Covid-19 has forced upon us a “new normal”. We shop at home, we eat at home, we connect with our loved ones *at home*. American Express could have employed the rather tone-deaf sentiment of, “we are all in this together, so buy my product.” Instead they have added new benefits to their line-up of travel credit cards that align with many of our needs and wants in lockdown.

AMEX Platinum Card Benefits

For example, the AMEX Platinum Card is offering a $20 monthly credit for cell phone bills – all the more reason to call your grandmother in these trying times. You can max out this benefit without breaking a sweat. This card is also providing a $20 credit for select streaming services. While some of you may be devoting your quarantine to catching up on your reading or getting ripped on your Peleton, I will be watching Hulu, thank-you-very-much. 

These two benefits are potentially worth up to $320 as you receive $20/month for each, and the perk runs from May to December of 2020 (check here for list of eligible wireless providers & streaming services). That takes some of the sting out of the $550 annual fee, for a card whose main benefits are unusable with travel at a standstill.

All of this considered, I laud American Express for their perceptive approach. I urge you to take advantage of these benefits & share your stories with me on how you made the most of them. Please check out this, and other credit cards we recommend here.

*In the interest of full disclosure, Travel Is The Point. earns a referral bonus for anyone that’s approved through some of the links we post. These are the best publicly available offers that we have found for each card. We choose our picks based on the combination of benefits the card provides, and the ability to earn outsize rewards. Thanks for your support!