American Express Membership Rewards - Domestic Companion Ticket Program Cancelled as of 11/15/08

Wow, this really detracts from the benefit of the Platinum card.

Screenshot here (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2922071306_3acd8b2bbe.jpg?v=0)

Not really. The domestic buy one get one was never a very good deal. If they end the international buy one get one that would be a whole differant thing. That program has some benefit.

We got some pretty decent deals on the domestic 2 for 1 program. Sorry to see it go.

It will be interesting to see if this is just the first of many benefits to disapear.

Not really. The domestic buy one get one was never a very good deal. If they end the international buy one get one that would be a whole differant thing. That program has some benefit.

Are you sure you didn't get that completely backwards?

I found the domestic program to be very useful, especially with rising airfares. But the international program is a total rip. I have never encountered any destination or routing where you can't just buy two discounted biz or F tickets for a small fraction of the 2-4-1 International program's price.

No joke, if two discounted F tickets are $4k directly from the carrier, then the Int'l 2-4-1 program will quote you $10k+ for one of the exact same seats. It's a absolute rip-off. The ONLY and I mean ONLY time it *might* be even remotely useful is if you needed a couple of last-minute tickets, and the airline has jacked the fares so mercilessly as departure approached that you might save a little money (and I mean a little) by going through Amex. Other than that it's completely useless.

I have saved two or three times the card's annual fees in airfare using the domestic 2-4-1 program, however. I will be sad to see it go, and it's one more reason I will probably be downgrading to green or gold, unless they roll out some additional benefit that makes continuing to shell out $575 ($450 primary, and 2 AU's) for the card.

Count me as one who won't renew at the end of my current period. The domestic companion ticket program was the only reason I joined.

wow - this sucks. i only got to use it once. bye bye platinum card..

However if you are flying at the last minute and there are no discounted F or J seats available then the 241 can be a viable option.

I agree with most above. First of all, this program was fairly short-lived, didn't they just introduce it a year or so ago?

I have used the domestic companion program several times for great deals - the best being when United quoted me in the neighborhood of $470/person for IAD-SFO over a random weekend for a wedding, and the domestic companion program got us BOTH tickets for $420 total, all-in.

I also agree that the international companion program is almost completely worthless. I've never had them quote me flights that were anywhere near the price of simply paying for two business tickets directly from the the airline, much less a consolidator.

$500 a year for two cards is getting harder and harder to justify.

Can we cancel our Plat membership right away then?
I upgraded my Gold card to Plat last week and I didn't even receive it !

I think something like this should be communicated to us (mail, e-mail, something) pretty soon. If not I'll be a bit disappointed.

If anything, this may be a good reason to argue out of my fee. I haven't looked into it but is this deal included in the terms? Maybe something about bait/switch here.

Anyway, like I said, hopefully we'll hear from Amex soon.

this was the best part of the card as far as recouping the annual fee.

However if you are flying at the last minute and there are no discounted F or J seats available then the 241 can be a viable option.

You cannot use this program for the last minute travel It requires 14 days advance booking.

I am surprised that Amex did not notify cardmembers. Don't they have to give us 60 day notice?

This program cancellation really dilutes the benefits of the platinum card. I will have to re-think if I will renew my card then.

You cannot use this program for the last minute travel It requires 14 days advance booking.

I am surprised that Amex did not notify cardmembers. Don't they have to give us 60 day notice?

This program cancellation really dilutes the benefits of the platinum card. I will have to re-think if I will renew my card then.

Actually, it was 7 day advance booking. They have already removed the FAQ, which is where it previously stated the 7 days. However, in the "Booking A Reservation" tab at https://www143.americanexpress.com/cards/platinum/benefit.do?benefitTemplate=template_a&benefitId=domesticcompairfareprog it still states, "at least seven (7) days prior to your departure date."

This change is a problem for me. It was the benefit that I used to justify the annual fee. The other crap is fairly worthless ("purchase price protection", etc.) The second most valuable benefit is club access. We fly AA 99.9% of the time, Continental once in a blue moon, and Delta/NW exactly never. Club access is nice, but hmmm... not sure it's worth this much.

Unfortunately, I've had the card for a whopping one month and likely would not have gotten it had I known the benefit would be canceled. I may see if I can "unwind" this.

Regards.

Actually, it was 7 day advance booking. They have already removed the FAQ, which is where it previously stated the 7 days. However, in the "Booking A Reservation" tab at https://www143.americanexpress.com/cards/platinum/benefit.do?benefitTemplate=template_a&benefitId=domesticcompairfareprog it still states, "at least seven (7) days prior to your departure date."

This change is a problem for me. It was the benefit that I used to justify the annual fee. The other crap is fairly worthless ("purchase price protection", etc.) The second most valuable benefit is club access. We fly AA 99.9% of the time, Continental once in a blue moon, and Delta/NW exactly never. Club access is nice, but hmmm... not sure it's worth this much.

Unfortunately, I've had the card for a whopping one month and likely would not have gotten it had I known the benefit would be canceled. I may see if I can "unwind" this.

Regards.

Thanks for correcting me scubadu

Have they made the same changes to the CENTURION card??

Like AMEX cancelling double miles at home improvement stores a couple of years ago, I wonder if it was a case of too many people taking participating in the program that caused them to cancel it.

Jeff

Like AMEX cancelling double miles at home improvement stores a couple of years ago, I wonder if it was a case of too many people taking participating in the program that caused them to cancel it.

Jeff

Amex hasn't seen the same excellent growth as the other credit card companies, unfortunately. I can't remember where I saw it, but the statistics were was something like 50% for "the others" and 1% for Amex. Hard times... I guess? :(

Decent chance I'll be done next year when my renewal comes up. I've used this a couple times and this year it has made up for my decreased use of the lounge benefit. I was always just on the cusp of getting value for the card and this was worth a couple hundred dollars a year to me. Now, as a zero, the numbers are not nearly as good.

Have they made the same changes to the CENTURION card??

Yes, it has the same message on the Cent site as well, I just checked.

-hchon

Makes the 25K MR bonus for upgrading to platinum far less attractive. They gave me 50K less than 6 months ago for getting Gold in the first place.

I was considering moving up since I got the offer yesterday, recovering the fee in companion tickets and focus my flying on SkyTeam next year. Looks like I'll keep churning US Airways credit cards that include companion certs. (Yea, it's US, but $99 companion tix are worth it, and cover Canada as well as the lower 48 states.)

Well, this certainly ends my consideration of the card. My wife got one just a couple of months ago and we've used the 2 for 1 a couple of times already for decent savings. I was considering getting the Platinum for myself to make even more use of the 2 for 1 (and for the lounge access when I fly alone) but this termination action eliminates that possibility for me. Guess I'll just use my three Priority Pass free visits via the Citi Platinum AMEX for my personal lounge access and use my wife's "free" AMEX Platinum business card access when we fly together. At least I'm glad I found out BEFORE I actually got the AMEX Platinum.

Like AMEX cancelling double miles at home improvement stores a couple of years ago, I wonder if it was a case of too many people taking participating in the program that caused them to cancel it.

Jeff

I'm not sure what card this relates to, but my Platinum Delta AMX still gets double miles at home improvement stores.

I am not a happy camper! Unlike some posters, I have used the 2 for 1 program with great success. So far I've been able to get flights from MIA to LAS and MIA to SFO. Both times I got exactly the flights I was looking for- times, dates, etc. Blah! This is definitely going to make me re-evaluate whether the $450 is worth it. There's only so much value you can get out of the FHR benifit. :td: :(

This is really a bad move on AMEX's part...just keep taking away all of the useful ones

Hey, They refused to give me a card just recently because I am still "fresh of the boat" in Germany, and I wanted it just for that reason. Well, I guess I don't need it anymore... :)

damn this sucks, i only got my card about 4 months ago, i dont use many of the perks it gives but this was like the only one i would ever use....

question, where it says that reservations may be made through the 15th of nov...does that mean the last day they offer it is the 15th or like i can call on the 15th and make a reservation for december and use the offer with that being the LAST day i could reserve on....? me and some friends were gonna go to vegas in either nov or dec and i had been counting on being able to use the 241 thing to save money....but if its gone totally on the 15th then no point in going, or renewing my card....

Hey, They refused to give me a card just recently because I am still "fresh of the boat" in Germany, and I wanted it just for that reason. Well, I guess I don't need it anymore... :)

Herzlichen willkommen!

Looks like bye bye plat card come renewal time. It's a shame because I am a first year card holder and wasn't able to make the 2-for-1 domestic air program work for my trips this year.

At least I got 25K MR points and used the lounge a few times so it wasn't a total waste of $450.

It's funny that a similar benefit is still advertised in Canada. From an ad on americanexpress.ca:

With the NEW complimentary Partner Ticket from American Express, now you can turn your 15,000 Bonus Aeroplan®* Miles into flights for two.

It's funny that a similar benefit is still advertised in Canada. From an ad on americanexpress.ca:

That suggests that there is an extra ticket on a redemption, which is certainly not what the US program was about. Seems like a different program to me.

