How To Use & Maximize $200 Hotel Credit With American Express Platinum Card For Fine Hotels & Resorts

One of the new benefits of the American Express Platinum Card is the annual $200 hotel statement credits on prepaid Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings made through the Amex Travel website. 

In this post, I will explain how the Amex Platinum $200 Hotel Credit benefit works and answer some commonly asked questions about using the credit. Finally, I’ll provide some ideas on maximizing the credit, specifically for Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR). 

How Does Amex Platinum $200 Hotel Credit Work?

If you are used to Amex Offers, Amex Saks Fifth Avenue Statement Credits, or Amex Walmart+ Membership Statement Credits benefits on the Platinum Card, the Amex Platinum $200 hotel credit works pretty much the same. 

• When using your Platinum Card to book the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection through Amex Travel, you can receive up to $200 back in statement credits. 
• You do not have to spend $200 at once in one transaction, and you receive the statement credit each time you spend in combined eligible hotel bookings on your Platinum Card. 
• The benefit goes by the calendar year from January 1 through December 31 each year. 
• The bookings must be “prepaid,” referred to as “Pay Now” on the American Express Platinum Travel site. 
• Enrollment for this benefit is not required. 

Is the Amex Platinum $200 hotel credit benefit based on the calendar or Card membership year?

The benefit goes by the calendar year, so be sure to use it before December 31 each year. The Amex Platinum $200 hotel credit benefit resets on January 1 each year. 

Do you need to spend $200 in one transaction to get the Platinum Hotel credit?

No. You receive “up to” $200 back in statement credits. 

Each time you spend on an eligible Amex FHR booking made through Amex Travel, you will receive a statement credit for that amount. If the amount is less than $200, you will have unused credit for the future eligible booking until the benefit’s end date, December 31 of that year. 

Is there a minimum night required to get Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits?

No. Unlike The Hotel Collection, there is no minimum number of nights required to receive the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts statement credit. In addition, you can get all the FHR benefits mentioned above on a one-night stay. 

Can multiple Platinum Cards be used for back-to-back stays to get additional Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits?

Understandably, you may have multiple Amex Platinum Cards in your household, and you want to maximize the $200 hotel statement credits to get multiple FHR perks on consecutive night stays at an FRH hotel. 

One real-world example is if there are two of you, each with an American Express Platinum Card. You want to book a one-night stay at an FHR property, and each receives all the Amex FHR perks, including the $100 on-property credit per night, plus a $200 hotel statement credit for each Amex account for a luxurious two-night stay somewhere in the world. 

Unfortunately, while each of you can book a 1-night stay at the same FHR property for consecutive night stays and gets the Amex $200 hotel statement credit for each Platinum account, Amex has updated the terms regarding back-to-back stays ineligible for multiple FHR benefits:

Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits.

Maximizing Amex Platinum Card $200 Hotel Statement Credits

Use the $200 Hotel Credit and Enjoy Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts Elite Benefits.

When you book each Fine Hotels & Resorts property stay through the Amex Travel site, you receive exclusive benefits in addition to your Amex Platinum $200 hotel statement credit. 

These benefits are typically available to hotel rewards program members with elite status. However, by booking with the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program, you can enjoy all these perks without having any elite level with the hotel: 

• Noon check-in, when available
• Room upgrade upon arrival, when available
• Daily breakfast for two people
• Guaranteed 4 pm late check-out
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Special amenities unique to each property include on-property credits valued at least $100 for spa or food and beverage. 

Use the $200 Hotel Credit and Earn 5x Points on Travel With American Express Platinum Card.

Remember that as an American Express Platinum Card member, you get 5x American Express Membership Rewards (MR) points per $1 spent on all prepaid hotel bookings, including the Fine Hotels & Resorts on Amex Travel. 

Check Amex Offers For Fine Hotels and Resorts

From time to time, American Express may have an offer for Fine Hotels and Resorts bookings that you can add that offer to your American Express Platinum Card. 

For example, there used to be the following Amex Offer on Fine Hotels + Resorts that has expired now:

• Get a one-time $150 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to spend a minimum of $800 in one or more transactions on prepaid hotel bookings with Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection properties with American Express Travel by xx date.

I do not know when the Fine Hotels + Resorts Amex Offer returns, so check your Amex account regularly, especially if you have any upcoming FHR bookings. Alternatively, subscribe to our blog posts below to be notified when that offer returns.

