topic Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black in Credit Cards

Amex Platimum or Visa Black

ghawdex — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 21:44:10 GMT

I'm wanting to apply for one of these, I will mainly use these for traveling. Which one is overall best?

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

jsucool76 — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 21:45:30 GMT

Plat over the visa black any day of the week.

Right now with the Ritz Carlton cards 140k offer it is also a pretty good contender, with $300 in annual airline reimbursements instead of the $200 on amex plat.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

ibmrad7 — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 21:45:50 GMT

There is not even a comparison between the two. Close your eyes and get the Platinum.

On another note, look up Citi Prestige as well.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

jsucool76 — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 21:57:47 GMT

Prestige is also fantastic. Slipped my mind.

Their airline reimbursement can be used directly against airline tickets. Something you can't do with the other two. They also offer 4th night free at any hotel booked through them.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

chalupaman — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 22:01:08 GMT

If you're talking about that Barclay card, that card is nothing but an overpriced joke with mediocre benefits. You can't even PC it to anything else so it's virtually useless.

Plat is a much better bang for your buck.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

Gornet — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 22:11:28 GMT

Even though i dont have an Amex Plat i am sure its a ton better! Merry Christmas!

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 22:17:57 GMT

The general consensus here is that the Blk is a card for posers who like to overpay for inferior benefits for the sake of flash.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

NRB525 — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 22:26:23 GMT

That's always a very complicated question to answer, but I'd have to agree, the VISA Black is not a good option for this. The main reason I say that is, you really should decide which airline you will be loyal to, and try everything to stay with that airline. There is no travel situation worse than having 4 different airlines with some bit of all your miles. I've been there.

The VISA Black card exacerbates this situation because it does not play with any of the airline partners. So the "Points" you have available to use in the VISA Black program are whatever you get with this bonus, plus whatever you run through spend. Sure, you get 2x value of those points by booking through the VISA Black card, but you are going to be earning airline miles outside the Black Card garden. The two won't work together.

I have the Delta AMEX card, and make sure my business travel is on Delta. Thus I have a huge bank of miles that I am contributing to regularly with purchases on the Delta Gold AMEX. The Diners Club will contribute to those as well. And, on the Delta website, they are increasing the flexibility you have to use points, miles, or miles + points on each trip, so the flexible use is nice. Plus, if you watch the timing of the flight you are redeeming miles for, it seems like one can get 2x value on the Delta bookings. And if not, then just pay the airfare, build more miles, and try again next trip to leverage up the miles/points game.

Thus even the AMEX Platinum, I wonder the true value of that card, since it only earns 1 point per dollar, same as the Delta Gold AMEX.

And, as another point, with the Delta Gold AMEX (and similarly with United CC) you get priority boarding, discounted access to Delta lounges, and other perks immediately, not having to wait for Silver status. That alone I find worth the $95 annual fee, and even less reason to try to justify Platinum AMEX. The Platinum does have access to many lounges, that is true.

What kind of travel are you looking to do? Destinations? Frequency? Who is paying?

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 22:30:12 GMT

Have you considered the Citi Prestige or the Ritz Carlton cards?

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

taxi818 — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 23:36:18 GMT

@ibmrad7 wrote:
There is not even a comparison between the two. Close your eyes and get the Platinum.
On another note, look up Citi Prestige as well.

No need to say anything else on this thread. this says it all

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

CreditCuriosity — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 23:41:38 GMT

@taxi818 wrote:
@ibmrad7 wrote:
There is not even a comparison between the two. Close your eyes and get the Platinum.
On another note, look up Citi Prestige as well.
No need to say anything else on this thread. this says it all
+1

Unless i was to get the targeted mail with no AF for life like that one person on this forum (can you say struck by lightning?) with a 50k limit... He hit the lottery.. Although still a blah card, just a nice 50k utilization pad

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

youdontkillmoney — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 23:56:04 GMT

I have

1. AMEX plat

2. Citi Prestige

3. Visa Black card

4. Diners Club Carte Blanche

(I have other cc's too, but in this "space" you're talking about these are the main trvael cards I have, so can't speak to Ritz, etc)

Cross black card off the list, for the fee you really get no value

Diners Carte Blanche I'd cross off since you don't get any reimbursement credit

Plat has the Centurion club, but it's only in a few airports but hands down THE best lounge at airports, you get a full selection of real food, and plates of it, plus Plat you get the $200 credit but can't apply against air tickets, but Plat you also get good customer service in terms of protection, disputes, etc (which I use a lot of). I am happy with Plat

The Citi prestige is the 2nd card in my wallet when they do not take amex, and you get the $250 reimbursement credit (applies against air tickets, and lounge access at Admirals which AMEX does not give, but Admirals is not that great of a club, skimps on food and it is sparse; I use Delta lounges under AMEX. Prestige can also give you access to priority, but so does amex.

