As the year comes to a close, so does the opportunity to use the credits on the annual, semi-annual and quarterly statements that come with your credit cards. And if you’re like me, you might still have a few left to cross off your list.
Earlier this week, I had two American Express hotel credits at my disposal to use until the end of December. card holders American Express Platinum® Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Receive up to $600 in hotel statement credits each calendar year (up to $300 every two years) for prepaid reservations with Fine Hotels + Resorts either The hotel collection properties through American Express® Travel. (Hotel Collection reservations require a two-night minimum stay.)
I confess that I had not used the benefit on myself American Express Platinum® Card in previous years. But after the issuer increased hotel credit from $200 to $300he did it biannually and added a hotel credit toward The Business Platinum Card® from American ExpressI knew it was time to put my benefits to work.
Whether you’re in the same boat as a beginner or just looking for an easy way to use credit as the calendar winds down, here are three things you should know.
Related: Here’s Your Guide to Amex Platinum and Business Platinum Prepaid Hotel Credit
Filter Options with MaxFHR
In the past, I’ve left my hotel credits by the wayside because I didn’t want to pay out of pocket to cover the rest of the stay. Although there are many hotels where Your credit will cover most of the billSearching for them on Amex Travel can be time-consuming.
But this time, I employed a useful tool to speed up the search process. a hotel in las vegas: FHRmax This tool allows you to filter hotels in Amex collections by price. All you have to do is indicate your location and use a sliding scale to secure the ceiling.
Please note that hotel prices listed on the site are not always up to date, so you will need to head to the American Express website to confirm costs. You will also have to pay for a pro account if you want to filter by exact dates. Still, it’s a great way to get a snapshot of what properties may be in your price range.
You can also filter by brand, which is useful if you’re looking to win elite nights with a particular chain. Or you can filter by amenity credit to find hotels that offer benefits you’ll actually use; I’m not a spa person, so unchecking those boxes allows me to see properties where I’ll get a different deal, like a food and beverage credit.
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Use points to reduce out-of-pocket costs
If you need to travel on specific dates or are trying to stay at a specific property, you may not be able to find rates in the $300 range. Fortunately, there is a way to avoid spending cash.
Amex offers a cash and points option, allowing you to choose how much of the stay is charged to your card and how much you pay in points. This way, you can charge $300 to your card, matching the statement credit amount, and use your points to cover the rest at a rate of 1 cent per point, resulting in no out-of-pocket costs.
Ellie Nan Storck, TPG’s managing hotel editor, took this route last month for an overnight stay at Maine’s White Barn Inn, which is part of FHR. The bill was just over $530, so he charged $300 to his Amex Platinum to activate the credit and used 23,100 Amex points to cover the rest.
TPG values Amex membership rewards at 2 cents per point, according to our Ratings December 2025so we typically don’t recommend redeeming them through Amex Travel at a rate of 1 cent per point. But in this case, spending 23,100 points unlocked a $530 stay. This meant Ellie received 2.29 cents per point for a trade that exceeded our valuation.
Please note that prepaid does not mean non-refundable
If you typically book hotels directly through the hotel’s website rather than through a third-party, you may be used to seeing options like the one below from Marriott, which allows you to lock in a lower prepaid rate that’s non-refundable.
This is what I am personally used to seeing when I book hotels. And, since stays are eligible for Amex hotel credit if paid in advance, I assumed that meant they would be non-refundable. So when I went to use my credit and saw a refundable option as the only one available, I was taken aback.
Concerned that I wouldn’t be refunded if I booked a refundable rate, I paused the reservation over the weekend so I could confirm it with a colleague. And in that time, the price shot up almost $150.
In the end, I didn’t have to worry or wait. The refundable rate has no bearing on whether the credit will be activated as long as it is prepaid. My stay ended up being eligible for the credit despite being cancelable up to three days before check-in.
In a nutshell
There are only a couple of weeks left this year to use your Amex hotel credit before it expires. While you can use the credit for a stay next year, the reservation must be made and paid for in advance by January 1.
If you’re looking to insure something, especially during a time of year that can be busy, unpredictable and expensive, these time- and money-saving tricks can help you find a great option.
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