USA Business Platinum 2019 feature refresh + fee Increase ($595)
Dec 4, 2018, 4:42 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,635
I checked my account this morning, and the FedEx shipping offer is back up. Up to $1000 rebate through spring.
Dec 4, 2018, 4:44 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,781
They're betting, and probably accurately, that a 33% increase in the annual fee will exceed the number of cardholders that will cancel because of it in top line revenue terms.
Last edited by krazykanuck; Dec 4, 2018 at 4:50 am
Dec 4, 2018, 6:20 am
#18
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DFW
Posts: 1,249
Luckily, I have a November renewal so I can see what happens next year before deciding. If nothing else, I would suggest having another membership rewards card so cancellation does not cause a points loss.
Dec 4, 2018, 7:28 am
#19
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
OPEN Savings folded into Amex Offers beginning June 1, 2018
There are now FedEx Offers, but you do not necessarily need Business Platinum to enroll, just as you did not need Business Platinum to obtain the OPEN Savings discount.
Dec 4, 2018, 7:44 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,026
And I suppose that on the business side of the cc world, there isn't really a good competitor at this point.
Dec 4, 2018, 8:27 am
#21
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 16,871
I believe this ended in June:
OPEN Savings folded into Amex Offers beginning June 1, 2018
There are now FedEx Offers, but you do not necessarily need Business Platinum to enroll, just as you did not need Business Platinum to obtain the OPEN Savings discount.
OPEN Savings folded into Amex Offers beginning June 1, 2018
There are now FedEx Offers, but you do not necessarily need Business Platinum to enroll, just as you did not need Business Platinum to obtain the OPEN Savings discount.
Dec 4, 2018, 11:20 am
#22
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
The personal and Business Platinum fee increases pay for the Centurion Lounge network.
When American Express lost access to CO and AA lounges they invented the $200 airline fee credit to compensate. This was effectively a 44% fee reduction. Now that American Express has built its own lounge network, they could either eliminate the $200 credit, or leave it in place and raise the nominal fee.
$595 seems about right. When the personal Platinum card was introduced in 1983 the annual fee was $250. That's $600+ in today's dollars.
When American Express lost access to CO and AA lounges they invented the $200 airline fee credit to compensate. This was effectively a 44% fee reduction. Now that American Express has built its own lounge network, they could either eliminate the $200 credit, or leave it in place and raise the nominal fee.
$595 seems about right. When the personal Platinum card was introduced in 1983 the annual fee was $250. That's $600+ in today's dollars.
Dec 4, 2018, 11:53 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 398
The personal and Business Platinum fee increases pay for the Centurion Lounge network.
When American Express lost access to CO and AA lounges they invented the $200 airline fee credit to compensate. This was effectively a 44% fee reduction. Now that American Express has built its own lounge network, they could either eliminate the $200 credit, or leave it in place and raise the nominal fee.
$595 seems about right. When the personal Platinum card was introduced in 1983 the annual fee was $250. That's $600+ in today's dollars.
When American Express lost access to CO and AA lounges they invented the $200 airline fee credit to compensate. This was effectively a 44% fee reduction. Now that American Express has built its own lounge network, they could either eliminate the $200 credit, or leave it in place and raise the nominal fee.
$595 seems about right. When the personal Platinum card was introduced in 1983 the annual fee was $250. That's $600+ in today's dollars.
I really enjoy my business plat and get a lot of use out of it, but i'll probably switch to the personal now. I did pretty well with AMEX offers this year, but most of those "business" offers also showed up on my BBP card. If AMEX had added the 5x airfare to the business plat, it would be a harder choice for me, but it looks like for my personal situation I can do better with the personal plat and the BBP now. I have until June to feel things out a little better though, and if i cancel, will be able to use the $200 Dell credit if it's an annual credit rather than a limited amount per month.
Dec 4, 2018, 12:00 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,026
The personal and Business Platinum fee increases pay for the Centurion Lounge network.
When American Express lost access to CO and AA lounges they invented the $200 airline fee credit to compensate. This was effectively a 44% fee reduction. Now that American Express has built its own lounge network, they could either eliminate the $200 credit, or leave it in place and raise the nominal fee.
$595 seems about right. When the personal Platinum card was introduced in 1983 the annual fee was $250. That's $600+ in today's dollars.
