topic Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great .... in Credit Cards

The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:31:14 GMT

... can I resist?

At the moment I am pondering an airline ticket purchase, domestic travel.

Will getting a Platinum now (considering PC'ing my Gold Business to the Plat, I have a Green personal) gain me anything?

The $200 ticket credit for example? The lounge access?

I've had my Gold maybe 5 months and the Green about a year and I'm backdated to 1991.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:40:51 GMT

I couldn't resist, so I applied last night. Got instantly approved. (had a preapproval anyway.) Online there're application links floating for 50,000 MR points with $3K spending within 3 months. Not half bad.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Open123 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:44:36 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I couldn't resist, so I applied last night. Got instantly approved. (had a preapproval anyway.) Online there's application links floating for 50,000 MR points with $3K spending within 3 months. Not half bad.

Right, if you were ever going to apply, this is the deal to go with currently. Since Amex will never waive the Platinum's first year fee, the only offset you'll ever receive is the sign up bonus.

50k is very decent, though there have been 75k and 100k bonuses for less spend, or even the first charge. There's no telling whether those offers will ever resurface, or if you'd be targetted.

If you were flying soon, I'd app now. Try the card, get the points, and if you don't like it cancel it next year before the fees hit. Until then, the perks you receive will be Gold Status in SPG; exec memberships in hertz, avis, and emerald club; priority pass membership; and MR First status on points. The best part is the $200 per year airline credit. Since this credit is based on a calendar year, you can redeem $200 this year, and another $200 next year before your annual fee hits, thereby netting you $400 in airline credits, 50k mr points, and all the other perks.

Excellent deal. One of the best out there in terms of benefit.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:48:04 GMT

I saw an Upgrade Now link for 25k pts on first purchase, then saaw's post, then went back and hit the button.

2 clicks later and card will be here in 7 days. And having read Open's post I feel even better.

rofl

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:50:19 GMT

Congratulations. It'll definitely be worth it, even if you use it just for a year. It truly is a great card.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

pizzadude — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:51:31 GMT

Congrats ! IMO if you travel frequently then the card is certainly a good choice, and the perks will more than likely cover the cost of your AF as described.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Open123 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:53:52 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I saw an Upgrade Now link for 25k pts on first purchase, then saaw's post, then went back and hit the button.

2 clicks later and card will be here in 7 days. And having read Open's post I feel even better.

rofl

Well, 25k for first charge is a great deal, in my view.

Also, since it's an upgrade, there's no inquiry.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:59:49 GMT

before looking up the best public offer, my pre-approval offer on amex webpage had a whooping ZERO MR point sign-up offer. Always good to check before pulling the lever. ;-)

p.s. oh, and Amex Platinum currently reimburses global entry program for its $100 fee. Even if you do not fly internationally, I believe you can also apply for 'Trusted travelers' program with Global Entry and this Trusted travler thing will cover domestic TSA screening bypass options to certain airports.. also Global entry lasts 5 years, if you would travel within next 5 years. one factor in my getting platinum was since I am a frequent flyer on United, and I read that I can double-dip the global entry fee reimbursement if I did so before June.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Open123 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:10:46 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
before looking up the best public offer, my pre-approval offer on amex webpage had a whooping ZERO MR point sign-up offer. Always good to check before pulling the lever. ;-)

p.s. oh, and Amex Platinum currently reimburses global entry program for its $100 fee. Even if you do not fly internationally, I believe you can also apply for 'Trusted travelers' program with Global Entry and this Trusted travler thing will cover domestic TSA screening bypass options to certain airports.. also Global entry lasts 5 years, if you would travel within next 5 years. one factor in my getting platinum was since I am a frequent flyer on United, and I read that I can double-dip the global entry fee reimbursement if I did so before June.

Yes, with Amex, it is almost never beneficial to upgrade, unless you really need to save the inquiry.

New offers will always offer a better sign up bonus and terms; and, with backdating, history is only improved if one applies in January. Yes, I forgot about the global entry, which is a nice touch. If you check, sometimes they have global entry interviewers at the Amex travel offices and would conduct the interview for you free of charge.

Didn't know about the double dip. Thanks for the head's up! I fly UA too and will look into it. UA reimburses for global entry?

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:16:47 GMT

@Open123 wrote:
Yes, with Amex, it is almost never beneficial to upgrade, unless you really need to save the inquiry.
New offers will always offer a better sign up bonus and terms; and, with backdating, history is only improved if one applies in January. Yes, I forgot about the global entry, which is a nice touch. If you check, sometimes they have global entry interviewers at the Amex travel offices and would conduct the interview for you free of charge.
Didn't know about the double dip. Thanks for the head's up! I fly UA too and will look into it. UA reimburses for global entry?

