Review of Canadian Amex Plat
#616
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
Programs: AC 75K, Hertz President’s Circle, Accor Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 10,061
Had a long talk with a supervisor after trying to use my annual credit today only to be told it’s not there. My anniversary is Nov. Its a unilateral change and defacto means they are clawing back the “extra $200” they gave me in 2012 when I got the card in Nov. That was the deal then and I’ve kept the card. I get why they want to change but they should offer something to people who are loyal members and had no intention of cancelling.....I might just cancel now though - the attitude of customer service is appalling!! Also got denied at Centurion SEA a couple of times as it was full.
#617
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYJ
Posts: 2,230
i've had a plat card for around 15 years but i too cancelled it last month. the benefits don't match the cost any more.
since every tom, dick, and harry has a CC with lounge access, my last few PP lounge visits have been absolutely horrendous. lounges jam packed, zero seats available. zero. had to wait until someone left. copenhagen lounges were horrible as well. the only good one is the DL in SEA but that's not worth $500/year for the few times i use it.
i had SPG plat status for a few years having earned it the hard way but SPG gold is worthless because everyone and their dog has gold. maybe 10 years ago i would get better rooms but for the last few years the front desk agents basically tell me that they can't upgrade me as they hand me the keys. i didn't even ask as i don't expect them. i imagine they get hassled by so many guests that they are defensive.
hilton gold is okay for the breakfasts. had a good breakfast at a double tree. that was worth 2 people x $20 x 3 days so you could say $120. hilton tokyo breakfasts were great. so that's a good benefit.
but it all boils down to cost-benefit ratio and it just ain't workin' out anymore.
i got a cobalt card and am racking up the points that i can transfer to Marriwood hotels or transfer from there to airlines at a better ratio than with the Plat card anyway.
since every tom, dick, and harry has a CC with lounge access, my last few PP lounge visits have been absolutely horrendous. lounges jam packed, zero seats available. zero. had to wait until someone left. copenhagen lounges were horrible as well. the only good one is the DL in SEA but that's not worth $500/year for the few times i use it.
i had SPG plat status for a few years having earned it the hard way but SPG gold is worthless because everyone and their dog has gold. maybe 10 years ago i would get better rooms but for the last few years the front desk agents basically tell me that they can't upgrade me as they hand me the keys. i didn't even ask as i don't expect them. i imagine they get hassled by so many guests that they are defensive.
hilton gold is okay for the breakfasts. had a good breakfast at a double tree. that was worth 2 people x $20 x 3 days so you could say $120. hilton tokyo breakfasts were great. so that's a good benefit.
but it all boils down to cost-benefit ratio and it just ain't workin' out anymore.
i got a cobalt card and am racking up the points that i can transfer to Marriwood hotels or transfer from there to airlines at a better ratio than with the Plat card anyway.
#618
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,882
50,000 Membership Rewards (Cobalt)
60,000 Marriott Bonvoy
25,000 Airline miles
50,000 Membership Rewards (Platinum)
50,000 AC or BA miles
The only sense in which Cobalt is better is for spending in the 5X dining category.
#619
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: YYZ
Programs: AA LT Plat, AC 25K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,135
#620
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: YYZ
Programs: AA LT Plat, AC 25K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,135
I too have Cobalt card with approximately 175,000 in MRS points so far. I had no idea about the exchange for Marriott rewards and then from there to Aeroplan. i've never booked anything through Aeroplan either. Is there an easy way to determine whether a flight is more cost effective to book through AMEX or to book through Aeroplan? How long does it take to have the points exchanged to Marriott Rewards and then to Aeroplan? Would love to learn more about this as I'm relatively new to the travel hacks Thanks!
If Amex Fixed Points Travel works for your travel patterns, you could be getting 1.5-2c per MR Select point, which may be better than the value you'd get by transferring to Marriott or onward to Marriott partner airlines.
#621
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYJ
Posts: 2,230
$10k spend on groceries = 50k MR Select points = 60k marriwood = 25k airline miles.
that comes out to 2.5 miles per dollar spent on a great number of things. dining out too.
i get 5 points per dollar at home depot, canadian tire, bed bath and beyond, petro canada, shell, esso, amazon and many many more places. it take a bit of planning but it's easy.
2x points for travel so that's planes, trains, and automobiles (and ferries and hotels)
don't forget that the plat card gets 1.25 MR per $ spent so that improves the ratio a little bit.
but one thing that's great about transferring to marriwood is that i am no longer limited to the few airlines that i was limited to with the plat card.
that comes out to 2.5 miles per dollar spent on a great number of things. dining out too.
i get 5 points per dollar at home depot, canadian tire, bed bath and beyond, petro canada, shell, esso, amazon and many many more places. it take a bit of planning but it's easy.
