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Credit Score Needed American Express® Gold Card + odds of approval

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image credit: americanexpress.com
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The American Express® Gold Card is a rewarding credit card that is one of the top charge cards in the Amex portfolio. The card has some great benefits and bonus point earning categories, and at $250 a year the annual fee is less than half the cost of a premium cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

The Amex Gold card is currently offering 60,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after you make $4,000 in purchases in the first six months of having the card. This metal card is an impressive card to hold, and you can currently get it in Rose Gold as well. You may also be eligible for a targeted 75,000 point bonus.

Six months is a nice long window to meet minimum spend, unlike many other cards that only give you three months to meet spend and earn a sign-up bonus. You need to spend just under $700 a month to meet the Amex Gold spend requirement, which is more manageable than spending double that to earn the bonus on the mid-tier Chase Sapphire Preferred card for example.

The Gold card also comes with some generous statement credits that can help you offset the annual fee including Uber and dining credits.

If you’re considering applying for this card, continue reading our guide below to see the typical credit score required, the type of consumer(s) that can instantly qualify and to fully understand your odds of approval.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Credit Score Range Typically Required

If you’re interested in getting the Amex Gold card, you might be wondering if you will be approved if you submit an application. Like any credit card, your credit score is an important factor. But there are other variables that Amex will consider when you apply.

You will need to have a good or excellent credit score to qualify for this card. And if your credit score is considered good, then it needs to be in the high end of that range. Many banks provide you with your credit score in their online portal, so check there or use an online service like Credit Karma to see your score.

You can also review your credit scores from the three credit bureaus which include Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Don’t be surprised if the scores are different at each agency. That’s because they all use slightly different scoring models.

What’s included in my credit score?

The credit scores from each credit reporting company should be in agreement on whether your score is poor, fair, good, very good or excellent/exceptional, as they all take the same data into consideration. Scores are based on payment history (35%), debt-to-credit ratio (30%), length of credit history (15%), credit mix (10%) and new credit (10%).

If the scores are too far away from each other though, check your credit history with the bureau who has the lower score to make sure there are no errors on your credit report that might be dragging your credit score down.

A very good FICO credit score is 740 or above, and if your score is in this range then you’ve got a very good shot at having a successful application and getting the Amex Gold card. But you can still get approved for this card if you have a score of 700, or even as low as 670. The lower your credit score is though, the better your credit history and income level needs to be to compensate.

Income Level Required 

American Express does not disclose the income requirement for successful applicants, but in addition to income, they will also ask you how much you pay for rent or mortgage each month and they will crunch the numbers to check your creditworthiness and determine if you are a good credit risk.

Amex will also look at other things like how long you’ve been at your job, the amount of debt you carry, the number of open credit card accounts and how many recent hard inquiries are on your credit report, so there are more things involved in their decision than just your credit score and income. 

Amex also uses its own internal data to determine your eligibility. They will gauge your ability to pay charges on the card based on what current Gold cardholders spend and how that matches your income and expenses.

You also need to be at least 18 and a US citizen or permanent resident, but this is not a card for people new to credit cards as you need to have credit history. It’s also favorable for applicants who have previously been approved for an American Express card.

Keep in mind that all the income you receive including alimony, child support and investment income can be included in what you report to American Express on your application, so be sure to include that in your calculations. You don’t have to disclose it on your application, but it will improve your odds of getting approved if your wages are not sufficient.

Odds of Approval

If your score is excellent and you have a high income, then you have an excellent chance of getting approved for this card. If you already have other cards or history with American Express that will count in your favor as well, but only if your cards are in good standing.

If your score is very good, and you only make $40,000 a year for example, you can still get approved if you have a clean credit history and low housing costs. If your credit score is hovering around 700 though, a higher income in the $50,000 or more range will boost your chances of getting approved.

But if you have a score over 800, income of $50,000 or more and a deep credit history with no issues, you will likely get instant approval. You may also want to consider the Amex Platinum card rather than the Amex Gold if your credit score and income are at these levels. You can get a rundown of the credit score required with the Amex Platinum card here.

If your income is lower, or if you have too much debt or a history of late payments, even just a few, you will likely be denied.

If you’re uncertain about your eligibility and want to avoid a ding on your credit score, you can check to see if you pre-qualify. You just enter some info including name and Social Security number and the site will show you Amex cards you will likely qualify for. But even if you don’t see the Gold card among your offers, you can still apply. An approval is much more likely though if Amex has pre-determined that you are a good candidate for the Gold card.

Who is the Amex Gold Card For?

The American Express Gold Card is a great fit for travelers because it has a lot of travel benefits, and you get the most value out of Membership Reward points when redeemed for travel. It also earns 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, which will help you earn rewards faster to reach your travel goal.

It’s also a good Membership Rewards earning card for foodies and almost anyone because it earns 4x points for dining, takeout and food delivery worldwide, and 4x on purchases at US supermarkets up to $25,000 per calendar year. That can add up to 100,000 points annually for buying groceries if you max out that bonus. 

While some other cards added food purchases as a temporary bonus category during the pandemic, the 4x earning on Amex Gold dining and groceries is not likely to change as it was in place before COVID. The Citi Prestige card is one of the few cards that offers a bigger bonus for dining at 5x points per dollar spent, but that card has a $495 annual fee. All other purchases made using the Gold card earn one point per dollar.

Travelers will benefit the most by holding the Amex Gold card though, because Membership Rewards are a valuable, flexible currency that can be used to book travel with Amex, or they can be transferred to airline or hotel programs for even greater potential value. If you don’t travel much, they can also be used for gift certificates or you can pay with points at popular sites like Amazon or Best Buy.

It’s also easier to get the Gold card than the Platinum Card, which is the top credit card available to the public from Amex. There is only one card that is more prestigious than the Platinum, and it is much more difficult to get and much more expensive to hold. It is the Centurion Card from American Express and by invitation only, so you won’t be invited to apply for that Black card unless you’re already an Amex cardholder and you make and spend a lot.

American Express Rules

There are a few other things that may cause you to get denied for the Amex Gold even if you have an excellent credit score and good income. Like other banks and credit card issuers, Amex has some rules to stop people from applying for too many credit cards.

It should be at least five days since you last applied for an Amex card. For example, if you applied for the Amex Platinum card and got an instant decision denying your application, wait a week before you apply for the Gold card. You also should not apply for more than two Amex cards in a 90-day period, even if your application was denied. 

American Express also has a rule that indicates you can only have five active Amex cards with a preset spending limit, including both personal and business cards. The Gold card however, does not have a preset spending limit so this rule won’t likely be an issue.

One last rule to keep in mind is that you can only get a welcome bonus one time for each of its products. That means if you previously got a sign-up bonus for the American Express Gold Card, or the American Express Premier Rewards Gold as it was known before it rebranded in 2018, then you are not eligible for another welcome bonus.

Is the Gold Card Worth the Annual Fee?

If you think your credit score, history and income are good enough to qualify, then you might be wondering if this card is worth the annual $250 fee. Let’s take a look at the value of the welcome bonus and the statement credits and benefits and that can offset the fee.

The 60,000 point bonus can vary in value depending on how you redeem the points, but it is worth $600 in travel booked through the Amex portal where points are worth a penny a piece. You can also transfer the points to a hotel loyalty or an airline rewards program, which usually offers the highest potential value.

Airline Transfer Partners 

Amex Membership Rewards transfer to16 airline programs that include carriers in the three major airline alliances at a ratio of 1:1 for most carriers, so the Amex Gold bonus could be turned into 60,000 miles.

