The new calendar year 2025 just started, so here is my frequent reminder that it’s best to use up all credits that are attached to your credit card accounts as soon as possible, especially the U.S. Amex Platinum card.
Many of these credits are based on the calendar year, so if you don’t use them right now, they will disappear into thin air, and you lose whatever full or residual value is left of them.
A variety of premium credit cards in the U.S. market (and abroad as well nowadays) offer an annual travel credit that ranges between $100 and $300 in value and can be used in many different ways, some more flexible than others.
Last month, many readers inquired how to use their credits at the very last minute, and exactly for this purpose, I suggest using them as soon as there is a decent opportunity!
While many card products officially say they allow the credits to be used for incidentals such as baggage fees, upgrades, and lounge passes, it’s often possible to also use the credits for gift cards or travel credits, which can then be turned into flexible free flights that also collect miles.
American Express offers this Airline Fee Credit as a reimbursement after transactions are charged to the eligible card account. In the past, it worked quite well, for example, with the United Airlines Travel Bank in single amounts of up to $100. There have been reports of this working on and off, but I never had a problem getting the credit.
Getting reimbursements for gift cards is officially no longer possible as the purchase now codes differently, but buying actual tickets that cost below $100 will usually see the reimbursement kick in. The same goes for paying taxes on award tickets.
As far as Amex goes, the Platinum Card has a $200 annual airline credit, and Corporate Gold comes with $100 that runs based on the calendar year, which means if you have a new card account, you can actually get the credit twice within the first membership year that overlaps Jan 1.
The Amex Platinum US$200 hotel credit for Fine Hotels and Resorts (1 Night minimum), as well as The Hotel Collection (2 Night minimum), is probably the most valuable credit that should definitely be used.
I wrote an update on this previously:
There should be something for everyone as far as the hotels are concerned. Even if you don’t want to use the hotel stay right now, you can always prepay for a future date. The credit applies as long as you book before the end of December of each calendar year. Again, please don’t wait that long.
You can easily track which credits you have already received on the Amex website under your card account:
The Amex Green offers another $100 for Loungebuddy, which also counts per calendar year but this will soon be shut down, and the benefit will disappear with the last day to use credits under Amex Green on JAN13th :
American Express Shuts Down Loungebuddy Service On January 30, 2025
Another Amex Platinum item that should be used is the SAKS 5th Ave credit of $50 bi-annually. You can get $50 reimbursed for your purchases between JAN-JUN and JUL-DEC.
Usually, when I’m in the U.S. I just go to a store and buy a $50 gift card and pool them after a while for a bigger purchase, but when that isn’t possible, I order something on sale, such as a pair of swim shorts:
I used Rakuten for a 10% additional cashback on this order during Cyber Monday.
Other cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, have a $300 travel credit, which is generally much more flexible based on their interpretation of “Travel”:
Merchants in the travel category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages.
With the Chase CSR, it doesn’t matter when you use your $300 credit because it runs based on the membership year rather than the calendar year.
Any purchases (not just ” airline incidentals”) in these categories will be automatically adjusted until the $300 is used up. However, the credit runs per revolving card member anniversary, so even in the first year, you can only get it once. The advantage of the Chase credit (or disadvantage, depending how you look at it) is that these funds don’t expire on December 31st but are based on your membership year.
Check if your credit card has an annual allowance for travel credits and then the expiration date!
Last year, I used my Amex credit to renew my CLEAR membership (they offer an additional discount for United members).
Do I use CLEAR frequently? Maybe a few times per year, as I’m not living in the U.S. or visiting all that frequently, but it is better than nothing, and I like the service. As soon as my membership expires, I’ll renew it again.
To avoid leaving quite a bit of money on the table, it’s important to also focus on using up the Dining or streaming credits each month. The good thing about the $25 monthly dining credit, for example, on my Amex Bonvoy Brilliant, is that it can be used internationally as well and not just with U.S. outlets.
However, if your card credit is valid only at U.S. outlets and you are abroad, reloading your Starbucks card with the respective amount usually triggers the credit. Starbucks only allows access via VPN if you’re located in some foreign countries (Thailand, for example), so either use that or have a buddy log in and make the purchase for you.
There are many, many cards that offer annual credits, and you should familiarize yourself in detail with what the card offers, especially if it’s expensive as far as the annual fee is concerned. I focused so much on the Amex Platinum because it has really become an epic coupon book rather than a credit (charge) card. The amount of planning and headache associated with that card has become staggering.
Conclusion
These annual credits are quite useful if you apply them properly. With so many different credit card products that most of us carry in our wallets, it pays off to know all the benefits associated with each card. It would be a shame if these credits went unused.
Keep in mind that it takes a few days for the charge to actually hit your account and another couple of days for your adjustment, so it’s really best to get them out of the way early and definitely not wait until December this time around.
I’d also take the opportunity to evaluate which credit cards and memberships have been most beneficial to you and whether it’s time to cancel one or other cards to avoid paying the annual fee needlessly.
