American Express Platinum Card: Massive Changes Coming September 18th!
Hold on to your hats, travel enthusiasts! Philip from Points of Phillip here, bringing you some major news regarding the American Express Platinum card. Get ready, because things are about to get a whole lot more valuable!
The Platinum Card is Getting a Refresh
We knew a refresh was coming, but now we have a confirmed date: September 18th. This is when the new benefits will officially kick in. This means that sometime between today, August 15th, 2025, and September 18th, American Express will be announcing some significant changes to the card.
Confirmed: HUGE Increase to the Hotel Credit
Here's the bombshell: the annual hotel credit is jumping from $200 to a whopping $600! This credit applies to bookings made through American Express Travel at Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) or The Hotel Collection (THC) for stays of two nights or more.
Here’s the breakdown directly from the AMEX terms:
Basic card members on US consumer platinum card accounts are eligible to receive up to $300 in statement credits semiannually (January to June and July through December) for up to a total of $600 per calendar year when they or additional platinum card members use their cards to pay for eligible prepaid Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection bookings made through American Express Travel.
This is a game-changer!
Why This is a Big Deal
The FHR and THC programs are fantastic, even if you already have hotel status! When booking through these programs, you get:
A property credit (usually $100)
Free breakfast (at FHR properties)
Early check-in (when available)
Room upgrades (when available)
Late 4:00 PM checkout (guaranteed at FHR)
You earn 5x Membership Rewards points when booking prepaid rates with your Platinum card through Amex Travel. Getting $300 back every six months makes this an incredibly valuable perk. You can even add your existing hotel loyalty program number (like Hilton Diamond) to get those benefits on top of the FHR/THC perks.
The Catch: A Likely Annual Fee Increase
With this massive increase in value, it's almost certain the annual fee will jump significantly. The current rumor is $895, but with an extra $400 in value on just the hotel credit alone, we could be looking at a $1,000 annual fee.
Why? Because AMEX has been pushing Resy. It's expected that they're going to include that on the platinum card. It's expected they could kind of play around with the Uber cash.
Other Platinum Card Perks
As a reminder, the current American Express Platinum card includes:
$695 annual fee ($195 per authorized user)
Access to Priority Pass, Centurion Lounges, and Delta Sky Clubs
American Express has been working to increase lounge capacity with "sidecar lounges," so lounge access should remain a strong benefit.
What to Expect
Official announcement from American Express before September 18th.
Likely changes to other credits (Resy, Uber, etc.)
A significant increase in the annual fee.
Final Thoughts
This is huge news for American Express Platinum cardholders and those considering getting the card. The increased hotel credit alone can justify the annual fee for many travelers.
What do you think about these changes? Let me know in the comments below!