Airline transfer partner programs include Aer Lingus AerClub, Aeromexico Club Premier, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Alitalia MilleMiglia, ANA Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Delta SkyMiles, El Al Matmid Frequent Flyer Club, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, HawaiianMiles, Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Singapore KrisFlyer and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

There are many redemption possibilities with all these airline partners, but to give you an idea of the value of 60,00 miles, two round-trip domestic tickets on one of the legacy carriers cost an average of 50,000 miles. Or you can book a one-way business class ticket to Europe for about 60,000 points. The best way to get the most value per mile is usually by booking international travel in first or business class.

Hotel Transfer Partners

You can also transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to three hotel programs including  Choice Privileges (1:1 ratio), Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio) and Marriott Bonvoy (1:1). These transfers don’t always represent the best value even when you get two points per MR in the Hilton program, but if you just need a few thousand more points for an award stay in one of the programs, then it’s nice to have this option. It can also make sense if a particular property has a great redemption rate for a certain property. 

To check the redemption value of airline and hotel bookings, just compare the cash price you would pay to determine the value of the points you would need to redeem to get the award ticket or night.

You can also use points for gift cards, cover charges on your statement or for other redemptions like Uber rides, but some of these don’t offer the best redemption value so you may get as little as half a penny per point. But even at that low-value redemption, those welcome points are worth at least $300.

Statement Credits

If you take advantage of statement credits available on the American Express Gold Card, you can get up to $240 annually, which covers the annual cost of the card. There is also an Uber Eats pass that is available for a limited time and is valued at $119.

The Amex Gold card comes with up to $120 in Uber Cash. When you add your Gold card to your Uber account, you get an automatic $10 credit every month that can be used for Uber rides in the US or Uber Eats. You’ll also earn 4x bonus points on all Uber food deliveries purchased using your Gold card.

Amex Gold also has an additional Uber benefit that is available to new cardholders who apply before the end of 2021. You’ll get 12 complimentary months of Uber Eats Pass once you enroll. The pass eliminates delivery fees and gives you a 5% discount on orders over $15.

The card also comes with a $120 annual dining credit. You can get up to a $10 monthly statement credit for Grubhub, Seamless, Boxed and other participating dining partners.  You have to enroll in this offer when you get the Gold card, and use it to pay for your purchase to get the credit each month.

Travel Benefits

The travel benefits that come with the card also add value if you use the benefits. If you book a hotel in the Hotel Collection with American Express Travel, you get a $100 credit that can be used at the hotel for things like dining or spa treatments. Qualifying activities vary by property.

If your baggage is damaged, lost or stolen while you’re on a plane, train, ship or bus on a ticket purchased using the Gold card, you have coverage up to $1,250 for carry-ons and up to $500 for checked baggage. There’s also trip delay insurance of up to $300 if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours because of a covered reason. It can be used twice a year for eligible expenses including meals, lodging and toiletries.

You’ll also have access to the Global Assist Hotline when you travel more than 100 miles from home. It is available around the clock for financial, legal, medical and other emergencies and can help you get cash in an emergency and assist with missing luggage in addition to other services.

The Gold card also comes with car rental loss and damage insurance. Pay for the rental using the card and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the counter when you pick up the car, but check with the card issuer when you make your booking to make sure the coverage applies to the location you are renting from and for the vehicle you are renting as there are some exclusions.

You also have access to personalized travel services to book your trip, and when you make purchases overseas there are no foreign transaction fees. 

Shopping and Entertainment

You can book American Express cardmember-only experiences with the Gold card including Broadway shows, concerts and sporting events. You will also have access to premium seating for select events with the Preferred Seating benefit.

You’ll also be eligible for Amex Offers which are discounts and/or bonus points earning opportunities when you shop at featured retailers online or in store.

Other Benefits

The American Express App also has local offers that you can take advantage of. And you can use the Send & Split feature to send money to other Venmo and PayPal users without being charged the standard credit card fee. 

Or you can split a dinner bill with a PayPal or Venmo user and get a credit back to your Gold card, and you’ll earn rewards on the bill paid. You do need to enroll to use this service. You can also add anyone over 13 as an authorized user and earn rewards on their purchases. 

Ways to Pay Your Card

You should be aware that the Amex Gold is a charge card, and while it doesn’t have a preset spending limit, your credit line is not limitless. If you are planning a big purchase, you might want to check with the issuer to make sure there is a big enough credit line and to ensure that the purchase is not flagged as fraud.

To avoid diluting the value of points earned, we recommend paying off your balance every month. But the Amex Gold charge card will allow you to pay the minimum amount due and use the Pay Over Time feature where you carry the balance with interest of 15.99% to 22.99% depending on your creditworthiness. 

There is also a Plan It feature that allows you to split large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, though there is a limit on the amount you can carry as a balance or move to a plan.

Final Thoughts

Now is a great time to apply for the American Express Gold Card. Not only is travel opening up again after the pandemic, but you might be eligible for the targeted 75,000 point welcome bonus, and the popular Rose Gold card is also currently available.

If you are approved for the Gold card, make sure you channel enough spend to the card to get the welcome bonus. Don’t forget to use it for groceries, dining and food orders to earn the 4x bonus points on those categories, and use it for your travel bookings to get the 3x bonus. And remember to use the monthly dining and Uber statement credits to make sure you get the full value of Gold card membership.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Early Check-In Hotels – everything you need to know

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Typical check-in times are generally from 2-3pm, but there are ways to get in earlier!
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

Whether you’re taking weeks-long trips or short weekend getaways, it’s not always convenient to have to adhere to a hotel’s check-in and check-out schedule. Coupled with hectic flight schedules, staying in hotels while traveling can become a real headache. What do you do when your flight lands hours before you’re able to check into your room?

Early check-in is a good option when this is the case. Many hotels are willing to work with you when the check-in time on your reservation isn’t ideal for you, but there are some key things to keep in mind when searching for hotels that will do this and making the request. Keep reading to become an early check-in expert.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Normal Hotel Check-In Policies

Most hotels make you wait until early- to mid-afternoon to check into your room, usually around 2 or 3 PM. On the day that you check out, you will likely be asked to leave between 10 AM and 12 PM. 

Hotels try to give themselves a window of at least a few hours between when a guest checks out and the next is scheduled to arrive to carry out any routine cleaning and restocking that needs to take place. 

For a standard reservation, you often can’t get the key to your room before the check-in time on your booking (or check out late without incurring fees). That is, unless you’ve arranged for early check-in in advance.

During peak travel times when most rooms are booked, it may take longer for hotel staff to turn around a room, and getting an early check-in on short notice is less likely. During off-seasons, you may get lucky and the hotel will be fine advancing your check-in.

But don’t count on luck if you’re angling to check into a hotel early. Instead, plan ahead.

How to Get Early Check-In

You usually have to seek early check-in out because not all hotels offer it openly (if they wanted everyone to check in early, they’d just change the reservation times). Always contact the hotel you’ll be staying at as far in advance as possible to secure early check-in for your trip because getting it last minute is never guaranteed. 

Your early check-in request may be prioritized if you are a rewards club member. In fact, elite status with certain hotels automatically comes with complimentary early check-in. A lot of hotels give late check-outs to guests with elite status, but some give early check-ins as well or instead. The following rewards programs offer this perk: 

  • Choice Privileges – Gold, Platinum, and Diamond level status members receive early check-ins. You become a Gold member after seven nights, a Platinum member after 15 nights, and a Diamond member after 25 nights
  • IHG Rewards – Spire elite members are able to check in at 10 AM at participating locations, and they also get priority check-in
  • Wyndham Rewards – Wyndham Rewards members with Platinum or Diamond status receive early check-in. You become a Platinum member after nine nights and a Diamond member after 24 nights
  • World of Hyatt – early check-in is available for a fee of $10 or more to basic members and Discoverist members, and complimentary early check-in is available to Explorist and Globalist members. All member statuses with this rewards program may check in as early as 9 AM
  • Radisson Rewards – Silver, Gold, and Platinum members are eligible to receive early check-in upon request and are permitted to check in up to two hours before the time on their reservation

When early check-in isn’t complimentary with your membership status, you may be able to purchase it with awards points or cash.

