The American Express Travel® portal allows you to redeem Membership Rewards points directly for travel reservations and activities rather than transferring your rewards to airline or hotel partners like Delta Air Lines and Marriott Bonvoy.
You can also book discounted premium tickets, take advantage of benefits like a 35% points bonus on certain bookings and even book premium hotels with additional perks through Amex Travel.
Let’s explore this booking portal to uncover all its benefits and potential disadvantages.
What is the American Express Travel portal?
Amex Travel is the booking portal for most American Express cards. You can book flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises using the site. Plus, you can pay with points, cash or a combination of the two.
How to book flights on the Amex Travel portal
To find flights on American Express Travel, visit this webpage. The flight booking process on the Amex Travel portal is similar to other popular sites like Kayak and Orbitz. You’ll find a search box where you can enter your departure and destination cities.
If you’re flexible with your departure airport, you can choose an entire city with multiple airports, such as New York City. Additionally, you can customize your booking by selecting your preferred class and the number of travelers, and choosing between one-way and round-trip flights.
You’ll see the price listed in dollars and Amex Membership Rewards points during the booking process.
You can also use the options on the left-hand side to filter flights by number of stops, departure and arrival times, flight duration and airline.
Delta Air Lines is a featured airline in the Amex Travel portal. Sometimes, Delta flights appear at the top of your results, listed as “recommended,” but this doesn’t mean those flights are always the cheapest or the best.
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Additionally, if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and are flying from an airport with a Centurion Lounge, you’ll see an indicator that a lounge is available.
Since these cards both carry annual fees of $695, you’ll want to pay close attention to any chance you have to take advantage of their benefits (see rates and fees for the Amex Platinum and see rates and fees for the Amex Business Platinum).
Points vs. cash
When paying for your flights on American Express Travel®, several American Express cards offer elevated earning rates:
| Card name | Points earned with Amex Travel | Points earned booking directly with airlines | Points earned booking on other travel portals |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Business Platinum Card from American Express | 5 points per dollar | 1 point per dollar (1.5 points per dollar if the charge is $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million spent per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) | 1 point per dollar (1.5 points per dollar if the charge is $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million spent per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) |
| The Platinum Card from American Express | 5 points per dollar (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) | 5 points per dollar (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) | 1 point per dollar |
| American Express® Business Gold Card | 3 points per dollar | 1 point per dollar | 1 point per dollar |
| American Express® Gold Card | 3 points per dollar | 3 points per dollar | 1 point per dollar |
You can also pay with Amex Membership Rewards points to cover the cost of your flight.
You’ll see the number of points required next to the cash price of a flight. You can expect a value of 1 cent per point when using Pay with Points. However, TPG’s May 2025 valuations deem Membership Rewards points as worth 2 cents apiece when you maximize Amex’s transfer partners.
It’s important to compare the number of points required for bookings on Amex Travel with the points you’d need to transfer to an airline program. If you can’t book a flight through transfer partners and prefer to use your points, Amex Travel remains an option.
If you’re an Amex Business Platinum cardmember, you get to enjoy an extra benefit when using Amex Travel. You can get 35% of your points back when paying with points through the Amex Travel portal (up to 1 million points back per calendar year).
This applies to first- and business-class flights on any airline, plus tickets in any class on your preferred airline (the same one used for your up to $200 airline incidental credit that you receive each calendar year; enrollment is required in advance, and terms apply).
This 35% points bonus can provide a value of 1.54 cents per point, which may influence your decision to pay with cash or points.
Similarly, the Business Centurion® Card from American Express offers a 50% Pay with Points bonus on eligible flights (up to 3 million points back per calendar year). Terms apply. Note that Centurion cards are available by invitation only.
The information for the Business Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
More details about flights through Amex Travel
During the payment process, you can use points, your credit card or a combination of both. Each point is valued at 1 cent.
You can upgrade your flights using cash or points in the Amex Travel portal. This generally gives you a return of 1 cent each, and you can book using your Amex card, points or a combination of both.
During your flight search, you might come across “Insider Fares” that offer a discounted price. But to benefit from the discount, you must redeem points to cover the full fare amount.
Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers also have the ability to purchase discounted premium tickets through Amex Travel’s International Airline Program. This program offers discounts on first-class, business-class and premium economy tickets from over 20 participating airlines.
To book a premium ticket using the IAP, go to the Amex Travel portal and pay with cash or points. The Amex Business Platinum’s 35% points rebate can be applied here (up to 1 million points back per calendar year).
Keep in mind that not all flights are eligible, and there are restrictions:
- The cardmember must travel on the itinerary.
- A maximum of eight tickets can be booked per itinerary; travel must begin and end in the U.S. or Canadian international airports.
- Tickets are nonrefundable unless stated otherwise.
- Name changes for passengers are not allowed.
Finally, note that flights booked through Amex Travel are typically treated as normal paid tickets, meaning you’re eligible to earn points or miles with participating airline loyalty programs.
Related: Is the Amex Platinum worth it for a points and miles newbie? I booked a trip to find out
How to book hotels on the Amex Travel portal
You can book hotels through American Express Travel with a personal or business Gold, Platinum or Centurion card. As with other travel portals, you can input your destination, dates, number of rooms and number of guests (with separate input fields for adults and children).
Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel reservations made with Amex Travel. Amex Business Gold cardmembers earn 3 points per dollar on prepaid hotel reservations made with Amex Travel, and Amex Gold cardmembers earn 2 points per dollar on prepaid hotel reservations made with Amex Travel.
After selecting your hotel, you’ll choose your preferred room and pay with points or cash. If you pay with points, you’ll only get a value of 0.7 cents per point (compared to 1 cent when you book flights).
Note that these are considered third-party bookings, so you likely won’t earn hotel points or elite credits for your stay. While there are reports of people receiving stay credits with Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors on rooms booked through Amex Travel, the hotel is not guaranteed to recognize your elite status in these programs or provide status-qualifying stay credits.
Related: What you need to know about direct versus third-party travel bookings
Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts
Platinum and Centurion cardmembers also have access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program through Amex Travel. This can add some great benefits to your hotel stays and may not cost much more than booking directly with the hotel.
Here are the perks you’ll receive with every FHR booking, regardless of the length of your stay:
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Daily breakfast for two people: The provided breakfast must be, at a minimum, a continental breakfast.
- Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
- Noon check-in when available
- Room upgrade upon arrival (when available): Some room types may be excluded, but you could receive an upgrade to preferred rooms with better views or a better location in the hotel.
- Unique property amenity: The amenity varies by hotel but should be valued at $100 or more; it usually consists of a property credit, dining credit, spa credit, private airport transfer or similar amenity.
You’ll need to book these stays through Amex Travel, but note that FHR is considered a separate program from standard Amex Travel bookings.
In addition, if you have the personal Amex Platinum, you can also get up to $200 in statement credits every calendar year for prepaid reservations through Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection, which we’ll discuss next. Enrollment is required, and terms apply. Minimum two-night stay for Hotel Collection bookings.
Related: A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi
The Hotel Collection
A lesser-known American Express benefit is The Hotel Collection, which allows you to book in cash or with points. Those with Amex Gold, Platinum and Centurion cards have access to this program, which offers the following benefits:
- A room upgrade at check-in when available
- Noon check-in when available
- Late checkout when available
- $100 on-property credit toward eligible charges, varying by property
Note that The Hotel Collection bookings require a minimum stay of two nights, but consumer Amex Platinum cardmembers can use up to $200 in Hotel Collection statement credits each calendar year to help offset the cost of that requirement. Enrollment is required; terms apply.
How to book rental cars and cruises through the Amex Travel portal
Reserving a car through the Amex Travel portal is relatively simple. You’ll start by inputting your pickup and drop-off times and location.
You’ll see rental car prices listed in cash and points when you select to sort your results by “Lowest Points.” When using Pay with Points, your points are worth 0.7 cents, which is just over a third of TPG’s May 2025 valuation of Amex Membership Rewards points at 2 cents per point.
Although the format differs, you can also search for cruises on Amex Travel.
Rather than typing specific dates and numbers of passengers, you’ll see four drop-down menus. These allow you to choose a destination (by region), filter by cruise lines and choose a month for travel (though not specific dates) on this first page. You can also select your desired cruise duration.
From here, you can filter by cruise duration, departure port and ship. You can sort your results by sailing date, value or price.
On the final payment page, you can use your card or redeem points, ranging from 1 point to enough to cover the entire cost. Using points for a cruise will result in a low valuation of 0.7 cents per point, but it can be a money-saving option if you prefer not to spend cash.
If you’re a Platinum or Centurion cardmember (including both the personal and business versions of these cards), the Cruise Privileges Program is another benefit available to you.
This is available on cruises of five nights or more with select cruise lines, and it offers the following perks:
- $100-$300 onboard ship credit per cabin
- Additional onboard amenities vary by line, such as spa vouchers, a bottle of Champagne, shore excursion credits or a private ship tour
- One extra Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on a cruise booked through Amex Travel
Note that the Platinum cardmember must be one of the travelers on the cruise to enjoy these benefits.
Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles
Further things to consider about Amex Travel
When booking through Amex Travel, there are a few factors to consider.
First, using Amex Membership Rewards points on Amex Travel may not provide the best value compared to transferring points to airline or hotel loyalty programs. The Pay with Points feature typically values points at 0.7 to 1 cent per point, which is far lower than TPG’s May 2025 valuation at 2 cents per point.
Additionally, the prices on Amex Travel may not always be the most competitive, so we recommend checking other platforms like Google Flights before booking your travel. Also, booking directly with hotels is best for those looking to use elite status benefits.
When you need to change your upcoming trips booked through Amex Travel, it can get complicated. You may encounter change and cancellation fees, and making a change requires a phone call. Flight credit vouchers from cancellations can only be used for rebooking through Amex Travel via phone.
On the positive side, Amex Travel allows a 24-hour cancellation window for most reservations.
Related: Redeeming American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value
Bottom line
American Express Travel offers an array of booking options, including the ability to earn bonus Membership Rewards points on select purchases. Although you can use your points to book hotels, flights, rental cars and cruises through Amex Travel, you can get more from your points when you transfer them to Amex’s airline and hotel partners.
However, there are exceptions, such as when there is no award availability for last-minute travel. In addition, Amex Travel offers perks like discounted premium flights, added benefits with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and a user-friendly interface.
And with a simple redemption scheme that doesn’t involve complicated loyalty programs and transfer partners, many Amex cardmembers prefer it when planning their trips.
Related: Incognito mode and third-party apps: Do travel booking hacks actually work?
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here.