American Express Platinum Card

[Jim232118]

I have had an AMEX Centurion card for about 3 years and I must say it's really not that much better than the Platinum card. I did not have to pay the 5k initiation fee as they were only by invitation then. Now, so long as you meet the requirements, mainly spending 250k per year, you can just ask for one. I do get a comment of some sort every time I use the card when people realize that it's the "Black card".

[islandcouple]

Ive had a Plat for a number of years now, but thinking of going back to gold to save on annual fee. You know when I left my previous job working on Private Islands, you would be suprised how many people with a net worth of 1 Billion +, use the old Green Charge Card. You know what they say, if you need a card for status, you dont have any. So for me if its good enough for these people its good enough for me, mind you it has taken me a few years to get it through my thick head.

[Brushpup]

Originally Posted by Renoir

Steve's thread regarding the good samaritan lending her Amex Platinum card to a homeless man made me think of this.

I also posted this as a follow up, but didn't mean to/want to hijack the thread.

Do any of you think that the American Express Platinum card has lost it's cache or panache? I have seen many more of them in the wild which leads me to believe that Amex has become more liberal with the issuance of them.

Any thoughts?

Personally I don't feel that any plastic card has any panache or anything like it. I don't say this in a hateful way so please don't hear it like that.

I found it very funny when I heard T Walker talk about ROLEX turning down a suggestion that the Big Wig of AMEX appear in on of their ads. He stated that RPJ said: "there will be no purveyor of plastic representing ROLEX". I also found it very appropriate.

Gotta love that guy.

[Zed Homme]

Originally Posted by islandcouple

Ive had a Plat for a number of years now, but thinking of going back to gold to save on annual fee. You know when I left my previous job working on Private Islands, you would be suprised how many people with a net worth of 1 Billion +, use the old Green Charge Card. You know what they say, if you need a card for status, you dont have any. So for me if its good enough for these people its good enough for me, mind you it has taken me a few years to get it through my thick head.

well said...

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by Brushpup

Personally I don't feel that any plastic card has any panache or anything like it. I don't say this in a hateful way so please don't hear it like that.

I found it very funny when I heard T Walker talk about ROLEX turning down a suggestion that the Big Wig of AMEX appear in on of their ads. He stated that RPJ said: "there will be no purveyor of plastic representing ROLEX". I also found it very appropriate.

Gotta love that guy.

I totally agree. The trick with plastic is to get more from them than they get from you. There's no prestige in plastic, since nobody really cares what one swipes through the gas pump. If I can get some first class upgrades or coach flights by using Amex rather than cash, I think that's the right decision.

I hate the idea of anyone paying for a Rolex or anything else with the intention of paying it off over a period of time. The slogan is "a crown for every achievement". Having a few thousand in available credit ain't much of an achievement.

[wjrw592]

Amex is a useful tool to organize things for me, protect against merchants that are
not upstanding, give me access to airline clubs as I travel 25 weeks a yr, extend
warranties on stuff I buy, and rack up points for quality stuff & trips instead of
hitting the ATm all the time for cash.

I have a Plat card today & resisted the bump up from Gold for years until the
airlines got in trouble & reduced routes so I had to start flying all of them instead
of one or two.

All plastic is just a cash mgmt tool with points & benefits as long as
you pay it off monthly.

[2careless]

I only got an amex green corp card.
I show it at the shops to get extra 4% cash discounts

[monkeypie]

Originally Posted by Jim232118

I have had an AMEX Centurion card for about 3 years and I must say it's really not that much better than the Platinum card. I did not have to pay the 5k initiation fee as they were only by invitation then. Now, so long as you meet the requirements, mainly spending 250k per year, you can just ask for one. I do get a comment of some sort every time I use the card when people realize that it's the "Black card".

I let mine expire a while ago and didn't bother renewing it. Kinda embarrassing to use it really, and it is not even used that much, if at all. AE is not used that much here in Hong Kong anyways.

They got rid of the spending requirement and made it by invitation only as well, so...

[phantom357]

I dropped the Platinum a few years and got the Gold Rewards which is more practical

[SeaBass800]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

The thing about the traditional amex charge cards is that the colors are not tied to your purchasing ability. Anyone is welcome to apply for the green, gold, plum, red, zync or platinum cards, provided they meet a basic income requirement. The colors represent your benefits package and how much annual fee you are willing to pay for them. A basic green cardholder might be approved for far more than a platinum. You can dig deeper on flyertalk.

I just looked at the Delta Reserve amex card, and I don't get it. I wouldn't call it a step above platinum. It's the same thing as platinum, except revolving credit, delta points instead of MR, and just Delta lounges. Platinum gets into delta, usairways, american and continental lounges, and I can transfer MR pts to delta skymiles or most other major FF programs. I would only get it if I lived near a major delta hub and flew delta 15+ times per year.

i have the amex plat but I just signed up for the delta reserve. my rationale was that it offers one free coach or first class trip per year. If fly to vegas or cali once a year and get my gf to go for free, i've made up my annual fee

[TheDude]

My Plat just got me into the Continental First Class airport lounge this AM.

Was very happy about that!

