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 1, 2021, 8:31 am
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,037
I wonder what the usage rate will be for the Equinox offer. 1%? We'll never know, but I'd bet that'll be the lowest of the bunch. And I'd guess Amex pays close to nothing to Equinox for that one, even for the takers.
Jul 1, 2021, 8:33 am
#92
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP , Delta Gold Medallion, "Credit Card" status for various hotels
Posts: 672
This is disappointing, particularly with the limited streaming options and more restrictions on the hotel credit than anticipated. The $550 annual fee is difficult enough to justify let alone $695 for some marginal new benefits.
Is it confirmed that the Airline fee credit continues into 2022, or is it just continuing until the end of the year? I’m reading that it remains but my cynical nature makes me wonder if they pull it at the end of the year. This might be the difference on whether I renew another year of this card or not.
Is it confirmed that the Airline fee credit continues into 2022, or is it just continuing until the end of the year? I’m reading that it remains but my cynical nature makes me wonder if they pull it at the end of the year. This might be the difference on whether I renew another year of this card or not.
Jul 1, 2021, 8:37 am
#93
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: US
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, Starwood Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,020
The Equinox credit is worthless:
This benefit is available to Platinum Card® members who pay monthly for Equinox All Access, Destination, E by Equinox or Equinox+ membership only. Your current Equinox membership does not qualify for this benefit.
You can upgrade your Equinox membership by contacting the Concierge.
I live in a city with 2 Equinox locations. Why would I upgrade my membership to Equinox All Access?
This benefit is available to Platinum Card® members who pay monthly for Equinox All Access, Destination, E by Equinox or Equinox+ membership only. Your current Equinox membership does not qualify for this benefit.
You can upgrade your Equinox membership by contacting the Concierge.
I live in a city with 2 Equinox locations. Why would I upgrade my membership to Equinox All Access?
Jul 1, 2021, 8:56 am
#95
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Rockies
Programs: UA Platinum, HHonors Diamond, Bonvoy occasionally Bonvoyed Mostly
Posts: 428
Also interestingly the T&C of the new travel credit states that you just need to make the booking prior to Dec 31st. So technically you can make a (e.g. two day) booking for some time next year, get the 200 credit and come January, you can make another booking (before/after your existing one) and get another $200 and use it on a single trip.
Last edited by arshi007; Jul 1, 2021 at 9:10 am
Jul 1, 2021, 8:59 am
#96
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,894
I also figured out these credits are calendar year, which is honestly pretty nice. If you sign up for a new card now, you get $800 in airline fee / hotel credits before your second annual fee
Jul 1, 2021, 9:16 am
#99
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: أمريكا
Posts: 26,763
$149 increase with an easy to use $200 hotel credit negates the fee increase for me. I will have no trouble using that credit organically.
Equinox is useless for me, even though I live in one of their cities. This isn't enough of an incentive to get me to switch.
The entertainment credit partners are limited and it's annoying that it's a monthly credit when annual subscriptions are usually a much better deal.
I get Clear for free from United so no help there. Unfortunately just like the Global Entry credit this is becoming a benefit that's duplicated by a bunch of companies and thus useless after the first one. It's also going to increase the number of Clear members which, like precheck means that eventually everyone has it and the benefit reduces over time. There have been a number of times recently where the Clear line was longer than the precheck line.
Overall I don't care for all of these monthly credit benefits. They inevitably don't credit for one reason or another regularly, and then I have to call in or chat half a dozen times to "save" $20. It feels cheap.
Equinox is useless for me, even though I live in one of their cities. This isn't enough of an incentive to get me to switch.
The entertainment credit partners are limited and it's annoying that it's a monthly credit when annual subscriptions are usually a much better deal.
I get Clear for free from United so no help there. Unfortunately just like the Global Entry credit this is becoming a benefit that's duplicated by a bunch of companies and thus useless after the first one. It's also going to increase the number of Clear members which, like precheck means that eventually everyone has it and the benefit reduces over time. There have been a number of times recently where the Clear line was longer than the precheck line.
Overall I don't care for all of these monthly credit benefits. They inevitably don't credit for one reason or another regularly, and then I have to call in or chat half a dozen times to "save" $20. It feels cheap.
Jul 1, 2021, 9:16 am
#100
Used to be MBS PremExec
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Marriott Titanium w/Lifetime Plat, Hilton LIfetime ♢, National Exec, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,722
CLEAR Clarification :D
Here are the CLEAR T&Cs from Amex (as found under 'benefits' of my personal Plat) :
Sounds like an auto-credit, so, because I get CLEAR free for being a United 1K, looks like I can add my whole family (wife and 2 young ones) for $50 total ($50 per adult, and children under 18 are free). I can't see anything that forbids me from getting just that $50 credit. My alternative option would be to get my wife her own account, pay the published rate and add our kids there--but it would be nice in general to have everyone under the same account.
