The Amex Platinum Card – How To Use the Monthly Digital $20 Entertainment Credit [2024]

By now we all know that The Platinum Card^® from American Express is a premier player in the travel rewards card arena. With premium travel benefits any traveler would love, statement credits that help offset its $695 annual fee (rates & fees), and a long list of perks, it’s no wonder the card continues to grow in popularity.

One of the card’s most recently added benefits is the digital entertainment credit of up to $20 per month (up to $240 per year). Although the credit isn’t applicable to all digital entertainment expenses, we’ll dig deeper into which services trigger this credit, some little-known pricing options, and how to ensure you’ll receive the maximum value.

If you have the Amex Platinum card or are considering it, you’ll want to be sure to explore your options for using your monthly entertainment credit. Note that terms apply and enrollment may be required, so be sure to check your American Express account.

Let’s look at how the credit works, including which services and products are eligible, specific details about each of those providers, and estimated pricing to help you decide how to use your credits.

How Does the Amex $20 Digital Entertainment Credit Work?

The Amex Platinum card’s digital entertainment credit of up to $20 per month is valid only for specific purchases and subscriptions. Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your card on 1 or more of the following: Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal.

You must enroll for the entertainment credit benefit before signing up for a subscription or making a purchase. Register by logging into your Amex Platinum card account online. Click the Rewards & Benefits box, then select the Benefits tab. Scroll down to find the $240 Digital Entertainment Credit option, and click on Get Started.

You may make your purchase of a weekly, monthly, or annual subscription with 1 eligible vendor or multiple eligible providers. Still, the maximum credit is $20 per calendar month and $240 in a calendar year. If you do not use the credit each month, the amount for that month will be forfeited.

Purchases made with a mobile app do not qualify.

Now let’s look closer at your options for using the credit with the partner providers.

Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, and The Disney Bundle

If there’s a Disney or sports fan in your family, or you want access to a variety of movies and TV shows, you’ll love the options offered by Disney Plus that qualify for the entertainment credit.

Here are the options you’ll have from this provider.

• Disney+ — $7.99 per month or $79.99 for an annual subscription
• ESPN+ — $6.99 per month or $69.99 for an annual subscription
• Hulu —- $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year with ads; $12.99 per month without ads
• The Disney Bundle — $13.99 per month for Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu with ads; $19.99 per month for Hulu without ads
• Disney+, Hulu Live TV (with ads), ESPN+ Bundle — $69.99 per month
• Disney+, Hulu Live TV (without ads), ESPN+ Bundle — $75.99 per month

The best value, of course, is The Disney Bundle, but individual subscriptions do qualify for the entertainment credit, up to $20 total per month, up to $240 per year.

Be sure to enroll in the offer before your purchase by logging in to your online Amex Platinum card account.

Hot Tip: Qualified college students can sign up for ad-supported Hulu for just $1.99 per month.

The New York Times

The New York Times has been around since 1851, has won 130 Pulitzer Prizes, and is read worldwide.

With such a widespread readership, it can be quite annoying to find a NYT article quoted online, and when you try to access it, you discover that only subscribers can view it. This scenario won’t happen to you anymore.

A digital subscription to the NYT is affordable and even more so with your Amex digital entertainment credit. Here are your options for subscribing to the publication either digitally and/or in print:

• Digital Version — Frequently offered at $1 per week for the first year, then the price increases to $17 every 4 weeks.

Delivery of The New York Times newspaper includes unlimited access to the digital version and 2 subscriptions to share. Here are your options for having the publication delivered:

• Weekend — Saturday and Sunday delivery, regular price $10 per week, 50% off = $5 per week
• Three-Day — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday delivery, regular price $15 per week, 50% off = $7.50 per week
• Weekday — Monday through Friday delivery, regular price $15 per week, 50% off = $7.50 per week
• Daily — Monday through Sunday delivery, regular price $20 per week, 50% off = $10 per week

Hot Tip: If you love The New York Times Cooking or The New York Times Games, you can subscribe to unlimited access for just $40 per year. Pay with your Amex Platinum card, receive just 1 of your $20 monthly Amex digital entertainment credits and get an entire year’s subscription for a net $20. 

Peacock TV

Let’s wind down our Amex digital entertainment credit options by looking at Peacock TV and its offerings. Peacock is owned and operated by NBC, so it’s no surprise the streaming service is named after the NBC logo.

While you can access basic Peacock TV streaming for free, you’ll need to purchase a subscription for the premium versions.

Here are your options for signing up with Peacock:

• Free Access — Watch thousands of hours of TV, exclusive programs, news, sports, kids shows, and Spanish language TV with complimentary access
• Premium Access — $4.99 per month; includes all the basic viewing access plus live sports, hit movies, live events, and expanded access to kids’ shows and movies
• Premium Plus Access — $9.99 per month; enjoy your Peacock TV subscription ad-free and watch select streaming on your mobile device

If you’re a customer of COX or Xfinity, you may have access to Peacock TV for free.

Hot Tip: Check out Peacock TV’s annual plans — at $49.99 for an entire year, you could use just 1 of your $20 digital entertainment monthly credits and be pay a net amount of $29.99 for an annual Peacock Premium subscription. 

Securing the Amex Platinum Card

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

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Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck^® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck^® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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American Express Membership Rewards

If you don’t yet have the Amex Platinum card, those with excellent credit may qualify and receive a generous American Express welcome offer once meeting minimum spending requirements after card approval.

The Amex Platinum card is packed with valuable premium benefits that can save money, make travel more comfortable, and provide protection when you need it. We estimate the card’s value to be nearly $5,000 each year if you utilize all the perks.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Platinum card‘s digital entertainment credit of up to $20 monthly is great if you’re already paying for 1 or more of these subscriptions. If you’re not currently subscribed to any of these services, you might translate the benefit as getting a complimentary digital access to The New York Times, and premium Peacock TV access.

Additionally, don’t forget to check out any discounted annual plans that these digital entertainment providers may offer. Just 1 of the $20 monthly digital entertainment credits could potentially make an annual plan a greater value.

Of course, there are several combinations for which you could subscribe, but the bottom line is that you find value when using the credit for a subscription service you’ll actually use and enjoy.