Amex Platinum $200 Airline Fee Hack. What best way & What still works in 2024?

Hi credit card lovers!

Welcome to our latest guide on the Amex Platinum Card, specifically focusing on the $200 airline fee credit—a feature that offers cardholders significant savings on travel-related expenses. This benefit, while potentially lucrative, comes with specific conditions and understanding how to maximize it can greatly enhance your travel experience. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or new to the perks of the Amex Platinum, this post will delve into what expenses are covered, what aren’t, and share some insider tips on how to best use the airline fee credit, especially with Southwest Airlines.

Read on to learn not just the basics but also some clever strategies to ensure you get the most out of your card every year. Whether you’re planning your next vacation or just looking to make the most of your card’s benefits, this guide will help you navigate the complexities of airline credits and make smarter travel decisions. Let’s get started!

What’s covered by the airline fee credit

When you hold an Amex Platinum Card, you’re not just holding a piece of plastic (or metal)—you’re carrying a powerful tool that can significantly reduce your travel costs. The Amex Platinum airline fee credit is particularly attractive. It offers up to $200 in statement credits annually for incidental fees on your selected airline.

But what exactly falls under the umbrella of the airline fee credit? It’s essential to understand which expenses are covered so you can fully leverage the Amex airline credit benefits. The credit applies to various incidental fees that are separate from airline ticket purchases. These include costs like checked baggage fees, inflight refreshments, and more.

[Official] Eligible Incidental Fees

The Amex airline fee credit covers a variety of specific expenses that enhance your flying experience but don’t include the ticket itself. Here’s what you can expect to be covered:

• Checked baggage fees: Often unavoidable unless you travel extremely light, these fees can add up, especially on longer trips.
• Inflight refreshments: Whether it’s a meal on a cross-country flight or a snack box, staying nourished and hydrated is vital. The airline fee credits from your Amex card can cover these costs.
• Seat selection fees: Want that window seat or a bit more legroom? The fees associated with choosing your ideal spot on the plane are covered under the incidental air travel fees.
• Pet fees: Traveling with a furry friend? Pet fees are also included as eligible expenses under the airline incidental fees.

It’s important to note that not all airlines treat these fees the same way, so always check that the appropriate merchant code is used by the airline when charging these fees to ensure they are eligible for the airline fee credits.

Choosing Your Preferred Airline

To benefit from the Amex airline fee credit, you must select a preferred airline where your incidental fees will be eligible for the statement credit. You can make this selection through your American Express online account. Here is a list of qualifying airlines you can choose from:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Spirit Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines

Once your preferred airline is selected, the statement credits will only apply to incidental fees charged by that airline. Remember, you have the option to change your selected airline once each year in January. This flexibility allows you to adjust your choice based on your travel plans or changes in airline fee structures.

This careful selection process ensures that the $200 airline fee credit provided by your Platinum Card from American Express is used effectively each calendar year, maximizing your travel benefits.

Purchases That Do Not Trigger the Airline Credit

The information you’ve provided is mostly accurate! Here’s a slightly revised version with a couple of important clarifications:

Purchases That Do Not Trigger the Airline Credit

While the Amex airline fee credit can be a valuable asset for travelers using qualifying American Express cards, it’s equally important to understand which purchases will not activate this credit. This awareness ensures you manage your expectations and plan your spending accordingly. Here’s a breakdown of the types of expenses that are excluded from the airline incidental fee credits:

• Airline tickets: Direct ticket purchases, including those for domestic flights or international travel, are not eligible for the credit.
• Mileage points purchases and transfer fees: Buying or transferring mileage points does not qualify for reimbursement under the airline fee credits.
• Gift cards: Purchasing airline gift cards is also excluded from statement credits.
• Upgrades: Whether upgrading to a higher class of service on your flight or purchasing seat upgrades, these costs are not covered.
• Duty-free purchases: Items bought from an airline’s duty-free catalog are not considered incidental airline fees and thus do not qualify.
• Award tickets: Fees associated with booking award travel, including award taxes, are not usually eligible.
• Airline lounge memberships: Annual memberships for airline lounges (e.g., American Airlines Admirals Club) are not eligible.

Important Notes:

• Fees incurred with airline alliance partners: If your preferred airline is part of a global airline alliance, fees charged by partner airlines will likely not qualify. Always check with your card issuer for specifics.
• Wireless internet: Charges for onboard Wi-Fi, even if provided by the selected airline, are typically excluded from airline fee credits.

