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Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.

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 on pick-ups. 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 credit 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 credit cards.

Featured Partner Offer

The Platinum Card® from American Express

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

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Score

Excellent/Good (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 unworkable 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 purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, 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, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
  • $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.
  • $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
  • $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
  • $100 Global Entry Credit: 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 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, 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.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. 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.

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 reserve and 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.

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 the location and coverage level. 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 Card².

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 Preferred card members can earn a discount of up to 25% on Avis car rentals using a code (taxes and fees apply). 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. 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 a 20% discount on vehicle rentals (taxes and fees apply). Other perks of President’s Circle status include:

  • A 4-hour grace period on rental returns
  • Guaranteed upgrades on economy through standard vehicle rentals
  • Free additional driver
  • A 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

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.

Find The Best Credit Cards For Car Rental Insurance Of 2023

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.

²For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

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