Originally Posted by
mdosu
Also, I think the most valuable status benefit is the SPG gold status. Which allows you to status match into Marriott gold, which means free breakfast at Marriotts.
This!
I conservatively put a $40/ breakfast for two. 7 days per year that's a minimum benefit that's worth it
And here is how I justify the Amex plat. At $450, per uber days. $250 af totally worth it for SPG gold.
Why? Because the only other way id get Marriott gold is to put $10k on my Ritz, whose earn rate is brutal.
I value Marriott points at 0.7c and united miles at 2.4c minimum.
$10k on Ritz gets me $70 of value.
id rather put that spend on united Club for 10k UA Miles worth $240. Saving that $170 of opportunity cost makes the current Amex AF easier to swallow.
//edit Long day. $10k on united club is 15k Miles. Worth $360 to me. So the opportunity cost saved by Amex giving me SPG gold is $290. Once Amex loses SPG (I doubt chase will give it up easily) that will be another point against keeping it.