If I had one wish it would be Amex would switch 5x on airfare to 5x on hotel says, I doubt it'll happen but I spend a fair amount in both categories but always use Citi for airfare since it has great trip cancellation/delay protection. If I had two wishes the second would be authorized users at $75 each rather than $175 for three.

Huh. This works on any airline? BTW, is there any way to determine if you're getting a multiplier in your MR accumulation? I only see the total on my statement.

There is a page in your statement that breaks the point accumulation down for the month.

Also your online MR "statement" will show bonus earnings at the transaction level. You have to dig for it a bit, but it's there.

I don't use my Plat for much other than airfare, so it's pretty easy for me to see whether or not I'm getting the right bonus. :)

I couldn't find that in my .PDF, but:

I did see them there, and my WN flights are getting the 5x bonus. Thanks everyone!

In addition to airfare and lounge access, I use it for the occasional sync offer.

I have no idea if it is financially feasible for American Express, but if they could find a way to offer 5x MR on directly booked airfare AND 5x MR on directly booked hotel stays, in addition to the airport lounge perks, it would be the best luxury travel rewards card on the market. Even if they have to dump the hotel status perks entirely, perks which are largely useless now anyway.

The Platinum is stuck in a weird no man's land right now because it doesn't really have a single claim to fame. It lacks the various insurance and delay protections of some other cards, it is still not as widely accepted overseas and the hotel status perks it currently offers are now mostly useless, all for the highest AF on the market. Give me 5x on airfare, 5x on hotel, no hotel perks, current lounge access and maybe change the airline credit to be more like the CSR and it becomes the only travel card I'd ever need, even without the cancellation protection of the Prestige.

$75/each for AUs is a fantastic idea as well. Even if it was something like $100 for the first AU and $75 each for the next two I'd be happy. My wife doesn't travel enough to use a Platinum but I do pay for her to access SkyClub's as my guest 3-4 times a year. I'd happily add her as an AU for $75-100. $175 is just a bit steep unless the AU also travels alone, in which case they might as well get their own Platinum and get the additional airline credit.

I’m in the dream boat of wishing it had both 5x on airfare AND direct hotel bookings. However, I like the hotel status perks, I’m one of those people that doesn’t do enough stays to get the status, BUT, I totally like the late check out and upgrades when possible. I wouldn’t mind them ditching Marriott and keeping Hilton gold, or maybe even doubling down and getting Hilton diamond, though probably wouldn’t happen since that card already exists.

Easy to use travel credit would be nice, but as long as they kept it like it is now that would keep me happy.

Oh yes I forgot to mention Uber. The current Uber credit is one of those benefits that is good in theory, but since it can't be used overseas (this is a travel card, right?) and it is a monthly credit not an annual credit, it loses a whole lot of value in practical application. I guess if you're someone who consistently uses Uber, $15/month isn't nothing, but if you're only using Uber a few times a year on vacation, you're losing a ton of value. In my case, I am firmly pro-taxi and anti-Uber stateside so I get no use from the credit at all but I do use Uber internationally when available and unfortunately the credit does me no good overseas.

I agree with you wholeheartedly about everything else. I think if Amex adjusted the Platinum to have all the same airport lounge benefits it has now, double down on one of the two hotel statuses they offer and then add 5x MR for direct book hotel and consolidate the airline and Uber credits into a single $300 travel credit like the CSR, they'd have the card to beat. Like you said, you'd have a card with unmatched earning on the big ticket travel expenses, great transfer partners, a solid travel credit, the best lounge access of any card on the market and at least one high level hotel status. Even without things like trip cancellation/interruption insurance or a 2x/3x dining multiplier, you'd have the strongest all around travel card out there and the $550 AF would be nothing.

I really don't think it would impact Amex's bottom line all that much either. Yeah they may be paying up more for 5x MR for direct book hotels and a more usable travel credit, but the fact that more people would actually use their Platinum to book hotels rather than using another card should more than offset it. It'll be interesting to see what they do after the SPG/Marriott status devaluation. I'm not sure they can justify a $550 AF with the benefits as is, even if they want to make the argument that American Express has best in class customer service. That only gets you so far.

Hrmph. Few things make me happier than when I land at SJC/SAN and see the "Rideshare Apps" waiting area overflowing and see tumbleweeds rolling thru the taxi pickup area. At SJC stuff like a $15 flag-drop means "good riddance"!

Definitely uber is great for people who live in the city vs. more rural parts of America where you have your own car

... and of course, even those who do have cars don't always need/want to drive; I hear DUIs/DWIs have measurably decreased with the rise of ridesharing services. Everyone I know with a car uses rideshare services.

As always, there are situations where one is better than the other. SJC with $15 minimum for the first 3 miles, I get it, but my issue with Uber is more philosophical than practical. I will always support taxi drivers unless it is just not financially practical to do so, which is very rare in the rest of the United States outside of California. Internationally, where this credit doesn't apply, I use Uber (or local equivalent) all the time.

Even if I *did* use Uber consistently, the $15/month credit is not great and I'd gladly sacrifice $100 of overall value to get a single $300 travel credit that can be redeemed towards airfare, taxi, rideshare, etc.

I just wish there was a dining bonus. There’s no reason why I can’t pull it out when I go to a bar or restaurant and get a decent return on it

That's the problem with the Platinum card, and I've found this to be true of many AmEx card benefits. The benefits come across as good in theory but gimmicky in application. Look at the $200 airline credit. What percentage of people would you suppose have AA as their selected airline? The fact that there are many posts about $50 "change fees" shows that people really struggle to make use of the benefit. The same goes for Uber where a lump sum would be infinitely more useful than $15/month plus $35 in December. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, I can spend as I normally would and not make sure that I have to select the correct airline or keep track of which charges would count toward the benefit versus those that would not. Removing the earning of Ultimate Rewards points on the $300 amount really hasn't changed things for me either. While the $200 airline credit was innovative back in late 2010 when AmEx debuted it, other issuers have since left AmEx in the dust.

I make exactly one charge on my card each year to use the $200 airline credit. I use my CSR for airline ticket purchases because I find 3x Ultimate Rewards to be more compelling than 5x Membership Rewards. Even if I were more invested in Membership Rewards and had a few other cards to supplement the spend in other categories, I couldn't see myself using the Platinum card for anything other than airline ticket purchases.