ffsim

I've had exceptional rates throught the program on LX. My experiences are documented in the thread provided by alc.

Clipper801

Based on discussions here, whether the IAP is "good deal" appears to be origin/destination and airline specific.

Some posters have reported to be able to use the discounted business class fare for the IAP but my personal experience has always been that full unrestricted business class fare must be used for the origins/destinations that I had wanted to travel, rendering buying 2 discount business class tickets to be cheaper than the full unrestricted one required for the IAP for my specific itinerary. The caveat is whether one can live with the restrictions of the discount business class fare and whether seats are available.

So you just have to check your specific itinerary and compare fares.

Crampedin13A

While it really is only a benefit for people in the GTA I save a couple of hundred dollars a year just on the 15% discount on parking at Pearson.

veechee

I've used this benefit twice this year already through Amex PTS. I didn't know about it until a PTS agent told me when I was booking a couple of flights. I make sure I ask now because not every PTS agent seems to remember to do it automatically.

veechee

I am very satisfied with my decision to get Amex Platinum 9-10 months ago.

• CX Gold status. I switched most of my AC flying to CX as a results. Better lounges. Numerous upgrades to Y+ and J. I could go on and on.
• Platinum Travel Service. Quality of the agents varies a LOT, but they will book pretty much whatever I say and do no charge a fee to search out options or book. I book all my international flights through PTS now, because I am often building using routings amd fare classes I cannot buy online. I have booked lots of hotels with them, some not always at the lowest rate I could find, but I can make the agent do the work for me. Right now I am planning a bachelor party trip to Vegas. Using online rates, Vegas hotels won't even talk to me. I'd rather pay $5 more per night and make the PTS agent do everything for me.
• Fine Hotels & Resorts. I used this at a Fairmont property and got upgraded to a suite worth significantly more than the basic room I had booked. A $100 food credit for dinner and a $100 credit for breakfast, and I could use both against a ONE night stay (I stayed more nights, but the rest were at a conference rate; the Fairmont let me keep the suite the whole time).
• As many have mentioned, it is really a $499 card because of the $200 annual travel credit. I have only paid one annual fee so far and have redeemed $400 in credits due to using both in 2013 and 2014. PTS has got lots of business from me that it may not have got if I hadn't tried the service to use the credit.
• WestJet 10% discount. Great benefit I didn't know about when I signed up. I book all my WS through PTS now.
• Lounge access. Amex Platinum gets you into some nice lounges in Canadian airports now. I use the Plaza Premium Lounges in YEG and YVR regularly. In YEG even if I had MLL access for a flight, I would choose the Plaza lounge because it is always less busy! In YVR domestic, the Plaza lounge is near the WS gates which is very convenient. I've also used the Priority Pass to get into United Club lounges and lounges in Asia.
• Hotel and rental car programs I have not used yet. I have booked some rooms with SPG hotels for the summer so I will see then. Rental cars I have always found better deals other ways through other rental car companies.

Someone mentioned the prestige of carrying the card. Indeed nobody is going to care whether your card is "platinum" or gold or whatever most places these days. Due to chip and pin, even if there was cachet to having it, the stores often don't touch your card anymore so they would never know. I don't have that much money, nor act like I do, so this is all fine by me. I actually thought my previous gold Amex was the most prestigious looking card (and do recall some reaction to it at retail), with a close second being the old style CIBC Aerogold card that was actually gold and not yellow (and now black as an Infinite card).

veechee

This is what I do too with PTS. I keep contact cards for the agents that have handled my bookings before, and email them requests directly. I usually follow-up any email with a call to make sure they have seen the request. In my experience, some agents give out their email address freely, and some do not - they will send from the general contact address instead.

Cana2013

First time heard of the 10% discount for Westjest. Is it true 10% discount to Wesjet online price?

yerffej201

I thought it ended?

mrstella

I did get the westjet discount booked on April 18

Im not sure how they calculate the discount, the online ticket price was $568 and my discounted price thru amex travel was $531

veechee

I just booked a flight last week and the PTS agent said she applied the code, and my price was less than what the website was showing. When it was $530 online PTS quoted me $478, which is 10% less. When I actually booked a couple days later I paid $492 because the fare had changed already, but I am sure it was still 10% less than online.

mikeycanuk

The $200 credit, if I understand correctly, has to be booked through AMEX travel services? I have yet to find ANY of my travel that shows up. Even the overnighter in SYD at the Rydges airport hotel is not showing up. Other Rydges in Sydney, sure, but not the one I want! Neither is Blue Mountain in Collingwood. What a load of ****.

BenSenise

You have to call PTS and make a booking and ask then to apply your $200 credit. It isn't automatic.
What do you mean by your travel "not showing up?"

mikeycanuk

I thought you had to book via Amex's website? What I meant was when I looked online the places I wanted to book don't show up. What is PTS?

[edit] ok I understand PTS is. I wonder if the PTS is really that different than the Personal Travel on the Amex website.

Altaflyer

Yes, it's different. They have access to much more that the website.

eishv

Hi Everyone.

Thanks for reading my thread. I'm quite new to the site, but following all the advice on here, I now have Platinum status with a hotel brand, so thought I'd turn my attention to flying now.

A friend told me about the AMEX Platinum card, and while it looks very interesting, I want to be damn sure about it before I pay that $699 fee. I was hoping I could appeal to your communal knowledge.

1) I know the card gives a welcome bonus of 50,000 points, which you can keep as AMEX points, or convert 1:1 to Aeroplan/Avios. I wanted to see what 50,000 gets you with AMEX, but it looks like you need to sign up before they reveal that to you. I am specifically interested in travel from Canada/US (Ontario/Detroit) to Western Europe. I am claustrophobic and so want to fly business class. Can someone tell me what a business class round trip to Europe would be in AMEX points?

2) The card also mentions you can get free upgrades, and importantly, free companion flights through the AMEX rewards, but I can't find any details about it anywhere. What do you need to do to qualify? Is there a limit? Or do you just automatically get a free companion if you book a single ticket through AMEX? Also good for business class?

3) I am new to AEROPLAN as well. I don't like to fly Air Canada. Can anyone tell me, is there any sort of fee to use your AEROPLAN points to fly another member of the Star Alliance (Like Lufthansa for example)? I don't want to get dinged.

Thanks so much everyone - I've read differing opinions on the card.