American Express Membership Rewards - Should i take USA PLatinum card invite....

Hello there! I was thinking about upgrading to USA platinum card after this holiday season, as I received an invite. Some of the main perks I would be using are the concierge service and the restaurant reservations as well as the two for one airfare (which I heard it not worth it most of the time). I have a few questions regrading their efficacy. Can Amex get a table at any restaurant or does it need to belong to opentable in order for them to secure a table. I would be interested in going to some of the hardest NYC restaurants to get into like Rao’s etc. also have your guys had good luck with the concierge for finding specific items that I am having trouble locating. Thanks for your help I will highly value your opinions. BEST REGARDS KEVIN

Hello there! I was thinking about upgrading to USA platinum card after this holiday season, as I received an invite. Some of the main perks I would be using are the concierge service and the restaurant reservations as well as the two for one airfare (which I heard it not worth it most of the time). I have a few questions regrading their efficacy. Can Amex get a table at any restaurant or does it need to belong to opentable in order for them to secure a table. I would be interested in going to some of the hardest NYC restaurants to get into like Rao’s etc. also have your guys had good luck with the concierge for finding specific items that I am having trouble locating. Thanks for your help I will highly value your opinions. BEST REGARDS KEVIN
They will attempt to get you a reservation at any restaurant. My experience has been excellent with the restaurants noted in the hot plates or fine dining programs - so-so with others.

I also got the upgrade tp Plat and requested a urgent rush delivery of the card, they are shipping overnight via UPS to get it to me on time in order for me to take advantage of lounge access.

How many bonus Membership Rewards points were your offered?

How many bonus Membership Rewards points were your offered?
um they did not offer me any MR points, it jsut said "start taking advantage of travel and shopping rewards by upgrading to the platinum card this holiday season"... or something along thoes lines. should i wait untill they offer points or place a call to CS asking if they will give me points for upgrading? thanks again KEVIN

My wife has a Gold Rewards Plus account opened in early 2005. After a few months she received a "pre-approved for Platinum" offer which we ignored. Last week another offer came with 25,000 bonus points. I certainly would not accept an offer which does not include a bonus, but I am also curious whether 25,000 is their best offer.

If you are primarily interested in the concierge service you may wish to consider the Merrill+ Visa which uses the same firm, and charges no annual fee. Of course using the same firm doesn't guarantee they provide the same level of service to all cardholders, but if you were satisfied with the service through Merrill you would not need to pay the American Express Platinum annual fee.

dennis

How many bonus Membership Rewards points were your offered?


Exactly what I am waiting for...Just received my 2nd snail mail invite, this time they even sent me a fake plastic platinum card to entice me. I am still holding out for a MR bonus offer 15k or 25k would probably be enough to buy me ;)

I asked for some sort of trial of the card so the CSR applied me for a different card and I told her I needed it fast. So I call back and there is no record, that CSR gets me another CSR and both try to figure out a way to get me a card then the second CSR gets a third CSR from replacement services and end up upgrading my account.

I tell them I want to make sure the charge for the platinum card is deferred until I make the decision to actually take it. So they still upgrade it anyways and rush it to me.

Question is so far I see no charge for the platinum card, do you think I will get the year free?

I was thinking worse comes to worse to demand MR points for signing up then mailing a check for the annual fee (dont want my parents to see my CC bill)

How many bonus Membership Rewards points were your offered?


Just called Amex 5 min ago, got another Plat Invite in the Mail today (No Bonus Offer). The CSR told me that there were no bonuses attached to my account, but he could offer me 25,000 MR points to upgrade. I did it.

just an update i did go and upgrade to Platinum as im planning to be visiting a lot of resturants in NYC so the fee of 395 is worth it for me just not having to deal with the hassle of getting a table.... is there any steps i can go though to make sure im participating in other plat card offers like shopping travel ect... i guess i can call plat reps and have them explain it, but i'd like to hear from users what they like best about it! thanks again KEVIN

just an update i did go and upgrade to Platinum as im planning to be visiting a lot of resturants in NYC so the fee of 395 is worth it for me just not having to deal with the hassle of getting a table.... is there any steps i can go though to make sure im participating in other plat card offers like shopping travel ect... i guess i can call plat reps and have them explain it, but i'd like to hear from users what they like best about it! thanks again KEVIN

http://www.americanexpress.com/platinum.

As to what I'd do...

SPG gold (you have to call)
Hertz/Avis/National - joih - you have to call.
Airport clubs - automatic.
MR - automatic
Concierge & travel - there is a profile to fill out - not required, but useful if you want to save time when you call.
Various retail partners - not automatic - usefulness depends on where you shop.

Just called Amex 5 min ago, got another Plat Invite in the Mail today (No Bonus Offer). The CSR told me that there were no bonuses attached to my account, but he could offer me 25,000 MR points to upgrade. I did it.

I called twice. One last night and 10 minutes ago.

Both CSRs were saying that there are no bonuses attached to my account and they can't offer me anything that the system doesnt list.

