I earned again my Amex Enterprise Platinum annual charge on a single lodge keep


After years of debating what could be the finest enterprise rewards card for me, I lastly determined to use for The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical lately.

I had hesitated earlier than due to the cardboard’s $695 annual charge (see charges and costs), however I made a decision to go forward with it due to an unimaginable welcome provide.

I figured I may pay the annual charge after which give myself a yr to see if I may benefit from sufficient of the cardboard’s many upscale perks, together with assertion credit for issues like Hilton stays (as much as $200 yearly), airline charges (as much as $200 yearly) and World Entry or TSA PreCheck ($120 each 4years for World Entry or as much as $85 each 4 1/2 years with TSA PreCheck). Enrollment is required for choose advantages.

Relying on whether or not I may leverage these perks, I may determine if it made sense to pay the charge for a second yr.

Seems I used to be capable of recoup the worth of the annual charge with a single two-night keep at one in every of my favourite inns on the planet, The Peninsula Hong Kong, because of one of many card’s money-saving advantages.

Here is how.

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Getting the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card

The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical is presently providing a two-component welcome bonus (you possibly can earn one or each of those presents, which finish June 30):

  • Earn 150,000 factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
  • Earn a $500 assertion credit score after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked instantly with airways or by means of American Categorical Journey throughout the first three months of card membership.

That is loads of spending, however 150,000 American Categorical Membership Rewards factors are price round $3,000, in accordance with TPG’s Might 2025 valuations. Throw within the $500 in assertion credit after the qualifying flight spend, and that is a whopping $3,500 in worth you may get only for assembly these minimal spending necessities.

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Past the welcome provide, although, I used to be each interested by and curious to know whether or not I may maximize the cardboard’s different ongoing perks, which embody:

  • Annual airline charge assertion credit score of as much as $200 on expenses by the airline you choose every calendar yr
  • Assertion credit for purchases made instantly from any U.S. wi-fi phone supplier (as much as $10 per thirty days)
  • As much as $199 per yr in assertion credit score towards an annual Clear Plus membership for expedited airport safety (topic to auto-renewal)
  • Assertion credit score for World Entry ($120) each 4 years or TSA PreCheck (as much as $85) each 4 1/2 years
  • As much as $50 per quarter assertion credit score (so as much as $200 per yr) for eligible purchases made instantly with a property within the Hilton portfolio (Hilton for Enterprise program membership is required)
  • As much as $200 assertion credit score semiannually (so as much as $400 per calendar yr) for U.S. Dell purchases
  • Complimentary Gold standing with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
  • Entry to Amex Centurion Lounges, in addition to Delta Sky Golf equipment that you may enter when you could have an eligible same-day flight on that airline (as much as 10 occasions per yr, except you spend $75,000 on purchases), Precedence Move lounges (excluding restaurant places), Escape lounges and Lufthansa lounges when you could have a same-day flight on that airline
  • Cellphone safety*, for a most of $800 per declare with a restrict of two authorized claims per 12-month interval
  • Entry to the Cruise Privileges Program and the Worldwide Airline Program
  • A 35% airline bonus once you use Pay with Factors to cowl a first- or business-class ticket on any airline or an financial system ticket on one airline of your selection (as much as 1 million factors again per calendar yr)

Enrollment required for some advantages.

*Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Circumstances and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.

I journey so often and extensively that I knew I might haven’t any drawback leveraging the overwhelming majority of those perks. Nevertheless, it does take some group to make sure you’re getting the complete worth of all these quarterly, semiannual and annual assertion credit.

Amex Tremendous Inns + Resorts perks with the Amex Enterprise Platinum

The one profit I used to be actually hoping to take for a take a look at drive was American Categorical Tremendous Inns + Resorts, which you need to use for reserving choose taking part properties as an Amex Enterprise Platinum Card member.

Amex Tremendous Inns + Resorts reservations include all types of advantages in and of themselves, together with:

  • Midday check-in, when accessible
  • Assured 4 p.m. late checkout
  • Room improve upon arrival, when accessible at check-in (properties could exclude some room sorts, and a few could solely provide you with a room with a greater view)
  • Each day breakfast for 2 individuals
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi (when a property consists of Wi-Fi in a necessary resort charge, you may obtain a day by day credit score equal to the Wi-Fi price)
  • Expertise credit score (the expertise must be valued at $100 or extra and normally consists of a property, eating or spa credit score)

I often keep at inns within the Tremendous Inns + Resorts portfolio, so I believed that this one profit may be the primary device I may use to get sufficient worth from my card to justify its steep annual charge. By attempting it out on a number of stays, I may see if I used to be popping out forward.