That suggests that there is an extra ticket on a redemption, which is certainly not what the US program was about. Seems like a different program to me.

On top of my recent treatment, it's another reason to start looking at other cards. Honestly, if they weren't so actively sucking, I wouldn't even spend time looking even though there were probably already better products available.

question, where it says that reservations may be made through the 15th of nov...does that mean the last day they offer it is the 15th or like i can call on the 15th and make a reservation for december and use the offer with that being the LAST day i could reserve on....? me and some friends were gonna go to vegas in either nov or dec and i had been counting on being able to use the 241 thing to save money....but if its gone totally on the 15th then no point in going, or renewing my card....

FWIW I called today to try to use this for one last trip in November before it runs out. After asking for my cardholder information the rep warned me about the deal expiring on the 15th before even asking my flight requests.

Though I didn't book it, she offered me flights for the weekend of November 14-16, so it looks like you can at least return after the 15th, not sure if you can depart after the 15th, or just have to book by the 15th, and if so, how much later the trip can be.

I will also miss this program as I was able to take advantage of it (once, anyway) this year. However, let's not forget that this program also generated a large number of complaints (as evidenced by the 2-for-1 FT thread) due to the poor service of the API agents and the opaque nature in which the program operated. While I am more inclined to believe that the program was canceled because AMEX was losing money on it, I have to wonder whether cardmember complaints regarding API also had a role in the decision.

FWIW I called today to try to use this for one last trip in November before it runs out. After asking for my cardholder information the rep warned me about the deal expiring on the 15th before even asking my flight requests.

Though I didn't book it, she offered me flights for the weekend of November 14-16, so it looks like you can at least return after the 15th, not sure if you can depart after the 15th, or just have to book by the 15th, and if so, how much later the trip can be.

Man that really blows...we havent picked the exact weekend in nov we wanna go to vegas but i dont wanna have to schedule it AROUND amex to make sure we get the tickets...

I DEFINITELY agree this is a major disappointment. However, are those of you serious about canceling your PLAT card because of the lack of this benefit now? I thought the PLAT was well worth the $450 fee with the concierge, FHR benefits, and overall protection that is guaranteed (plus SPG Gold), so as much as I am really bummed to see this benefit go, I can't be the only one who thinks this card is still valuable?

FYI, I just called and complained about this. I was told that if I closed my account in response, I would be eligible for a pro-rata refund of the annual fee.

Got the letter in the mail officially saying this benefit is dead on 11/15. What to do, what to do....

FYI, I just called and complained about this. I was told that if I closed my account in response, I would be eligible for a pro-rata refund of the annual fee.

So, did you in fact cancel? If not, why not? What more would you have been hoping for by calling to complain?

Regards

not sure if you can depart after the 15th, or just have to book by the 15th, and if so, how much later the trip can be.
My read was the you had to complete the booking transaction by Nov. 15th, and it only works up to 6 months out, so latest travel will be in March '09.
I DEFINITELY agree this is a major disappointment. However, are those of you serious about canceling your PLAT card because of the lack of this benefit now? I thought the PLAT was well worth the $450 fee with the concierge, FHR benefits, and overall protection that is guaranteed (plus SPG Gold), so as much as I am really bummed to see this benefit go, I can't be the only one who thinks this card is still valuable?

I value the concierge at $0. I value FHR at $0. FHR is nice, but I rarely want to pay for that price point of a hotel anyways - I've used it 2x in 4 years of having the card - so the extra benefits don't do me any good. But if one stays at that type of property anyways I see the value. I value SPG at $0 because I don't really use it. If I wanted SPG gold I'd just stay at SPG properties more. The purchase protection has some value to me, but it is hard to put a number on it. The lounge benefit is nice, but with my reduced travel this year is is worth probably no more than $150 to me. I have the Open Small Business version so I get the Regus membership that has a small bit of value and I also get some discounts at Fedex/Kinkos, Delta and a few other places that thus far has totaled ~$30 in 6 months.

That doesn't really add up to $450 for me. With a couple 241 domestic tickets I make up the difference. Without it, I don't. As a straight business decision keeping it doesn't make a lot of sense. When I consider it as a business expense and the associated tax implications I might keep it, but chances are dwindling at this point. I have 5-6 months to decide.

FYI, I just called and complained about this. I was told that if I closed my account in response, I would be eligible for a pro-rata refund of the annual fee.

They always prorated membership fee if you cancel before your renewal date.

So, did you in fact cancel? If not, why not? What more would you have been hoping for by calling to complain?

Regards

Want MR balance = 0 first. Will take a few days to select the appropriate airline. :D

Well I must agree with just about everyone here.
Without the 241 benefit the value of the card has been vastly minimized. That's what really got me to apply for the card in the first place.

I guess if you use the airport lounges enough it can add up (skyteam lounges annual membership is ~$350/year).

Like the general theme here...I too must make a decision soon...

does anyone know why they are terminating the offer in the first place? i know the prices of airlines are going up but i didnt think it was that big that they would go this far.......

I DEFINITELY agree this is a major disappointment. However, are those of you serious about canceling your PLAT card because of the lack of this benefit now? I thought the PLAT was well worth the $450 fee with the concierge, FHR benefits, and overall protection that is guaranteed (plus SPG Gold), so as much as I am really bummed to see this benefit go, I can't be the only one who thinks this card is still valuable?

Let's see.. Visa Signature = no annual fee, has concierge, warranty/product protection, lost luggage reimbursement, and 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

The airline lounge benefit is probably the best plat feature out of the bunch for me, but there's a good chance many people here fly more than enough miles to gain access to the clubs without paying $450/year for this card.

I can't be the only one who thinks this card is still valuable?

Determining "value" is always a very personal decision. At the end of the day, it's irrelevant what those of us on this board think relative to your decision. The real question is do YOU find value in the card at the $450 annual fee level without this benefit.

For me, I do not. Without a doubt this benefit was the one that allowed me to swallow hard and pay a $450 annual fee for a credit card (which violates about every economic principle I hold dear!) on the assumption that at least using this once or twice per year might allow me to feel like I'm at least about net even on the price to value ratio.

As sbm12 nicely spelled out, the other benefits to me are pretty much fluff (i.e. baggage insurance, purchase protection, FHR, etc.) The question one should consider is if you could purchase all of various benefits in an ala carte fashion and the price was $450 or less, would you? The answer for me is likely no.

The second most valuable benefit to me is the airport club access and I do enjoy that. However, 99.9% of my flying is on AA and never before was I willing to pay the annual fee for Admiral's Club access. So, I have to question whether the platinum card in essence just becomes an airport club card and whether that makes sense for me.

Regards

The airline lounge benefit is probably the best plat feature out of the bunch for me, but there's a good chance many people here fly more than enough miles to gain access to the clubs without paying $450/year for this card.

I can't speak for Delta, NW, and Continental as I really don't fly them. But on AA, flying miles alone does not get you into their Admirals Club in 100% of cases. If you are Platinum and Executive Platinum (AA's two highest tiers) you can gain club access on international itineraries ("international" as defined by AA in this case), but not on purely domestic itineraries.

For example, even if you are Executive Platinum (highest AA tier based on miles flown) you would not have club access flying from say LAX to HNL. Amex Platinum provides me club access 100% of the time, which is nice.

Nonetheless, your point is a fair observation and it's the one I'm struggling with. Is Admirals Club access worth $450 per year to me? Hmmm... I'm still on the fence with that one.

Regards

Major, major bummer. I wonder what sort of arrangement AMEX had with the airlines. It may have been the latter who canceled the program.

question, where it says that reservations may be made through the 15th of nov...does that mean the last day they offer it is the 15th or like i can call on the 15th and make a reservation for december

FWIW: my assistant tried calling on Oct. 7th (day I posted I believe) and they said I wasn't able to book a ticket (for November 1st). Soooooooo, yeah... good question.

Wow, this is really disappointing. I was planning toupgrade to pat once my fee free year of Gold ran out...now not so much....

FWIW: my assistant tried calling on Oct. 7th (day I posted I believe) and they said I wasn't able to book a ticket (for November 1st). Soooooooo, yeah... good question.

Not sure that we can draw any definitive conclusion from this about how far in advance beyond Nov. 15th travel can be booked. It may just mean that there was no companion fare inventory available for the day/time combos you were requesting. These always have been capacity controlled tickets, subject to inventory availability.

Regards

I value the concierge at $0. I value FHR at $0. FHR is nice, but I rarely want to pay for that price point of a hotel anyways - I've used it 2x in 4 years of having the card - so the extra benefits don't do me any good. But if one stays at that type of property anyways I see the value. I value SPG at $0 because I don't really use it. If I wanted SPG gold I'd just stay at SPG properties more. The purchase protection has some value to me, but it is hard to put a number on it. The lounge benefit is nice, but with my reduced travel this year is is worth probably no more than $150 to me. I have the Open Small Business version so I get the Regus membership that has a small bit of value and I also get some discounts at Fedex/Kinkos, Delta and a few other places that thus far has totaled ~$30 in 6 months.