Politeness will take you far when you need to check in early. If you’re kind to the front desk staff and reasonable with your requests, you’re much more likely to get to your room ahead of schedule. It’s not usually a big deal for hotels to speed the process along for you, but it doesn’t hurt to show appreciation.


Also, be flexible. Let the staff know that you’re willing to accept a different room than the one you reserved, along with whatever upcharges may come with this. They may have a surplus of a certain room type. And because they want to fill their rooms, they might agree to letting you check in early if you let them move you around.

And don’t assume that just because you’ve checked into a hotel early before you will be able to do it again.

Can you Stash Your Luggage Before Your Room Is Ready?

When you get in from a long flight, one of the first things you want to do is set down your bags. But if your room isn’t quite ready, most hotels will store your luggage for you somewhere in the lobby, usually the front desk. This way, you can go stretch your legs knowing that someone is keeping an eye on your belongings.

Alternatively, you may be able to place your luggage in your room before the hospitality staff has finished, but this really depends on the hotel you’re staying at.

Considerations

Keep in mind that early check-ins may incur additional fees, even if you are an elite rewards member. The cost is usually somewhere in the range of $10 to $30, but the exact price depends on the hotel you’re staying at, the time of year, and when you’re requesting early check-in.

Make sure to read the fine print on early check-in policies to find out not only how much this will cost you but also what time you can actually check in. Some hotels may give you a couple of hours at the earliest and others may have more generous early check-in windows. If you’re going to be arriving several hours in advance of the time you’re scheduled to check-in, even a slim early check-in could be hugely helpful.

To speed the process along further, provide the hotel with as much information before checking in as you can. Let them know exactly when you’ll be arriving, the size of your party, and any accommodations you would like.

Always try to ask for early check-in when you’re booking a reservation. You can usually select this option when checking out if it’s available, and this is also when you should ask for late check-in. 

If you can’t request early check-in when booking, simply call the hotel you’ll be visiting right after making your reservation and see if they can make it happen for you. This is almost always first-come, first-served, so they’ll be able to let you know where you stand in line and how likely you are to get what you’re asking for. This’ll make planning easier for you and them.

Use the Hotel Business Center and Wifi

If you’re not able to secure early check-in for your stay or you still arrive a little before they allow you to go to your room, make the most of your time waiting. Most hotels are fine with you using their lounge or business center as a non-guest, as long as you let them know that you’ll be doing it. Some hotels may not appreciate you making yourself comfortable while you wait, especially if they’re busy, but others will happily agree as long as you aren’t in an inconvenient location.

If you’re traveling on business, you can use this time to catch up on work or prepare for meetings. Set your luggage down next to you if the hotel doesn’t have a place to hold onto it. If the hotel staff knows you’re waiting on your room, they’ll usually be happy to come and get you to notify you that your room is ready from wherever you’re camped out. 

If a hotel’s lounge or business center is exclusive, your membership status with their rewards program will likely determine whether you can get in or not. Being an elite member could give you access to a swanky lounge that’s off-limits to other guests (and guests in waiting).

Use the Hotel Gym and/or Restaurant

If you have more time to kill before you get your room key, check out the hotel’s gym or restaurant. What better way is there to unwind after a long flight than to hit the gym or grab some dinner and a drink?

Some hotel gyms and fitness centers require a room key or pass to use. Ask the front desk if they have an unassigned key you can borrow or if you can purchase a day pass. Again, just asking and being decent will go a long way when you’re making requests of busy staff members.

Use Cash and Points

Fees for early check-in should be paid with rewards points whenever possible. A great travel credit card—especially, in this case, a hotel credit card—will become your best friend when you’re away from home, if it isn’t already.

One of the fastest ways to become a hotel rewards member is to open a hotel credit card with a brand you frequently stay at. You can acquire points every time you use your card to pay for hotel stays and whatever fees you may incur, such as fees for early check-in. Plus, being a hotel rewards member usually comes with plenty of perks outside of early check-in (as nice as this can be).

Wyndham Rewards has been one of the best hotel rewards programs for several years, so we’ll use this loyalty program as an example of why you should definitely become a rewards member with your hotel(s) of choice. 

You become a Blue-level member the moment you enroll in Wyndham Rewards, and this status comes with savings, opportunities to earn award nights, and free WiFi at every hotel. Once you’ve stayed with Wyndham just three times, you get bumped up to Gold status, where you can start enjoying perks like preferred room choice, late check-out, and dedicated member services. After nine stays, you become a Platinum member and can start checking in early; and after 24 stays, you reach Diamond status and get upgrades and premium check-in.

The Wyndham Rewards Earner cards offer upwards of 45,000 bonus points for signing up and as much as 6X points on hotel stays.

But if you don’t want a hotel-branded card, a general-purpose credit card can also save you serious cash. Here are a few of our current favorites:

Just be mindful of annual fees that often come with the best travel credit cards. But as a rule, the higher the fee, the better the perks.

You can always just pay for your hotels with cash or a debit card, but why would you when you can earn points to put toward your next stay?

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Final Thoughts

It’s never a bad idea to try to get early check-in. Early check-in is always subject to availability and differs across regions, so play it safe and double check with the hotel you’ll be staying at before arriving and when booking to make sure that checking in early will be alright.

You’re more likely to get the check-in time you want if you’re a rewards member, but you still might have to pay for this perk. But we think early check-in is worth the price when you’re traveling far from home.

American Airlines Cancellation Policy + How to Get A Refund

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image credit: aa.com
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

If you’re like one of the many millions of Americans with ruined or changed travel plans over the last year or so, then you’ve likely cancelled or changed a flight recently. And if you’re a regular American Airlines customer, then there are some policy changes you may want to keep up with for flying this summer in 2022.

Whether you want to cancel a trip entirely for a refund or reschedule it to a later date, you should know about your options when booking an American Airlines flight.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

American Airlines Cancellation Policy

Here are the high level policy, terms and conditions for cancelling or changing a flight on American Airlines:

  • The good news is that American Airlines allows full refunds on any ticket within 24 hours of booking it so long as you did this at least two days before your departure.
  • Cancellations on American Airlines only apply to purchases made directly with the airline. If you purchased your ticket through a third party site like Expedia, Google’s flight matrix, or a travel agent, then you must contact that organization directly.
  • If you purchased directly through AA.com, you may request a refund online or contact reservations at 1 (800) 433-7300.
  • If you purchased a nonrefundable ticket that you will not be able to use, you may cancel the flight anytime before departure and use the value of the fare towards a future trip. The future trip must be within 365 days of the original.
  • If you’re looking to change a flight due to the heat wave, your change fee will likely be waived. See section below for details.