Because it turned out, only one lodge keep was sufficient to offset the cardboard’s annual charge.

Here is how a current two-night keep at The Peninsula Hong Kong bought me over $800 in worth and cemented the Amex Enterprise Platinum as a fixture in my pockets.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Amex Tremendous Inns + Resorts perks and financial savings at The Peninsula Hong Kong

I took a current journey across the globe that had me stopping in Hong Kong for a number of days. It is one in every of my favourite cities on the planet, thanks in no small half to what number of fabulous luxurious inns can be found there.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Among the many most storied of them is The Peninsula Hong Kong, which initially opened its doorways in 1928, turning into one of many world’s most well-known inns.

On my very first journey to Hong Kong, once I was simply 11 years outdated, my mom took me to The Peninsula Hong Kong for its legendary afternoon tea, and I nonetheless bear in mind the lavish unfold of pastries, the classical dwell music and the awe-inspiring foyer lounge.

Since then, I’ve had the prospect to remain on the lodge a number of occasions, however this could be the primary time I’ve booked it utilizing Amex Tremendous Inns + Resorts.

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I rigorously tracked the value-added perks I loved because of reserving by means of Tremendous Inns + Resorts. Here is how they added up.

Room fee rebate: $320

On the time of my journey in March, the lodge was providing 25% off charges for traditional rooms. As an alternative of paying $690 per evening for the standard deluxe room, my fee got here to only $530 per evening. That meant a financial savings of $320 on a two-night keep.

A 2-category room improve: $460

Once I checked into the lodge, the agent who assisted me — and principally acted as my private concierge all through my keep after that, arranging restaurant reservations on the lodge and out within the metropolis, amongst different particulars — knowledgeable me that, because of my Tremendous Inns + Resorts reserving, I had obtained a two-category room improve to the grand deluxe king room class, which might have price $230 extra per evening (it was not accessible on the 25% low cost).

That meant I loved barely extra spacious lodging (about 20 sq. toes greater than an entry-level deluxe room), plus the next flooring location and higher metropolis views. In fact, one of the best rooms on the lodge have harbor views, however the panorama of Kowloon’s skyscrapers and hills by means of my home windows was nonetheless unbelievable.

The room itself was additionally fairly elegant, with a toned-down palette of cream, taupe, bronze and brown, a welcoming king-size mattress that seemed out towards the window and a big leisure system. Like different Peninsula properties, the Hong Kong outpost additionally featured Peninsula-branded in-house know-how, corresponding to tablets that management all of the room capabilities.

I particularly beloved the traditional (and palatial) white and inexperienced marble lavatory with its huge soaking tub. It got here full with an in-wall TV, twin sinks — one at both facet of the room — and custom-blended tub merchandise from native parfumier Angel Cheung.

Each day breakfast for two: $260

Amex Tremendous Inns + Resorts bookings embody complimentary day by day breakfast for 2.

At The Peninsula Hong Kong, breakfast is served within the sunny Verandah restaurant (with spillover into the Swiss-themed Chesa restaurant that’s embellished like an Alpine chalet) and consists of an intensive buffet of Western, Japanese and Chinese language dishes, plus made-to-order omelets and all-you-can-drink espresso and tea alternatives.

The lodge usually expenses $65 per individual, per day for breakfast, so my two morning visits with a good friend equated to a whopping $260 in worth.

Dinner at Felix: $100

I may have used my $100 on-property expertise credit score on the lodge’s varied eating places or spa. Ultimately, my devoted concierge was capable of safe me a desk on the top-floor restaurant, Felix, with prime harbor views.

The menu options up to date European delicacies with heavy Mediterranean influences. For my dinner, I attempted a wealthy however delicate starter of Japanese king crab with avocado puree and a fragile coriander tuile, adopted by hearty lamb from France’s Aveyron area with spring greens and herbaceous za’atar sauce as my entree. To conclude the meal, I ordered the signature deconstructed Hong Kong milk tea dessert, which was creamy and light-weight.

