Amex Upgrade

[wasCB14]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

Up to 99 (who has this many on a personal account?!?) AU gold cards at no charge. First 3 Platinum AU cards are $175.

Edited to add: It's important to note that Platinum AUs get the Starwood (and by extension, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton) and Hilton gold status, $100 Global Entry credit, lounge access, etc... while Gold AUs do not.  The airline and Uber credits are only for the primary member.

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Not quite, in the case of the airline credit.

"Purchases made by both the Basic and Additional Card Members on the eligible Card Account are eligible for statement credits. However, each Card Account is eligible for up to a total of $200 per calendar year in statement credits across all Cards on the Account."

If I spend $0 on extras and an AU spends $50, the account gets a $50 credit. If I spend $150 and the AU spends $150, the account gets a $200 credit.

Only one Uber account can be linked to a Platinum. If the primary never links Uber and Amex, it might be possible for the AU to link the primary card to his or her own Uber account. Not sure.

[K-in-Boston]

Thanks for clarifying the airline credit. Since I use mine, I know my wife doesn't get anything additional. Only the primary can choose the airline to enroll in each year.

For Uber which I haven't used, I am almost positive that the wording that came with the mountains of brochures in late March and early April with the changes stated that the Uber credits and VIP status would only apply to the primary member. I could be wrong, of course.
If your AU(s) buys(buy) airline tickets through the airlines or Amex or books hotels through Amex, the annual fee could be easily recouped from the 5X MRs, too. Yet another thing to consider.

[driftless]

Interesting, my PRG had "member since 16" on it and the new Platinum card has "member since 87" on it.  I had a green card sometime ago.  

[driftless]

By the way, the new metal Platinum card looks really cool!

[K-in-Boston]

Assuming that was your first PRG card?  I've noticed a quirk where Amex sometimes issues the first physical card with the current year but subsequent and AU cards have the correct Member Since date on them.  Your online account and cards will always (except for this quirk) state the year that you got your very first Amex card, or the year that you first became an AU.  Two examples from the past year or so that I can think of... I apped for the SPG card and mine arrived with Member Since 17 on the card while my wife's AU card has Member Since 2003.  My wife got an ED last year and hers said Member Since 16 on the card, but when we added me on this year mine says Member Since 02.  4 out of my 5 Amex cards say Member Since 02, and I am sure that when my next SPG card (or if I need a replacement) arrives, it will read 02 instead of 17.

Unfortunately, they stopped actually backdating the accounts themselves, so it's all cosmetic.  Had you opened that account a few years ago, it would have been reported to the CBs as opened in 1987!

[driftless]

Yes, it was my first PRG.  I understand that it is cosmetic but it looks nice!

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

Got the email from AMEX to upgrade to Platinum / $5k / 60k points / Expires 8/12. I had the Platinum last year but downgraded as I don't travel a lot...quesiton is, has anyone tried to upgrade, get the points and downgrade back to the PRG?  I don't think my travel justifies the $550, you be the judge:

1. My wife, kid and I take two trips per year (1 international 1 national) - last year was Mexico and Hawaii, this year will be Spain & Vegas

2. We use Uber a least once a month to go to San Diego downtown - $25 each way on Uber ($50 - $15 Uber Credit) = $35 out of pocket (dont forget surge time lol grr)

3. We dine about 3-4 times a month on restaurants

4. Cant use the TSA benefit as our 8 year old can't get a fast pass (or can he?)

5. I make my Hilton  timeshare payments with my AMEX, so i get more points as it is a "travel related" charge

6. I can put about $1,500/month on bills (some bills don't take AMEX) i put the rest on my Visa Fidelity 2x/$1 spent (to get $50 cash back monthly)

7. Do use the $200 annual credit in the plane for food/drinks or ipad for the kiddo to watch movies

So, supposing i only get 1 point / $1, that's about 1500 points per month (+ i do use some AMEX to get extra points or money off certain purchases)

Any thoughts? should i just get the CSR?

[driftless]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hi all,

Got the email from AMEX to upgrade to Platinum / $5k / 60k points / Expires 8/12. I had the Platinum last year but downgraded as I don't travel a lot...quesiton is, has anyone tried to upgrade, get the points and downgrade back to the PRG?  I don't think my travel justifies the $550, you be the judge:

1. My wife, kid and I take two trips per year (1 international 1 national) - last year was Mexico and Hawaii, this year will be Spain & Vegas

2. We use Uber a least once a month to go to San Diego downtown - $25 each way on Uber ($50 - $15 Uber Credit) = $35 out of pocket (dont forget surge time lol grr)

3. We dine about 3-4 times a month on restaurants

4. Cant use the TSA benefit as our 8 year old can't get a fast pass (or can he?)

5. I make my Hilton  timeshare payments with my AMEX, so i get more points as it is a "travel related" charge

6. I can put about $1,500/month on bills (some bills don't take AMEX) i put the rest on my Visa Fidelity 2x/$1 spent (to get $50 cash back monthly)

7. Do use the $200 annual credit in the plane for food/drinks or ipad for the kiddo to watch movies

So, supposing i only get 1 point / $1, that's about 1500 points per month (+ i do use some AMEX to get extra points or money off certain purchases)

Any thoughts? should i just get the CSR?

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Since I am the OP I have already upgraded from the PRG and I also have a CSR.  I have been on the fence about the Platinum card for while as we are mostly in the Chase ecosystem since we fly United mostly.  It sounds like you are going to concentrate your spend on Amex.  For me, Platinum is about the perks because you lose richer rewards earning potential of the PRG by upgrading.  I recently picked up an Amex business card which has replaced PRG as my rewards earner.  If you upgrade I would suggest adding the EveryDay or EveryDay Preferred card to help with earning MRs.  

If you fly twice a year for nice vacations you should benefit from the Amex ecosystem.  I think that the choice between Amex and Chase should resolve around the airlines that you are likely to fly and your preferred hotels.  YMMV.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hi all,

Got the email from AMEX to upgrade to Platinum / $5k / 60k points / Expires 8/12. I had the Platinum last year but downgraded as I don't travel a lot...quesiton is, has anyone tried to upgrade, get the points and downgrade back to the PRG?  I don't think my travel justifies the $550, you be the judge:

1. My wife, kid and I take two trips per year (1 international 1 national) - last year was Mexico and Hawaii, this year will be Spain & Vegas

2. We use Uber a least once a month to go to San Diego downtown - $25 each way on Uber ($50 - $15 Uber Credit) = $35 out of pocket (dont forget surge time lol grr)

3. We dine about 3-4 times a month on restaurants

4. Cant use the TSA benefit as our 8 year old can't get a fast pass (or can he?)

5. I make my Hilton  timeshare payments with my AMEX, so i get more points as it is a "travel related" charge

6. I can put about $1,500/month on bills (some bills don't take AMEX) i put the rest on my Visa Fidelity 2x/$1 spent (to get $50 cash back monthly)

7. Do use the $200 annual credit in the plane for food/drinks or ipad for the kiddo to watch movies

So, supposing i only get 1 point / $1, that's about 1500 points per month (+ i do use some AMEX to get extra points or money off certain purchases)

Any thoughts? should i just get the CSR?

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Chase Saphire Reserve seems like a better deal to me. First it is 100 dollars cheaper per year. Second 300 dollar travel credit is better than the 200 dollar baggage check fee and incidentals that Amex gives.  Plus I would think 50,000 Chase Points are much better than 60,000 Amex points.  

[Anonymous]

Thanks!! I think i need to now see which airlines i fly with the most and find out which card has that partner to transfer the points.  It seems like AMEX has more partners than Chase.