Originally Posted by Raffles

The relaunched UK Plat card offers SPG Gold, Hilton Gold (1 year), Sofitel Gold and Radisson goldpoints Silver in terms of hotel benefits. You also get access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts programme, which offers free breakfast, reduced rates, late check-out, upgrades and a welcome gift at a few hundred five star hotels worldwide. The latter can save you a LOT of money if used in the right places - you can often save your entire Plat fee in one stay.

You also get full travel insurance for five people and their families, two Priority Pass airport lounge access cards, Eurostar lounge access and BMI lounge access.

The only difference with Centurion for hotel stays is that there are special deals negotiated with a couple of chains. There are bigger Ritz-Carlton discounts, for instance, and a once-per-year 'buy 1 night get 1 free at weekends' offer with Mandarin Oriental.

The travel insurance benefit is actually better with Plat, especially as it now covers all car hire insurance outside the UK.

We believe that no Centurion cards are currently being issued in the UK. Rumoured spend requirement was £60k but everyone I know who has one says they never spent that much. In any event, it is certainly not worth the £650 fee when you compare it with the £300 Plat package unless - potentially - you are certain you will use the Mandarin Oriental offer.