Mar 2, 2017, 8:48 am
Last edit by: Centurion
American Express press release is HERE.
American Express product site is HERE.
Price change dates for new and existing accounts:
Unpublicized change to Priority Pass benefit:
Terms of the Uber benefit:
*If you do not see a $15 credit appear and you receive a message your card may be the registered payment to another Uber account and you must delete your card from all Uber accounts and reenter your card on the Uber account your want the credit benefit.
Metal card availability:
American Express product site is HERE.
Price change dates for new and existing accounts:
When is the fee increasing for Platinum Card Membership?
Beginning on March 30th, 2017, the new annual fee for Platinum Card will be $550. For Existing Platinum Card Members, the annual fee will take effect on their annual renewal date on or after September 1st, 2017.
Beginning on March 30th, 2017, the new annual fee for Platinum Card will be $550. For Existing Platinum Card Members, the annual fee will take effect on their annual renewal date on or after September 1st, 2017.
Unpublicized change to Priority Pass benefit:
At any visit to a Priority Pass Select lounge, you may bring in two guests for no charge.
Only Basic Card Members on a Platinum Card account are eligible for Uber VIP and monthly ride Credits. To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the Uber App version 3.219 or later for iOS or version 3.126 or later for Android and your eligible Platinum Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. If you are assigned a new Card number, you must update your method of payment in your Uber account. Cards added to your Uber account through a third party such as Apple Pay or PayPal will not be eligible. A Platinum Card account may receive this benefit on one Uber account. If the same Card is added to multiple Uber accounts, only the first Uber account to which the Card is added will receive the benefit. Uber VIP is available in select cities and is governed by Uber’s terms and conditions. To redeem monthly ride Credits, you must select to use the Credit in your Uber app prior to completing the Uber ride. The discount will not apply to previous Uber rides. New and existing Uber users are eligible. Uber will apply discount at the point of sale. There is no limit to the number of rides you may apply the Credit to each month, up to a total of $15 in Credits per month. Each year in December, you may apply up to $35 in Credit. The discounted cost of a ride will be displayed on your post-ride email receipt. If you are eligible to receive additional Membership Rewards points on your ride, points will be awarded on the balance of the cost of the trip after Credits are applied. Credit may be applied to all Uber car types and cannot be applied to other Uber services. Credit may only be applied to rides within the United States. Monthly ride Credit expires at 11:59 PM local time on the last day of each month. Unused Credit will not carry over to the following month. Credit will be applied for the month in which the ride is completed. If ride is eligible for another promotion that you have added to your Uber account, the promotion will be applied before the Credit. Certain Uber-branded credits may be applied to your ride balance prior to this Credit.
Metal card availability:
How can Platinum Card Members get the new metal Card?
The new metal Card will be issued to Platinum Card Members 60 days prior to their Card expiration date or can be requested beginning on March 30th, 2017 by calling the number on the back of the Card or requesting a replacement card after you sign in to www.americanexpress.com and click on replace lost damaged card.
The new metal Card will be issued to Platinum Card Members 60 days prior to their Card expiration date or can be requested beginning on March 30th, 2017 by calling the number on the back of the Card or requesting a replacement card after you sign in to www.americanexpress.com and click on replace lost damaged card.
USA: New (2017) personal Platinum benefits; Higher annual fee ($550)
Mar 1, 2017, 10:15 pm
#1
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,580
USA: New (2017) personal Platinum benefits; Higher annual fee ($550)
As reported by thepointsguy,
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/03/hug...-improvements/
- $200 in annual Uber credits ($15 per month and $35 in December)
- 5x MR on hotels booked via Amex travel
- complimentary gold cards
- annual fee increased to $550
- metal card
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/03/hug...-improvements/
Mar 1, 2017, 10:15 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
TPG: New US Platinum Benefits; Higher Fee
Haven't seen this anywhere, not even at boarding area
http://thepointsguy.com/2017/03/huge...-improvements/
Starting March 30 2017
http://thepointsguy.com/2017/03/huge...-improvements/
Starting March 30 2017
- 550 AF
- 15/mo in Uber credit (35 in Dec)
- 5x on Prepaid Hotels through Amex
- Metal Card
- Complimentary Gold Cards (not PRG)
Last edited by JHake10; Mar 1, 2017 at 11:02 pm
Mar 1, 2017, 10:30 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
Mar 1, 2017, 10:34 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
I really don't like the metal card trend. I'm one of those weird people who wants contactless on the actual card as opposed to just using Apple Pay though. (I imagine contactless is not a high priority for most people who want this card, however, assuming it's not an absolute dealbreaker.)
Also, the higher AF is kind of a hard sell, though if you use Uber often and take advantage of the airline credit it might still pay for itself.
Also, the higher AF is kind of a hard sell, though if you use Uber often and take advantage of the airline credit it might still pay for itself.
Mar 1, 2017, 10:38 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Not impressed.
5x hotels but limited to just prepaid through AMEX is a joke, Uber credit could be useful but my Uber usage is highly variable so the monthly statement instead of a lump sum means there is likely to be breakage, could care less about metal card - it's 2017 half the time the actual card doesn't even come out of my wallet when I use it.
