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@ElCamino wrote:
@NJTurnpike wrote:keep in mind the "new amex" account will show up back dated to match your oldest amex account. so the real cost is the HP. unless of course your relationship with amex just started as well.
And a denial is only a SP is it not?
You are correct.
Amex will also reimburse for NEXUS, which expedites transfer between the US and Canada. It's half the price of Global Entry. There are also rumors that a NEXUS application gets you Global Entry.
Hmmmm.....That is good food for thought. I forgot about the backdating. I got the PRG in July of last year, so I think I have to have it 13 months before being eligible for a bonus on another charge card. The Plat bonus is huge though - probably worth waiting for.
thanks for sharing this!
It's also a very nice card if one travels to Vegas a lot. My friend gets free room upgrades and hotel credits with that card. Just 2-3 trips to Vegas in a year and the AF is pretty much recouped.
@ElCamino wrote:I don't happen to have the Platinum card myself, but I have discovered one of the awesome benefits that the card has and would like to share it with others.
Amex Platinum cardholders are eligible to have the cost of the US Customs & Border Patrol's Global Entry Program covered for them for free (a $100 value).
I work at a large airport, so I have a little bit of knowledge about why this is so great. The Global Entry Program was established in order to gain background information of people that travel internationally frequently in order to expedite processing. In these days of government cutbacks, the lines for Customs have gotten out of hand, and can be anywhere from 2.5-3 hours long. The travelers I speak to that use Global Entry say that being a member of the program cuts their wait down to an average of 10 minutes.
Where it gets really interesting is that this program can benefit you even if you don't travel internationally very often. The Transportation Security Administration has a new trusted traveler program known as "Pre-Check", and Global Entry membership can qualify you for the program. Now Pre-Check is only available at the moment to people travelling domestically, so the Global Entry card can kill two birds with one stone. In Pre-Check, the passengers have some modified rules when compared to going through a regular security line, and the lines are generally shorter. You just need to make sure you take your Global Entry Member # and put it into all of your airline profiles, so that when you order your tickets the airline can provide the TSA with the information.
I often hear people on here talking about the benefits of lounge access and such for having a Platinum card, but what good is lounge access if you're stuck in a security line?
Cheers!
That is awesome, I can't stand waiting in line at airports!!
But the $450 AF is just too much for me
The AF is pretty steep and the rewards are better on the PRG. Unless you travel a ton and consider lounge access a must (non-United that is), I can't justify the upgrade. The Delta Plat is more worth it as well as the Chase Miles Club over the AMEX Plat.
@somnipotent wrote:The AF is pretty steep and the rewards are better on the PRG. Unless you travel a ton and consider lounge access a must (non-United that is), I can't justify the upgrade. The Delta Plat is more worth it as well as the Chase Miles Club over the AMEX Plat.
Or in some cases you don't travel a ton (by most people's definition) but want lounge access on-demand and are willing to pay for that.
With regards to global entry, it makes sense even if you travel internationally once or twice a year. $20 per year is a pittance to save yourself from immigration line hell. Having Global Entry also confers reciprocal benefits in some other countries (like in Australia you can access their SmartGate system, etc.)
@ElCamino wrote:I don't happen to have the Platinum card myself, but I have discovered one of the awesome benefits that the card has and would like to share it with others.
Amex Platinum cardholders are eligible to have the cost of the US Customs & Border Patrol's Global Entry Program covered for them for free (a $100 value).
I work at a large airport, so I have a little bit of knowledge about why this is so great. The Global Entry Program was established in order to gain background information of people that travel internationally frequently in order to expedite processing. In these days of government cutbacks, the lines for Customs have gotten out of hand, and can be anywhere from 2.5-3 hours long. The travelers I speak to that use Global Entry say that being a member of the program cuts their wait down to an average of 10 minutes.
Where it gets really interesting is that this program can benefit you even if you don't travel internationally very often. The Transportation Security Administration has a new trusted traveler program known as "Pre-Check", and Global Entry membership can qualify you for the program. Now Pre-Check is only available at the moment to people travelling domestically, so the Global Entry card can kill two birds with one stone. In Pre-Check, the passengers have some modified rules when compared to going through a regular security line, and the lines are generally shorter. You just need to make sure you take your Global Entry Member # and put it into all of your airline profiles, so that when you order your tickets the airline can provide the TSA with the information.
I often hear people on here talking about the benefits of lounge access and such for having a Platinum card, but what good is lounge access if you're stuck in a security line?
Cheers!
Thanks for posting this information!