Amex's International Airline Program is a great way for travelers with The Platinum Card® from American Express to save on select premium cabin international tickets. A brand new Amex offer can make those savings even bigger.
This new Amex offer will get you $300 right back when you spend $1,000 or more on flights booked with the International Airline Program via the Amex Travel portal. Add it to your card, find and book one (or several) tickets with select airlines in first, business, or premium economy, and you'll get a $300 statement credit after spending $1,000 or more.
Like all Amex offers, this one is targeted – not everyone will see it in their accounts. But it seems to be fairly widely available so long as you've got either the The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum® Card from American Express. But log in to check and add it to your card now: While you've got until July 20 to put it to use, offers like these tend to disappear quickly.
There are, however, a couple of restrictions to keep a close eye on to make sure your flight qualifies for this offer:
- You must book through the Amex Travel, AmericanExpress.com/us/AmexTravelIAP, or via the Amex app
- Flights booked directly with the airline or third-party are not eligible
- Flights must originate in and return to the U.S. or select Canadian cities
- Only first class, business class, and premium economy fares qualify for the International Airline Program – no extra savings for economy tickets here.
- Not every airline is eligible. Participating airlines include: AeroMexico, Air France, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Finnair, Iberia Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, LATAM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.
- There's no requirement that you meet the $1,000 threshold in one swipe, and Amex allows you to book for yourself plus seven additional passengers
For example, this roundtrip ticket in Air France Premium Economy from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) fits the bill. With this $300 Amex offer added to an Amex Platinum Card, it'd reduce the total price to just $766. That's less than what most travelers pay for a normal economy seat!
Read our full guide to using the Amex International Airline Program!
But the best way to put this Amex Offer to use would be to add it to your Platinum Card ASAP … then wait for an even better deal via Thrifty Traveler Premium. In addition to cheap economy tickets, our Premium members also get cheap Premium Economy and business class fares for just $59.99 a year.
Just last month, we sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members an incredible alert to fly British Airways business class in their stunning new Club Suites from Boston (BOS) to London-Heathrow (LHR) for about $1,000 through the spring – or roughly $1,200 for a peak summer roundtrip fare. With this Amex Offer on your card, that price would drop as low $660 or so!Â
Business class deals like this one are rare, but Thrifty Traveler Premium members can get them all straight to their inboxes!
We can't say for sure, but if you've got the The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, you might be able to stack this offer with the 35% points rebate perk to save even more. Any premium cabin ticket booked using points from the Business Platinum Card gets 35% of those points right back.
So long as you charge a total of $1,000 or more to your card in the end, you could reduce your total cash cost using points, get some of those points straight back, and yet still trigger the $300 statement credit.
Where to Find Amex Offers
If you haven’t used Amex Offers before, simply log into your American Express account and scroll down near the bottom of the screen and there should be a box called Amex Offers & Benefits (this is available through the Amex mobile app as well). If you see an offer you like, simply add the offer to the card and make a qualifying purchase at that business with your card.
You should receive a statement credit for the offer within a few days of making a purchase.
Not familiar with Amex Offers? See our complete guide to using Amex Offers.
Bottom Line
Amex offers are great because they’re free money for spending you might be doing anyway, helping offset the annual fee you pay on your credit card. With the right premium cabin fare, this new Amex Offer could help you instantly save $300, making a great flight deal even better.
But be sure to check ASAP and add this offer to your Amex Platinum Card straight away. While you've got until July 20 to make a purchase that triggers this credit, this offer could disappear quickly as Platinum cardholders snap it up.