Crystal Cox/Business Insider
- Premium rewards credit cards like the Platinum Card® from American Express and the Business Platinum® Card from American Express offer annual statement credits.
- With the Amex Platinum, you also get up to $100 in statement credits each year toward Saks Fifth Avenue purchases.
- Several cards offer up to $100 in statement credit to cover the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
- Don't forget that you can also use the points and miles from your rewards cards to book travel for other people.
- See Business Insider's list of the best rewards credit cards available now »
I have 14 credit cards, and no fewer than five of them offer up to $100 as a statement credit to cover the cost of applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
While I'm set with my Global Entry membership (which comes with TSA PreCheck), I was able to put one of my extra credits to use by paying for my brother's Global Entry application with my United Explorer Card. A $100 credit was reflected on my credit card statement, and my brother now enjoys expedited airport security and fast-track immigration. Not bad, especially considering the Explorer card only has a $95 annual fee!
If you need to find a last-minute gift for anyone on your list, don't overlook the benefits offered by several premium credit cards. We're not just talking Global Entry application fee credits, either; you could also use statement credits for Saks purchases, or up to an $100 Away luggage credit with the updated American Express® Green Card (when you apply by January 15, 2020 and make an eligible Away purchase in the first three months).
Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.
Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.