AMEX Platinum decision time — help request
Oct 23, 2022, 4:13 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: MSP
Posts: 497
Exactly this, from https://amextravel.com under the Fine Hotels + Resorts®section at the bottom with the rest of Terms and Conditions:
Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked.
Oct 24, 2022, 10:21 am
#17
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold (BIS), AA LT Plat (CC SUBs & BD), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 3,290
Apply for a biz Plat. If you’re lucky (like many others) AmEx will then start sending you targeted NLL offers for biz Plats and biz Golds every few months. SUB(s) more than compensates for the first year AF(s), cancel(s) at 12.5 months if no appropriate retention offer. Wash, rinse, repeat. 
Oct 24, 2022, 12:07 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: EWR
Programs: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 1,255
Apply for a biz Plat. If you’re lucky (like many others) AmEx will then start sending you targeted NLL offers for biz Plats and biz Golds every few months. SUB(s) more than compensates for the first year AF(s), cancel(s) at 12.5 months if no appropriate retention offer. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Oct 25, 2022, 7:53 am
#20
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold (BIS), AA LT Plat (CC SUBs & BD), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 3,290
Understood, I used to be in the same boat. Then I started (over)paying quarterly estimated taxes, both state and federal. Even with the 1.87%-1.98% federal juice* and 2.25% NY juice the SUB more than compensates for the AF plus juice. And sometimes get a nice refund check in the springtime or early summer, kinda like a Christmas Club savings account.
(* Juice as in vigorish, vig, cut or transaction fee; the percentage deducted from a gambler's winnings by the organizers of a game, the fee charged by a bookmaker (or bookie) for accepting a gambler's wager. In American English, it can also refer to the interest owed a loanshark in consideration for credit.)
Biz Plat: $15,000 MS, ~$700 AF, ~$281-$338 fees on tax payments = ~$1000 total fees for 150K MR (SUB) + 22,500 MR ($15K at 1.5x for charges over $5K) + ~300 MR (~$300 fee at 1x) = ~173K MR = ~$0.006 per MR easily leveraged to over ~$0.01 for airline ticket purchases (particularly with 35% rebate) or redeemed at $0.01 or better. Lounge access and other perks are gravy.
(* Juice as in vigorish, vig, cut or transaction fee; the percentage deducted from a gambler's winnings by the organizers of a game, the fee charged by a bookmaker (or bookie) for accepting a gambler's wager. In American English, it can also refer to the interest owed a loanshark in consideration for credit.)
Biz Plat: $15,000 MS, ~$700 AF, ~$281-$338 fees on tax payments = ~$1000 total fees for 150K MR (SUB) + 22,500 MR ($15K at 1.5x for charges over $5K) + ~300 MR (~$300 fee at 1x) = ~173K MR = ~$0.006 per MR easily leveraged to over ~$0.01 for airline ticket purchases (particularly with 35% rebate) or redeemed at $0.01 or better. Lounge access and other perks are gravy.