LarkSFO

Is it just me, or is this underwhelming? (In addition to being the most poorly constructed and gramatically unimpressive e-mail I have received from AMEX CS.)

My message to them basically expressed my discontent with the fact that CO is leaving the MR program (points transfer and lounge access), and asked if AMEX had any plans for new features or benefits for the CO traveler...

Here is the response I received:

Response (CS Agent) 10/01/2011

Hi Lark,

I understand that you are not happy to see Continental departing from the Membership Rewards program.

As you know that Continental President's Club has decided to end our partnership on September 30, 2011. As a result, our Cardmembers will no longer be able to directly redeem Membership Rewards points for Continental flights. Platinum Cardmembers will no longer have access to President's Club airport lounges. Also, Cardmembers will not be able to transfer points to their Continental OnePass account after September 30, 2011.

We can’t speculate on Continental Airlines motivations for leaving the program. We too are disappointed by the decision, and we regret any future inconvenience the discontinued partnership will cause you.

However, the Membership Rewards program continues to offer flexible travel options such as the Pay with Points feature. This feature allows you to book travel with points on the American Express Travel website--where the value of points is now even better--without restrictions or blackout dates.

While using the Pay With Points feature you will be billed for the travel charges, then you are given the option to redeem Membership Rewards points to have a credit issued to your Card account to offset the debit that was issued by the merchant.

Additionally, please note that you can redeem your points to buy airline tickets of major airlines on our travel website.

Travel must be booked through one of the following options:

- www.americanexpress.com/travel (for flights, hotels, complete trip, vacations/tours and cruises)
-www.americanexpress.com/paywith points

Or, you can book your tickets using your with a single phone call by contacting Online Travel Department (800)297-2977 (from outside the United States, call collect at 210-582-2716). A representative will book your tickets while you are on phone and will also provide you information about the points required.

For any additional information, please call Continental President's Club customer service at (800)322-2640 (Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. ET).

I hope this information is helpful.

We truly value your membership with us since 1999. Have a great day ahead!
Sincerely,
CS Agent
Email Servicing Team
American Express Interactive Services

________________________________________

igopogo

Agreed, this guy seems to be writing in a rush...but...I'm just impressed that it wasn't a form letter!

But it makes me wonder...what kind of response were you hoping for?

LarkSFO

Well, they did add Virgin as a transfer partner, which could be good for me here at SFO if the transfer ratio were better...

OK, just perusing my favorite travel blogs and saw Seth's new post:

Virgin America/Membership Rewards earning rate announced

"Apparently the numbers came out a bit early and The Points Guy noticed the rates. Wow do they suck.

The conversion rate is 200 AmEx MR points -> 100 Virgin America Elevate points. Virgin America’s Elevate program has relatively fixed redemption values for the points, topping out around the 2 cents/point range. With this conversion factor the AmEx points are topping out at 1 cent/point and can actually do rather worse. That’s a pretty bad rate of return on those points."

I guess I was hoping there would be some hint of future additional developments that would make me excited to stick with AMEX Plat.

Although I have received good value this year, I am still going to have to think hard when I receive the $450 renewal bill in early 2012...

mia

They also added:

• $200 airline credit; link
• Priority Pass membership which gives you access to Alaska Airlines lounges, and hundreds on independent lounges; link
• Access to US Airways lounges, including the Charlotte hub which is excluded from Priority Pass, when flying any airline; link
• 20% refund on Pay with Points redemptions;
• Complimentary upgrade to Tripit Pro; link
• $100 Global Entry refund; link
• Eliminated foreign transaction fees link

bajrbajr

As I understand it CO left AMEX, not the other way around. (because CO is so tight wih CHASE) Complaining to AMEX is kinda pointless... it wasn't their choice.

But your point about the keeping the PLAT card is valid. I'm contemplating the same thing. I fly mostly DL now, so access to the DL lounge is a plus, and the $200 travel credit is nice. Still $450 intially out of my pocket for a charge card leaves a mark...

LarkSFO

Thanks mia, of course you are correct that there are still a lot of benefits. However, my guess is that you are a long time cardholder? As a new Plat cardholder, only 8 months, all of the benefits you outline are not 'new' to me. They are the benefits I was aware of and that I signed up for when I paid my $450 annual fee.

I have 3 paper $50 UA gift certificates in my drawer (I haven't figured out how to use them yet), and one United Club day pass. So, yes, I did take advantage of this benefit. Getting the gift certificates and spending them will be kind of a hassle - I just wish there were an easier way to take advantage of this credit...

In 8 months, used this just a few times. It is just not my normal travel habit to frequent lounges, so for me, this is not a compelling benefit.

Access to US lounges? Useless to me.

I'll admit I have not tried this one. Under what circumstances does it make sense?

What's tripit? Do others find it worth the effort to learn how to use it?