AA Travel Alerts and Waivers June, 2021

If your city and/or destination has been affected by the extreme heat wave this June, then you may be eligible to change your ticket with the change fee being fully waived. Here is the current list:

If you’re traveling to / through / from:

  • Billings, Montana (BIL)
  • Boise, Idaho (BOI)
  • Bozeman, Montana (BZN)
  • Eugene, Oregon (EUG)
  • Eureka Arcata, California (ACV)
  • Idaho Falls (IDA)
  • Jackson Hole, Wyoming (JAC)
  • Kalispell, Montana (FCA)
  • Medford, Oregon (MFR)
  • Missoula, Montana (MSO)
  • Portland, Oregon (PDX)
  • Redmond / Bend, Oregon (RDM)
  • Reno, Nevada (RNO)
  • Sacramento, California (SMF)
  • Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC)
  • Seattle, Washington (SEA)
  • Spokane, Washington (GEG)

Your change fee is waived if you:

  • Are traveling on an American Airlines flight
  • Are booked in any fare class, including Basic Economy
  • Bought your ticket by June 23, 2021
  • Are scheduled to travel June 25, 2021 – June 29, 2021
  • Can travel June 25, 2021 – July 02, 2021
  • Don’t change your origin or destination city
  • Rebook in the same cabin or pay the difference
Keep in mind changes must be:
  • Booked by June 29, 2021
  • Completed within 1 year of original ticket date; difference in fare may apply

To change or cancel, simply log in to your American Airlines account and find your trip. If it is eligible to be changed or cancelled, you will have the option to select “Change Trip” or “Cancel Trip” from the toolbar. 

When you’re ready to rebook your trip, you can call Reservations at 800-433-7300 and easily do so. You will be asked to provide your ticket number, sent to you in an email when you cancel, and a six-character confirmation code or record locator. Reservations are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you’d rather receive a refund for your ticket than re-book it, you can cancel your trip online and ask to be refunded for any segments of your trip that you have not flown.

Paid AA Tickets You Can Change or Cancel

The method that you used to pay for your flight will determine whether this travel waiver covers your ticket. 

As highlighted above, all customers are eligible to cancel or change a flight within 24 hours of booking it without penalty.

Refundable Tickets

Refundable tickets are fully refundable. The travel voucher is not necessary for these tickets.

You may change or cancel a trip at any time before your flight with a refundable ticket at no additional cost. You will then be given the option to receive a refund or rebook for a later date.

Your refund may be issued in full to the original method of payment or to a travel voucher to be used on a future flight, if you prefer. 

Non-refundable Tickets

Non-refundable tickets can be changed or cancelled in advance of a flight, but this is costly. A fee of $200 is charged for cancelled/changed domestic non-refundable tickets and a fee of up to $750 is charged for cancelled/changed international non-refundable tickets.

Award Tickets

Award tickets must be cancelled at least 60 days in advance to be eligible for fee waivers. Otherwise, your awards status will be used to determine what you will be charged, with the highest statuses offering the most flexibility and charging the lowest fees.

For example, if you cancel between seven and 59 days before a flight and you are a Platinum member, you will need to pay $75. If you cancel within seven days and you are a Regular status member, you will need to pay $150. Those with Executive Platinum membership do not pay any fees, no matter when they cancel. See this page for the full fee chart.

Elite Status

Also worth noting is that American Airlines has lowered their elite status threshold for 2021, making it easier to qualify for Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum status.


GoldPlatinumPlatinum ProExecutive Platinum
Elite Qualifying Dollars$3,000
$1,500		$6,000
$4,000		$9,000
$6,000		$15,000
$9,000
Elite Qualifying Miles25,000
15,000		50,000
30,000		75,000
45,000		100,000
60,000
Elite Qualifying Segments30
15		60
30		90
45		120
60

These changes are in effect for all of 2020.

Tickets Purchased With Credit Card Points

Any ticket purchased using credit card points will have the same change fees applied. There are no exceptions here currently.

That means that if you purchase a non-refundable ticket using credit card points, you will still be charged a change fee if you make changes to your flight. Likewise, if you make changes to a trip more than 60 days before scheduled departure and you have elite status, you will not be charged extra.

If you went through a third party site or application to book travel with points, you will likely need to go through that same site or application to change or cancel. And if you can’t do that, you’ll need to get in touch with your bank directly.

How to Change or Cancel Paid AA Tickets

To change or cancel an eligible American Airlines ticket that you’ve already paid for, log in to your AAdvantage account and find the trip. You can get to this through the Your Trips / Check In section of the homepage. Select the View/Change option beside this flight.

Now, indicate whether you would like to change or cancel your trip by selecting the corresponding option at the top and follow the instructions from there. Your rebooking and refund options will be presented.

How to Get a Refund When You Cancel

As you might expect, it’s not easy to get a refund for cancelled American Airlines flights that are non-refundable. One of the only situations that qualifies you for a full cash refund is when the airline itself cancels your flight or changes the schedule significantly. If American cancels a non-refundable flight, it will try to reschedule another trip for you. If a change is made to your original schedule that prevents you from being able to take your flight, you might be able to ask for a refund. 

For example, on March 21, 2020, the U.S. and Canada issued a travel restriction on all non-essential flights. At this time, many American Airlines passengers scheduled to fly at this time had their trips automatically cancelled by the airline and were eligible to receive their money back or reschedule at no cost.

Another way to receive a refund for your purchase is by proving that extenuating circumstances are preventing you from taking your flight. For example, if you or someone in your party becomes seriously ill before the flight or you are an active-duty military member unexpectedly relocated, you might be able to get your money back even on non-refundable tickets.

How to Avoid Change or Cancellation Fees

The best piece of advice to offer for trying to avoid change or cancellation fees with American Airlines is to refrain from making same-day changes whenever possible. This costs most passengers, with the exception of those that have Executive Platinum or Platinum Pro status, $75. This is not refundable.

We know life happens and sometimes cancelling or changing trips is unavoidable even right up to your departure time. In this case, we recommend staying on top of all American Airlines travel alerts and updates for possible travel waivers.

Using Trip Credits

American Airlines has recently replaced eVouchers with Trip Credits. These are given to customers that have cancelled a trip in place of cash, and they are automatically generated by American Airlines. If the airline has to cancel your trip for any reason, you will most likely receive Trip Credit as compensation worth the full value of the cancelled trip.

To use your credits, find the email that was sent to you automatically when you were issued Trip Credit after a cancellation. Then, call Reservations and ask to use your Trip Credit. An agent will ask for the 13-digit code at the top of your email and you will be able to specify the details of your desired trip. If you are combining multiple credits, have each of their numbers ready. If your Trip Credit is not enough to cover the cost of your rebooking, you will need to pay the difference via credit or debit card.

You may use up to eight Trip Credits per flight. The person a Trip Credit was issued to can use their credits to book travel for anyone under their name. Trip Credits typically expire one year after the issue date and can be used on flights only (no seat upgrades, in-flight extras, checked baggage fees, etc).

There are three types of credits that American Airlines may issue for travel, and these include Flight Credit, Travel Vouchers, and Trip Credit. Flight Credit is issued to you after you have canceled a flight and valid for flights only. You may use only one Flight Credit per passenger and only the passenger whose name is on the credit is eligible to redeem said credit. Travel vouchers have been replaced by Trip Credits.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

KeyBank Credit Cards – A Guide to KeyBank Rewards Points

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KeyBank is the 19th largest bank in the US and the only major bank based out of Cleveland, Ohio. They have over 1,100 branches and 40,000 ATMs in just 16 states:

Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, D.C. and Washington.

Although KeyBank doesn’t occupy the footprint of banks like Chase, Citibank or Bank of America, they do offer an enticing suite of credit cards that are often overlooked.

These include rewards cards, small business cards, and even cards specifically designed to help you build your credit with low risk. Here’s a list of the six credit cards offered through KeyBank (this list does not include retired cards that have since been converted):

  • Key Cashback® Credit Card
  • KeyBank Latitude® Credit Card
  • Key Secured Credit Card®
  • Key2More Rewards® Credit Card
  • Mastercard® Business Credit Card
  • Mastercard® Business Rewards Credit Card
  • Key Private Bank Mastercard® Credit Card

All KeyBank credit cards are Mastercards and most of them have no annual fees, but outside of this, they are all very different from each other. This article will highlight KeyBank’s reward card options and take a look at how to redeem points and rewards with a credit card from this bank.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Rewards Credit Cards Offered by KeyBank

If it’s rewards you’re after, you’ll need one of the following three KeyBank Mastercards. These credit cards are packed with opportunities to earn and redeem points through spending and other account activities.

