Amex platinum Charge annual fee increase

[quokka77]

Cancelled plat charge overnight. Had a good run with this card but it was time. $1200 fee to be fully refunded, 3 months since renewal date. Considering I got the Accor membership and the $200 travel credit, that's a win.

 

[sampson]

Amex touts itself in litigation and to merchants as the card used by big spenders so the loss of patronage can't be good, but globally they're raking in the cash anyway.

 

[matahari]

I'm guessing you made the cancellation by phone quokka77? I plan to cancel this month & I'm tossing up whether I need to put it in writing. 34 years continuous membership, & upgraded to Platinum when it was rolled out in Australia, but I'm tired of being repeatedly told: "sorry, we don't accept AmEx." That's not what you pay $1200 a year to hear!

 

[quokka77]

Cancellation was made by phone. Agent was professional and courteous. Account now showing as closed via website. Still waiting for refund but agent did say it would take a couple of days.

 

[sampson]

A pop up ad said to get a plat and receive 80,000 points. Meanwhile back at AFF, the plat card is as popular as a pollywaffle in the pool. Obviously Amex should invent a better pollywaffle.

 

[quokka77]

$1200 credited back to my account within a couple of days, without any prompting or reminding. Very good work Amex, thanks for the memories (and the long haul J award tickets).

Re: 80000 bonus point offer for new sign-ups: I've got to say it's a very good offer. No, it's not as good as it was when it cost $900 (when I signed up), but still, it is a big bucket of points at 1.5c per point. Then you get the $200 travel credit: ok so by the time you factor in Amex Travel's slightly inflated prices it's more like a $150 to $180 travel credit, but still. Also add in the Accor membership and the Plat Reserve (if they give you the Plat Reserve without a fight), both worth a couple of hundred bucks if used correctly, and you start to get an excellent package in the first year.

Renewing is not such a sweet deal, and probably not worth it unless you are wining and dining A LOT (ie corporate functions) or are too rich and lazy to switch cards. Maybe also if you are renting a lot of cars, and using it for the good car insurance cover.

 

[k3nnis]

I'm going to cancel my reserve and plat charge next month which is my renewal. Can we actually book the flight with the reserve say for November travel and will it still hold up even though I cancel both my cards??

 

[quokka77]

I think your free flight booking stands as long as you book it before cancelling the card, but it would be wise to know the answer first (I didn't ever take out the Reserve card -- didn't want to apply for too many cards at once).

I don't know if making your free flight booking in the first days / weeks of the new period then cancelling would affect your chances of getting the renewal fee back or not. But please do tell us if/when you find out!

 

[k3nnis]

Hmm not sure if it's worth the risk or not....

 

[tinkybelle]

now that the charge card includes insurance again for spouse I thought I might stick with it
but we buy our flights out of anywhere but Australia as the deals are overseas.
I called the Insurance co to check that I was insured and apparently not!!
you have to leave and return to the home country to be covered
so any of you who buy fab fares out of europe asia and middle east. check your coverage.
we had to buy separate insurance so took out a yearly policy.

 

[Wozz]

Actually if you read the fine print regarding the Plat charge card travel insurance, spouse + family is not completely covered...

(I cant post link as I need 10 posts or more but take a look at fine print 9 on Amex website and click on the ACE travel insurance pdf)

If they do actually include full insurance cover for spouse/children then it would helped justified the $1200..

 

[k3nnis]

I just cancelled my plat charge and reserve. Keeping the plat edge.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I called the Insurance co to check that I was insured and apparently not!!
you have to leave and return to the home country to be covered
.

That has always been the case.

With other bank CC that cover activation is different for each. Several have the t&c of the ilk that you need to hold a return passage back to Australia.

 

[equus]

Actually if you read the fine print regarding the Plat charge card travel insurance, spouse + family is not completely covered...

(I cant post link as I need 10 posts or more but take a look at fine print 9 on Amex website and click on the ACE travel insurance pdf)

If they do actually include full insurance cover for spouse/children then it would helped justified the $1200..

Spouse and dependent children up to 24 are covered just as much as the primary card member for travel insurance. The policy is strangely worded - read the definition of "primary card member" for the policy, as it is different to that applicable to the card - as far as the insurance policy goes, "primary card member" refers to the actual primary account holder, and spouse and dependent children regardless if whether or not they have any card at all. Of course, the conditions of some of the cover (like delay) makes it hard for them to access by making the charges to the Amex unless they have at least a supplementary card, of ate traveling with a card member who makes the charges - nevertheless they are covered.

 

[equus]

now that the charge card includes insurance again for spouse I thought I might stick with it
but we buy our flights out of anywhere but Australia as the deals are overseas.
I called the Insurance co to check that I was insured and apparently not!!
you have to leave and return to the home country to be covered
so any of you who buy fab fares out of europe asia and middle east. check your coverage.
we had to buy separate insurance so took out a yearly policy.

Cover for spouse and dependent children has always been present - just strangely worded.

Check the definition of trip carefully. To be covered, the trip leaves from a d returns to your residence in Australia (for international trips). This has nothing to do with where you purchase your one way, multi city, return or fab fares out of Asia. The trip starts when you leave home and ends when you return home.

If you have nested fares, then the ticket may span trips, and you may have a gap in coverage for cancellation if there is no "return" leg booked as yet, but that won't change the fact that you are covered for "trips" as defined.

The insurance co is correct - your trip must leave and return to your home country, but there is no requirement that it be a single ticket. I think your communication with them has been at cross purposes, and if the Amex insurance is otherwise suitable for you, then you may not have needed additional insurance.

This is not advice, and if just my personal opinion. If you have only just purchased additional insurance and believe you may not really need it, look at details of cooling off periods. Typically you would have around 14 days where you can cancel for a full refund.

 

[tinkybelle]

Almost time for my annual renewal
just wondering of anyone has got a break on the $1200 or a bonus( offered 50K last year!!)

 

[tinkybelle]

I particularly told the agent that I buy return trips x eurpoe and always have a ticket back to Australia from anywhere before I travel out of australia
she stated I was not covered -as the flight had to be x australia to somewhere and back not the other way around.
I wasnt prepared to take the chance.

 

[lovestotravel]

Almost time for my annual renewal
just wondering of anyone has got a break on the $1200 or a bonus( offered 50K last year!!)

Curious to hear about this as well for a mate of mine who is due to pay the $1200 shortly

Any discounts/deals/points on offer ?

 

[Cynicor]

I reckon you could get them to the level that various associations pay- 900 or 950 or something close to that.

No proof, but others pay that amount so worth a shot.

 

[kieranchu]

Hi - has anyone had their accor advantage plus membership come up for renewal? Mine expires at the end of October and was wondering how I get it renewed for the next year given that I had just paid the full $1200 fee!