[Update] American Express Platinum 100,000 Points + 10x Grocery/Gas For 6 Months

Update 1/12/21: This link seems to be working consistently to get the 100,000 offer. Useful for those who had difficulty getting it to show. One reader found the link helped bypass the Amex popup issue as well. (Hat tip to reader Dheeraj) Works for me as well when I do it incognito, but others are saying this link is also not working for them. YMMV. Of course if you can get it to show via referral link (without popup) that would be best as your friend will get a bonus as well.

Another update: it’s worth checking first to see if you were targeted for the 125,000 + 10x prequalified offer. 

Small update: a few readers point out a nifty tip on how to increase your odds of getting the offer to show – try at the top of the hour. I guess maybe they offer it a certain number of times each hour.

The Offer

Direct Link to offer (open incognito)

• American Express is offering a new sign up bonus on the Platinum personal card, as follows:
  • Get 100,000 points signup bonus when spending $5,000 within 6 months.
  • Get 10x Membership Rewards points on Grocery and Gas purchases during the first 6 months of card membership, up to $15,000 in purchases; that’s 9x bonus on top of the regular 1x earn.

Not everyone is pulling up this offer as sometimes they show the 75k + 10x offer. Based on reader’s reports, I’m guessing anyone can get it with enough browser variations, private browsers, VPNs, etc.

Card Details

• Annual fee of $550 is not waived the first year
  • Authorized Platinum cards are $175 for three user (then $175 per Platinum)
  • Authorized Gold cards are free
  • Full details here
• Card earns at the following rates:
  • 5x points per $1 spent on purchases made with airlines or with American Express Travel
  • 5x points per $1 spent on hotel bookings made directly from the American Express travel website
  • 1x points on all other purchases
• $200 airline incidental credit per calendar year
• $200 Uber credit ($15 per month and additional $20 in December)
• Lounge access:
  • Centurion lounge access
  • International American Express lounge access
  • Delta SkyClub lounge access
  • Priority pass select membership
  • Airspace lounge access
• Marriott Gold status
• Hilton gold status
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓
• No foreign transaction fees
• View these other hidden benefits
• You can only get the sign up bonus on American Express cards once per lifetime.

Our Verdict

We posted yesterday about a similar deal with 10x + 75k + up to $300 in statement credits; this offer gives a higher 100k, but doesn’t have the $300 statement credit offer. Both of these are fantastic offers – you’ll just have to decide if you’d rather the extra 25,000 points or the opportunity for up to $300 statement credits. I assume most people will opt for the points, but some cashback people might go for the $300 statement credits.

Maxed out, you can get an extra 135,000 points from the gas/grocery bonus (9 x 15,000)! Even if we figure you wouldn’t have used a card that earns 1x; let’s figure you would have earned 4x (or the equivalent in another points currency), that’s still an extra 6x which is 90,000 points when maxed out.

And of course you’ll also get the $200 airline incidental credit (twice during the first year), $200 in Uber credits each year, the twice-annual $50 Saks credit (three times during the first year), and the tail-end of the $20 wireless and $20 streaming credits for the months of November and December.

Even if you won’t be able to use much of the 10x grocery/gas, this is obviously a terrific deal since typically 100,000 is about as good as you can get on Platinum on a public offer. Personally, I’d be very interested in this offer if I never had the Platinum bonus before.

If you’re thinking of applying, make sure you read these things everybody should know about American Express cards first. Amex does not officially match bonuses, but often does extend courtesy credits. 

Hat tip to reader Trvlskptc