That doesn't really add up to $450 for me. With a couple 241 domestic tickets I make up the difference. Without it, I don't. As a straight business decision keeping it doesn't make a lot of sense. When I consider it as a business expense and the associated tax implications I might keep it, but chances are dwindling at this point. I have 5-6 months to decide.

I of course agree that your idea of whether or not this card is valuable is certainly subjective and based upon your own spending patterns. Although I have to say I'm a little surprised at how negatively you (and other members of this board) value FHR benefits. I'm not one to stay at ultra-luxurious properties; I've stayed at a Four Seasons once in my life, never been to a Ritz Carlton, and prefer the charm of boutique properties over most chains. Though, staying at properties like The Clift in San Francisco, TheHotel in Las Vegas, the Skylofts in Las Vegas (albeit this is a higher end property), or the W in New York, I have ALWAYS found FHR to be less expensive than anywhere else available (either through the hotel directly, online, 3rd party sites, etc.), and the benefit of the room upgrade, free breakfast, and extra amenity (in many cases is a free $100 spa credit or free $100 food credit) makes FHR a really really worthwhile and option. Not that I'm one to tell you to keep this card, but do re-consider FHR if it fits into your travel plans, you might be pleasantly surprised.

I can't speak for Delta, NW, and Continental as I really don't fly them. But on AA, flying miles alone does not get you into their Admirals Club in 100% of cases. If you are Platinum and Executive Platinum (AA's two highest tiers) you can gain club access on international itineraries ("international" as defined by AA in this case), but not on purely domestic itineraries.

For example, even if you are Executive Platinum (highest AA tier based on miles flown) you would not have club access flying from say LAX to HNL. Amex Platinum provides me club access 100% of the time, which is nice.


Only if you are ticketed on AA, so it isn't really 100%. If you were flying on DL for HNL-LAX you wouldn't have access to any lounge with the Platinum card, but you would with the AA membership. CO/NW/DL also do the international thing for their top tiers. And for *A as long as you are *G in a program other than UA/US (and I think AC) you DO get access on domestic US itineraries. I think that ST is the same way. So my BD Gold/*G gets me in the RCCs on all my UA flights, regardless of destination.

Getting the AmEx Platinum and basing the value solely on its use as a lounge access medium is almost certainly a losing proposition value-wise. If you can get other value then the incremental cost for the lounge access is usually better than buying a membership outright from an airline.

Though, staying at properties like The Clift in San Francisco, TheHotel in Las Vegas, the Skylofts in Las Vegas (albeit this is a higher end property), or the W in New York, I have ALWAYS found FHR to be less expensive than anywhere else available (either through the hotel directly, online, 3rd party sites, etc.), and the benefit of the room upgrade, free breakfast, and extra amenity (in many cases is a free $100 spa credit or free $100 food credit) makes FHR a really really worthwhile and option.

Those properties are generally outside the range of what I'll stay in.

My two FHR experiences are the Bellagio and the Oriental. The free breakfast at the Bellagio was fine and certainly of some value, but that was the only benefit that I used (no upgrade, I didn't go to the gym and no late checkout needed). At the Oriental I got the upgrade, didn't use the breakfast, the lunch was just OK and the late checkout was not used. I definitely got $$ value for the FHR at the Oriental, but that was on my honeymoon and next time I'm in BKK I almost certainly will stay somewhere less expensive, even with the great FHR benefit.

Yes, the FHR rate is generally good at the FHR properties. But, much like that IAP 2-4-1, unless you are planning on spending a whole lot of money anyways, the benefit really isn't helpful. Since I don't plan on doing so, I don't get the value from the program.

Guess this is the beginning.

Those properties are generally outside the range of what I'll stay in.

My two FHR experiences are the Bellagio and the Oriental. The free breakfast at the Bellagio was fine and certainly of some value, but that was the only benefit that I used (no upgrade, I didn't go to the gym and no late checkout needed). At the Oriental I got the upgrade, didn't use the breakfast, the lunch was just OK and the late checkout was not used. I definitely got $$ value for the FHR at the Oriental, but that was on my honeymoon and next time I'm in BKK I almost certainly will stay somewhere less expensive, even with the great FHR benefit.

Yes, the FHR rate is generally good at the FHR properties. But, much like that IAP 2-4-1, unless you are planning on spending a whole lot of money anyways, the benefit really isn't helpful. Since I don't plan on doing so, I don't get the value from the program.

I think you've said in a post above that you've had the card for 4 years. Because the 2 for 1 domestic companion ticket program and also the lounge benefits are fairly recent (I think less than 1 and a half years old?? correct me if I'm wrong), where did you find the value for the card for the first two and a half years? Is it because you just wanted to try it out? If that is the case, then after 1 year you would have cancelled.

Only if you are ticketed on AA, so it isn't really 100%. If you were flying on DL for HNL-LAX you wouldn't have access to any lounge with the Platinum card, but you would with the AA membership. CO/NW/DL also do the international thing for their top tiers. And for *A as long as you are *G in a program other than UA/US (and I think AC) you DO get access on domestic US itineraries. I think that ST is the same way. So my BD Gold/*G gets me in the RCCs on all my UA flights, regardless of destination.

I guess I should have been more clear, was making an assumption based on a previous post. For all intents and purposes I pretty much fly AA 100% of the time, meaning I'm always ticketed on AA, meaning if there is AA Admirals club where I'm traveling then the Amex Platinum card provides me entry. So, as it applies to my personal situation (which is the situation I care about), then yes, it actually really is 100%. For me Amex Platinum essentially is an Admirals Club membership because I'm always ticketed on AA.

Additionally, I pretty clearly stated that I was not speaking with respect to Delta/NW and Continental as I do not have experience with them.

Getting the AmEx Platinum and basing the value solely on its use as a lounge access medium is almost certainly a losing proposition value-wise. If you can get other value then the incremental cost for the lounge access is usually better than buying a membership outright from an airline.

I'm pretty sure that is exactly what I've been saying either directly or indirectly in most of my posts on this thread. I've stated club access was merely gravy, a nice benefit, but in and of itself, I'm not sure it justifies the cost. However, to play devils advocate, at my status level on AA, and taking into account the new AC fees effective Nov 1st, an annual AC membership for me would be $400 per year. So, if I could extract $50 more of value it might make sense. The problem is that generally speaking, I'm not the kind of guy that would pay outright for an AC membership as I don't quite travel that much.

So, sbm12 you've made the pretty compelling case regarding the Platinum not holding value minus the 2 for 1 benefit so when are you calling to cancel?

Regards

I of course agree that your idea of whether or not this card is valuable is certainly subjective and based upon your own spending patterns. Although I have to say I'm a little surprised at how negatively you (and other members of this board) value FHR benefits.

I think it's great that you find value in FHR. Not sure why you are "suprised" nor even why it would matter if others don't. We all value features and benefits differently. If it's valuable to you that is all that matters. Your the person making the annual fee payment on your account at the end of the year.

For me personally, FHR has pretty much zero value. I almost always fly out early so late check out is irrelevant. Room upgrades are of course capacity controlled so that can be a crap shoot (now if upgrade could be confirmed at booking that might be interesting). Breakfast might be nice I suppose, but in and of itself, I wouldn't pay $450 a year for a credit card for that. I can buy breakfast! Spa credits just don't do it for me, sorry. But that's just my personal situation.

I think many folks that got an Amex Plat over the last year or two, were pretty strongly motivated by the 2-4-1. That was the lure. None of the other features of the card would have caused me to man up and pay $450 per year. Now that is gone so I'm having to reassess the price to value ratio for my situation.

Regards.

I think you've said in a post above that you've had the card for 4 years. Because the 2 for 1 domestic companion ticket program and also the lounge benefits are fairly recent (I think less than 1 and a half years old?? correct me if I'm wrong), where did you find the value for the card for the first two and a half years? Is it because you just wanted to try it out? If that is the case, then after 1 year you would have cancelled.For the first two years I had it I was on the road (domestically) 30-40 weeks a year and flying SkyTeam almost every time. That meant that I got a few hundred dollars' value out of the lounge benefit as I otherwise would've purchased an annual PC membership. The incremental cost to do AmEx instead made sense for me based on my travel patterns and I did get the appropriate value to justify it for me. In 2009 I went from ~30 domestic trips to ~5. At that point the lounge membership loses its value real fast.

Breakfast might be nice I suppose, but in and of itself, I wouldn't pay $450 a year for a credit card for that. I can buy breakfast! Yeah, but not at the hotel. ;) The breakfast at the hotel in the FHR program can be a significant cost. That being said, I cannot remember the last time I actually paid for a breakfast in the hotel, whether FHR-quality or not. I'd rather find a place to eat outside the hotel at a reasonable price than pay $25 for bacon and eggs. I'm also not a huge breakfast person in general, which is to say that I don't eat it often even though I do love the flavors.

For me right now the Regus membership is the single largest value following the domestic 241. If travel picks back up then the lounge might come back up in value. And I've got five months to figure it out as my renewal is in March.

I just booked a ticket using this program and was told that the tickets must be booked by 11/15/08 with travel through sometime in 5/09.

