Just Got the Amex Platinum UK? Here’s What to Activate First
The American Express Platinum Card in the UK is hands down one of the best travel cards for families, but when you get the card that so many people talk about… what now?
Many cardholders pay the £650 annual fee and never use half of what the card offers. The reason? Many — if not most — of the perks require you to register or activate them manually.
If you’ve just received your Amex Platinum, here’s what you should set up immediately so you don’t miss out on the value.
1. Register for Priority Pass Lounge Access
One of the biggest benefits of the Platinum card for families is unlimited airport lounge access.
By registering for Priority Pass, you can access hundreds of lounges around the world regardless of which airline you’re flying with, and you can bring a guest.
You can also add supplementary cardholders, and they receive their own lounge access plus a guest as well.
This is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your travel experience and relax away from the airport chaos — especially when traveling with kids.
The Priority Pass card will arrive separately from your Platinum card. Once it arrives, you can activate it and start using the benefits.
When we received ours, we applied about five days before our holiday. My husband’s card arrived two days before our trip, and my supplementary card arrived the day before.
We contacted Amex through the chat to activate a few things because not everything was showing in the app yet. The professionalism and efficiency of American Express customer service is truly next level.
2. Activate Your £200 UK Dining Credit
The Amex Platinum card includes £200 in UK dining credits every year.
£100 can be used in the first half of the year, and another £100 in the second half of the year.
You can use this credit at a selection of participating restaurants across the UK.
However, this benefit must be activated in your Amex account before using it.
Important: Only the main cardholder receives this benefit, and the payment must be made with the main cardholder’s card to trigger the credit.
Once activated, the credit will automatically appear as a statement credit after dining at a participating restaurant.
3. Activate Your £200 International Dining Credit
You also receive £200 in international dining credits, which can be used at restaurants abroad.
£100 is available from January to June, and another £100 from July to December.
This benefit is especially valuable if you travel regularly.
Just like the UK dining credit, you need to save the offer in your Amex account before using it.
I personally used one of the international dining credits at UM Beach House in Mallorca with my sister — you can read the full review here.
In our case, I simply took my husband’s card (the main cardholder card) and had no issues triggering the credit.
4. Register for Hotel Elite Status
The Platinum card offers automatic hotel status with several major hotel chains, including:
• Hilton Honors Gold
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold
• Radisson Rewards
• MeliáRewards
Hotel status can unlock benefits like:
• Complimentary breakfast
• Room upgrades
• Late checkout or early check-in
• Extra loyalty points
To access these perks, you’ll need to register through the Amex Platinum benefits page.
5. Activate Car Rental Elite Status
Another overlooked benefit is elite status with major car rental companies, including:
• Hertz
• Avis
This can provide perks such as:
• Faster pickup
• Priority service
• Potential upgrades
Again, registration is required via the Amex benefits portal.
All these small perks — like early check-in or priority service — can make a huge difference when traveling with kids.
6. Check Your Amex Offers Regularly
The Amex app includes Amex Offers, which provide statement credits or bonus points when spending with certain brands.
These offers change frequently, so it’s worth checking the app regularly and saving offers before making purchases.
Over the course of a year, these can easily add up to hundreds of pounds in value.
Here’s a screenshot of how much we saved in 2025!
7. Understand Your Travel Insurance
The Platinum card includes comprehensive travel insurance, which can cover things like:
• Trip cancellation
• Medical emergencies
• Lost luggage
• Travel delays
However, many people never read the terms and conditions, which can lead to confusion when trying to make a claim.
Take a few minutes to understand what’s covered before your next trip.
Inside Fly Smart Accelerator, we teach step by step through video lessons how to activate all the perks and go deeper into the details.
Don’t Forget the $100 Hotel Credit
One commonly misunderstood benefit is the $100 hotel credit.
This credit only applies when you book through:
• Fine Hotels + Resorts
• The Hotel Collection
Bookings must be made through Amex Travel to qualify.
Many cardholders miss this detail and then wonder why the credit never appears.
Don’t Miss the Free Times & Sunday Times Subscription
Another lesser-known benefit of the Amex Platinum UK card is a complimentary digital subscription to The Times and The Sunday Times.
Considering the current global climate, having access to reliable news and quality journalism is incredibly valuable.
To activate this benefit, you’ll need to download the Amex Experiences app.
Once inside the app, you’ll be able to register and access your subscription directly.
Why the Amex Experiences App Is Worth Downloading
The Amex Experiences app is one of the most overlooked tools available to Platinum cardholders.
Many people focus on lounge access and dining credits, but this app actually gives you access to several other valuable benefits.
Inside the app you can:
• Access details about your travel insurance coverage
• Discover exclusive events and experiences available to Amex cardholders
• Explore shopping perks at Bicester Village (we have a full review of this benefit here)
• Activate special lifestyle offers and promotions
• Register for partner benefits
Because so many Platinum benefits require registration or activation, the app makes it much easier to manage everything in one place.
Pro Tip 1
When you first receive your Amex Platinum card, take a few minutes to download the Amex Experiences app and explore the benefits available to you.
Many cardholders miss these perks simply because they don’t know where to find them.
Pro Tip 2: Use Hilton Gold for Status Matching
Here’s a bonus strategy many people don’t know.
Because the Platinum card gives you Hilton Honors Gold status, you can use that to apply for a status match with Royal Jordanian Airlines. This offer comes and goes throughout the year.
For around $49, this can give you British Airways Bronze status, which comes with benefits such as:
• Priority boarding
• Earlier seat selection
• oneworld alliance recognition
It’s a clever way to turn one card benefit into multiple travel perks.
Again, every benefit that saves you even 10 minutes when traveling with kids is priceless.
Final Thoughts
The Amex Platinum UK card can deliver incredible value — but only if you actually activate and use the benefits.
If you’ve just received the card, take a few minutes to set everything up so you don’t miss out.
Once everything is activated, the Platinum card can become one of the most powerful tools for upgrading your family travel experience.