Key2More Rewards® Mastercard® Credit Card

The Key2More Rewards credit card by KeyBank lets you earn rewards on every purchase with a six month introductory APR of 0%. To qualify for this rewards card, you must have excellent credit (800+). 

You can earn points on eligible credit card purchases, account activities, and even score monthly point bonuses when you spend a certain amount of money (see “Earning Awards Through Spending Activities”) per calendar month. Redeem your points for cash, travel, gift cards, merch, and more. 

There is no cap to the rewards you can receive with this credit card. There is no annual fee.

KeyBank Business Rewards Mastercard®

The KeyBank Business Rewards credit card is great for small business owners that want to earn rewards when making purchases for their business. This can include travel expenses such as hotels and gas, restaurant bills for client meetings, and more (what qualifies an expense as “business” or “personal” is at the discretion of KeyBank). This handy card comes with a bonus of 100,000 points, redeemable for $200, when you spend $1,000 within 60 days of issuance. You must have a business checking account in good standing to qualify for this bonus offer. 

Cardholders also earn unlimited cashback of 2% or 10 points per dollar on business purchases and 1% on all other purchases. This card also has a six month introductory APR of 0% and flexible reward redemption. There is no cap to the rewards you can receive with this credit card. There is no annual fee.

Key Private Bank Mastercard® Credit Card

The Key Private Bank Mastercard Credit Card is a highly exclusive credit card only available to Key Private Bank clients. Key Private Bank is a private wealth manager associated with KeyBank designed primarily for high net worth individuals looking to expand their wealth through investing and asset allocation. If this sounds like you and you also do a lot of traveling, a Key Private Bank Mastercard might be a good fit for you.

This card comes with World Elite Mastercard benefits, which include “premium travel and lifestyle perks” such as complimentary Lyft rides, 5% cashback on Boxed orders, Postmates and Fandango discounts, access to World Elite Concierge, and 10% off of rentals through onefinestay. In addition to these benefits, World Elite offers services including free professional travel support, access to complimentary upgrades and amenities at luxury hotels and resorts, and exclusive savings on travel and stay packages. Key Private Bank Mastercard cardholders receive unlimited LoungeKey airport lounge access when they travel as well. 

Please note that this card comes with a hefty annual fee of $195 and requires a minimum combined balance—across all checking, savings, and investment accounts—of $100,000 in order to avoid a monthly maintenance fee of $50.

Earning Rewards Through Spending Activities

Almost all transactions* made through a KeyBank Key2More Rewards, Key Private Bank, or KeyBank Business Rewards are eligible to earn points.

Here’s a breakdown of how many points each of these cards earns:

  • Key2More Rewards® Credit Card: 5 points for every $1 in qualified purchases
  • KeyBank Business Rewards Mastercard®: 5 points for every $1 in qualified purchases; 5 more points for every $1 spent on business costs including gas, restaurant, telecommunication purchases, and travel expenses (flights, hotels, car rentals, etc.)
  • Key Private Bank Mastercard® Credit Card: 10 points for every $1 in qualified purchases

The Key2More Rewards card also qualifies to receive bonus points. Earn a bonus of 25% of your total purchase transaction points for every calendar month that you spend between $1,000 – $1,999 with your card and 50% for every month that you spend $2,000 or more. If your credit limit is less than $2,000, you can still earn this bonus if you use your card consistently to make purchases throughout the month. Bonus points are credited to your account on a monthly basis.

*Transactions that do not earn points include cash advances, convenience check transactions, balance transfers, quasi-cash transactions, and overdraft protection transfers (for which a $10 fee is assessed).

Earning Rewards Through Account Activities

Another way to earn rewards with one of these three credit cards is through account activities. Qualifying activities include online statements and recurring payments. For all three rewards cards, signing up to receive online statements or electronic statements rather than paper statements earns up to 50 points per month. 

In addition, every recurring payment your credit card is used to make—such as charges for a streaming subscription or internet services—earns 50 points per transaction. This point-earning activity is capped at 750 points per month or a total allowance of 15 recurring payments.

Redeeming Rewards Points For:

Points expire after 48 months of issuance, so make sure that you don’t let them sit for too long (with the exception of points earned with a KeyBank Private Bank Mastercard).

You don’t just have to cash out your rewards if you don’t want to. To redeem your rewards and points for cash and other goodies, just sign in to your online account. From there, it’s easy to use your points for any of the following…

Cash Back

From your online banking profile, navigate to the rewards portal by selecting “Rewards” from your account summary page. This will show you your rewards balance and present you with the option to redeem points for cash. The monetary value of points is subject to change. Right now, 12,500 points will get you $25. This makes your point worth about 0.02 cents each no matter how you choose to redeem them.

If you choose this option, the cash will be automatically credited to your credit card account and you should see it on your next statement.

Booking Travel

If you’d prefer to use your points to book travel instead, simply access the rewards redemption site and search trip activities from this page. You can use your points to book flights, car rentals, hotel stays, and even cruises.

Buy Gift Cards

Redeeming your points for gift cards is a great way to go if you want to save money during the holiday season. Just shop the catalog through the KeyBank website and use your rewards points to make purchases.

Purchase Merchandise

The KeyBank Rewards Catalog includes everything from merchandise to electronics. If you ever need a new sweatshirt or drawstring bag, you could use your rewards to score some KeyBank-branded merch. Sometimes this catalog features hot tech items too, so be on the lookout for these.

The Rewards Catalog is also where you’d find gift cards and event tickets. 

Make Donations to Charity

You can use your points to make donations to charity with any one of these three cards. Access your account online or through the app to see a list of charities that accept point donations. 

Remember that making charitable contributions can benefit your wallet too. You can claim some contributions as tax deductions for a nice little tax break, either for yourself or your business.

Buy Event Tickets

KeyBank sometimes offers event tickets as a redemption option as well. Check the Catalog often for offers as these are, of course, always changing.

Other KeyBank Credit Card Offers

If you didn’t find anything in the rewards department from KeyBank (above) then you may want skim through the remaining three KeyBank credit card offers (below) to see if they’re a better fit.

Key Cashback Credit Card

This Key Cashback Credit Card comes with up to 2% unlimited cash back and no annual fee.

As of June 2021, it also features a balance transfer intro APR period of 0% for 12 months. So if you’re paying off high interest credit card debit on another card, you may want to consider transferring the balance over to the Key Cashback card.

How to get this card?

To qualify, you’ll need a checking account at KeyBank with at least $1,000 in monthly deposits AND a savings account with at least $1,000 in it (average daily balance).

KeyBank Latitude Credit Card

If you perked up with the 0% balance transfer offer via the Key Cashback credit card, then you’ll likely find the KeyBank Latitude Credit Card attractive as well.

It currently features a 0% introductory APR for the first 15 billing cycles on both purchases and balance transfers. If you are going to make a balance transfer, just understand it must be made within the first 60 days to qualify for the introductory APR. After this introductory period, your APR will jump to between 9.99% and 19.99% APR depending on your creditworthiness.

Key Secured Credit Card

This is just your basic secured credit card aimed at building or rebuilding credit. A low minimum deposit is required to get started and it regularly reports to all the major credit bureaus.

It comes with zero annual fee and also no rewards of any kind.

