Maximize your Amex Platinum Business Quarterly $50 Hilton Benefit
Sep 14, 2025
This excellent feature was recently included as a benefit! On Sept 18, Amex will be refreshing this card with even more perks, but the annual fee will also increase from $695 to $895.
I highly recommend applying before this fee increase to lock in the current rate. You can use the links below to secure your application at today’s lower rate and a special increased offer from MyMilesGuy!
Here are ways I maximize my quarterly Hilton credits:
✅ The Standard (and Easiest) Ways
These are the low-risk and straightforward options that almost always work:
- Stay at a Hilton booked directly through their website
Room rates booked through Hilton.com or the Hilton app will trigger the credit. (Third-party bookings such as Expedia usually won’t work). - Charge incidentals to your room
Food, drinks, spa treatments, parking, mini-bar or room service all typically count, as long as they’re billed to your Hilton folio.
💡Creative (But Proven) Workarounds
These might require a little testing and property-specific luck, but many people including myself have reported success:
- Dine at a Hilton hotel restaurant
Even without a stay, meals and drinks at a Hilton property often qualify, as long as the charge is processed by the hotel itself and not a third-party operator. - On-site Starbucks purchases (and gift cards)
My local premier Hilton has an on-site Starbucks. I tested it with a small purchase (which triggered the credit), then later bought Starbucks gift cards with my 2 Amex Plat Biz cards and received the full $100 credit. I then loaded them into my Starbucks account, and boom, that’s $400 saved annually across both my cards. - Hotel gift shop buys
Even if you are not staying at a Hilton, snacks, drinks, clothing, souvenirs, or other small items can work if the purchase codes as a Hilton property charge. Just keep your receipt just in case. - Hilton “Points & Money” bookings
When you mix Hilton points with cash, the cash portion often codes properly and applies against your credit. This is a great way to stretch your points and your statement credit. - Prepay deposits on future stays
If you can pay a deposit or partial prepayment on an upcoming booking, it sometimes posts as a Hilton property charge and triggers the credit in this quarter. - Mini “staycation” / local night out
Consider booking a nearby Hilton for a night using either cash or points. I like to use my Amex Personal Platinum Card to take advantage of the Amex $200 Fine Hotels & Resorts credit at my local premier Hilton. Plus, with complimentary Amex Hilton Gold status (don’t forget to register), you’ll enjoy free breakfast, room upgrades when available, and late checkout. Add in the $50 credit and it's a perfect little getaway, whether for a date night, a spa day, lounging by the pool, or simply taking a refreshing break from home.
⚠️ Things to Watch Out For
- Amex Enrollment required
Make sure you’ve enrolled in the Hilton credit benefit and Hilton for Business if needed. No enrollment = no credit. - Merchant coding is key
Even at Hilton restaurants or Starbucks, if the location is run by an outside vendor, it may not code as Hilton. Start with a small charge to confirm. - Purchasing Hilton gift cards
Once my go-to trick, but they are now often sold out or unavailable at many properties and online. - Quarterly deadlines
Use it or lose it. Credits don’t roll over to the next quarter. I maintain a checklist of the benefits to use at the start of each month and quarter and make sure I earn them early.
This experience really drives home a key lesson: annual fees don’t matter nearly as much as the savings you unlock. Yes, I hold several Amex cards with $695 annual fees which sounds insane at first glance. But with the right strategies (like the Hilton credits above), I consistently save around $1,000 a year per card. That leaves me with a net profit of about $400 per card, proof that when used wisely, premium cards more than pay for themselves.
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