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Approved for American Express Platinum Card!

msb314

msb314

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Alhumdullilah applied and got approved for the Amex Platinum card yesterday.

The benefits are as follows:
  • $200 annual Uber credits (given in $15 increments per month)
  • Earn up to 5X Amex points for airfare and hotels booked through Amex's travel portal
  • Free lounge access at Amex's Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyClub and Prioty Pass lounges (I believe the CIP Lounge in Jinnah airport is a Priority Pass lounge too)
  • $200 annual credit for airline incidentals
  • Ability to transfer points to various airlines and hotels including Delta, Air France / KLM, Etihad, Emirates, Air Canada, Jet Blue, HIlton, SPG
  • Automatic Hilton Gold Status and SPG Gold Status
  • Participation in the International Airlines Program (which gives users discounted rates when flying select airlines in First Class, Business Class or Economy Plus)
  • Free Boingo WiFi access
  • Access to Invitation Only events from Amex
  • 24/ Concierge Service
  • Ability to redeem points at various stores such as Amazon, Expedia, NY Taxis, Uber etc.

It should arrive in a few days iA!

I will continue to update this read based on my experience using this card - definitely super excited!

Only downside is the $550 annual fee :danish
 
I got one of these when I was 23 years old (i’m A lot older now).
Take some advice from a senior citizen and shred that card up!!
 
$550 annual membership? Jeez you have to be one of those people who plans stuff out neatly to make use of all the offerings.

I tried costco membership and only shopped there once :# ended getting a refund for my annual membership.
 
sjahmed23 said:
$550 annual membership? Jeez you have to be one of those people who plans stuff out neatly to make use of all the offerings.

I tried costco membership and only shopped there once :# ended getting a refund for my annual membership.
Click to expand...

I will try to - if used wisely a lot of the stuff will pay for itself.
 
R3verse Swing said:
Credit cards are a cancer!
Click to expand...

Glad you bring this up but the Amex Platinum Card is NOT a credit card.

It is a charge card meaning that I have to pay my balance in FULL every month (regardless of how much I spend) or otherwise I will have to pay hefty late fees.
 
msb314 said:
Glad you bring this up but the Amex Platinum Card is NOT a credit card.

It is a charge card meaning that I have to pay my balance in FULL every month (regardless of how much I spend) or otherwise I will have to pay hefty late fees.
Click to expand...

Oh OK.

Then why not use a debit card then?
 
So it's a Credit Card where they give you credit for up to 30 days and then charge huge usurious interest rates/fees if you don't pay up

Sounds like a blooming credit card to me and everyone else.
 
R3verse Swing said:
Oh OK.

Then why not use a debit card then?
Click to expand...
Other than standing orders, and on the rare occasions when only a debit card or cash is accepted, I purchase everything via credit cards. I've never paid a single cent or penny in interest fees on any of them in my life as I pay off the full balances on the due dates. However, I get interest free credit for up to 7 weeks for all my purchases.

My main credit card issues it's statements such that it includes purchases up until the 12th of the month, and the statement has to be paid by the 6th or 7th of the following month, ie just over 3 weeks later.

By making the big purchases just after the 12th of the months, they will appear on the statement generated after the 12th of the following month (ie approx 4 weeks later). Add another 3 weeks until the due date, and hey presto, around 7 weeks free credit! On a rolling basis.

Only time I've ever had Amex Cards was when they were company Amex Cards from my employers. And then the company paid for everything, fee's and all (but the Amex points were credited to me personally!)
 
R3verse Swing said:
Credit cards are a cancer!
Click to expand...

Not if you use them to your advantage. I only use credit cards for every purchase and have it paid before any interest is charged. Collect points among other advantages.

Pay off before interest is charged and use what you can pay off completely.

It's a cancer if you are spending beyond your means and start carrying balances.
 
R3verse Swing said:
Oh OK.

Then why not use a debit card then?
Click to expand...

Credit cards give you benefits that a regular debit card does not. Most credit cards charge vendors ~3% fee per transaction so they give you a portion of that, that's why they encourage you to use it. As long as you pay your balance at the end of the month the only thing you're doing is building your credit and earning points that you can use later (for buying plane tickets and ect). I have auto pay set for all my credit cards so it gets paid like any other bill and I don't have any annual fee with citibank preferred.
 
These cards are useless.... avoid them like the plague
 
msb314 said:
Alhumdullilah applied and got approved for the Amex Platinum card yesterday.

