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If you need to rent a car, having an Amex Platinum card in your wallet can help you score extra benefits. Through loyalty status upgrades, you’ll get access to added perks like member-only discounts, no fees for second drivers and the ability to skip the car rental counter and go straight to your vehicle. Secondary car rental insurance is available for free and primary coverage can be added for a flat fee.
The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees) and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees) each carry a $695 annual fee. As luxury cards, both options include an impressive collection of benefits and perks that, when properly utilized, give cardmembers value beyond the cards’ high fee.
Here’s a look at the car rental benefits that are included with Amex Platinum cards.
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The Platinum Card® from American Express
On American Express's Website
4.8
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
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5X Reward Rate
Earn 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and on flights booked directlyRead More
Welcome Bonus
Earn 80,000 points
Annual Fee
$695
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Credit Score
Good,Excellent(700 - 749)
Editorial Review
The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card’s staggering annual fee is well justified.
Pros & Cons
- High reward potential on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel
- Multiple credits can help justify the fee
- Comprehensive airport lounge access
- Luxury travel benefits and elite status with Hilton and Marriott with enrollment
- Very high annual fee
- Maximizing the statement credits takes some work and could be impractical for many
- Reward rate outside of travel is sub-par for a premium card
Card Details
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peaco*ck, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Amex Platinum Car Rental Benefits
Both The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express come with exclusive car rental benefits. As an Amex Platinum cardmember, you earn elite status with several popular rental car providers and secondary insurance coverage when you rent a vehicle.
Amex Platinum Rental Car Loss and Damage Insurance
The Amex Platinum card comes with secondary car rental insurance¹ at no additional charge. Since this free coverage isn’t primary, you’ll need to file a claim with your auto insurance provider before Amex’s rental coverage kicks in.
Amex Platinum rental insurance provides coverage for theft or damage to eligible rental cars when you pay for the rental with your Amex card. You’ll also need to decline any insurance coverage offered by the rental company.
Coverage is unavailable for certain vehicle types, including cargo vans and antique or customized vehicles. It also doesn’t extend to personal vehicles rented through a rideshare or peer-to-peer company. Rentals in Australia, Italy and New Zealand are excluded.
If you need primary coverage, it’s available for an extra fee through Amex’s Premium Car Rental Protection. American Express charges a flat price for the entire rental period (up to 42 days) instead of per day, as is often the case for rental car company coverage. Costs range from $12.25 to $24.95 based on your state of residence and coverage level. Like the collision damage waiver (CDW) described above, Premium Car Rental Protection doesn’t include liability coverage.
The Amex Platinum’s “per rental” pricing could save you money when compared to buying insurance coverage from the car rental service. But it’s important to note that some of the best credit cards for car rental insurance include primary coverage for free, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (rates & fees).
Amex Platinum Car Rental Status
The Amex Platinum Card comes with complimentary status bumps with three major car rental companies—Avis, Hertz and National.
With all three rental companies, you must enroll in their loyalty programs to access benefits. You must also meet program age requirements to join and rent a vehicle. Here’s a closer look at the status that you’ll receive with each rental car company.
Avis Preferred Plus
Amex Platinum card members can earn a discount of up to 25% on Avis car rentals using a code (taxes and fees apply and are not reduced by the discount). The discount does not apply to optional upgrades like refueling and car rental insurance.
Avis Preferred Plus status comes with free vehicle upgrades when available during booking. You can also earn a free weekend rental with the completion of two qualifying Avis rentals in each half of the year. Other Preferred Plus benefits include:
- Expedited straight-to-car services at participating Avis locations
- Earn Avis rewards on qualifying rentals
- Monthly email offers
Hertz President’s Circle
Amex Platinum card members receive complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status. With status, card members can use a designated code at booking to earn up to a 20% discount on vehicle rentals (taxes and fees apply and are not eligible for the discount). Other perks of President’s Circle status include:
- Four-hour grace period on rental returns
- Guaranteed upgrades on economy through standard vehicle rentals
- Free additional driver for your spouse or domestic partner
- Dedicated customer service line
National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive
Your Amex Platinum card earns you automatic Emerald Club Executive status with National Car Rental. Executive status allows you to rent any car full-size or above and only pay National’s midsize rate. Other Emerald Club Executive benefits include:
- Guaranteed vehicle upgrades on full-size through luxury vehicle rentals
- One free rental day after six qualifying rentals
- Expedited pick-up and drop-off services
- Free second driver
- Reciprocal rewards earning through eligible Enterprise Rent-A-Car rentals
- Special member-only offer emails
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How To Get Amex Platinum Rental Car Offers
While Amex Platinum cards come with rental car benefits, there are specific steps you need to take to activate these special privileges.
To be eligible for Amex’s secondary car rental insurance coverage, you must pay for the entire rental cost with your Amex Platinum card and decline the optional insurance coverage offered by the rental car company.
To receive rental company status upgrades, you must either be an existing loyalty member with Avis, Hertz or National Car Rental or sign up for membership during the activation process to receive rental company status upgrades.
Depending on the rental company, you may receive a special code to use when renting a vehicle to receive member discounts.
Bottom Line
In addition to rental car insurance coverage, Amex Platinum cardmembers can receive elite status at major rental companies to enjoy perks such as vehicle upgrades, exclusive offers and expedited services. Taking full advantage of these benefits can help Amex Platinum cardmembers extract more value out of the card’s high annual fee while experiencing a more convenient and rewarding car rental process.
To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
¹Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Explore The Benefits Of The Platinum Card® from American Express.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is secondary car rental insurance?
Secondary car rental insurance requires you to exhaust any other insurance options you may have before filing a claim. For rental cars, this likely includes your own car insurance policy.
What is Premium Car Rental Protection from Amex?
Premium Car Rental Protection from Amex is an optional add-on that you can purchase to provide primary insurance coverage for a particular rental period. This means you are not required to claim with other insurance policies before turning to Amex for coverage. The policy has no deductible. Once enrolled, coverage will be automatically charged to your Amex card for each rental.
What is the difference between Amex Platinum and Amex Gold car rental?
The Amex Platinum rental car collision damage waiver insurance provides better coverage than the Amex Gold. The Platinum card provides a maximum limit of $75,000 compared to the Gold card’s $50,000, and the Platinum card provides additional coverage for Accidental Death and Dismemberment, personal property and injuries that may be sustained in an accident.
