While my husband does currently have a Platinum Amex, I do not. However, I am strongly considering

There have been several events in the last couple of weeks that have had me really re-thinking my approach to the Platinum American Express Card.  Even with the pretty hefty annual fee, there is little question that the first year can absolutely be worth it for many given all the built-in perks plus the sign-up bonus points, and getting the $200 airline fee credit each calendar year.  Which, unless you sign-up on January 1, will happen twice in your first 12 months.
I have had the personal Platinum American Express Card before after getting targeted for a very good sign-up offer, but I haven’t had it in my own name in over a year.  I hoped to get it again one day, but it was hard for me to justify the $450 annual fee on an ongoing basis.  This really isn’t a card that is designed for budget occasional leisure travelers, which is basically what I was when I got the card.  I got value out of it, but justifying $450 per year for the long haul was a tough sell, and ultimately I decided the fee wouldn’t be justified in my case.
However, in the last few years since I first got the card, my travel patterns have changed.  I’m  obviously still budget conscious, but I travel much more frequently, and have more short work related trips than I used to when my trips were primarily denver downtown hotels longer family vacations.  Work trips mean I want to get somewhere (and back home) as quickly denver downtown hotels and comfortably as possible.  I often don’t have the leisure of being on vacation for a week or so with time to spare.  Another big variable that has changed is that the Amex Platinum card perks have become more valuable on the whole than they were a couple of years ago thanks to some pretty denver downtown hotels big enhancements, such as complimentary access to a growing network of Centurion lounges.
While my husband does currently have a Platinum Amex, I do not.  However, I am strongly considering what is the best course denver downtown hotels of action for me to add it back in to my wallet.  Here are the benefits that are making me strongly consider this move:
The sign-up bonus.   Let’s be real, there is no question that the sign-up bonus is one of the things that can help with pulling the trigger on this card.  I would love to be targeted for a monster sign-up bonus, but am not technically eligible for that given that I currently have both a Personal Rewards Gold and Business Rewards Gold Amex.  The terms state that the offer usually is not available to applicants who have had this product or a similar product within 12 months (sometimes it says 90 days for similar denver downtown hotels products).  However, from time to time I get offers to upgrade one of my existing Amex cards to a Platinum for a bonus of between 25,000 – 30,000 Membership Reward points.  Alternatively, I could just become an additional authorized user on my husband’s card for an additional $175 per year but for that amount he could get three authorized users for that same price.
denver downtown hotels $200 airline fee credit.   Each calendar year you get a $200 airline fee credit with the airline of your choice (from a list of selections).  The $200 per year in statement credits is designed to cover incidental fees, such as checked bags, in-flight refreshments, and flight-change fees.  In practice, it covers more than that.  I wrote in some detail about having a strategy for this credit last year , and the advice remains largely unchanged.
Complimentary Centurion Lounge Access.  As of right now there are only two Centurion denver downtown hotels Lounges open in the US – one in DFW Terminal D and one in Las Vegas McCarran in Concourse D.  However, it is confirmed that one will be coming online at San Francisco s airport in 2014, and there are other non-announced locations also expected to come online next year.  Not only do the lounges denver downtown hotels have very upgraded drinks and meals beyond any other domestic lounge I have ever seen, but the one in DFW even has complimentary spa services!
Access to the Fine Hotel and Resorts collection that can be pretty great for getting some extra perks like a spa or dining credit on hotel stays.   I used these with some regularity in Vegas back when I had this card, and have missed getting some pretty nice and valuable perks on some hotel stays.
Access denver downtown hotels to priority lines at certain airports.  I was just in Toronto heading back to the United States last week and while having Global Entry saved me some time, it was not enough to get me into a priority security screening line.  Nexus would have worked, denver downtown hotels but having an Amex Platinum card would also get you in the priority security line, which would have literally saved over an hour the day I was there!
A $100 statement credit to offset getting Global Entry.  I firmly believe that anyone eligible who travels with any regularity denver downtown hotels outside denver downtown hotels of the United States should have Global Entry and/or Nexus.  The $100 statement credit for getting Global Entry will also apply on any additional cardholder accounts, so this can be a way for your family to finally get Global Entry, if you haven t already.  The Points Guy outlines his successful experience denver downtown hotels using his $100 Global Entry credit for his mom .
