Originally Posted by
southleft
Thanks, this is helpful. Do you have any experience with local Amex cards? Any recommendations?
No personal experience, sorry, but I've seen lots of ads for their features in Asian countries, most notably in Singapore. There some cards give free or discounted VIP airport ground services, discounts on dining in some restaurants around town, access to a special airport lounge (although the latter IIRC isn't available for AmEx cards), etc. IIRC there was a deal last year for CX elite status from certain Asia-Pacific AmEx cards and one for QF lounge access, although that could have been based on the CX status.
If you'll be eligible for a local card, you might want to postpone a decision until you arrive and can compare the local offers and their qualification requirements.
OTOH, you may find it better to have the USA version of the Plat card, which tends to have lower fees and better benefits than the Plat cards offered in many other countries, including most of Europe for example. For many USA citizens, having the USA unaffiliated Plat card pay the $200 GE application fee is a major advantage. It can also be useful to be billed in US$ with no foreign transaction fees.