If you’re a Business Platinum® Card from American Express card holder, you’re eligible for up to $200 in statement credits for Dell purchases each year and a complimentary year of global WeWork access.
You can sign up for the WeWork benefit until Dec. 31, 2019, and as for the Dell statement credit, you’ll have to be sure to activate it before enjoying the perk. An important detail to note is that the $200 benefit is broken into two different semiannual $100 statement credits, so sadly, you won’t get it all at once.
There were a lot of yawns when this benefit was first announced. After all, most card members probably figured that you’d have to buy a Dell laptop or Dell supplies to use this credit. However, after diving into Dell’s online catalog, I’m finding literally thousands of items for sale through Dell for under $100. These include:
8 docks & stands 319 keyboards & mice 104 batteries, chargers and adapters 422 carrying cases 217 audio 793 cables and adapters
That’s a bunch of options, so let’s highlight some of the items under $100 that might be the most appealing to travelers. Just don’t forget to register for the promotion before you make any of these purchases using your Business Platinum Card.
In This Post Kensington SecureTrek backpack: $89.99
There are 130 backpacks available for sale through Dell for under $100. The one that stands out to me as the most logical for travelers is the Kensington SecureTrek. Capable of holding up to a 15.6-inch laptop and a 10-inch tablet in padded sleeves, the backpack is designed with a number of anti-theft measures including a locking base and anti-puncture zippers. And it’s not too heavy, at just 3.11 pounds.
Incase City Backpack: $89.95 Image courtesy of Incase.
For those carrying bigger laptops, the just-under-$100 Incase City Backpack is designed to hold the 17-inch Apple MacBook Pro. Interestingly, this is being sold for $30 cheaper on Dell than it is on Incase’s own website. The sleek backpack features numerous compartments and sleeves to keep everything in place.
Dell Pro Backpack 17: $54.99
If you’re looking for a cheap and durable day pack, consider the Dell Pro Backpack 17. At just $54.99, it’s large enough to carry a 17-inch laptop while being small enough to be carried on as a personal item — even on restrictive low-cost airlines like Frontier and Spirit. Another great feature is that it’s made out of water and impact-resistant material so you can keep your valuables protected.
Dapper Wrapper Organizational Bag: $26.95
This bag is perfect for keeping the digital nomad organized while on the road. There’s multiple compartments to store all your cords and it rolls out flat so there’s no digging in a deep, dark bag.
Sony WI-C200 Earphones: $34.99
Tired of untangling your headphones, but not ready to commit to the pricey and easily lost AirPods? For only $34.99 — well, technically free — try the Sony wireless headphones. I’ve found that headsets with a boom mic can be a hands-free neck-saver for long phone calls with airline agents or hours-long holds waiting for a Marriott agent.
JBL Tune 600BTNC noise cancelling headphones: $99.95
If you prefer on-ear headphones for their noise cancelling capabilities, then check out these headphones from JBL. These are great for travelers because they’re foldable, making them much easier to pack. They’re also great for tuning out snoring seat-mates.
UE Blast portable speaker: $64.99
This speaker was originally priced at $180, but it’s now available for just $65. This tiny thing packs a lot of sound and it’s portable, which is always key for a nomad.
Bose SoundLink Micro portable speaker: $99
On the higher end of the speaker scale is the Bose SoundLink Micro. The 10-ounce waterproof speaker seems rugged enough for any travel plans you might have.
WD 1TB external hard drive: $59.99
With travel comes lots and lots of photos. Be sure to back up those memories somewhere safe and make room on your computer for more with this portable hard drive.
Canon PIXMA wireless all-in-one printer: $90.99
If you’re looking for a compact all-in-one printer, scanner and copier for use at home, the Canon PIXMA Wireless Color Inkjet printer is available for $91 through Dell. It’s capable of printing double sided, allowing you to save on paper and it’s a wireless capabilities make it super convenient.
VisionTek 8,000 mAh power bank: $19.99
For those of us who travel with electronics, you know how critical a backup power bank can be to saving the day. This power bank in particular features two charging outputs, allowing you to charge double the devices or share the power.
Amazon Echo Dot: $39.99
It seems everyone already has a smart speaker in their home. But if you don’t — or want to upgrade yours — the third-generation Amazon Echo Dot is available for just $49.99 through Dell in white, grey and black.
Google Home Mini: $49
If you’re more of a Google fan, you might want to purchase the six-ounce Google Home Mini instead. The Google assistant is available through Dell for just $49 before tax.
McAfee Total Protection 5 Device: $89.99
On the software side, there are 134 options under $100 including a range of photo and video editing tools that travelers may find useful. But, security is paramount — especially when traveling. If you don’t already have a security solution, you can purchase McAfee’s anti-virus, identity and privacy protection “Total Protection” bundle through Dell for $89.99 before tax.
Microsoft Office 365 Personal 1-Year: $69.99
Another practical software option is the single-user license of Microsoft Office 365 Personal for $70 or the 5-user Microsoft Office 365 Home for $100. The bundle includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and 1 TB (per user) of online storage through OneDrive. While it’s not the sexiest option on the list, it could be a real money saver for those that’d have to pay for Microsoft Office another way.
What Doesn’t Work
Dell gift cards can seem like an easy way of maximizing the statement credit — banking funds for a larger purchase later. Unfortunately, Dell doesn’t sell its own gift cards directly. So the purchase won’t trigger the statement credit.
Maximizing Your Purchase
Before you make your purchase, make sure to register for the Dell statement credit. And while you’re on the American Express website, check your Amex Offers to see if your Amex Business Platinum is targeted for an Amex Offer on Dell purchases, like this 10% off offer:
The terms of that Amex Offer say that you’ll need to make the purchases through Dell.com/amex. So, you’ll probably want to use this link to make sure that you get 10% cash back. However, if you aren’t targeted — or want to risk giving up the 10% cash back for potentially even more cash back — you can click through a cash-back portal such as TopCashBack which is currently offering 4% back:
Cashback Monitor’s history of Dell cash-back rates shows that 20% back offers come around about once a year. If you’re looking to absolutely max out this $100 Dell statement credit offer, it might be worth waiting for an elevated cash-back offer.
Image captured from CashbackMonitor.
Or you can maximize your return by booking through an airline portal that’s offering bonus miles for a Dell purchase. For example, multiple airline portals are offering bonuses for shopping at the Dell Outlet:
United: 8x Alaska: 7x AA: 6x Delta: 5x Southwest: 3x
By stacking these promotions, you can end up getting a free item — after statement credit —- plus cash back on top of that. That’s not bad for a new credit card perk that many card members probably weren’t too excited about.
Additional reporting by Liz Hund
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