Beckles

How do you think I found Flyertalk in the first place?

mia

It's comforting to think that your family may receive $1 million if you die in a airline accident, but that's very improbable. If you need life insurance, don't you need the same amount without regard to how you die?

imnotalawyer

Certainly not an authoritative answer from me, but I thought I would have some fun and stab around the amex website on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine...

This page from October 2006 is the first reference I can find to the Platinum Card which also has an option to directly apply for the card. It is entirely possible that you could apply for the card before this time but the archives are a little wonky before this period. Some of the earlier pages rely entirely on Flash (which the Wayback Machine didn't archive) and other pages fail to explicitly list the Platinum at all, but do have references to "All Other Cards" (which unfortunately were not archived).

For a good laugh, you can also take a look at the Platinum Card page from 1997, which had a number to call for interested customers (which likely worked similarly to the "Register your interest" page that we currently have for the Centurion)

EDIT: For fun I am also combing through the old FlyerTalk threads about the platinum...

This one from August 99, suggests existing Platinum holders could refer new customers
Here's a post from Jan 00, with folks complaining about how "anyone with $300... can get a Platinum Card"
Here's a post from April 00, with folks complaining about how if you buy a Lexus you get a free Platinum card with the AF waived for 2 years...
Here's a post from Jan 01, which suggests you needed to call and verify salary or liquid assets > 100k OR simply have a Green/Gold card in good standing
(got bored and jumped ahead to 2005)
Here's a post from Jun 05, which confirms it was a simple application process by that point

naumank

This is in addition to my existing life/accident policies. For me, I also value UR points more than AMEX points - one can only transfer AMEX points to non-US-based airlines in order to get more than 1.0 cents per point, whereas we can easily get 1.5 cents per UR point on Chase's travel booking portal. Transferring UR points to Hyatt easily gets 2 cents per point.

In any case, I applied for the Platinum card because (1) the new credits pay for the annual fee based on my spending patterns; (2) I really would like to get access to Centurion lounges. and (3) 125K points after $6K spending is a no-brainer. I was thinking of moving all my airlines purchases to AMEX Plat but I guess I may not. I will likely keep the Plat card for lounge access and pay my cell phone bills after the initial 6 months (we get 10x on restaurants and ShopSmall). I will keep CSR.

TravelingZoomer

Amex will always be able to offer higher multipliers and higher SUB/retention/upgrade bonuses precisely because of CSR PYB feature. Even using a conservatively low 1.1 c/MR vs 1.5 c/UR, at 5x on flights you’re still ahead 5.5 at 5x on MR vs 4.5 at 3x on MR.

Trip delay insurance is also both much easier to claim and more comprehensive than CSR insurance, with the caveat of needing to book a round trip. But that should be simple enough as several one ways departing and ending at the same destination counts.

emcampbe

Definitely considering applying for the plat now with the new benefits. I’ve generally been a Chase guy, and currently have the CSR, but with the lack of updates on CSR and AF increase, and the updates to benefits on the plat, I think even with the increased fee, and cost for an AU, it’ll work for us now. Definitely some things I will miss from Chase (ease of travel credit, United as transfer partner, etc.), but overall, I think this switch makes sense for a number of reasons.

That said, have some questions (sorry for any that are noob questions - I admit to not having read all 52 pages of this thread, but I've tried to skim a bit), as I’ve never carried an Amex before, so trying to figure out how things work a bit better.

1. Terms for bonus seem to suggest spend on prepaid cards and gift cards (or as an Amex agent called it, ‘cash equivalents’) would not count toward the 6K threshold for the bonus. I don’t MS, but do tend to buy gift cards at grocery stores that help keep balances in accounts (mostly Amazon/iTunes) - typically ~$50-$200 some months, maybe not at all in others, and never Visa/MC cards. Can/do they really exclude this spend from counting toward the threshold (especially when often for me, these gift cards are part of the same transaction as regular groceries)? Just trying to make sure I can calculate properly - not trying to bend rules, or even do anything differently than I've been doing for years.
   
2. Trip Cancelation/Inturruption and Delay terms seem to require round trip travel and the entire amount needs to be charged to the card (for most part, Chase requires only a portion), but seems to be some limited exceptions for ff awarded benefits 'or similar.' Can someone confirm I should be covered if:
   • I book an award ticket using ff miles, but pay for taxes/fees with card.
   • Use remaining value of canceled previous ticket, or existing certificate (ie, UA ETC), or partially use something like United Travelbank funds - in either case with balance on the Amex.
     
3. ​​​​Also sounds like to be covered, the trip essentially needs to be a round trip, but can consist of multiple tickets/PNRs (presumably with multiple carriers) as long as I return back home within a year - is this accurate? Want to make sure I know the deal, as it’s sometimes advantageous (for us, anyway), to buy, say, two one-way tickets instead of an outbound/return in a single PNR.
   
4. Sounds like only the main card (not AU) can be used for the Uber benefit (monthly Uber cash/status), and it only applies to a single Uber account (obviously), but can anyone confirm that the Uber account doesn’t have to belong to the main cardholder, just that the main card needs to be listed as a payment method (sounds like it doesn’t even have to be the primary payment method?). For example, if I’m the main cardholder, but my wife Ubers more than me, can we just add my card as a payment method on her account first, and she would get the Uber Cash/Status?
   
5. Is it correct that the other credit maxes (ie, digital entertainment, hotel booking on AMEX, airline credit, Saks, etc.) are by account, but can be triggered by spend on either main card or AU card?
   
