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Background
For some AMEX Personal Platinum cardholders (including co-branded credit cards) whose card anniversary came up before March 2021, AMEX offered a temporary AMEX Travel pandemic benefit: a $200 reimbursement. Note that this was a targeted offer.
Be sure to check the banner on the right side of your card homepage. The author saw this benefit on co-branded Platinum cards renewed in January and February 2021.
How to Use It
In theory, this benefit needs to be used through AMEX Travel, and it can also be used for FHR bookings (as long as you pay through AMEX). This article goes over several ways to use it, with the third method being especially interesting:
Book Travel Through AMEX Travel
There’s not much to explain here; just book directly through the official site: https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/
You can book flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises. Keep in mind that AMEX Travel is similar to an OTA: first, elite benefits usually do not apply; second, it often isn’t the cheapest option. Still, if you have a real need, it can work. Bookings earn 5x MR points.
Book Hotels Through FHR
The Travel Credit reimbursement can be used on FHR, which is one of the better options here, since FHR counts as AMEX Travel spending. Especially in mainland China, you can find FHR hotels around $200, and they also come with a $100 on-property credit. That’s an excellent deal. Bookings also earn 5x MR points.
A WeChat reader, Gilson, shared a DP showing that the reimbursement posted two days after the charge posted. Don’t miss this if you can use it—especially if you’re currently in China. It may be possible to stay at certain luxury hotels in mainland China, such as some Ritz-Carlton properties, for just a few dozen RMB, while also getting up to $200 in hotel charges reimbursed.
When booking FHR, remember to choose Pay Now in order to trigger the reimbursement. The screenshot below was provided by WeChat reader Tiandi Zhijian.
Taxes and YQ on Award Tickets
This DP comes from WeChat readers Tiangua and Gash. Note that it does not trigger 100% of the time, but it does appear that if the posted charge shows up as an airline charge, there is some chance that it can be reimbursed by the Travel Credit.
The guess is that taxes and YQ on award tickets are sometimes being coded as AMEX Travel purchases. Based on DPs in the comments, it seems that not all airlines’ award redemptions will trigger this, so YMMV. These purchases can also earn 5x MR points.
Using AV (Avianca) as an example, charges that show up as airline purchases can trigger the reimbursement normally:
If the charge does not show up as an airline purchase, then it will not trigger the reimbursement:
Feel free to share more DPs!