New: $179 CLEAR Credit
You can earn up to $179 in statement credits per calendar year when you use your Platinum Card to pay for your annual CLEAR membership. Enrollment in CLEAR is required. CLEAR memberships automatically renew each year unless canceled and CLEAR will charge the applicable membership fee to the Card CLEAR has on file. American Express has no control over the application and/or approval process for CLEAR, and does not have access to any information provided to CLEAR by the Card Member or by CLEAR to the Card Member. American Express has no liability regarding the CLEAR program. If a Card Member's application is not approved by CLEAR, CLEAR will refund the charges. If the statement credit benefit has been applied before CLEAR refunds the charges, that statement credit will be reversed. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account are eligible for statement credits. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $179 on the Card Account per calendar year. For additional information on the CLEAR program, including information regarding membership, eligibility, and for a list of participating locations, as well as the full terms and conditions of the program, please go to www.clearme.com. The CLEAR program is subject to change, and American Express has no control over those changes. Please allow up to 2-4 weeks after a qualifying CLEAR transaction is charged to your Card Account for the statement credit to be posted to the Account. American Express relies on accurate transaction data to identify eligible CLEAR purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying purchase on your eligible Card after 4 weeks, please call the number on the back of your Card. Card Members remain responsible for timely payment of all CLEAR charges. To be eligible for this benefit, your Card account must not be cancelled or past due at the time of statement credit fulfillment. If a charge for an eligible purchase is included in a Pay Over Time feature balance on your Card Account, the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time feature balance. Instead, the statement credit may be applied to your Pay In Full balance. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
You can earn up to $179 in statement credits per calendar year when you use your Platinum Card to pay for your annual CLEAR membership. Enrollment in CLEAR is required. CLEAR memberships automatically renew each year unless canceled and CLEAR will charge the applicable membership fee to the Card CLEAR has on file. American Express has no control over the application and/or approval process for CLEAR, and does not have access to any information provided to CLEAR by the Card Member or by CLEAR to the Card Member. American Express has no liability regarding the CLEAR program. If a Card Member's application is not approved by CLEAR, CLEAR will refund the charges. If the statement credit benefit has been applied before CLEAR refunds the charges, that statement credit will be reversed. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account are eligible for statement credits. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $179 on the Card Account per calendar year. For additional information on the CLEAR program, including information regarding membership, eligibility, and for a list of participating locations, as well as the full terms and conditions of the program, please go to www.clearme.com. The CLEAR program is subject to change, and American Express has no control over those changes. Please allow up to 2-4 weeks after a qualifying CLEAR transaction is charged to your Card Account for the statement credit to be posted to the Account. American Express relies on accurate transaction data to identify eligible CLEAR purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying purchase on your eligible Card after 4 weeks, please call the number on the back of your Card. Card Members remain responsible for timely payment of all CLEAR charges. To be eligible for this benefit, your Card account must not be cancelled or past due at the time of statement credit fulfillment. If a charge for an eligible purchase is included in a Pay Over Time feature balance on your Card Account, the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time feature balance. Instead, the statement credit may be applied to your Pay In Full balance. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
Jul 1, 2021, 9:16 am
#101
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
That’s the language with the applications under this new, higher fee for Platinum accounts. That answers your question about the fee side. About the benefits for the additional Platinum card users on an account, I wouldn’t expect much additional from Amex on this.
Jul 1, 2021, 9:26 am
#104
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,675
hahahaha the streaming credit is limited to SiriusXM, Audible, and Peacock
https://reddit.com/r/amex/comments/o..._very_limited/
https://reddit.com/r/amex/comments/o..._very_limited/
As far as the FHR credit is concerned, I just checked FHR for a Hawai`i (Big Island) trip since that is where I don't have a condo to stay in, and it's basically worthless. Nothing under $700/night. I'm not paying that much just to use up a $200 credit.
So after making me jump through hoops to use an Uber Eats credit every month instead of just giving one credit for the whole year, after making me jump through hoops to use a stupid airline credit every year, and after devaluing the Priority Pass to not include restaurants (which effectively means I use my Chase PP more often), it'll be interesting to see if I decide that this is the final straw.
Jul 1, 2021, 9:35 am
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Apologies if this is covered, I read most of the thread but was admittedly going quickly - do we know yet how/when this impacts existing cardholders, both in terms of the new benefits and increase in AF?
That's disappointing; was hoping the streaming credits would be the same partners as previously to include Netflix, Hulu, etc. I have SiriusXM but literally just paid for a whole year. Cost me a whopping $60. I guess I can subscribe to NYT now.
Not too far-fetched of a dream. AA/US used to be included many, many years ago. And AS via PP. Very different landscape now, of course.
How are you spending $400 on three SiriusXM subscriptions? An All-Access sub is $60/year (+tax).
hahahaha the streaming credit is limited to SiriusXM, Audible, and Peacock
https://reddit.com/r/amex/comments/o..._very_limited/
https://reddit.com/r/amex/comments/o..._very_limited/
And $200 for me!!! All cars fully covered with 2 Amex Plats (3 vehicles). Can't live without my Sirius XM Radio ...
add to that $200 for WN tickets + $200 for Uber Eats + $100 fo Saks 5th Ave. and that is free Centurion Lounge!!!
I get Clear for free due to being 1K with UA, so that one is the only one I will have to transfer to someone else.
add to that $200 for WN tickets + $200 for Uber Eats + $100 fo Saks 5th Ave. and that is free Centurion Lounge!!!
I get Clear for free due to being 1K with UA, so that one is the only one I will have to transfer to someone else.