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Help me use my Amex Platinum

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prady
Member

Help me use my Amex Platinum

For a fee of approx $40 a month u get platinum, i received mine last week. Motivation to apply was that I would be travelling a lot this year so I thought of using the reaping the benefits of having Platinum.

 

I'm just another regular guy who uses Expedia or kayak for flights and mostly travel economy. I'm just trying to plan out getting my $450 worth of usage out of it. I do have a PRG which i use for airfare, gas and grocery coz of triple and double points and rest everything goes on platinum.

 

Sucky part is that you can only register with one airline for 1 year and can't change, but I guess if im not travelling in future with that airline coz i got a cheaper ticket with another airline then the card doesn't help me. Sucks!

 

I don't have a Starwoods membership so I don't even know if Starwoods Gold status is of any use to me. Although, I would like to learn more coz I do stay in hotels at least 15 nights a year.

 

So if Platinum users can jump in and help me out a little bit here then that would be awesome!

Message 1 of 10
9 REPLIES 9
ryanbush
Valued Contributor

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum

I have the platinum business card, you don't use it for the rewards you use it for the benefits.

 

1. 200 Airline Fee Credit

2. Lounge Visits

3. Starwood Gold

 

These are the three things it does really good.

Chase Sapphire Perferred | Chase Freedom | AMEX Platinum | AMEX Delta Platinum | AMEX SPG | Capital One Venture | Capital One Quicksliver | Discover IT | ABFCU Visa | Citi AA WEMC
Message 2 of 10
prady
Member

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum

I understand its the benefits. 

 

$200 airline credit is limited to one airline for 1 year. So let's take an example, if I select Jetblue coz im travelling to Florida this summer, it is domestic and it doesn't charge for 1st checked in baggage anyway so I wonder what im gonna use it for. Now in August ill travel to Paris, then there wont be Jetblue, it would be someone else and then I can enjoy benefits coz I already chose jetblue in march.

 

Starwood Gold - Please elaborate as i'm really interested

Message 3 of 10
ryanbush
Valued Contributor

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum


@prady wrote:

I understand its the benefits. 

 

$200 airline credit is limited to one airline for 1 year. So let's take an example, if I select Jetblue coz im travelling to Florida this summer, it is domestic and it doesn't charge for 1st checked in baggage anyway so I wonder what im gonna use it for. Now in August ill travel to Paris, then there wont be Jetblue, it would be someone else and then I can enjoy benefits coz I already chose jetblue in march.

 

Starwood Gold - Please elaborate as i'm really interested


I know very well how the benefits work as I also have the card myself, did you research this before you applied?  You're really paying for lounge access with this card, the rest of the benefits are pretty small.

 

check out SPGs website and it will give you more info on their loyalty program.

Chase Sapphire Perferred | Chase Freedom | AMEX Platinum | AMEX Delta Platinum | AMEX SPG | Capital One Venture | Capital One Quicksliver | Discover IT | ABFCU Visa | Citi AA WEMC
Message 4 of 10
winner88
Contributor

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum


@ryanbush wrote:

I have the platinum business card, you don't use it for the rewards you use it for the benefits.

 

1. 200 Airline Fee Credit

2. Lounge Visits

3. Starwood Gold

 

These are the three things it does really good.


make that $400 airline credit the first Year .

Basically you claim 200 this calender year and early 2014 before your renewal date, you claim another 200.

 

what airlines do you fly? Do you travel internationally?

 

 

EQ 772
TU 764
Message 5 of 10
prady
Member

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum


@ryanbush wrote:

@prady wrote:

I understand its the benefits. 

 

$200 airline credit is limited to one airline for 1 year. So let's take an example, if I select Jetblue coz im travelling to Florida this summer, it is domestic and it doesn't charge for 1st checked in baggage anyway so I wonder what im gonna use it for. Now in August ill travel to Paris, then there wont be Jetblue, it would be someone else and then I can enjoy benefits coz I already chose jetblue in march.

 

Starwood Gold - Please elaborate as i'm really interested


I know very well how the benefits work as I also have the card myself, did you research this before you applied?  You're really paying for lounge access with this card, the rest of the benefits are pretty small.

 

check out SPGs website and it will give you more info on their loyalty program.


I will checkout SPG's website. 

 

Lounge access I will enjoy for sure.

Message 6 of 10
prady
Member

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum


@winner88 wrote:

@ryanbush wrote:

I have the platinum business card, you don't use it for the rewards you use it for the benefits.

 

1. 200 Airline Fee Credit

2. Lounge Visits

3. Starwood Gold

 

These are the three things it does really good.


make that $400 airline credit the first Year .

Basically you claim 200 this calender year and early 2014 before your renewal date, you claim another 200.

 

what airlines do you fly? Do you travel internationally?

 

 


I travel internationally yes.

 

Im travelling to India, London, Paris, Rome and Vienna this year.

 

I don't travel any specific flights.

Message 7 of 10
winner88
Contributor

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum


@prady wrote:

@winner88 wrote:

@ryanbush wrote:

I have the platinum business card, you don't use it for the rewards you use it for the benefits.

 

1. 200 Airline Fee Credit

2. Lounge Visits

3. Starwood Gold

 

These are the three things it does really good.


make that $400 airline credit the first Year .

Basically you claim 200 this calender year and early 2014 before your renewal date, you claim another 200.

 

what airlines do you fly? Do you travel internationally?

 

 


I travel internationally yes.

 

Im travelling to India, London, Paris, Rome and Vienna this year.

 

I don't travel any specific flights.


In that case definitely get the Priority Pass Lounge Access ..  its $399 from PP but is bundled free with your AmEX Platinum.  

Also the SPG Gold is good to have .. if you ever hapen to stay there.. you get late checkout.. free internet or bonus points.. And you can use that to Status match to practically all the other hotel reward programs.

EQ 772
TU 764
Message 8 of 10
Cdnewmanpac
Established Contributor

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum

A few ways you could use your Plat:

1. Sign up for global entry. This costs $100/5 years, but Amex will reimburse you for the charge. This not only helps you speed through customs when returning to US from overseas, but also gives you the ability to use TSA Precheck if the airport you fly out of offers it. At least for now, precheck is still much faster than conventional security.

2. Choose an airline that allows you to purchase gift cards. You can then either purchase gift cards up front or wait until towards the end of the calendar year and if you haven't spent enough on that airline, but cards for the remainder.

3. You don't have to choose an airline today. Wait until you book your first flight or two and then choose an airline. If you mostly fly internationally, baggage fees aren't likely. But if you buy in-flight wifi, drinks, etc. the 200 can add up fairly quickly.

4. If you fly United a lot, you could choose them as an airline and then purchase a year of lounge access (plat doesn't get you united access). You spend 395, get 200 of it back. But that only makes sense if you fly united a bunch. 

In wallet: Ink Plus 10k, AMEX TE 25k. In bag: CSP 16k, USAA WMC 15k, Hyatt 13k, United MPE 12k, AMEX HHonors 3k. In SD: Cap 1 QS 5k, Discover IT 7k. FICO 08 says my EQ is now 844, was 510 in 2010.
Message 9 of 10
scenery_guy
Established Contributor

Re: Help me use my Amex Platinum

With your Platinum in hand and you SPG member number call 888-625-4990 and they will take it from there. Enjoy the perks for SPG Gold as long as you have the card. 

Message 10 of 10
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