Amex Platinum: Can inconvenience and waste be good?

[AverageJoesCredit]

I once baught a day pass to myFico but then realized the rides are free and i dont have the Platinum

[simplynoir]

---

@K-in-Boston wrote:

I do say, where have all of these peasants come from?

---

I imagine hearing this in that snooty royalty voice only makes it better.

[K-in-Boston]

---

@simplynoir wrote:

---

@K-in-Boston wrote:

I do say, where have all of these peasants come from?

---

I imagine hearing this in that snooty royalty voice only makes it better.

---

That was my intent, of course.  

[coldfusion]

---

@K-in-Boston wrote:

---

@simplynoir wrote:

---

@K-in-Boston wrote:

I do say, where have all of these peasants come from?

---

I imagine hearing this in that snooty royalty voice only makes it better.

---

That was my intent, of course.  

---

<snif> The peasants are the CSR cardholders denied access to the PP-accessible lounges due to overcrowding. <tongue-in-cheek>

j/k of course about CSR cardholders being peasants (or for any other CC cardholders for that matter), but over the last several months I have noticed more regularly seeing reports of PP holders being denied lounge access due to overcrowding/potential for overcrowding in favor of members of the airline's own lounge program. A lot of that is being attributed, rightly or wrongly, to the large relatively recent influx of membership due to carrying a premium CC like the CSR and subsequent increased lounge use.

[Berk]

---

@MrDisco99 wrote:
If it's worth it to you to pay the bank hundreds of dollars extra just so you can feel part of something elite and exclusive then I guess that's your prerogative. Me I'd rather get something useful for my money.

You can be sure that if a million more people signed up for Plat tomorrow, Amex won't be turning them away.

---

I agree. And that's why I pay the AF on the Plat card. Most of my travel is business with most of that flown on DAL. For me the lounge access is the biggest benefit. Sure, I can very quickly use the $200 airline and Uber credits so now I'm only out of pocket $150. that's easily offset by the Sky Club access. In essence, I get $2500 of access based on $50 a visit for $150. I'll gladly pay that any day. 

Been to a few Centurion Lounges. They are much nicer than the average lounge but I don't travel to airports with the lounges enough to really consider that a perk of the card.

Don't really use the 5X points for personal airline travel as I rarely buy plane tickets for personal use so can't say that's a benefit either. 

It has nothing to do with feeling a part of something elite and exclusive and everything to do with being just a little more comfortable as I spend hours and hours a year in airports. The hotel and car rental status mean nothing for me as I'll reach the highest tier with Hertz and Hilton in 4-6 months every year.

Although I must say that K-in-Boston makes an excellent point vis a vis the hoi polloi....

[Kforce]

As a peasant I enjoy seeing all the elite go off to lounges,

gives me more for my money in the common seats                

[MrDisco99]

Fair point Berk. Ultimately it's all about what the perks are worth to you, and that varies greatly by customer. If you're a very frequent traveler it makes perfect sense that $550 per year is worth it just for the lounges and status.

[wasCB14]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I use my CSR credit the same way I use my amex platinum. $300 on airfare for CSR or $200 in GC for the amex, both on the same airline. So to me, it was never a hassle of using the annual credits on the Amex. But to stay on topic with your post, it is kind of nice that the CSR is the fan favorite and probably less people have the amex platinum. I've always been the odd guy/rebel person so its cool to have the plaitnum to whip out when most people i know have the CSR, if it makes the amex lounges less crowded etc thats cool with me i guess lol. good thought.

Uber credit is great for me becuase of UberEats, the months I dont use Uber rides,  I use it for the UberEats at this place I love getting delivery from anyway. I hate driving and going in that specific place so it works out for me. If ithe UberEats ever goes away, that would upset me!

Also my home airport has a centurion lounge so its one of the biggest reasons I've held onto the card. Everyone's situation is different. The card has been overall solid for me, it would be the "perfect card" if they ever added a dining point category. 

---

I get the convenience of UberEats, but sometimes the UberEats delivery fee is greater than what restaurants would charge ordering directly or through another delivery service. Maybe that's not true for your favored restaurant.

A dining category would be nice. People seem to talk about CCs more when a restaurant bill arrives than in other situations. Amex does "restaurant week" programs, at least.

[Anonymous]

You only get 400 dollars of travel credit the first year.  The credit is very easy to use as I just get Southwest gift cards with them.  To me the card has a  negative 350 value after the first year.  I got it because there is no fee the first year and I get 400 dollars of Southwest gift cards and a free Global Re-Entry.  I don't care about lounge access and don't even see the appeal.  I would prefer eating at a restaurant with service. 

I have never used the card for anything but the airline gift card purchases as the PRG will have better rewards.  I don't pay for airfare so 5x airfare doesn't do anything for me. Uber has zero value to me. I have the SPG Gold status but that seems not to have any value either.   Anyway 400 dollars of airline gift cards with zero spend is not something I could turn down.  

Even if I traveled for business frequently I wouldn't be paying for my meals so still the Lounge Access wouldn't appeal to me.  

[Anonymous]

---

@wasCB14 wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I use my CSR credit the same way I use my amex platinum. $300 on airfare for CSR or $200 in GC for the amex, both on the same airline. So to me, it was never a hassle of using the annual credits on the Amex. But to stay on topic with your post, it is kind of nice that the CSR is the fan favorite and probably less people have the amex platinum. I've always been the odd guy/rebel person so its cool to have the plaitnum to whip out when most people i know have the CSR, if it makes the amex lounges less crowded etc thats cool with me i guess lol. good thought.

Uber credit is great for me becuase of UberEats, the months I dont use Uber rides,  I use it for the UberEats at this place I love getting delivery from anyway. I hate driving and going in that specific place so it works out for me. If ithe UberEats ever goes away, that would upset me!

Also my home airport has a centurion lounge so its one of the biggest reasons I've held onto the card. Everyone's situation is different. The card has been overall solid for me, it would be the "perfect card" if they ever added a dining point category. 

---

I get the convenience of UberEats, but sometimes the UberEats delivery fee is greater than what restaurants would charge ordering directly or through another delivery service. Maybe that's not true for your favored restaurant.

A dining category would be nice. People seem to talk about CCs more when a restaurant bill arrives than in other situations. Amex does "restaurant week" programs, at least.

---

Yeah if they had 5 times on dinning the card might have more value to me.  I think the card is more aimed at people feeling exclusivity than real benefits.   I am sure the Uber 200 dollar credit isnt' costing Amex close to a 100 dollars even.  The raising the fee was to make it feel more exclusive.