Travel-Related Categories

IMPORTANT NOTE: Merchants are typically assigned codes and categorized based on what they primarily sell. A purchase will not earn additional points if the merchant, or particular merchant location, uses a code that is not eligible for additional points. Codes assigned to merchants in some countries outside the U.S. may not be recognizable as eligible, and purchases at these merchants will not earn additional points.

 

Airfare


To earn additional rewards, airfare must be for a scheduled flight on a passenger carrier and purchased directly from the airline.


(Charter flights and private jet flights are excluded) 


You will earn additional rewards if you purchase your flight directly from a passenger airline that accepts the Card, such as Delta, JetBlue or British Airways.


You will NOT earn additional rewards on airfare purchased as part of a vacation package.


You may not earn additional rewards if you purchase airfare with a third party.

 

 

Delta Purchases


To earn additional miles the purchase must be made directly with Delta or Delta.com.


You will earn additional miles when you purchase directly from Delta or Delta.com. This includes Delta vacation packages purchased from Delta.


You will NOT earn additional miles on Delta airfare purchased as part of a vacation package with a third party.


You may not earn additional miles if you purchase airfare with a third party.

 

 

Hilton Purchases


To earn additional Hilton Honors™ Bonus Points the purchase must be made directly with a participating property within the Hilton portfolio.


(Banquets, events, and vacation packages are NOT included. Hotel rooms paid in advance to a travel agent or travel website are NOT included.)


You will earn additional Hilton Honors Bonus Points when you pay the Hilton hotel property directly (e.g., upon check-in or check-out) for a hotel stay that was reserved with a third party, such as an online travel agent.


You will NOT earn additional rewards if you prepay for your hotel with a third party, such as an online travel agent, or prepay the hotel as part of a vacation package.

 

 

Hotels


To earn additional rewards on hotels, the purchase must be for a hotel stay and must be made directly with the hotel.
 
(Timeshares, banquets, events, and vacation packages are NOT included. Hotel rooms paid in advance to a travel agent or travel website are NOT included.) 


You will earn additional rewards on hotels if you purchase your hotel stay directly from a hotel that accepts the Card, such as Sheraton or Westin.
 
You will earn additional rewards when you pay the hotel directly (e.g., upon check-in or check-out) for a hotel stay that was reserved with a third party, such as an online travel agent.
 
You will NOT earn additional rewards if you prepay for your hotel with a third party, such as an online travel agent, or prepay the hotel as part of a vacation package.
 
You may not earn additional rewards for meeting room bookings within a hotel.

 

 

Marriott Bonvoy™ Purchases


To earn additional Marriott Bonvoy points, the purchase must be made directly with participating Marriott Bonvoy properties (excluding home share properties), stand-alone Marriott branded retail establishments, and Marriott branded online stores (including online purchases of Marriott branded gift cards) that, in each case, are owned or managed by Marriott International, Inc. and its affiliates.


(Banquets, events and vacation packages are NOT included. Hotel rooms paid in advance to a travel agent or travel website are NOT included.) 
You will earn additional points when you pay the Marriott Bonvoy hotel property directly (e.g., upon check-in or check-out) for a hotel stay that was reserved with a third party, such as an online travel agent. 


You will NOT earn additional points if you prepay for your hotel stay with a third party, such as a tour operator or an online travel channel, or prepay the hotel as part of a vacation package

 


For more details on points you can earn as a Marriott Bonvoy member, please visit marriottbonvoy.com.

 

 

Transit

 

To earn additional rewards on transit purchases, the purchase must be made at a merchant whose primary business is transit. Some examples of transit are the following:

 

  • Trains
  • Taxi cabs
  • Ride share services
  • Ferries
  • Tolls
  • Parking
  • Buses
  • Subways

This is not a complete list.  Airfare, car rental, cruises, and trams are not considered transit.

