dinanm3atl

Was there before? Or is someone else offering 'better' value for spend. Previously you paid for what you got. Used it, some, for exclusivity. If you aren't using their major benefits the value for spend doesn't exist(but it didn't before really either).

jediwho

EDP is absolutely fantastic and so are Business Gold and Premier Gold. Their combo of Personal and Business Platinum to get 5x on airline and 2 cent redemption is also fantastic.

Amex needs to definitely simplify their benefit a bit but also do some education and throw some junkets for bloggers, etc. They also need to make Platinum more attractive to spend and not just hold. 5x on air is fantastic, but they also need to make dinning more attractive.

dinanm3atl

I think two major things that would make it instantly the best card...

2-3x on Dining. Anything. Taco Bell to 5*.

Along lines of simplify and make better... then the UBER credit should just the first 200 dollars. It works for AMEX and it works for UBER. Most won't actually track it and will just keep using UBER. AMEX the benefit is 'better'.

A 3rd very good and attractive thing would be 3-5x points booking direct through hotels. I'd rather utilize the free Gold status and book direct than use their portal and get 5x and get nothing when I get there. That seems to directly compete with itself in terms of benefits.

travlngeng

I'm a millennial, and I have a love/hate relationship with Amex, specifically the Plat. I've had excellent customer service experiences with Amex (more-so than Chase or Citi). The new metal Platinum card is pretty awesome. I don't have an issue using the airline credit or new Uber credit (thanks, Uber Eats).

But it's not accepted where I travel most (Europe). I don't like the $550 fee...while I can make up a lot of it, it's still $550 I'll have to pay out of pocket at once. I don't like the 5x hotel points is only on their travel site.

So I'll have to really look at keeping the Plat this year with that fee, but I hope they make it worth my while to keep it because I've enjoyed my Amex cards. I think Amex can survive...they do really have some great cards (PRG and ED/EDP, then for CB the BC/BCP), but they need to simplify their Platinum card. It's a little more complicated to use and benefit from than its competitors, with the added issue that it's not accepted everywhere.

travlngeng

I doubt they go to 2-3x on dining. Even now, with 5x on airfare, they're cannbalizing their PRG. I mean, they may based on what Chase has done, but I wonder how the CSP ownership numbers will be now with the CSR. If they made the hotel earning not tied to their travel site, then I think that would make it a much more attractive travel card. Totally agree on making their credits easier to use.

Dieuwer

False.
There is nothing "fantastic" about being forced to "frequent the company store".

Explorer789

Don't count on it. They are already offering 30k MR retention offers, sometimes more if you can make the case for it based on your yearly spending. Combine that with the 2x$200 travel and uber credit as well as lounge access, it more than pays for itself.

paperwastage

self insure?

how frequent you have travel delay issues, compared to 5x (AMEX) vs 3x (CSR/prestige) points?

(CSR trip delay is 6 hours, citi prestige is 3 hours)

dinanm3atl

Since the fee 'upgrade' and then dropping UBER and such with the "NEW" Platinum it would seem if they were doing that it would have happened at the re-launch of the card.

OR... they have a planned roll out of this type of additions/upgrades so they only release what it seems like they need to. IE a tiered release until they see the numbers they want(or take a chunk out of CSR). So many dining and hotels is next. AirBNB partner/credit(Would love to see this and if millennial is their game this would be bigger than UBER I think).

I do find it odd that the RPG gets 2(or is it 3x) on US Eateries, Gas and Supermarkets. That would be a huge addition as said and likely bump the card up substantially.

Easier to use credits is big.

dinanm3atl

For a fresh sign-up?

From the wiki/thread it sure does seem like they are pretty lenient.

Explorer789

I don't know if it was a fresh signup or not, but I don't think it matters. As long as you put some decent spend on it (e.g. $10k), you should easily be able to get them to make a decent offer. We should be getting a big wave of DPs around May/June, since that is when the 100k plat leaked last year.

dinanm3atl

The 100K offer might see a bunch of cancels. That is pretty large and might not be full-time card users(IE don't want to re-pay the fee).

blaz

Why would I pay extra for something that I can get for free with most other Visa and Mastercards?

Just look at the Delta meltdown earlier this month. A number of people got stranded and had significant expenses. I even remember someone posting on here that they regret putting their airfare on the Platinum, because they will not be reimbursed for the travel delay.

Also, putting the airfare on CSR gives me 3x UR points, which is more valuable to me than 5x MR, because all my other spend goes on UR cards, too (mainly due to Freedom Unlimited, which earns 1.5 UR and has no annual fee, unlike the AmEx alternative). All that spend gives me a much larger UR pool that I can make better use of.

I barely spend on my MR cards anymore, and my previous MR stash is completely depleted.

Explorer789

It's inevitable that they can't retain everyone. Smart churners will take the points because 30k are worth more than the $300 statement credit.

adambadam

I saw this article after my Dad sent my brother and me a link last week with the subject line that he must be "interesting" after we had him sign up for the CSR last year.

Yeah. 5x on airlines is great. No one here is complaining, but I think AMEX missed it for the reasons you outline. It did nothing to move my card from where it currently sits hidden in the back of my wallet where I have to occasionally fish it out to get access to the Centurion lounges. When I buy a flight, 95% of the time it is either directly on the airline website or my corporate travel portal. Both have my credit card info saved. Had they bumped up the earning rates on items where I need to swipe/dip my card, perhaps it would have moved somewhere else in my wallet. The same is true for the Uber credits. Had they been statement credits and not automatic system credits, folks would be forced to change their payment method.

Bingo. Consumers have never been stupid. Amex used to have unique perks for savvy travelers. Their purchase protections used to be cutting edge, now they are ho hum. Their primary car rental insurance up-charge use to be a nice piece of mind, now it is still an upcharge yet comes free with the CSR. Their customer service is "renown" yet you have to jump through phone menu after phone menu to talk to someone. MR used to be the best transfer program out there, with regular bonuses. Now their partners have devalued and the bonuses have dried up. With all that said, in a world where 2% cash back cards with no annual fees are a baseline, AMEX got caught flatfooted not wanting to innovate with the times.