Check American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts Promotions and Special Offers

The Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program has dedicated promotions and offers pages that you can check for exclusive benefits with each participating property. In addition to the elite benefits you receive with Fine Hotels and Resorts bookings, you can also receive a complimentary night, additional property credit, etc., that vary by each Fine Hotels and Resorts property. 

• Direct Link to the Amex Fine Hotel + Resorts Offers by Property.

Use Up the $200 Hotel Credit Before Closing Your Platinum Card

If you decide to close your American Express Platinum Card, consider using up your Card’s $200 hotel credit before making that final decision. 

Technically, you were still the card member when you used that Amex Platinum $200 hotel credit benefit. American Express will not claw back that credit once used for an eligible transaction. The good news is that this benefit requires the transaction to be prepaid, so you do not have to wait until your check-out date to receive the statement credits, which is an ideal way to maximize that credit by saving on the Card’s annual fee because this credit is a calendar year’s benefit.

What I mean by that, for example:

• You applied for the American Express Platinum Card in July 2024 and can enjoy all its benefits, including the $200 hotel credit, until the end of December 2024. 
• Starting January 1, 2025, the $200 hotel credit benefit resets. 
• You have until July 2025 to spend that $200 hotel credit again before your Card’s annual fee is charged and posted to your account. 
• If you decide to close your Platinum Card, you will already have a total of $400 hotel statement credits. 

Can I Use the $200 Hotel Credit For Future Reservations Next Calendar Year?

Yes. Moreover, you can now change the date on an Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts booking. See below. 

Changing the Date on Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts For Future Reservations Next Calendar Year

American Express travel platform allows you to change the date on Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts bookings. The process can all be done online by viewing your reservation and clicking the blue Change Dates button. You do not have to cancel and rebook if the price drops or you want to change the stay date for the next calendar year to use the $200 hotel credit for this calendar year plus another $200 hotel credit for the next calendar year. 

However, you need to know one crucial piece of information regarding Amex FHR booking. If you cancel the 2024 “modified” reservation in 2025 and are still in the free cancellation window, Amex will refund you, but they will also claw back the $200 hotel credit issued to you in 2024. 

The bottom line is, subject to the hotel’s cancellation policy on your booking’s terms:

• If you cancel an FHR booking in the next calendar year using the previous year’s hotel credit and receive a refund, Amex will claw back the hotel credit issued to you in the previous year, and you will lose the $200 hotel credit for that year. 
• If you cancel an FHR booking in the current year that you made the reservation and receive a refund, Amex will claw back the hotel credit but will reissue the credit for any future eligible FHR bookings through the end of that year. 

I’ll talk more below on cancellation and refunds with the Amex $200 Hotel Credit. 

Can I Use the $200 Hotel Credit For Someone Else?

Yes. American Express Travel platform now allows you to modify the guest name information before finalizing a booking.

What are the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts like?

If you are new to Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR), they are worldwide luxury properties hand-picked by American Express. You can expect those properties to be “the world’s most luxurious hotels and resorts,” as American Express describes. 

Luxury comes with high costs, so the $200 hotel credit can help. Moreover, by booking Fine Hotels & Resorts through the Amex Travel site, you will also receive on-property benefits ranging from complimentary daily breakfast, room upgrades, and hotel credits that vary based on the property and availability.

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Directory List

If you go straight to the Amex Travel site and start searching, the site will display all hotels and resorts, but you can filter through which property falls under the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program. But there’s another easy way to find the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts list based on the destination:

• Direct Link to the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Directory

How to Find the Cheapest Fine Hotels and Resorts Properties to Use Amex Platinum $200 Hotel Credit?

“Cheap” and “Luxury” don’t go together often. However, if you are flexible in your dates and you don’t really care which property you’re staying at, here’s a tip for finding a cheap Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts property:

Perform the following steps using the computer desktop’s web browser:

• Go to the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Directory
• Enter the destination that you are interested in. Do not click on Explore Benefits
• A list of Fine Hotels + Resorts properties is displayed.
• Go through the list and find the property you may be interested in. 
• Next, go to Google Hotels
• Enter the hotel name that you saw from the list above. 
• Click the View Prices button on the next page, and Google will launch a new page.
• Click on the “Check in” field to bring up a calendar, and go through each date on that calendar to find the lowest rate for that particular property. See the screenshot below. 
• Once you find the date you want, go to the Platinum travel site to start searching, compare the rates you found, and book! See the step-by-step guide below: How to Use Amex Platinum $200 Hotel Credit?

How to Use Amex Platinum $200 Hotel Credit?

