Originally Posted by
bgriff
Yeah I agree with you — I was disputing Super Mario’s assertion that it wasn’t possible to make a business case for holding both cards.
Not that it isn't possible, I just haven't seen a ton of examples of it. They are both very good credit cards, but both generalized. How many people would honestly get $1000+ of value each year by having both? Where might one be better? Where might a co-branded card maybe complement better? Tough to tell. We seem to follow this rule where we automatically deduct benefits from the fee like it's a given that everyone will hit them. The $200 platinum airline credit has a ton of restrictions. The Uber credit has restrictions too. They are imposed so not everyone will hit, yet advertised amounts make us do the math, assuming we will.
I think most people want to make it work because we all love the best cards with the best perks. American Express has done a good job with marketing. The Platinum is a huge status symbol, whether people want to admit it or not. We love showing it off. I have no place telling others what they should spend their money on. Heck, for those who travel often, $550 may be well worth it to them to use the Centurion lounge alone.
For me, I keep telling myself I want the Platinum too. At least once a month I try to justify it. The CSR's vast travel and dining categories are huge spending buckets for me (not to mention the rest of the UR cards). I have so many UR points that I never pay out of pocket for airfare the few times a year I fly leisurely, unless I do a cheap carrier like Spirit. It's also rare that I come across a Centurion Lounge, and even more rare that I have time to go to any lounge. I get a bunch of IHG points through work which pays for my hotel stays. I can't book my own hotels directly. The Platinum AF requires a certain investment to "break even" that doesn't fit my profile. The CSR requires zero effort to "break even". Not that I am the standard to be based around.