topic Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed in Credit Cards

Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Shadowfactor — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 00:09:36 GMT

Interesting concept. Hope it happens! Would be nice to get some of the better centurion perks at a more affordable price. I think $1500-$2000 would be a good mark.

What features would everyone like to see included ?

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumor-american-express-to-launch-new-card-in-between-platinum-centurion/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 00:12:36 GMT

2000 travel credit

complimentary membership for skyclub, admirals club, and whatever United has.

A love letter every month

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

wasCB14 — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 00:17:05 GMT

One concern I have:

Upgrade from Platinum or kiss Centurion Lounge access goodbye.

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

CreditCuriosity — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 00:31:32 GMT

All the features of Green/Gold/Platinum wrapped into one card plus some other perks ... Senseless to have all 3 cards, why not just make it one plus some additional benefits, but apparently invite only if currently plat member and assume a certain spend and income level. Sounds like not open application

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

FinStar — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 00:47:35 GMT

Oh, this might create a bit of a thread frenzy just like the Green Card did for... 10+ months 😁

It would be interesting to see if it ever comes to fruition and who their target segment would be.

I remember receiving an invite for the biz Centurion eons ago when I had biz Platinum, but ended up not going for it. Of course, now that the AF is increasing for the personal version, hardly any enticement 😁

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Stralem — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 01:28:42 GMT

Interesting. I guess the Platinum has become too common for their tastes. But since the next step up is so **bleep** out of reach, I can see how an intermediate option would be needed.

I bet it'll have a $1500 annual fee. Calling it now!

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 01:50:35 GMT

Seeing where they took the Centurion to , smart on Amex part to bump the Centurion and to now leave open to fill the gap between It and Platinum card. Depending Benefits and Multipliers a $3000 dollar initial fee and $1500 yearly fee . Requirements Maybe something like 100k-150k yearly spend on all accounts with a 250k salary min.
200K MR sign up bonus after 10k spend
5X on Flights and Amex Travel portal or if really want to make it interesting 6X On Amex Portal , 5X on flights And hotels , 3X on all other travel, and of just 1X everything else. Something like 35% bonus back on MR points spent on airfares On portal.
Delta Gold Status.
$500 dollar Yearly travel credit. $250 every 6
Months On all Travel spending
Add hotel status choice say can choose Diamond Hilton or Platnium Elite Marriott. Since platinum already has gold for both.
Something like citi card has , where get 4th night free if booked through Amex Portal up to 5 times a year.
$250 dollar Amazon Credit yearly , or $20 dollar monthly credit at $240 yearly.
Clear membership
$200 sak’s credit
$200 lounge credit
First class delta companion credit
Enhanced Amex Travel offers

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Loquat — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 02:51:08 GMT

Until they expand the footprint of the Centurion Lounges and get a handle on crowd control, there is no amount of benefits or monthly incremental credits that would get me to spend more than I already do on yet another Amex Travel card.

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 02:56:40 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
Oh, this might create a bit of a thread frenzy just like the Green Card did for... 10+ months 😁

It would be interesting to see if it ever comes to fruition and who their target segment would be.

I remember receiving an invite for the biz Centurion eons ago when I had biz Platinum, but ended up not going for it. Of course, now that the AF is increasing for the personal version, hardly any enticement 😁

Well, it's obvious to me. It will be just like the Plat but include an Amazon Prime membership! People clearly wanted that on the green, and I'm sure Amex will be happy to provide it for a card with $1000 more AF!

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

NRB525 — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 03:10:46 GMT

I like the comment by K-Man on DoC, so will modify from that.

Gold Delta and Gold Hilton and Gold Marriott, $1,500 AF. Lounge in Centurion, Delta, PP, etc. $200 Airline credit. Those are pretty easy since they bridge or match Plat-Cent.

Other credits may turn out to be more creative. $200 Hilton Resort credit? Maybe the $10 or a $20 dining credit monthly? Yeah, $20 dining credit.

Saks $100 2x per year.
Earn rates might be 5 MR flights and booked through AX travel, that seems standard.
Then 3MR on groceries, dining and travel? But that broad coverage seems not sustainable.

Instead it might have 5 on flights and AX travel, then the 1 MR up to $5k then 1.5 MR like Centurion. After all, it's going to be a starter Perks card, not a points earner.

AX is big on dining, so maybe 3 MR on dining, and the 1 MR --> 1.5 MR Other spend after the $5k annual, plus 5 on flights and AX travel. Yeah, that last is my vote. The target cardholder is not worrying about grocery spend, and likely has a Big Spender expectation, on the order of $100k minimum per year.

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

redpat — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 09:06:58 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
One concern I have:

Upgrade from Platinum or kiss Centurion Lounge access goodbye.

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

redpat — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 09:23:28 GMT

@CreditCuriosity wrote:
All the features of Green/Gold/Platinum wrapped into one card plus some other perks ... Senseless to have all 3 cards, why not just make it one plus some additional benefits, but apparently invite only if currently plat member and assume a certain spend and income level. Sounds like not open application

I would disagree here, I think plat cardholders are about to get bounced out of the centurion lounges and the only way to get access is with the new upgraded card for the increased af. Imo, the new card may come w/ delta gold, no-charge for up 3 guest in sky lounges and maybe Marriott plat.

