Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10, 2026. If you have an Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you have hundreds of dollars in unused credits sitting on your card right now — enough to cover dinner, a hotel night, flowers, jewelry, or workout gear without spending much (or any) extra cash. This guide walks you through exactly how to use those credits, including the military discount stacks that bring the prices down even further. Active duty (including Coast Guard) and Reserve/Guard on federal orders: your annual fee is waived under SCRA, so all of this is genuinely free.

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Table of Contents

1. Step 1: Enroll Your Credits — Do This FIRST
2. Don’t Have the Amex Platinum? Active Duty: Yours Is Free
3. The 5 Amex Platinum Plays
4. Have a Chase Sapphire Reserve Instead? Same Plays, Different Credits
5. Quick Recap: What’s Each Credit Worth Right Now
6. Frequently Asked Questions

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Step 1: Enroll Your Credits — Do This FIRST

This is the #1 reason people miss out on these credits. Most of them don’t auto-trigger. You have to flip them on before you spend a dollar.

Amex Platinum users:

1. Open the Amex app and tap your Platinum Card
2. Scroll to Benefits (or “Amex Offers & Benefits”)
3. Enroll in each of these individually: Resy Credit ($100/quarter), Lululemon Credit ($75/quarter), Oura Ring Credit ($200/year)
4. Once enrolled, just pay with your Platinum and the statement credit posts within 1–8 weeks

Chase Sapphire Reserve users:

Most CSR credits post automatically, but the Exclusive Tables dining credit requires a one-time activation through OpenTable. Log into your OpenTable account (or create one), go to account settings, and link your CSR under the Exclusive Tables section. You only have to do this once.

If you skip these steps, you will spend the money and not get reimbursed. Don’t skip them.

Don’t Have the Amex Platinum Yet? Active Duty: Yours Is Free

Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), Amex waives the annual fee on the Platinum Card (and most of their other cards) for active duty service members & spouses — including Coast Guard, and including Reserve and Guard members on federal active duty orders (Title 10). That’s an $895/year card with $3,500+ in credits — for $0 out of pocket. Chase also waives fees on the Sapphire Reserve under SCRA on the same eligibility terms.

The 5 Amex Platinum Plays

Play 1: The Resy Dinner ($100 quarterly credit)

Take her out somewhere nice. Your Platinum gives you up to $100 back each quarter when you pay at a participating U.S. Resy restaurant — and you don’t even need a reservation for the credit to trigger. Just pay with the Platinum.

To find Resy restaurants near you: Open the Resy app or go to resy.com and search your area. Eligible restaurants are tagged in the Amex benefits portal too.

No Resy restaurant nearby? You can use the credit on a Resy gift card from a participating restaurant in another city. Buy one for an upcoming trip or a date night when you travel next.

💡 Deployed or TDY? Resy digital gift cards deliver to her inbox instantly — perfect if you’re not home this Sunday and need to make sure something lands on time. Same play works for sending a Resy gift card to mom or mother-in-law in another city.

Play 2: The “I Need a Break” Hotel Escape ($300 semiannual credit)

This is the move if she wants alone time. The Platinum gives you up to $300 in statement credits twice a year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) or The Hotel Collection (THC) bookings made through Amex Travel.

Why FHR is the move for Mother’s Day specifically: When you book FHR (no minimum stay required — THC requires 2 nights), the booking comes with these perks built in, on top of your room rate:

• A property credit worth $100+ (typically $100–$200 — usable on dining, spa, golf, etc.)
• Daily breakfast for two
• Noon check-in when available
• Guaranteed 4PM late checkout
• Complimentary room upgrade when available
• A unique experience offered by each property (welcome amenity, spa credit, etc.)

So the math: Book her a Saturday-night FHR stay. You pay $300 of it with the credit. She uses the included property credit on her spa appointment or breakfast. She checks in at noon Saturday and doesn’t leave until 4PM Sunday. That’s a 28-hour escape with built-in spa money for $0–$150 out of pocket.

Want zero out of pocket? You can top off any remaining balance with Membership Rewards points through Amex Travel. Combine the $300 credit + your MR points and the whole stay can be effectively free.

You handle the kids. That’s the gift.

Play 3: The Saturday-Night Save ($15 monthly Uber Cash)

Forgot until Saturday? You’re not done yet. Your Platinum gives you $15 in Uber Cash every month (plus a $20 bonus in December), and Uber Eats covers way more than takeout these days.