[SLRdude]

Originally Posted by TheDude

My Plat just got me into the Continental First Class airport lounge this AM.

Was very happy about that!

That's the lounge that is going to stop being a platinum benefit in a few days.

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by SLRdude

That's the lounge that is going to stop being a platinum benefit in a few days.

But they picked up Priority Pass or whatever it's called. Unfortunately they block out some times for Amex holders.

I'm going to call and downgrade to Gold in November and see if they offer me a bunch of points to stay.

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

But they picked up Priority Pass or whatever it's called. Unfortunately they block out some times for Amex holders.

I'm going to call and downgrade to Gold in November and see if they offer me a bunch of points to stay.

Excellent Idea! I did the same thing and they gave me 25000 points.

[mfer]

I heard too that there is a card above black now. It is the Titanium card. Not because of the color, but the card is made of Ti.

All that said, I love my Amex Blue. I put EVERYTHING on it and always pay the balance.

1.5% cash back on everything and 5% of gas,grocery,drug.

[renfield33]

i have the delta amex platinum. $150 annual fee, but it includes a free companion certificate, which basically makes the card free. free checked bags and zone 2 boarding. i fly enough that it makes it convenient, but not enough that I'm a real frequent flier that has status or whatever.

[SLRdude]

I just upgraded to Platinum the other day. They lured me in with a 25000 points offer lol.

Flying out Friday so I am looking forward to using the lounge pass thing!
Unfortunately, I am flying Southwest and I know they do not have a lounge but perhaps the LAX terminal that SW fries from has one?

[SLRdude]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

But they picked up Priority Pass or whatever it's called. Unfortunately they block out some times for Amex holders.

I'm going to call and downgrade to Gold in November and see if they offer me a bunch of points to stay.

I just accepted their 2654th invitation to Platinum so I cannot play that card just yet.

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by mfer

I heard too that there is a card above black now. It is the Titanium card. Not because of the color, but the card is made of Ti.

All that said, I love my Amex Blue. I put EVERYTHING on it and always pay the balance.

1.5% cash back on everything and 5% of gas,grocery,drug.

The centurion card ( black card) is titanium

[Rolex Junky]

An Aunt of mine has one of these:

[TSW]

Have had the Platinum for 5 years, and it's a great card when traveling, but as a parent to a a little kid there is not as much traveling these day's.
So i'm thinking of downgrading back to the Gold card.

[Frogman4me]

I have had the gold rewards plus for 7 years now and have been happy about their overall service. I've been offered the platinum countless times but decided it's not for me. Well atleast not yet.

[GothamG8or]

I've been a loyal AMEX cardholder since I was 19 many moons ago. Their customer service has always been outstanding for me. I've had the Platty for a while now... the annual fee makes me raise my eyebrows every year, but the automatic travel insurance, ease of MR usage, concierge etc... I'm okay with it. That being said, I think I may play the "I think I'm going to switch game" that a couple of you have mentioned to see if I can get some extra points.

I don't want to hijack the thread at all, but the discussion of the Black Card reminded me of a story I read a few years ago... it's a goof on a young guy who works for Goldman Sachs & he just got his Black Card. It's pretty dang funny IMHO... worth a read if you have a few minutes for a little satire.

http://dealbreaker.com/2008/01/diary...u-go-black---/

[blackmsport]

Originally Posted by islandcouple

Ive had a Plat for a number of years now, but thinking of going back to gold to save on annual fee. You know when I left my previous job working on Private Islands, you would be suprised how many people with a net worth of 1 Billion +, use the old Green Charge Card. You know what they say, if you need a card for status, you dont have any. So for me if its good enough for these people its good enough for me, mind you it has taken me a few years to get it through my thick head.

so true

[evilfij]

Amex blue is great. Free pay by phone, good points, no annual fee etc.

[TheDude]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

But they picked up Priority Pass or whatever it's called. Unfortunately they block out some times for Amex holders.

I'm going to call and downgrade to Gold in November and see if they offer me a bunch of points to stay.

You have to call Amex to get the Priority Pass card. It seems like the usual card so I doubt there are black outs.

Also, Platinum now also has no foreign transaction fees. You have to call to get that travel benefit also.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

[blackmsport]

I've been with Amex 20 years now .... since the day I worked with them,.... Now I hardly used the card as more than 1/2 of service establishments refuse to accept Amex

[gmh1013]

I have a green one....all i ever need and then some.
Im not paying 250 a year for any charge card

[hdrazor251]

I let them send me a gold card when they offered me a free Garmin GPS and no annual first year fee. One month before the fee was due for the second year I canceled it and got their blue card...no annual fee and cash back on purchases. I just think there are better ways to spend my money than annual fees.

I also received an invitation for their black card. I laughed for several days thinking of that annual fee.

[bayerische]

Nowadays I think the Green Amex card might just be the rarest one!

Gold and Platinum cards are to the left and right!

I got my Platinum Amex in 2005, and not many had them back then in Finland, even Platinum was by invitation only over here then.

I also have a "rarer" card, the Diners Club Premium, not as good as the Amex though...

The black Amex, Centurion, is a very cool card!!! I wouldn't mind having one.