Amex is spending big bucks increasing their lounge footprint and the cost for access might go up.

Lol, I would compare this to Berkshire Hathaway class A to class B shares $300,000 plus vs $200 plus dollars.

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

NRB525 — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 11:25:09 GMT

Well, if they take Centurion Lounge access away from Platinum cardholders, after previously blocking Gold Card and others from even buying a day pass, the Centurion Lounges will be nearly empty.

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 11:46:24 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Well, if they take Centurion Lounge access away from Platinum cardholders, after previously blocking Gold Card and others from even buying a day pass, the Centurion Lounges will be nearly empty.

It may take 20 more years for amex to figure out a balance between overcrowding and ghost town. lol.

I wonder how many will just cancel plat instead of "upgrading", seeing the deteriorating benefit on the plat.

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

redpat — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:01:01 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Well, if they take Centurion Lounge access away from Platinum cardholders, after previously blocking Gold Card and others from even buying a day pass, the Centurion Lounges will be nearly empty.

Exclusivity has its privileges.

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:37:55 GMT

@Shadowfactor wrote:
Interesting concept. Hope it happens! Would be nice to get some of the better centurion perks at a more affordable price. I think $1500-$2000 would be a good mark.

What features would everyone like to see included ?

Everything the Platinum Card has including the following additions and modifications

5x on all travel will use the Propel Cards version of this to include everything the CSR qualifies as travel plus gas.

5x on restaurants

2x on all other purchases

Ability to cash out out MR points for 1.25 cents per point (same as schwab platinum)

Diamond Hilton status

Platinum Marriott status

$500 general travel credit (no airline credit and uber credit broken up just a general travel credit)

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

CreditCuriosity — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:40:33 GMT

I personally don't see the platinum losing the centurion lounge with the new card as then it would be way undercrowded especially as they expand them imho. It will certianly be interesting to see what this new card will bring as the platinum now is just a perks card essentially and the green/gold is the earner cards. So what will they make this new card, I have no idea. I was just saying be nice to have one encompassing card that has the best of all 3 cards vs having to carry all 3 around with some other stuff... granted the green and gold overlap a bit on food, etc..

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 15:06:12 GMT

@CreditCuriosity wrote:
I personally don't see the platinum losing the centurion lounge with the new card as then it would be way undercrowded especially as they expand them imho. It will certianly be interesting to see what this new card will bring as the platinum now is just a perks card essentially and the green/gold is the earner cards. So what will they make this new card, I have no idea. I was just saying be nice to have one encompassing card that has the best of all 3 cards vs having to carry all 3 around with some other stuff... granted the green and gold overlap a bit on food, etc..

I'm not sure what motivation Amex would have for making a "best of" type card. From here at least it looks like enough people are OK with having some combination of Green, Gold and Plat, and if they add some special feature to the new card, maybe some people would get that as well (or instead of one of the other cards). But we will see, if it even happens!

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

CreditCuriosity — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 15:24:42 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@CreditCuriosity wrote:
I personally don't see the platinum losing the centurion lounge with the new card as then it would be way undercrowded especially as they expand them imho. It will certianly be interesting to see what this new card will bring as the platinum now is just a perks card essentially and the green/gold is the earner cards. So what will they make this new card, I have no idea. I was just saying be nice to have one encompassing card that has the best of all 3 cards vs having to carry all 3 around with some other stuff... granted the green and gold overlap a bit on food, etc..
I'm not sure what motivation Amex would have for making a "best of" type card. From here at least it looks like enough people are OK with having some combination of Green, Gold and Plat, and if they add some special feature to the new card, maybe some people would get that as well (or instead of one of the other cards). But we will see, if it even happens!

What motiviation did Amex have creating the Plenti card ..

Re: Rumor : Ultra premium Amex card being developed

iced — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 15:32:05 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Well, if they take Centurion Lounge access away from Platinum cardholders, after previously blocking Gold Card and others from even buying a day pass, the Centurion Lounges will be nearly empty.

Considering my last trip to LAS Centurion included a photo-worthy pic of a line out the sliding door and down the hall about 25 salesbros deep, they need to do something about capacity controls. If cranking the AF up to $1,500 accomplishes that, if only for a while, good on them.

They also need to build more lounges in major airports because the spread today frankly sucks. Of all the airports in the US, if you only built in 8 US airports, why would you choose DFW, LGA, or PHL to be any of those 8 locations, let alone all 3 of them? Seriously, LGA but not JFK/EWR American Express? PHL but not LAX or BOS or ORD or ATL or even a DEN? Not even a token MCO lounge for the cliche travelers with screaming spawn in tow?

Until they fix the location issue and add some unique perks, I just can't see the platinum-plus offering being all that attractive. This seems to be targeting high-spend frequent travelers, so tossing Gold/Platinum status at clientele who already have it is a joke. It needs to offer something exclusively available to that card, be it higher MR earnings than any other option or some benefit/perk available only via that card and no other way.