So I just received the Plat card yesterday in the mail, and the companion ticket was a good incentive for me upgrade from Gold. interestingly enough it still states this as a benefit - without the 11/15 expiration date.

I guess I will keep it a few month and see if I can take advantage of the other benefits... don't think I will

I got the notice in the mail this week and I'm really disappointed. I have used this and it worked well. Glad they gave me some time, as I'll try to book one last trip before it ends.

I think this is a mistake on their part. The only remaining reason I'll hold the card is for the club room access. They take that away and I'm done.

i just got the letter today....boo!

I paid for a plat card for one year specifically because of the domestic 241 benefit, used it 3 times, and got good value. I elected not to renew because anticipated travel would not make use of the 241 deal. I had planned to get a new plat card next year, again for the domestic 241 benefit, but now I will not.

I never charged anything on the card except for the 241 fares. I suspect I'm not the kind of customer Amex will miss (at least for this card - I'm a good customer for the other Amex cards I have).

My read was the you had to complete the booking transaction by Nov. 15th, and it only works up to 6 months out, so latest travel will be in March '09.


To follow up onsbm12's helpful comment, can I ask if anyone could be so kind to tell us how far out you have been able to book since this latest announcement? Maybe this is a premature request because AMEX's cancellation has been so recent.

I know, I should just call and ask how far one could book out but I'm afraid API will not be that helpful and I don't know where else I would want to go yet for leisure! The possibility of obtaining a 2 for 1 ticket deal might affect where I might go and how much I'm willing to spend on the hotel and whether to use freq. flyer miles.

Also, sbm12, did you mean that the latest travel would be May of 09? I just realized 6 months after Nov. 15th would be May 15th, right?

Thank you!

To follow up onsbm12's helpful comment, can I ask if anyone could be so kind to tell us how far out you have been able to book since this latest announcement? Maybe this is a premature request because AMEX's cancellation has been so recent.

I know, I should just call and ask how far one could book out but I'm afraid API will not be that helpful and I don't know where else I would want to go yet for leisure! The possibility of obtaining a 2 for 1 ticket deal might affect where I might go and how much I'm willing to spend on the hotel and whether to use freq. flyer miles.

Also, sbm12, did you mean that the latest travel would be May of 09? I just realized 6 months after Nov. 15th would be May 15th, right?

Thank you!

Actually, I called today and asked this very question. To put your mind at ease, they were no more or less helpful than they ever are. She was quite pleasant answering my questions.

Basically, it was explained to me that the way they are winding it down is all travel must be booked by Nov 15th, 2008. She stated that the last day of travel would be May 31st, 2009. I stated this understanding back to her to ensure I understood clearly. She confirmed I had understood correctly.

Obviously, Nov. 15 to May 31st would be about 2 1/2 weeks greater than 6 months. Not sure if they are just being nice in winding down and trying to allow folks to obtain final remaining value from the program or what.

However, the part I didn't clarify, and thought of after hanging up, is I think it basically still is a six month type rule. For example, if you booked it today, I'm not sure if that means you could still travel by May 31st, or if in accordance with the six month rule, you need that travel reservation to occur by roughly April 11th? I'll probably need to reconfirm that one.

Regards

However, the part I didn't clarify, and thought of after hanging up, is I think it basically still is a six month type rule. For example, if you booked it today, I'm not sure if that means you could still travel by May 31st, or if in accordance with the six month rule, you need that travel reservation to occur by roughly April 11th? I'll probably need to reconfirm that one.I cannot imagine that they would change the 6 month outside limit on the ticketing at this point, so I think that you're looking at April right now and May in a month and then the program is done.

I cannot imagine that they would change the 6 month outside limit on the ticketing at this point, so I think that you're looking at April right now and May in a month and then the program is done.

I tend to agree with your assessment and that is how I'm planning to try and map out a few trips in order to extract some value and allow me to feel comfortable keeping the card at least until my next renewal period.

Additionally, one thing I'd like to throw out as I evaluate my own decision to keep this card or not, and I apologize if this is off topic and should become a new thread. I'm curious for those that might have had a platinum card over the years, when Amex drops a significant benefit like this I assume it ticks off quite a few people. Is there any chance they might be looking for some type of new benefit to add to the card in lieu of this? In the current economy I suppose they may not be, but heres hoping!

Regards

Well, let's see. In one year with Plat I have used the following and derived some value:
1. Hertz status (nice rental car upgrade, incl. NeverLost, b/c I am AlwaysLost)
2. SPG status (bonus points, free breakfast)
3. Concierge (arranged a gift certificate for Christmas gift)
4. Domestic 2-4-1 (saved ~$200)
5. Point transfers (mainly Priority Club, which got me Plat status there and Frontier, which is less valuable now that tickets cost 20k instead of 15k)
6. Purchase Protection (for an uncovered event, which the CSR said was covered as a special exception for "valued cardmembers")
7. Nicer CSRs than with Blue.
8. FHR (discounted rate, free massage, and free breakfast at THEhotel)
9. Airport lounge access (~6 visits although www.skyguideclub.com would probably work just as well, if not better)
10. Fine Dining Reservation (used twice for special occasions, when restaurants were fully booked)
11. 25k MR sign-up bonus

I am surprised by the number of features I have used, but I may downgrade to Gold and see if I miss the Plat features (and see if I get any retention bonus or upgrade bonus after I have Gold for awhile).

Well, let's see. In one year with Plat I have used the following and derived some value:
<snip>
5. Point transfers (mainly Priority Club, which got me Plat status there and Frontier, which is less valuable now that tickets cost 25k instead of 15k)
<snip>

This is not a feature of the Platinum card. You'd get it with any card that is in the MR program.

This is not a feature of the Platinum card. You'd get it with any card that is in the MR program.

True, with any amex charge card (i.e., not the credit cards). Some of the other features I listed are not Plat specific either.

Some of the other features I listed are not Plat specific either.

Which ones? They all look plat/cent to me, other than that one.

Which ones? They all look plat/cent to me, other than that one.

Purchase protection (e.g., most amex cards) and concierge (e.g., Visa Signature).

I called the other day and confirmed that this was going away.

When I told the agent that this really the only benefit besides the lounge access that I use and asked her if there was anyway that AmEx would drop the fee for the 1 year to $300 (price of the Corporate PLT Card) since I was going to downgrade to that. She replied "No." I said "You know that, or you are going to check on that for me and get back to me." She replied "I know that."

I have no use for the card anymore and will save myself $150 by downgrading to the Corporate PLT Card.

BOOOOOOO AmEx!

has anyone had any luck having amex adjust their fees due to this? id really hate to close my acct when my year is up but i really cant justify $450 a year for a card who gets me almost no benefits now.

has anyone had any luck having amex adjust their fees due to this? id really hate to close my acct when my year is up but i really cant justify $450 a year for a card who gets me almost no benefits now.

Given that on another thread you are asking about the global transfer programme -- wait until you have availed yourself of it -- and then close your account.

tb

Got the Plat Info today as well. Don't worry it is just that all banks currently have a tough time. Airport Lounges Access will not go away. The Companion Ticket was just a matter of time since airlines got rid of planes and employees left and right due to the oil crisis. They will add some kind of new feature to the card soon and everyone will be happy again. :rolleyes:

Big devaluation :td: Hopefully they will reconsider next year??

.....

Hmmm... my plat is gone...I'm voting with my wallet...(or what will no longer be in mine)

The use of the concierge is frustrating at best. Nothing else is of value to me besides the Dom 241 and the lounge. I'm trying AMEX's Executive Privilege Club- that reimburses for lounge access (can't verify if this is any good-- I just joined). Note: to others that are interested and have another AMEX card. There is a reduced rate for AMEX (any color, credit or charge) cardholders. They gave me something like $29 for 6 months and then $89 a year (I think $89 a year was their standard rate for AMEX holders.) I wonder if the Exec Club concierge is any better, but it can't be worse than my Plat concierge experience.

ok so i just talked to a person at Plat travel and was asking about using the dom and international 2-4-1s, and got some rather odd reply's, im planning on going to study abroad with a friend of mine next fall so we would be flying out mid sept 09, i asked about using the domestic 241 to get from here (MN) to NYC, and then the international 241 to get from NYC to London....he said that the domestic 241 will only let u fly through dec 31st 08....and then no restrictions on dates for the international 241 (even though the international 241 info page on amex website says it ends on Dec 31st....)

odd?

ok so i just talked to a person at Plat travel and was asking about using the dom and international 2-4-1s, and got some rather odd reply's, im planning on going to study abroad with a friend of mine next fall so we would be flying out mid sept 09, i asked about using the domestic 241 to get from here (MN) to NYC, and then the international 241 to get from NYC to London....he said that the domestic 241 will only let u fly through dec 31st 08....and then no restrictions on dates for the international 241 (even though the international 241 info page on amex website says it ends on Dec 31st....)

odd?

