topic Re: Amex Platinum Offer in Credit Cards

Amex Platinum Offer

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:08:00 GMT

Just got an email offer from Amex for this card. Outside of the obvious travel related benefits (I rarely travel) is there anything that would really appeal enough to app for this card? Also, its my understanding that this is a charge card that has to be PIF monthly with a high AF? Thanks in advance for all replies.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

arkane — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:18:21 GMT

If you rarely travel then the Platinum card probably isn't for you. Even if you could take full advantage of the $200 Uber credits and $200 airline credit, your net AF is still $150. You're better off with something that's not so heavily travel-oriented if you don't travel much. And yes it's a charge card that has to be PIF every month.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

kerplunk — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:21:00 GMT

I have thought about getting the AmEx Platinum card quite a bit over the past few weeks, but ultimately, I think it only makes sense if you purchase a lot of plane tickets each year to get those 5X points. If you don’t travel constantly for work, I wouldn’t apply.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve on the other hand appeals to a more casual traveler...

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

sdsoccerdad — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:40:25 GMT

Like everyone said, if you don't travel much, I would look at something else. Earning points with this outside of airfare and amextravel is not that great so I use this with the PRG and Everyday card for the membership rewards.

For me it's useful. I have been given room upgrades in Hawaii and DC the past 60 days (upgraded hotel status), made use of the Centurion and Airspace lounges in addition to the flight credits. If none of this is useful for you, there are a few others that would probably be better for your lifestyle.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

morgacj2004 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 04:38:18 GMT

A great card if you travel internationally like I do. The lounge access is great. Not a good choice if you rarely travel or only do so domestically.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

wasCB14 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 05:54:19 GMT

@morgacj2004 wrote:
A great card if you travel internationally like I do. The lounge access is great. Not a good choice if you rarely travel or only do so domestically.

An overly broad statement, given the number of Centurion and Delta lounges available on domestic itineraries.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 06:39:27 GMT

Its net AF would be $50 since you're getting $200 in airline credit, $200 in Uber credit and $100 Saks. If you travel even once a year, the Hilton Gold status buys you breakfast for 2 so you would break even on the AF if you stayed for about 3 nights

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

afbar1114 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 08:44:58 GMT

Look at your everyday spending. I get way more use on PRG because I use for gas,dinning, and food stores. I also still get a $100 air line credit every year. I got an email this week to upgrade to the platinum card but I can’t justify that $550 AF

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

iced — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 14:19:41 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@morgacj2004 wrote:
A great card if you travel internationally like I do. The lounge access is great. Not a good choice if you rarely travel or only do so domestically.
An overly broad statement, given the number of Centurion and Delta lounges available on domestic itineraries.

I like data, so let's break down how right you are.

There's a total of 8 (eight!!1!!one!!) Centurion lounges in the US, and with terminal separation of airlines and the like, even if someone manages to be in one of those 8 locations, there's no guarantee they're reasonably close to it. There's an additional 8 AmEx lounges (but only 1 Centurion) internationally, and 3 of those 8 are in Mexico. I mean it with all objectivity when I say the Centurion lounge access "benefit" is a joke, and not a haha funny joke but a sad trumpet sound joke.

The good news is there are 50 SkyClubs in the US alone, a much better number, but one thing always gets lost in the conversation with "you get SkyClub access with the Platinum!" talks: the cardholder, and only the cardholder, gets SkyClub access. If one travels with a companion, this benefit becomes lounge access for $29.

As a data point for comparison, the United Club card gives free access for the cardholder and up to 2 guests...to all United Clubs worldwide and all Star Alliance lounges worldwide. There's 55 United Clubs and I gave up counting the Star Alliance lounges after I hit 100. I have only been to two international airports that didn't have a *A lounge: IVL and PPP, and both of those are mini-ports with one gate and one runway.

I'm not saying the Platinum stinks (it doesn't). But don't go singing its greatness on lounge access, because that benefit isn't great at all unless you fit a very specific profile for where you go and who you go with.

Edit: Since I know it's coming as a response to this, let's talk about Priority Pass too. It's solid - more so internationally than domestically - but it's also offered on multiple cards. It's not exclusive to Platinum. This puts one again back at the decision based on their travel profile, which is another way of saying there is no such as thing as a single best travel card for all travelers. Does not exist. No such thing as a great card for all international travelers. Also does not exist. Domestic travelers? Does not exist.

I have a CSR. I have a Platinum. I have a United Club. I'm not picking favorites here or espousing one over the other because of the feels it gives me. I'm pointing out cold hard data from having used all 3 of these cards in various travel settings. I have all three of those because none of those three fits all my needs. Clearly, none of them are great for me, but all of them are.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

arkane — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:41:42 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Its net AF would be $50 since you're getting $200 in airline credit, $200 in Uber credit and $100 Saks. If you travel even once a year, the Hilton Gold status buys you breakfast for 2 so you would break even on the AF if you stayed for about 3 nights

Right yes forgot about the Saks credit, but the net AF of $50 is only if you could make 100% use of all 3 credits, so there's a big asterisk.