Final Thoughts

KeyBank has done a great job of creating a card for almost every type of consumer. Being a KeyBank customer means having access to more than 1,100 branches across 16 states and also gives you some pretty all-around great rewards card choices. But you do not need a KeyBank account to open a credit card and earn points. So whether you’re already a KeyBank member or not, as long as you have excellent credit, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sign up for one or more of these rewards cards.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Amex Platinum Credit Score + requirements for approval

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The average American Express Platinum Card applicant has a credit score of 715.
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The best credit card offers are reserved for people with the best credit scores. These are the customers that the banks and card issuers want to attract, so it makes sense that they offer big sign-up bonuses, lucrative rewards and valuable benefits to entice them.

There are also some credit cards that are more impressive to carry than others. The Platinum Card by American Express is one of those cards. 

Not only does it have a big sign-up bonus, great earning potential and top-tier benefits, but many people and merchants know that not everyone has the income and creditworthiness to get approved for this card so it’s akin to driving a luxury car for some.

You might be considering this card because you are collecting Membership Rewards for a big trip and you are interested in the current 75,000 point sign-up bonus and high points earning potential, but before you fill out that application let’s see what credit score it requires and what type of consumer(s) it is ideal for.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Who is the Amex Platinum Card For?

American Express has many charge and credit cards for personal and business use, but the Platinum card is a top-of-the-line premium card in the American Express portfolio. There is only one Amex card that is more exclusive, and that is the invitation-only Centurion Card by American Express.

The odds of you getting an invitation for the Centurion card though are small as it is designed for less than 1% of the population, and it carries a hefty annual fee of $5,000 as well as an initiation fee of $10,000. 

There is no online application for the Centurion card, as you have to be invited to apply. Keep in mind that an invitation does not mean you will be successful with your application.

The Platinum card is not quite as exclusive or as expensive to hold as the Centurion, but you need to have the Platinum card to even get invited to apply for the Centurion. The Platinum card itself is still widely respected and recognized as a status symbol, and it’s your gateway to an invitation to apply for the Centurion card if that is your aspiration.

In general, you’ll need good or excellent credit to be approved for the Platinum Card from American Express. This means you need a credit score in the range of 680 to 740. The average applicant has a score of 715 but some have been approved with a credit score in the 640’s when it’s coupled with a high income.

Amex Platinum is Good for Travelers and Business Owners

The Platinum Card by American Express is best suited for travelers because many of the benefits and statement credits offered are for travel. This card comes with automatic elite status in two hotel programs: You’ll get Gold elite status in both the Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors programs. 

You’ll also have access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes over 1,300 lounges at more than 500 airports worldwide in 140 countries.

Plus it lets you earn 5x Membership Rewards points for flights booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel. Those bonus points can be earned on up to $500,000 in airline bookings. If you fly that much, you can do the math. You’ll be sitting on a pile of points.

You can also earn 5x points on Amex Hotel Collection bookings, and you get a $100 on-site credit for prepaid hotel stays of at least two nights in one of those hotels. You can use the credit for dining, spa and other activities at the hotel or resort.

You also get access to Platinum Travel consultants and a personal concierge. That all makes this card ideal for small business owners who travel or for people who travel frequently. If you only take one or two vacations a year, you won’t be able to take advantage of all the benefits so this card may not be right for you.

If you own a small business and travel for work, consider applying for the business version of this card. It has the mostly same benefits but comes with some extra perks as well.

Membership Rewards Bonus Points

The Amex Platinum card is a great card to apply for if you are collecting or want to start building a stash of American Express Membership Rewards as it currently comes with a 75,000-point welcome offer when you spend $5,000 in the first six months of having the card, and that can really jumpstart or boost your points balance. 

The welcome offer also lets you earn 10x on purchases at gas stations and in supermarkets on up to $15,000 in purchases in the first six months, which is great for people who have not been able to travel or dine out because of the pandemic. 

That is equal to 150,000 points if you max out the offer, which will bring the total welcome bonus up to 225,000 Amex Membership Rewards points. You’ll also get 1x point per dollar on all other purchases that are not in a bonus category.

If you’re not sure if you qualify for the Platinum card, there are other Amex cards that might be a better fit for starters, and you can work your way up to applying for a more premium card. But if you’ve had a few credit cards and maintain a good credit history and score, then it might be time to pull the trigger and upgrade to the Amex Platinum card. 

Don’t upgrade one of your current Amex cards though as you will lose out on the sign-up bonus. Fill out a new application and be sure to look around for a rumored 100,000 point welcome bonus that is popping up on browsers as a limited time offer. Very limited that is. If you close your browser it will disappear.

How much does it cost?

The Amex Platinum is a premium card that comes with a $550 annual fee, but not everyone is willing to pay a yearly fee to hold a credit card and not everybody can meet the minimum spend required to get the welcome bonus.

The Amex Platinum is similar to other premium cards with fees in the $500 range like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Citi Prestige cards, and while the costs and benefits differ the Amex Platinum is more popular, especially for status seekers and travelers.

This is generally not a good card for beginners because of its high annual fee, but if you’re interested in it for the points and perks you might want to apply for an Amex Gold card which is one level below this card and has a $250 fee and a 60,000 point welcome offer when you spend $4,000 in the first six months. 

If you don’t spend enough to earn either the Gold or Platinum sign-up bonus and you don’t need all the benefits of those cards, you can also consider the American Express Green card, which has a $150 annual fee and comes with a 45,000 point bonus after spending $2,000 in the first six months.

Is the Amex Platinum worth the $550 annual fee?

If you can meet the minimum spend to get the welcome offer on the Amex Platinum card and your credit score is good enough to qualify, the welcome bonus alone will offset the annual fee. The 75,000 points you earn for signing up are worth a minimum of $750 in travel.

Those points can be even more valuable if you transfer them to an airline frequent flyer program. Amex Membership Rewards transfer to 16 airline programs including:

  • Aer Lingus
  • Aeromexico
  • Air Canada
  • Air France/KLM
  • Alitalia
  • ANA
  • Avianca
  • British Airways
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Delta, El Al
  • Emirates
  • Etihad
  • Hawaiian
  • Iberia
  • JetBlue
  • Qantas
  • Singapore
  • Virgin Atlantic

All three airline alliances are represented in the mix, as well as a few foreign airlines that don’t belong to an alliance so there are plenty of redemption possibilities.

You can also transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to three hotel programs including  Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. You can also use points for gift cards or other redemptions, but those are not usually a good value.

Statement Credits for Travel

If that’s not enough, you’ll also get a $200 credit for incidentals on the airline of your choice. The credit runs on a calendar year, so it gets refreshed every January and you have until the end of January to select the airline you want to use the credit on, and then you have until the end of the year to use the credit for things like baggage check and in-flight amenities like food, beverages and entertainment. You can also use it for pet fees and overweight baggage.

The airlines you can choose from include Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Spirit, Southwest and United. You might be tempted to select the airline you fly most often, but if you already have elite status on that carrier or hold a co-branded card that gives you benefits like free checked bags, then you might be better off selecting a low-cost carrier that you fly less frequently and have to pay for bags or seat assignments.

The card also comes with Uber VIP status and a monthly Uber credit of $15 with a $20 bonus in December, so that adds up to $200 per year if you take Ubers regularly. The credit can also be used for food delivery through Uber Eats. 

You’ll also get a $100 credit every four years if you apply for Global Entry or every 4.5 years if you apply for TSA PreCheck. These expedited airport security clearances are good for five years.

Statement Credits for Shopping and other Travel Perks

You also get two semi-annual $50 credits to use at Saks Fifth Avenue, so that adds up to another $100 statement credit. One is good from January to June and the other in the second half of the year.

