Jul 1, 2021, 1:23 pm
Last edit by: Global Adventurer
*Equinox $25 Credit will not be issued for ANY products you buy online at their merchandise Shop which is coded as "Equinox The Shop". However, it appears that you can purchase Gift Cards straight off the site, but lowest denomination is $100. Gift cards can be used for merchandise and memberships.
USA personal Platinum annual fee increase to $695, July 2021.
Jul 19, 2021, 3:57 pm
#811
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
I went to the benefits section in the Platinum Card account online, found the Equinox benefit and selected enroll. It takes you to the site platinum.equinox.com, where you either join as a new member or select existing member, where you enter your Equinox log in credentials. I entered my existing credentials, and it confirmed me as eligible to get the benefit; I think I then had to enter my Platinum card number.
Jul 19, 2021, 4:59 pm
#814
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,194
I don't even understand where you're coming from, unless you're playing the game (I am not knocking the game), why would you have 'multiple personal Platinum cards' to begin with? There is a pretty big diminution in value of having more than a single Platinum card for anyone who values many of the travel benefits, that is both before and after the recent changes.
Depending upon one's investment choices (and amounts), some of the annual fees may be zero or heavily discounted. Add in retention offers and there may be significantly more value than your post ascribes to this strategy.
Jul 19, 2021, 5:28 pm
#815
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Manhattan, Palm Beach Island, San Francisco, Boston, & Hong Kong
Programs: Lifetime United Global Services, Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador, & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,165
I also looked at OP’s post history (just to give myself more context where they are coming from) and they frequent the manufactured spend forums. Which I’m not knocking, great! I never felt the need to MS because my normal spend habits give me more than enough points for what I need but I know it’s something many of us here benefit from greatly.
But to say they don’t want to play the game, while also holding multiple plat cards and engaging in MS isn’t consistent. It seems like Amex just changed the rules and OP doesn’t want to play this version of Amex’s game anymore. Which is fine, but quite annoying to read the same iteration of “it doesn’t work for me so it shouldn’t work for everyone and Amex is a failing company” rant for every other post in this thread
But to say they don’t want to play the game, while also holding multiple plat cards and engaging in MS isn’t consistent. It seems like Amex just changed the rules and OP doesn’t want to play this version of Amex’s game anymore. Which is fine, but quite annoying to read the same iteration of “it doesn’t work for me so it shouldn’t work for everyone and Amex is a failing company” rant for every other post in this thread
Worth looking up the legend of AndySol and his black star Chase links that bypassed 5/24. He made like $120k in cash (and arguably twice that in fair market value of Hyatt points) in just 1 month through MS.
I would be shocked if the IRS didn't hit him up though lol.
--
Also, almost all of the new credits don't stack well with multiple Platinums or player 2s. The only exception is the FHR credit (which is the most useful new credit anyway IMO).
Jul 19, 2021, 5:32 pm
#816
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Manhattan, Palm Beach Island, San Francisco, Boston, & Hong Kong
Programs: Lifetime United Global Services, Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador, & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,165
Confirmed: my $2.18 water charge at Equinox generated a $2.18 credit under the Equinox benefit.
As a reminder, I registered for the benefit from the Amex website, which confirmed that I had an eligible membership (All Access or above) to trigger the benefit. I also made the water purchase at the gym. It would seem tough to get around those requirements but it seems like you can get reimbursement for non-membership fee charges as long as you can activate the benefit itself
As a reminder, I registered for the benefit from the Amex website, which confirmed that I had an eligible membership (All Access or above) to trigger the benefit. I also made the water purchase at the gym. It would seem tough to get around those requirements but it seems like you can get reimbursement for non-membership fee charges as long as you can activate the benefit itself
Jul 19, 2021, 6:31 pm
#817
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,856
Confirmed: my $2.18 water charge at Equinox generated a $2.18 credit under the Equinox benefit.
As a reminder, I registered for the benefit from the Amex website, which confirmed that I had an eligible membership (All Access or above) to trigger the benefit. I also made the water purchase at the gym. It would seem tough to get around those requirements but it seems like you can get reimbursement for non-membership fee charges as long as you can activate the benefit itself
As a reminder, I registered for the benefit from the Amex website, which confirmed that I had an eligible membership (All Access or above) to trigger the benefit. I also made the water purchase at the gym. It would seem tough to get around those requirements but it seems like you can get reimbursement for non-membership fee charges as long as you can activate the benefit itself
(also, I am just shocked that a bottle of water is just $2… presumably that’s not some fancy water sourced from a Mt. Kilimanjaro glacier, but rather filled from the purified NYC municipal water supply agua?)
