Apr 17, 2017, 12:45 pm
Last edit by: C W
General Information:
Please note this thread only currently applies to US-issued personal Platinum cards. There have been no official announcements of foreign-issued metal cards. It also applies to all co-branded personal Platinum cards such as Mercedes and Morgan Stanley.
All new and and replacement cards are now stainless steel, as of March 30, 2017.
Amex Press Release
This thread is for discussion of the physical metal card. Please see this thread for all other new Amex Platinum features:
USA: New personal Platinum benefits; Higher annual fee ($550)
Contactless
There are contactless (NFC) and non-contactless version of the Platinum Card.
If you previously had a contactless card and requested a replacement you will receive a contactless replacement.
If you previously had a non-contactless card and requested a replacement you will receive a non-contactless replacement unless you ask specifically for contactless.
Some reps do not know about contactless, HUCA or speak to a supervisor. If you are told you cannot request a contactless card because you requested another replacement within 10 days, ask to speak to fraud prevention and they will override this restriction.
When you apply for a new Platinum account you will be sent a non-contactless card by default.
The contactless and non-contactless cards are physically different. Detailed description and photos in Post 204.
Welcome Kit
Some members have received a Welcome Kit with a wooden display for the card that can be repurposed as a phone stand.
Pictures and description in Post 282.
All new cardmembers should receive the Welcome Kit whereas replacement cards generally seem to arrive in an envelope.
Please note this thread only currently applies to US-issued personal Platinum cards. There have been no official announcements of foreign-issued metal cards. It also applies to all co-branded personal Platinum cards such as Mercedes and Morgan Stanley.
All new and and replacement cards are now stainless steel, as of March 30, 2017.
Amex Press Release
This thread is for discussion of the physical metal card. Please see this thread for all other new Amex Platinum features:
USA: New personal Platinum benefits; Higher annual fee ($550)
Contactless
There are contactless (NFC) and non-contactless version of the Platinum Card.
If you previously had a contactless card and requested a replacement you will receive a contactless replacement.
If you previously had a non-contactless card and requested a replacement you will receive a non-contactless replacement unless you ask specifically for contactless.
Some reps do not know about contactless, HUCA or speak to a supervisor. If you are told you cannot request a contactless card because you requested another replacement within 10 days, ask to speak to fraud prevention and they will override this restriction.
When you apply for a new Platinum account you will be sent a non-contactless card by default.
The contactless and non-contactless cards are physically different. Detailed description and photos in Post 204.
Welcome Kit
Some members have received a Welcome Kit with a wooden display for the card that can be repurposed as a phone stand.
Pictures and description in Post 282.
All new cardmembers should receive the Welcome Kit whereas replacement cards generally seem to arrive in an envelope.
American Express personal Platinum (USA) metal card
Apr 3, 2017, 7:43 am
#121
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Houston
Programs: UA: MM
Posts: 844
Apr 3, 2017, 7:44 am
#122
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: LON, PDX
Programs: DL PM, AS MVP 75K, HH/SPG/MR Gold, Amex Plat, PRG, CSR
Posts: 2,064
Apr 3, 2017, 7:45 am
#123
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: LON, PDX
Programs: DL PM, AS MVP 75K, HH/SPG/MR Gold, Amex Plat, PRG, CSR
Posts: 2,064
Apr 3, 2017, 8:03 am
#125
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
If American Express' card fabricator had the ability to make a metal card with contactless I expect it would have been made available for Centurion cardholders. Those of us who want the contactless feature can use another American Express product -or- it may be possible to order a free Gold card on the Platinum account with contactless.
Apr 3, 2017, 8:08 am
#126
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DC Metro
Posts: 53
If American Express' card fabricator had the ability to make a metal card with contactless I expect it would have been made available for Centurion cardholders. Those of us who want the contactless feature can use another American Express product -or- it may be possible to order a free Gold card on the Platinum account with contactless.
just don't "upgrade"
Apr 3, 2017, 8:15 am
#127
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
That may only delay the problem. It appears that American Express will automatically send metal replacement cards:
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.
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.
Apr 3, 2017, 8:18 am
#128
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DC Metro
Posts: 53
Apr 3, 2017, 8:49 am
#129
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
I have the suspicion that AmEx isn't all that serious about contactless anyway. They only seem to mention anything about it on americanexpress.com/chip, which is a URL that's seemingly only provided in card mailers and not accessible by clicking through from their homepage. If you don't hang out on FT or another credit card forum you'd likely never know they offered it as an option.
Fortunately there's just enough demand spread across their entire card lineup such that it's worth the extra cost to issue them. Otherwise, they'd probably never have brought the feature back when they rolled out EMV.
Fortunately there's just enough demand spread across their entire card lineup such that it's worth the extra cost to issue them. Otherwise, they'd probably never have brought the feature back when they rolled out EMV.
Apr 3, 2017, 9:04 am
#131
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 238
I have the suspicion that AmEx isn't all that serious about contactless anyway. They only seem to mention anything about it on americanexpress.com/chip, which is a URL that's seemingly only provided in card mailers and not accessible by clicking through from their homepage. If you don't hang out on FT or another credit card forum you'd likely never know they offered it as an option.
Fortunately there's just enough demand spread across their entire card lineup such that it's worth the extra cost to issue them. Otherwise, they'd probably never have brought the feature back when they rolled out EMV.
Fortunately there's just enough demand spread across their entire card lineup such that it's worth the extra cost to issue them. Otherwise, they'd probably never have brought the feature back when they rolled out EMV.
My chip is also big (but different in design to my contactless plastic one).
Last edited by Sintaku; Apr 3, 2017 at 9:12 am
Apr 3, 2017, 9:09 am
#132
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DC Metro
Posts: 53
Apr 3, 2017, 9:15 am
#133
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
General point still stands, but it's still nice that it's an option on the metal cards. ^
Apr 3, 2017, 9:19 am
#134
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 238
I wish contactless became universal and I could just use it everywhere, it was a pain to reload money onto my Opal card in Sydney and have a balance on it when I left.
Apr 3, 2017, 9:44 am
#135
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: LON, PDX
Programs: DL PM, AS MVP 75K, HH/SPG/MR Gold, Amex Plat, PRG, CSR
Posts: 2,064
I asked and was told it was unavailable
