Ten Years of Platinum - a nice surprise!

[wiz]

I was pleasantly surprised today to learn of some new added benefits for Amex Platinum, in the form of a curious box which arrived by post. In it contained a brochure and application forms to enrol in the new, value added programs. These benefits will apply from May '08 for all Platinum Charge Card members.

I'm sure some of you will be very interested to hear of this information. Namely;

1. Complimentary Platinum Priority Pass membership (this includes free and unrestricted access to Virgin Blue lounges within Australia, regardless of the airline you're travelling with);
2. Automatic Gold Status with Starwood Preferred Guest;
3. Loss Damage Waiver for car rental is now included in the travel insurance terms;
4. You no longer need to pay for ANY travel with the Platinum Charge Card to be covered, as long as you remain a member.

There are a few other nice benefits too. The website seems to be up-to-date with all the latest on the new offerings. Check it out.

In regards to the Priority Pass membership, only one complimentary membership per account is applicable (a value of $USD399). However, each of your supplementary card holders can apply for Gold Status in the SPG program.

 

[alemdohorizonte]

thanks for posting this. i had no idea that they had upgraded the benefits. the starwood gold is very useful.

 

[oz_mark]

Certainly goes a long way to making the $900 annual fee more palatable.

As for the Starwood Gold, what, if anything, is the effect of this sentence: "All bookings must be made through Platinum Travel and paid for on the Platinum Card."

And what is with the guff on Priority Club:

As a Platinum Card member, you’re entitled to Priority Club Rewards membership. As the world’s first hotel loyalty program, it includes over 3,700 hotels in nearly 100 countries. This highly valued membership usually requires that you meet special conditions. Naturally, these conditions are met simply by being a Platinum Card member.

Surely you meet the requirements for the "highly valued" membership whether you had the card or not!

 

[futaris]

This makes the $295/$395 membership seem a bit more worthwhile, especially as overseas members have had access to Priority Pass for a while.

Shame that Priority Pass doesn't cover any lounges in New Zealand...

Re: Starwood Gold, this is pretty easy to come by and isn't really worth much. However, on the plus note, anyone can get it now, as long as a friend/family member wants to add you as an additional card holder.

 

[oz_mark]

This makes the $295/$395 membership seem a bit more worthwhile, especially as overseas members have had access to Priority Pass for a while.

The particular card referred to by the OP is the platinum charge card ($900) not the credit card ($295/$395)

 

[futaris]

Whoops, my mistake. Incidentally, you should be able to use your platinum charge card to access participating American Airlines Admirals Club®, Continental Airlines Presidents Club, Delta Crown Room Club®, and Northwest Airlines WorldClubs® locations in airports around the world.

See this link.

 

[simongr]

Hmm - now this looks more tempting to me. I have the Amex Gold charge card and have been contemplating the switch to the Platinum card. We have a RTW trip in July and I have yet to arrange travel insurance - this would offset the cost to a certain degree...

EDIT

Just a quick question - does the travel insurance cover a couple travelling together? I have scanned the PDS but can't track that down. mrssimongr would be the other person of course and would have her own card...

 

[jasonja3]

Just a quick question - does the travel insurance cover a couple travelling together? I have scanned the PDS but can't track that down. mrssimongr would be the other person of course and would have her own card...

I asked the same thing of AMEX once before, and my wife was covered, not sure because of her supp. card or becuase of the relationship. I guess for others, a question might also be, what about the billy lids?

 

[simongr]

Thanks for that jasonja3. Given the "saving" on travel insurance and the fcat that a certain restaurant is covered by the concierge thing (obviously no guarantee the table will actually be availble) this might be a goer for next month's bill

Thankfully the little people are not an issue at the moment

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Whoops, my mistake. Incidentally, you should be able to use your platinum charge card to access participating American Airlines Admirals Club®, Continental Airlines Presidents Club, Delta Crown Room Club®, and Northwest Airlines WorldClubs® locations in airports around the world.

See this link.

I believe that is something offered to US issued Plat Amex cards.

For Australian issued Plat cards see:
https://www.iplatinum.americanexpre...ervlet/FrontServlet?request_type=PlatinumHome

 

[beardoc]

Does the Platinum Charge Card still come with the additional Platinum Credit Card, which gives you the benefit of the free QANTAS domestic flight every year?

