And the bonus was, my annual fee was not due yet, and the price increase along with the increases happened last September. So last year I was able to get $150 Lululemon credits, $200 restaurant credits, and $400 in hotel credits. An extra $750 in benefits the year before my annual fee was set to go up. And then I get that amount again this yar, and more!
The added hotel credits went from $200 once a year with $100 for incidentals to 2x $300 a year with $100 for incidentals each stay. And the trick I pulled is, I booked 2 nights for June in December. Then in January when the benefits reset for travel (it is bi-annual) I booked the subsequent 2 nights at the Swan hotel in Walt Disney World. So for 4 nights, I get $600 in savings, plus $200 in credits to spend! That is almost the entire cost of the card for the primary card holder!
The Lululemon credit is quarterly. I use it for gift cards for the blog, the trick being, you have to order physical, not egift, cards online. I suggest you use that loophole if you want to save up for something more expensive!
The restaurant credit is through an app called Resy. There are so many places in that app that we spend that $100 normally, so it is a free $400 a year for us! Again, this is $100 quarterly and money does not rollover. And all you have to do is sign up for these extras on the Amex portal!
Lastly, there is a credit back for spending $120 on Uber One. This is part of the Uber app that gets you further discounts. Just make sure you pay that annual fee from your Amex card and not any credits in your Uber account. I made that mistake and was able to fix it with Amex’s customer service!
The digital credit also went up by $60, I use it for Disney Plus and the NYTimes online.
Total annual benefit from the above = $1680.
These are the credits I was already receiving:
$200 Uber credit. $15 a month, $35 in December. We use Uber a few times a month, and I also pair this with Uber gift cards from Costco purchased at a 20-25% discount. Then I may use Uber Eats with a promo to save even more.
$100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit. $50 every 6 months. Confirming the credit still works with Saks declaring bankruptcy!
$240 digital entertainment credit. I subscribe to a Disney/Hulu bundle for $19.99 a month. This credit covers that.
$168 Walmart deliver credit. $14 a month is credited back, which includes the tax. Unlimited free deliveries from Walmart, and it includes a free subscription to Peacock!
$209 CLEAR credit for speedier ways through airline security. I pair this with one of my airline memberships, like United, for a discount, and then I use the remainder towards my hubby’s Clear membership.
$200 airline fee travel credit. Pick an airline and you can get up to $200 back on things like food ordered on the plane, luggage fees, seat upgrades. And, if you have a United Airlines account, there is a hack to add the $200 every year to your account there, it can grow and go toward a ticket purchase.
$120 TSA credit, good once every 5 years, which is when the renewal is due. If you have a second card for $275 (which is mine, the main card is in my hubby’s name), that card is eligible for the $100 TSA credit as well.
$300 Equinox Credit (there are online hacks which suggest that you can get a 1 week free membership and then cancel, but before you do use the $300 for massages at Equinox!)
We are up to $1537 in benefits that I automatically use without trying!
Over $3200 in savings for $1090! Even if you do not use everything, I do not use a few of these, the savings is still a couple of thousand! That cost includes the second card for my spouse at $195. Over $200 in benefits after Ipay the fee! And there are more, some I do not use, but you may!
The sign-up bonus can be 80,000-100,000 points. I am able to get a 1:1 ratio (it is usually far less than this) to use 69,500 points to pay the $695 fee last year. Just call and ask what retention deals they have going! And since I earn points with every purchase, that can be used for gift card purchases and point transfers to various airlines and hotel programs! Keep an eye out for bonuses, I just got an extra 30% extra hotel points when I transferred my Amex points to my Marriott account!!
You can call and get a free Priority Pass membership for use at first class lounges in most airports (and if you fly Delta, Delta lounge access, and the Amex Centurion club access at select airports). And if they do not have a lounge, you may get a generous food credit for a nice meal at one of the airport restaurants. And the Amex Platinum gets you Hilton Honors Gold Status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status!
WAIT! There are more savings!
There are more categories of BONUSES to be aware of as well! I sometimes use them, so they are not in my initial calculation above that I automatically save. Almost 100 current extra offers on the card, you have to add them to your card for them to be activated, here is a copy of my offer page with a sampling:
Check out the offers as they change every few weeks or so. You have to add them to the card, this takes more time, and to save money, I have plenty of time! These extra savings will add up, for me it is another few hundred dollars in savings every year!
The American Express Platinum card is not just free; I make a profit off of it! And over $1000 more now that they have increased the benefits so generously, even with the $200 membership fee increase!
Use my Amex referral link. Use it and we could both earn rewards if you are approved and get a Card. The current offer is 80,000 points when you sign up now! DM me for the link for you to get 80,000 points!
Try the card for one year, enjoy thousands of dollars in benefits, and then you can still walk away with $800 in Amex points if you do not renew. Free money! Just use or transfer the points before you cancel!
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