Key Points
- The Amex Travel portal offers 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels when you use the Platinum Card.
- Fine Hotels & Resorts provides $100 property credits, complimentary breakfast, and room upgrades at 1,900+ luxury properties.
- The Hotel Collection delivers similar perks at 1,000+ properties without the luxury price tag.
Introduction
The American Express Travel portal is one of the most underutilized tools in the points and miles world. While many cardholders focus on transferring Membership Rewards points to airline partners, they're missing out on significant value hiding in plain sight on amextravel.com.
Whether you're looking to book luxury stays through Fine Hotels & Resorts or maximize your points earning on flights, the Amex Travel portal offers benefits that can add hundreds of dollars in value to your trips. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to use American Express Travel strategically.
What Is American Express Travel?
American Express Travel is Amex's proprietary booking platform where cardholders can book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages. Think of it as similar to Expedia or Hotels.com, but with exclusive perks for Amex cardholders.
The platform serves two main purposes. First, it's a booking engine where you can search and reserve travel using your credit card. Second, and more importantly for points enthusiasts, it's where you can unlock bonus earning rates and exclusive hotel benefits that you can't get anywhere else.
Access to the portal is available to all American Express cardholders, but the real value comes from having premium cards like the Platinum Card or Business Platinum Card. These cards unlock bonus points categories and access to special hotel programs that transform the portal from a basic booking site into a powerful travel tool.
How to Access American Express Travel
Getting to the Amex Travel portal is straightforward. Log into your American Express account online or through the Amex mobile app, then click on the "Travel" tab in the main navigation. You can also go directly to amextravel.com and log in with your credentials.
The interface looks similar to other travel booking sites. You'll see search boxes for flights, hotels, cars, and vacation packages. The key difference is that you'll see special badges and callouts for Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection properties, which are exclusive to Amex cardholders.
If you have multiple Amex cards, the portal will automatically show you which cards earn bonus points for different booking types. This makes it easy to maximize your earning without having to remember which card gives you what benefits.
Earning Points Through American Express Travel
The points earning structure on American Express Travel varies significantly based on which card you use to book. Understanding these earning rates is crucial to getting maximum value from the portal.
Platinum Card Benefits
The Platinum Card from American Express offers the most compelling earning rate on the portal. You'll earn 5x Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, up to $500,000 per calendar year. That's a massive cap that most travelers will never hit.
You'll also earn 5x points on prepaid hotel bookings made through amextravel.com. The key word here is "prepaid." These are the non-refundable rates that you pay for upfront, which typically offer lower prices than flexible rates. If you're certain about your travel dates, this is an easy way to rack up points quickly.
For a deeper dive into all the card's benefits, check out our complete guide to the Platinum Card from American Express.
Business Platinum Card Benefits
The Business Platinum Card mirrors the personal version with 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. The annual earning cap is the same $500,000, which gives business owners substantial earning potential on company travel.
Additionally, the Business Platinum earns 1.5x points on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more. This can apply to large hotel bookings or vacation packages booked through the portal, though you'll need to confirm eligibility for each purchase.
Gold Card Earning
The American Express Gold Card earns 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. While this isn't as lucrative as the Platinum Card's 5x rate, it's still solid earning for a card with a lower annual fee. However, the Gold Card doesn't offer bonus points on hotel bookings through the portal.
Other Amex Cards
Most other American Express cards earn 1x point per dollar on travel bookings through the portal. While you won't get bonus categories, you'll still earn the base rate and can take advantage of Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection benefits if you have card eligibility.
Learn more about maximizing value across all your cards in our complete American Express Rewards Programs guide.
Fine Hotels & Resorts: The Premium Tier
Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) is American Express's luxury hotel program, and it's genuinely impressive. Available to Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card, and Centurion Card members, FHR offers perks that can easily justify the annual fee on these cards if you travel regularly.
What You Get With Fine Hotels & Resorts
Every FHR booking includes five core benefits. You'll receive a room upgrade upon arrival, subject to availability. Hotels typically upgrade you to the next room category, which could mean going from a standard room to a suite.
Daily breakfast for two is included throughout your stay. This isn't a continental breakfast. You're getting full breakfast at the hotel restaurant, which can easily be worth $30-60 per person per day at luxury properties.
You'll get a $100 property credit to use during your stay. This can go toward spa treatments, dining, resort activities, or whatever the specific property allows. Each hotel sets its own rules for how the credit can be used, so check the terms before booking.
Guaranteed 4pm late checkout gives you extra time to enjoy the property on your last day. This is particularly valuable at resort properties where you want to maximize your time before heading to the airport.
Finally, you'll receive complimentary Wi-Fi throughout your stay. While many hotels now offer free Wi-Fi anyway, luxury properties often charge $20-30 per day, so this benefit ensures you're covered.
