@CreditScholar wrote:
Given the overlap between these new cards (especially the preferred version) and the PRG, I wonder if Amex will eliminate the PRG in the future. They could shift the 3x on airfare to the platinum as their travel card, and then perhaps add a few additional benefits to compensate (as best they can) for the loss of AA and US lounges. The groceries and gas categories overlap too much, which makes me wonder why they'd keep both.
The new cards are credit cards as opposed to charge cards like the PRG, and some current cardholders push quite a bit through their PRG monthly, well beyond what normal CLs will often allow. Airfare is the only "unlimited category" in the current PRG lineup, meaning that how much one spends on airfare could be huge in any given month. However are caps on groceries and limits to how much gas one can realistically use (and drive) in a month. By shifting the airfare over to the platinum, Amex could still cater to those who have huge airfare bills since the platinum is a NPSL charge card.
Thoughts?
For my personal spending, at this point, I have little or no use for the PRG.
My business airfare is always paid with our Bus Gold, while my personal travel is either with miles or a combination thereof which doesn't justifiy the PRG's $175 annual fee. Given the recent state of the Plat, for my purposes, it isn't worth the $450 annual fee. However, if they phased out the PRG and shifted the 3X Airfare to the Platinum along with its other assorted benefits, I may be compelled to carry the card. At this point, with losing the lounges and Delta's shift to a more revenue based program, AmEx needs to rebrand and offer some new perks with the Plat, otherwise it'll just erode away into irrelevance, in my view.
Regarding the new cards, I'd opt for the Preferred over the PRG. In my view, this card should cannibalize some of those with the PRG; and, assuming the no fee version confers full MR (and not MRE) status, the only reason to have a charge card would be for the NPSL.
Is the $95 fee worth it? I have the Blue for Bus with no fee which already confers 1.3% on all non bonus spending; and, I'm not sure if paying a $95 fee is worth 1.5%. However, given I've got so many MR Points (easily use them on SQ for my Asia flights), the bonus MR on groceries with the 50% bonus is more value to mean than 6% cash. I'll likely turn in my BCP for this Preferred one, but I'd imagine those new to MR or with very little MR points would still be better served with 6% cashback.
I'm with SceneryGuy, in that I've got an AmEx card for each purpose. However, Enharu is correct that if I spend enough, 1.5% is better than the FidAmex's 2%. For instance, if I charge all of my personal expenses (income, property, insurance, etc...) that I don't use my business cards for, this may be a compelling card with the 1.5%. The conundrum would be 1.5% MR vs. 1% SPG?
Wow, that's a tough one!
