Hurry up and apply to take advantage of Plat Q3 benefits

If you already have one of American Express’ top-tier cards — or are considering applying — act now to maximize the new credits recently added to these cards.

The The Platinum Card® from American Express just underwent a major refresh, adding credits for up to $75 in purchases at U.S. Lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and online per quarter and up to $100 at U.S. Resy-affiliated restaurants per quarter (enrollment required).

(The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has also been refreshed and hasn’t added any new quarterly credits, but it’s still a good reminder to make sure you’re getting value out of the existing ones.)

And they’re both offering high welcome bonuses to new cardmembers, who can apply and immediately start using their card online, unlocking value from the very beginning.

Here’s why applying now can help you capture extra value before the end of September.

New cardmember? Get an instant card number

Good news: If you want to pick up the Amex Platinum, you can apply online and get an instant card number to use for online purchases and add to your digital wallet like Apple Pay (while you wait up to seven business days for your physical card to arrive in the mail).

That means that you can find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Then, you can immediately enroll in the statement credits that you can maximize before the end of September.

Similarly, new Amex Business Platinum Card members can earn the highest-ever publicly available bonus on this card: 200,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.

And they can get an instant card number upon approval and start maximizing their monthly and quarterly credits straight away.

Advice for Platinum Card members

With the addition of the up to $75 quarterly Lululemon, up to $100 Resy statement credits and up to $120 annually ($9.99 monthly) for a Uber One membership (subject to auto renewal), Platinum Card members can extract up to $185 in value from their card between now and the end of September.

That almost completely offsets the $200 increase in the card’s annual fee (see rates and fees).

It’s essential that both new and existing cardmembers activate the new Lululemon, Resy and Uber One benefits in their Amex account before making any purchases so the credits trigger correctly. New cardmembers should also enroll in all other relevant benefits, especially the three other monthly statement credits mentioned below.

Then, use your card to spend at least:

• Up to $75 at U.S. Lululemon at retail stores (excluding outlets) and online: My advice is to stack with the Rakuten shopping portal and browse deals in the secondhand and “We Made Too Much” sale sections. Both online and in-store purchases are eligible for the credit.
• Up to $100 at a U.S. Resy restaurant: Look for a participating restaurant in your area; you don’t need a reservation to be eligible to receive the credit. Before dining, new cardmembers should check that they can tap to pay on a terminal or ask the staff to manually input their card number. There is a quirk to sometimes not receiving the credit, which I explain later on.

Finally, enroll in an Uber One membership for either $9.99 monthly (or $96 annually) using your Platinum Card.

That’s $175 in value from the new quarterly credits and $9.99 from the new monthly Uber One membership credit.

Additional value for new Platinum Card members

If you apply for your new Platinum Card now, you can take advantage of an extra $52.95 in monthly credits. After enrolling in the benefits, use your card to receive:

• Up to $25 for digital entertainment services: Eligible services include Disney+ Bundle, Hulu and YouTube TV.
• Up to $15 in Uber Cash: This credit is valid on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S. Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Platinum as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
• Up to $12.95 for a Walmart+ membership: This credit applies when purchasing one membership (subject to auto-renewal; Plus Up excluded).

Set your instant Platinum Card number as your payment method for each of the services. Then, when you receive your physical card, check that the four-digit CVV on the front and the expiration date on the back match those on the instant card; if they don’t, update those numbers.

Advice for Business Platinum Card members

The only credits that Amex has added or enhanced with the business version of the Platinum refresh are annual and biannual (every six months) credits.

Having said that, this is still a good reminder for new and existing cardmembers to get $150 in value from the following credits before the end of September:

• Up to a $10 monthly statement credit for U.S. wireless telephone services: Use this credit to pay for your cellphone bill. You’ll also get cellphone protection by paying the bill with this card.
• Up to a $50 quarterly statement credit on eligible purchases with Hilton: First, make sure to enroll in Hilton for Business (for free). Then, use your card to pay for room rates and incidental charges at a Hilton property. Data points show you may also be able to receive this credit when dining at a restaurant or purchasing a product from a gift store located within a Hilton property, even if you’re not staying at the hotel.
• Up to a $90 quarterly Indeed statement credit: Use this credit for online purchases with Indeed.

Again, make sure you activate these credits first so that your purchases trigger the credits.

An important note on contactless payments

The terms and conditions for most Amex statement credits say something like this:

“The transaction may not be eligible if the merchant uses a third-party to process or submit the transaction to American Express (e.g. using mobile or wireless card readers).”

Frustratingly, it is not guaranteed that you will receive your statement credit because it may not code or process the way that Amex wants it to.

I’ve faced this issue twice when using the biannual $50 Resy credits at U.S. Resy restaurants on my American Express® Gold Card; neither posted within the standard eight- to 10-week period after the transaction was made.

But after waiting 10 weeks, I was able to receive the statement credits by asking the agent through the online chat function on my Amex account to manually apply the credits. So, my advice would be to keep an eye on your account; if the credit doesn’t appear within 10 weeks, ask Amex to manually apply it.

Bottom line

By being strategic about timing, those with the Amex Platinum or the Business Platinum can take advantage of up to $238 in monthly and quarterly statement credits before the end of September.

I’d encourage new cardmembers to apply now, note down their instant card number and immediately add it to their digital wallet.

Remember to enroll in these benefits first to ensure eligible purchases trigger the statement credits. And keep an eye on your account to ensure you receive your credits within a 10-week time frame; if not, use the chat function to ask Amex to manually apply them.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the American Express Platinum and the American Express Business Platinum.

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Apply now: The Platinum Card from American Express
Apply now: The Business Platinum Card from American Express

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For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.