What's the best companion card for Amex Platinum Charge card?

[pedant]

Hi, I've just got a Platinum Charge Card.

If I understand it correctly, I can also now choose a "Companion Card" at no fee.

What's the best option?

1. A Platinum business card or another Platinum personal, to separate business expenses?
2. A Platinum Edge, with its 3 points at supermarkets?
3. A Platinum Reserve or Platinum Velocity, with their 3 points at restuarants (same as Platinum personal) and free domestic return flight?
4. Something else?

I understand the Platinum Charge Card includes up to four supplementary cards. Does the "Companion Cards" count towards this total or is that separate? Can you get multiple Companion Cards for supplementary cardholders too i.e. can both my wife and I get different companion cards.

 

[Isochronous]

Platinum Edge, I reckon. But you will still need a Visa/MC which is why I would recommend the Prestige.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Hi, I've just got a Platinum Charge Card.

If I understand it correctly, I can also now choose a "Companion Card" at no fee.

What's the best option?

1. A Platinum business card or another Platinum personal, to separate business expenses?
2. A Platinum Edge, with its 3 points at supermarkets?
3. A Platinum Reserve or Platinum Velocity, with their 3 points at restuarants (same as Platinum personal) and free domestic return flight?
4. Something else?

The AMEX Reserve Platinum used to be advertised as a companion card (at no cost) for the Platinum Charge. The real benefit is the free Virgin Australia return flight - or free hotel night - that comes with the Reserve every year. This is no longer an advertised benefit however if you call AMEX and ask for it apparently you can still get the Reserve as companion card for free. If you already have one then it's ongoing, no need to call them up.

Some people reported successfully talking AMEX into getting an Edge instead of a Reserve - mainly for the supermarket bonus points I guess - but more recently AMEX has refused to grant Edge instead of Reserve.

I understand the Platinum Charge Card includes up to four supplementary cards. Does the "Companion Cards" count towards this total or is that separate? Can you get multiple Companion Cards for supplementary cardholders too i.e. can both my wife and I get different companion cards.

They are separate. I have 4 supplementary cardholders for my Platinum Charge and 4 supplementary cardholders for my Reserve. I actually have an additional Platinum Charge (so 6 cards in total) under my own name to separate personal and business expenses.

 

[coolkid101]

i don't think you can ask for or get edge any more. quite a few people here who recently applied and got their plat cards (myself included) have tried this unsuccessfully.

the reserve is granted as a definite and is the only card they'll give. when you get your plat card just call them up and paperwork got arranged within minutes of calling in.

i spoke to 3 different people at Amex including a supervisor trying to argue that the edge is actually cheaper in terms of the fee but no luck.. they have been told to issue the reserve as it has the same points earn structure as the plat card.

you can get extra supp cards but they'll only give you earning opportunities not an "extra" free flight on a supp reserve.

you do however get a supp priority pass (i.e. 2 passes) for the charge card

 

[phamid]

+1 for the Platinum Reserve. I wasn't able to put my Edge under my Platinum Charge. I still had my old Green Charge and they offered me this scenario:

Platinum Charge with Platinum Reserve Companion
&
Green Charge with Platinum Edge Companion (I still pay $80p.a for Green, but the companion's value is awesome)

 

[blueythecat]

Does anyone know if the apply for the companion card causes a separate hit on ones credit file?

Ie if I apply for the platinum charge under the current 120k pts offer and then ask for a companion card is this two credit file hits or just one?

 

[phamid]

Does anyone know if the apply for the companion card causes a separate hit on ones credit file?

Ie if I apply for the platinum charge under the current 120k pts offer and then ask for a companion card is this two credit file hits or just one?

It was two when I got my Platinum Charge and Platinum Reserve Companion.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Does anyone know if the apply for the companion card causes a separate hit on ones credit file?

Ie if I apply for the platinum charge under the current 120k pts offer and then ask for a companion card is this two credit file hits or just one?

Brand new application required so most likely that's another hit on your credit file...

 

[blueythecat]

Thanks phamid and M@rcoPolo for your quick replies, I'll keep that in mind.

 

[DC3]

It was two when I got my Platinum Charge and Platinum Reserve Companion.

And when I applied for both of those, plus the Platinum Edge, there were three hits.