How to Use the Amex Platinum Card’s New $600 Hotel Credit

*amex platinum* comes with an overwhelming amount of benefits and “money-saving” credits to help justify the card's annual_fees annual fee (see rates & fees). Some perks are questionable, while others are quite good. But after the card's recent facelift, one shines brighter than the rest: It's up to $600 annual hotel credit.

Each and every year, cardholders get up to a $600 credit to use toward prepaid stays at Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) and The Hotel Collection properties (two-night minimum stay for The Hotel Collection) booked through American Express Travel®. This credit is split in two and doled out twice a year: You'll get $300 to use from January through June and another $300 ($600 total) to use from July through December. If you're able to make good use of both credits, this is an easy way to offset a good chunk of your card's annual fee – plus, get some great perks at top-tier hotels around the globe during your stay.

Additionally, after a recent “refresh” of its own, this benefit is now available on *biz platinum* as well.

But it's up to you to actually put this credit to use each year. So let's walk through how it works and everything you need to know about using it.

Learn more about *amex platinum*.

How Does the $600 Hotel Credit Work?

Cardholders now get an annual credit of up to $600 to use for prepaid hotel stays broken up into two, $300 semiannual credits. You'll get $300 to use from January through June and another $300 to use from July through December. Unfortunately, this credit doesn't rollover and any unused amounts will be forfeited.

Unlike the laundry list of statement credits on most Amex cards, this one is fairly easy to use. All you need to do to get started is search for and book eligible hotels through Amex Travel. Just know, this credit only applies to Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) or Hotel Collection properties – Amex's curated portfolio of hotels and resorts around the world. Notably, bookings at Hotel Collection properties require a minimum stay of two consecutive nights.

The upside to booking through these hotels through Amex (besides the credit) is that both programs provide some really great value. With either hotel portfolio, you'll get elite-like benefits such as complimentary space-available room upgrades, late checkout, and a credit of up to $100 to spend at the property's spa or restaurants. FHR bookings also get complimentary daily breakfast for two.

Unlike some of the other Amex Platinum benefits, there is no need to enroll in this benefit before you use it. All you need to do is book through Amextravel.com and pay with your Amex Platinum Card. The $300 credit will kick in automatically – typically, just a few days later.

A few other important things to note:

• These credits reset semiannually based on the calendar year – not your cardmember year. That means each credit expires June 30 or Dec. 31, and you get a new one on July 1 and Jan. 1, regardless of when you opened your Platinum Card.
• To get the credit of up to $300, you only need to book by the end of each semiannual time period. Since the credit is for prepaid stays, you can book a stay today for a trip far in the future. You just need to make sure the charges are posted before the end of the proper time period.
• If you book a property that doesn't cost $300, you can use the credit across multiple bookings. That's nice … although many (but not all) eligible properties will cost upwards of $300 per night, so it may be a moot point.
• When you book through Amex Travel with your Amex Platinum, you'll still earn 5x points per dollar. That includes bookings that trigger your $300 Amex Platinum hotel credit.

Once you book, American Express states that the credit can take up to 90 days to post to your account. In practice, it's typically much quicker.

Members of the Thrifty Traveler team who have used the $300 Amex Hotel credit this year have reported it hitting their account within a few days of the booking. In fact, I made a booking last Thursday, and just one day later my $300 credit posted to my account. 

While it might not always post that quickly, you definitely shouldn't have to wait 90 days to receive it.

If you still don’t see that statement credit posted to your account, you can reach out to Amex via the chat function in your online account or via the number on the back of your card.

How to Find Eligible Properties to Use Your Hotel Credit

First things first, you'll need to start your search on Amextravel.com.

Make sure you are on the “Hotels” tab, enter the number of travelers and rooms you're looking for, dates, and the city where you are looking to stay.

Once you start your search, you'll get a full list of hotels that are bookable through Amex Travel. But remember, to use your semiannual $300 hotel credit, you must book a Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection property. These properties typically show up at the top of your results, though you can filter to only display these properties about halfway down the page.

For this example, I searched for properties in Las Vegas, where there's no shortage of Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts properties. In fact, Amex shows 10 options available for a one-night stay next June – plus another six The Hotel Collection properties for a two-night stay.