Thanks AMEX Plat, just had my interview last week and will have GE shortly! (Although, now one can also get this as a UA PP or 1K too.)

This is certainly not unique. I think I have 3 or 4 cards now that have eliminated these fees.


mia, Here is the question I am asking myself: Should I renew the AMEX Plat, or should I just get the CO Presidential Plus card? There was also a hint in Smisek's CNBC interview that UA / Chase will be releasing a new high end credit card....

As a committed UA flyer, just contemplating and trying to decide which card will best meet my needs.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, these first 8 months with the AMEX Plat card have been extremely beneficial to me. But a lot of that had to do with the 100,000 MR sign on bonus... Without these bonus MR's, does the rest of the package make it a better card than the competition?

I still have three months to make up my mind!

Lark

mia

That isn't a comprehensive list of the Platinum Card benefits. Those are only the features added since it became apparent that CO would leave. If I recall correctly, the US Airways lounge access was added a few months before the formal announcement, and all the others thereafter. In other words, this is the American Express response, I would not expect anything more except, perhaps, the addition of another airline transfer partner.

If you're not the type of person who values lounge access, Platinum (or the corresponding high-end card from Chase), is probably not right for you. For example, if you are primarily interested in maximum point earnings you should do much better with American Express Premier Rewards Gold (which completes with Chase Sapphire Preferred and Citi Premier).

Most of the benefit-specific questions are best addressed in the existing threads using the links which I added to my previous post. I still need to add one discussing Pay with Points, which is not my favorite feature, but has a place for those who would not re-qualify for airline elite status if they used miles for a trip.

LarkSFO

You're reading my mind...

One of my thoughts was to downgrade to Premier Rewards Gold. (In another thread, somebody said I should try to apply for this before I cancel my Plat, and not downgrade. If I downgrade: no bonus. If I can get the Gold card as a new card, with any associated MR benefit, even better!)

I did not realize that all the benefits you listed were in response to CO leaving the partnership... Thanks for enlightening me.

Bottom line: You're probably right, an expensive annual fee for lounge access, for someone who does not value lounge access all that much, is probably the wrong decision!

mlad1101

So then you chose to sign up when you already knew CO was leaving, and are complaining about it

LarkSFO

Thanks, your post is truly informative and adds a lot to the conversation.

I signed up for the 50,000 MR bonus, which then, thanks to what I learned here on FT, was subsequently bumped to 100,000 MR. Every other benefit was secondary to this, and to be honest when I signed up I was certain that I would keep this card for one year and then cancel.

I have had a great first year with this card, and recieved far more value than my investment. Enough value, matter of fact, that I am reconsidering my initial plan to just cancel it.

I am not complaining (although maybe it sounds like I am?). I am trying to make an educated decision about whether it makes sense for me to renew this card, for $450, in January.

The response I received from AMEX was so unique(?), I decided to post it here. And do it in a context that asked other experienced FT'ers for their thoughts and opinions on what they plan to do with their Plat after losing the value of the CO relationship.

I think I like mia's idea best, especially if I can sign up for a new Gold card with some kind of MR bonus. Then I will not renew my Plat card.

We'll see, I have 3 months to decide!

jlbdca

I just want to make certain that you know there are other Star Alliance transfer partners, Aeroplan and ANA. I'm not an expert, but the two have different rewards charts, allowing a choice of redemption options for United flights.

Also, if I'm not mistaken Virgin Atlantic might join *A as well, adding another option.

LarkSFO

I know nothing about ANA...

AC has gotten a lot of cr*p in the blogosphere for their devaluations...

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...-class-awards/

I needed a few thousand Hilton points, and did just take advantage of the transfer savings MR is offering right now!

mia

jlbdca is trying to help you. Knowing nothing, or only what others have written, doesn't establish that these programs don't offer value to you. Invest some time, learn how to redeem through ANA or Aeroplan for travel on United (and every other Star Alliance carrier), and see how it matches your travel interests.

ANA is a distance based program, typically it offers best value on shorter flights (notably east coast North America to Western Europe, but that's only an example). Aeroplan is a zone based program similar to OnePass or Mileage Plus.

LarkSFO

OK, two to one. You (and jlbdca) win!

I have 3 months to investigate these two *A partners to see if the value proposition they offer is sufficient to keep me and my Plat together...

(Although, mia, I'd get this same benefit with the Gold card... So my primary avenue of investigation will be to see if I can apply for / receive the Gold card with some kind of bonus. I think that will be the best option for me...)

Thank you, and jlbdca, for your thoughts,

Lark

mia

Correct. The first comparison is probably Membership Rewards vs other rewards programs. If Membership Rewards is your choice, only then compare Platinum versus Premier Rewards Gold.

I believe jlbdca's point is that in comparing MR to other programs you should realize that is is possible to redeem for flights on all three alliances: OneWorld, SkyTeam and Star, even if a specific airline (e.g. CO/UA) is not a transfer partner.