10 Amazing American Express Platinum Perks every military family should use from day one. Undoubtedly, the American Express Platinum is the most popular credit card amongst military members and for good reason. The included perks & large welcome bonus offers active duty members many ways to elevate their travel for free, thanks to the waived annual fee. The majority of perks require enrollment and set up with their partner companies. Once you receive your card, you will be focusing all your spending on the American Express Platinum until you reach the minimum spend to earn all those travel points. In the meantime, here are the 10 amazing American Express Platinum Perks you can start enjoying as soon as you are approved for your card.

American Express Platinum Airport Perks

1. Clear +

Hurry up and wait is a common theme in the military and at the airport. Clear Plus memberships verify your identity at their pod eliminating the need to stand in the first TSA line where they check your ID card against your boarding pass. The Clear Plus attendant will walk you past the TSA podium into either the TSA precheck line, if you have it or the regular security line.

Get started with Clear Plus today online and finish your profile at the airport, where they will scan your retina and get your fingerprint. Clear Plus offers a military discount of $99 and additional family members are $60. So with the $189 credit from American Express Platinum, you can actually get two Clear Plus memberships. To get the special military pricing, you must enroll at the pod. Children under 18 can accompany their parents with Clear for free. Clear Plus is also expanding their presence to include sports and events stadiums for quicker access. You can also use Clear to verify your identity on your LinkedIn Profile.  

2. Global Entry or TSA Precheck Credit

The American Express Platinum also includes a credit that will cover the fee for Global Entry or TSA Precheck. TSA Precheck lasts for five years and is for use within the United States. You get a different, often shorter line and then once you make it to security, the screening procedures are much faster. You’ll get to leave your shoes on and your liquids and electronics in your bag. After you finish enrolling, you will receive a Known traveler Number after you have been accepted into the program. When you purchase a ticket with any airline you will put in your known Traveler Number and TSA Precheck will appear on your boarding Pass. Children age 12 and younger may go through TSA Precheck with their parents.

Global Entry includes TSA Precheck and is valid for five years add price and link to Global Entry Website. The application is completed online and then you must complete an interview at select international airports. Global Entry is to get through customs faster when you return to the United States from overseas. Interviews are currently challenging to come by with increase in international travel. Another important note is that children will need their own Global Entry enrollment.

3. Global Lounge Collection & Priority Pass Select

You will now have access to over 1,400 airport lounges, including the infamous Centurion Lounge. Many of the lounges are available to you through a program called Priority Pass. You will enroll your card in the program and receive a card for entry at their locations or you can instantly download the app. The majority of lounges falls into this category. From their app you can search by airport and see what lounges are available, the hours and even the guest policies. Other lounges, like the Delta Sky Club or Lufthansa club require that you have a ticket with their airline for entry.  Airport Lounges often offer food, drinks, private restrooms and a quiet space to wait. You won’t have to purchase overpriced airline food anymore!

4. $200 Airline Incidental Credit

Every year on Jan 1^st, you get $200 to cover Airline Incidental charges. You select your desired airline (I know, I wish you didn’t have to pick just one, too) and then whenever there is a qualifying charge you will automatically get reimbursed. If you aren’t sure which airline to choose, I recommend waiting until you are about to use it to pick your airline, since you can only change your airline in January. This credit is most easily used for bags and in flight amenities. The majority of tickets, upgrades and gift cards do not code as a qualifying charge.

Amazing Hotel Perks

5. Hilton & Marriott Status

An easy way to save money at hotels is thru status upgrades. You automatically earn Gold status with Hilton when you link your Hilton honors number and your AmEx Platinum. If you don’t have a Hilton Honors number yet, be sure to get one for free before you try to link your status. Gold status with Hilton will earn you upgrades when available, free internet, late checkout and a Food & beverage credit every night of your stay. When you book directly you earn 80% more points and discounted rates. You can transfer AmEx points to your Hilton account if you need more points. My favorite perk is when you pay with points you can stay the fifth night for free.

Marriott Status is just as valuable in elevating your stay and lowering your expenses. You also get Gold status when you link your Marriott Bonvoy number and your AmEx Platinum card. Gold status with Marriott will earn you upgrades when available, free internet, 2 pm late check out and a welcome gift. When you book directly you earn 25% more points and discounted rates. You can also transfer AmEx points to Marriott at 1:1 ratio. You can use your Hilton & Marriott status to status match at other hotels too. LINK

6. $200 Hotel Credit

American Express partners with Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection to give you a $200 hotel credit on prepaid stays booked through the AmEx portal. The Hotel Collection requires a 2 night stay but Fine Hotels + Resorts does not require that, so you can easily get a free night without having to spend anything. Additionally, if you book these hotels through the portal even after you have used your credit you will get benefits similar to hotel status. Fine Hotel + Resorts offers Daily breakfast for two, $100 credit, 4 pm check out, early check in and room upgrade when available. The Hotel Collection offers a $100 credit and a room upgrade when available.   

