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.
#1381
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Mexico City
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, Marriot Gold, IHG Silver, Choice Platinum, Wyndham Gold
Posts: 3,918
I don't recall ever plopping down my platinum card. I insert it in the card reader. Only a few times I've handed it over to front desk receptionists at hotels to use for Amex Offers, because they didn't have a portable card reader. But that's about it.
#1382
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: North Oregon Coast
Programs: AS, AA, BA, HH Gold, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 356
And reality, most places you would “plunk it down” (except at the airport at the airline’s counter, or when necessary for offers or credits) are only going to be 1X spend. So apart from working off the spend needed for the SUB, it makes no sense to “plunk this down” at a restaurant or a grocery store (1X) or some other merchant (very likely 1X), unless there is a credit or an offer behind it.
#1383
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 49,039
#1384
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,925
And reality, most places you would plunk it down (except at the airport at the airlines counter, or when necessary for offers or credits) are only going to be 1X spend. So apart from working off the spend needed for the SUB, it makes no sense to plunk this down at a restaurant or a grocery store (1X) or some other merchant (very likely 1X), unless there is a credit or an offer behind it.
I have no need to impress anyone by showing them I have an Amex. Ill use the card that makes the most sense - if its the plat, great, if its my boring, no AF freedom, I have no problem with that (nothing wrong with a blue card, IMO).
#1385
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,188
I know some people prefer living a complicated life. One card for grocery (because x2), one card for gas(because x2), one card for restaurants (because x2), one card for hotel A (because x3), one card for hotel B (because x4)....etc.
#1386
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: North Oregon Coast
Programs: AS, AA, BA, HH Gold, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 356
Just in the Amex MR ecosystem, you have air travel and hotels through the portal (5X on Plat), dining and groceries (4X on Gold), other travel (3X on Green), everything else (2X on BBP assuming you went through the motions with gig or other side hustle). Throw in some other affinity card where you are loyal for specific benefits, maybe, and thats it. Doesnt seem too complicated to me. Others in the Chase universe do similar.
It may well be that the *average* person carries about 3 cards. But Id wager that among Platinum holders, it is likely considerably higher. The average person wont pay $695 every year for a card.
#1387
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,949
There can be diminishing returns to having many cards, especially with how Amex makes you get specific cards for specific purposes. I have said this for years, but this year is finally the year where I try to simplify my card lineup by getting rid of a number of cards. I am likely to drop two Citi cards, one maybe two Amex cards, and some other extraneous cards. That said there are still cards I need/want to pick up, including cards in the Chase family (getting another Sapphire bonus, maybe a Marriott, United or British Airways card) and Capital One (Venture X). There is always another card to get, another bonus to churn.
#1388
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA ExPlat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 17,100
There can be diminishing returns to having many cards, especially with how Amex makes you get specific cards for specific purposes. I have said this for years, but this year is finally the year where I try to simplify my card lineup by getting rid of a number of cards. I am likely to drop two Citi cards, one maybe two Amex cards, and some other extraneous cards. That said there are still cards I need/want to pick up,
- CFU (3X dining, pharmacy)
- Hyatt (2.6X everyday spend, 3.6X dining due to Chase spend offer of 5K for $3K on top of regular earnings)
- UA Gateway (5X for groceries and gas)
For the last year or so, Chase has been running a series of spend promos, so while it is the Gateway card now for groceries and gas, it was the Explorer card in Q4 and the Explorer card in Q3. So cards rotate in and out of my wallet for 3 months of daily spend depending on promos.
Then occasionally when I head to Staples or Office Depot I pull the Ink Cash out of the sock drawer for a gift card promo purchase. Or when I have a Chase or Amex Offer, I take a card out for a specific purchase or use Google Pay
All other cards get mostly used for travel spend, which is usually online or at a hotel.
Even with 17 cards, its not that difficult to optimize spend. And I dont obsess about it; if I mess up and use a suboptimal card, no biggie.
#1389
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 49,039
#1390
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: أمريكا
Posts: 26,770
#1391
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 49,039
Shoprunner is owned by FedEx, they have scores of participating merchants, primarily in apparel category. https://www.shoprunner.com/
#1392
Join Date: Dec 2018
Programs: $9 Fare Club
Posts: 1,501
Pro tip: use Apple Wallet and you can carry up to 8 cards and use them as necessary based on the multipliers.
#1394
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: North Oregon Coast
Programs: AS, AA, BA, HH Gold, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 356
True, but I don't think her point was simply having to carry a lot of cards, just not wanting to play the game of figuring out how to maximize rewards with each spend.
#1395
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,949
I hadnt paid much attention to this change, but it is actually significant. Now it should be much easier to take advantage of the equinox credit if you have multiple Amex platinum cards. You can run one months charge through one card, then switch cards to the other Amex Platinum. Then you can probably switch to a card that earns better. Increases the value of the credit on the second card.