AMEX Priority Pass will exclude Restaurants (August 2019)
May 29, 2019, 2:11 pm
#106
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
I can't imagine that the underwriting criteria between green/gold/plat is any different. There's also a self-selecting criteria (as you mentioned) that the AF imposes.
For my next job I want to be the genius that comes up with credit cards with an aura of exclusivity and high AF. I bet those geniuses get paid very well.
For my next job I want to be the genius that comes up with credit cards with an aura of exclusivity and high AF. I bet those geniuses get paid very well.
Originally the Plat card really was invitation only and required some (unpublished) number of years with some other AmEx charge (not credit) card first, plus undisclosed additional criteria. AmEx tends to put a lot of weight on your own history with them and I don't think they would be allowed to pull a credit report before inviting you to upgrade your card or get Plat as an additional card.
May 29, 2019, 2:13 pm
#107
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,878
100% honest. PP is what tipped the scale in my decision to get the AMEX Platinum card. But I noticed quickly that PP was useless in many airports, particularly my own, LAX - the AS lounge has a "no Priority Pass" sign out almost permanently and the VS and KE lounges have limited hours, that is if they decided to let PP members in which KE lounge dragons frequently will not. Airside-isolated T1 has zero lounges and due to this, no PP benefit. The restaurant option was an excellent stop-gap for those who found themselves loungeless.
Yes really. I travel maybe a handful of times a year for work where I would like the gold status for breakfast on my Hilton card and the 10 priority lounge / restaurant visits.
If I use it 5 times hotel breakfast, and 5 times restaurant / lounge, I feel like I got the value for the annual fee. But without the restaurant benefit the lounges now really don’t offer any food value to me. So yes. I will cancel because of this loss in benefit. I guess that’s why AMEX is cutting the benefit. Not many ppl are in my situation.
If I use it 5 times hotel breakfast, and 5 times restaurant / lounge, I feel like I got the value for the annual fee. But without the restaurant benefit the lounges now really don’t offer any food value to me. So yes. I will cancel because of this loss in benefit. I guess that’s why AMEX is cutting the benefit. Not many ppl are in my situation.
May 29, 2019, 2:57 pm
#108
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)
Posts: 2,651
Originally the Plat card really was invitation only and required some (unpublished) number of years with some other AmEx charge (not credit) card first, plus undisclosed additional criteria. AmEx tends to put a lot of weight on your own history with them and I don't think they would be allowed to pull a credit report before inviting you to upgrade your card or get Plat as an additional card.
May 29, 2019, 4:03 pm
#110
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Absolutely depends on the individual. But Amex can and must operate in the aggregate. And at scale, they must have made an assessment that the customers lost by this change will not cost them more $ than what is recovered from slashing the benefit.
May 29, 2019, 4:04 pm
#111
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Indianapolis
Programs: Hilton-Diamond Lifetime Platinum AA UA, WN-CP, SPG Gold.
Posts: 7,377
Our local IND Restaurant closed at 6:00 no $28.00 deal on the table, Evening flight..
It was nice while it lasted,, best the ORD. 10% off deal..
Great while it lasted.
Not a deal breaker.
It was nice while it lasted,, best the ORD. 10% off deal..
Great while it lasted.
Not a deal breaker.
May 29, 2019, 5:33 pm
#112
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: EWR
Programs: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 1,255
I’m no PP expert but haven’t restaurants only been part of the program for the last year or two? So it’s not as if this is some huge benefit that’s been around forever that’s being lost. If anyone has read DoC’s thoughts on this, which I 100% agree with, it’s that when contract renegotiation came up PP wanted to raise the price and AMEX said no. Chase, Citi and others offering PP Select will drop the restaurants as well when their contract with PP is up.
May 29, 2019, 6:22 pm
#113
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,654
I’m no PP expert but haven’t restaurants only been part of the program for the last year or two? So it’s not as if this is some huge benefit that’s been around forever that’s being lost. If anyone has read DoC’s thoughts on this, which I 100% agree with, it’s that when contract renegotiation came up PP wanted to raise the price and AMEX said no. Chase, Citi and others offering PP Select will drop the restaurants as well when their contract with PP is up.
May 29, 2019, 6:34 pm
#114
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sedona, AZ, USA
Programs: Alaska, Hilton, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 105
The American Express salami game...