You know that you can use the IAP from MSP to LON, right? And I'd say that the agent you spoke with was wrong on the domestic bit. I answered your question about the IAP in one of the other places you posted it here tonight. ;)

This is a related if slightly OT question. I have a number of FHR reservations for Spring 2009. If I cancel my PLAT AMEX card as a result of the upcoming 2-4-1 change (or for any reason, I suppose) in late 2008, what happens to these reservations? That is, (1) will AMEX automatically cancel reservations reserved against my AMEX PLAT card that I booked through the FHR desk; and (2) can I still get the FHR benefit when I check in and pay with ANOTHER (not-PLAT) AMEX card? I assume the answer to the first question is no--AMEX won't cancel my reservation automatically. But what about question (2)? I know that it's NOT required that I pay with the PLAT AMEX (vs. another AMEX) to receive the FHR benefit. But what if I'm not, at the time, a PLAT AMEX cardholder? And, to make it a bit more complicated, in my case, all nights for the reservation in question have ALREADY BEEN PAID as a result of the hotel's deposit policies (Hotel Hana Maui). So, arguably I HAVE paid for the hotels on my PLAT AMEX card (even if it will be cancelled by the time I arrive). Just trying to figure out how to time my likely cancellation.... Thanks.

This is a related if slightly OT question. I have a number of FHR reservations for Spring 2009. If I cancel my PLAT AMEX card as a result of the upcoming 2-4-1 change (or for any reason, I suppose) in late 2008, what happens to these reservations... snip ... Just trying to figure out how to time my likely cancellation.... Thanks.

So, I suspect someone might chime in with their observations/opinions. However, this is a pretty specific and probably somewhat uncommon situation (i.e. folks considering canceling platinum due to 2-4-1 program w/multiple, pending FHR reservations).

However, wouldn't the quickest, most definitive option be for you to simply pick up the phone, call FHR directly, and just ask them?

Unless somebody here has had the exact same situation your describing and can tell you what the outcome was, anything else would be pure speculation. And incorrect speculation won't help you at checkin time!

Regards

However, wouldn't the quickest, most definitive option be for you to simply pick up the phone, call FHR directly, and just ask them?

I did call the PLAT FHR desk before posting this, but all I can say is that their answer didn't inspire confidence. That is, the agent I spoke with repeatedly insisted that I could only pay for an FHR reservation with a Platinum card, rather than any AMEX card. So, we never quite reached the question of whether I could pay with another AMEX card when the PLAT card wasn't valid any more.

However, this is a pretty specific and probably somewhat uncommon situation (i.e. folks considering canceling platinum due to 2-4-1 program w/multiple, pending FHR reservations).

Actually, the problem with my posting is probably the opposite, in that it's too general vis-a-vis this specific thread (since it relates to cancelling the PLAT AMEX card for any reason, and not just for the 2-4-1 program). So perhaps this is too off-topic. (Although, for the record, I don't think it's so uncommon that someone might cancel their PLAT AMEX while an FHR reservation is pending.)

Moderator, if I've strayed too far off-topic please feel free to move this to a separate thread (and apologies). Thanks.

I have paid for FHR reservations with non-Plat Amex cards. In most cases I imagine hotels wouldn't actually require payment with Amex, either, though it's technically in the conditions. Perhaps others have had different experiences?

I called the platinum line and was told the benefit was discontinued because few members were utilizing it. When I probed further, their idea of few was 30%. They of course plan no decrease in annual fee for removing the benefit and naturally in the card contract they can take away anything at any time for any reason. The name and address to directly contact consumer relations regarding this issue is as follows:

Doria Camaraza
Consumer Relations
AESC-FTL
777 American Express Way
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33337

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8830/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I called the platinum line and was told the benefit was discontinued because few members were utilizing it. When I probed further, their idea of few was 30%. They of course plan no decrease in annual fee for removing the benefit and naturally in the card contract they can take away anything at any time for any reason. The name and address to directly contact consumer relations regarding this issue is as follows:

Doria Camaraza
Consumer Relations
AESC-FTL
777 American Express Way
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33337

Wouldn't few members using this translate to it being good value to them? I cannot imagine more than 30% of cardholders use the IAP program, but that isn't going away. The only legit justification for killing the program is that it is costing them too much money, not that it is costing them too little.

I could be wrong, but you may want to verify that you are getting FHR benefits at the Four Seasons, as I do not believe the Big Island participates as part of FHR, so you should be fine with using a different card there.

...and Four Seasons on the Big Island

I could be wrong, but you may want to verify that you are getting FHR benefits at the Four Seasons, as I do not believe the Big Island participates as part of FHR, so you should be fine with using a different card there.

Thanks, I mis-remembered that one. I'm actually holding just a regular reservation there. The Hotel Hana Maui, though, is booked at the FHR rate, which is about $50 cheaper than the normal rate (and that's not even counting the FHR amenities). My impression based on several calls with the FHR desk (90% of whom initially claim that the reservation has to be paid for on the PLAT AMEX card (although they eventually agree that any AMEX card is okay)) is that I can probably get away with presenting my (cancelled) PLAT AMEX card at check-in and then substituting another card. But there is a risk that the hotel may somehow assess the card's validity, in which case I might be in a not-great position. So, I'm probably going to take the risk, but I'd appreciate if anyone could let me know if that hasn't worked for them. Thanks.

With NW DL merger happening, I decided to bit the bullet and get a lifetime WC membership as DL was going to recognize it. The card is useless without the 2 for 1 benefit to me. I just got the DL AMEX card. I will not lose my points as I still have a Corp AMEX.

Wouldn't few members using this translate to it being good value to them? I cannot imagine more than 30% of cardholders use the IAP program, but that isn't going away. The only legit justification for killing the program is that it is costing them too much money, not that it is costing them too little.

sbm12, I agree with both of your conclusions. If this benefit was not being fully exercised by the membership, that should represent good value to Amex Corp. (i.e. your getting the great marketing from the benefit w/o people actually using it). I also agree with your final conclusion. They are shutting it down because it's costing them too much.

I guess Amex feels they know best though. I'll be curious to see if this impacts their number of card holders going forward though. I wonder how many new customers for Amex were brought in the fold with this benefit. I'm actually a great example. I've never had an Amex in my entire life. But as I started learning on FT, I determined this would be a great way for the girlfriend and I to continue flying more frequently to see family, maintain status, etc. I would have NEVER been an Amex Platinum member w/o the offer of this benefit. And it's possible that my time as an Amex customer will have been a short run (though not guaranteed, I'm still assessing the impact of this).

Finally, I also agree re: IAP. Is Amex kidding? I'd be surprised if usage of that benefit even hits 10%!

Regards

I just got my letter today. Piss on Amex for this one! Keeping the fees the same (and they will probably raise them again soon) and taking away value-added services. If I didn't use the airport lounges, I'd dump this right away and downgrade it. In fact, I should just dump it and buy a discounted lounge access membership since I'm elite on CO and DL. The lounge and 2 for 1 domestic tickets have been the greatest value to me. The airport lounge customer service agents have saved me tons of times when a regular ticketing agent wouldn't have pulled any strings to help me. Again, for the same price, I can dump this card and just buy their lounge membership (with fewer restrictions too--can't get internet in the DL CRCs with the Amex).

I hope lots of Plat. members downgrade or cancel because of this. Amex has always had the attitude that it's a privilege to have their card. BFD, anyone with decent credit can get an Amex. There's no prestige--just whomever will pay the exorbitant fees. I've had ok customer service from them and anything I disputed, they took care of; however, their services continue to diminish in value.

I hope lots of Plat. members downgrade or cancel because of this. Amex has always had the attitude that it's a privilege to have their card. BFD, anyone with decent credit can get an Amex. There's no prestige--just whomever will pay the exorbitant fees.

What I find interesting is that the program has only been around 18 months, and it wasn't put in to replace anything else; it just was added. Yet 18 months ago people weren't running away because of the lack of benefits for the cost. Then again, the cost has increased and benefits do seem to be disappearing more than being added.

I guess the other part is that other cards are now offering similar options, making that a viable approach rather than having to put up with whatever AmEx offers.

What I find interesting is that the program has only been around 18 months, and it wasn't put in to replace anything else; it just was added. Yet 18 months ago people weren't running away because of the lack of benefits for the cost. Then again, the cost has increased and benefits do seem to be disappearing more than being added.

I guess the other part is that other cards are now offering similar options, making that a viable approach rather than having to put up with whatever AmEx offers.

I didn't upgrade my card until the 2 or 1 was already in place so during my card membership, I've always had it. Before that, I had a MR Plus Gold.

What I find interesting is that the program has only been around 18 months, and it wasn't put in to replace anything else; it just was added. Yet 18 months ago people weren't running away because of the lack of benefits for the cost. Then again, the cost has increased and benefits do seem to be disappearing more than being added.

I guess the other part is that other cards are now offering similar options, making that a viable approach rather than having to put up with whatever AmEx offers.

Since I purchased a lifetime NW WC membership this was the only signficant benefit. If DL had not purchased NW I would not have purchased the membership.

What I find interesting is that the program has only been around 18 months, and it wasn't put in to replace anything else; it just was added. Yet 18 months ago people weren't running away because of the lack of benefits for the cost. Then again, the cost has increased and benefits do seem to be disappearing more than being added.


