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American Express often seems like the champagne of credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply. See Fees and Charges), which offers luxury (and practical) benefits to the elite. , lounge access and bonus points and credit data.
American Express Travel makes it easy for Amex cardholders to earn and redeem points and travel through the travel portal. By paying for flights with your Amex cards on the online portal, you can top up your points balance and get benefits like credit on your statement. Or, once you've earned that welcome bonus or accumulated a lot of hard-earned American Express membership program points, you'll have someplace to spend them.
But when is it a good idea to use the Amex travel portal? How to find the best deals? This guide explains all the important details about the American Express travel portal and how to use it to find the best deals.
What is Amex Travel?
American Express Travel is a travel portal developed by American Express where cardholders can book travel packages that include flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, package tours and hotels.
Who can use Amex Travel?
Not everyone can book travel through the Amex travel portal. Only holders of certain American Express cards (such as the Amex Platinum or American Express® Gold card) can make travel reservations. (Conditions apply) Some cards offer additional benefits when you book through the portal.
For example, American Express Platinum Card® members can earn up to $500,000 in American Express travel per calendar year on flights booked directly with airlines or 5 points per dollar spent on pre-booked hotels. 1 point per dollar on other qualifying purchases, plus $200 in prepaid reservations from Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection.
Cardholders can make travel reservations with their registered Amex card or use Amex Membership Rewards points for payment (known as paying with points) if their card is eligible.
How to book with Amex Travel
Using the Amex Travel portal is very easy. Go to AmexTravel.com, log in and search for the trip you want. Once you've found what you want to book, you can choose to use it for payment points (if your card qualifies), a bonus points card (if your card qualifies), or a card-only option.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Amex Travel
Sometimes booking with Amex Travel makes sense, other times it doesn't. Here are some pros and cons to consider
Amex travel benefits
- An easy way to book travel for American Express cardholders
- Ability to earn Membership Rewards points (including Rewards points, based on your Amex card)
- The ability to use points using the "Pay with points" function.
- Simple and easy to use web interface
- American Express Platinum and Centurion® * cardholders enjoy additional money-saving benefits and discounts, such as statement credit and access to the International Airline Program.
Amex Travel Disadvantages
- Sometimes it can be more expensive than booking directly or through other online travel agencies.
- You must select Amex cards to use the portal
- The accumulation of reward points varies according to the card and the type of travel booked
- It may not offer the best value when points are taken; Transfer of points can offer high value
How to use the Amex travel portal and get the best deals
As mentioned above, you can book different types of travel on Amex Travel. Here are some ways to book and get the best deals on the Amex travel portal.
When booking flights, hotels or cruises, remember that in most cases the best deals are available on the Amex travel portal. Booking car rentals or vacation packages isn't likely to offer big savings over other online travel services or additional perks. Platinum and Centurion cardholders generally get the best deals. Read on for more details.
How to use the Amex travel portal to find the best flight deals
One of Amex Travel's best deals in particular is buying luxury fares from the United States or select Canadian departure airports for international flights on 22 airlines thanks to the International Airlines Program, which offers cheaper flights to Platinum and Centrion cardholders and more. . . First international tickets, business class and premium economy class for seven travel companies.
Be sure to select specific eligible flights highlighted with the International Airlines Program logo in the flight search results.
Remember that Platinum Cardholders can earn up to $500,000 with their Platinum Card by earning up to 5 points for every dollar spent on Amex Travel. Meanwhile, Business Platinum Card® members who pay with their card will earn 1.5 points per $5 in Membership Rewards on prepaid flights and hotels with American Express (terms apply. See Rates and Fees). dollar. From US hardware and building materials suppliers, electronics retailers, cloud systems and software providers, and shipping service providers as well as purchases of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million in purchases per year at Solar and 1 point after using dollars or points on other eligible purchases Earn 35% points.
Round trip flights and multi-city flights can be searched on the portal. A special highlight? Whether you use your points for part or all of the payment, you can earn airline miles from the airline of your choice.