Maximizing Your Benefit

When planning to use qualifying American Express cards for travel-related expenses, focus on eligible incidental fees including:

• Checked baggage fees
• Pet fees
• Inflight refreshments and meals
• Change fees (on some airlines)

Always make sure charges are processed under an appropriate merchant code to increase the likelihood of triggering the credit. This understanding helps you navigate what is covered and what is not, enabling more strategic and informed credit card use during your travels.

Amex Platinum Airline Fee Credit Hack [Unofficial & Not Guaranteed]

Get Half of statement credit & Free Southwest Airlines credit(Not Guaranteed)

As previously noted, the Amex airline credit is designed primarily to offset incidental costs such as checked baggage fees, seat selection fees, and in-flight refreshments. These costs are the smaller, ancillary expenses associated with flying, distinct from the ticket price itself.

Here’s a straightforward strategy: Consider buying two low-cost one-way ticket with Southwest Airlines, priced under $100, exactly the same ticket. This purchase could potentially activate the airline fee credit. Surprisingly, this might result in earning a statement credit for one of the ticket cost and a Southwest Airlines credit as well. Let’s explore how this works.

How to get credits?

1. Select Southwest as your designated airline on your American Express account. And Open Southwest Airlines account:

Select Airline on your Amex Platinum account benefit page, and choose Southwest Airlines. If you don’t have your Southwest Airlines account, open the account.

2. Book Two same One-way tickets:

The trigger is the price under $100. Find a One-way ticket for under $100. Don’t forget, purchase the ticket with your Amex Platinum and do the same action again. For instance, I purchased a ticket from NY(LaGuardia) to Nashville with a total cost of $93.98.

This is a crucial step: repeat the booking process, purchasing the exact same ticket twice under your name. Ensure you check the tickets in your Southwest Airlines account to confirm they are correctly booked.

The airline credit may cover the combined cost of two ticket fees (e.g., $93.98 x 2 = $187.96) on your Amex account, They will come on your account in a few days. To maximize the airline credit, aim to find two tickets whose total price is as close as possible to $200.

3. Southwest cancels & reimburses one ticket fee to your credit card

When you book two identical tickets with Southwest Airlines, the system may automatically cancel one of them and reimburse the ticket fee to your credit card within a few days.

4. Airline credit comes into your account

You get the Airline credit within a few days. For this time, you could get back the airline credit for covering you paid, and you could earn a statement credit, price of one of the one-way ticket.

5. Don’t forget to cancel your flight

After purchasing, cancel the flight and receive the refund as Southwest travel credit. It has never expired. You can use them whenever you’d like without worrying about a deadline.

Recap Simplified

Here’s a straightforward breakdown of how the process works:

1. Initial Spend: Purchase two tickets, each costing $93.98, for a total of $187.96.
2. Cancellation and Refund: Southwest automatically cancels one ticket and refunds $93.98 to your account.
3. Amex Airline Credit Applied: You receive the Amex airline credit for both tickets, totaling $187.96.
4. Cancel the Remaining Ticket: If you decide to cancel the second ticket, it converts into a Southwest travel credit of $93.98.
5. Resulting Benefit: Ultimately, you end up with a Southwest credit of $93.98 at no extra cost.

This means you effectively gain $93.98 in Southwest travel credit for future use, essentially free of charge.

Important Considerations

• Timing: Allow sufficient time for the credit to reflect on your statement before the main flight booking.
• Policy Changes: Be aware that American Express and Southwest may modify their policies, potentially affecting these strategies.
• No Guarantees: These methods are not foolproof and might not work consistently for every cardholder.

The Bottom Line

The Amex Platinum airline fee credit is primarily designed for incidental fees, providing substantial potential savings. However, it does not extend to all travel expenses. Clearly understanding which costs are covered and which are not is crucial for maximizing the benefits of your Amex Platinum Card.

By judiciously choosing your expenses and diligently monitoring your account, you can fully utilize this benefit each calendar year. Whether you are flying with Southwest or another eligible airline, the key to leveraging your airline fee credit effectively is to plan ahead and remain well-informed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Check this article in Japanese: https://credit.meoto-ny.com/amex-platinum-airline-fee-credit-hack/