Jul 19, 2021, 6:58 pm
#818
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,949
I actually wondered myself, what the financial arrangements were, and how much the new benefits are actually costing AmEx.
Jul 19, 2021, 7:13 pm
#819
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,792
Multiple sign-up bonuses. Vanilla plat, Schwab plat, MS Plat, et al.
Depending upon one's investment choices (and amounts), some of the annual fees may be zero or heavily discounted. Add in retention offers and there may be significantly more value than your post ascribes to this strategy.
Depending upon one's investment choices (and amounts), some of the annual fees may be zero or heavily discounted. Add in retention offers and there may be significantly more value than your post ascribes to this strategy.
Jul 19, 2021, 7:25 pm
#820
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
Looks like that doesn’t help those without a desire or ability to join Equinox, right?
(also, I am just shocked that a bottle of water is just $2… presumably that’s not some fancy water sourced from a Mt. Kilimanjaro glacier, but rather filled from the purified NYC municipal water supply agua?)
(also, I am just shocked that a bottle of water is just $2… presumably that’s not some fancy water sourced from a Mt. Kilimanjaro glacier, but rather filled from the purified NYC municipal water supply agua?)
IME equinox charges an initiation fee off the bat so it may be hard to sign up and maximize the benefit. Those without membership should try to see if they can register without paying anything up front
Jul 19, 2021, 7:28 pm
#821
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
On the topic of multiple Platinum cards, it was somewhat possible to justify a regular platinum and. Charles Schwab platinum if you could fully maximize the Uber and Saks credits (which I could). However I cannot fully maximize basically any of the new credits on two cards (for example Equinox and digital credits are worthless on the second card), and Schwab devalued anyway, so two Platinums no longer make sense. I will likely downgrade the vanilla Plat back to Gold.
Jul 19, 2021, 8:01 pm
#822
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
Multiple sign-up bonuses. Vanilla plat, Schwab plat, MS Plat, et al.
Depending upon one's investment choices (and amounts), some of the annual fees may be zero or heavily discounted. Add in retention offers and there may be significantly more value than your post ascribes to this strategy.
Depending upon one's investment choices (and amounts), some of the annual fees may be zero or heavily discounted. Add in retention offers and there may be significantly more value than your post ascribes to this strategy.
The poster is going on and on about having to jump through hoops to get value from the card, if they're only doing it for SUB's, that's all well and good, as I said, I'm not knocking the game, everyone knows you'll probably never do better with a Platinum Card than year one with SUB's and double-dipping the calendar year benefits, that's been the case with this card for the past decade or so.
Jul 19, 2021, 8:08 pm
#823
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,194
You mean what I described in the same sentence immediately before the passage you highlighted?
The poster is going on and on about having to jump through hoops to get value from the card, if they're only doing it for SUB's, that's all well and good, as I said, I'm not knocking the game, everyone knows you'll probably never do better with a Platinum Card than year one with SUB's and double-dipping the calendar year benefits, that's been the case with this card for the past decade or so.
The poster is going on and on about having to jump through hoops to get value from the card, if they're only doing it for SUB's, that's all well and good, as I said, I'm not knocking the game, everyone knows you'll probably never do better with a Platinum Card than year one with SUB's and double-dipping the calendar year benefits, that's been the case with this card for the past decade or so.
Do what you need to do. Don't draw conclusions from what others do.
Jul 19, 2021, 8:16 pm
#824
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,856
Jul 19, 2021, 8:24 pm
#825
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Manhattan, Palm Beach Island, San Francisco, Boston, & Hong Kong
Programs: Lifetime United Global Services, Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador, & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,165
On the topic of multiple Platinum cards, it was somewhat possible to justify a regular platinum and. Charles Schwab platinum if you could fully maximize the Uber and Saks credits (which I could). However I cannot fully maximize basically any of the new credits on two cards (for example Equinox and digital credits are worthless on the second card), and Schwab devalued anyway, so two Platinums no longer make sense. I will likely downgrade the vanilla Plat back to Gold.
I agree the Clear, Equinox, and Digital Entertainment credits don't stack well (unless you LOVE audio books lol).