I currently have no personal Amex charge cards (just my Business Platinum, as far as charge cards go.) I called up and said that several acquaintances had received offers for 25000 bonus MR points for a Platinum card, and then mentioned that most of them had been for upgrades after the CSR couldn't find anything like that for a new card.

No go. The CSR couldn't find anything in the system, either for a new card or upgrade, of any number of bonus MR points at all.

Has anyone received this bonus recently?

SPG gold (you have to call)

This was automatic when I signed up. And since that's the only useful benefit to me other than club access and the concierge, it was quite nice to just have the SPG Gold card show up in the mail.

I currently have no personal Amex charge cards (just my Business Platinum, as far as charge cards go.) I called up and said that several acquaintances had received offers for 25000 bonus MR points for a Platinum card, and then mentioned that most of them had been for upgrades after the CSR couldn't find anything like that for a new card.

No go. The CSR couldn't find anything in the system, either for a new card or upgrade, of any number of bonus MR points at all.

Has anyone received this bonus recently?

I received 10000 miles on upgrade to Platinum. Maybe I should have waited a little longer.

just an update i did go and upgrade to Platinum as im planning to be visiting a lot of resturants in NYC so the fee of 395 is worth it for me just not having to deal with the hassle of getting a table....

I've seen a lot of justification over the years, with respect to the fee for Platinum Amex... though, I don't think I have ever seen anyone justify it just because of the fine dining/restaurant reservation benefit. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Good Luck... I hope that this truly does provide the value expected.

Had the card for a few years in the early 90's --- never found it to be that useful... one of the better benefits is the FH&R program; especially with regard to hotel upgrades. Though, I personally find better recognition at hotels I frequent, and from top tier status like Hyatt Diamond and Hilton Diamond.

Also, the Airport Lounge access benefit definitely provides a lot of value; and is probably one of the better and more tangible benefits.

I received the Platinum upgrade offer in the mail and a pop-up keeps coming up every time I log-in to my Amex RewardsPlus Gold account online. I never had been offered any incentives to upgrade. Actually, the only reason I was slightly interested in upgrading was the lounge access, but (as has been mentioned in another thread) you can now purchase membership in DL, CO, or NW lounges and get access at any of the three ... so that benefit was a bit tarnished.

I was hopeful, though, to call in and get a csr to provide me with some MR points to upgrade. I figured if I could get 20 - 25k miles, I'd do it for a year.

I just called and got a rather cheeky csr who said "we don't do that" and that the "benefits of the platinum card speak for themselves." I pushed on and tried to negotiate something and she said, "We typically don't offer any type of incentive for Platinum cards, so there's nothing I can offer you." I don't know ... maybe I'll try again, maybe I'll give up. Am headed to central Mexico in a few weeks on CO and have a pretty long layover in IAH, so was looking forward to the lounge access. Maybe I'll just have to buy a President's Club membership.

Alternately you could purchase a Continental Privlege Pack (http://www.continental.com/onepass/news/offerRegistration.asp?SID=E75904711902410D938D7CD9 B6D0BE43) which includes two Presidents Club visits. I do not know how long it takes these to arrive, but no doubt you could find the answer in the Continental section of Flyertalk.

dennis

Personally, I'd take the offer into the backyard and bury it. If the rumor is true, that SPG Gold is going to be removed from the perks list shortly, the perks are gradually deteriorating, and pretty soon you'll be right back to the perks of a Gold card.

I've enjoyed having the platinum card, and gotten my money's worth out of it, but I'm not sure I'll renew at my anniversary date. It's expensive, and Gold is almost as useful. I'll really have to think about it.

I've enjoyed having the platinum card, and gotten my money's worth out of it, but I'm not sure I'll renew at my anniversary date. It's expensive, and Gold is almost as useful. I'll really have to think about it.

Depends on what you intend to do. I have found that the Airline Clubs, the Starwood upgrades, and the rental car cards are the only really usefull benefits. I have used the International Air benefit once but they charge you full business fare for the paying passenger. That is usually more than two discount business tickets to the same place. You also have to make your own way to the gateway cities. I was just quoted over $9000 for a ticket from IAH to London on Continental. I can buy a business ticket from phoenix non-stop for about $3600 on BA. Some of the benefits are good, some not so good.

<<quoted over $9000 for a ticket from IAH to London on Continental. I can buy a business ticket from phoenix non-stop for about $3600 on BA.>>

When American Express introduced this program airlines did not sell deeply discounted international business or first class tickets to the public, they disposed of their excess inventory through consolidators. With the emergence of "I" and "Z" class business fares the program's appeal is much narrower.

If you need a flexible (changeable, refundable) ticket, if you cannot purchase several weeks before travel, if you have a complex itinerary, or if you prefer to travel in first class (on a three class carrier), the Amex program can be good value. However, American Express has done a poor job of marketing because they do not acknowledge the new competitive environment and cardholders have false expectations.


dennis