@Anonymous wrote:
Like UpperNWGuy mentioned, it’s best you check out what airports you’ll be flying to most often. The chase CSR does give you priority pass with unlimited guests, but priority pass for me has been more miss than hit. Amex does offer you priority pass but limited guest, but if it’s only yourself and your wife then it’s no problem. The centurion lounges are awesome (wife and I are currently in one now 😁 ) and since it’s a bit more limited than the priority pass, there’s usually less people. Star alliance lounges are also available but usually through airline branded cards or memberships. If the AF works out to your typical spend (Uber+airline credits) in a sense that you’re already spending money on the perks to begin with, then my 2 cents is on the Amex Plat só you can get the SUB. CSR though I heard is easier to retain the $300 travel credit.
Depending on OP's credit status, it may be worth waiting for the 100K SUB.
But back to the OP's question, I think it's up to you. You have to decide how often you will travel and how often you'll actually end up in airports with PP access, whether it's for the lounge or the restaurant credits. Layovers that are more than an hour, and potentially departing and arriving early (while waiting for a ride to leave, etc) are typically when you'll be able to take advantage of a lounge. Also, if you travel internationally more often than domestically, I think the lounges tend to have more value outside the country, but the recent surge of restaurants in domestic airports have been nice as well.
For the Hilton Ascend, specifically, the only real way to recoup the $95 AF is through lounge access and maybe breakfasts at a Hilton.
[2/2019]
I will get to either get to experience or not my first PP lounge visit in May i will be flying into DFW on AA we have a one hour and 25 minute layover. I looked at the DFW airport map and the PP lounge should be close by my departing gate. I will see how it goes.
@Anonymous wrote:
@jdbkiang yeah I wish I had that offer as well when I signed up but I heard the 100k bonus comes and goes and highly targeted. I know when I apped for mine I was targeted for 60k but during the application process it suddenly changed to 75K which surprised me so I ofcourse took the bullet. And also I definitely agree with you for the the Plat being a bit more valuable for international travel because of the longer possible layovers and less crowded lounges outside of the US. I used to hate connecting flights, now I don’t mind them anymore.
OP, are you able to utilize the Uber credits easily without spending more than you already do? There’s also a complimentary Boingo WiFi accesss included in the perks, and I’ve been able to use it on airports that I’ve flown to outside the US, so it’s useful if your phone carrier doesn’t have free international data plan and you happen come across it.
It is true that the 100K offer comes and goes, but it's something I have and will continue to hold out for, just because Amex is a "lifetime" bonus company and I already have the CSR to cover a lot of the benefits of the Plat.