@Anonymous wrote:Pros of CSR compared to AMEX Gold: 1) CSR has the $300 travel credit without any restriction 2) Primary rental coverage 3) Priority pass ( this is huge since I've been to 10+ lounges in the last 6 months as my wife and I took two months to travel internationally and this perk has saved us hundreds in food and the ability to shower is nice) 4) CSR and Gold both have purchase protection and roadside assistance 5) I usually travel to Europe where AMEX isn't as prevalent as MC/Visa 6)I believe you only earn MR on domestic purchases, so no reason to spend international 7) If I'm paying two fees $525 and $250, why not just cut the $250 out and focus on UR spend. My goal is to pool my points into one issuer. The end goal is to downgrade my CSR to a CFU and re-apply for CSR, that way I have a 1.5x card plus a travel card that my wife and I can pool all spend with. In my first year with Gold, I have already recouped the fee and still have an outstanding $100 airline credit that I need to use asap. The card made sense when I could cash out for AA/Delta GC's, but now I just don't see a reason to pay $250/year and split my points into UR and MR.
In the end, I love AMEX more than Chase, they are extremely focused on customer service and their website is best in class. I'm sure if Chase ever does something to piss me off I'll just switch over to the Amex Plat. solely for customer service and eat part of the fee.
Different strokes for different folks. I hate their website, because there's no overview page listing accounts and balances. I waste more time on Amex website than any other.
@Anonymous wrote:
Last year and this year I purchased gift cards to get the total below $100 and that has triggered the credit for me, but as others have said the gift card was never allowed it was just a known loophole. I don’t want to sound rude and not implying you are this in any way, if someone can’t use the credit for what they intend it for or if buying gift cards to get the flight below $100 to trigger the credit seems too risky, this card was probably never meant for that person in the first place.
I would love it to be a general $100 like CSR, but it’s not and it still works for me.
It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Since I have elite status with Delta and only fly with them and their partners, there really is no case where I can actually organically use the airline credits on Gold or Platinum. I'm exempt from literally every charge that it covers, unless for some reason was flying in Main Cabin and used it to purchase drinks and snacks. But the other credits, perks, elevated earnings on some categories, and most importantly Amex Offers, more than offset the annual fees. But certainly if someone is counting on the airline credit to get to break-even on these charge cards, it may not be a good fit.
@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Last year and this year I purchased gift cards to get the total below $100 and that has triggered the credit for me, but as others have said the gift card was never allowed it was just a known loophole. I don’t want to sound rude and not implying you are this in any way, if someone can’t use the credit for what they intend it for or if buying gift cards to get the flight below $100 to trigger the credit seems too risky, this card was probably never meant for that person in the first place.
I would love it to be a general $100 like CSR, but it’s not and it still works for me.It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Since I have elite status with Delta and only fly with them and their partners, there really is no case where I can actually organically use the airline credits on Gold or Platinum. I'm exempt from literally every charge that it covers, unless for some reason was flying in Main Cabin and used it to purchase drinks and snacks. But the other credits, perks, elevated earnings on some categories, and most importantly Amex Offers, more than offset the annual fees. But certainly if someone is counting on the airline credit to get to break-even on these charge cards, it may not be a good fit.
The one situation I am expecting to use the Platinum airline credit is perhaps travelling with DGF. The changes in 2020 to Delta AMEX cards may lead me to cancel the Reserve, or at least downgrade it. In that situation, on the few trips we take with Delta, using the AMEX Platinum to get a guest in the Delta SkyClub would be a use of the airline credit, on that card at least. Yeah, it's not as ideal as with a discounted Delta Reserve or Delta Platinum card holder, but then I'm potentially not paying those Delta AMEX card fees, where there is a lot of overlap to AMEX Platinum. The Platinume $200 Airline credit is "sunk cost" and so getting it back through "paying" for the guest access is net zero, at the end of the day.
With the Gold, I may set that up with a different airline, for the few times I may take Alaska, or even United.
Just because the gift card trick doesn't work, doesn't mean the AMEX Airline Fee credit is a total waste. For an infrequent traveller who can plan the airline, it covers bag fees at the least, so seems to me that is worthwhile.
