redshift27

I am told tiny fares are ok. Access to Business lounges, not Diamond Club.

LHR Tim

I'm still a bit confused over this. It does not specifically say your platinum card. It just says:
What if I use my Amex credit card? Is this the only 'benefit' not covered then?

redshift27

My take on this was that SPG was in the Platinum package this year: it may or may not be in next year's package. Its not necessarily limited to a year, just no promises for the future.

chipster

Re the SPG gold: I got the gold SPG when I joined amex plat, had it now for more than two years. Very useful. Unless something changes, it seems to be ongoing. Hilton is only for 1 year though. You USED to be able to get into VS lounges with plat amex but this has now stopped.

redshift27

I'm not quite sure what you are confused about. If your (the Platinum Charge Card holder's) luggage is delayed or if your flight is delayed, you get the benefit only if you purchase your replacement food / clothes / lodging / whatever using an Amex card. (It does not have to be the Amex Platinum card.) If it is a family member who is covered, who does not have any Amex card, then they ARE still covered but must provide proofs of purchase.

It was NOT necessary in the first place to book the flight / travel with ANY sort of Amex card.

[email protected]

I got a different answer to this when I posted a question on the FT Amex board. I'm thinking about getting a Platinum card, but I'll want to put all my spending on the BA-Amex card, not the Platinum card, as collecting BAMiles (and spend towards the 241 threshold) will be my priority. If I don't book things like flights and car hire on the Platinum card will I still be covered by the general travel insurance and car hire insurance policies that are part of the Platinum package?

redshift27

Look at my reply on the FT Amex board.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...76#post6005976

jchand

If you travel then Centurion UK has been good value , up untill the loss of SPG plat. Now another its mater,. Most people will say that with MO 2-1 insurance and the SPG upgrades then the card pays for itself.

Swanhunter

IMO, no it is not worth it.

I have SPG Plat (earned, not comp'ed) and Hilton Gold (the same). The other half has insurance through work that covers and my parents no longer travel. The travel booking line doesn't offer anything of interest to me. Membership rewards is OK, but I'd rather have BA miles. And I've used PP twice in 8 years. So I spend GBP85 on a travel insurance policy, GBP 120 on the PP card and trouser GBP95.

But, that is a very specific set of personal circumstances.

quitecontrary

I have had the renewal proposals from Norwich Union £128.28 for Mr qc, Master qc and me AND £58.28 for the 21 yearold making a total or £187.12 which means on the annual worldwide travel insurance alone I save £7.12! (taking in to account the £120 already paid for the BA Amex PP) Just looking at the Norwich Union proposal again I see that it excludes the USA, Canada and all islands in the Caribbean (next trip is to St Lucia and Antigua!!) so I assume to include these it will be even costlier -in addition I had to take out a separate for Master qc when he went skiing last year and I discovered that Norwich Union excludes trips of more than 31 days (silly me for not reading the small print - trip to Oz last year 35 days which effectively meant we were uninsured! ) I can't see any such exclusions on the Amex Plat but I will read the small print this time!

LHR Tim

redshift27, I was confused, but that clarifies it for me. Thank you ^

So basically, if luggage is delayed/lost, just have to put all charges on Amex -- not a hardship!

As an aside: Anyone with elderly parents, the up to 80 is a d@mn good deal. Mother-in-law is over 75 and for 30 days insurance it was £100 (which was less than the £180 quoted by SAGA). So if you've got two wrinklies in the house you could be more than covering the cost of the insurance. It does cover you over 80, buit not medical.

Urban Sun

Just a quick note for anyone who may not be aware -

If you have sufficient points rolling in each month that you can spare 63,000 per year then you can actually renew your card using points each year. The first year I had my Amex Platinum IDC I paid the $400 membership fee but this year I just paid the renewal with 63,000 points.

Basically the card doesn't cost me a penny (or is it a cent? ) and thankfully I still have a heap of points left over.

[email protected]

Has anyone asked specifically whether the Platinum travel insurance covers off-piste skiing without a guide? I've looked through the insurance terms and conditions as closely as my boredom threshold will allow, and couldn't see amything which allows (or disallows) off-piste skiing. Also, unattended skis left outside a mountain restaurant: covered for theft or not?

matthewuk

There are a few limitations with Amex plat - I think single trip is 31 days and total skiing is 17 days per year (although don't know if that is calender year, rolling year or Platinum renewal year)

You can upgrade the insurance to more skiing and a few other things for a fee (£80ish iirc)

matthewuk

Certainly does not say you are NOT covered Off Piste - I suspect if injured the medical insurance and repatriation would cover you but you may not be covered for things like being airlifted off the mountain. If in France I would recommend Carte Neige. I wouldn't go off piste myself anywhere where it is explicitly stated you are responsible for recovery in case of accident and I doubt Amex covers you in these cases for these charges.

Unattended skis are likely to be excluded. I have bought a lock for ours on my Amex (and have receipt!) so if nicked I can claim they were locked. (I only bother locking if it is very easy to get away with the skis though.