Does Amex Platinum make Uber trips more expensive?

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Jun 30, 2017, 6:55 am

#46

mia

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Posts: 48,958

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesyr18

...I'd rather just pay the $450 annual fee and pay the entire price of my Uber rides instead.....

...and you still have that option.

Jun 30, 2017, 9:41 am

#47

javabytes

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2009

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Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesyr18

More profitable for AMEX, meanwhile, they piss off their customers. I mean this company needs to wake up. Why would I want the card if I'm getting $15/month in Uber credits? $15 wouldn't even cover one 15 minute Uber ride in the most basic "category" for me. I'm basically getting one discounted Uber ride per month on a card that costs $550/year (I understand there's other benefits but still). I'd rather just pay the $450 annual fee and pay the entire price of my Uber rides instead.

I can't believe they raised the annual fee of this card by $100/year to make it the highest of the four major "premium" cards (U.S Bank Alt, Citi Prestige, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and this one) to add $15/month in Uber credits as a benefit along with 5x on air, in which this card has the worst point earning categories of the four anyways.

If you take advantage of Sky Club or Priority Pass access frequently, this card provides fantastic value. $550 AF less the $200 travel credit nets to $350. Sky Club access alone runs quite a bit more than that. Then the Uber credits, 5x on air, are all gravy. 5x on air is huge if you travel a lot. I'm earning stupid points on this card, and transferring them to the likes of ANA to get US-Southwest Pacific in business class for 120k miles round trip. Show me another card that can do that with only $24k spend.

Jun 30, 2017, 11:52 am

#48

MDJennings

Join Date: Sep 2013

Posts: 401

Quote:

Originally Posted by eajusa

Another reason not to Uber.

If Uber's pricing scheme is successful, do you really think Lyft wouldn't copy it? Do you also think Lyft wouldn't raise prices if Uber went under?

Jun 30, 2017, 12:38 pm

#49

eajusa

Join Date: Apr 2013

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Quote:

Originally Posted by MDJennings

If Uber's pricing scheme is successful, do you really think Lyft wouldn't copy it? Do you also think Lyft wouldn't raise prices if Uber went under?

I have no intention of using Lyft.

Jun 30, 2017, 12:52 pm

#50

krazykanuck

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesyr18

More profitable for AMEX, meanwhile, they piss off their customers. I mean this company needs to wake up. Why would I want the card if I'm getting $15/month in Uber credits? $15 wouldn't even cover one 15 minute Uber ride in the most basic "category" for me. I'm basically getting one discounted Uber ride per month on a card that costs $550/year (I understand there's other benefits but still). I'd rather just pay the $450 annual fee and pay the entire price of my Uber rides instead.

I can't believe they raised the annual fee of this card by $100/year to make it the highest of the four major "premium" cards (U.S Bank Alt, Citi Prestige, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and this one) to add $15/month in Uber credits as a benefit along with 5x on air, in which this card has the worst point earning categories of the four anyways.

With so many negative things to say about it... you said this like 4 posts above

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesyr18

What I hate the most about this benefit (and I do want to be a potential Plat cardholder as I already have an AMEX charge card) is that they drip feed you the benefit month to month rather than just giving you a lump sum.

But in response to the thread, I'm moderately curious to look at a couple of Uber vs. Lyft examples around Houston just to see which is cheaper or more expensive since we just got Lyft back in town a month ago

Jun 30, 2017, 12:55 pm

#51

josephstern

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

...and you still have that option.

Can you elaborate? I would take that option.

Jun 30, 2017, 1:17 pm

#52

mia

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Location: Miami, Mpls & London

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Posts: 48,958

Quote:

Originally Posted by josephstern

Can you elaborate? I would take that option.

Business Platinum is still $450. The benefits have diverged somewhat this year, but there is substantial overlap.