The Real Value of FHR
The combination of breakfast and the $100 credit typically adds $200-400 in value to a two-night stay, depending on the property. Room upgrades and late checkout add even more value, especially at high-end resorts.
The collection includes over 1,900 properties worldwide, spanning major hotel brands and independent luxury hotels. You'll find properties from Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Park Hyatt, St. Regis, and many other prestigious names.
However, FHR rates are often higher than rates you'd find booking directly with the hotel or through other channels. The key is comparing the total value. If an FHR rate is $50-100 more per night but includes $200+ in perks, you're still coming out ahead.
How to Book Fine Hotels & Resorts
Search for your destination on amextravel.com and look for the "Fine Hotels & Resorts" filter. You can also browse the entire collection by clicking "Fine Hotels & Resorts" from the main travel page.
When you find a property you like, the booking page will clearly list all five benefits you'll receive. Make sure you see these listed before completing your reservation, as only bookings made through the FHR program receive the perks.
After booking, you'll receive a confirmation email with details about how to use your benefits. Most hotels will note your FHR status in your reservation and automatically apply the perks, but it's worth confirming when you check in.
The Hotel Collection: Mid-Tier Excellence
The Hotel Collection is American Express's answer to travelers who want premium perks without luxury price tags. It's available to Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card, Centurion Card, and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card holders.
The Hotel Collection Benefits
The Hotel Collection offers a similar but slightly scaled-back set of benefits compared to FHR. You'll receive a room upgrade upon arrival when available, daily breakfast for two, and a $100 experience credit.
The experience credit works differently than FHR's property credit. Instead of being usable on anything the hotel allows, it's specifically designated for "unique property amenities." This might include spa services, dining experiences, resort activities, or special hotel offerings. Each property defines what qualifies.
You'll also get complimentary Wi-Fi and the same guaranteed 4pm late checkout. The collection includes about 1,000 properties, covering a range from upper-midscale to luxury hotels.
When to Choose The Hotel Collection
The Hotel Collection shines when you want FHR-style perks but aren't staying at ultra-luxury properties. The rates are typically more competitive with what you'd find elsewhere, and the $100 credit still adds significant value.
This program works particularly well for extended stays in cities where you're paying $200-300 per night rather than $500+. You're getting substantial perks without the premium that sometimes comes with FHR properties.
Comparing Amex Travel to Other Booking Methods
The question every savvy traveler asks is whether booking through American Express Travel makes sense compared to other options.
Against Hotel Loyalty Programs
If you have elite status with a hotel chain, booking directly often makes more sense. You'll earn points toward elite status, get guaranteed room upgrades based on your status level, and receive elite benefits that might exceed what Amex offers.
Our guide to IHG vs Marriott vs Hilton hotel programs can help you understand which loyalty program might work best for your travel patterns.
However, if you don't have elite status or you're staying at an independent luxury hotel, FHR or The Hotel Collection can provide better perks than you'd get booking directly as a regular guest. The breakfast alone often tips the scales in favor of Amex Travel.
For Hilton loyalists, consider pairing your stays with one of the best Hilton credit cards to maximize your earning. Similarly, Hyatt travelers should explore the best Hyatt credit cards for additional benefits.
Against Credit Card Travel Portals
Other premium travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer their own travel portals with point redemption bonuses. The Chase portal offers 1.5 cents per point value when you redeem Ultimate Rewards points for travel.
The Amex Travel portal doesn't offer the same point redemption bonus. Instead, the value comes from earning 5x points on bookings and accessing FHR or Hotel Collection perks. If you're paying cash and not redeeming points, Amex Travel is often the better choice for hotels. For flights, it depends on whether you value the 5x earning more than finding the absolute lowest price.
Read our comparison of why the Capital One Venture X might be better than the Chase Sapphire Reserve for different travel booking strategies.
Against Third-Party Sites
Sites like Expedia, Booking.com, and Hotels.com sometimes show lower rates than amextravel.com. You'll need to do the math on whether the difference in price exceeds the value of Amex's perks.
For FHR properties, remember to calculate the value of breakfast and the $100 credit. If the FHR rate is $75 more per night but includes $100-150 in perks, you're still saving money.
Flight Bookings Through Amex Travel
While hotels get most of the attention, the Amex Travel portal can also be valuable for flight bookings, particularly if you have a Platinum Card.
Why Book Flights Through Amex Travel
The main reason to book flights through the portal is the 5x earning rate with the Platinum Card. On a $500 flight, that's 2,500 Membership Rewards points versus the 500 you'd earn booking directly with the airline using your Platinum Card.
However, there are tradeoffs. When you book through Amex Travel, you're technically a customer of Amex, not the airline. If you need to make changes or cancel your flight, you'll need to contact Amex Travel customer service rather than dealing directly with the airline.
Additionally, you might miss out on earning elite qualifying miles or segments with your airline, depending on the fare class and airline policies. This is a significant consideration if you're working toward elite status.