The benefits are as follows:
  • $200 annual Uber credits (given in $15 increments per month)
  • Earn up to 5X Amex points for airfare and hotels booked through Amex's travel portal
  • Free lounge access at Amex's Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyClub and Prioty Pass lounges (I believe the CIP Lounge in Jinnah airport is a Priority Pass lounge too)
  • $200 annual credit for airline incidentals
  • Ability to transfer points to various airlines and hotels including Delta, Air France / KLM, Etihad, Emirates, Air Canada, Jet Blue, HIlton, SPG
  • Automatic Hilton Gold Status and SPG Gold Status
  • Participation in the International Airlines Program (which gives users discounted rates when flying select airlines in First Class, Business Class or Economy Plus)
  • Free Boingo WiFi access
  • Access to Invitation Only events from Amex
  • 24/ Concierge Service
  • Ability to redeem points at various stores such as Amazon, Expedia, NY Taxis, Uber etc.

It should arrive in a few days iA!

I will continue to update this read based on my experience using this card - definitely super excited!

Only downside is the $550 annual fee :danish
Click to expand...

Got approved for it a few years ago as well but didn't find value in it.

Half of those things you would never use and most of those features you can get on any of the cards for a fraction of an annual fee.

Don't mean to bash on your post, just my opinion.
 
s28 said:
So it's a Credit Card where they give you credit for up to 30 days and then charge huge usurious interest rates/fees if you don't pay up

Sounds like a blooming credit card to me and everyone else.
Click to expand...

Kind of but the big difference is there is no pre-set spending limit (whereas with a credit card this a credit limit)

So I could technically put millions of dollars on it as long as I pay it off every month haha (not that I have that type of money by any means)
 
emm-tee said:
Not if you use them to your advantage. I only use credit cards for every purchase and have it paid before any interest is charged. Collect points among other advantages.

Pay off before interest is charged and use what you can pay off completely.

It's a cancer if you are spending beyond your means and start carrying balances.
Click to expand...

This.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.
 
emm-tee said:
Got approved for it a few years ago as well but didn't find value in it.

Half of those things you would never use and most of those features you can get on any of the cards for a fraction of an annual fee.

Don't mean to bash on your post, just my opinion.
Click to expand...

If you don’t mind me asking - which features did you use and not use?
 
There's a real risk associated with these cards.

It's often the "I have a paycheck coming so I'll buy this [insert product] on my card" mindset that ruins people.

All of a sudden you lose your job or an emergency comes up and you can't pay it in full.
 
msb314 said:
Why do you say that? :danish
Click to expand...

How often do you expect to use the benefits that you listed in the OP? I'm guessing you are a working man and get 2-3 weeks of vacation max. You will only use the flight benefits and lounge assess if you are travelling overseas everytime you take a vacation which wont be more than twice a year maximum. You are paying $550 for all of that, but fun fact, anybody can have one-time access to those lounges if they pay $100-150. Obviously if you are travelling to Asia and Europe every other week then it makes sense.


The only "good" benefit I see is the Uber credits, but unless you live in the downtown of a North American city you will most likely have a car and won't be using or needing Uber. Ever since I got my car about four years ago I have used Uber barely once or twice. The last time I used it was more than a year ago when I took it to go to the airport (as obviously I couldn't drive my car there and leave it there).
 
I get there perks, but you are paying for the perks every year through the annual fee, even if you don't use them.

If you plan to pay off the statement every month, then I would say a debit card is of more value in the long run.

Plus in UK, Amex is not as widely accepted as Visa/Mastercard.
 
Syed1 said:
How often do you expect to use the benefits that you listed in the OP? I'm guessing you are a working man and get 2-3 weeks of vacation max. You will only use the flight benefits and lounge assess if you are travelling overseas everytime you take a vacation which wont be more than twice a year maximum. You are paying $550 for all of that, but fun fact, anybody can have one-time access to those lounges if they pay $100-150. Obviously if you are travelling to Asia and Europe every other week then it makes sense.


The only "good" benefit I see is the Uber credits, but unless you live in the downtown of a North American city you will most likely have a car and won't be using or needing Uber. Ever since I got my car about four years ago I have used Uber barely once or twice. The last time I used it was more than a year ago when I took it to go to the airport (as obviously I couldn't drive my car there and leave it there).
Click to expand...

It depends on various factors but if you put enough spend on a card - it can start paying off the annual fee quite rapidly.

20K pints can pay for a nice domestic round trip to most places in the US / Canada which I would otherwise have to pay for using cash.

You are right that the lounge access is a nice perk to have but not critical by any means. FYI the lounges can also be used for domestic travel on economy.

