Terms apply to benefits and offers included in this article.
A premium credit card can be more than just a way to cut costs on flights. Used strategically, it can help elevate your lifestyle by turning everyday spending into upgraded seats, better hotel stays and fewer hassles.
But the perks don’t stop at travel. Today’s premium cards may include fashion credits to refresh a wardrobe or curated restaurant reservations that turn a busy Friday night into a memorable meal.
With a recent refresh, the Platinum Card® from American Express now introduces new partners to card members, along with revamped credits and benefits across travel, dining, entertainment, shopping and more. The update is a good example of what a modern premium card can do, but the key is knowing where those benefits fit and how best to use them.
Here are five ways you can get the most of a premium card.
1. Use Perks That Can Turn Travel Hassles Into Travel Comforts
Long security lines, crowded gates or surprise fees can make traveling stressful. But a practical way to ease the stress is to match each stage of the trip with a premium benefit that can help streamline the process or add comfort.
Here’s how it can look in action with a premium card like the American Express Platinum Card ®:
- Earn more with travel: Earn 5x Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, so every trip helps fund the next. You earn 5x points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- Get to your gate faster: Enjoy up to $209 in annual statement credits after you use your American Express Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing CLEAR® Plus Membership. CLEAR® Plus can help you get to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide.
- Upgrade the downtime: Tap into the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, the largest global lounge network with over 1,550 airport lounges—more than any other credit card company on the market as of July 2025. Enjoy premium food and cocktails, Wi-Fi and a quiet seat during layovers or delays. The Global Lounge Collection® has an annual value of over $850, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges.
- Cover incidental airline charges: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you don’t see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after eight weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
Stacked together, these types of perks can help you save hundreds of dollars and make each travel day feel more seamless.
2. Book Stays With Premium Hotel Benefits
Sometimes premium perks like room upgrades, a guaranteed late checkout and credits can offer more immediate value than the points you earn at a hotel check-in. A guaranteed late checkout can buy you an extra afternoon, daily breakfast can offset meal costs and a $100 credit toward eligible property charges can turn dinner or a spa visit into an easy indulgence.
For instance, with the American Express Platinum Card, you can tap into
- $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel® using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- Fine Hotels + Resorts®: When booking through American Express Travel®, you get access to a curated set of luxury properties that include daily breakfast for two, room upgrade upon arrival when available, $100 credit toward eligible charges, which vary by property, guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout, and noon check-in when available. Certain room categories aren’t eligible for upgrade and the actual value will vary based on the property, room rate, upgrade availability and use of benefits.
- Leaders Club Sterling Status: With the Platinum Card®, you can receive complimentary Leaders Club Sterling Status from The Leading Hotels of the World® upon enrollment. Enjoy exclusive benefits, such as a 5% Leaders Club points bonus on qualifying stays and five pre-arrival upgrades annually, subject to availability.
The specifics can vary by card, but the same principle applies: Hotel benefits can significantly change the feel of a trip. Often, the real value isn’t just in saving money. It’s in getting time back, simplifying logistics or adding a bit of comfort. Used thoughtfully, those small advantages can make a short stay feel more complete and a longer one feel less complicated. Plus, with access to premium hotel collections and status perks, Platinum Card Membership can provide access and additional benefits at premium properties around the globe.
3. Turn Meals Into Memorable Experiences
Some premium cards are also reshaping how dining benefits work. Beyond the familiar points-for-meals model, they bring together access to exclusive reservations and chef-driven events with credits that help take the sting out of the bill. The chance to book a sought-after table on short notice or to enjoy a celebratory meal that feels affordable can make dining a rewarding benefit of having a premium card.
The American Express Platinum Card® shows how this can come to life. With the $400 Resy Credit, enrolled Card Members can receive up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when they use their Platinum Card on eligible purchases through Resy or dining purchases at over 10,000 U.S. Resy restaurants (as of March 2025). Resy is a platform used for discovering and booking dining experiences.
That credit pairs well with Platinum Nights by Resy, which gets you special access to reservations on select nights, in select cities at participating in demand Resy restaurants with your Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to discover and book Platinum Nights reservations. Platinum Nights reservations are available at restaurants across New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Think seats like Tatiana in New York City, Quarter Sheets in Los Angeles and Carbone in Miami.
The result is premium dining benefits that extend beyond reducing the bill. They create opportunities to shape evenings that feel more memorable, whether you’re celebrating an anniversary or planning a weekend night out with friends.
4. Stack Wellness and Lifestyle Credits To Support Your Daily Routine
A premium card’s value isn’t limited to trips and nights out. Many now layer in benefits that provide savings on things like fitness memberships, health tech or delivery services you already use. When aligned with your weekly or seasonal routines, these credits can be just as meaningful as travel rewards.
Because lifestyle perks often require enrollment or periodic check-ins, a little structure goes a long way. Setting reminders to refresh workout gear, routing relevant subscriptions through the card and timing purchases around credit windows can help make sure nothing slips by.
With the American Express Platinum Card, that could mean:
- Enjoying the $300 lululemon Credit, which means getting up to $75 back in statement credits each quarter when your Platinum Card® is used for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. Enrollment is required.
- Receiving a statement credit for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax with Plus Ups not eligible.
- Receiving up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December, with enrollment required and no minimum purchase requirement.
- Using the $200 Oura Credit, which means receiving up to $200 in statement credits when you use the Platinum Card® to purchase an Oura Ring at Ouraring.com each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- Getting up to $300 in statement credits each year when you pay for an Equinox+ subscription with live and on-demand classes, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum card and when you enroll on the Equinox site.
5. Unlock Doors With Exclusive Access
Some of the most memorable premium card benefits can come through exclusive access, from sold-out concerts to hard-to-book restaurants and last-minute travel fixes.
With the American Express Platinum Card, that access can take shape through its:
- Premium Events Collection, offering one-of-a-kind experiences across sports, dining, fashion and the arts.
- Global Dining Access by Resy, which is a benefit that gives you special access to sought-after restaurants when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile. From daily exclusive tables and Priority Notify to presale access for special experiences, you can attend events like Emeril’s 35th Guest Series in New Orleans with Eric Ripert or the KOL x Atomix collaboration in New York.
When Premium Benefits Become Everyday Living
The real advantage of a premium card comes from weaving its benefits into your lifestyle, where they can naturally add value. A trip booked through the card’s portal may bring hotel credits, airline fee offsets and bonus points together all in one place. Dining benefits line up with travel plans or celebratory nights out, while wellness and shopping benefits can sync with seasonal routines, like new outfits for the spring or summer or upgrading self-care in winter.
Premium cards often deliver the most when they can help make everyday life experiences smoother, travel less stressful and special occasions more memorable. If that sounds like the kind of value you’re looking for, you can learn more about the Platinum Card® from American Express.
To view rates and fees for American Express Platinum Card® please visit this page.