I think my likely strategy will be getting added to my husband s account for now.  We will also likely denver downtown hotels add one of his parents, and one of mine.  That way they can pay for something for us if needed with the card, have access to the lounge benefits, and the Global Entry statement credit.  In the longer term, I will likely get it again myself either via upgrading an existing card, or applying from scratch when I am eligible for a sign-up bonus.  This card is absolutely not for everyone since it does carry such a hefty annual fee, but I bet it is a good match for quite a number of frequent travelers, at least for a little while.  In case you are interested, here are some of the current denver downtown hotels public sign-up bonus options:
Also keep a look for targeted offers in your mailbox, inbox, etc!  What is your family s strategy with the Platinum Amex?  Do the recent Centurion Lounge developments sway you at all in one direction or the other?
John, why in the world would you cancel when your annual fee posts? Sorry if this read like an infomercial, but it is more me going through denver downtown hotels my own strategy and thoughts on this card that I now very much want back in my wallet. But, it is about strategy, and I would definitely use a little more strategy than canceling when the fee posts.
What is the cost for additional named card holders? And what benefits do they get or not get? Lounge access alone for a family that travels could make this make sense even if the incidental and Global Entry reimbursements are capped at single denver downtown hotels cardholder level.
Arun, up to three additional cardholders for $175 per year total for the three (it is the same $175 per year if you just have one authorized user). They essentially get all benefits (including $100 GE reimbursement). denver downtown hotels However, the $200 in airline incidentals is per account, not per user. They will get access the AAdmirals Club, US Airways Club, Centurion Lounges, etc.
Access to the Centurion Lounges pretty much pushed me to obtain the AmEx Platinum. I was very impressed with Las Vegas when I visited earlier this year and then when Dallas came online AND they made it free to AE Plat, it got my attention. I currently have membership with the Admirals Clubs and the AmEx Delta Reserve. I am much more loyal to AA than DL but have been keeping Platinum status on DL by way of the Reserve spend and MQM carryover just in case things with AA start to tank. Assuming access to the ACs doesn t go away and I remain happy with AA in the next year, I will likely stop my AC membership and cancel by DL Reserve saving quite a bit of money.
I ve always thought that the priority lane at YYZ was only available for Canadian Platinum cardholder Did you show your US Platinum card at the priority lane to get access? If they don t check the issue country this could be useful for me.
I want this card but, knowing denver downtown hotels that there have been 100K offers of course I want to hold out for one of those. denver downtown hotels Do you have any insight on who gets targeted for those offers? denver downtown hotels I do have an AMEX Gold Business card at present.
Heta, I don t currently have a Platinum card, so can t tell you from personal experience. However, I didn t see anything on the signs to indicate they cared about the country of origin on the Platinum card and I saw folks use it on the trip I was on that I m pretty sure don t have a Canadian issued Platinum card.
Thanks for a great blog. We have a family of four and my wife and I both signed denver downtown hotels up for the Chase Southwest cards, so we are going for two companion passes. And the AMEX Platinum with Centurion lounge denver downtown hotels is very tempting.
I know SWA has connections in Las Vegas, but what I am unclear about is whether the LAS Centurion denver downtown hotels lounge is easily accessible when flying into and out of LAS on Southwest, without reclearing security, do you happ
The answer to the LAS Centurion Lounge is complicated. denver downtown hotels Southwest doesn t fly into the D gates so technically you have exit the secure area, walk to the D gates, and pass through security again. That s assuming denver downtown hotels they ll take your boarding pass to another terminal as authorization to go pass the D security. denver downtown hotels So no it isn t easily accessible when flying Southwest. Unless
Here s the trick. From whatever gate you fly into, exit as if you re leaving the C concourse. But DON T actually go out. As you approach the TSA check point, look to your right. There are glass bypass doors leading into the D concourse. If they re open, just go through. If not, ask a TSA agent to open them for you (it takes a special key-card to open them.)
I was offered denver downtown hotels the upgrade many times and I rejected it. ( Well before I started paying denver downtown hotels attention to miles and such). Last year I upgraded to, with a 25k MR promotion, and let me tell you it is well worth every penny ! And I consider myself a novice in this game.
We were lucky enough to get the targeted 100000 point bonus on spending $3000 in three months, which is easy given DH s travel schedule, denver downtown hotels so we finally took the jump.