And if we know that you can get an Amex Rewards Maximiser fee waived if you spend more than $8,000 a year on the card, and the Amex Platinum Credit Card annual fee waived for more than $30,000 per year spend, then how much are you going to have to spend to get the annual fee waived on the Platinum Charge Card?

And finally, anyone aware of any Amex tie-ins with professional groups to offer this card like they do with the Platinum Credit Card ($100 off the annual fee)? I might have to ask my professional association if they will be able to get a deal on this card.

 

[simongr]

I have an offer in my bag at the moment for the Platinum Charge card that does come with a free Platinum credit card. I am not sure why I would need both though...

 

[Maca44]

And if we know that you can get an Amex Rewards Maximiser fee waived if you spend more than $8,000 a year on the card, and the Amex Platinum Credit Card annual fee waived for more than $30,000 per year spend, then how much are you going to have to spend to get the annual fee waived on the Platinum Charge Card?

beardoc,
I spend over $60K per year on the Amex Plat credit card and was unaware of the fee being waived for spend over $30K. Can you please post a reference to this as my car is due for renewal next month.

 

[oz_mark]

I have an offer in my bag at the moment for the Platinum Charge card that does come with a free Platinum credit card. I am not sure why I would need both though...

The main reason for getting the credit card would be the annual domestic return trip which doesn't come with the charge card. May be a few other minorreasons lurking but I can't think of them at the moment.

 

[tgh]

I'm currently shopping:
Amex plat contact said he had never seen plat charge card fee reductions..and was unimpressed by my 65k personal travel budget this year.
He did say that he couldn't speak for "that" department .. the one they switch you to when you want to cancel your card.
My take on this is that after 24 years of fuss free trading they might be a little less hard nosed.
They have recently "given" me 1.5 points up to 20k for some period of time that I can't remember... I guess thats a reward for "goodness".

The 25k monthly limit on my free (+ for ascent) Gold card means I am moving .. just where is moot.


As a yearly holiday traveller , it is hard to see the any travel insurance value in either Amex plat.. or for that matter maquaries new card.
ALL three cards exclude pre existing conditions.
How many perfectly healthy humans don't have a pre existing condition.....

If I have to buy travel insurance each time we holiday .. the value of the plat card comes back to intangibles..
We always shell for business class so we get the lounges, and as long as we fly long haul once per annum we stay gold with the kanagaru.

Hard call

 

[simongr]

The main reason for getting the credit card would be the annual domestic return trip which doesn't come with the charge card. May be a few other minorreasons lurking but I can't think of them at the moment.

OK that is a little more useful to know. I am wondering though whether one would get the free flight with the free credit card?

Just comparing the cost of the two options - note I prefer a charge card to a credit card for personal reasons so I am already tipped towards a more expensive option I know (rough numbers):

Gold Charge card

Annual fee $200
Additional card $60
Ascent membership $80

Total - $340


Plat Charge

Annual fee - $900
Less Free supplementary - $60
Less Free AScent - $80
Less Travel Insurance - $250
Less Dom flight - $260 (assume retrun to BNE as I could do with that at Xmas - so I am either burning points or paying cash)

Net fee - $250

Looks like I have pursuaded myself that the Plat Charge is cheaper

 

[AviationNZ]

I'm sure some of you will be very interested to hear of this information. Namely;

1. Complimentary Platinum Priority Pass membership (this includes free and unrestricted access to Virgin Blue lounges within Australia, regardless of the airline you're travelling with);
2. Automatic Gold Status with Starwood Preferred Guest;
3. Loss Damage Waiver for car rental is now included in the travel insurance terms;
4. You no longer need to pay for ANY travel with the Platinum Charge Card to be covered, as long as you remain a member.

Does anyone know if these benefits apply to AMEX Platinum Business Cards or just the personal ones? I couldn't find anything on the AMEX Small Business page.

 

[NM]

Looks like I have pursuaded myself that the Plat Charge is cheaper

In a manner only an accountant could do .

 

[oz_mark]

Should we challenge the calculations? Hmm, nah :mrgreen:

 

[beardoc]

beardoc,
I spend over $60K per year on the Amex Plat credit card and was unaware of the fee being waived for spend over $30K. Can you please post a reference to this as my car is due for renewal next month.

Check out this post:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...get-waiver-annual-fee-10608-7.html#post169229

I would suggest reading the whole thread - it contains lots of good information on how to get fee waivers.