Reminder To Use Your Amex Platinum US$200 Hotel Credit Early This Year

We’re five months into the new calendar year, and I think it’s a good time to remind Amex cardholders that it’s time to make good use of the annual $200 hotel credit before getting under pressure towards year’s end again.

Many of these credits are based on the calendar year, so if you don’t use them timely enough, they will disappear into thin air, and you will lose whatever full or residual value is left of them.

My main reason for suggesting using the hotel credit early on is that you can use it for something convenient without being forced to buy something that wasn’t planned or needed.

The later it gets in the year, the less likely an opportunity will arise

A variety of premium credit cards in the U.S. market (and abroad as well nowadays), offer an annual travel credit that ranges between $100-$300 in value and that can be used in many different ways, some more flexible than others.

The Amex Platinum US$200 hotel credit for Fine Hotels and Resorts (1 Night minimum), as well as The Hotel Collection (2 Night minimum), is probably the most valuable credit that should definitely be used.

While you don’t have a minimum stay with Fine Hotels & Resorts and can just stay a night, get your $100 credit and then move to another hotel the next day, The Hotel Collection has a minimum of two nights but also a more expansive selection of properties.

The basis for any FHR booking is usually the Flexible Standard Rate a specific hotel has listed which means that most often it’s more expensive than the best available rate. It’s important to compare the rates and value the benefits realistically.

Cardholders can enjoy the following benefits:

• Early check-in when available
• Room Upgrade (room type not specified)
• Daily full breakfast
• 4 PM Late Checkout
• Min. $100 Experience Credit (usually a F&B credit, but some hotels only give a spa credit)

For example, I have a trip to Hong Kong coming up, and I often keep an eye on the Langham in Kowloon, a member of the Fine Hotels & Resorts portfolio. They usually have decent rates hovering around US$200.

I found another US$193 rate, which, after tax, came out to $218:

The credit was posted to my account within 36 hours:

I’m quite happy staying at the Langham for $18 out of pocket before moving to the Sheraton or Hyatt. With the USD$100 food credit, which is rather worthwhile at the Langham, this is a rather valuable use of the hotel credit.

In the past I often recommended to use it in Las Vegas due to the many FHR properties there that have low midweek rates but the resort fees have largely destroyed the value.

There should be something for everyone as far as the hotels are concerned, and even if you don’t want to use the hotel stay right now, you can always prepay for a future date, and the credit applies as long as you book before the end of December.

Conclusion

The American Express Platinum hotel credit of $200/calendar year is a very nice thing to extract value from the card. The balance doesn’t have to be used up all at once. You can make bookings for less than that and retain any remaining balance.

At the same time, if your booking exceeds the $200 price tag, you just pay the difference as max $200 will be refunded.

In fact, when staying many nights, I’d probably check for cheaper rates rather than overpaying with the FHR rate every day. The advantage: Elite status is not needed. That being said, anyone who is eligible to book Amex FHR (Platinum, Centurion) also has access to a range of hotel elite tiers, such as Hilton Gold.

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