When to Book Direct Instead
If you have airline elite status, you'll usually want to book directly with the airline. This ensures your status is properly applied to your reservation, you earn elite benefits, and you can manage your booking directly through the airline.
You'll also want to book direct if you value flexibility. Airline websites make it easy to change flights, request refunds, or modify bookings. The Amex Travel portal adds an extra layer between you and the airline, which can complicate changes.
Maximizing Value: Strategic Approaches
Getting the most from American Express Travel requires thinking strategically about when and how you use the portal.
Stack Your Benefits
The real magic happens when you stack multiple benefits together. Book a Fine Hotels & Resorts property using your Platinum Card, and you're earning 5x points while getting breakfast, a $100 credit, and other perks. On a two-night stay at $400 per night, that's 4,000 Membership Rewards points plus $200-300 in tangible benefits.
If you're booking a vacation package that includes both flights and hotels, check whether you can structure the booking to maximize your earning. Sometimes booking components separately yields better results than a package deal.
Use for Special Occasions
FHR and The Hotel Collection are particularly valuable for special occasions like anniversaries or milestone trips. The room upgrades, late checkout, and credits make luxury hotels feel more accessible and enhance already special stays.
Many couples report that a two-night FHR stay feels like a three-night stay thanks to the 4pm late checkout on the last day. You're essentially getting an extra half-day at the property.
Compare Before Every Booking
Don't assume Amex Travel is always the best choice. Spend a few minutes comparing prices across the hotel's website, Amex Travel, and other booking platforms. Calculate the value of the Amex perks and see which option delivers the best overall value.
Sometimes you'll find that the hotel's own website has a sale or package that beats what you'd get through Amex Travel, even with the perks factored in. Other times, FHR will be the clear winner.
Understanding how to tell when a hotel rewards program is right for you can help you make these decisions more easily.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learning from others' mistakes can save you frustration when using American Express Travel.
Not confirming Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits before arrival is a common error. While hotels should automatically note your FHR status, it's worth sending a message or calling ahead to confirm that breakfast, the credit, and late checkout are all set up in your reservation.
Forgetting to check if rates are prepaid or flexible can cause headaches. The 5x points earning on hotels only applies to prepaid rates. If you book a flexible rate, you'll earn fewer points and miss out on the bonus category.
Assuming all Platinum Cards have the same benefits is another mistake. The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers The Hotel Collection access but not Fine Hotels & Resorts, despite being marketed as part of the Platinum Card family.
Overlooking the experience credit terms at Hotel Collection properties leads to confusion. The $100 credit can't always be used on everything. Read the specific property's terms to understand what qualifies as an "experience" before assuming you can use it at the hotel restaurant.
Not comparing the total value when comparing prices is perhaps the biggest mistake. Don't just look at the nightly rate. Calculate what breakfast and the $100 credit are worth at that specific property, then make your decision based on total value rather than just the room rate.
For more guidance on avoiding common pitfalls, read about the cost of choosing the wrong credit card for your trip.
Is American Express Travel Worth Using?
The answer depends entirely on your travel patterns and which Amex cards you hold.
If you have the Platinum Card and stay at luxury hotels occasionally, Fine Hotels & Resorts can deliver exceptional value. The perks are tangible and meaningful, especially at properties where breakfast and resort activities add up quickly.
For frequent travelers with established hotel elite status, booking directly with hotels often makes more sense. You'll earn points toward status, get elite benefits, and have easier access to reservation management.
The 5x earning on flights is valuable if you're using Membership Rewards points strategically. If you transfer points to airline partners at good redemption values, the extra 4x points per dollar on flight bookings can add up to significant award travel over time.
The Hotel Collection works well for travelers who want perks but aren't necessarily staying at ultra-luxury properties. The benefits are similar to FHR but the rates are more competitive with standard booking channels.
Looking to maximize your American Express cards beyond travel? Explore our guides on the best American Express credit cards to find the right card combination for your spending patterns.
Conclusion
American Express Travel transforms from a simple booking portal into a valuable tool when you understand how to use it strategically. The combination of bonus points earning and exclusive hotel programs creates opportunities to stretch your travel budget further.
Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection offer perks that can easily exceed $200-300 per stay at the right properties. When you factor in the 5x points earning with the Platinum Card, you're multiplying the value of every dollar spent on travel.
The key is comparing your options before every booking. Sometimes Amex Travel will offer the best value. Other times, booking directly or using a hotel loyalty program makes more sense. Taking a few minutes to calculate the total value of each option ensures you're always getting the best deal.
Ready to start maximizing your travel bookings? Understanding how the Amex Travel portal works is just one piece of building an effective points strategy. Check out our complete guide to American Express Rewards programs to learn how to earn and use Membership Rewards points across all your cards, and explore our guide on how to transfer Amex points to airline and hotel partners for even more value.
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