My wife and I both had Green/Gold cards for 10-12 years and went back and forth over the regular Platinum solicitations, never pulling the trigger. We finally decided to upgrade only when the Domestic 2:4:1 program was announced. We have used the program twice, with one being a New York-Bozeman, MT trip where we saved ~$400.

It turns out we also used the extended warranty service since we had a relatively new but outsde warranty DLP television run into problems, and Amex cut us a check for ~$550 or so to cover the repair (which they sent based on the estimate we got from an tv repair company). Hopefully, that won't need to be a regular occurrence.

FHR is nice--we got a great upgrade at the Lake Las Vegas Ritz and a pretty nice lunch at the Boston Ritz--and we have used airport lounges a few times, which is nice now that we have a 1.5 year old daughter running around, but we are not huge travelers and the 2:4:1 was our justification for paying the yearly fee.

I'm still not sure whether I will continue paying nearly $600 for a Platinum + second card. I'm actually interested to see whether my wife and I decide to vote with our wallet and go back to the Green or Gold. It's been useful hearing people's thoughts on how they value the card.

...No joke, if two discounted F tickets are $4k directly from the carrier...

I've never seen discounted international F fares that low, from any carrier I would use (BA, AA, Qantus, SA, Cathay, JAL), on any international route. Can anyone enlighten me on how to find something like that?

I've never seen discounted international F fares that low, from any carrier I would use (BA, AA, Qantus, SA, Cathay, JAL), on any international route. Can anyone enlighten me on how to find something like that?

First off, it is Qantas. ;)

Beyond that, the discounted fares certainly depend on the route, the date of travel and the advance purchase. For the more common routes the discount fares are less than half of the full fare price that you pay for the IAP deal. For some routes/purchase date combinations it can make sense, but it isn't a slam dunk.

i'll need to make a decision pretty soon what to do since my renewal comes up in december. havent used the domestic ticket program yet (although called a couple times to get prices), but it was one of the selling points along with airport lounge access. might end up going back to the cash rebate card for 1.5% cashback instead of the 1% membership rewards (cash out for giftcards).

i'll need to make a decision pretty soon what to do since my renewal comes up in december. havent used the domestic ticket program yet (although called a couple times to get prices), but it was one of the selling points along with airport lounge access. might end up going back to the cash rebate card for 1.5% cashback instead of the 1% membership rewards (cash out for giftcards).

Since you never used the benefit you're in a pretty good position to evaluate the value of the card without that benefit. You received zero value for it in the past year. Do you think that you realized $450 value through the other benefits? And, more to the point, do you think you will do so again next year? If so, renew. If not, cancel.

If your typical redemption is for retail merchandise then the MR program is not for you.

The good thing about these charge cards are that you can go back and forth from Green or Gold to Plat. at any time. You keep your same account # and as long as you are in good standing, it shoudln't matter. Amex will downgrade you at your wish and they are always happy to upgrade you to get more $ in fees as well. If I quit traveling for work so much, I'll drop mine back to Gold. If I change my mind later, I'll up it again. No big deal. They prorate the fees anyway.

I called the platinum line and was told the benefit was discontinued because few members were utilizing it. When I probed further, their idea of few was 30%.

Hmmmm. YMMV, but my experience with the domestic program was this: over six weeks of blackout dates throughout the year prevented me from using it any of the three times I called to book tickets.

Like others, I think it really sucks that they're devaluing the program this dramatically without offering any discount in cost. Maybe it's costing them too much in fees to the airlines to support too few members using it. Just a thought.

Only thing is, the trip insurance from PLAT is really pretty great, and it covered a $300 IPhone spouse dropped in a river a week after I bought it for him. Also the triple MR points are awesome if you really make a habit of using BonusPointsMall.

I called the platinum line and was told the benefit was discontinued because few members were utilizing it. When I probed further, their idea of few was 30%...

I don't buy that as an excuse. Every program tries to offer as many benefits as possible to appear to justify it's cost. These benefits are often dropped because too many people take advantage of them, not too few.

I went thru that with the companion voucher program with the Delta AMEX card. I think the purchase requirements have been changed half a dozen times since I've had it, and most of the time it's seemed like the change has been to make them more difficult to use than before. Sort of like rebates - sellers love to advertise the low, after-rebate price, but then it's a different store when it comes to paying out.

Jeff

I am also looking to exit my Platinum. When I first got it, I was traveling every week, and the lounge access was a big plus. I actually had the Gold with the domestic 241 before moving to Plat and was PISSED that my Plat didn't offer domestic 241 - only international. When they started domestic 241 with Plat, I was very happy. I also liked pulling out the Platinum card when I was out with clients.

With my travel severely curtailed and the 241 gone, I don't think I can justify the price, especially since the majority of my spending goes on the SPG Amex which I feel has a much higher rewards payback.

I just need to figure out how to get a good bonus on transferring my rewards points out, and then bye-bye platinum.

I've never seen discounted international F fares that low, from any carrier I would use (BA, AA, Qantus, SA, Cathay, JAL), on any international route. Can anyone enlighten me on how to find something like that?

They're routinely that low, if you buy well in advance, search for deals, and aren't sensitive to specific dates. If you can deal with biz instead of F (and let's be honest it's 95% the same thing), then you can fly Lufthansa or similar for in the $2k's per seat.

Meanwhile, Amex's 2-4-1 Int'l will have you paying $10k for the same itinerary.

After reading the 6 pages, I decide to call in and cancel my Plat. :(

Reasons are pretty similar domestic 241 is my motivation to keep the card. Never really used I-241 or FHR, so I think its not worth for me to pay.

I imagine that Amex Platinum membership will decline dramatically due to this. I like the club access, but I don't fly often enough to justify the fee. All of the other benefits look like useless fluff to me. Amex bribed me with $50 points/per month through January to upgrade from gold. A year before they gave me an amazing $500 worth of points just to get the gold plus waived the fee. All signs point towards me downgrading to Gold in February, or cancelling completely. I may just transfer all the points to Delta or Southwest and be done with them.

This is a shame because I like the flexibility the rewards points provide, but other than that the Gold has not got much going for it. I doubt the companion fare program was not valued by members, as the letter stated, it was just too expensive. Too bad they could not just lower it to 1-2 companion fares per year instead of 4 per card, find a tweak that would keep it feasible. I used the companion fare once and saved $200, so I've banked about $1000 from Amex in a little over a year, not counting the $185 waived gold fee and the $625 I paid a couple of months ago to upgrade my wife and I to Platinum.

I guess AMEX is relaxing their six-month rule on booking through the companion program because of it ending; I was able to book a trip one week beyond the six month (to the date) requirement to book.

If you are planning a trip for after May 15, 2009 and you had originally planned to use the companion program, give it a try, you just might be able to book your trip before the program ends.


SFO - MIA booked yesterday / Travel Date: 5/15/09

Amex and I have had our ups and downs throughout out tumultuous relationship that begain in the 90's. Still, I've stuck with 'em.

I've received many benefits from my Plat card, and I won't be cancelling just because they are removing only one benefit that I've never used and that wasn't around when I joined up anyway. I believe that the 2-4-1 domestic program is less than 2 years old; that being said, I find it hard to believe that many old-timers like me will cancel just becuase they are losing that one thing.

If you only use FHR 1-2 times a year, and perhaps once for IAP, it more than makes up for the annual fee. Throw in the additional travel/purchase insurances you get (which I've utilized and gotten reimbursed without any problems), the fact that I no longer need to pay $90 a year for AAA, can call global assist when I'm in a travel bind (which I've done with satisfactory results), and have them help get me seats at a Fine Dining Location, and I am left feeling that I get more than my money's worth.

Interestingly, this month was the *only* time that I had considered using the *domestic* 2-4-1 program. No doubt, I'll be calling them before the 15th, but certainly won't be cancelling after that.

The Plat card still has value for me. If you actually use the benefits, you can get your money's worth.

Since you never used the benefit you're in a pretty good position to evaluate the value of the card without that benefit. You received zero value for it in the past year. Do you think that you realized $450 value through the other benefits? And, more to the point, do you think you will do so again next year? If so, renew. If not, cancel.

If your typical redemption is for retail merchandise then the MR program is not for you.

actually, i have received value for it since i have been using the airport access lounges. i canceled my admirals club membership for this card. however, since one of my goals is to significantly reduce travel next year i am pretty sure it will no longer be worth it to keep the card.

its too bad, i liked having the shiny platinum card in my wallet :)

I called to cancel my card a couple of days ago. They asked why, and I replied that they had taken away the reason I got the card. The rep said that they had had a lot of complaints about the domestic 2-4-1 program, so they just took it away (instead of improving it - Duh!). The only other benefit I used was the Admirals Club access, and it is cheaper for me to just join the Admirals Club, so I'll do that. She tried really hard to persuade me to keep the card (selling other benefits, offering extra MR points, $25 credit, etc.), pushing a lot harder than other cards do when I cancel. That may just be SOP, or perhaps they're feeling the effect of this in a lot of cancellations.

