AMEX Platinum: how long for benefits to activate as a new cardholder?

[ChrisFlyer]

Hi all,

Was approved for the AMEX Plat Charge this past week, and just wondering how long the partner benefits like Priority Pass membership and hotel elite statuses (e.g. Hilton Gold) take to activate?

It's my understanding that you have to request these benefits through the AMEX website, and I obviously can't access the AMEX website until the card has arrived and has been activated, so more asking about the delay between making that request and the status being upgraded or PP membership activated.

(Can you get the digital PP card at first to unlock the benefits faster, or do you have to wait for the standard plastic card to arrive when you get the membership via AMEX?)

Have a Hilton stay in a few weeks and would love to have HH Gold before check-in (for the free brekky etc, so that the AMEX card starts 'paying for itself'), and am hoping to use Priority Pass on a trip in January too.

 

[madrooster]

Your Amex card needs to be active before you can do anything, so you will need to wait for the card to turn up in the mail.

The Hilton status takes 4-6 weeks to have applied. The PP membership you can get it digitally initially (takes a few days) and then the card turns up in the mail a few weeks later.

 

[blueythecat]

Your Amex card needs to be active before you can do anything, so you will need to wait for the card to turn up in the mail.

The Hilton status takes 4-6 weeks to have applied. The PP membership you can get it digitally initially (takes a few days) and then the card turns up in the mail a few weeks later.

This was very much my experience too. Hopefully for you the HH is faster than mine was.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Hmm... thanks both! Might have to see if the AMEX Concierge can speed things up. Somebody else has told me they can rush through the Priority Pass memberships if you'll be travelling sooner rather than later so that the card arrives in time, so will see if they can push through the Hilton status any faster too.

(Not too concerned if the other statuses take a while to go across as they won't come in handy in the next couple of months anyway.)

 

[blueythecat]

Hmm... thanks both! Might have to see if the AMEX Concierge can speed things up. Somebody else has told me they can rush through the Priority Pass memberships if you'll be travelling sooner rather than later so that the card arrives in time, so will see if they can push through the Hilton status any faster too.

(Not too concerned if the other statuses take a while to go across as they won't come in handy in the next couple of months anyway.)

Good luck! Let us know how you go.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Update: Called up yesterday, and they've put the Priority Pass applications in - as madrooster correctly noted above, they said it takes a few days at first for PP to come back to them with the membership numbers, so they said to call back soon to get those details and also a one-time code to activate the membership via the PP mobile app, which gets you the digital card - and the plastic card will show up by mail in a few weeks.

Great outcome, assuming all goes smoothly, as the lounges I want to access in the next few weeks all accept the digital PP card (including the domestic eateries in Australia), so not fussed about the delay on the plastic card.

They said they couldn't do anything to speed up the hotel statuses though (and that there wasn't even an option to request those over the phone), so I've requested a couple online and hopefully they'll come through sooner rather than later (c'mon, free Hilton brekky! Haha).

Have to say, the person I spoke to really knew his stuff, and went out of his way to help with a couple of other requests too. I was initially sceptical that the hefty annual fee on this card would be worth it (even though I have it for $950 p.a. via a professional association instead of the full $1200), but if the service is like this all year, I think I'll be keeping it!

One has to wonder how many bottles of glitter they use to make each card though... it's super shiny!

 

[Eh520]

I had a similar experience in which I got them to apply for my priority pass before I even received my Platinum Charge card (yes I was that desperate), and then one business day later got the priority pass digital access. My HH gold came after 1 business day. 3 weeks now still waiting for SPG and Shangri-La status...

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Nicely done Eh520! I got my Priority Pass digital cards set up over the weekend, and used one for the first time yesterday. However, AMEX could only give the PP membership numbers and not the activation codes that are also needed to set up the membership and get the digital card... they suggested I use my four digit CVV from the front of the card, but nope, that wasn't it. Had to call AMEX back again and they ended up just transferring me to Priority Pass who got everything sorted. Happy to see that the cards expire in 2020 though and not in 12 months - wasn't particularly keen for the multiple phone calls each year to keep these things active!

Still waiting on all of the hotel/car hire statuses to come through though.

 

[HTG2016]

I had a similar experience in which I got them to apply for my priority pass before I even received my Platinum Charge card (yes I was that desperate), ...

