Amex Platinum adds Airbnb: 5X on prepaid stays via Amex Travel, a $250 Airbnb Experiences credit, and the hotel credit becomes a Lodging Credit
Airbnb homes are now bookable on Amex Travel. Platinum and Business Platinum earn 5X Membership Rewards on prepaid Airbnb stays, the $600 hotel credit becomes a Lodging Credit that covers Airbnb Luxe, and a $250 Airbnb Experiences credit unlocks after a Luxe booking. Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings need two nights from 1 Jan 2027.
In this article
American Express and Airbnb launched a partnership on 22 October 2026: US cardmembers can now search and book Airbnb homes in a new Homes tab on AmexTravel.com and the Amex Travel app, and the Platinum cards get three changes built around it. The figures below are read off Amex's own Airbnb page; Skift, View From The Wing and Frequent Miler report the same terms.
What changed
| Benefit | What Amex states |
|---|---|
| Earn on prepaid Airbnb stays via Amex Travel | 5X Membership Rewards on Platinum and Business Platinum |
| Same, on the Classic Green Card | 3X |
| Same, on other Membership Rewards cards | 2X |
| Hotel credit | Renamed the Lodging Credit; prepaid Airbnb Luxe stays booked through Amex Travel now qualify alongside Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection |
| Lodging Credit amount | Up to $300 semi-annually ($600 a year), unchanged |
| Airbnb Luxe minimum stay | Two nights |
| New Airbnb Experiences credit | Up to $250 in statement credits for the rest of the calendar year, unlocked by a prepaid Airbnb Luxe booking through Amex Travel |
The 5X applies to prepaid short-term rentals booked with Airbnb through Amex Travel, Luxe or not. Booking on airbnb.com directly does not earn it.
The Experiences credit, in detail
You unlock it once a year by booking a prepaid Airbnb Luxe stay through Amex Travel on a Platinum or Business Platinum card. After the booking is confirmed, you get up to $250 back on eligible Experiences bought directly from Airbnb, through the end of that calendar year. Amex excludes Experiences that send you to a third-party platform, such as live event tickets. View From The Wing notes that cancelling the Luxe booking can reverse the credits, so do not book a throwaway stay just to unlock it.
The catch: two nights at Fine Hotels + Resorts from 1 January 2027
Amex's Airbnb page carries a footnote: effective 1 January 2027, Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings need a minimum two-night stay to qualify for the Lodging Credit. The Hotel Collection and Airbnb Luxe already require two nights. Until now, a one-night FHR stay was the easiest way to use each $300 half, so this makes the credit harder to use in full for anyone who travels in short hops.
Who gains, who loses
- Gains: anyone who books Airbnb often. 5X on stays you were already booking is a real upgrade over the 1X or a shopping-portal bonus most cards pay.
- Gains, with effort: Airbnb Luxe guests. Luxe stays are expensive, so $300 covers a smaller share than it does at a typical FHR property, but the Experiences credit adds up to $250 on top.
- Loses: one-night FHR users from 2027.
- Open question: Skift describes Airbnb Luxe as eligible for the Lodging Credit now; Frequent Miler and View From The Wing tie the change to the new terms. If you plan to use the credit on Luxe before year end, confirm it in your Amex benefits page before you book.
Is the Platinum still worth its fee for the way you travel? Run your spend through Polo Match, or see what 5X on a stay is worth in Membership Rewards transfers on the transfer partners page.
Sources
Every claim on this page is backed by a primary or reputable source.
Cards affected
Card figures on CardPolo come from our catalog, each with an issuer source and a verified date where we have checked it. Spot something out of date? Tell us at [email protected].
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