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.

 

[kaktusdigital]

I’ve found most ‘food’ businesses like the outlets at most food courts qualify as ‘restaurants’ for 3 ppd. In addition to McDonalds, most fast food chains like GYG are paying 3 ppd too.
When paying at a pub, I always use Explorer as the outcome for restaurant spend in variable. I’d rather get 2 points where I could’ve got 3 rather than 1 point where I could’ve got 2 easily.

In the past ive copied and pasted all the items on my bill where i believe the $ per point has be incorrect. This was done via the online email, not sure that exists anymore, I think you can do this via chat now. either way, amex always corrected the points with an adjustment.
They seemed to be pretty happy to do , but as Mr_Orange has mentioned, it comes down to what category the merchant has ticked.

I love that my local fish monger is a 'Restaurant' ....

 

[kieranchu]

As part of the Plat Charge - you are entitled to a "companion" card - Mine is a Reserve - Just interested to know if anyone else had their Edge or Explorer linked as a companion card with the annual fees then waived as a result?

 

[potm]

People have managed to have edge as the companion card. Ymmv on this though.

After the April rate adjustments, there’s really not much difference between the reserve and explorer. They’ll have the same earn rate and travel credit.
Some minor benefits like smart screen insurance and 2 PP entries may vary.

 

[andye]

I've heard of a few who got Edge but none Explorer.
Little benefit for Explorer post-April IMO

 

[blueythecat]

People have managed to have edge as the companion card. Ymmv on this though.

I agree, there would probably be a handful of people, that I’m aware of, on here that have the Edge as their companion card.

 

[kieranchu]

I agree, there would probably be a handful of people, that I’m aware of, on here that have the Edge as their companion card.

Thanks I guess it make sense to have the reserve as the companion just because of the $400 travel credit.

 

[albyd]

I have the edge as companion to my dormant Gold Charge Card.

I have Reserve as companion to Platinum Charge. I don’t think there are any other cards that can be the Platinum Charge’s companion.

 

[kieranchu]

I have the edge as companion to my dormant Gold Charge Card.

I have Reserve as companion to Platinum Charge. I don’t think there are any other cards that can be the Platinum Charge’s companion.

Thanks - just curious how much the annual fee for the gold charge card?

 

[albyd]

From memory it’s about $130. A small gain overall with the travel credit.

I’ve asked the last few years for a fee waiver in recognition that I’m paying a high fee on Platinum. They’ve usually agreed so the combo gives me $200 in minimum benefits plus the enhanced point earn for supermarkets.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

This may not be correct place to ask this question but a very quick search could find no more suitable - so here we go:

Is there a better ‘Special Offer’ floating around anywhere with more than Amex Plat STD Offer 80K pts sign on bonus? The Platinum Card | AMEX Australia

 

[kaktusdigital]

This may not be correct place to ask this question but a very quick search could find no more suitable - so here we go:

Is there a better ‘Special Offer’ floating around anywhere with more than Amex Plat STD Offer 80K pts sign on bonus? The Platinum Card | AMEX Australia

The next best offer would be via referral link which bumps it upto 90K

 

[daft009]

This may not be correct place to ask this question but a very quick search could find no more suitable - so here we go:

Is there a better ‘Special Offer’ floating around anywhere with more than Amex Plat STD Offer 80K pts sign on bonus? The Platinum Card | AMEX Australia

Or 100k if you're a CPA member, The Platinum Card | AMEX Australia

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Or 100k if you're a CPA member, The Platinum Card | AMEX Australia

NA - just standard every day offers if any available.

 

[bernardblack]

Has anyone booked domestic airfare through Amex Travel on the Platinum in the last month, and can tell me the earn rate? Is it 1 or 2 per dollar under the existing Platinum MR rules? Has that bonus point per dollar for Amex Travel been extended?

 

[daft009]

I just booked last night so let's see. Hope it's 3ppd but happy with 2ppd

 

[wohoo]

what's this International Airline Program – Platinum Card Member Benefit flashing on the amex travel website today? I googled it and it seemed to be only USA centric amex card will get this type of benefit... Is it a glitch or is some form of feature yet to be announced?

 

[albyd]

I just booked last night so let's see. Hope it's 3ppd but happy with 2ppd

I booked within the last week with Amex. Only saw 2ppd come through. Will have another look tonight.

Looks like I missed this one or would’ve done more bookings with them. Do you have a link to that 3ppd offer?

 

[Mr_Orange]

what's this International Airline Program – Platinum Card Member Benefit flashing on the amex travel website today? I googled it and it seemed to be only USA centric amex card will get this type of benefit... Is it a glitch or is some form of feature yet to be announced?

Supposedly special rates on J and F seats with a bunch of airlines. It's not new.

 

[daft009]

I booked within the last week with Amex. Only saw 2ppd come through. Will have another look tonight.

Looks like I missed this one or would’ve done more bookings with them. Do you have a link to that 3ppd offer?

In late '16 when the explorer was released it used to get 1 bonus ppd on Amex travel. Then a year or so later they removed the bonus. Then they left it there for platinum only. Perhaps now also gone.

Used to be mentioned in the t&c's where the Amex site talked about which transactions earn you what points.

 

[JFi]

what's this International Airline Program – Platinum Card Member Benefit flashing on the amex travel website today? I googled it and it seemed to be only USA centric amex card will get this type of benefit... Is it a glitch or is some form of feature yet to be announced?

As Mr_Orange said, it's special rates for J and F on some airlines but I also got it for premium economy. Saved $130 compared to booking direct with airline.