All in all, get AMEX plat #1 and if you can afford it, nice to have Citi prestige too for their $250 credit and admirals club access, so with both you cover more possibilities

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

takeshi74 — Fri, 26 Dec 2014 14:17:09 GMT

@ghawdex wrote:
I'm wanting to apply for one of these, I will mainly use these for traveling. Which one is overall best?

Define best.

Platinum if you're actually looking for benefits. Visa Black is you want to just show off and try to impress others with a "black" card. Are you sure that these 2 options are the best suited to what you're looking for? It would help if you'd clarify what you want from your travel card.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

ghawdex — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 16:15:22 GMT

Hi everyone,

I appreciate everyone responding back, maybe I should have elaborate a bit of my uses.

The card will be mainly use for travels to Europe. I have always used Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa. My other purposes for the card would be for cruises, mostly European countries and some more local ones (Mexico and what not). At this point, I am crossing out the Visa black card. It seems like the Amex plat is a big choice. I have never heard of the ritz calrtion card until now, so I will look into that one as well.

Any other advice and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 16:21:04 GMT

Black is awful. I'd rather not have a card than have Black.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

boosnark — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 17:32:19 GMT

I've had the Amex Platinum for about twenty years. I use it for the Priority Pass and Rewards points, albeit at a measly $1 per point. However, there are no foreign transaction fees, and the savings add up significantly since I travel and move around a lot internationally. But of late, Amex fraud protection has been somewhat draconian, so have another card handy for those unsavory situations where they suddenly prevent you fron making a charge due to "suspicious" activity on your account. It is sometimes hard to verify charges when you're out in a place with no internet access and no ability to make phone calls easily. There are other Visa/MC cards from say Capital One or Chase that do not charge foreign transaction fees that can be used as "back up." Having said all of this some of the PP lounges in Europe are pretty atrocious (e.g. the one at Frankfurt) and over the years I've not had much use for the lounge access. It's a nice to have, though, but I recently applied and got the Chase Sapphire Preferred just for the ability to get points and I'll just park the Platinum to the bottom of the credit card pit for now.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 19:33:24 GMT

Seriously?

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 20:15:28 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Seriously?

I assume so! The Plat is not a good earning card, getting 1MR per $. It is usually valued for its perks, such as lounge access (although that has also been getting more restricted). So if OP wants a card to earn travel to Europe, the Plat isn't a good choice.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 20:36:25 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Seriously?
I assume so! The Plat is not a good earning card, getting 1MR per $. It is usually valued for its perks, such as lounge access (although that has also been getting more restricted). So if OP wants a card to earn travel to Europe, the Plat isn't a good choice.

LTL, what have they been doing to restrict lounge access. That's about the only reason I'd like the card because there is a Centurion lounge in my favorite spot, Vegas.

Re: Amex Platimum or Visa Black

NRB525 — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 20:58:35 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Seriously?
I assume so! The Plat is not a good earning card, getting 1MR per $. It is usually valued for its perks, such as lounge access (although that has also been getting more restricted). So if OP wants a card to earn travel to Europe, the Plat isn't a good choice.
LTL, what have they been doing to restrict lounge access. That's about the only reason I'd like the card because there is a Centurion lounge in my favorite spot, Vegas.

Well, for Centurion lounge access, one location, perhaps three now, it could be Platinum only (not sure if other cards go there also).

For global access, you can actually buy a separate Priority Pass for $99 per year, plus $27 per visit for the basic level, more money for more pre-paid visits. Gets 700 lounges.

Other cards like Citi Prestige or Diners Club (if you can get one) also have extensive international lounge access.

Delta AMEX cards have varying levels of co-payment to get acess to the Delta lounges which are not many of the international lounges.

Each card depends on how much you want to spend up front for the AF, vs how many visits or "reduced fee" visits one gets.