After selecting the Wynn Las Vegas, it will provide you with more information on the Fine Hotels + Resorts Benefits, like daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade (when available), guaranteed late check-out, noon check-in (when available), complimentary Wi-Fi, and a $100 spa credit to be used during the stay.

In general, you can expect to pay a bit more per night when booking through Amex Travel as opposed to other platforms or directly through the hotel itself. But the extra perks can easily outweigh that additional cost – and sometimes, you'll find the same price or even a little cheaper.

A Handy Tool to Maximize Your Credits

There are thousands of properties in Amex's combined Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection portfolio. All of them are eligible to put this credit to use.

But a $300 credit only goes so far at ultra-luxe, expensive properties you might not even be interested in – and some destinations and regions have more quality hotels to choose from than others. You might struggle to find a property anywhere close to that $300-a-night sweet spot.

That's where MaxFHR.com comes in. This online search tool comes from the makers of MaxMyPoint.com, an incredibly useful tool to view flexible calendar availability for nights bookable with points at Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG properties.

MaxFHR is fantastic because it lets you flip through tons of eligible properties, sorting them based on the lowest available price. You can search by destination, then use a flexible calendar to scan through any given month.

It's an easy tool to use, and if you're flexible with your travel dates, this could be an easy way to score some major savings! Just click on any of the dates to redirect you to the Amex Travel booking portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There a Minimum Stay Requirement?

In order to use your semiannual $300 hotel credit on the Platinum Card, you need to make sure your stay qualifies:

• At a Fine Hotels & Resorts property, you can book a one-night stay and still be eligible for the $300 credit
• But with The Hotel Collection, you must book a stay of at least two nights to use that credit

Case in point: If you search for a one-night stay on Amextravel.com, you won't see any Hotel Collection properties in your results, period.

Do You Have to Use It by June 30 & Dec. 31 Each Year?

Yes. The $300 credit is a use-it-or-lose-it benefit. That means it won't roll over into the following half year if you don't use it.

That said, since you're booking a prepaid hotel stay, you could use that credit now for a stay far out into the future. That should give you far more flexibility – and plenty of time – to find a way to use it up.

Do Business Platinum Cardholders Get up to $600 of Hotel Credits?

Have *biz platinum*? After a recent update to the card, cardholders now get the same up to $600 credit ($300 twice a year). 

Do Platinum Card Authorized Users Get Their Own $300 Hotel Credit?

From unrivaled lounge access to a free membership in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, the American Express Platinum card has the richest set of travel perks on the market. And by adding an Amex Platinum authorized user, your travel companion can share many of them.

Unfortunately, Platinum Card authorized users won't get their own $300 hotel credit. You'll get two $300 credits each year per account, no matter whether you have an authorized user or not.

Related Reading: Everything You Need to Know About Credit Card Authorized Users

Can You Use the Platinum Hotel Credit On Multiple Bookings?

In theory, you can use the hotel credit on multiple bookings.

For example, if you booked a Fine Hotels & Resorts property that cost $150 a night, you would get $150 of your $300 credit and still have $150 to use on a future booking through the end of the year.

But in practice, you won't find many FHR or Hotel Collection properties that are cheap enough to apply the credit across multiple bookings.

What Happens If You Cancel A Booking?

Change and cancellation policies vary from property to property. But as a general rule of thumb, if you cancel a booking and don't make another new reservation, expect that Amex will claw the $300 credit you received back.

If you make another booking before the credit expires, it should be safe.

Will My Hotel Elite Status Benefits Be Recognized On These Bookings?

Maybe … maybe not?

Typically, booking any hotel through an online travel agency (OTA) – like Amex Travel – means you shouldn't expect hotel elite status recognition or benefits, including earning points. That said, Amex Travel is typically treated a bit differently (and better) than your average third-party agency. So be sure to plug your hotel loyalty number into your reservation. It's no guarantee, but in our experience it's worked at some hotels!

Read more: Can You Earn Hotel Points By Booking Through An OTA?

Bottom Line

The new-look Amex Platinum Card comes with a credit of up to $600 for prepaid hotel bookings at both Fine Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Collection properties made through Amex Travel. This is easily among the best on its long list of benefits and making good use of it goes a long way to justifying the card's steep annual fee.

Use it right, and you can extract a lot of value from this great new benefit.