All together that’s $600 if you take advantage of all of these statement credits. That pays for the card itself, and you still get all the other perks like gold elite status in two hotel chains and lounge access in airports. There are also no foreign transaction fees when you use this card overseas, and those can add up so this is another consideration when deciding if the Amex Platinum card is right for you.

Additionally, you get access to Premium Global Assist, a 24/7 hotline for medical, legal and financial issues that may arise when you’re traveling. You need to be more than 100 miles from home to use this service. 

You can get a translator to help you locate services needed, they can wire you money and they can even transport you to a new hospital for free if you meet the requirements. Hopefully you won’t need help, but having these benefits offers peace of mind when traveling as emergencies do come up.

Credit Score and Income Level Requirements

If you’re sold on getting the Amex Platinum card, you might think you need a top credit score to have a successful application. You’ll be surprised to know that it only requires a score of 700 or more, which is a good to excellent credit rating.  It can even be as low as 680 if your income is high and your credit history is clean.

Obviously the higher your score is, the better your chances are of getting approved. In addition to reviewing your credit score, American Express will also look at your current income, your debt-to-income ratio and your credit card history.

Your FICO credit score looks at payment history (which makes up 35% of your score), amount owed (30%), length of credit history (14%), new credit (10%) and credit mix (10%).

To improve your chances of getting approved, we recommend having an excellent credit score over 720, an income of at least $50,000 a year and a good credit history for at least the past two years.

If you’ve got your eye on the Centurion Card by American Express, your score and income will need to be much higher. You’ll need a credit score over 800 and income in the million dollar range. Amex will also need to see spending of $100,000 or more on the card to invite you to upgrade from Platinum to Centurion.

Odds of Approval

If you’ve managed your credit well and have a sufficient income level, you have a good chance of getting approved for the Amex Platinum card. Even if your score is on the low end of the range in the high 600s, you can be approved if your income is $100,000 or more for example.

There are a few things to keep in mind though. If you applied for another Amex card recently and did not get approved, wait at least 30 days before applying again. In general, the longer you wait, the better the odds.

Check your credit report in the meantime to make sure there are no errors, and note the reasons for not getting approved. It could be that you have opened too many lines of credit recently or that you already have too many credit cards with American Express. Correct any  issues that you can before applying again, and if you get rejected again be sure to call the reconsideration line to plead your case.

Amex Rules

A number of banks and credit card issuers have come up with rules to stop people from churning cards, where they close a card after getting a bonus and then apply for the same card again to get another bonus.

American Express is no exception, and they have one of the strictest rules when it comes to sign-up bonuses. Other card issuers like Chase make you wait 48 months before you apply again and you can’t have another card in the family of cards you are applying for. 

Amex however does not allow a cardholder to get a welcome bonus twice. If you’ve held the Platinum card previously and already got a bonus, you will not be eligible for the new sign-up bonus, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the card. It just means that you won’t get the 75,000 point bonus. So if that is why you are applying, don’t take the ding on your credit score just to find out you’re not eligible for the big welcome bonus.

Also, at Amex you can only get approved for two Amex cards every 90 days, so make sure you’ve left sufficient time in between applications. More time between applications is best.

If your company is in better financial shape than you are, then that may be the way to go to secure this card. It is sometimes easier to get the business version than the personal one, especially if you have a successful business and charge a lot of expenses.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the market for a premium travel credit card and you pay your bills on time, have good income and a close-to-excellent or better credit score, then the American Express Platinum card is a great addition to your wallet and one that comes with a host of benefits, statement credits and Membership Rewards point earning opportunities especially for travelers.

Is it worth keeping the Amex Platinum? 

When the second year comes along, you should re-evaluate whether you want to pay $550 for the next year. Remember you won’t get that 75,000 point sign-up bonus so that will not help offset the annual fee. But the many other perks like $600 in statement credits can. But only if you use them. And elite status at Marriott and Hilton have value, but only if you plan to stay at those properties. The same goes for airport lounge access. If you don’t fly that often or there are no lounges in the network in the airports you use, then this benefit does not add much value.

If you can take advantage of many of the benefits offered it might be a good idea to hold onto the card. Also, if you do cancel the card and then reapply later because you missed the benefits, you may not be approved if your financial situation has changed. And a few last notes on cancelling a card, you will lose that line of credit in your overall credit availability and holding a card for only one year will also shorten your average length of credit so keep all this in mind before you decide to cancel the card as it can affect your credit score.

So when it’s time to renew the card, determine the value you got out of it the first year and see if your upcoming travel plans might benefit from status or lounge access. And lastly, look at the spend on the card for the past year and calculate how many Membership Rewards you earned. While other Amex cards give you 3x and 4x on travel, that extra point or two per dollar can really add up if you use the card to pay big bills.

Final though for first time applicants: If you are eligible for this card and you travel frequently enough to take advantage of the travel benefits, there is no need to worry about the cost of the card as you will more than make that back when you use your the Membership Rewards points you get just for signing up. Good luck on getting approved if you’ve made up your mind that this card is the one for you.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Flying with Delta Airlines? Here’s How to Get Priority Boarding

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image credit: delta.com
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

It’s no secret that Delta Air Lines offers a solid flying experience, but did you know that it’s easy to make that experience even better? As one of the most popular airlines in the United States with as many as 200 million passengers per year, chances are good that you’ll be on a Delta flight sooner or later. 

That’s why it may be a good idea to learn a few hacks to make your future Delta flight more enjoyable. Specifically, how to be one of the first passengers on the plane with priority boarding.

To board priority the next time you fly with Delta Air Lines, follow these tips and tricks.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Boarding Priority Zone Breakdown

Delta sorts all flyers into eight boarding groups based on ticket type, loyalty status, and more. Here is a look a the order of boarding as well as who falls into which groups:

  1. Pre-Boarding: Those with disabilities that require extra time/space or assistance to board AND active-duty U.S. military personnel.
  2. Delta One: Passengers with Delta One tickets AND flyers with Diamond Medallion loyalty status.
  3. Delta Premium Select/First Class: Passengers with Premium Select tickets, Passengers with First Class tickets, AND flyers with Diamond Medallion loyalty status (if Delta One is not offered on a flight).
  4. Delta Comfort+: Passengers with Delta Comfort+ tickets.
  5. Sky Priority: See “Who Is Eligible to Get SkyPriority?”
  6. Main Cabin 1: See “Who Is Eligible to Be in Main Cabin 1?”
  7. Main Cabin 2:* Passengers with Main Cabin tickets.
  8. Main Cabin 3: Passengers with Main Cabin tickets purchased at T, X, or V fares (these are deeply discounted Main Cabin fares—read more about Delta Air Lines Exception Fares here).
  9. Basic Economy: Passengers with Basic Economy tickets.

Main Cabin (called Premium Economy with some airlines) is the flight class above Basic Economy, but only the Main Cabin 2 boarding priority class is designated for these customers (unless they have a loyalty status that bumps them into a higher tier).

Who Is Eligible to Get Sky Priority?

Sky Priority is going to be best suited for you if you are not a Diamond Medallion member and you’ve got a Main Cabin or Basic Economy ticket. 

All those eligible to board with the Sky Priority zone include:

  • Platinum Medallion members
  • Gold Medallion members
  • Flying Blue Platinum and Gold members
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members
  • Virgin Australia Platinum and Virgin Australia Gold members
  • SkyTeam Elite Plus members

Who Is Eligible to Be in Main Cabin 1?

Right below Sky Priority in the boarding zone hierarchy is Main Cabin 1. These passengers are far from the last to board, and there are many ways to land a spot in this rank.