I can make a strong case to keep my Prestige (have gotten over $450 back in 4th night fee credits with ease each year, 3x travel/restaurants) and the CSR (net of $150, better transfer partners, 3x restaurants/travel, strong to hold alongside a Freedom and Freedom Unlimited to max UR) but AMEX Plat is harder. The DL SkyClub is great when traveling alone (and I've been flying more Delta recently) and the AMEX lounges are great but apart from airfare, this card sits in my wallet vs it's competitors
5x hotels but limited to just prepaid through AMEX is a joke, Uber credit could be useful but my Uber usage is highly variable so the monthly statement instead of a lump sum means there is likely to be breakage, could care less about metal card - it's 2017 half the time the actual card doesn't even come out of my wallet when I use it.
I can make a strong case to keep my Prestige (have gotten over $450 back in 4th night fee credits with ease each year, 3x travel/restaurants) and the CSR (net of $150, better transfer partners, 3x restaurants/travel, strong to hold alongside a Freedom and Freedom Unlimited to max UR) but AMEX Plat is harder. The DL SkyClub is great when traveling alone (and I've been flying more Delta recently) and the AMEX lounges are great but apart from airfare, this card sits in my wallet vs it's competitors
Mar 1, 2017, 10:39 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
I was so excited when I read that then saw it was prepaid through amex only and was disappointed.
I travel every week for work and while the company pays for airfare directly, I pay for the hotel and submit receipts. The CSR lives on!
Mar 1, 2017, 11:26 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
My card is still in the mail... so I'm curious which fee I'll be paying... hopefully the lower of the two fees... but the Uber benefits are almost zero for me. The handful of times I would use an Uber would be from an airport into town where there was light rail or metro and the Uber cost is steep! I was estimating fares and unless I go for the cheapest UberX or whatever the cost in from LAX to studio city, or SEA to downtown is like $60 to $90, and that was estimating RIGHT NOW on a week night. $15 off that is nothing. Now if they let the Uber credits build up all year and then expire at the end it would be better. There would probably be some breakage still (especially people like me that don't live in a big city and use it weekly) if people saved a few months to get to $60 or something to cover a whole ride and then ended up not using Uber before the end of the year. But the way they did it now was basically a for sure thing people would not use the uber credit OR they would end up always also paying some portion for an Uber ride... probably got a negotiated deal with Uber so that $15/mo really isn't costing Amex $15 but instead a lower amount paid out to Uber. Heck, % discount on rental car probably would have been better... 30% off Silvercar or something to match CSR.
The metal card is kinda nice... but eh, it would have been a nice perk if the fee wasn't going up. I was kinda hoping the travel credit would jump by $50 at least or something to help offset. The points... well I think the CSR as more value in spending the points then the Amex... maybe if they offered redemption via their travel programs that equalled $0.015/ point or something like the CSR, but other wise great, I wasn't actually planning on using the Amex to gain a bunch of points.
Hope the lounges get less busy or they announce a more aggressive buildout. Two new ones are great, but lets get six or seven more domestic ones this year, that would go a long way to helping ease the pain of the fee. (PDX really really would be nice to have one!)
Also, something tells me Chase isn't going to be worried one bit...
The metal card is kinda nice... but eh, it would have been a nice perk if the fee wasn't going up. I was kinda hoping the travel credit would jump by $50 at least or something to help offset. The points... well I think the CSR as more value in spending the points then the Amex... maybe if they offered redemption via their travel programs that equalled $0.015/ point or something like the CSR, but other wise great, I wasn't actually planning on using the Amex to gain a bunch of points.
Hope the lounges get less busy or they announce a more aggressive buildout. Two new ones are great, but lets get six or seven more domestic ones this year, that would go a long way to helping ease the pain of the fee. (PDX really really would be nice to have one!)
Also, something tells me Chase isn't going to be worried one bit...
Mar 1, 2017, 11:49 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,007
For me the enhancements will be a net positive. I use Uber enough every month (usually for short rides that are <$15 anyway) that the new Amex credits will offset the increased annual fee.
Of course the #1 benefit for me that justifies the annual fee whether it be $450 or $550 is the SkyClub and Centurion Lounge access. If I were to change careers and do less business travel, I'd switch back down to the gold card in a heartbeat.
Of course the #1 benefit for me that justifies the annual fee whether it be $450 or $550 is the SkyClub and Centurion Lounge access. If I were to change careers and do less business travel, I'd switch back down to the gold card in a heartbeat.
Mar 1, 2017, 11:58 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
The Uber I'll use every month on Airport rides. Initially, I was excited for the 5X hotel bonus, until finding out it's limited to the prepaid rate via the MR site. Though, it's a nice feature for 5X on FHR.
PS - Assuming this benefit will be conferred to the Centurion without a fee increase?
PS - Assuming this benefit will be conferred to the Centurion without a fee increase?
Mar 2, 2017, 12:39 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,226
It's really a shame that they can't add a dining multiplier like everyone else. If they could do 5x at restaurants, this would be a killer card and stay at the top of my wallet.
Does anyone know if the 5x at FHR works for postpaid? I like getting Starwood points.
Does anyone know if the 5x at FHR works for postpaid? I like getting Starwood points.
Mar 2, 2017, 1:33 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Posts: 138
I don't quite understand the logic wherein Amex gives complimentary hotel status to cardholders - status that really only comes in handy when you make direct bookings - then gives cardholders a strong incentive to eschew direct bookings in favor of their OTA. Seems like this would anger their hotel partners.
Mar 2, 2017, 2:05 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
I don't quite understand the logic wherein Amex gives complimentary hotel status to cardholders - status that really only comes in handy when you make direct bookings - then gives cardholders a strong incentive to eschew direct bookings in favor of their OTA. Seems like this would anger their hotel partners.