UA started reimbursing for Global Entry this year.. it is only for Platinum (75K miles a year) and 1K members. So my first Amex was opened 2011/09. Does that mean my Amex Platinum will report its opening date as 2011/04 and actually gain another 5 months, not 2011/09?

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

espnjunkie — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:17:06 GMT

I got the green card in early february. If I want to consider applying for the platinum card I should not upgrade my current account, but rather just apply for the platinum to get the signup bonuses? I am not planning on doing this anytime soon, but good to know for future reference. Once you have a green card in good standing for about 6+ months I wouldn't imagine there would be any problem getting approved for platinum right?

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Open123 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:19:01 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Open123 wrote:
Yes, with Amex, it is almost never beneficial to upgrade, unless you really need to save the inquiry.
New offers will always offer a better sign up bonus and terms; and, with backdating, history is only improved if one applies in January. Yes, I forgot about the global entry, which is a nice touch. If you check, sometimes they have global entry interviewers at the Amex travel offices and would conduct the interview for you free of charge.
Didn't know about the double dip. Thanks for the head's up! I fly UA too and will look into it. UA reimburses for global entry?
UA started reimbursing for Global Entry this year.. it is only for Platinum (75K miles a year) and 1K members. So my first Amex was opened 2011/09. Does that mean my Amex Platinum will report its opening date as 2011/04 and actually gain another 5 months, not 2011/09?

Yes, it'll report as 04/2011. If you app'ed in January, it would report 01/2011. You gain a few months of age!

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

espnjunkie — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:47:16 GMT

bump

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:16:36 GMT

Congratulations!!! Sounds like you got a great deal.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Open123 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:45:58 GMT

@espnjunkie wrote:
I got the green card in early february. If I want to consider applying for the platinum card I should not upgrade my current account, but rather just apply for the platinum to get the signup bonuses? I am not planning on doing this anytime soon, but good to know for future reference. Once you have a green card in good standing for about 6+ months I wouldn't imagine there would be any problem getting approved for platinum right?

bump

Unless you receive a targetted offer to upgrade to the Platinum for 50k MR for first charge, then it makes much more sense to apply for a new card for the bonuses.

Also, with the current bonus, it makes the most sense to app during mid year, mainly to allow you to maximize the $200 airline credit per calendar year. This way, if you cancel or downgrade the Platinum next year, you would have been alloted $400 in airline credits, which makes up for the $450 annual fee. If you choose AA or SW, I've seen where they even reimburse for gift card purchases (which you can use in later flights) if under $100. AA will allow you to use up to 8 gift cards to redeem for a flight.

For the 50k bonus, it is by referrals. I recommend that you find someone (a friend in RL preferably) you know to send you the link, since they get a 5k MR referral if you apply and be approved. Currently, it's a tragetted offer only from a referral source. If you don't have anyone in RL you'd like to beneift for the referral, then you can search the net for plenty of links. Just know that you'll be benefitting a stranger with 5k - 10k MR points, which is fine in of itself, but in my opinon, you should beneift a friend you know in RL, and not some random strangers on the net.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

espnjunkie — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:50:33 GMT

Thanks for the info Open. I am happy with the green card for now, but do you think with 6 months of history on the green I would be a pretty safe bet for platinum approval? My credit history is short, about 8 months right now, but they did approve me for the green and I have been paying it right away and using it for all my spending.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Open123 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:54:08 GMT

@espnjunkie wrote:
Thanks for the info Open. I am happy with the green card for now, but do you think with 6 months of history on the green I would be a pretty safe bet for platinum approval? My credit history is short, about 8 months right now, but they did approve me for the green and I have been paying it right away and using it for all my spending.

Yes, I'm sure you'll be approved whenever you're ready. In my estimation, if you qualify for the Green, with very few exceptions you'd qualify for the Platinum.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Creditspa — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:38:15 GMT

What is the conversion for Amex MR point to say AA points. Is it a 1:1 ratio?

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

espnjunkie — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:53:27 GMT

Conversion rates are mostly 1:1 but the best thing to do is make use of offers such as 1.5 British Airways points per 1 MR point. Wait until there is a deal then covert all of your points over.

Re: The AMEX Platinum temptation is great ....

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:50:15 GMT

so the Global Entry thing ......... just do the online stuff at the GOES site, pay with the Platinum and then they credit the fee afterwards?

Or do you do it thru the AMEX site? My gold hasn't been updated yet online (up to 48hrs) so I'm wondering if it matters to start at the amex site.