The Amex Platinum just got its biggest benefits refresh in years, and vacation rentals are the headline. Airbnb bookings now earn 5x points, the hotel credit is now a Lodging Credit that covers Airbnb Luxe, and there is a new $250 Experiences credit to unlock. Here is every benefit that matters for families, and the math on the $895 annual fee.

Details verified October 23, 2026.

5x points on Airbnb stays

Book a prepaid Airbnb through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel app and you now earn 5x Membership Rewards points. This is new: short-term rentals were previously the odd corner of Amex Travel that earned poorly. For families who default to Airbnbs over hotels, this is the single most valuable change. A $2,000 week-long rental now earns 10,000 points instead of 2,000.

The $600 Lodging Credit (formerly the Hotel Credit)

The $600 Hotel Credit is now the $600 Lodging Credit: up to $300 back semi-annually on select prepaid lodging booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel app. Two things changed:

1. Airbnb Luxe counts. Prepaid 2+ night Airbnb Luxe stays booked through Amex Travel now trigger the credit.
2. 2-night minimum from January 1, 2027. Single-night FHR and Hotel Collection bookings will no longer trigger the credit. Book 2026 one-nighters before the cutoff.

One reality check: a third-party analysis of 10,000+ Airbnb Luxe listings put the median nightly price near $1,900, with only about 4% under $500 a night. The $300 credit helps, but it covers a slice of most Luxe stays, not the whole bill.

The $250 Airbnb Experiences credit

New: after you complete one Airbnb Luxe booking through Amex Travel, you unlock a $250 annual Airbnb Experiences credit. It shows as “Not Unlocked” in your account until that first Luxe stay posts. Use it for cooking classes, guided tours, and the activities that usually get paid in cash on family trips.

Booking homes through Amex Travel

Amex Travel now surfaces over a million Airbnb homes alongside hotels. The practical edge for families: one checkout, one rewards currency, and the stay counts toward both the 5x earn and the Lodging Credit when it is a Luxe property.

The rest of the credit lineup

• $200 airline incidental credit (one airline, selected in advance; incidentals only, not tickets)
• $300 streaming credit ($25/month on select services; now includes Paramount+, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV)
• $200 Uber Cash ($15/month + $20 bonus in December)
• $120 Uber One credit (covers an Uber One membership; subject to auto-renewal)
• $400 Resy credit ($100/quarter; enrollment required)
• $219 CLEAR Plus credit
• Lounge access: Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta)

The family math on the $895 fee

Add it up with realistic family usage:

• $600 Lodging Credit (one family trip)
• $400 Resy credit ($100/quarter)
• $300 Streaming credit ($25/month)
• $250 Experiences credit
• $200 airline incidentals
• $200 Uber Cash
• $120 Uber One credit (covers the membership)

That’s $2,070 in credits against the $895 fee, before counting a single point. The fee only stings if you let credits expire unused. Make sure you set calendar reminders for the semi-annual and monthly ones.