The post is updated with new information on a regular basis.

Premium benefits are what the Platinum Card from American Express has to offer. The annual statement credit is one of the perks of the premium card. The perk can take out some of the sting of the card's annual fee.

You have from January 1 to December 31 to take advantage of the credit. We have heard that Amex is flexible with this if you call or chat with arepresentative.

It is usually easy for a traveler to maximize their airline fee credit over the course of a year, but the last couple of years have been different. Some travelers may find themselves with some of the annual airline fee credit still to redeem.

At the end of the year, you will want to be strategic about how you use this credit, so we will walk you through some typical rules. For certain benefits, you must enroll.

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Choose the right airline

You have to log in to access your Amex account if you want to change your airline choice in January. The airline selection screen can be accessed by scrolling to the benefits section. You can pick from the following airlines.

  • Alaska Airlines.
  • American Airlines.
  • Delta Air Lines.
  • Frontier Airlines.
  • Hawaiian Airlines.
  • JetBlue Airways.
  • Spirit Airlines.
  • Southwest Airlines.
  • United Airlines.

If you call or use the online chat feature, Amex will allow airline selection changes well past the usual January 31st deadline. There is no guarantee that it will work for you, but it is worth trying.

If you assume that the airline you most frequently fly with is the one to choose, it's probably true. If you have elite status or a co branded credit card with that airline, there are many fees that will be free if you pick your primary airline.

It is likely that you will pay at least $200 in fees each year.

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If you fly United most frequently and hold elite status, but also fly American occasionally, you might be better off choosing American for your airline fee credit. You could use the credit for things like seat assignments and bag fees. For certain benefits, you must enroll.

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Don't forget about the low cost carriers.

Since they charge extra fees for things like seat assignments, checked and carry-on bags, and onboard snacks and drinks, it's a good idea to choose one of those carriers. If you designate and fly on a carrier that charges a lot of add-on fees, you'll be able to maximize the Amex Platinum airline fee credit.

What’s covered by the airline fee credit

The Amex Platinum credit can be used to reimburse the following fees if you separate your purchases from the airline ticket itself.

  • Checked baggage fees.
  • Overweight/oversize baggage fees.
  • Change fees.
  • Phone reservation fees.
  • Pet flight fees.
  • Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships.
  • Seat assignment fees.
  • Inflight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, etc.).
  • Inflight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet).

It is easy for travelers to use the airline fee credit.

You can use the credit to purchase Big Front Seats, snacks, and check bags if you choose to do so. If you use up your airline fee credit on just one or two flights with your pet, that's because the pet fees on most airlines are not all that high.

The post on which American Airlines expensestrigger the Amex airline fee credit is a good place to start. There is a real-world look at what causes the fee credit.

Use the credit for seat assignment fees on low-cost carriers. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

The Amex Platinum airline fee credit is not applicable for these things.

  • Fees charged to other card accounts (besides authorized user accounts).
  • Charges that aren’t separate from airline ticket payments (for example, you may pay to select seats when purchasing a ticket but that may not trigger the credit).
  • Fees not charged by the cardmember’s airline of choice (for example, wireless internet and fees incurred with airline alliance partners).
  • Incidental air travel fees charged prior to the selection of a qualifying airline.
  • Airline tickets.
  • Upgrades.
  • Mileage points purchases.
  • Mileage points transfer fees.
  • Gift cards.
  • Duty-free purchases.
  • Award tickets.

To be considered as an air travel fee, the charge must be submitted under the appropriate merchant code. Six to eight weeks after each charge for the statement credit to post to your account is what the terms state. You can call the number on the back of the card if the credit hasn't been posted after that time.

There are clear cut cases when the credit does not work and there are also grey areas. We've heard that the airfare credit kicks in when you pay for a portion of a Delta ticket with a gift card and then charge the rest to your Amex Platinum. The reimbursement credit is triggered when the remaining airfare becomes an extra collection.

Sometimes other small airline ticket purchases and even the taxes/fees on award tickets alsotrigger the credit, as have some purchases of smaller amounts of future airline travel credit This work has been done with small United TravelBank purchases.

Off-label uses can change at any time. Only purchases with the airline you chose will cause the credit.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Other Amex cards with airline fee credits

An annual airline fee credit is offered by a number of Amex cards. There are Amex cards that offer credits.

The Points Guy independently collected the information for thehilton amish card The card issuer did not review or provide the card details on this page.

The Amex Platinum and these cards have the same details. The Business Platinum card has one important flaw. When booked through Amex Travel, Business Platinum cardholders receive a 35% rebate on any points redeemed for business- or first-class travel on qualified airlines.

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Business Platinum card holders may want to use their points to purchase economy tickets for their annual airline credit instead of having to pay fees for it.

It is an excellent time to apply for the Business Platinum Card if you don't already have one. If you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first three months of card membership, the card will give you 150,000 MembershipRewards® points.

How to still use the airline fee credit this year

If you don't want to use up your Amex Platinum airline fee credit this year, here are some quick use ideas.

  • Pay for seat assignments on future flights.
  • Purchase airline lounge day passes for future use. These are often valid for one year from purchase during normal times — and potentially longer in some cases during the pandemic. You can purchase single-use passes from United and American for $59.
  • Allow an authorized user who is traveling again to put the fee credit to use on one of their flights.
  • Purchase Southwest EarlyBird boarding for future Southwest flights.

For certain benefits, you must enroll.

Bottom line

The $200 Amex airline fee credit is a benefit that is only worth what you get.

It is easy to maximize the airline fee credit, but sometimes you need to use it before the year ends. It's time to get busy before a new credit arrives in the future.

If you spend $6,000 in the first six months, you will get a 80,000 point welcome bonus.

If you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first three months of card membership, you'll get 150,000 Membership Reward® points.

The additional reporting was done by Madison Blancaflor

Click here to find rates and fees of the Amex Platinum. Click here for the Amex Business Platinum rates.