Flash deal: Ritz-Carlton staycation & 95,000 MR points for new AMEX Platinum Charge sign-ups

From 28 March to 4 April 2023, American Express is offering a flash deal to new sign-ups for the AMEX Platinum Charge. 

New cardholders who sign up via The MileLion will receive a 1-night Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore staycation when they pay the first year’s annual fee, in addition to the usual offer of up to 95,000 bonus MR points. 

They’ll also continue to enjoy two sets of statement credits worth S$1,204 in their first membership year, since these are granted on a calendar year basis (with the exception of the entertainment credit). 

New AMEX Platinum Charge sign-up offer

AMEX Platinum Charge
Apply
Pay S$1,728 Annual Fee	1N Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore stay
Spend S$5,000 (Mo. 1-3)	20,000 points
Spend S$15,000 (Mo. 1-3)	75,000 points
Base Points from S$15,000 (@ 2 pts/S$1.60)	18,750 points
Total Spend	S$15,000
Total Points	113,750 points

This flash deal is valid for new customers only, defined as those who:

• Have not cancelled an AMEX Platinum Charge in the past 24 months
• Do not currently hold an existing principal American Express consumer card (AMEX cards issued by Citi/DBS/UOB do not count, nor does the AMEX HighFlyer Card)

Cardholders must apply by 4 April 2023, and receive approval by 10 April 2023.

Cardholders will receive a voucher for a 1-night Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore stay for paying the first year’s S$1,728 annual fee. 

They will also receive 20,000 bonus MR points when they spend S$5,000 in the first 3 months of approval, and a further 75,000 bonus MR points when they spend a further S$10,000 in the first 3 months of approval (i.e. S$15,000 total).

To summarise the offer, by spending S$15,000 in the first 3 months of approval, they will receive 113,750 MR points + a 1-night Ritz-Carlton Millenia stay, broken down as follows:

• 1-night Ritz-Carlton Millenia stay (MileLion bonus)
• 20,000 bonus MR points (MileLion bonus)
• 75,000 bonus MR points (sign-up bonus)
• 18,750 base MR points (S$15,000 @ 2 MR points/S$1.60)

As a reminder, the AMEX Platinum Charge no longer has a published income requirement, though you will need to earn at least S$120,000 to enjoy no preset spending limit, as per MAS guidelines. 

When will bonuses be credited?

In terms of crediting timelines:

• 75,000 MR points will be credited within 10 weeks of meeting the spend threshold
• The Ritz-Carlton voucher will be credited within 12 weeks of paying the annual fee
• 20,000 MR points will be credited within 12 weeks of meeting the spend threshold

Any questions about the promotion should be directed to American Express. If a CSO directs you to contact MileLion, do refer them to the line on the landing page which says “All enquiries about the promotion are to be directed to American Express”.

What counts as qualifying spending?

American Express has a list of excluded spending categories here, but the key ones to note are: 

• GrabPay top-ups
• Insurance
• Public hospitals and polyclinics
• SPC transactions
• Utilities

For the avoidance of doubt, CardUp, private and non-profit hospital bills, donations, and anything else not explicitly stated in the exclusion list will count as eligible spend. 

Spending by both principal and supplementary cardholders will be pooled when determining whether the minimum spend threshold has been met. 

Terms & Conditions

• 20,000 MR points for S$5,000 spend
• 75,000 MR points for S$15,000 spend
• Ritz-Carlton staycation

This offer cannot be further stacked with any MGM bonuses, and terminating the card within six months of approval will lead to a clawback of the sign-up bonus.

S$1,204 statement credits

New Benefits: AMEX Platinum Charge

The biggest change to the AMEX Platinum Charge for 2023 is the new S$1,204 annual statement credits, split into: 

• S$200 dining credits at participating local restaurants
• S$200 dining credits at participating overseas restaurants
• S$400 lifestyle credits at participating retail partners
• S$204 entertainment credits for news or music streaming services (disbursed as S$17 per month)
• S$200 airline credits for Singapore Airlines or Scoot

A new applicant would enjoy two sets of statement credits in his/her first membership year, because the statement credits are issued based on calendar year (with the exception of the entertainment credit, which is issued based on calendar month).

This is regardless of whether he/she chooses to renew; there will be no clawback of statement credits even if the cardholder subsequently decides to terminate his/her card before the second membership year starts. 

To learn more about the statement credits and how I’m spending mine, refer to the post below.

How I’m spending my S$1,204 AMEX Platinum Charge credits

Conclusion

American Express is running a flash deal from now till 4 April 2023 that throws in an additional night’s stay at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, on top of the usual 95,000 bonus MR points.

Don’t forget to register for your S$1,204 statement credits as soon as you get your card and start working your way towards the sign-up bonuses. Your transactions will still count towards the minimum spend requirement, even if it’s offset by statement credits!