Does anyone own BOTH Chase Sapphire Reserve & Amex Platinum?
#181
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve
Posts: 811
I have both CSR (net fee $150 because I use the $300 travel reimbursement) and Personal Amex Plat (net fee $150, because I use the $200 Uber credits and the $200 airline credit - ignoring the Saks thing for now). CSR for spend benefits, Amex Plat mostly for non-spend benefits.
CSR's checked bag delay/loss insurance and trip interruption/cancellation insurance is of great value to me because it covers redemptions (so long as the taxes/fees are charged to CSR). If I had to buy my own travel insurance for each personal trip, it would cost more than $150 per year. That, plus the car rental LDW being primary, is a strong argument to keep (ie not cancel) the CSR.
If I have the CSR already, what additional benefits do I get from Amex Plat?
I put very little spend on my Amex Plat (less than $20K annually). I use the Gold hotel status (to help get occasional late check-outs), Centurion lounge access, and concierge service. So, to me if I already have the CSR, it's a discretionary card with additional luxury benefits (over the CSR) that come from membership rather than spend.
To someone with a CSR considering the Plat as an additional card, it comes down to whether you like spending $150 annually for luxury. If your home airport has a Centurion lounge in the terminal you typically use - for example many CSR cardholders in the Bay Area fly United out of SFO T3 - the answer may well be yes.
CSR's checked bag delay/loss insurance and trip interruption/cancellation insurance is of great value to me because it covers redemptions (so long as the taxes/fees are charged to CSR). If I had to buy my own travel insurance for each personal trip, it would cost more than $150 per year. That, plus the car rental LDW being primary, is a strong argument to keep (ie not cancel) the CSR.
If I have the CSR already, what additional benefits do I get from Amex Plat?
I put very little spend on my Amex Plat (less than $20K annually). I use the Gold hotel status (to help get occasional late check-outs), Centurion lounge access, and concierge service. So, to me if I already have the CSR, it's a discretionary card with additional luxury benefits (over the CSR) that come from membership rather than spend.
To someone with a CSR considering the Plat as an additional card, it comes down to whether you like spending $150 annually for luxury. If your home airport has a Centurion lounge in the terminal you typically use - for example many CSR cardholders in the Bay Area fly United out of SFO T3 - the answer may well be yes.
#182
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 120
I have CSR, Ritz and two AmEx Plat. The Plat MB will be changed to regular Plat, so that will be gone. I plan to keep all three. The Ritz would be changed to something (another CSR?). I'll wait to see.
They are all different cards for different purposes. I do not think it is fair to compare.
They are all different cards for different purposes. I do not think it is fair to compare.
#183
No. CSR is more generic travel and RC is certainly for RC/Marriott hotel. The new free RC annual night makes it even better. You also gets most of the RC benefits for free to AU w/o AF.
#184
If I have the CSR already, what additional benefits do I get from Amex Plat?
I put very little spend on my Amex Plat (less than $20K annually). I use the Gold hotel status (to help get occasional late check-outs), Centurion lounge access, and concierge service. So, to me if I already have the CSR, it's a discretionary card with additional luxury benefits (over the CSR) that come from membership rather than spend.
To someone with a CSR considering the Plat as an additional card, it comes down to whether you like spending $150 annually for luxury. If your home airport has a Centurion lounge in the terminal you typically use - for example many CSR cardholders in the Bay Area fly United out of SFO T3 - the answer may well be yes.
I put very little spend on my Amex Plat (less than $20K annually). I use the Gold hotel status (to help get occasional late check-outs), Centurion lounge access, and concierge service. So, to me if I already have the CSR, it's a discretionary card with additional luxury benefits (over the CSR) that come from membership rather than spend.
To someone with a CSR considering the Plat as an additional card, it comes down to whether you like spending $150 annually for luxury. If your home airport has a Centurion lounge in the terminal you typically use - for example many CSR cardholders in the Bay Area fly United out of SFO T3 - the answer may well be yes.
Again, AmEx Plat is also a life style card. You get positive returns plus all the luxury. But if you do not value the luxury and can't make it positive since you hardly travel, then there is no reason to have the Plat, or even the CSR card.
For some people, beyond certain stage, there is no urge to count all the $ and returns.
#185
The entire Amex perks package is either redundant or worthless for me. I’m glad you’re finding use for it but this is my current assessment as someone who’s had the plat card for 15 years,
As for Chase, their UR gets me 40K to spend on travel / year. Amex’s MR would only net me 9K for the same spend. It just makes better sense to use Chase these days for how I spend/travel/dine.
