I got an email alert from Amex that there were important messages on my Platinum statement and just opened the PDF. I'll summarize:
- Pay Over Time program names have changed to Pay Over Time Direct, Pay Over Time Travel, and Pay Over Time Select.
- Credit reports section of cardmember agreement amended to: And you agree that we will use such information for any purposes (for example, marketing to you or evaluating you for a new account), subject to applicable law.
- Contact section of cardmember agreement amended to: If we need to contact you to service your account or to collect amounts you owe, you authorize us (and our affiliates, agents and contractors, such as debt collection agencies and service providers) to contact you at any phone number or email address you provide, from which you contact us, or at which we believe we can reach you. We may contact you in any way, such as calling, texting, emailing, sending mobile application push notifications or using any other method of communication permitted by law. We may contact you using an automated dialer or prerecorded messages. We may contact you on a mobile, wireless or similar device, even if you are charged for it. We may monitor and record any calls between you and us.
- The Gold Card from American Express will now be known as the American Express Classic Gold Card.
- Starpoints change confirmed that it will be 1:1 after August 1st to the new Starriott-Carlton program: On August 1, 2018, Starpoint balances in loyalty member accounts will convert to points at a 1:3 ratio (one Starpoint will convert to three points). For example, 1,000 Starpoints will become 3,000 points. In general, the number of points needed to redeem in the loyalty program will have corresponding changes. To align with this, we are making changes to the Membership Rewards Program Terms & Conditions that impact Card Members who are enrolled in the Membership Rewards program and are eligible for a Membership Rewards point transfer. Membership Rewards points can now be transferred at a 1:1 ratio into the Starwood Preferred Guest® program and can be transferred in increments of 1,000 points.
- Changes to using Membership Rewards or MRs + card for Amazon purchases: For example, if you make a $500 purchase and elect to cover $300 of that purchase with points, American Express will: • Charge your Card account $300, • Apply a $300 credit to your Card account, and • After your purchase ships, charge your Card account $200.
- While many other lenders have been slashing purchase protections, Amex is upping it: If the original manufacturer's warranty is less than two (2) years*, We will match the length of that warranty. • If the original manufacturer's warranty is between two (2) and five (5) years, We will increase coverage to provide two (2) additional years of warranty. The benefit is limited to the actual amount charged to Your Card for the item, up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Purchase Protection is provided to You as a benefit of Card Membership at no additional charge when a purchase is made with Your eligible Card. For claims submitted to Us on and after August 1, 2018, the coverage duration on eligible purchases will be increased from 90 days to 120 days.
It means on or after August 1st, you can transfer Membership Rewards 1:1 to the new Starriott-Carlton points. Trust me, I flew straight to the transfer page to see if it was 1:1 already! 
(It's still 1000:333 until then.)
@K-in-Boston wrote:It means on or after August 1st, you can transfer Membership Rewards 1:1 to the new Starriott-Carlton points. Trust me, I flew straight to the transfer page to see if it was 1:1 already!
Shame. 
@wasCB14 wrote:
So really the main news here is about warranties and purchase protection?
That depends on who's reading it. For a lot of us the big news is the confirmation that MRs will transfer to Starriott-Carlton 1:1. For those who wear foil hats, there's the more flexible use of your contact information and credit reports. And for those of us that are nostalgic, there's the change to the American Express Classic Gold Card. Hmmmph! I carried that "classic" as my daily driver for 14 years.
@K-in-Boston wrote:It means on or after August 1st, you can transfer Membership Rewards 1:1 to the new Starriott-Carlton points. Trust me, I flew straight to the transfer page to see if it was 1:1 already!
@K-in-BostonYou know you're my go-to for all things Marriott. Correct me if I'm misunderstanding...but isn't this already the current situation (or very close). 1000MR = 333 Starpoints - transfer to Marriott 1:3 = 999 Marriott Reward points and the upcoming change will be 1:1 meaning 1000MR = 1000 Marriott Reward points thus gaining 1pt more than the current transfer situation?
Yes, but it's about quantity. Before, if you moved over 100,000,000 MRs you'd only get 33,300,000 Starpoints which would convert to 99,900,000 Marriott Points. Now you'd get the extra 100,000 points which is enough for 20 nights at Category 1 with a Points Saver award!*
* Seriously, though, it hadn't yet been announced for sure that MRs would transfer directly 1:1 so it was a bit of a relief to see it in print.
@K-in-BostonYou know I don't think that deep...LOL! 
But yes...I get it and that is a heck of a gain. Now only if I had a magic wand or if Amex would offer me a one time multiplier of my current MR situation. Hahaha...one can wish right?