Primary differences:

Personal 5X on all airfare; Business 5X only airfare booked through Amex travel.
Personal $15/month Uber credit; Business not.
Personal supplementary Platinum cards $175 for three; Business $300 each.
Personal includes free supplementary Gold cards; Business includes free supplementary Green (undocumented).
Personal available in metal; Business not.
Personal available with contactless; Business not.
Personal accounts appear on consumer credit reports; Business not.
Business includes 10 GoGo WiFi sessions per calendar year; Personal not.
Business offers 35% refund on Pay-with-Points airfare which nets to $0.0154/point; Personal $0.01/point with no refund.
Business awards 1.5 points per dollar on individual transactions over $5,000; Personal does not, but this is moot if you have Blue Business Plus unless you exceed the $50,000 annual spending cap.

I will add more differences when I think of them.

Last edited by mia; Jun 30, 2017 at 1:57 pm

Jun 30, 2017, 1:37 pm

#53

josephstern

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OK - I need the Personal for other reasons (three add'l users at $175/year).

Jun 30, 2017, 1:44 pm

#54

kennycrudup

Join Date: Dec 2006

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Posts: 4,967

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

Primary differences:

Personal 5X on all airfare;

Has this been in effect a while? Didn't know that. Thanks.

Jun 30, 2017, 1:55 pm

#55

mia

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Discussion of the personal 5X airfare benefit is here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ay-points.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...taxes-etc.html

Discussion of the Business variant:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l-flights.html

Jun 30, 2017, 3:12 pm

#56

bigbuy

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: ATL

Posts: 802

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

Business Platinum is still $450. The benefits have diverged somewhat this year, but there is substantial overlap.

Primary differences:

Personal 5X on all airfare; Business 5X only airfare booked through Amex travel.
Personal $15/month Uber credit; Business not.
Personal supplementary Platinum cards $175 for three; Business $300 each.
Personal includes free supplementary Gold cards; Business includes free supplementary Green (undocumented).
Personal available in metal; Business not.
Personal available with contactless; Business not.
Personal accounts appear on consumer credit reports; Business not.
Business includes 10 GoGo WiFi sessions per calendar year; Personal not.
Business offers 35% refund on Pay-with-Points airfare which nets to $0.0154/point; Personal $0.01/point with no refund.
Business awards 1.5 points per dollar on individual transactions over $5,000; Personal does not, but this is moot if you have Blue Business Plus unless you exceed the $50,000 annual spending cap.

I will add more differences when I think of them.

Or if you have over a million in assets at Charles Schwab, they will pay you $50 a year to have the Schwab Amex Platinum card

. Of course you have to use all your Uber credits and airline fee credits in order to accomplish this.

Jun 30, 2017, 7:54 pm

#57

mikesyr18

Join Date: Mar 2017

Programs: HHonors, TrueBlue, Delta SkyMiles, Hyatt Discoverist, Starwood Preferred Guest, American Airlines.

Posts: 2,035

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

...and you still have that option.

I'll just wait a couple of years and get the Chase Sapphire Reserve, I think. Who knows though, I always change my mind so I could end up with the Platinum right before I leave for vacation next year.

Jul 1, 2017, 5:14 pm

#58

dhuey

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Posts: 57,078

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

It isn't necessary, it's a pricing strategy to maximize profits. Worthwhile reading here:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...willing-to-pay

Idea for you to consider: in your role as moderator of this forum, ask Uber, on the record, whether having a personal Plat on the account could affect pricing. If the answer is that yes, it might increase the price, then there are some very serious potential fraud and false advertising issues. $15/mo. credit is not really a $15 credit if the card itself causes a price increase. If their answer is no comment, that sounds like yes.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Alex Wolf
WIT Strategy for UberMedia
awolf(at)witstrategy(dot)com

Jul 1, 2017, 6:13 pm

#59

MDJennings

Join Date: Sep 2013

Posts: 401

Quote:

Originally Posted by eajusa

I have no intention of using Lyft.

So what would you use? Eventually taxi cabs or any other contracted ride service will do the same if successful.

Jul 1, 2017, 11:40 pm

#60

weaseltown

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: SEA

Posts: 138

Did anybody try contacting Amex and presenting the evidence that was given in this thread? That seems like the best place to start if the ultimate goal is to enact change.

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