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If you consider yourself to be a novice nomad, like myself, or are already a seasoned globe trotter, do yourself a favor and consider getting an American Express Platinum card. This is one of the best travel credit cards around (up there with the Capital One Venture card), and has many perks for everyday life, too!
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Published: March 18, 2023
Annual Fee
$695
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Here's the trick:
If you are active duty in the U.S. military or a dependent of an active duty U.S. military member, the annual fee is waived. You read that right! The card and all of it's benefits are completely free, just sign up with the service member's SSN and any other verification info that is required.
Note that dependent's line of credit will be issued as a secondary cardholder, with the service member being the primary cardholder. Both cards will also be mailed to the same address (the primary cardholder's billing address), you cannot have the cards sent elsewhere.
Our Favorite
Perks
The perks that we initally got this card for:
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Airport Lounges
The perks that we love that are included:
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$200 Airline Incidental Fee Credit
This was major for us when we flew to Tahiti! We booked seats separately from the cost of the flight, and the seats end up costing us $205. Because we charged the seats to our Platinum card, AmEx refunded us $200, leaving us to only have to pay $5 and some change for our selected seats together. You can read more in the "General Tips and Reviews" section of our trip to Tahiti, here.
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$240 Digital Entertainment Credit
We don't pay for Hulu or Paramount Plus anymore! When you switch your new or existing account's subscription charge card to your AmEx Platinum, American Express will reimburse up to $20/month of subscription fees for Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, SiriusXM, and The New York Times.
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$200 Uber Cash
On the first of every month, I automatically get an Uber Cash credit in my Uber account for $15 that I can use for either Uber rides or UberEats orders, simply because I connected my Platinum card to the app. In December, they give you a bonus $20!
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Waived Global Entry Fee
Jarren and I both have Global Entry memberships already, but it's nice to know that we won't have to pay to renew our memberships in a few years, because the Platinum Card waives the application fee!
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For a full list of more benefits, visit the American Express website here.
Lounge Experience
So far we have only experienced two lounges: The Centurion Lounge in JFK, and Delta Sky Club at LAX.
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I loved the Centurion Lounge in JFK! All food and drinks, no matter what you wanted, were complimentary. I asked the bartender for an Aperol Spritz and that man gave me the strongest one I've ever had. Jarren chugged a margarita right before our flight from JFK to LAX and he had the time of his life before he fell asleep on the flight. The food at this lounge is all freshly made by a chef and his team, and the menu is curated based on the season. There are two floors, multiple bars and kitchens, work & meeting spaces, showers, there's even an Equinox in there. I cannot wait to have an excuse to go back.
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We've been to the Delta Sky Club in Terminal 3, twice. The food is eh, not all drinks are "all-inclusive", but this lounge is definitely bigger than the Centurion in JFK.
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Lounges are a great way to save money and time in an airport when you have a layover. Their bathrooms are always spotless and there is always a good spot to sleep, in my opinion. 12/10 would recommend.
Referral
Information
Big shoutout to my friend Alexandra Watkins, because I never would've known to get this card had she not shared her great experience with it.
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If this card is something that interests you, please use my referral link below! Using my link, you'll get 80,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $6,000 in purchases within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, if you apply for by 6/7/23, you can receive up to $200 back as statement credits on purchases during your first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
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Link:
https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/JARREBm3Pm?xl=cp19
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