I am in a similar situation how soon did u call them after you got approved for the card . I got approved today and could use Virgin lounge or PP in an upcoming trip on Friday . How long does it take to setup a PP Digital Card . I already have one with Westpac Black but only inc 2 visit per year .

Thanks

 

[ChrisFlyer]

To update on the timings here:

I requested Shangri-La Jade on December 3, received it on December 21.

Requested SPG Gold on November 29, received it on December 22.

My SPG and Marriott accounts were already linked before my SPG status came through, but it took until December 26 for my Marriott status to tick over to Marriott Gold also.

Requested Hertz Five Star on December 3. Wasn't monitoring this closely but I've logged in to Hertz today and the status is showing.

Requested Club Carlson Gold on December 3, still waiting.

Requested Hilton Gold on November 29, still haven't received it. Logged in to the AMEX site today and noticed it has changed from 'pending' to a big red exclamation mark saying there was a problem. Double-checked my details and submitted everything again today, so I'll see how long that takes... I won't be impressed if they take abother two months to tell me there's a problem when my information is once again correct - particularly as I didn't even receive an email to say there was a problem!

Priority Pass cards working well, however.

 

[HTG2016]

Update to the list for those who need PP urgently like me .

Call up on 25 JAN to request PP Amex put application in . I keep on calling PP but without a membership numbee they cant do anything . To my surprise amex already have the PP member on 26 JAN consider this is a public holidays .

After got the membership number you need to call PP in USA or HK to get your code for digital cards .

 

[blueythecat]

Great updates - thanks. It’s always good to know how long these things are taking, especially if you’re in a rush for them.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Another update: submitted by Hilton Honors request once more, and yet again it came back with a problem even though all the information matched. Decided to give up on making my existing account Gold, so left my membership number off my latest request, to have Hilton 'create' a new Hilton Honors account at Gold, which came through this morning. Have now submitted a request to Hilton to have my new account 'combined' with my old account to keep all my stay history and points, etc, which it said would take about 10 business days. It gave me the option to keep my old HH number but I thought I should keep the new number instead as that's what will be showing in AMEX's system to keep me at Gold, so fingers crossed that all works.

Still waiting on Club Carlson Gold...

 

[HTG2016]

Still waiting on Club Carlson Gold...

Great updates , i already have HH Gold with Macquarie so i dont need them but it take so long .

In term of Status do you know that you can get *A Gold after 3 flights with SQ or SilkAir , there is an article on Ausbt .

 

[ChrisFlyer]

In term of Status do you know that you can get *A Gold after 3 flights with SQ or SilkAir , there is an article on Ausbt .

Yeah, saw that, but with all the lounge options included with the AMEX card I probably wouldn't get much benefit out of that.

Another update on status: Hilton has combined my old and new accounts, so I have everything in the one account now: HH Gold with all my points and stay history attached (and the 'member since' date reflects my original 'member since' date, which doesn't hurt when asking about upgrades, etc).

As predicted, still waiting on Club Carlson Gold!

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Final update: after requesting Club Carlson Gold on December 3, it's finally come through today, February 22... they didn't exactly rush that one through!

I guess as a tip for new cardholders, allow up to three months for all the benefits to activate properly.

 

[HTG2016]

Final update: after requesting Club Carlson Gold on December 3, it's finally come through today, February 22... they didn't exactly rush that one through!

I guess as a tip for new cardholders, allow up to three months for all the benefits to activate properly.

Thanks for the update ChrisFlyer , i found it faster if you dont have an account with them in the first place , Club Carson Gold new account in place 7 days after request it for my partner meaning while i am still waiting it for myself as an existing member

 

[Deleted member]

I’m guessing the Platinum Amex Business Charge card works the same way as the personal card?

 

[twiningb]

Do these things (Priority Pass, hotel status, etc) all automagically keep themselves active for as long as you hold the Amex Plat, or do you have to intervene to renew them annually or whenever?

 

[blueythecat]

Do these things (Priority Pass, hotel status, etc) all automagically keep themselves active for as long as you hold the Amex Plat, or do you have to intervene to renew them annually or whenever?

They seem pretty automagical, I’ve never had to renew the benefits that I’m signed up with, but I don’t use them all.