What you can send through Uber Eats:

• Flowers — 1-800-Flowers, ProFlowers, and many local florists are on Uber Eats now. Same-day delivery in most cities.
• Chocolate / dessert — Insomnia Cookies, Levain, local bakeries
• Her favorite takeout — breakfast in bed delivered hot

💡 Same play works for mom and mother-in-law in another city. Uber Eats delivers nationwide. Send flowers + a card from your phone in 90 seconds.

Play 4: The Active Wife Stack (Lululemon + Oura Ring)

If she’s into fitness, or wellness, — this is the play. Two credits, both currently active. (Already familiar with the Lulu side? Read the deeper Lululemon + Amex Platinum stack guide here.)

Lululemon — $75/quarter ($300/year)

This credit just reset April 1 and is good through June 30. Use it at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) or lululemon.com. Gift cards don’t trigger the credit — you have to buy actual product.

Gift ideas at or near $75:

• Everywhere Belt Bag (~$48) + a pair of Lettuce Edge Quarter Socks
• Align Tank ($68)
• Restfeel Slide sandals — perfect for summer, beach, and pool
• Scuba Hoodie (sale pieces or “We Made Too Much”)
• Travel Toiletry Bag, water bottle, insulated mug

🎖️ Stack with the Lululemon 15% military discount: Active duty, reservists (drilling and activated), veterans, military spouses, and dependents all qualify. Sign up for Lululemon’s Military & First Responders program here — verification runs through SheerID and takes about 10 minutes. The 15% comes off your subtotal, the Platinum’s $75 credit reimburses him afterward.

The discount also can’t be combined with other promo codes or sale codes — but it does work on We Made Too Much sale pricing.

Oura Ring — $200 credit (one-time annually)

If she’s been eyeing one, this is the year. Your Platinum knocks $200 off straight away. Enroll the benefit in the Amex app, then buy at ouraring.com with your Platinum.

🎖️ Military discount: GovX gets you 25% off. Active duty, vets, first responders, and military spouses/dependents 18–24 qualify. Verify at govx.com → search Oura.

The best move: Apply the GovX 25% discount, pay with the Amex Platinum, and receive the $200 statement credit within a few weeks. On a $349 Oura Ring 4: 25% off = about $87 saved + $200 statement credit = effective price around $62.

Play 5: The Saks Last Call ($50 semiannual credit — disappearing forever after June 30)

Heads up: this is the LAST Mother’s Day the Saks credit exists. Amex is killing the Saks benefit after June 30, 2026.

You get up to $50 in statement credits at Saks Fifth Avenue between January and June. If you haven’t used your first-half-of-2026 credit yet, this is the moment.

Saks gift ideas at or near $50:

• Designer beauty (Charlotte Tilbury, Dior, La Mer minis — or a Multi-Use Glow Stick she’ll actually use every day)
• A piece of jewelry from the under-$100 section
• Lunya washable silk sleep mask — the “designer she’d never buy herself” energy, exactly
• Fancy perfume sample/rollerball

⚠️ Delivery timing warning: Standard Saks shipping may not arrive by Sunday. Check expedited shipping options at checkout, or — better — shop in-store today or tomorrow if there’s a Saks near you. The credit triggers either way.

If you can’t make it to Sunday in time, that’s fine. Use the $50 for yourself on something for her birthday, anniversary, or next Saks run before June 30 — don’t let this credit evaporate. Gift cards won’t trigger the credit.

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Have a Chase Sapphire Reserve Instead? Same Plays, Different Credits

The CSR went through its own major refresh in 2025–2026 and now stacks up well against the Platinum for Mother’s Day. Here’s how the same five plays translate.

CSR Play 1: The OpenTable Dinner ($300/year, $150 every six months)

The Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables benefit gives you up to $150 in statement credits twice a year for dining at participating restaurants. Activation is required: log into OpenTable, go to account settings, and link your CSR under the Exclusive Tables section.

⚠️ This benefit is limited to specific cities. Don’t waste your time if you’re not near one. The current participating cities are: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Maui, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Oahu, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland (OR), San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC.

If you don’t see your city, your CSR’s other credits will serve you better for Mother’s Day — skip to the next plays below. If you do, search “Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables” on OpenTable to see participating restaurants near you.

CSR Play 2: The Hotel Escape (up to $750 in 2026 hotel credits)

CSR is actually stronger than the Platinum for hotels right now, but with a catch — most credits require a 2-night minimum. So this is less of a “drop her off Saturday night” play and more of a “weekend getaway” play.