As far as Hilton Gold and breakfast for 2, I'm sure any potential savings there dwarfed by doing Airbnb instead. Not bashing the Plat, just trying to say don't chase things you don't need or even want just to take advantage of a "benefit", because the real cost to you could be much higher.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

arkane — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 20:19:08 GMT

@iced wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
@morgacj2004 wrote:
A great card if you travel internationally like I do. The lounge access is great. Not a good choice if you rarely travel or only do so domestically.
An overly broad statement, given the number of Centurion and Delta lounges available on domestic itineraries.
I like data, so let's break down how right you are.

There's a total of 8 (eight!!1!!one!!) Centurion lounges in the US, and with terminal separation of airlines and the like, even if someone manages to be in one of those 8 locations, there's no guarantee they're reasonably close to it. There's an additional 8 AmEx lounges (but only 1 Centurion) internationally, and 3 of those 8 are in Mexico. I mean it with all objectivity when I say the Centurion lounge access "benefit" is a joke, and not a haha funny joke but a sad trumpet sound joke.

The good news is there are 50 SkyClubs in the US alone, a much better number, but one thing always gets lost in the conversation with "you get SkyClub access with the Platinum!" talks: the cardholder, and only the cardholder, gets SkyClub access. If one travels with a companion, this benefit becomes lounge access for $29.

As a data point for comparison, the United Club card gives free access for the cardholder and up to 2 guests...to all United Clubs worldwide and all Star Alliance lounges worldwide. There's 55 United Clubs and I gave up counting the Star Alliance lounges after I hit 100. I have only been to two international airports that didn't have a *A lounge: IVL and PPP, and both of those are mini-ports with one gate and one runway.

I'm not saying the Platinum stinks (it doesn't). But don't go singing its greatness on lounge access, because that benefit isn't great at all unless you fit a very specific profile for where you go and who you go with.

Edit: Since I know it's coming as a response to this, let's talk about Priority Pass too. It's solid - more so internationally than domestically - but it's also offered on multiple cards. It's not exclusive to Platinum. This puts one again back at the decision based on their travel profile, which is another way of saying there is no such as thing as a single best travel card for all travelers. Does not exist. No such thing as a great card for all international travelers. Also does not exist. Domestic travelers? Does not exist.

I have a CSR. I have a Platinum. I have a United Club. I'm not picking favorites here or espousing one over the other because of the feels it gives me. I'm pointing out cold hard data from having used all 3 of these cards in various travel settings. I have all three of those because none of those three fits all my needs. Clearly, none of them are great for me, but all of them are.

Great analysis, but allow me throw in a very important caveat: all these "lounge access benefits" mean exactly squat if you value them at $0 i.e. you simply don't care for them at all. Yeah I'm weird I know.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

wasCB14 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:19:27 GMT

The prior poster said it was not a good choice for domestic-only travelers, and by implication, even frequent domestic ones.

I didn't say the statement was mostly or entirely wrong, just that it was overly broad. Some people do have regular access to Centurions on domestic travel, and some travel solo with regular access to Delta lounges.

I didn't say it works for everyone, and I certainly wasn't "singing its greatness".

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

iced — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:30:41 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
The prior poster said it was not a good choice for domestic-only travelers, and by implication, even frequent domestic ones.

I didn't say the statement was mostly or entirely wrong, just that it was overly broad. Some people do have regular access to Centurions on domestic travel, and some travel solo with regular access to Delta lounges.

I didn't say it works for everyone, and I certainly wasn't "singing its greatness".

Apologies if you took it as challenging your statement - I quoted you because I was trying to back you up with data. We're on the same side here.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

wasCB14 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:37:59 GMT

Got it. I was just a bit puzzled as to how anyone could seemingly get so excited over a one-sentence YMMV-type post.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 23:58:04 GMT

Thanks for all the responses. I guess Ill pass on this card for now as I rarely travel. Thought about getting it just to "Expand My Relationship" with Amex but decided that the AF is just not worth it. Might have to look into the PRG. Thanks again.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

arkane — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 00:32:32 GMT

Go to CardMatch and see if you have any offers for the PRG. Amex is really trying to tempt me to leave the garden by throwing me a 50k MR after 1k spend on the PRG.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

wasCB14 — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 01:41:17 GMT

@arkane wrote:
Go to CardMatch and see if you have any offers for the PRG. Amex is really trying to tempt me to leave the garden by throwing me a 50k MR after 1k spend on the PRG.

I believe there have been 65k and 75k offers.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

arkane — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 02:30:03 GMT

For the PRG after 1k spend?! Sounds too good to be true tbh.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 13:16:55 GMT

@morgacj2004 wrote:
A great card if you travel internationally like I do. The lounge access is great. Not a good choice if you rarely travel or only do so domestically.

I would say it depends on the airports you fly out of. At BWI if you fly domistically it is worthless. At PHL they have the Centurian Lounge which is very nice. I think if you home airport is a Delta Hub and you fly Delta it is good to have if your home airport has a Centurian Lounge it is useful.

Re: Amex Platinum Offer

wasCB14 — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 13:21:02 GMT

@arkane wrote:
For the PRG after 1k spend?! Sounds too good to be true tbh.

I got that offer in 2014 and liked it. It's returned a few times, but for a heavy spender there may be better offers.