Amex Platinum Refresh: What Hawai‘i Travelers Need to Know
Amex Platinum Refresh: What Hawai‘i Travelers Need to Know
American Express just announced what it’s calling its “largest investment ever” in updating both its U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum Cards later this year. For Hawai‘i residents and visitors, these upcoming changes could make a significant difference in how you experience travel from the islands.
✈️ Expanded Lounge Access
Amex plans to add three new Centurion Lounges in Newark, Salt Lake City, and Tokyo, boosting its total to 32 locations. For trans-Pacific connections—especially flights to Tokyo or the U.S. mainland—this means more premium rest spots on your way through LAX or SFO.
🍽️ Enhanced Dining & Hotel Benefits
Through its acquisition of Tock, Amex will roll out access to approximately 7,000 new restaurants and venues, plus hundreds more in its Fine Hotels & Resorts program. If you love dining experiences on O‘ahu or in Maui, or staying in high‑end hotels during visits to Waikīkī or Kona, this could boost your travel experience significantly.
💳 Fee Hikes Coming?
Insider reports suggest Amex will likely raise the annual fee, potentially nearing $1,000—a jump from the current $695. Rivals like Chase are making similar moves, so Amex may increase pricing to position itself as the most premium option.
✅ Is It Worth It for Hawaii Travelers?
Frequent flyers between Hawai‘i and Asia/mainland can benefit most—getting lounge access, elite hotel perks, and dining credits.
Occasional travelers may find that unless they fully use all credits (e.g., airline fees, Uber, digital entertainment), the fee increase could outweigh value.
Business travelers flying Hawaiian or Alaska Airlines might prefer to shift to local or niche premium cards.
🔔 Traveler Alert: Amex → Alaska Transfer Loophole Ends June 30
If you've been stacking points by transferring Amex Membership Rewards to Hawaiian Miles, then converting to Alaska Airlines miles—this clever workaround ends on June 30, 2025. After that, you’ll lose access to Alaska Mileage Plan’s stellar award redemptions, like JAL business class for 60,000 miles one-way. Hawai‘i travelers who’ve been planning premium redemptions should act fast—transfers after June 30 won’t work.
📝 What You Should Do Now (Especially in Hawai‘i)
Track your credits—Make sure you’re getting full value from airline fee credits, Uber, digital entertainment, etc. (up to ~$1,500 annual).
Transfer Amex points by June 30 if you want to use the Amex→Hawaiian→Alaska path for award tickets.
Reassess your card once Amex releases new details—if lounge, dining & hotel benefits align with your travel habits (especially Island‑to‑Asia routes), the higher fee may still pay off.
Explore other options with cards from Chase & Capital one with strong Hawai‘i benefits—especially if you're not a frequent traveler. For personal guidance from my team and I, click here.
Your Hawai‘i Travel Equation
| Cards & Benefits | Frequent Flyers (O‘ahu ↔ Asia/US) | Occasional Flyers |
|---|---|---|
| Amex Platinum (new version) | 🌟 High value: lounges, hotel perks, dining | ⚠️ Only if you fully utilize credits |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 🌟 Good for travel credit + points flexibility | ✅ Likely still worth it for moderate travelers |
| Alaska Airlines® Visa® Card | ✅ Great for loyalty with Alaska Airlines | ✅ Simpler, lower fee for infrequent users |
🤙 My Take (for Hawaii Travelers)
American Express is betting big on premium perks later this year and may increase the Platinum fee to reflect that. For Hawai‘i-based flyers, especially frequent ones, the upgraded lounge access and curated hotel/dining benefits could make it worthwhile. But if your travel is more occasional, or you don’t use all credits, cheaper (yet still rewarding) alternatives may fit you better.
Don’t let that transfer loophole slip away! If you’ve got Amex points and plans to redeem via Alaska, act by June 30, 2025.