The Uber credits I will probably use once in a while but those credits can also be used for UberEATS. If I see Uber credits going unused / I will just order something through UberEATS and save money (since I have to save money anyway)

Everything else is just icing on the cake.

The first year - the signup bonus of 60K points will payoff the annual fee but I will see how it goes afterwards...
 
msb314 said:
It depends on various factors but if you put enough spend on a card - it can start paying off the annual fee quite rapidly.

20K pints can pay for a nice domestic round trip to most places in the US / Canada which I would otherwise have to pay for using cash.

You are right that the lounge access is a nice perk to have but not critical by any means. FYI the lounges can also be used for domestic travel on economy.

The Uber credits I will probably use once in a while but those credits can also be used for UberEATS. If I see Uber credits going unused / I will just order something through UberEATS and save money (since I have to save money anyway)

Everything else is just icing on the cake.

The first year - the signup bonus of 60K points will payoff the annual fee but I will see how it goes afterwards...
Click to expand...

There first annual bonus is good too get a feel of the card and if you actually use the features.

If not, redeem and cancel.
 
Alhumdulliah, this thread is so much fun to read. I was privy to a similar conversation among some colleagues at work few days back during lunchtime. I saw them flip out their AmEx cards one by one, each extolling the virtues of their respective cards and detailing its benefits. It reminded me of my favorite scene in the movie 'American Psycho' where they are showing off their business cards. Back in the 80's, before the age of the internet as we know it now, business cards used to mean something. A status symbol, a measure of ones taste and character.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aZVkW9p-cCU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
I have an AmEx Gold Card but it's junk - barely accepted at most places. Planning to convert all points to cash and get rid of it this month.

Syed1 said:
The only "good" benefit I see is the Uber credits, but unless you live in the downtown of a North American city you will most likely have a car and won't be using or needing Uber. Ever since I got my car about four years ago I have used Uber barely once or twice. The last time I used it was more than a year ago when I took it to go to the airport (as obviously I couldn't drive my car there and leave it there).
Click to expand...

Uber is great for getting home after a night at the pub.
 
Only apply for cards with no annual fees. They can be useful sometimes but paying 550$ as an annual fees is stupidity.
 
Varun said:
I have an AmEx Gold Card but it's junk - barely accepted at most places. Planning to convert all points to cash and get rid of it this month.



Uber is great for getting home after a night at the pub.
Click to expand...

I thought Amex is fairly well accpeted in India?
 
Bhaag Viru Bhaag said:
Only apply for cards with no annual fees. They can be useful sometimes but paying 550$ as an annual fees is stupidity.
Click to expand...

Except you get nothing out of them - you are literally just throwing money down the drain by using credit cards with no annual fees or debit cards.

I would rather pay an annual fee and get some benefits out of a credit card rather than none at all.
 
msb314 said:
I thought Amex is fairly well accpeted in India?
Click to expand...

Not as much as Visa or MasterCard. Even when there is a 20% chance of being refused at a PoS machine, it's not worth it - as Visa or MasterCard are never told 'no' to.
 
Syed1 said:
These cards are useless.... avoid them like the plague
Click to expand...

It depends. My BA Amex card, has so far provided me with 12 return flights from London to Western Europe. I've had it for 3 years and thus have paid about £450 altogether. 12 return flights to Western Europe would cost at least £150 * 12 = £1800 (that too on no frills airlines). This has cost me £450 + £400 (airline taxes). Thus saving me about a £1000 and the comfort of flying a proper airline as opposed to Ryan air. And since its Western Europe, I just head out for a weekend break, instead of taking days off.

In USA/Canada, you don't have such high taxes on flight rewards, so I reckon you're even better off financially if you use those rewards.
 
s28 said:
So it's a Credit Card where they give you credit for up to 30 days and then charge huge usurious interest rates/fees if you don't pay up

Sounds like a blooming credit card to me and everyone else.
Click to expand...

I have an Amex too and once I had a problem with my bank account and they couldn't automatically withdraw the amount at the end of the month. All I got was an extra 10 € fine which was the bank transaction fee.
 
msb314 said:
May I ask why?
Click to expand...

A lesson in life on how to save money and maybe get rich trying.

Spend what you have and not what you may have. Beware of anyone offering you more services then what you are actually paying for..

In the UK if you save enough money you will no doubt be offered a current account that offers you everything an Amex platinum card does but without the exhorbitent fees.

Air miles can be earnt, as well as access to lounges, by joining various clubs that do not charge annual fees. You earn then as you spend your money rather then being given them without spending a cent other then huge annual fees.