Using the Amex Platinum $200 hotel credit benefit is relatively straightforward, and the challenging part is to find an FHR property that offers a reasonable rate. If you have not, you should read the above section: How to Find the Cheapest Fine Hotels and Resorts Properties to Use Amex Platinum $200 Hotel Credit?

• Go to the Amex feature hotel search site.
  • Please note that the above Link will only show Fine Hotels and Resorts properties. You must go directly to the Amex Travel site to see The Hotel Collection and others.
• Click the “Log In” button at the top of the page to log into your Amex account. 
• Enter the hotel name or destination you are interested in and other search parameters. 
• A list of Fine Hotels + Resorts is displayed. You can sort by special offer or hotel name.
  • If you want to see The Hotel Collection and others, search on the Amex Travel site instead. 
• Go through the list and select the property that you are interested in. 
• Find the room type you want, and view the cancellation policy if flexibility is important to you. Then click the Book button.
• If the property offers payment options between Pay Now or Pay at Hotel, you must choose Pay Now for the Amex Platinum $200 hotel credit to work. 
• On the next page, fill in your information, including your hotel’s loyalty number, if you want to earn loyalty benefits at that specific hotel. See this section for more details. 
• Use your American Express Platinum Card to pay for the reservation.
  • The Pay + Points option is also available, but you must use your Platinum Card to pay for the cash portion to receive the credit. Also, ensure you get good values from your American Express Membership Rewards (MR) points this way. 
• Finally, if everything looks good, you can complete your booking by clicking the Book My Room button.
• The charge will appear pending in your Platinum Card account right away. Once the eligible charge is posted to your account, you will receive Amex Platinum hotel credits (up to $200) within a few days. The reimbursement process is automatic, so asking Amex for that is unnecessary. 

American Express Travel Platinum Service Phone Number

Alternatively, suppose you do not want to book Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts online. You can call the Amex Travel Platinum Service at 1-800-297-2977 to assist with reservation-related requests. 

How long does it take to receive Amex’s $200 hotel statement credit?

The time it takes American Express to issue the $200 hotel statement credits is pretty much the same as the time it takes to issue the other Amex statement credits you are already used to, such as the Amex Airline Fee Statement Credit, Amex Saks Fifth Avenue Statement Credits, and Amex Walmart+ Membership Statement Credits benefits on the Platinum card. 

Once the eligible purchase is posted to your Amex account, Amex will issue the hotel statement credit to your account in 2 to 7 days. In my case, it only took one day! See the screenshot below. 

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Cancellation Policy

To get the Amex Platinum $200 hotel credit each year, you must book a Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection with Amex Travel. You must also use your American Express Platinum Card to pay for that reservation at the time of booking, known as Pay Now. 

This prepayment type means that you pay upfront for the hotel’s reservation, and it does not mean that you cannot change or cancel the reservation to get a refund. All bookings are still subject to the cancellation policy set by each property, and the terms are clearly stated on your booking before you pay and book. 

Can I Change the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Date?

Yes. See the above section: Changing the Date on Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts For Future Reservations Next Calendar Year.

Will Amex Claw Back the Hotel Credit For Refunds Due to Cancellation?

Yes. 

Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) bookings can be canceled and refunded according to the cancellation policy in the hotel’s booking terms. 

If your booking is eligible for a refund due to cancellation, Amex will issue you the refund. However, Amex will also take back the hotel credit issued to you. You can rebook, and Amex will reissue the hotel credit for your future eligible FHR booking accordingly. The process is all done automatically by American Express. 

Alternatively, if you only want to change the dates or the room type, you can change the reservation instead of canceling and rebooking. 

Does Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Earn Hotel Points & Elite Night Credits?

There are quite a few popular hotels and resorts under the Fine Hotels & Resorts collection that have rewards programs, such as MARRIOTT, HYATT, and HILTON, to name a few. 

Generally speaking, hotel bookings made through Amex Travel are considered third-party bookings. Those bookings typically do not earn any hotel points or elite night credits because hotels require that you book directly with them. The good news is booking Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts does qualify for hotel loyalty programs such as earning points, earning elite night credits, and enjoying elite perks. 

When you make an FHR booking on Amex Travel, there’s an entry field where you can provide your loyalty number before finalizing your booking. See the screenshot below. 

Suppose you want to be sure whether your booking with Amex FHR will qualify for your desired hotel loyalty program. In that case, I recommend that you make a prepaid FHR reservation that offers a refundable cancellation policy. After your booking, you can contact the property directly and ask if your stay will be eligible to earn points and elite night credits. You can cancel the reservation without penalty if the property refuses to recognize your loyalty benefits.