Finally, eligible Amex cardholders can take advantage of Insider rates, which are lower rates only available when the account has enough Membership Rewards to cover them (payments must be paid entirely in points). Travelers can earn airline miles when they use the Membership Rewards program to purchase domestic fares.
Although Forbes Advisor rates membership rewards at 1 percent of points when using Amex's travel portal, using internal rates may yield more value. O American Express Business Platinum Card® cardholders can earn 35% of the points earned when they upgrade a fare level on an international flight through an international airline program.
How to use the Amex travel portal to find the best hotel deals
It's easy to do a standard hotel search on the American Express travel portal and compare prices with hotel bookings directly or through another OTA. Please note that Platinum Cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel bookings on Amex Travel. But some of the best deals come from owning an Amex card and booking a special group of hotels like Fine Hotels + Resorts or Hotel Collection.
Luxury hotels and resorts
One of the best offers for Platinum and Centurion cardholders is booking a hotel that is part of the Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program, thanks to additional benefits and perks. The program includes more than 1,300 participating hotels, including:
- Room upgrade upon arrival subject to availability
- Daily breakfast for two
- Late check out is guaranteed at 4pm.
- Check in at 12:00 (if available)
- Free WIFI
- $100 experience credit (usually at a spa or dining room)
Plus, Platinum Cardmembers get a $200 annual credit on prepaid hotel reservations through FHR, which is an exceptionally good deal in some cases.
Note that some FHR properties have other offers, such as a free third, fourth or fifth night or up to a $600 royalty credit, which you can view on the FHR Amex Travel homepage.
Hotel group
Gold, Centrion® by American Express * or Platinum cardholders can get a room upgrade and a $100 experience credit (spa or restaurant) when you book a hotel that's part of the hotel collection for stays of two nights or more. The aforementioned $200 annual government balance can be used for FHR reservations or hotel group reservations for Platinum Cardholders.
How to use the Amex Travel Portal to find the best cruise deals
Get added value when you book a cruise by joining the Cruise Privileges program. Available for Platinum Cardholders on participating ships (14-18 members) on cruises for five nights or more. Benefits include shipping credits of $100 to $300 per class or special services. Eligible Amex cardholders can earn 2 Membership Rewards per dollar spent on cruise bookings.
What is the payment of points?
We've mentioned paying with points several times in this post, so we want to point out that you can use your points to cover some or all of your expenses when you book through Amex Travel. You should wait to see the full charge on your credit card. Within 48 hours, the points credit should be credited to your statement. You need to spend at least 5,000 points to use this special feature.
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Is booking through the AMEX travel portal a good deal?
The answer is not always black or white: it depends.
You can try using your points to book travel through Amex Travel to see if it's a good deal. According to Forbes Advisor, Amex Membership Rewards must be worth at least one penny when redeemed on Amex Travel. However, travelers can get more value by redeeming points on the Amex travel portal using inline pricing. Business Platinum cardholders get 35% points back and get ready for the most valuable flight space.
It's true that transferring points to airlines can get you better redemption rates in some cases. However, the airline you want to fly with is probably not an Amex partner carrier. Or, the ease of booking through Amex Travel seems easier than learning the various transfer partners' loyalty program redemption details.
So while we don't recommend using Membership Rewards points for Amazon gift cards, you can still get great value for your points using the Amex Travel Portal, especially if you take advantage of some of the benefits offered by Platinum cards.
When it comes to hotel reservations, booking hotels that are part of the FHR and Hotel Collection programs can provide even greater value to eligible cardholders by taking advantage of additional benefits and privileges. However, you should balance this by booking through the hotel website where you can earn more hotel loyalty points.
But earning 5 Membership Rewards per dollar spent on prepaid hotel bookings on Amex Travel can be more valuable than earning 1 or 2 hotel points per dollar spent on direct bookings, especially when upgrading to hotel programs.
Finding the best deals on the Amex travel portal is just like finding the best deals anywhere else – you just need to know where to look and do your homework. Oh, and getting a Platinum Card doesn't hurt either.
For American Express Platinum Card rates and fees, please visit this page.
To view American Express Business Platinum Card rates and fees, please visit this page.
