Unveiling the Unknown: American Express's International Airline Program Offers Significant Discounts on Airfare
The International Airline Program, a benefit for Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders, offers discounts on premium international airfare booked through American Express. This program can significantly help businesses save money on premium air travel, making the Amex Business Platinum card especially beneficial for businesses that book premium airfare for employees and contractors.
Participating airlines include Aer Lingus, Austrian, Japan Airlines, SWISS, Aeromexico, Brussels Airlines, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Air China, Cathay Pacific, LATAM, Air France, Delta Air Lines, Air New Zealand, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Etihad, Finnair, Asiana Airlines, Lufthansa, and Qantas.
To book a flight through the International Airline Program, navigate to the program's website, sign in with your American Express account, search for flights, select your flight of choice, confirm booking, enter passenger information, select seats and insurance, and choose your payment method. It's important to note that the primary cardholder must be traveling with the group to receive International Airline Program rates on tickets.
The amount you can save with the International Airline Program significantly depends on the ticket you're booking. American Express notes an average savings of $150 on premium economy tickets, $300 on business class tickets, and $600 on first class tickets. However, savings can be much more than this, especially on premium economy tickets to Europe.
For instance, a round-trip premium economy ticket from JFK to Athens (ATH) on Delta through the International Airline Program costs around $2,200 in April 2024, while the same ticket booked directly with the airline would cost more. Similarly, a round-trip premium economy ticket from JFK to Dubai (DXB) on Emirates, which is an IAP member, costs just $3,179 through the International Airline Program, while the same ticket booked directly with the airline would cost more.
Business class bookings also get a decent discount through the International Airline Program, although the amount saved depends on the route booked. Refundable, restricted, and nonrefundable tickets are also eligible for the discount.
It's worth mentioning that tickets must be paid for in full with an Amex Platinum or Business Platinum card, and you earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar for an International Airline Program booking. However, paying cash is recommended when using the International Airline Program, as you only get 1 cent per point in value when paying with points.
Always double-check the travel insurance that's complimentary with your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum card before buying more coverage. Make sure to enter each passenger's frequent flyer number at the bottom of the passenger information screen to earn valuable flight miles.
Flights must depart from a U.S. airport or one of several Canadian gateways, although these gateways are not listed on the American Express website. You can book tickets for yourself and up to 7 travel companions through the International Airline Program. Select one-way itineraries are eligible for the discount, but American Express does not elaborate on which routes and airlines offer discounts on a one-way ticket.
Using the International Airline Program through AmexTravel.com is more efficient and cheaper than it once was, as it has eliminated the $39 phone booking fee. Searching for a premium economy ticket through the AmexTravel.com portal is a great idea, as the International Airline Program frequently reduces the cost of premium economy tickets to economy levels, especially when traveling to Europe.
However, it's important to note that there is no publicly available, detailed list of airlines belonging to American Express's International Airline Program beyond what the official American Express website explicitly provides. Thus, any airlines associated with the IAP but not listed on the official site are not documented or disclosed in the provided search results. This implies no verified information exists about additional airlines within the IAP that are not explicitly listed online.
