What are the best American Express Platinum travel benefits?

The best American Express Platinum card benefits are baggage insurance and return protection. The Platinum Card® from American Express also has extended warranty and purchase protection, which are more common perks across American Express cards.

American Express Platinum card Benefits

• Baggage insurance
• Return protection
• Extended warranty
• Purchase protection
• Lowest hotel rates guarantee
• Instant card numbers
• Rental car insurance
• Airport lounge access
... read full answer
• Air travel fees reimbursement
• Statement credits for eligible hotel bookings

Along with these benefits, the American Express Platinum card has a $695 annual fee and gives rewards on all purchases. As long as you have good credit, The Platinum Card® from American Express is certainly a card to consider adding to your wallet.

Yes, Amex Platinum is worth it for travelers with good credit who spend a lot and can take advantage of the card’s benefits. Amex Platinum benefits include a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit, airport lounge access, up to $200 in Uber credits per year and up to $200 in airline fee credits annually, and more. The card’s initial bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months also goes a long way toward making the card worth its $695 annual fee.... read full answer

For the first year alone, you could wind up with at least $1,600 in net value (rewards and other perks, minus the $695 annual fee). The American Express Platinum card’s second year will have the same annual fee, but the total value of your benefits in year two would only be about $800 if you spent the same amount on the card as year one, according to WalletHub's research.

To really make money with this card after the first year, you’d have to spend a lot more. That said, many of the card’s perks are ongoing. You’ll benefit more if your purchases qualify for Amex Platinum’s ongoing bonus rewards rates, and if you utilize Amex Platinum’s complimentary Gold status in the Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors hotel loyalty programs (enrollment required).

All in all, Amex Platinum is a good card for big spenders who travel all the time and can wring every drop of value out of its benefits. But it’s far too expensive for light spenders and occasional travelers.

Yes, the American Express Platinum card does have travel insurance benefits, the best of which are trip cancellation and interruption insurance and car rental loss and damage insurance. To be eligible to file a travel insurance claim, you’ll need to pay for your travel using your American Express Platinum card.

Types of American Express Platinum card Travel Insurance

• ... read full answerTrip delay insurance: This benefit reimburses you for necessary expenses – such as a hotel room, for example – if your trip is delayed for more than 6 hours.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: This benefit covers your trip for unforeseen cancellations or for interruptions that cut your trip short. It only applies to pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses.
• Lost/damaged baggage insurance: If your luggage is lost or stolen, you can get reimbursed for the contents of the luggage up to $3,000 for carry-on baggage and up to $2,000 for checked baggage, per covered person.
• Rental car insurance: This benefit covers the cardholder for damage to the rental vehicle that results from collision or theft.

Exclusions and coverage limits apply to many of these benefits, so make sure to check your American Express Platinum card’s guide to benefits for more details on each type of insurance.