As it’s considered a premium travel card and it’s rewards are structured towards airfare/hotels. It’s not a good everyday card.
The Uber credits can be used towards Uber eats. And with the addition of the Saks Credit. The net annual fee is only $50
But if you don’t travel. This isn’t the card for you. If you want an Amex MR points card. Look at the Everyday/preferred version or PRG. Both are structured more towards everyday spending then the Platinum.
The platinum really shines with its extensive lounge access. $50 net annual fee for the most extensive lounge access offered by any CC is a steal.
The Uber credits can be used towards Uber eats. And with the addition of the Saks Credit. The net annual fee is only $50
But if you don’t travel. This isn’t the card for you. If you want an Amex MR points card. Look at the Everyday/preferred version or PRG. Both are structured more towards everyday spending then the Platinum.
The platinum really shines with its extensive lounge access. $50 net annual fee for the most extensive lounge access offered by any CC is a steal.
If you really do no travel at all, it would likely be pretty pointless. If she were to cold app for it, she'd want to get in on one of the 100k offers - even getting an average redemption, I'll use the example that that's about enough to get both you and DW round-trip to Europe on Delta during a sale.
I rarely use Uber (5 times to be exact), so I don't really calculate that in for me. It has saved me probably $60, though. The 5x back on airfare has been a pretty nice boost for me and my family, as has the $200 airline credit. Keep in mind that for hotels, you only get 5x back if you book through Amex. Airfare is through Amex or directly from the airlines.
The big thing for me initially was SPG Gold status matching to Marriott Gold. With the merger, I no longer consider that, since new Gold will essentially be old Silver and I've already earned new Gold by nights stayed this year and from spend on the SPG card. You also get Hilton Gold as well as status with Hertz, Avis, and National (and by extension Enterprise).
If you use the Global Entry credit, you can deduct another $100 off of the AF. If you even think you might leave the country once in the next 5 years, that's worth getting for the time saved coming home. Amex Offers can be huge, too. Generally, the best reasons to have Amex charge cards are for their unmatched buyer protections, spending power, and the fact that they don't calculate into your revolving utilization on modern credit scoring models. But if you never travel, Platinum is likely a waste unless you're just churning it for the SUB.
@Anonymous wrote:Someone mentioned Marriott Gold and even that is pretty worthless. The hotels you will want to go to on vacation don't even honor any of that stuff and it is going away anyway.
<sarcasm>Yeah, in 2017 and 2018 I only got about $4k-5k in value from having Marriott Gold. Totally worthless.</sarcasm> While it hasn't done much at Ritz-Carlton or at resort properties, for most other stays it can add up pretty quickly which is why I'm determined to hold onto my status by hitting Marriott Platinum. If you're using it for something like a resort once a year or only stay in low-tier hotels where everyone gets free breakfast anyway and there really aren't any upgraded rooms, yes it might not be worth much, but if like my family you stay quite regularly in Marriott properties anyway getting executive lounge access, free breakfast, upgrades, and elite multipliers on rewards earned adds up fast. Plus the ability to transfer unlimited points via SPG between household members has saved us thousands by being able to buy Starpoints and move them to a single Marriott account.
@frogman1
Everyone’s valuation of perks is different.
I fly enough that I would easily use the $200 airline credit on baggage fees. So I value that at a dollar to dollar value.
While I agree Uber eats has high delivery fees in most places. They range only 2.99-4.99 for me for almost every restaurant I’ve used them for. But I plan to use the Uber credits on actual uber’s Atleast half the year. So say $5 x 6 =$30 in lost money for the delivery fee. I normally get pizza or other food delivered several times a year or my girlfriend can use it while I’m overseas so I normally pay that anyway. So I value that at at almost a dollar to dollar value as well.
My girlfriend buys her makeup at Saks. So to me that’s a dollar to dollar value as it would have been spent anyway. Not many places around me sell channel makeup so Saks is her go to place.
So say $80 net annual fee after the lost $30 on Uber eats just to use the credit. And let’s say $10 for additional lost money for good measure
So $90 net annual fee for extensive lounge access is worth it to me. Being able to access Amex Centurion in MIA and Delta in FLL are well worth the $90. That’s only 2 lounge visits. I would use those atleast 7-10 a year.
I wasn’t ever interested in the platinum before the addition of the Saks Credit as the $150 after credits wasn’t worth it in my opinion but with the added Saks Credit. It’s now worth it.
Everyone’s valuation of perks is different.
I fly enough that I would easily use the $200 airline credit on baggage fees. So I value that at a dollar to dollar value.
While I agree Uber eats has high delivery fees in most places. They range only 2.99-4.99 for me for almost every restaurant I’ve used them for. But I plan to use the Uber credits on actual uber’s Atleast half the year. So say $5 x 6 =$30 in lost money for the delivery fee. I normally get pizza or other food delivered several times a year or my girlfriend can use it while I’m overseas so I normally pay that anyway. So I value that at at almost a dollar to dollar value as well.
My girlfriend buys her makeup at Saks. So to me that’s a dollar to dollar value as it would have been spent anyway. Not many places around me sell channel makeup so Saks is her go to place.
So say $80 net annual fee after the lost $30 on Uber eats just to use the credit. And let’s say $10 for additional lost money for good measure
So $90 net annual fee for extensive lounge access is worth it to me. Being able to access Amex Centurion in MIA and Delta in FLL are well worth the $90. That’s only 2 lounge visits. I would use those atleast 7-10 a year.
I wasn’t ever interested in the platinum before the addition of the Saks Credit as the $150 after credits wasn’t worth it in my opinion but with the added Saks Credit. It’s now worth it.