jammanxc

It's finally here! More AMEX Plat benefits for US Holders... Introducing,

American Express Platinum Priority Pass

Enrollment begins!

https://rewards.americanexpress.com/...umprioritypass

Note: Additional Platinum Card members may not enroll online. You must call to enroll additional cardholders


Official Press Release:

http://www.businesswire.com/news/hom...-International

Official AMEX Site - Transform Travel

http://transformtravel.americanexpress.com


Priority Pass™ Select

http://www.prioritypass.com/select/select/index.cfm

Welcome to Priority Pass Select.
Membership gives you access to over 600 airport lounges whenever you fly, regardless of airline or class of travel.

* Select Cardholders
Priority Pass Select cardholders receive all of the benefits that Priority Pass membership brings, with the exception that Priority Pass Select cardholders will not be able to use Continental President Clubs and United Red Carpet Clubs lounges after September 30, 2011. For more detail, see our FAQs on Priority Pass Select.

* Peace and quiet
Airports are stressful places. The best way to reduce that stress is to slip into an executive lounge while you wait for your flight. Membership of Priority Pass allows you to do that whenever you travel, regardless of which class or which airline you fly.

* Lounges throughout the world
With an extensive range of business lounges in over 100 countries and more than 300 cities, Priority Pass is the world's largest independent airport lounge program. Use the Find your Lounge box on this page to find Priority Pass lounges in the airports you use.


With more than 600 lounges worldwide to choose from, you are sure to experience a less stressful way to travel.

Priority Pass™ Select FAQ's

http://www.prioritypass.com/select/FAQs.cfm

What is Priority Pass Select?
Priority Pass Select is a worldwide airport lounge program specifically designed for US members who obtain their membership through US financial institutions.

It offers access to over 600 airport lounges throughout the world, which members can access whenever they travel, regardless of the airline they are flying or their class of travel - all that is needed to use a lounge is the Priority Pass Select card.

How do I find what Lounges I can use?
You can search for lounges using the Find your Lounge box on this page (and throughout this site), or you can download a pdf file of the entire list. For those on the move, you can download a complete lounge listing to your iPhone or iPad by going to the ITunes store and searching for Priority Pass. We also have applications for Android and Blackberry coming soon. If you have mobile internet access, you can look up lounges at any airport at www.prioritypass.com/mobile.

Please note that Priority Pass Select cardholders will not have access to Continental Presidents Clubs and United Red Carpet Clubs after September 30, 2011.

Why can’t I access Continental Presidents Clubs and United Red Carpet Clubs?
These lounges will not be accessible to Priority Pass Select cardholders after September 30, 2011. Due to a number of direct commercial relationships between airlines and financial institutions in the USA it has been determined not to allow access to certain lounges to those Priority Pass customers who have received their membership through a US financial institution and this includes all members issued with a Priority Pass Select card.


After you enroll, your membership in Priority Pass Select will provide you entry to over 600 international and domestic lounges in 100 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. Guests may enter with you for a fee of $27 per person. This is one of the many great travel benefits on your Card.

Terms and Conditions apply. See below for details.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

These Terms and Conditions govern [Business] Platinum Card members’ participation in and use of the Priority Pass Select program. Priority Pass is an independent airport lounge access program. By enrolling in Priority Pass Select, you acknowledge and agree that American Express will verify your Card account number and provide updated Card account information to Priority Pass from time to time. Priority Pass will use this information to fulfill on the Priority Pass Select program and may use this information for marketing related to the program. Once enrolled, [Business] Platinum Card members in good standing may access participating Priority Pass Select lounges worldwide on a complimentary basis. Additional Gold Card members are not eligible for complimentary membership. The Priority Pass Select member must present his or her Priority Pass Select card and boarding pass to gain access to participating lounges. In some cases, Priority Pass Select member must be 21 years of age to enter without a parent or guardian. Priority Pass Select members must adhere to all house rules of participating clubs. Amenities may vary among airport lounge locations. Conference rooms may be reserved for a nominal fee. Priority Pass Select lounge partners and locations are subject to change. Member is liable for all accompanying guest visits and will be automatically charged $27 per guest after it has been reported by the participating lounge. All Priority Pass Select members must adhere to the Priority Pass Conditions of Use which will be sent to you with your membership package, and can be viewed at www.prioritypass.com. Upon receipt of your enrollment information, Priority Pass will process your membership and send you your personalized membership card together with your Priority Pass Select lounge listings, which you should receive within 10-14 days.

