As a member of the illustrious Platinum card club, you get to enjoy a suite of perks that other cardholders don’t. You can check in at airports faster, access private airport lounges and even take your companion with you when you travel on business. But as much as these added privileges are nice to have, they’re not enough to keep you coming back again and again. To really make the most out of your Platinum card membership, you need to know how best to leverage its benefits and use them to your advantage. After all, what good is having a membership if you never go there? If you want to squeeze every drop from your American Express card, here are six ways you can take full advantage of your Platinum membership.
Travel Together
If you travel a lot for work and often bring a companion along with you, you know how much of a hassle it can be to book a separate flight for your partner. If you have a Platinum credit card in Dubai, you can make traveling together easier—and cheaper. If you’re flying on a domestic route and want to travel with your companion, you can take advantage of the Platinum card’s “companion ticket” benefit. With this perk, you get to bring a companion along with you for free when you redeem your miles for an economy ticket. No matter the length of your trip, you get to bring a travel companion for free. This can save you a lot of money, especially if you and your companion are booked on separate, expensive tickets.
Exclusive Events
Like most credit cards, Platinum members get to attend exclusive events and get early access to new products and services. While these events may not seem like a big deal at first, they can actually give you great value in the long run. For example, if you get invited to an early event hosted by your card’s network, you can expect to get a sneak peek at upcoming products. This type of event can be really helpful, especially if you’re a business owner. You can get a first-hand look at new offerings and find out how they can make your life easier. If you attend events put on by your card’s network, you can also score VIP invites to even more exclusive events, like advanced screenings of movies and concerts.
Airport Lounge Access
If you travel a lot for business and want to feel a little more pampered, you can use your Platinum card to get access to airport lounges. You can get free access to Priority Pass Select lounges, which are airport lounges that can be accessed by a variety of cardholders. Depending on where you are traveling from and to, you can get free access to lounges in all major airports around the world. You can also bring one guest with you to the lounge. This means you can enjoy a break from the hustle and bustle of the airport with a nice hot meal, a cold drink and a friendly game of cards.
Card Membership Rebate
If you’re looking for a card that will really reward you for using it, the Platinum card may be just what you’re looking for. Although the annual fee for this card is high, you get significant rewards back. When you use your card to make purchases, you receive 5X points on airfare purchased directly from airlines, which can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays and other travel-related items like baggage fees. In addition, you get some travel credit that you can use to pay for your yearly trip. This credit can be applied to any travel-related expenses such as your flight, hotel stay or public transportation fare. You also get a nice annual membership reward, which could be worth a lot if you use it to pay for your travel or hotel stays.
Free Hotel Nights and Valet Service
If you want to get the most out of your Platinum card membership, use it to book stays at hotels. You can earn Platinum Concierge service for yourself and up to three guests with your Platinum card. This can be really helpful when you’re looking to book last-minute travel or don’t have time to book an entire trip yourself. When you’re booking hotels through your Platinum card, you get to enjoy special perks like free daily breakfasts, free valet service and guaranteed 4- or 5-star hotel stays.
Bottom line
Your Platinum card is a powerful tool for travel, eating out and shopping online. But for it to be worth the high annual fee, you need to fully utilize all its benefits. From access to lounges to special events to concierge service, this card offers a lot of great benefits. But even if you don’t have the Platinum card, you can still take advantage of these perks by asking your friends and family who have them to use them on your behalf. If you’re an avid traveler, the Platinum card is a great investment.
