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Editor's note: This post has been updated with the latest credit card information and benefits.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($595, see rates and fees) routinely ranks as one of the best business credit cards thanks to its outstanding travel benefits, not to mention a welcome bonus that is currently 85,000 points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of account opening (or even higher for targeted consumers).
But the card also offers a slate of perks that might not be as familiar to cardholders or those considering getting the card - all for an annual fee that's just $45 more than the personal Platinum Card® from American Express ($550, see rates and fees).
Here's a list of some of the card's best benefits, including some you might not have noticed before.
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The Basics
As a reminder, here's the current offer on the card and some of its more notable travel benefits.
The Business Platinum Card currently offers 85,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, earn 5x points on eligible purchases in 5 select business categories, up to 80,000 bonus points per category in the first three months of account opening.
© The Points Guy(Photo by The Points Guy)
Amex Business Platinum card benefits:
Related: Are the perks worth the price? A review of the Business Platinum Card from American Express
© The Points Guy(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Lesser-known benefits
Now that we've got the top banner travel benefits out of the way, let's get into the nitty-gritty perks that cardholders might not be taking advantage of, or even know they have.
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: If you book a round-trip flight entirely with your eligible card and the flight is canceled for a "covered reason" - including inclement weather, terrorist action, call to jury duty, sudden illness or injury to you or an eligible traveler, or physician-led quarantine - you may receive reimbursement of nonrefundable travel expenses of up to $10,000 per trip, with a maximum of up to $20,000 per eligible account for each consecutive 12-month period. This was included in the perks added to higher-end Amex cards in 2020.
Trip delay insurance: The card's trip delay protection covers round-trip flights purchased entirely with an eligible card. (This includes using the card to pay taxes and fees on award tickets or Pay With Points tickets.) If your trip is delayed by more than six hours because of a covered reason, this perk will reimburse unexpected expenses - such as meals, lodging and personal-use items - up to $500 per trip and up to two claims per card per consecutive 12-month period.
Lost or stolen baggage insurance: Like many other travel cards, this one offers insurance for lost or stolen bags. When you use your card to purchase the entire fare on a common carrier, coverage is provided up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage per person. For New York State residents, there's a $2,000 limit per bag/suitcase for each covered person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all people per trip.
© The Points Guy(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Car rental loss and damage insurance: This is secondary rental insurance, rather than the primary insurance offered by other cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, but will cover you up to $75,000 for damage or theft.
Purchase protection: This oft-overlooked benefit gives cardholders coverage up to 90 days from the date of purchase if an item is stolen, accidentally damaged, etc. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per account per calendar year to repair, replace, or reimburse you for the item.
Extended warranty: This benefit adds up to one extra year to the original manufacturer's warranty of five years or less. Coverage is up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per account per calendar year.
Return protection: Return protection provides refunds to cardholders when a merchant won't take back an eligible item up to 90 days from purchase. The benefit applies to eligible purchases charged entirely to your card up to $300 per item, and up to a maximum of $1,000 per account per calendar year, based on the date of purchase.
Pay Over Time feature: This is especially handy for small-business owners whose cash flow might be irregular at times. If eligible, cardholders can enroll and pay certain purchases over time, though they do accrue interest on the balance, as with a credit card.
Concierge: Cardholders have access to a special phone service that can assist with tasks such as booking restaurants and events, or delivering items on demand. You must call to activate this benefit, but you can also sign up for texting for more convenience.
Preferred Seating Program: Thanks to Amex's connections, its high-end cardholders get access to premium seats for cultural and sporting events based on availability - including some impossible-to-get tickets like Hamilton. While this probably isn't a current selling point of the card, hopefully, more folks will be able to take advantage of it post-COVID.
Premium Private Jet Program: Cardmembers who purchase a Delta Private Jets Card (now part of Wheels Up) are entitled to a 20% discount off published fares for select fare classes in effect when booked.
© The Points Guy(Photo by Andres Morales for The Points Guy)
Connect to QuickBooks: Amex business cardholders get this perk, which automatically logs transactions using their associated card to their Quickbooks account daily, which makes keeping track of purchases and expenses that much easier.
InCircle: This is Neiman Marcus's loyalty program. When you enroll your Business Platinum Card with InCircle, you receive 1 point for every dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Last Call, Horchow or Cusp. For every 10,000 points you earn, you'll get a $100 InCircle Point Card. Points are not awarded for the costs of sales tax, shipping, alterations, gift packaging, fur services, repair and cleaning of shoes, handbags, optical, precious jewelry, monogramming, salon products and services, and valet parking.
Departures Magazine: This is a luxury magazine that is published seven times a year exclusively for Platinum Card and Business Platinum Card members.
Related: Credit card showdown: Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum
Bottom line
Although the Business Platinum Card comes with plenty of widely advertised perks, there are dozens of lesser-known benefits which can add tremendous value to the card if you maximize them.
These include travel and purchase protections, as well as exclusive access to events, premium travel experiences and more. If you carry the card or are thinking of applying for it, be sure to look through the card's benefits guide in detail to make sure you will take advantage of all it has to offer.
Additional reporting by Carissa Rawson.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
Feature photo by Isabelle Raphael /The Points Guy.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.