6. I know the lounge benefits apply to both the main card and AUs on the account - sounds like the car rental status benefits and Marriott/Hilton benefits also apply to both main cardholder and AU (so presumably, to one account for each person)? Is there anything I have to be on the lookout for that applies to main cardholder only, but not AU?
   
7. While I’m on questions, sounds like main cardholder and AU will get different card numbers - will both have access to our own online accounts on Amex website/app? I assume main cardholder can see charges put on all cards - what do AUs see? Also, I assume the MR points are put into one account/pool - does only main user have access to use/transfer, or do all users have access? Do any transfers (to airline/hotel partners) have restrictions on the name on the recipient account? ie, can points be transferred to, say, a Hilton account with main cardholder name only, or can it be the AU account holder name? Or can we gift it to someone else completely (not likely, but seeing what is possible.)
   
8. Anything else I should know about main cardholder vs. AU - aside from personal factors like credit history/score, etc., is there any reason why it would be beneficial for me to apply for main card and have wife as AU, vs. vice-versa?

Appreciate anyone who can answer some of these (like I said, probably Amex noob) questions - trying to know the ground rules as we get into new card issuer territory.

naumank

I just found this great article on the Points Guy that compares the travel-related insurances offered by AMEX Plat and CSR. The author concludes that she uses CSR to purchase flights to take advantage of CSR's better offerings while using AMEX Plat for lounge access and access to FHR. I totally agree with her. Obviously, not everyone has both cards so they don't always have a choice.

By the way, AMEX Plat appears to offer Emergency evacuation insurance and we don't need to purchase a ticket with AMEX to have it. This is an interesting benefit.

Statman

You are correct that you don't have to purchase the ticket with the Amex Platinum card to be eligible for this benefit. It also covers AUs and their spouse or domestic partner and dependent children under the age of 23.

There is no monetary cap to the coverage either (unlike CSR which caps it at $100k).

For this benefit alone, I made my parents AUs on my Amex Platinum account because they travel quite a bit in retirement and the insurance premiums for that kind of coverage would greatly exceed the annual fee of the card.

ChurnieEls

.
Normally I'd roll my eyes at you tagging a TPG article as 'great', but Katie is one of the only competent actual travel writers they have.

Re evacuation - I'd prefer to never have to find out how 'interesting' it is!

naumank

I said "interesting" because it doesn't require any purchase to get coverage. But good to know - hope we are never going to need it.

mia

Ensuing discussion of the insurance features has been moved: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ect-cards.html

mia

Most of these topics are covered in separate threads:

1. Purchases of merchant gift cards typically earn points and count toward bonuses. Purchases of Amex, Discover, MasterCard, VISA cards are more problematic. The key thing to understand is that American Express audits accounts, and transactions that are not flagged by the automated system may still be disallowed later.

2. Airline tickets purchased with miles are not covered by the Travel Delay, Interruption or Cancelation benefits. Tickets purchased with Membership Rewards points are covered. Partial payment with airline credit does not invalidate Travel Delay, Interruption or Cancellation benefits, but it does invalidate lost baggage benefit.

3. The Round Trip requirement applies to the full itinerary. Individual tickets can be one-way.

4. The Uber benefit applies only to the primary card. The card can be linked to any Uber account.

6. American Express does not use the term "Authorized User" in the same way as bankcard issuers. Additional Platinum cardholders receive nearly all of the benefits provided to the Basic cardholder, but in cases where the benefit has a capped monetary value the cap usually applies per account, not per card. You can also add free Gold or Green cards to a Platinum account. These cards earn rewards for spending at the same rate as the Platinum card (not at the rate of separate Gold or Green accounts).

7. Every American Express card has its own number. Additional cardholder can create separate online accounts, but this is not required. The Basic cardmember can see all activity on all cards. Membership Rewards points from all cards are credited to the Basic cardmember. Initially, transfers can only be made to airline or hotel accounts in the Basic member's name. After the Additional cards have been open for awhile (90 days?) transfers can also be made to their airline and hotel accounts. Membership Rewards points cannot be transferred to any other Membership Rewards account, nor to anyone else's airline or hotel accounts.

RedSun

I think what AmEx should have done is to offer different flavors of Platinum cards, either in slightly different color, or markings with different sets of benefits. I can think of three sets:

1. Traditional travel card
2. Active lifestyle
3. Digital nerds or nomads

I was going to say to offer an card for older or retired group. But that is what the traditional travel is for.

This way, we can all choose the "lifestyle" we like. So we are not dictated by AmEx to alter our lifestyle for fit AmEx marketing scheme. This is not hard since AmEx is phasing out the MB, Ameriprise, and probably Schwab, Goldman and Morgan Stanley too.

Then Platinum cards will be more appealing to more groups. I do not like any of the new changes.

We do not have to "work hard" to get out the card benefits.

FT

I distinctly remember applying for my Platinum in 2000 online sitting in my room at the Renaissance Heathrow. I had just turned 24 and while I had a good job, I wouldn't say I was rich or wealthy in anyway imaginable. I had another AMEX card at the time which I closed after receiving the Platinum. Either 1999 or 2000 is when they shifted from strict by invitation policy to a card to apply for. And I recall the same conversations happening on flyertalk then as now.

mia

I have never felt even slightly "dictated to" by any card issuer. I use the features that fit my pattern, and ignore most.

Evidence to support this claim?