All those eligible to board with the Main Cabin 1 zone include:

  • Silver Medallion members
  • Delta Corporate travelers (those traveling on business that also enjoy specialized services and enhanced booking customizability)
  • Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card holders, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card holders, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card holders (see “Become a Delta Credit Cardholder” below for more information on Delta credit cards)
  • Flying Blue Silver members
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Silver members
  • Virgin Australia Velocity Silver members
  • Those with SkyTeam Elite status (SkyTeam is an alliance of 19 partner airlines including Air France, China Eastern, and Virgin Atlantic)
  • SkyMiles Select members

About Delta Sky Priority

Delta SkyPriority is one of the broadest boarding zones because it encompasses passengers of many flight classes and loyalty statuses, even with other airlines. In addition to letting passengers be some of the first on the plane, Sky Priority offers:

  • Faster baggage check-ins
  • Streamlined security checks
  • Expedited baggage services (Sky Priority passengers are some of the first to receive their bags after a flight)
  • Priority lanes for baggage and customer service lanes
  • Earlier access to the best seats on the plane
  • Opportunities to earn rewards for checking in online

Sky Priority is available wherever Delta Airlines flies, but not all services are guaranteed at every Delta airline. 

All of the benefits of Sky Priority listed above are granted automatically to passengers with Delta One, First Class, Delta Premium Select, and Business Class tickets. Delta Comfort+ comes with perks like priority boarding and earlier deplaning, but you do not get the benefits above with Delta Comfort+.

If you do not qualify for priority boarding with your tickets because you usually book Economy or Main Cabin, shoot for Sky Priority.

For the purposes of this article, priority boarding will refer to boarding ahead of your typical boarding zone. 

Who Gets Boarding Priority Automatically?

Active-duty U.S. military personnel automatically get top-priority status when they fly with Delta Airlines. All they need to do is show identification. Others that are automatically given priority include those with disabilities that require extra time/space or assistance to board.

Unless you fall under one of these categories, you are not eligible to pre-board no matter what loyalty status you have or flight class you purchase.

Purchase a Higher Flight Class

Board first with first class! Settle in early.

Delta Air Lines offers six different flight classes. From lowest to highest: Basic Economy, Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, First Class, Delta Premium Select, and Delta One.

Passengers in luxury flight classes enjoy the earliest boarding, with Delta One customers being the first to get on the plane behind those that pre-board. However, the price tag on a Delta One ticket is not going to be reasonable for most people as a ticket of this class may cost up to three times the price of the least expensive ticket available on a flight. 

But if you can afford to splurge on something between Economy and Delta One, you can take advantage of the priority boarding you’re looking for. Even Main Cabin tickets—the second-cheapest class—bump you up a little on the boarding totem pole.

Keep in mind, however, that it is possible to get priority boarding even when you purchase a Basic Economy ticket as there are many ways to qualify for priority boarding that have nothing to do with how much your tickets cost.

What You Need to Know About Delta Flight Classes

The first thing to note about the six different flight classes is that they are not offered on all flights. The first two, Delta One and Delta Premium Select are newer additions launched in 2017 that are mostly for long international flights. The four products from First Class down to Basic Economy are what Delta offers, for the most part, on domestic routes.

Here is a breakdown of the six flight classes Delta offers:

  • Delta One® – Delta’s most premium product. Mostly available on long international flights.
  • Delta Premium Select – Second most premium product. Also mostly available on longer international flights.
  • First Class – Third best option from Delta, but best for domestic flights.
  • Delta Comfort+® – Last premium option before the main cabin. Domestic flights. Main benefits are an expedited boarding process, more legroom and dedicated overhead bin space.
  • Main Cabin – Generally back of the plane seats with some standard Delta amenities.
  • Basic Economy – Main cabin seats but with less amenities.

Get to Elite Status With Delta SkyMiles

A great way to guarantee priority boarding for yourself on all Delta Air Lines flights is to work on your loyalty status.

Within SkyMiles, there are essentially two membership tiers. There is the general membership tier that all SkyMiles members start in and the Medallion membership tier that you need to earn your way into. Once you’ve gotten into the Medallion tier, there are four statuses: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.

The coveted Diamond Medallion status is not easy to get to, but reaching Medallion status is an attainable goal for many. Even just barely making it into that Medallion membership status will get you priority boarding. Remember, Silver Medallion members get to board with Main Cabin 1.

There is also Delta 360, an elite, invite-only tier for the most loyal Delta passengers there are. The perks at this membership are neither set nor publicly disclosed, but you can bet they’ll be luxurious when so few get an invitation.

How to Become a SkyMiles Member

If you’re not already a member of the Delta Air Lines loyalty program, what are you waiting for? To join SkyMiles, just 

Please keep in mind that each SkyMiles account is registered to only one person and that miles are not eligible to be transferred or sold to other accounts. Make sure everyone in your party has their own account.

How to Reach Medallion Status

Unfortunately, you won’t get out of the general SkyMiles membership status until after you’ve flown 30 Medallion Qualification Segments (MQS) OR 25,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM) and spent at least $3,000 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD). You can earn MQDs on most Delta flights, flights with partner airlines, and flight purchases (as long as you’re booking directly with Delta). But once you’ve met these requirements, you’ll be bumped up to Silver Medallion status. Once in Silver Medallion status, you’ll board with Main Cabin 1.

To get to Gold Medallion status, you must fly 60 MQSs OR 50,000 MQMs and spend at least $6,000 MQDs on Delta Air Lines purchases and flights. Once in Gold Medallion, you’ll board with Sky Priority.

To get to Platinum Medallion status, you must fly 100 MQSs OR 70,000 MQMs and spend at least $9,000 MQDs. Members with Platinum Medallion status also board with Sky Priority, but there are more mileage bonuses, complimentary upgrades, and other perks in this tier than in Gold.

Finally, to get to Diamond Medallion status, you must fly 140 MQSs or 125,000 MQMs and spend at least $15,000 MQDs. Once in Diamond Medallion status, you will board with either Delta One or Delta Premium Select/First Class (depending on what is available on your flight).

Please note that you must meet the requirements for your status annually in order to maintain your elite membership. Otherwise, back down through the ranks you’ll go. 

Get to Elite Status With a Partner Airline

Not surprisingly, Delta partners with many other domestic and international airlines. This means that you may be able to benefit from your elite status with a different airline if your loyalty status with Delta leaves something to be desired.

Achieving elite status with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Virgin Australia (Velocity Frequent Flyer), Flying Blue, and SkyTeam will guarantee you a better place in line when it’s time to board the plane. If you fly internationally a lot, try your best to do so through airlines that rub elbows with Delta.

Become a Delta Credit Cardholder

Bonus points are available for all new Delta SkyMiles card holders!

Another way to board a little sooner on Delta flights is to have a Delta-branded card. Having a Delta credit card will automatically get you into Main Cabin 1, no matter what type of ticket you have. All Delta cards are issued through American Express.

Here’s a quick look at the Delta credit cards currently available and how many bonus points you can earn if you sign up right now:

  • Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: 40,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first three months.
  • Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months.
  • Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express: 60,000 Bonus Miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

Read more about bonus mile earning requirements, rates and fees, and perks associated with each card here.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Final Thoughts

It’s really not too difficult to get priority boarding with Delta Air Lines, and who doesn’t want to board before everyone else? However, as you can see, when you board ultimately comes down to loyalty status for most people. This means that if you haven’t joined Delta SkyMiles and started working your way up the ladder, you should probably get on that if you want to be prioritized when boarding.

You can also get a Delta credit card to easily obtain priority boarding status, but another surefire way to board earlier is to splurge on a higher flight class (if you can afford to). If you want to keep costs low but still board priority, shoot for a Main Cabin ticket or get your loyalty status up to at least Silver.