and was successful without modifying the explorer.

Wondering if the 4 supp card limit also includes "additional card" under my name?

How long did you wait for approval?

 

[daft009]

was instant, while filling in the application form

 

[Daver6]

Wondering if the 4 supp card limit also includes "additional card" under my name?

No it doesn't. So you can have the main card, a second A/C card and four supps all up.

 

[daft009]

No it doesn't. So you can have the main card, a second A/C card and four supps all up.

Awesome just the news I was hoping to hear

 

[mlob]

Can anyone tell me what the "International Airline Program – Platinum Card Member Benefit" is? I don't see the actual "benefit"View attachment 135972

just booked two return domestic business flights on Virgin and there was a significant discount. even more once i used some of my travel credit.