Is AMEX platinum worth it?
May 19, 2010, 7:36 pm
#121
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,458
I finally got a Plat card because I was booking a Seabourn cruise.... 3 cabins, hoping to get the cabin credit. Time to book- talked to the agent... was told.. oh I can get you more credit than that, but the offers are not combinable... oops. there goes the whole reason I got the card...
May 21, 2010, 2:47 am
#122
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: ua mm, aa plat, starriott LTPP, ihg plat, hh gold.
Posts: 13,018
I finally got a Plat card because I was booking a Seabourn cruise.... 3 cabins, hoping to get the cabin credit. Time to book- talked to the agent... was told.. oh I can get you more credit than that, but the offers are not combinable... oops. there goes the whole reason I got the card...
May 23, 2010, 7:41 am
#124
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 49,019
[Moderator action...]
The digression discussing a companion ticket offer from Travel & Leisure Magazine has been relocated here...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...n-tickets.html
The digression discussing a companion ticket offer from Travel & Leisure Magazine has been relocated here...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...n-tickets.html
May 1, 2011, 9:04 pm
#125
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AA EXP (2.5MM), Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,859
I just booked a cruise using platinum and noticed that the actual benefit you receive varies widely by cruise line and even cabin. We are on celebrity and they only gave $100 OBC (per cabin not per person), and then a few other amenities like a bottle of Champagne, Free specialty restaurant for two and something else I don't recall. If I had booked a lower level cabin, they would have given me a two category upgrade, but there was no equivalent for our cabin so we got nothing else. As a general Amex benefit though, our cruise qualified for the Free 7 Night stay at Pueblo Bonita in Mexico. So either way we came out pretty well, but not as amazing as I had hoped.
This trip is actually the main reason I switched to platinum. Flying Delta from SFO to FLL with two stops, so we get to try out 3 lounges. I am also staying in Wynn in April and using the free night stay with FHR benefits. All in all I can convince myself that the Platinum is worth it, this year at least. I sort of figure if you can do 1 qualifying cruise and the night a wynn once a year you are at least going to break even if not come out a little bit ahead.
I am even considering using the international companion ticket to go with the free Mexico nights we got. It is definitely not cheaper than 2 economy tickets, but on Mexicana Airlines its only like $1100 for an unrestricted business class, and until a fare sale happens its sitting at a ridiculous $400 a person for economy. And the flight calculates out to nearly 8000 miles thanks to some ridiculous stopovers. I am definitely not set on that so feel free to explain to me why that is a horrible deal and I will probably agree with you.
This trip is actually the main reason I switched to platinum. Flying Delta from SFO to FLL with two stops, so we get to try out 3 lounges. I am also staying in Wynn in April and using the free night stay with FHR benefits. All in all I can convince myself that the Platinum is worth it, this year at least. I sort of figure if you can do 1 qualifying cruise and the night a wynn once a year you are at least going to break even if not come out a little bit ahead.
I am even considering using the international companion ticket to go with the free Mexico nights we got. It is definitely not cheaper than 2 economy tickets, but on Mexicana Airlines its only like $1100 for an unrestricted business class, and until a fare sale happens its sitting at a ridiculous $400 a person for economy. And the flight calculates out to nearly 8000 miles thanks to some ridiculous stopovers. I am definitely not set on that so feel free to explain to me why that is a horrible deal and I will probably agree with you.
(Found this thread trying to see what Celebrity offered on 7 day Caribbean cruises and then was interested by this extra info)
Sep 16, 2011, 2:00 pm
#126
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
Year 1: Unqualified yes
paid: $450 annual fee in January 2011
received: 100,000 MR points (yes, I 'bumped the bonus' from the original 50,000 I was offered)
Benefits:
Saved $500 in forex charges on our Asia trip (yes, I could have gotten this with a different card, but I did not have a different card with no forex at that time)
7x entry in to UACO lounge with PP Select (sad to see this go)
4x entry in to DL lounge with Plat card
$190 in refunded fees through the $200 airline credit (3x $50 GC, 1x RCC one day pass)
Transfer to DL (54,000 MR points?) and received 1.5x miles (= 1 domestic R/T in F worth $800 - $1000), plus 25K DL MQM which made me Silver Medallion (subsequently, DL made an offer that if I fly 2 domestic R/T's I would be made Gold through 2/13. Flew two SFO/LAX R/T's for $120 each and now I am Gold for a total outlay of $240 and less than 2000 miles flown. I'll give AMEX some of the credit for this!)