Favorite Shopping & Entertainment Perks

7. Walmart +

Your AmEx Platinum includes a monthly membership to Walmart + worth $12.95. If you sign up using our special link, you can save $20 off your first order. Simply, sign up for the membership and use your AmEx Platinum as your payment method. You will see a credit on your statement for the exact amount. Walmart + gets you free shipping & free delivery on orders over $35, fuel discounts and allows you to make returns from home. Even if you don’t shop at Walmart, you should still sign up because you get free access to Paramount +. Walmart + also has rotating offers and discounts similar to those offered by AmEx. We have received 6 months of free Sirius XM, a month of Cinemark Movie Club & three months of FitOn Health. You can also pair Walmart + with Rakuten, my favorite cashback tool to earn up to 3% cash back.

8. ShopRunner

If you love shopping online but hate waiting for deliveries, ShopRunner is for you! At any of their participating stores, you can get free shipping & returns. They also have a platform that allows you to track & organize your receipts. You must enroll your AmEx card and then finish the required form on ShopRunner. Then, when you are shopping at a store that partners with ShopRunner on the checkout page you will sign in and get free shipping!

9. Uber Credits

Every Month you will receive a $15 Uber Credit and in December you will receive a $35 Uber Credit. My favorite way to use the credits is with Uber Eats. During deployments or TDY’s we order food to our house often. UberEats also has a pickup option. To get your credit started, you will need to start an account (here’s a coupon for $20 off your first order) and add your American Express Platinum to your wallet. On the first day of the month, you will receive your credit. Credits do not roll over, so if your OCONUS give your login to your bff to use your credits. Credits can be combined with coupons and restaurant deals to make your credits go farther. If you and your spouse both receive Uber credits you can put both cards on the same Uber account. Just be sure you only have your card saved to one wallet otherwise you won’t receive your credit.

10. $240 Entertainment Credit

We benefit from the entertainment credits almost every day. You get up to $20 in statement credits each month from one or more of the following providers: Disney Plus, ESPN, Hulu, PeacockTV, Siriusxm or NYtimes. Make sure to enroll your card and then you must subscribe directly from the partner website. Using the app or a third-party payment source like apple or amazon pay will not work for getting your credit. I use my credit for SiriusXM. My husband uses his credit for ad free Peacock & Disney+. This covers more streaming than we would be willing to ever pay for. Let me show you a few ways you can stack discounts to help your $20 go further.

Disney Plus, ESPN, or Hulu

Through GovX you can get a 25% discount. GovX is a marketplace dedicated to military families with special prices and deals. Prices are currently as follows Disney+ w/ads $7.99, Disney+ without ads $10.99, Disney+, Hulu & ESPN+ w/ads $12.99, Disney+ without ads, Hulu without ads & ESPN with ads is $19.99 a month. ESPN without ads is not available in the bundle; it costs $9.99 a month. Unless you are dying to watch a certain show, I would not sign up for Hulu alone. Wait until Black Friday! Several years running, they offer a huge discount last year it was $1.99 a month.

Peacock TV Premium

Peacock TV Premium is $4.99 a month & Plus (ad free) is $9.99 a month. They do not offer a military discount so using your credits can be extra beneficial here. The additional cost to be ad free is a separate charge so you can split up the charges if it’s advantageous. Rakuten does offer $6.00 back once per membership for Peacock TV purchases.

SiriusXM

If you choose to do Sirius XM make sure you check out Walmart + offers first. They frequently offer 6 months for free. SiriusXM also offers a three-month trial for new listeners. I would cancel after your trial ends and wait to see if they send you a retention offer. Twice, I have received a $5 a month retention offer. If you want to proceed without an offer, SiriusXM has a military discount of 25%. Instead of paying $18.99 a month, you’ll pay $14.24.

NY Times

NYtimes offers a military discount of 50% off home delivery or $1 a week for online news access, verified through Veterans Advantage. You can use this in conjunction with your credit, if you are itching for a new source.

Okay, you caught me! That was more than 10 amazing American Express Platinum perks. If this seems like a lot of benefits to keep track of, download my benefit organizer today! You can keep track of airport perks, shopping credits and more. The organizer includes perks from additional cards, not just the 10 amazing American Express Platinum Perks. There are so many amazing perks to take advantage of, START TODAY! You can improve even government travel & reduce expenses all around.