As for Chase, their UR gets me 40K to spend on travel / year. Amex’s MR would only net me 9K for the same spend. It just makes better sense to use Chase these days for how I spend/travel/dine.
If you do not get much value, or get negative return for any cards, just close them.....
#186
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,849
Sure YMMV. AmEx MR system is more complex to use. But after you get a handle of the partner transfers, then MR can be as valuable as the UR. I recently used MR points to book overseas flights and get the same values as the UR. You just need to do the homework. Besides, MR points are easier to earn than the UR. At least I get the 2x MR BBP card. The only thing close is the Chase FU that earns 1.5X UR.
If you do not get much value, or get negative return for any cards, just close them.....
If you do not get much value, or get negative return for any cards, just close them.....
#187
The most YMMV thing in there is MR points are easier to earn than UR. Chase doesn't have an annual fee on the majority of their good earning cards. No silly $6500 cap. No having to book travel through specific methods. The amount of 3-5x categories is solid. The MR BBP is a good card, but if you believe that half a point (where then we could split hairs on valuation) makes that much of a difference overall, I'd disagree.
1. There are 7 Chase CCs that do not have AFs, Freedom, FU, Slate, United TravelBank, Amazon, Disney and AARP. So I do not think your first statement is right.
2. The Freedom card has $6,000/year cap. I do not know what $6,500 AmEx cap you talking about.
3. The 5x airfair is flat, you do not have to do anything.
I have both Chase UR and AmEx MR and I enjoy both. I do not favor one over the other. I take advantage of both....
#188
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 120
Another question as you have the Plat and Ritz. The amex plat give Marriott Gold and so does the Ritz card. Is one gold status better over the other and what happens when you have both? (the plat and ritz)
#189
Now and before 8/1/2018, both the Plat and RC get the MR Gold. No difference. During the transition period, RC should get you MR Plat and AmEx Plat gets you MR Gold. But after the transition period, both RC and Plat give the MR Gold. Again no difference.
AmEx has not responded to the MR/RC/SPG change yet. It is going to be interesting to see if AmEx will add anything other than the new $100 Saks credit.
#191
With the new MR Gold value dropped, all the AmEx Plat, SPG and Ritz cards were affected. But Ritz gets the yearly free night, and all new SPG cards get the yearly free nights too. Only Plat card was left out. The $100 Saks 5th helps some. But we all expect AmEx do something more to make it up.
#192
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
#193
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
I said "The Marriott Gold + Hilton Gold were big with the MR Gold now replaced with the $100 Saks." You can certainly say the lost benefit was made up with the new perks.
With the new MR Gold value dropped, all the AmEx Plat, SPG and Ritz cards were affected. But Ritz gets the yearly free night, and all new SPG cards get the yearly free nights too. Only Plat card was left out. The $100 Saks 5th helps some. But we all expect AmEx do something more to make it up.
With the new MR Gold value dropped, all the AmEx Plat, SPG and Ritz cards were affected. But Ritz gets the yearly free night, and all new SPG cards get the yearly free nights too. Only Plat card was left out. The $100 Saks 5th helps some. But we all expect AmEx do something more to make it up.
#194
The AmEx Plat gives you both Hilton and SPG Gold. The SPG Gold gets mapped to Marriott Gold. The REAL (old) Marriott Gold gets mapped to the new Marriott Plat. So AmEx Plat (along with the RC) get lost in this mapping game. All the AmEx Plat members get the new MR Gold (which is close to the old MR Silver). The Ritz limped to the new MR Plat for some time, then goes back to MR Gold. MR essentially downgrade the MR Gold.
#195
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
The AmEx Plat gives you both Hilton and SPG Gold. The SPG Gold gets mapped to Marriott Gold. The REAL (old) Marriott Gold gets mapped to the new Marriott Plat. So AmEx Plat (along with the RC) get lost in this mapping game. All the AmEx Plat members get the new MR Gold (which is close to the old MR Silver). The Ritz limped to the new MR Plat for some time, then goes back to MR Gold. MR essentially downgrade the MR Gold.
Whereas Ritz cardholders have a much stronger claim to be angry given that they actually were intentionally meant to get a 50-night status level and are now getting downgraded to a 25-night status level, with a corresponding major reduction in benefits.