Amex has a habit of announcing some whiz-bang new benefit, and subsequently slicing off bits of it and taking them back, until the feature quietly disappears. Old-timers may remember the credit line, and the ability to get cash abroad at Amex offices.
I had Amex continuously since 1970, Plat since launch in 1984, but at the beginning of this year I dropped it in favor of Chase Sapphire Reserve. Yes, that was 49 years with Amex.
I had Amex continuously since 1970, Plat since launch in 1984, but at the beginning of this year I dropped it in favor of Chase Sapphire Reserve. Yes, that was 49 years with Amex.
May 29, 2019, 6:36 pm
#115
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,369
I’m no PP expert but haven’t restaurants only been part of the program for the last year or two? So it’s not as if this is some huge benefit that’s been around forever that’s being lost. If anyone has read DoC’s thoughts on this, which I 100% agree with, it’s that when contract renegotiation came up PP wanted to raise the price and AMEX said no. Chase, Citi and others offering PP Select will drop the restaurants as well when their contract with PP is up.
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/02/pri...ds-restaurant/
https://onemileatatime.com/priority-pass-airport-bar
in USA, Portland in June 2017 (distillery, drinks only) and Portland (actual restaurant) in Aug 2017
https://onemileatatime.com/portland-...priority-pass/
https://onemileatatime.com/priority-...rt-restaurant/
May 29, 2019, 6:37 pm
#116
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: SPG Plat
Posts: 459
Not sure it’s just the long tail, even a normal 25 visits/yr is $500 cost to pp/amex.. Also Amex can negotiate these same deals with the restaurants as an amex offer or bill credit and cut out the middle man if they wanted..
May 29, 2019, 7:25 pm
#117
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,895
May 29, 2019, 7:34 pm
#118
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
Amex has a habit of announcing some whiz-bang new benefit, and subsequently slicing off bits of it and taking them back, until the feature quietly disappears. Old-timers may remember the credit line, and the ability to get cash abroad at Amex offices.
I had Amex continuously since 1970, Plat since launch in 1984, but at the beginning of this year I dropped it in favor of Chase Sapphire Reserve. Yes, that was 49 years with Amex.
I had Amex continuously since 1970, Plat since launch in 1984, but at the beginning of this year I dropped it in favor of Chase Sapphire Reserve. Yes, that was 49 years with Amex.
Wow. I think I applied for my plain old green card as soon as I finished graduate school and the paychecks started arriving for my first "real" job. Somehow I was never tempted by the Gold card, so I went right from Green to Plat.
I remember using my Plat card to order foreign currency to be delivered to me by DHL. It was a lot more convenient than finding an airport bank upon arrival or going to an AmEx office to change money (and write a check for the transaction).
I remember using my Plat card to order foreign currency to be delivered to me by DHL. It was a lot more convenient than finding an airport bank upon arrival or going to an AmEx office to change money (and write a check for the transaction).
May 29, 2019, 8:51 pm
#119
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,421
I wonder what the restaurants would think? When it was new, I was talking to the distillery staff in PDX and they were loving it. Yes, they only got $26 for a $28 credit (back then, who knows now), but PP was driving so many more customers in it was well worth it. I would imagine it's the same for a lot of restaurants who have fairly constant labor charges (esp. when the credit is used on alcohol at massive markups), and so even $26 for $28 is likely to be profitable for them.
For now, Chase & Citi still offer it, so the restaurants might only notice a small dip. I guess time will tell for them.
For now, Chase & Citi still offer it, so the restaurants might only notice a small dip. I guess time will tell for them.
May 29, 2019, 9:00 pm
#120
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: CONUS
Programs: HHonors, United, Delta
Posts: 828
Really don’t understand how they can charge people $450 for an Aspire card, and then, two months later, say “the benefit you just paid for isn’t available to you any longer.”
And has anyone been notified of this removal of service from Amex? Or is a 3rd party blog post acceptable notification?
Will Amex discount the annual fee I just paid to reflect the downgrade of benefits?
...just thought that passed through my head this morning while aghast my PP benefit is no longer. This stinks.
And has anyone been notified of this removal of service from Amex? Or is a 3rd party blog post acceptable notification?
Will Amex discount the annual fee I just paid to reflect the downgrade of benefits?
...just thought that passed through my head this morning while aghast my PP benefit is no longer. This stinks.
Last edited by Friendly Traveling Deathmerchant; May 29, 2019 at 9:12 pm