lancexfang

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (S60; SymbOS; Opera Mobi/498; U; en-US) Presto/2.4.18 Version/10.00)

wonderful. source of info and more details please.

mia

I recommend that you read this thread to understand a forthcoming change to Priority Pass which will exclude access to CO/UA lounges for some classes of membership:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...embership.html

bubb1

I look forward to seeing the details.

mrredskin

the info in there just confirms that CO is gone starting Oct 1 as well, doesn't it? Maybe I'm missing something. I've only had the card a few days and know nothing about PP, so I'm pretty foreign to both... more so to PP!

mia

It's more complicated, that's why I recommend following the other thread.

SYNOPSIS:

Today you and two guests can enter any CO President's Club with a Platinum Card if you are flying on CO. This ends 9.30.2011.

Today you can enter many CO President's Clubs and UA Red Carpet Clubs with a Priority Pass card without regard to the airline you are flying. There may be a $27.00 per person fee, depending on the specifics of your Priority Pass membership. This also ends 9.30.2011 but only if your Priority Pass membership is classified as Priority Pass Select.

No one has a Priority Pass Select membership today. It's a new membership category specifically created to exclude CO/UA lounges. The Priority Pass FAQ states memberships sponsored by USA based financial institutions will be classified at Priority Pass Select, but the card issuers either don't know or explicitly deny this. I have not seen any report from a USA Centurion cardholder.

Until we know if the Platinum Card membership is Priority Pass Select, and until we know if the membership will include free visits, we don't really know if this is a meaningful enhancement.

lancexfang

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (S60; SymbOS; Opera Mobi/498; U; en-US) Presto/2.4.18 Version/10.00)

the thread mia referred to is about SELECT priority pass will not have access to US/CO.

it's a seperate matter that US Plat holders will lose CO access.

related but different

jammanxc

i have a reliable amex insider info, this is all i know so far...... i will update when I get more info. Thanks

mrredskin

i missed the part about UA still being included in priority pass. thanks for the overview. Select looks to be a new Plat "benefit" for us it seems haha

H3A3H3

For a fee? or Ancillary Benefit (on a diminishing list)?

ajnz

Very nice! This is a benefit on the Australian Platinum card that I was going to miss, but if it comes with the US card that would be great.

I've only used it a few times but it came in handy when travelling LCCs in Asia.

mreed911

+1. Proof?

WineAGcom

I've had the Priority Pass for a number of years as a benefit from Centurion AX. It's useful to have on the odd occasion that you're traveling and normal club access channels aren't available. Centurion offers the "free access for one person" variety... ie. only the member gets access to the lounge (don't have to be flying the airline) but they charge something like $27ea for guests. I wouldn't pay that extra fee unless I was traveling with my family and there was a very long layover and I didn't have other club access. There have been times when I would have liked to be able to take my wife/son into the club but didn't think it was worth $54 for a brief visit.

The Priority Pass is limiting... if the version offered by Plat AX doesn't allow the member in for free (ie. has to pay the $27), I'd probably get one just to have it if the need arose, but I don't see much real value in it.

How it works: When you enter the club, they put your card thru an embossing machine (like the old credit card machines) and write down the number of people... and give you a receipt. Any fees would then be billed to your credit card.

Roger

As a UK plat cardholder, I have found PP very useful. The UK offer is for TWO PP prestige level cards, one for the main cardholder, one for the secondary cardholder. Each allows unrestricted access to PP lounges. Guests are charged at £15 each.

FWIW, I checked a PP lounge we have used in the past, the UA RCC at JFK T7. Without logging in, I see the message about Select members. After logging in, there is no such message.

This doesn't prove anything for US cardholders, of course. Nevertheless, I would hope that the US offer will be similar to the UK offer.

Now if UK cardholders could get the US offer of 0% surcharge for international transactions ...

mreed911

Because after logging in the system recognizes you're not a Select member, so there's no need to show the terms that only apply to that level of membership.

This works as expected.