If you have enough biz spend and lots of time off, PLAT has great value. Must agree with Richard on PLAT value.
I prefer my "staycations" to mattress runs now that we get credit for award and C&P stays. Living in a city with a very nice remodeled cat1 by the airport, enhancing my "stay k's" with achieving early PLAT <thru 2-14> makes perfect sense to me.
With two SPG Amex's in my wallet, I start with 4 stays needing 21.
Least spend to PLAT via mattress becomes C&P 950 <1200pts minus 250 for gold amenity> plus $25 per stay times 21. 19950 pts plus $525 cash OR award on weekends of 2000pts ea minus gold amenity or 36750 pts.
Now if there was there was Cat1 in Alaska, the Discovery Channel could produce a show involving both Gold and Platinum. Parker Schnabel bulldozes the Klondike while Grandpa John collects shampoo bottles at the Sheraton