rxfudd

I started out in September 2009 with a regular old gold card, and as soon as the Gold Premier came out I upgraded. It's been working out pretty well for me. I travel domestically 1-2 times a month and internationally 4-6 times a year, and so I've recently been able to take advantage of the 3X airfare points since upgrading. This past year, I put about $100K on the card. Now that my account is over a year old I have the $175 fee, but I figured that I'll be able to nearly balance it with the 15K bonus points for >$30K spending.

I am tempted to upgrade to the platinum card, particularly with the new 50K point promotion. The benefits that are most appealing are the $200 in single airline reimbursements and no international transaction fees. I probably pay $150-$200 a year in transaction fees alone, so this is a nice benefit. I expect I would use the concierge service a few times a year, and I may end up checking out a lounge every now and then (not a huge lounge person, and I tend to plan travel to minimize layovers). I would probably also get some use out of the FHR program, although I almost invariably book package deals and promotions directly through most hotels anyway.

I am torn between these two cards. I have recently been kicking around the idea of having both, as I think I may be able to get enough benefit out of each to pay for each card (and then some, obviously). Is this a stupid and/or excessive idea? Do any of you have both? Should I just stick with one? Interested to hear your perspectives.

Ritz

Since Platinum incorporates all the benefits of Gold (except your one-time sign up bonus, if you do a straight upgrade of course), I believe you'l find the consensus on this forum is that's its simply duplicating a card you already have. If you're gonna take advantage of any of the enhanced benefits, you're much, much better off with just Platinum (and shuttering the old Gold).

mgchan

Except that Platinum does not give the same airline, gas, and grocery bonus MR points (though it offers 4x rewards from bonus points mall compared with 3x, I believe).

If you spend enough on those, it could be worth the cost of an additional Gold membership. Or maybe it's not worth the additional cost of Platinum beyond the first year with the bonus.

Personally I decided to go with the Platinum at least for a year, shift some of my gas, grocery, and airline spending to other cards that give better rewards (e.g. Discover 5% cash back on airfare now) and cancel my Gold for now. I may end up going back with Gold in a year if I'm not able to utilize the additional benefits of Platinum, or perhaps go with an SPG card... not sure.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

Same here. I just got the Platinum and use other cards for gas, groceries, which doesn't seem to be a huge bill for me because I'm not a cook-for-myself type of person. The biggest expense for me is travel and online material purchases. While a PR Gold may net 1x more or travel (if you use the Plat on Amex Travel) or 2x (if you use the Plat on other travel sites), the bonus points mall gives you that 1x more on online stuff. I suppose it depends on where you spend most of your money. Unfortunately, I also have a huge bill on restaurants.

I wish the Platinum card gave us a bonus to use it at restaurants. I think that would be more appropriate for the Platinum's image, because doesn't Amex want the card can be flashed more often?

Okto

It does not. As explained multiple times in the past, AMEX does not build their card portfolio in a pyramidal structure. Moving up the ladder does not incorporate all the benefits of the cards below. The fundamental difference between PR Gold and Plat when it comes to earning points is that, bonuspointsmall.com aside, the Plat earns 1X on everything, without any additional bonuses for hitting certain thresholds. The PR Gold card earns 3X on airfare, 2X on gas/groceries and 1X on everything else. Spend $30K or more a year, and it pays an additional 15,000 bonus points, every year.

mia

Premier Rewards Gold will net 2 extra points per dollar on airfare even if the purchase is made at americanexpress.com/travel. The only area where Platinum has a points earning advantage in bonuspointsmall.com, and while the mall has some attractive options for booking hotels there isn't anything for airfare.

chewy3

I have both a gold and plat card. I spend 200-300k in airline tickets a year which goes on the gold card and the plat card is for FHR and lounge access as well as the $200 benefit. So crunch the numbers and see if it is worth it for you.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

Why only an additional 15,000 bonus points, not 30,000? Plats get 2x on amex travel, PR Gold gets 3x anywhere. That's 30,000 more bonus points.

Yeah. I was saying the "lost" points (the difference in MR points) by using a Platinum over a PR Gold is 2x if the Amex Platinum is used on other travel sites, and 1x if the Amex Platinum is used on the Amex Travel site, because PR Gold has flexibility and gets 3x everywhere.

mlad1101

You are confused. What he is saying/referring to is there is a bonus as part of the PR Gold program. Every year you spend at least $30k on the card you get 15k MR bonus points.(This has nothing to do with the points earned from actually spending the $30k or multipliers of some of the spend within that $30k, this is 15k bonus points on top of all of that for reaching the spend threshold.)


Also if you get a Plat card you can get a PR Gold under it at a reduced yearly fee.

mia

The difference is always 2 points per dollar, it doesn't matter where you book.

For example, if you purchase air travel at americanexpress.com/travel:

Platinum earns 2 points per dollar: 1 point for the spend plus 1 point for using the site.

Premier Gold earns 4 points per dollar: 1 point for the spend, 2 points for airfare, plus 1 point for using the site.

mia

American Express may negotiate a reduced annual fee on one account if you have both, but it's not a published feature. You can obtain additional Gold cards linked to the Platinum account, but these will not be "Premier Gold" cards. They will earn points on the same basis as the base Platinum account.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

Ah, yes! You are right. I was confused. I didn't know that about the PR Gold. I obviously don't have one. Thanks for clearing that up.

Just out of curiosity, what are the typical reduced rates like? If they're not too bad, it may be worth considering, now that you've let me know that they do actually get 4x if booked on the Amex Travel site. It makes me wonder now if I should even be spending on the Platinum card at all.

Thanks. I didn't know it was 4x. I thought it was 3x regardless.

SP03

I remember that you used to be able to get additional Gold cards for free, but I don't see that on the website anymore. Can you still do that?

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

You can get 5 Gold cards for $45, or 3 Platinum cards for $175.

mia

A personal Platinum Card issued in the USA pays a single annual fee of $45 for "up to five" Gold cards.

https://www295.americanexpress.com/c...ARDS/137/1/4/5