Originally Posted by jhalapin

So, from my recent real world experience...

Because of the way my connections work out of FSD I usually transit DFW airport (rather than CLT or PHX). Out of the last 10 times (in the last 6 weeks) I attempted to enter the Centurion I was denied entry 6 of those times due to capacity restrictions. I didn't opt for the waitlist, I just headed for the Admiral's Club. Even without capacity restrictions (pre-covid) the clubs were crazy busy to the point I just stopped by for some food and then jetted to a club where it wasn't as busy so I could work.

I just paid my AF for my card and the AU fee for the wife in March. The wife and I have had the discussion that this will be our last year with the platinum card. The value for us (and why we have kept up our renewals) was the Centurion Lounge and that's just not true any longer with the overcrowding and capacity limits.

I opened a Chase Sapphire Reserve and have begun moving all my travel spending over to that card. The CSR gives me all of the perks I care about that the Plat did with the exception of Delta Club access and Marriott Gold status. These days I rarely fly Delta and have less than 10 Marriott stays a year and when I do stay at a Marriott property I'll just purchase the internet (the only Marriott perk that made gold status worthwhile). Actually, the Priority Pass Select benefits are better because it does include the restaurant perks that the plat does not.

The $725 (soon to be a couple hundred more) I just paid to renew would buy all the Delta day passes and Marriott internet that I need along with several chicken quesadillas at the AA club (even with the $625 CSR fee taken into account).

Amex has "lifestyled" the plat to the point it's useless to me these days.

YMMV