Credit Cards Double Down on Luxury, With Amex Adding 400+ Premium Hotel Properties

American Express has announced an expansion of its hotel program, adding more than 400 new properties to its Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection networks located around the world.

The company’s move reflects a broader trend of credit card issuers courting cardholders who seek access to luxury hotel properties. Providing cardholders with enhanced travel benefits can help issuers attract new customers and hang on to existing ones.

With its latest push to add 400 properties to its hotel system, American Express now links its customers to more than 3,100 curated hotels across 114 countries. 

The company now boasts the largest worldwide footprint of any hotel program a credit card issuer offers, according to a press release on the expansion. But not all American Express cardholders can tap into the full range of benefits from its extensive hotel program.

“The year’s additions offer a set of premium properties — boutique hotels to luxury resorts — that deliver meaningful value and unforgettable experiences to our Platinum Card Members,” Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel, said in the release. 

American Express’ network of partner hotels extends across 114 countries.

To qualify for a Platinum Card, applicants must have a strong credit score. A new CNBC article indicated that people with credit scores of 670 and above have a better chance of success when applying for a Platinum Card with American Express than those with bad credit scores.

But simply having a high credit score may not be enough to earn a consumer a Platinum Card. American Express also considers a prospective member’s history with the company and their income when evaluating their application, according to CNBC.

By setting a high bar for applicants, American Express fosters a sense of exclusivity that enhances how much cardholders value their membership.

Reviewing a prospective cardholder’s financial background helps confirm they can afford the Platinum Card’s $695 annual fee, which is expected to increase when a major refresh of the card rolls out this fall.

The race to gain customers who value high-end rewards programs has been heating up in 2025. In June, JPMorgan Chase rolled out a new Chase Sapphire Reserve card for consumers while introducing another version of the card for its business customers. 

“The new Sapphire Reserve cards are the culmination of years of focus on the things most important to our cardmembers: travel, dining, entertainment, and exceptional service,” Chris Reagan, Chase’s President of Branded Cards, said in a press release announcing the new products.

The fact that Chase spent years developing its new premium card offerings and American Express’ significant upgrade to its hotel program speaks to how much the companies value affluent customers. 

People with higher incomes are driving spending in the U.S., according to a recent study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

The Fed study suggests that not all customers are equal in the eyes of credit card issuers. Gaining just a handful of new cardholders in a premium card program may be of more value to an issuer than attracting a plethora of prospects to a a lower-tier product. 

Targeting trip takers is a logical move as travel is on the rise around the world. Air travel is expected to surpass 5 billion passengers this year, the first time global travelers have exceeded the 5 billion mark. And a credit card’s benefits can pave the way for cardholders to gain entry to luxurious hotels and other exclusive travel experiences.

More than three-fourths of consumers surveyed said they would switch to another credit card for premium travel benefits, according to a recent Collinson study.

With card companies vying for a limited number of customers, the issuer that offers the most exclusive travel benefits can stand out in a crowded field.

John Taylor Garner is the Founder and CEO of Odynn, a company that uses artificial intelligence to help credit card issuers launch embedded travel loyalty programs. He told us that issuers are investing heavily in luxury hotel partnerships at this time because it helps them stand out.

“Airfare redemptions are starting to feel kind of commoditized, especially with all the devaluations in airline programs,” Garner said. “But hotels, particularly luxury ones, give issuers a way to create something that feels tangible and exclusive.”

American Express provided a closer look at a few of the locations it has added to its luxury hotel footprint in its press release. The company’s latest offerings connect cardholders with swanky accommodations in places like Florence, Italy, and Osaka, Japan.

Garner told us that, when it comes to luxury hotel collections, American Express leads the field.

“The properties in Fine Hotels + Resorts tend to be actually desirable, not just filler,” he said. “Chase is catching up fast though, especially with The Edit.”

The Edit is Chase’s collection of luxury hotels and resorts. In addition to connecting cardholders with hand-picked properties in beautiful settings, The Edit also provides them with benefits such as daily breakfast for two travelers, credits to use for on-site amenities such as spas, and early check-in and late check-out privileges.

Not to be outdone, American Express also extends complimentary breakfast benefits and flexible check-in and check-out options to eligible cardholders. Hendley said in the release that American Express’ Fine Hotels + Resorts initiative is the only issuer-backed program that offers a guaranteed check-out time of 4 PM.

“I can’t think of many things more valuable than extended vacation time,” Hendley said.

Benefits such as complimentary breakfasts, late checkouts, and upgraded accommodations create value for traveling cardholders.

Garner said that many cardholders have accumulated large miles and points balances, and they’re looking for better ways to use them.

“If you can get a room upgrade, $100 property credit, free breakfast, and late checkout just by booking through the credit card’s travel portal, that’s real value people can feel,” he told us. “It’s not just points on a screen; it’s an experience.”

American Express and Chase may have a leg up on the competition when it comes to putting luxurious hotels and resorts in front of cardholders. But other issuers aren’t willing to cede the luxury-hotel benefit race to American Express and Chase without a fight. 

With global travel on the rise, more people may soon be in the market for a credit card that helps them make the most of their vacations. Capital One, which recently completed its acquisition of Discover, launched its own hotel collection in 2023. 

Capital One’s Premier Collection program offers boutique and lifestyle properties that appeal to younger high spenders, Garner told us. By targeting a smaller segment of the affluent market, issuers may be able to develop curated programs that attract their attention. 

For the time being, American Express remains a leader in terms of the size and caliber of its hotel program.

“Amex still wins when it comes to consistent execution and property quality,” Garner said.