RedSun

I felt clearly that some of the benefits favor particularly group, not the general cardholder base.

Ask ourselves:

1. Do you normally order anything from Saks if we are not given the $100 credit?
2. Do we try to "max" Uber credit by ordering liquors or order some food where we normally do not order delivery?
3. Now we get digital entertainment credit. So we are going to sign up to Peacock, SirrusXM or NY Times?

The same with Clear and Equinox. Some cardmembers are tempted to "max" those benefits since they are "free" now....

moe8555

In the beginning, I was relatively excited by the changes and thought maybe they would mesh well with my circumstances. But now that the hype has settled down a bit and the situation has been analyzed and presented by all ad nauseam, I'm honestly starting to lean toward the "cancel" group.

The idea of committing a certain amount of money upfront for a highly-specific set of perks and credits is becoming less and less appealing to me. Admittedly, were my travels to take me to Centurion and Delta lounges more frequently, I'd probably think about this differently.

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mia

Tempted is not the same as dictated. American Express was marketing products to cardholders decades before any of these features were added to the Platinum Card. In one year American Express spent more on postage for direct mail ads than the annual fee that I paid them. Advertising subsidizes the cost of countless consumer products. Removing the Saks, Uber, Clear and Equinox features would simply make the Platinum Card more expensive. Evaluating marketing claims and choosing only the goods and services you need is a core adult skill in a mass market economy.

TravelingZoomer

While the Avenue of my spend patterns have changed, the actually spending has not. If one is unwilling or unable to utilize the credits in a slightly different manner than organic spend, than you’re right this card is not for you. And that’s totally fine (encouraged even less competition for the most well traveled among us).

1. I didn’t order from Saks usually. But at some point in a six month period I buy something online, and if you look hard enough prices are comparable on items like kitchen appliances to other stores.

2. I don’t use Uber eats. I do order pickup and instead of calling the restaurant I now use Uber eats, where prices are the same at many restaurants.

3. I concede I’m one of the lucky few who actually does use audible monthly for the premium plus subscription so I get full value of the digital credit. But I also recommend people listen to audiobooks more generally it’s good for the mind.

Again, with a bit of imagination it’s not too hard. But if it’s not for you it’s not for you and that’s fine. TIA for reducing crowds at CL.

RedSun

To be honest, I've been fed up with AmEx with all its "benefits" like Uber, Grubhub/Seamless (Gold), Saks, now the Clear, Equinox, Digital Entertain, etc. The same with the piece"meal" $10 dining benefit where some members order like $200 meal with those cards. They made us like bean counters.

Premium cards with a $600 or $700 annual fees should not be anything like this. If AmEx does not want to give out those benefits, just make it straight. I'm not going to continue to dance with AmEx on those "benefits".

I have multiple personal Platinum cards. Also the corporate Plat card. Family members have Plat cards too. Plan to cancel multiple of them. We are not heavy alcohol drinkers. So Centurion lounges are not something we have to have. Some of my family and friends are in the same situation.

AmEx Platinum card has lost its luster as a premium travel charge card. It is ruined by all the AmEx marketing "gimmicks". Those AmEx marketing team members are not genius, but a bunch of fools....

Folks are not foolish enough to blindly pay the $695 annual fees without calculating the benefits they get out of this card. It is even worse to alter lifestyle because AmEx "benefits" lead us this way.....

With both Chase and Cap1 coming into airport lounge business, I see Citi will follow. All three have good CC reward point systems, UR, TY and Cap1 points. They will give kicks to AmEx's butt.

Sure enjoy more seats in the AmEx lounges. Also do not have to fight with kids for TV remotes. Enjoy all the alcohol you can consume.

Adelphos

Peaceful scene on a hot morning

RedSun

Also, let's calculate the $75,000 spending for Centurion Lounge guest access. If I go the hard way. I only get 1x MR on Plat card since I do not have $75k spending on airfare. I can get 3x or 4x on AmEx Gold and other Chase/Citi cards. So my opportunity cost is $75,000 x 2 points. If each point is worth 1cps or 1.5 cps, it costs me $1,500 to $2,000 on the $75,000 spending. At $50 guest lounge cost, it covers from 30 to 40 admissions to lounges. Most of us probably have nothing close to that figure.

I do not know why and how AmEx offers that. It seems insulting with a card we pay $695 annual fee....

jtc246

They offer it because it's a win/win/win/win for them. If someone is wants to spend 75K on the Plat(unless it's all air fare), they win. If they pay the $50 guest fee, they win. If they add an AU, they win. If they stay out of the lounge, reducing crowding. they win.

imnotalawyer

It seems unfair to calculate that at 1xMR rather than the 5xMR for Travel/Hotel spend that the hypothetical Cardholder amex is OBVIOUSLY targeting with this additional benefit. Just say that you're unhappy with the card, but don't use ridiculously deflated figures to try to prove your point...

Is this new guest access policy worse than the previous iteration? Objectively yes. Am I losing any sleep over having to spend $50 per guest? Not at all.

gengar

Yeah geez, it's just so awful and insulting for AMEX to offer such a perk to those who do spend a certain amount on the card.

friedablass

1. Yes, I do all the time and did so before this credit was invented as well. So for me the $100 was definitely a bonus and very easy to use.
2. I only order food from places that I've already been using in the past and now it's easier than ever to order through the app rather than calling and waiting in a queue to place my order. So that's a win for me too.
3. Entertainment credit is useless to me and I will be ignoring it. Same with Equinox. I am not tempted to max out these benefits at all.

I get enough value from the card otherwise for it to be worthwhile to me for now. I believe many other cardholders are using the same cost/benefit analysis to decide if they'll continue with the card as well.

beofotch

If wife and I both have the platinum <two seperate accounts) could we book a $400 hotel night using the fine hotels and resorts program split on $200 on each card and get the $200 statement credit for both bookings? Anyone with actual experience making a similar booking?

beofotch

My dad used this benefit when he had a heart attack and almost died while on vacation in Singapore. Amex through a vendor helped set up the medical evacuation to get him to a hospital back in the USA. Flight would have cost $300k out of pocket.

RedSun

I just felt over the past a couple of years, AmEx has been treating us like dogs. AmEx throws out the Uber bone. We jump to catch it. We chew the bone and learn how to suck all flavor from it each month. Then AmEx throws out the Saks bone. We learn how to catch and digest it too. Grubhub/Seamless/Shake Shack same story. Now AmEx again throws out the bones like Equinox, Peacock TV, Sirrus XM. I'm just too old to jump on the new bones. AmEx tries to teach old dog new tricks? Not me.

I just do not think this is how a top CC bank should treat their best customers. AmEx does not show any respects to me, or to us. We are all at the mercy of what AmEx likes to offer.....

dszrew

You have to prepay, and I do not think you can split payment for 1 night between two cards.
You can book one night on her card and one night on yours for $400 off a 2 night stay.
I have a 3 night stay booked using 3 Platinum cards with $600 total already credited back.