Global Entry - $100 credit
TicketMaster - $50 credited back to me on my $150 purchase
Early access to good Cirque Totem tickets - probably could have gotten this through other channels, but I like AMEX's weekly e-mail with entertainment and 'early / exclusive' access
Rental Car coverage - used it twice, not sure how much I saved
I've looked at FHR, but still like Virtuoso / FSPP better
2 for 1 business class ticket is useless except for very unique circumstances
All this being said... By the time my AMEX plat is up for renewal, Chase and UA will have their new high end credit card out on the market. Since I am a UA loyalist (mostly
), I will take a hard look at what the new Chase card offers, and determine whether that card or my Amex Plat makes more sense for next year.
For 2011, however, the Amex Plat has been a spectacular card to have!
received: 100,000 MR points (yes, I 'bumped the bonus' from the original 50,000 I was offered)
Benefits:
Saved $500 in forex charges on our Asia trip (yes, I could have gotten this with a different card, but I did not have a different card with no forex at that time)
7x entry in to UACO lounge with PP Select (sad to see this go)
4x entry in to DL lounge with Plat card
$190 in refunded fees through the $200 airline credit (3x $50 GC, 1x RCC one day pass)
Transfer to DL (54,000 MR points?) and received 1.5x miles (= 1 domestic R/T in F worth $800 - $1000), plus 25K DL MQM which made me Silver Medallion (subsequently, DL made an offer that if I fly 2 domestic R/T's I would be made Gold through 2/13. Flew two SFO/LAX R/T's for $120 each and now I am Gold for a total outlay of $240 and less than 2000 miles flown. I'll give AMEX some of the credit for this!)
Global Entry - $100 credit
TicketMaster - $50 credited back to me on my $150 purchase
Early access to good Cirque Totem tickets - probably could have gotten this through other channels, but I like AMEX's weekly e-mail with entertainment and 'early / exclusive' access
Rental Car coverage - used it twice, not sure how much I saved
I've looked at FHR, but still like Virtuoso / FSPP better
2 for 1 business class ticket is useless except for very unique circumstances
All this being said... By the time my AMEX plat is up for renewal, Chase and UA will have their new high end credit card out on the market. Since I am a UA loyalist (mostly
), I will take a hard look at what the new Chase card offers, and determine whether that card or my Amex Plat makes more sense for next year.For 2011, however, the Amex Plat has been a spectacular card to have!
Sep 16, 2011, 2:32 pm
#127
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,945
Jan 6, 2012, 2:20 pm
#128
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Summit County, CO.
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Ambassador, Hyatt Diamond, American Platinum
Posts: 384
My company will pay either for a United Club members (I'm GS so $350/yr) or upgrade to Platinum AMEX. Since my United Club membership doesn't expire until May, I decided to take the plunge and try out the Platinum AMEX this year. I'll still renew my UC (out of pocket), but a friend has the Platinum AMEX and has been able to get us amazing Book of Mormon and Restuarant reservations that we had trouble getting on our own. This seemed worth the cost to me. Guess I'll reevaluate the value next year to determine if I want to renew the Platinum Card or if I want to get reimbursed for the UC membership instead.
Jan 6, 2012, 3:01 pm
#129
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 49,019
Jan 6, 2012, 3:23 pm
#130
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Summit County, CO.
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Ambassador, Hyatt Diamond, American Platinum
Posts: 384