My invoice, which additionally included two glasses of wine, got here to round $230, however because of my Tremendous Inns + Resorts credit score, I saved $100.

My grand complete in financial savings: $1,140

All advised, I calculated my value-added advantages attributable to reserving by means of Amex Tremendous Inns + Resorts at $1,140. That comes with a number of caveats, although.

First, I in all probability wouldn’t have paid the upcharge to the grand deluxe room, contemplating how excessive that might have been with my low cost. These rooms generally are simply $60 to $100 extra per evening than normal deluxe rooms, so the improve worth was inflated by the 25% low cost I used to be capable of get pleasure from on my reserving. Nonetheless, that 25% was loads of financial savings, and it was additionally accessible for a good portion of the yr.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Second, although I did save $100 on my dinner, the general invoice was nonetheless costly, at greater than $200 for a single individual, so this profit solely turns out to be useful when you’re splurging anyway.

Lastly, lodge breakfast costs are usually comparatively excessive, and you’ll get pleasure from loads of nice Hong Kong breakfast spots for less expensive than $65 per individual. So, when you are likely to skip breakfast, which may not turn out to be useful.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Nonetheless, for my wants, I felt like I bought great worth from this single Tremendous Inns + Resorts reserving. I’ll attempt to do the identical on different stays all year long.

Different facilities at The Peninsula Hong Kong

My keep at The Peninsula Hong Kong this time was brief, however hopefully I will get again there once more quickly. I really like the lodge and its many facilities, so right here are some things you need to attempt to expertise there when you get to remain.

The Peninsula Hong Kong’s tony afternoon tea continues to be the stuff of legend, happening in its ornately gilded foyer with dwell music drifting down from the minstrel’s gallery, so you should definitely e-book a desk and settle in for fairly the afternoon affair.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The lodge’s many eating places are every price a go to. My favourite are Gaddi’s, which is within the former grand ballroom and has a Michelin star because of chef Anne-Sophie Nicolas’ meticulous French delicacies (be looking out for the well-known Christofle silver duck and lobster press); and Spring Moon, additionally with a Michelin star, for luxurious Cantonese banquets in an area that seems like an emperor’s summer time palace.

A dip within the lodge’s sprawling indoor pool seems like swimming at Hearst Fortress, because of the Greco-Roman theme and incomparable harbor views.

In the meantime, there’s additionally an intensive health heart with locker rooms that includes saunas, steam rooms and tub circuits.

The hushed spa presents remedies incorporating all-natural Irish Voya merchandise and Margy’s Monte Carlo skincare line.

In case your finances permits, there isn’t any expertise like being chauffeured in one of many lodge’s bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantoms — within the lodge’s signature inexperienced colour, in fact — on personal drives by means of town or to and from the airport (transfers price round $200 every method).

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Though Tremendous Inns + Resorts bookings embody availability-based midday check-in and assured 4 p.m. late checkout, the purpose is just about moot at The Peninsula since Peninsula Inns provide a “Peninsula Time” profit the place you possibly can test in as early as 6 a.m. and take a look at as late as 10 p.m., relying in your explicit journey plans.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Lastly, The Peninsula is famend for its service — simply image these white pillbox-hatted doormen — and my keep proved the rule. Not solely was I greeted by identify by virtually each workers individual I met, however all I needed to do was ask for assist with all the pieces from restaurant reservations to museum tickets to ideas for a cheap foot therapeutic massage on close by Nathan Street. In brief, I felt taken care of however not chaperoned, and it created a balanced and delightful sense of hospitality.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Backside line

The Peninsula Hong Kong continues to be one in every of my favourite inns on the planet, even in spite of everything these years, and my current keep there was simply one other fantastic reminiscence I will have of the property.

What made it even higher was the truth that I bought effectively over $1,000 out of my keep by reserving by means of American Categorical Tremendous Inns + Resorts with my new Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical.

In fact, you must be staying at costly luxurious inns and spending cash on issues like meals and spa remedies in an effort to maximize the advantages of the Amex Tremendous Inns + Resorts program. But when that matches your journey wants, then there isn’t any query you possibly can reap a whole bunch of {dollars} in worth out of each lodge keep you e-book by means of this system.

For charges and costs of the Amex Enterprise Platinum, click on right here.

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