Stacking Amex Platinum benefits to book a $1,600+ weekend in Italy for free - Business Insider

Caruso isn't part of a hotel loyalty program — but you can still book it with points.

Belmond

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• The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with several benefits to make your hotel stays cheaper and more luxurious.
• You can use Amex Membership Rewards points in a variety of ways to further discount your hotel stays.
• I plan to stack credit card benefits to reserve a $1,600+ weekend in Italy for free.
• Read Insider's guide to the best travel rewards credit cards.

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I'm about to burn a ton of Amex points in a very irresponsible way.

Caruso Hotel is a bewitching five-star property located along Italy's Amalfi Coast. It's a Belmond hotel, which doesn't offer a loyalty program. It's therefore impossible to book award nights.

That's unfortunate, because the nightly rates are the stuff of nightmares. The hotel is not intended for travelers of my middle-class ilk. But I'm going there, anyway, thanks to The Platinum Card® from American Express. By stacking three card benefits, I'll book a weekend at this hotel for effectively zero dollars.

The method I'm using is frowned upon in the award travel community, but it's worth it to mark off a bucket list item I've failed for years to achieve.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

How to use the Amex Platinum's perks and points to get a free luxury hotel stay

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Annual Fee

$695

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent

4.75/5

4.75 out of 5 Stars

Editor's Rating

Our editor's ratings are primarily based on 3 things: simplicity, affordability, and value. Our credit card editor takes those factors into account, and comes up with a rating to best reflect how the card performs in that criteria - relative to other products we've reviewed.

Apply Now Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card® from American Express

4.75/5

4.75 out of 5 Stars

Editor's Rating

Our editor's ratings are primarily based on 3 things: simplicity, affordability, and value. Our credit card editor takes those factors into account, and comes up with a rating to best reflect how the card performs in that criteria - relative to other products we've reviewed.

Apply Now Rates & Fees

Annual Fee

$695

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber

Cons

• Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

Read Our Review

Details

More Information

• Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
• American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. There are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $25 back each month on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
• $179 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $179 back per year on your CLEAR® membership.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Intro APR

N/A

The Amex Platinum charges a $695 annual fee (See Rates). That's a big investment, but well worth it if you'll use the card's ongoing benefits, such as:

• Up to $200 in airline fee credits each calendar year
• Up to $200 in credits per year toward prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection (with a two-night minimum)
• Up to $240 in annual credits (up to $20 per month) toward eligible digital subscriptions with Hulu, Audible, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times**
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash each calendar year**
• Airport lounge access (Priority Pass**, Centurion lounges, and more)
• $179 per year in credits for CLEAR membership**

But two extra-special card benefits will help me to stay at Caruso on the cheap:

• The Amex Platinum comes with up to $200 in statement credits annually for booking prepaid hotels through the Amex Travel Portal.
• The card also grants you access to Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts, a collection of luxury properties around the world, while offering you potentially hundreds of dollars in value (for things like free breakfast, resort credits, room upgrades, etc.).

These perks, along with Amex points, allow cardholders the ability to book super Instagrammable hotels for cheap — or even free. Here's how I'll do just that.

Combine the Amex Platinum's $200 hotel credit with Fine Hotels and Resorts and Membership Rewards points for free stays

I'm looking for the cheapest rates Caruso Hotel has to offer.

The first thing I do is find the town where the hotel is located: Ravello, Italy. I then search that town on Google Hotels, find Caruso Hotel, and search the entire year for the cheapest prices. October displays plenty of sub-$800 nightly rates.

Google

I then note these dates and head to the American Express Travel Portal. The hotel participates in Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts (one of the absolute best features of the Amex Platinum), meaning you'll get elite-status-esque benefits like:

• Free breakfast (I believe this hotel already offers that, though)
• A room upgrade (when available)
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
• Noon check-in (when available)

Fine Hotels and Resorts also offers a $100 food and beverage credit to use on the property. Because I'...