I went to cancel the PLAT card today, and they offered me 12,000 MR points. I took that and said I'll think about it. Just signed up for the Green card (no fee, first year, incl. for additional card holders), and will switch my MR points to that card, and then cancel my PLAT card in a couple weeks. Then I'll have a year to figure out what to do with my MR points. Hell hath no fury like a Flyertalker scorned (or deprived of an amenity he believes himself entitled to)...

actually, i have received value for it since i have been using the airport access lounges. i canceled my admirals club membership for this card. however, since one of my goals is to significantly reduce travel next year i am pretty sure it will no longer be worth it to keep the card.

its too bad, i liked having the shiny platinum card in my wallet :)

I meant that you received zero value from the 2-4-1, not from the card overall. Since the AmEx card is more expensive than the AC access, I'd say you probably lost money on the deal. If you're not traveling at all, I'd junk both the Platinum card and the AC membership. If you travel still get an AC membership unless you need/benefit from the other AmEx Plat bennies, which it does not appear you do.

For those who are curious, I was able to call API today and book a trip from 5/29/09 returning 5/31/09 with no problem. They were very upfront about making sure I knew that the program was changing in four days, and I had no problem asking to book on these dates.

It's time to use it or lose it folks!

Daniel

Amex and I have had our ups and downs throughout out tumultuous relationship that begain in the 90's. Still, I've stuck with 'em.

I've received many benefits from my Plat card, and I won't be cancelling just because they are removing only one benefit that I've never used and that wasn't around when I joined up anyway. I believe that the 2-4-1 domestic program is less than 2 years old; that being said, I find it hard to believe that many old-timers like me will cancel just becuase they are losing that one thing.

If you only use FHR 1-2 times a year, and perhaps once for IAP, it more than makes up for the annual fee. Throw in the additional travel/purchase insurances you get (which I've utilized and gotten reimbursed without any problems), the fact that I no longer need to pay $90 a year for AAA, can call global assist when I'm in a travel bind (which I've done with satisfactory results), and have them help get me seats at a Fine Dining Location, and I am left feeling that I get more than my money's worth.

Interestingly, this month was the *only* time that I had considered using the *domestic* 2-4-1 program. No doubt, I'll be calling them before the 15th, but certainly won't be cancelling after that.

The Plat card still has value for me. If you actually use the benefits, you can get your money's worth.

The benefits you mention don't see like a good deal, as thoroughly discussed on here by those using them, or are offered by other cards too. The FHR program sounds like something for those that don't bat an eye at spending $3-$5-k per vacation or more. As a Hilton Diamond member with plenty of points coming in due to work travel (mostly driven), paying for a pricey hotel with a few perks thrown in does not appeal to me. The international travel program looks like a bait and switch where they make you buy the most expensive flight.

Roadside assistance: this is something you could do yourself or even call 911. Purchase protection and other insurance: seems like any platinum visa card I have had has something similar. Concierge or preferred tickets: seems like a longshot to really find something worthwhile here, and another one you could probably do yourself.

So for someone who travels a lot on a variety of airlines, I would say the card is worth it just to get the club access. Other than that, I can't see where common folk could justify the fee. If you take a vacation and spend big $, it is pretty easy for someone to tell you they saved you a few hundred bucks or you got a great deal due to "upgrades". Is is thinking like that has our economy in so much trouble, people living over their heads mostly.

Not trying to be judgemental here, but perhaps many of us were just outside of the Amex Platinum target market. The domestic airfare program was what made the card a slam dunk, and that may be the dividing line between the haves and have nots now (LOL).

Roadside assistance: this is something you could do yourself or even call 911.
Do not call 911 for anything that would be roadside assistance related. Similarly, don't call roadside assistance for something that is actually an emergency. :rolleyes:

I have been interested in this forum because I had my membership fee renewal come up the same day as I received the email from amex about cancelling the 2-4-1. In all fairness when I signed up for this card it was for 2 reasons the 25,000 mr points and the 2-4-1. As much as I tried probably about a dozen times I was never able to find anything useful on 2-4-1. That said as an average Amex Plat member with a normal lifestyle I have found was to justify my card. First off added three additional cards for three family members who split the annual fee with me. We were adding it up the other day for the year and realized that combined we add used airport lounges about 100 times including stopovers and even sometimes when we landed to get a drink or use the bathroom while waiting for luggage. Saved about $200 when amex put us on two comp lists for clubs in las vegas. In terms of the fhr program I used it three times one time for five rooms in vegas(I booked 3 my sister the other two) we paid under 200 a night for three nights and recieved $800 for breakfast and $500 for the spa which was all used. Two other times we used it again for nice hotels that were under $200 and saved over $300 in meals plus a $100 for a resort credit. Besided this I have add the concierge help with travel and other info an a bunch of occasions.
All this said there are many ways to justify the fee and when I renewed the CSR agent apologized for the cancellation of 2-4-1 and explained the complaints for to high and then are working on a similiar deal which hopefully will be in place by early next year.

onlyforleisure can you split your post into paras?

OK< i hereby rescind my 911 comment.

I have had no problem using the 2-4-1 on a flight from Knoxville to San Antonio, TX. The first ticket was about $300, and the second was $100, which is the minimum fees and taxes. That is the best case scenario for flying on the cheap, just over $200/ticket. I guess if the paid flight was pricier, you gain even more. When I called to use this benefit, I was on a 2.5 hour drive. I did not have to hold, but the reservation process was very slow. The agent first quoted me a more expensive flight, but then I said what about this airline, this time, etc. and got exactly what I wanted. It would have been nicer to book online, but bottom line was I recouped $200 of the $450 + $185 (wife) that I forked out. With this benefit, the card is the best one out there, bar none. I am glad to hear they have something in the works to replace it, that is big news and first I heard of that.

As far as $800 for breakfast, are you kidding? Normally I stay at the Hilton Vegas and get free breakfast for me and my wife anyway, it just depends on each person's situation. I am not saying that I would never ever use the FHR, but as a Hilton Diamond its value is greatly diminished to me. I normally get rates below $100 when I stay in Vegas.

Saved about $200 when amex put us on two comp lists for clubs in Las Vegas? Received $800 for breakfast and $500 for the spa? Saved over $300 in meals plus a $100 for a resort credit?

Were you able to get these benefits through the Platinum Concierge or FHR? Aside from the typical benefits listed on the FHR website I’ve never experienced anything like this! :confused:


I have been interested in this forum because I had my membership fee renewal come up the same day as I received the email from amex about cancelling the 2-4-1. In all fairness when I signed up for this card it was for 2 reasons the 25,000 mr points and the 2-4-1. As much as I tried probably about a dozen times I was never able to find anything useful on 2-4-1. That said as an average Amex Plat member with a normal lifestyle I have found was to justify my card. First off added three additional cards for three family members who split the annual fee with me. We were adding it up the other day for the year and realized that combined we add used airport lounges about 100 times including stopovers and even sometimes when we landed to get a drink or use the bathroom while waiting for luggage. Saved about $200 when amex put us on two comp lists for clubs in las vegas. In terms of the fhr program I used it three times one time for five rooms in vegas(I booked 3 my sister the other two) we paid under 200 a night for three nights and recieved $800 for breakfast and $500 for the spa which was all used. Two other times we used it again for nice hotels that were under $200 and saved over $300 in meals plus a $100 for a resort credit. Besided this I have add the concierge help with travel and other info an a bunch of occasions.
All this said there are many ways to justify the fee and when I renewed the CSR agent apologized for the cancellation of 2-4-1 and explained the complaints for to high and then are working on a similiar deal which hopefully will be in place by early next year.

sorry for the paragraphs I used to get in trouble for that and run on sentences in grammar school but thats the first time I have been called out about it on a forum board

Most of the benefits listed were through FHR bookings as we are all aware sometimes FHR benefits may not be worth it like when their rate is significantly higher or its hotels you would never plan on staying in. I have many times not been able to use FHR because it was not practical but I wanted to point out the times it has been succesful this year.

The breakfast coupouns in vegas were $20 per person per day. Since there was no extra fee for additional people I had the CSR at FHR put down down 4 people per room. So about $80 a room a per day. The actually ran out of coupouns and had me come down later for more.

The clubs is a benefit through concierge. When you call ask to be put on the VIP guest list. This may not work every night nor at every club but for us it was a nice bonus.

The bottom line I was trying to get across is we all know the card has some great benfits but the the annual fee may seem steep. The 2-4-1 loss is a big blow but hopefully they will shock us with something real good. The best thing about this board is for us to share benefits about the card that others may not have known about and can now hopefully use them to their advantage.

Thanks for both sharing your experiences as well as for some great ideas for future travel!


sorry for the paragraphs I used to get in trouble for that and run on sentences in grammar school but thats the first time I have been called out about it on a forum board

Most of the benefits listed were through FHR bookings as we are all aware sometimes FHR benefits may not be worth it like when their rate is significantly higher or its hotels you would never plan on staying in. I have many times not been able to use FHR because it was not practical but I wanted to point out the times it has been succesful this year.