You have two main hotel credits to stack in 2026:

• The Edit by Chase Travel: Up to $500/year ($250 × 2, usable any time during the calendar year). 2-night minimum at properties in The Edit collection. Includes property credit, daily breakfast, room upgrade when available — similar perks to FHR.
• 2026 Select Hotels Credit: A one-time $250 credit for prepaid stays at IHG, Montage, Pendry, Omni, Virgin Hotels, Minor Hotels, and Pan Pacific. 2-night minimum. This is a 2026-only benefit, so use it.

If you have a Montage or Pendry property nearby that’s also in The Edit, you can stack the $250 select hotel credit + $250 Edit credit for $500 off a single 2-night stay.

CSR Play 3: The Saturday-Night Save (DoorDash credits)

CSR’s Uber Eats equivalent is DoorDash. The card includes complimentary DoorDash DashPass plus monthly DoorDash promo credits. Enrollment required through chase.com. DoorDash carries flowers (most major florists), groceries, alcohol in many states, and obviously food. Same Saturday-save play, different app.

Going all out? Plan a trip for the two of you.

If you really want to go big this year, plan a trip together. CSR cardholders can stack the $300 annual travel credit, Membership Rewards/Ultimate Rewards points, lounge access, and flight credits to cover most of the cost of a getaway. Same goes for Amex Platinum holders with their travel credits, MR points, and lounge benefits.

Need help building a trip that actually uses every credit you’ve earned? That’s exactly what Travel Ops is for. Join us →

Quick Recap: What’s Each Credit Worth Right Now

If you’re actively trying to extract value from your premium card right now (April–June 2026), this is what’s sitting there waiting.

Amex Platinum (Q2 + first half of year):

• $100 Resy — quarterly, expires June 30
• $75 Lululemon — quarterly, expires June 30
• $300 FHR/THC hotel — semiannual, expires June 30
• $50 Saks — semiannual, expires June 30 (and forever after)
• $15 Uber Cash — monthly, resets May 1
• $200 Oura Ring — annual, fresh each calendar year

Chase Sapphire Reserve (calendar year):

• $150 OpenTable Exclusive Tables — semiannual, expires June 30 (limited cities)
• Up to $500 The Edit hotel credit — flexible all year, 2-night min
• $250 Select Hotels credit — one-time in 2026
• DoorDash credits — monthly

That’s well over $700 in Mother’s Day–usable credits between the two cards in just the next 8 weeks.

Don’t fumble it.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do these credits work if I’m an authorized user, not the primary cardholder?

It depends on the credit. Some Amex Platinum credits (like Uber Cash) split between the primary and authorized users, while others only post to the primary cardholder’s account. The Lululemon and Resy quarterly credits are per-account, not per-user — so adding an authorized user does NOT double the credit. Check the terms for each specific credit in the Amex app before assuming.

2. Can I use these credits to buy gifts for someone other than my wife?

Yes — the Amex statement credits don’t care who the gift is for, only that you make a qualifying purchase on your card.

3. What if I forget to enroll a credit before I make the purchase?

For most Amex credits (Resy, Lululemon, Oura), enrollment is one-click in the Amex app and applies to all future qualifying purchases. If you make a purchase before enrolling, the credit will not retroactively apply. Enroll first, spend second.

4. How long do statement credits take to post?

Typically 1–8 weeks, but most appear within 2 weeks. If a credit hasn’t appeared after 8 weeks, message through the chat function in the app — way faster than calling.

5. Can I combine the FHR property credit with my $300 Amex hotel credit?

Yes. The $300 Amex hotel credit applies to your room rate when you prepay through Amex Travel. The property credit ($100+) is awarded by the hotel itself when you arrive, on top of your room rate. They’re independent benefits and stack automatically.

6. Is the Saks credit really going away?

Yes. Amex announced the Saks Fifth Avenue benefit ends after June 30, 2026. The 2026 first-half $50 credit is the last one this card will ever have, so use it.

7. What if I don’t have a premium card?

Then this might be the year you change that. The Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve both cover their annual fees easily for any family that travels even moderately, and the Mother’s Day playbook above is just one weekend of value. Active duty? Your annual fee is waived under SCRA, so the math becomes pure profit. Applications take about 5 minutes online.

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Got questions about your specific situation? Drop them in the comments or DM me on Instagram.