How to use the Amex Platinum hotel credit in Europe

Update: the credit many people remember as "$200" is now up to $300 semi-annually (Jan–Jun and Jul–Dec), up to $600 per calendar year, for US Consumer and Business Platinum Card Members on prepaid FHR or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel. [Amex Travel – Europe offers / $600 hotel credit terms, Amex Travel – Travel benefits FAQ]

Rules that matter

• Must be a prepaid ("Pay Now") booking; Pay Later/Pay at Hotel don't count. [Amex Travel – Travel benefits FAQ]
• FHR has no minimum stay; The Hotel Collection requires two nights. [Amex Travel – Travel benefits FAQ, Daily Drop – Maximizing the Amex Platinum hotel credit]
• A refundable prepaid rate still works; cancelling claws the credit back. [Daily Drop – Maximizing the Amex Platinum hotel credit]
• FHR benefits apply per room per stay; back-to-back stays count as one. [Amex Travel – FHR benefits & terms]

Europe strategy

• Use the Jul–Dec $300 on a one-night FHR stay at the start or end of a trip (an airport-city night in Rome, Paris or Lisbon), and keep the Jan–Jun $300 for spring shoulder season.
• Stack with FHR special offers — e.g. Hotel Eden Rome's complimentary fourth night (book by Apr 26, 2027) [Amex Travel – Rome FHR results] or Tivoli Avenida Liberdade's third night [AwardTravelFinder – Amex FHR list (Lisbon)].
• Tools like MaxFHR list FHR properties by price. [Daily Drop – Maximizing the Amex Platinum hotel credit]