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.

 

[Franko Costa]

They stopped giving the reserve for free with the plat charge?

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

They stopped giving the reserve for free with the plat charge?

They stopped giving the travel credit years back unfortunately (for those who applied too late)

 

[andye]

They stopped giving the reserve for free with the plat charge?

Still free but no travel credit to new applicants

 

[Daver6]

It would be great if they rolled this out to the QF Ultimate card. Spend $450 with QF directly and get the credit rather than having to book your flight with Amex Travel. Half the time Amex Travel QF flights are more expensive.

 

[Viridis]

It would be great if they rolled this out to the QF Ultimate card. Spend $450 with QF directly and get the credit rather than having to book your flight with Amex Travel. Half the time Amex Travel QF flights are more expensive.

You still need to make your booking through Amex Travel according to the emails for both the Platinum & Reserve cards

 

[sydunipete]

I'm thinking about the Amex card that offers up to 20% discount on business and first class fares booked through Amex Platinum Travel.

What are people's experience with this? I usually fly Business Star Alliance several times a year, booking direct with the airlines. How would this compare with using Amex Platinum Travel?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

Have a look:

1. Here: Amex IAP (International Airline Program) on JAL ex-AU?

2. Search for IAP in the Amex forums generally to see more content

I'm thinking about the Amex card that offers up to 20% discount on business and first class fares booked through Amex Platinum Travel.

What are people's experience with this? I usually fly Business Star Alliance several times a year, booking direct with the airlines. How would this compare with using Amex Platinum Travel?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[wsthong]

Wish AMEX have that companion ticket.

 

[knagelli]

They stopped giving the travel credit years back unfortunately

I still get the travel credit for my reserve card which was a supplementary card for my Plat Charge card ( applied in 2019).

 

[bam71]

We‘ve had an issue with the Amex Insurance via Chubb. We’re currently in Bali and the other half had a bad fall last night on the road due to slippery conditions after a storm. Long story short, we headed to hospital with assistance from the Villa staff here in Seminyak, got him checked out, and around 4hrs later he was discharged. During the whole process I tried numerous times to call Chubb on their +61 2 8907 5666 number and could not get through. Today we’ve tried again, and it has connected, with a message saying to call back later! Pretty poor form IMO. Anyone else had an issue like this via Amex insurance ( Chubb?)?

 

[Jfordi]

We‘ve had an issue with the Amex Insurance via Chubb. We’re currently in Bali and the other half had a bad fall last night on the road due to slippery conditions after a storm. Long story short, we headed to hospital with assistance from the Villa staff here in Seminyak, got him checked out, and around 4hrs later he was discharged. During the whole process I tried numerous times to call Chubb on their +61 2 8907 5666 number and could not get through. Today we’ve tried again, and it has connected, with a message saying to call back later! Pretty poor form IMO. Anyone else had an issue like this via Amex insurance ( Chubb?)?

Are you able to call Amex concierge instead and get them to assist. I did this when I travelled overseas and they transferred me directly to a Chubb rep.

 

[Shinjetter]

We‘ve had an issue with the Amex Insurance via Chubb. We’re currently in Bali and the other half had a bad fall last night on the road due to slippery conditions after a storm. Long story short, we headed to hospital with assistance from the Villa staff here in Seminyak, got him checked out, and around 4hrs later he was discharged. During the whole process I tried numerous times to call Chubb on their +61 2 8907 5666 number and could not get through. Today we’ve tried again, and it has connected, with a message saying to call back later! Pretty poor form IMO. Anyone else had an issue like this via Amex insurance ( Chubb?)?

Okay, let me explain. AMEX Platinum insurance doesn't work like that. You need to file a claim via a portal:

https://www.chubbclaims.com/amex/au-en/welcome.aspx

You will need to pay for everything upfront and claim those expenses via AMEX. I would put those medical expenses into AMEX.

My wife had a fractured foot last year. It was in Australia in QLD. We claimed for loss of income and AMEX Platinum paid her 3 months' income to recover. You just really need to be patience with their team cause I think they are an overseas team in US.

 

[bobbinbrisco]

Okay, let me explain. AMEX Platinum insurance doesn't work like that. You need to file a claim via a portal:

https://www.chubbclaims.com/amex/au-en/welcome.aspx

You will need to pay for everything upfront and claim those expenses via AMEX. I would put those medical expenses into AMEX.

My wife had a fractured foot last year. It was in Australia in QLD. We claimed for loss of income and AMEX Platinum paid her 3 months' income to recover. You just really need to be patience with their team cause I think they are an overseas team in US.

Yeah but main thing is there should really be a 24h phone line for emergencies so you have someone you can actually talk to especially for anything medical

 

[motef]

Yeah but main thing is there should really be a 24h phone line for emergencies so you have someone you can actually talk to especially for anything medical

That seems like a change as when the whole family was hospitalised in Beijing in 2020 we called the number in the middle of night and had no issues

 

[bam71]

Yes, thankyou. I was quite happy to just pay and put in a claim as per normal, but the reason I wanted to call them was in case it was more serious, and a bit of advice if it was going to me more serious. They do say they have this 24hr line to call. It wasn’t needed, a few X-rays, some IV pain relief, and 3 lots of prescription meds to take back with us, all only came to around $500. I’ll put in the claim today. Quoting their brochure …..
Chubb Assistance (In The Event Of An Emergency)
Emergency assistance around the world
In the event of a medical emergency whilst overseas simply phone
+61 2 8907 5666 to get immediate help in locating medical assistance in Your local area.

The number doesn’t work.
I thought I was doing the correct thing in calling…

Anyway - we move on.

 

[Bell21]

I'm sure I remember reading about the possibility of adding a 5th supplementary card holder to the AMEX Plat somewhere in this thread, but can't find it --- my memory says it's $100 per extra supp per year, but I'm questioning that, as I'm also reading it's now capped at 4 supps?

 

[sydunipete]

My sign-on experience: On Sunday night I filled in the application on my phone. No proof of income (I'm a self-funded retiree). Cards arrived by courier early Tuesday morning. Very classy packaging.

Amex travel has surprised me with some great prices for long-haul Business and First. Domestic prices on par with booking direct but more options are available. So far a domestic and an international trip booked. Hassle free.

Clicked over the $5,000 initial spend easily and bonus points were posted promptly but I'm still waiting for the $450 travel credit.

I signed up for a few of the benefits online, but had to chat with an agent to sign up for Priority Pass. And I'm still waiting on my Australian subscription to be processed.

So far, so good.

 

[NoName]

My sign-on experience: On Sunday night I filled in the application on my phone. No proof of income (I'm a self-funded retiree). Cards arrived by courier early Tuesday morning. Very classy packaging.

Amex travel has surprised me with some great prices for long-haul Business and First. Domestic prices on par with booking direct but more options are available. So far a domestic and an international trip booked. Hassle free.

Clicked over the $5,000 initial spend easily and bonus points were posted promptly but I'm still waiting for the $450 travel credit.

I signed up for a few of the benefits online, but had to chat with an agent to sign up for Priority Pass. And I'm still waiting on my Australian subscription to be processed.

So far, so good.

Has the annual fee been charged yet? If not can you please advise when it does. Assume it will be the last day of the first statement period.

 

[sydunipete]

Has the annual fee been charged yet? If not can you please advise when it does. Assume it will be the last day of the first statement period.

Not yet. I'll let you know.

 

[somebol]

Thinking of cancelling wife's plat card. Her annual fee is due end of this month.
If we use the $450 travel credit and then cancel before end of the month. Will the annual fee be refunded in full?