When American Express lost access to CO and AA lounges they invented the $200 airline fee credit to compensate. This was effectively a 44% fee reduction. Now that American Express has built its own lounge network, they could either eliminate the $200 credit, or leave it in place and raise the nominal fee.
$595 seems about right. When the personal Platinum card was introduced in 1983 the annual fee was $250. That's $600+ in today's dollars.
Dec 4, 2018, 12:07 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 398
i don't think she is making any judgement on what comparatively is better. I think she is just saying that this is how AMEX is allocating its costs and trying to justify its increase. It's up to the individual to decide whether it's worth it or not.
Dec 4, 2018, 12:13 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,021
Personally I think American Express needs a complete overhaul of their card benefits.
I see the reason for all their different offerings (Cent, Plat, Bus, Hotels etc) but the benefits are such a hodge podge that I'm not sure we as consumers truly do benefit. There are benefits on my business Plat that I'd like on my Centurion and vice versa. It's getting quite complicated to optimize card usage so much to the point that I will drop my Plat Business at renewal.
I think it'd be a great idea if Amex would give their members a shopping list of benefits and let us pick the ones we want to customize our card. Yes they might lose absolute total card numbers but their revenue would probably increase with more custom/targeted usage. Say give us a list of 50 benefits and let us pick 10 while the card itself would have 3-5 core benefits that relate specifically to the card type, (Such as Air, Hotel, Centurion etc)
Just a thought.
I see the reason for all their different offerings (Cent, Plat, Bus, Hotels etc) but the benefits are such a hodge podge that I'm not sure we as consumers truly do benefit. There are benefits on my business Plat that I'd like on my Centurion and vice versa. It's getting quite complicated to optimize card usage so much to the point that I will drop my Plat Business at renewal.
I think it'd be a great idea if Amex would give their members a shopping list of benefits and let us pick the ones we want to customize our card. Yes they might lose absolute total card numbers but their revenue would probably increase with more custom/targeted usage. Say give us a list of 50 benefits and let us pick 10 while the card itself would have 3-5 core benefits that relate specifically to the card type, (Such as Air, Hotel, Centurion etc)
Just a thought.
Dec 4, 2018, 12:49 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: Delta Silver, Marriott Gold, HH Diamond, Ex-UA Gold, Ex-AA Gold , Ex-SPG Gold, Peon everywhere else
Posts: 616
Just trying to get some clarity on the billing cycle verbiage. It says it will take effect on or after the February billing. My February bill will close around the 11th or 12th with my renewal fee included on that bill. Will this bill be considered my February billing cycle or is my February billing cycle on my March bill. Just tryng to figure out whether I have two months or 14 months on what to do with my points.
Dec 4, 2018, 2:46 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 398
I found this 2 minute video regarding WeWork Global Access ( what will be offered by the card ):
Looks like you will have to actually book an appointment rather than it just be a drop in/out as you please type of membership. Maybe it is limiting, maybe it is not. No idea. But this was the first piece of actual information i could find about the membership.
Everything else when you type in "wework global access" is bloggers and news articles pretending they are the first ones to break the story.
Looks like you will have to actually book an appointment rather than it just be a drop in/out as you please type of membership. Maybe it is limiting, maybe it is not. No idea. But this was the first piece of actual information i could find about the membership.
Everything else when you type in "wework global access" is bloggers and news articles pretending they are the first ones to break the story.
Dec 4, 2018, 3:07 pm
#29
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
There are nine Centurion branded lounges today, but at least three more will open in 2019, and there are a half dozen other Amex lounges outside the USA.
I think access to a dozen Centurion lounges will be worth the incremental $100-$145/year for enough cardholders to make the lounge network sustainable.
Last edited by mia; Dec 4, 2018 at 5:57 pm
Dec 4, 2018, 9:54 pm
#30
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 207
I think it'd be a great idea if Amex would give their members a shopping list of benefits and let us pick the ones we want to customize our card. Yes they might lose absolute total card numbers but their revenue would probably increase with more custom/targeted usage. Say give us a list of 50 benefits and let us pick 10 while the card itself would have 3-5 core benefits that relate specifically to the card type, (Such as Air, Hotel, Centurion etc)