The breakfast coupouns in vegas were $20 per person per day. Since there was no extra fee for additional people I had the CSR at FHR put down down 4 people per room. So about $80 a room a per day. The actually ran out of coupouns and had me come down later for more.

The clubs is a benefit through concierge. When you call ask to be put on the VIP guest list. This may not work every night nor at every club but for us it was a nice bonus.

The bottom line I was trying to get across is we all know the card has some great benfits but the the annual fee may seem steep. The 2-4-1 loss is a big blow but hopefully they will shock us with something real good. The best thing about this board is for us to share benefits about the card that others may not have known about and can now hopefully use them to their advantage.

The bottom line I was trying to get across is we all know the card has some great benfits but the the annual fee may seem steep. The 2-4-1 loss is a big blow but hopefully they will shock us with something real good. The best thing about this board is for us to share benefits about the card that others may not have known about and can now hopefully use them to their advantage.

Amen to that! I just booked the Vegas Hilton for 4 nights $35/night in January via Player's Club account offer. I have been locked in on some flights for a last shot at the 2-4-1 ending tomorrow, but enduring some drama getting some friends and the wife on board. Wish me luck!

LAST DAY TODAY! All you shirkers, malingerers, procrastinators and just plain lazy people. (I am example #1) Let's get it done.

LAST DAY TODAY! All you shirkers, malingerers, procrastinators and just plain lazy people. (I am example #1) Let's get it done.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
So the domestic companion program office closed at 2pm EST today! AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH. There was no notice of this particular cutoff, to my knowledge. I lodged a complaint with cardholder services. Any other suggestions? I guess I can cancel my card out of spite, but then I'd have to buy CO and AA lounge memberships.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
So the domestic companion program office closed at 2pm EST today! AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH. There was no notice of this particular cutoff, to my knowledge. I lodged a complaint with cardholder services. Any other suggestions? I guess I can cancel my card out of spite, but then I'd have to buy CO and AA lounge memberships.

I'm pretty sure they always closed at 2pm EST on Saturdays--as a west coaster I was annoyed by this a few times.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
So the domestic companion program office closed at 2pm EST today! AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH. There was no notice of this particular cutoff, to my knowledge. I lodged a complaint with cardholder services. Any other suggestions? I guess I can cancel my card out of spite, but then I'd have to buy CO and AA lounge memberships.

So, you waited until the almost last possible moment, on the long communicated last day, and now your mad. Huh? Their closing at 2 PM eastern has been a fact for the whole life of the program. Almost any travel agent I've ever dealt with has limited hours on Saturday (if open at all) relative to weekday hours. Were you just expecting they'd be waiting around for your call?

We've had like a month and a half of notice that the 15th was the end game, no? Sorry that you missed the opportunity (seriously) but it seems like you own a bit of this as well.

Regards

So, you waited until the almost last possible moment, on the long communicated last day, and now your mad. Huh? Their closing at 2 PM eastern has been a fact for the whole life of the program. Almost any travel agent I've ever dealt with has limited hours on Saturday (if open at all) relative to weekday hours. Were you just expecting they'd be waiting around for your call?As a matter of fact yes. I don't care what bozo travel agents you use. The "regular" Amex Plat travel agents were there and answering their phones mid-afternoon on Saturday, as they always do, so why should I have expected any different from the Domestic Companion Program, when there was NO INDICATION IN ANY OF THE MATERIALS that they would close at 2pm.

...it seems like you own a bit of this as well. Sorry, I do not agree.

I just read all nine pages of this thread. I'm surprised that in discussing all of the benefits of the platinum card, no one mentioned the cruise program. Am I the only cruiser here? I've had the platinum card since it first came out and the main benefit to me has been the $300 shipboard credit that I receive on each cruise. Plus, there is also an annual $100 credit that appears on my AmEx statement for booking the cruise or other vacation package.

To me, the adde 241 benefit wa just icing on the cake when it was added last year. I'm sorry to see it go, but it won't cause me to cancel the card.

As a matter of fact yes. I don't care what bozo travel agents you use. The "regular" Amex Plat travel agents were there and answering their phones mid-afternoon on Saturday, as they always do, so why should I have expected any different from the Domestic Companion Program, when there was NO INDICATION IN ANY OF THE MATERIALS that they would close at 2pm.

I'm sure your cheery disposition will get you the redress you seek. Please report back on, I'm sure the generous compensation adjustment you'll receive from your lodged complaint with card holder services.

The hours of the Amex Plat travel desk, as you are now aware, are quite irrelevant, as the vendor providing the 2-4-1 service for this program is in fact NOT the Amex Travel desk. By your logic should all vendors that provide a travel benefit on the Plat/Cent card have the same business days/hours as Amex Plat Travel? (e.g. Starwood, Avis, Hertz, etc.)

You procrastinated to the last moment of the program and you missed out. Your angry about that; fair enough. But that doesn't mean it's someone else's fault.

Sorry, I do not agree.

Fair enough, but whether you agree or disagree is irrelevant. Your the one that didn't get what you wanted and are obviously angry about it, not me.

Regards

MMOB, The only reason we have kept the Platinum card is for the cruise credit and the ability to occasionally obtain good seats at broadway shows. Sometimes the bonuspointsmall is useful for a point boost.

I was able to get through on the last Saturday and purchased my Vegas tickets. I was running last minute, so I was able to book before 2PM after going through the whole line busy, redial repeatedly, finally get through, hold for a long time drill. Then they transferred me over to "confirm" my reservation. I got put on hold for a while again, finally about 10 minutes after 2PM, I get the dreaded "fast busy". In other words, disconnected. the recording answered when I called back, API is closed (of course).

I called Monday and got through and I provided my confirmation number. The gal said I was good but ran through the whole billing process again. This was a $422 ticket, and the total was going to be $662 or so. She mentioned something about $73.99 fee, per passenger + of course all the other taxes and fees associated with any airline ticket. I reluctantly agreed, since I'm still saving $180 in the deal,worse case I figured.

To date I have still not received the e-mail receipt they were to send. I went ahead and disputed the amount with Amex, I figure it is worth checking into. The first time I used the program I paid an $100 for the companion ticket for a $320 ticket. Now suddenly it is $240? What amount of fees have others paid when using this program?

I was able to confirm the reservation on the AA website and "fix" the seat assignments, so I feel good about that.

Before anyone chastises me for being last minute, the reason for that was my wife being indecisive, not me. I book things way ahead normally.

Thanks for any input on fees paid in the past for this program. I have never seen where these fees were spelled out in writing as part of the account agreement. However, I would not put it past API to 1) make an error, or 2) try to rip me off. Will advise on the dispute response.

I was able to use the 241 domestic program this past January for SFO-JFK RT for myself and gf as part of our trip to Kenya. It was $288 RT for the both of us on United coach, and believe it or not, we were upgraded to BC due to a group of 40 on our flight and they wanted to keep them all together in Coach. Since there was an opening in BC, my gf and I were upgraded!

Sorry to see them drop this, but thankfully, through my Delta Reserve and United Plat Visa, I get domestic travel vouchers for both airlines for 1 flight each year which we'll be using up from now on with this Plat benefit being dropped. What a shame :(

Eric

I'm wondering what credit cards those who chose to cancel their Plat AMEXs replaced it with? Any ideas on "close second" place to the benefits, specifically airport lounge access & 241 domestic tix?

The benefits you mention don't see like a good deal, as thoroughly discussed on here by those using them, or are offered by other cards too. The FHR program sounds like something for those that don't bat an eye at spending $3-$5-k per vacation or more. ... The international travel program looks like a bait and switch where they make you buy the most expensive flight.



. Purchase protection and other insurance: seems like any platinum visa card I have had has something similar. Concierge or preferred tickets: seems like a longshot to really find something worthwhile here, and another one you could probably do yourself.


(Emphasis added)

Reading over your post, its seems like you haven't actually used any of the benefits I reported I value. If you haven't actually tried to use them, how can you really judge how much it is worth to someone else? It has been worth it for me, for a number of years, and this is why I keep renewing. Apart from FHR, the other services/benefits may seem like they are equivalent to other cards, but IME, they are not. It has been much easier and smoother for to access those benefits with Amex compared to other cards, and that means something to me that I am willing to pay a premium for. Whenever I buy a high value item, or make a purchase that may seem risky, Amex is always my card of choice. Why? Because in these matters, they put the customer first over the merchant. With other cards, I find the opposite to be true.

As for FHR, I have never not received my upgrade as promised. Sure, you have to use the FHR hotels, but IME, FHR+Upgrade and perks (assuming you need the upgrade) has made it less expensive than or at least equivalent to booking a lesser hotel with a higher room category.



Roadside assistance: this is something you could do yourself or even call 911
Roadside assistance for Amex is roughly equivalent to a $90 AAA membership. If you're one who doesn't like to have the convenience of having AAA, then fine, this has no value for you. But I personally was able to cancel my AAA, which I found to be valuable, and save the $90 a year.

As always, YMMV. Everybody has their own travel pattern, and based on my particular travel and situation, Amex has been worth it. I can't say that I don't, at the end of the day, get my money's worth.