American Express Platinum Card® and Business Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders are getting some new perks, including Airbnb bookings through American Express Travel®, more ways to use their lodging credits, and a new $250 Airbnb Experiences credit. But as we’ve come to expect with credit card news, issuers rarely give with one hand without taking away with the other. And American Express® is no exception.

This time, the trade-off is a new restriction that will make one of the Platinum’s most useful credits a lot harder to redeem. Here’s what’s changing.

 

American Express Travel® Adds More Than 1 Million Airbnb Listings

American Express® has announced a new partnership with Airbnb, bringing more than 1 million Airbnb listings worldwide to American Express Travel®. And you don’t even need a Platinum card to take advantage of the partnership. Any eligible U.S. American Express cardholder can now book Airbnb properties through the travel portal, although the rewards you’ll earn depend on which card you use.

Here’s how the earning rates break down:

• 5x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent: The American Express Platinum Card® and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• 3x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent: American Express® Green Card (no longer open to new applications)
• 2x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent: Other eligible personal and business Amex cards enrolled in Membership Rewards

These rates apply to eligible prepaid Airbnb bookings made through American Express Travel®, including regular Airbnb properties and Airbnb Luxe.

You’ll need to link your Airbnb account to your American Express account to complete a reservation.

One important distinction: Although you can earn Membership Rewards® points on these bookings, you can’t currently use the Pay with Points feature to book Airbnb stays through American Express Travel®.

 

Amex Platinum’s $600 Hotel Credit Now Includes Airbnb Luxe

One of the biggest changes affects the personal Platinum and Business Platinum cards’ existing $600 annual hotel credits, which American Express has renamed the $600 Lodging Credit.

Previously, the credit was limited to eligible prepaid bookings through Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection. Now, cardholders can also use it toward prepaid Airbnb Luxe bookings made through Amex Travel.

The credit still works the same way, logistically: Cardholders receive up to $300 in statement credits from January through June and another $300 from July through December.

But now there are a couple of restrictions on the new Airbnb Luxe option.

First, only Airbnb Luxe properties qualify. You can’t use the lodging credit toward a regular Airbnb rental, even if you book it through American Express Travel®.

Second, Airbnb Luxe stays must be at least two consecutive nights to qualify.

Airbnb Luxe is the platform’s collection of premium vacation rentals, so this isn’t necessarily a way to turn your Platinum credit into a cheap weekend getaway. Still, it’s another option.

 

Platinum Cardholders Can Unlock a New $250 Airbnb Experiences Credit

American Express is also adding an entirely new benefit for personal Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders: up to $250 annually in statement credits for eligible Airbnb Experiences.

But there’s a catch. You can’t simply book an Airbnb Experience and expect the credit to appear. To unlock the benefit, you’ll have to first book a prepaid Airbnb Luxe stay through Amex Travel using your eligible Platinum card.

Once that reservation is confirmed, you can receive up to $250 in statement credits for eligible Airbnb Experiences purchased directly through Airbnb using your card. These can include activities like guided tours, cooking classes, and other local experiences.

The good news is that your Experience doesn’t need to take place during your Airbnb Luxe stay or even in the same destination. However, the credit is only available through the end of the calendar year in which you unlock it. That means if you book an eligible Luxe property in December 2026, you’ll need to purchase your qualifying Experiences before December 31 to use the credit for that year.

Also, certain purchases that redirect you to third-party booking platforms aren’t eligible.

 

One-Night Fine Hotels + Resorts® Credits Are Going Away in 2027

Now for the bad news.

Beginning January 1, 2027, American Express will require a minimum two-night stay for all bookings that qualify for the $600 Lodging Credit.

Previously, Platinum cardholders could use their semiannual $300 credit toward a single night at a Fine Hotels + Resorts® property. This was particularly useful for travelers who wanted to squeeze in a quick luxury hotel stay without spending much beyond the credit.

The Hotel Collection already required a two-night minimum, and Airbnb Luxe bookings have the same restriction. But starting next year, Fine Hotels + Resorts® will also follow suit.

It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean you can no longer book a one-night Fine Hotels + Resorts® stay. You’ll still be eligible for the program’s usual benefits, such as breakfast for two and a property credit, when you book a one-night stay through American Express—but you won’t receive the $600 Lodging Credit toward that reservation.

If you have an unused lodging credit for the second half of 2026, you can still use it toward an eligible one-night Fine Hotels + Resorts® booking before the new rules take effect.

 

Bottom Line

American Express’s new Airbnb partnership brings some welcome perks, but the $250 Experiences credit comes with strings attached. And for cardholders who rely on one-night Fine Hotels + Resorts® stays to maximize their lodging credit, the new two-night minimum may outweigh the good news.

 

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