SP03

I think it's more of AMEX's fault for not clearly thinking about the card's value proposition.

For me the only reason to keep my PLT is to access the Centorion Lounge. All the additional "benefits" like fee credits are basically bringing down the cost of holding the card for lounge access.

Pevious AMEX lounge access (except US Airways) are all tied to flying that specific airline, but now you can have unlimited CL access regardless of which airline you fly. There is simply no way to meet that kind of demand.

mia

The physical location of the lounge mimics this requirement, particularly when coupled with the three hours before departure access rule.

gengar

The recently-announced AA Admirals Club changes/devals won't go into effect until November 2019, but I wonder if it will move some current AC members / Exec CC holders over to AMEX Plat and cause even more crowding here.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-2019-a-3.html

SP03

I was thinking of the same thing. AMEX has or is building a CL at most AA hubs, so it would be better for most FFers to have AMEX PLT than an Admiral Club membership, unless you travel frequently to a smaller airport without either a CL or PC.

The current Centurion Club access model is not sustainable. I don't think they can increase the AF further. At $550 it's already higher than the more popular CSR. So the only option is access restriction. I hope they come up with a less restrictive model than the current 3 hour limit.

Statman

I agree that the current model for access is not sustainable. The CEO even said during the Q3 earnings call that Platinum personal new consumer accounts are up more than 50% (half of those are for millennials).

The airport Centurion Lounges simply cannot handle those new cardholders while accommodating the existing ones.

RichardMannion

The lounges are getting busier for sure, and as you add X more members the problem is potentially 3X when you factor in the guests they can bring.

Maybe AmEx should charge for any guests that don't have a qualifying Platinum card, that then brings the problem back down to X. You can also use that as a capacity control mechanism, only cardholders if lounge is really busy.

Sure some people will ....., but if I recall you can add additional Plat supps for $175 (for 3). For Centurions, they could keep it as it is with 2 free guests or immediate family.

mia

The guest policy has already been tweaked:

Centurion Lounge new policy 2 guests ONLY (ends exception for immediate family).

Bear in mind that American Express will not issue supplementary cards to children (under age 13), which makes this class of solutions onerous for those who travel with children -and- it also has the effect of putting supplementary cards in the hands of young adults who might not otherwise have lounge access unless travelling with their parents.

RichardMannion

Familiar with the guest policy change, but that's still two people in addition to the cardholder without a fee. I'm saying they need to match what DL do, cardholder is free (Plat/Cent), guests are charged. Would be good to get the stats on amount of people in the lounges that are guests, over 50%?

I'm fine with no children under 13 in the lounges, that's not too unusual to see this rule in place at other lounges (esp in Europe). You could make an exception for Centurions given they still have the immediate family option.

Not sure I see the issue of putting supps in the hands of young adults, for the US market you can impose spend restrictions/criteria on supps in your account. You can put the rule in that at least one of the visiting group needs to be over 21.

SP03

AMEX needs to tread carefully because I suspect most of the new members have signed up because of the lounge access. Otherwise, there's really not a lot of reasons to hold the card compared to CSR.

Each of the solutions mentioned above will alienate some group of cardmembers.

As a frequent, but not weekly, leisure traveler, I value being able to bring in guests when I travel and knowing I can access the lounge regardless of the length of layover, when I arrive before my flight, or whether I'm arriving not departing. I'm perfectly fine with limiting number of visits or not offering CL access to supplementary card holders.

However, you may lose families when you limit to primary cardholders only (not supplementary cardholders) or add age restrictions. You may lose business travelers if you limit number of entries.

But the current solution of limiting access when lounge is at capacity creates uncertainty and isn't good for anyone. So they need to add some sort of limits soon.

United747

mia

Nothing to do with spending, just illustrating the complexity of trying to reduce lounge demand through these types of peripheral policy changes. To the extent that Platinum cardholders purchased supplementary Platinum cards for their teenage or young adult children they increased American Express' revenue, but they did not reduce the number of people in the lounge -and- they created more demand for lounge access when these young people travel alone (e.g. to/from university, weddings, sport events, etc). Supplementary Platinum cardholders have access not only to Centurion lounges, but also to Priority Pass, Delta, Escape, etc.

LoungeLizardHugo

​​​I wholehearted agree with your thoughts.

SeaHawg

AMEX could award ten complimentary lounge visits per calendar year plus one visit per every 5,000 MR points accrued over a year period. If someone has ten visits, they could use it ten different times for themselves during the year. Perhaps there could be four guests max or some type of policy to curb overcrowding from one cardholder. Each swipe would equal a visit.

If someone wants more visits, they would need to accrue more MR points/spend.

I have no problem with someone who runs $1MM per year across their PLAT card getting more visits awarded (200), as they contribute to AMEX's bottom line more than someone paying $550AF, putting all their spend on a CSR, and hitting up the Cl with two other friends every time they are in the airport.

mia

A few posts have been removed.

Write about American Express products, policies and practices. Please do not write about each other. This includes speculating about other posters' circumstances or motivations.

Fiordland

This is the kind of "problem" that AMEX (or any business) should wish to have. IF the number of platinum cards is way up, people at AMEX head office should be celebrating and going over the desk of the person reasonable for new lounges says what can we do to gt more of these up and running more quickly. These lounges are all in major airports with multiple terminals. Just build more lounges.