2x points for travel so that's planes, trains, and automobiles (and ferries and hotels)
don't forget that the plat card gets 1.25 MR per $ spent so that improves the ratio a little bit.
but one thing that's great about transferring to marriwood is that i am no longer limited to the few airlines that i was limited to with the plat card.
#622
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kan@da
Programs: Anything with sweet spots
Posts: 1,790
Problem with transferring Mariwood points to airlines miles is that transfers to miles are not instant, contrary to Amex MR to Aeroplan and Skymiles.
#624
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Montréal, Canada
Posts: 1,610
I still find the card advantageous due to the frequent offers I regularly get. $200 off $200 spend at YYZ duty-free, $100 off $100 spend at Birks, 25% off $1,000 spend on hotel and car rentals, $300 off $900 spend on hotel and car rentals, and the FHR program. I have used almost every offer, cherry picking hotels that are priced as low or lower than elsewhere. Last year I recouped more than the cost of the annual fee. The PP lounge access is valuable, but as I also have access to *A and ST lounges due to status, it's not really a deal breaker for me.
#625
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Quebec and Ontario, Canada
Programs: AC*E50, SPG/Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,916
FHR program is great but many FHR hotels are also part of the Virtuoso program which offers similar amenities and are available for (I believe) everyone...
#626
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: YTZ
Posts: 502
awesome, i just checked my account and found that I'm missing my $200 travel credit for the year. I'm really screwed by this change as my renewal date is 25 December. I have to wait an entire year to get my credit back.
Has anyone had success getting MR when they call in and threaten to close their account?
ETD - Just called in, apparently it's on my account, but for some reason wasn't visible online. Weird.
Has anyone had success getting MR when they call in and threaten to close their account?
ETD - Just called in, apparently it's on my account, but for some reason wasn't visible online. Weird.
Last edited by iMedic; Jan 27, 2019 at 2:17 pm
#627
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,156
The current Amex offer to spend $900 on hotel and car rental to receive $300 statement credit is a good deal if one is able to use it. IIRC there was at least one similar promotion last year.
I wonder if Amex is trying to appease the Plat cardholders of the change in policy by bringing out these types of promotion as I couldn't recall similar promotions in the recent past.
Admittedly, these promotions are not as flexible to use as the Travel Credit.
I think Amex should have offered a one time "partial" credit in January to compensate for all existing Plat cardholders having to wait until their anniversary date to receive their Travel Credit.
If every existing Plat cardholder gets one-time $100 as a bridge to anniversary date, it would probably be better received.
Alternatively, Amex could start in going forward, pro-rate the Travel Credit on the 1st year of membership. If one applies in November, that person would only get 1/12 of $200. That person would get $200 in January. If the card is cancelled before Dec. 31, it will be subject to a pro-rated chargeback if the Travel Credit is used.
IIRC my anniversary date is March, so I am not as badly affected. Amex is essentially crawling back the 3 months in my 1st year.
I think the Plat card still has a lot of good features for an effective $499 fee although it is definitely NOT as good as a few years ago. For example, some bank credit cards now carry much better insurance package than the one that comes with the Plat card.
I support the new policy but it has been very badly managed/handled by Amex.
I wonder if Amex is trying to appease the Plat cardholders of the change in policy by bringing out these types of promotion as I couldn't recall similar promotions in the recent past.
Admittedly, these promotions are not as flexible to use as the Travel Credit.
I think Amex should have offered a one time "partial" credit in January to compensate for all existing Plat cardholders having to wait until their anniversary date to receive their Travel Credit.
If every existing Plat cardholder gets one-time $100 as a bridge to anniversary date, it would probably be better received.
Alternatively, Amex could start in going forward, pro-rate the Travel Credit on the 1st year of membership. If one applies in November, that person would only get 1/12 of $200. That person would get $200 in January. If the card is cancelled before Dec. 31, it will be subject to a pro-rated chargeback if the Travel Credit is used.
IIRC my anniversary date is March, so I am not as badly affected. Amex is essentially crawling back the 3 months in my 1st year.
I think the Plat card still has a lot of good features for an effective $499 fee although it is definitely NOT as good as a few years ago. For example, some bank credit cards now carry much better insurance package than the one that comes with the Plat card.
I support the new policy but it has been very badly managed/handled by Amex.
Last edited by Clipper801; Jan 28, 2019 at 2:07 pm
#628
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Where do you find information about this offer? I logged into my account and didn't see anything like this.
#630
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,506
Thanks
Dr. PITUK