 

 

Travel (American Express® Green Card only)

 

To earn additional rewards on travel purchases, the purchase must be made at a merchant whose primary business is travel. You will earn additional rewards for purchases of:

 

  • Airfare for a scheduled flight on a passenger carrier, chartered flights and private jet flights.
  • Hotel stays, timeshare rentals, and vacation rentals. You will not earn additional points for purchases of timeshare properties. You will not earn additional rewards for banquets or events held at a hotel and you may not earn additional rewards for meeting rooms booked at a hotel.
  • Car rentals. You will not earn additional rewards for truck rentals or moving van rentals.
  • Other travel purchases including cruises, tours, vacation packages,and travel purchases made through tour operators and travel agencies (including online).

 

 

Select Car Rentals


To earn additional rewards on select car rentals, the purchase must be made at a car rental company that is included on our list of "select major car rental companies".

 

You will earn additional rewards ONLY when you purchase directly from a company on this list of select major car rental companies that accept the Card:

  • Alamo
  • Avis
  • Budget
  • Dollar
  • Enterprise
  • E-Z
  • Fox
  • Hertz
  • National
  • Payless
  • Sixt
  • Thrifty


You will NOT earn additional rewards if a car rental is purchased as part of a
vacation package or purchased through a third party, such as an online travel agent.

 

 

Airfare FAQs


Do I earn additional rewards when I book airfare through American Express Travel?


You will earn additional rewards when you book airfare with American Express Travel. You will NOT earn additional rewards if the airfare purchase is part of a vacation package. 


Are there times when I will earn an additional reward if I book through a third party, like an online travel agent?


Some purchases for scheduled flights made with third parties such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz may be eligible for additional rewards depending on how the third party operates. For example, with some third parties airfare is charged directly to your Card account by the airline. 


What is a third party in the travel category?


A third party in the travel category is a business that books or purchases travel on your behalf, such as an online travel agent or traditional travel agent. 


If I book airfare as part of a vacation package, is that airfare eligible for additional rewards?


Airfare purchased as part of a vacation package will NOT receive additional rewards because airfare is typically not purchased directly from an airline in these cases. 


How do I earn additional rewards on an airfare purchase?


Airfare must be for a scheduled flight on a passenger carrier and must be purchased directly from the airline. 


I think I should have earned additional rewards on a purchase, what should I do?


If you have questions about whether you should have received additional rewards, please call the number on the back of your Card. 

 

 

Hotels FAQs


How do I earn additional rewards for a hotel stay?


Hotel stay purchases made directly with the hotel are eligible for an additional reward, whether you prepay or you pay at the end of your stay. 


Will I receive additional rewards on all hotel stays?


In most cases you will not be eligible for additional rewards if you prepay for a hotel stay with a third party, such as an online travel agent or tour operator. Hotel stays purchased as part of a vacation package are NOT eligible. Timeshares, banquets and events are also NOT included. 


What if I book my hotel as part of a vacation package?


You will NOT earn additional rewards for hotel rooms purchased as part of a vacation package. 


I think I should have earned additional rewards on a purchase, what should I do?


If you have questions about whether you should have received additional rewards, please call the number on the back of your Card.

 

 

Select Car Rental FAQs


Which car rental companies are included in your select major car rental list?


Car rental companies included are Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, E-Z, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt and Thrifty.  


Will I earn additional rewards on international car rental purchases?


You will earn additional rewards when you rent a car from our list of select major car rental companies whether you rent a car from a US or international location.  


If I book a vacation package through a car rental company on your named list, will I earn additional rewards?


No, you will NOT earn additional rewards in the select car rental reward category for vacation packages booked through a car rental company (even if the car rental company is on our named list of select major car rental companies). 


What if I book a car rental as part of a vacation package?


You will NOT earn additional rewards if you rent a car as part of a vacation package or with a third-party because these rentals are not made directly with the car rental company. 


Are local car sharing services, like Zip Car, eligible in the select car rental category?


Car sharing services, like Zip Car, are NOT eligible for an additional reward. 


I think I should have earned additional rewards on a purchase, what should I do?


If you have questions about whether you should have received additional rewards, please call the number on the back of your Card. 


How do I earn additional rewards on select car rental purchases?


You will earn additional rewards ONLY when you rent directly from a car rental company on this list of select car rental companies that accept the Card: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, E-Z, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt and Thrifty.