If you pay a big fee to obtain services you automatically spend more as the more you spend the more you see the benefits. This is human nature and this is why Uber, Airport Lounges and Airlines partner up with the likes of Amex. They entice you to spend more then you would ordinarily spend and this is where they get their money back and more.
 
msb314 said:
Alhumdullilah applied and got approved for the Amex Platinum card yesterday.

The benefits are as follows:
  • $200 annual Uber credits (given in $15 increments per month)
  • Earn up to 5X Amex points for airfare and hotels booked through Amex's travel portal
  • Free lounge access at Amex's Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyClub and Prioty Pass lounges (I believe the CIP Lounge in Jinnah airport is a Priority Pass lounge too)
  • $200 annual credit for airline incidentals
  • Ability to transfer points to various airlines and hotels including Delta, Air France / KLM, Etihad, Emirates, Air Canada, Jet Blue, HIlton, SPG
  • Automatic Hilton Gold Status and SPG Gold Status
  • Participation in the International Airlines Program (which gives users discounted rates when flying select airlines in First Class, Business Class or Economy Plus)
  • Free Boingo WiFi access
  • Access to Invitation Only events from Amex
  • 24/ Concierge Service
  • Ability to redeem points at various stores such as Amazon, Expedia, NY Taxis, Uber etc.

It should arrive in a few days iA!

I will continue to update this read based on my experience using this card - definitely super excited!

Only downside is the $550 annual fee :danish
Click to expand...

I got it with hardly any credit history in US. and regretted it after few months. Spent an hour on the customer service to cancel and get some of annual fee back.. May be it will work out better for you.. best of luck..
 
Congratulations!

Now the fun part starts with how to use credit cards for your OWN benefits. I have had these cards (multiple accounts for my household, some business platinum etc) for several years on and off. I can write non stop on the benefits of using credit cards over debit cards and esp when it comes to rewards. For all naysayers, I would just say that if you don't have self-control and live paycheck to paycheck (or some religious convictions due to interest charges, Good for you), then credit cards esp premium cards are not for you. I live in States so all my observations/experiences are related to USA.

Now let me start with basic math here for Platinum card. Off course fees is $550 (used to be $450 till last yr) but they added the crappy UBER credits and some other whistles and bells (5 x points on amextravel.com) to justify the fees. I would still get the card (if you timed it correctly, will touch briefly later on) and will still come out ahead. My main reason for getting the card is two fold, I love rewards game (accumulated Millions and Million of points/miles/cashback) since I started working back in 2007. Here is the breakdown for AMEX platinum card fees and how to come out on top (if you have some moral issues with it, please stop reading and move along).

Say you apply the card in early Dec 17.

you can use the $200 travel three time before the next fees is due sometime in Jan 2019.
One in Dec 2017 (if you are quick), second in 2018 and then again in Jan 2019 before cancelling the card (AMEX has 30 days policy to cancel the card once they billed the fees and travel credit resets on calendar yr).

so $550-$200 x 3 = + $50

Now obviously you didn't sign up w/o any sign up bonus. On the rarest of chances, you signed up using the public offer of 50,000 Membership points (MR) after some spending. The lowest value you can assign to 50,000 MR is $500 in gift cards. (though I value MR points at 1.4 cents or more, I strictly use them for travel).

Plus you get lounge access (if you haven't been to centurion lounges in USA), you are missing out a huge benefit (again travel is important and for me, I love travel and have been to all six continents in the past 5 yrs with my family including 2 kids). These lounges come really handy before the 3-4 hr (or longer) flights within USA or abroad. My home airport has Centurion lounge and I am keeping similar cards in one way or another. Even you are not using Centurion lounges, you are given Priority Pass PP membership where you can bring two guests with you. Outside USA, PP lounges are decent and I have spent the whole night in one, during my overnight layover in HKG.

Again I can keep writing about the benefits of using this card or other credit cards (for the record, I have over 50 credits card during my brief credit history here in USA plus similar numbers for my spouse ( I manage hers too) but never been paid interest charges. Yes, we pay or paying annual fees on number of cards but benefits (in the form of signup bonuses, travel/hotel credits/ elite benefits always always out weigh the costs.

You have to be smart and love you what you are doing to justify spending and using it for your own advantage. I would never able to travel this much (off course you need time off and costs associated with traveling with kids/wife) but this is What I love and in some way or other, I would be traveling (probably working harder to earn more) but with credit cards, I earn so many points, I never paid full price of ticket.
Someone alluded earlier in the thread that USA carriers charges less for tax and fuel charges which is true hence you have to be smart to make sure where you transfer your points and how to lower fees on award travel.

Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to answer.
Oh and it's very easy to spend travel credit without setting foot in the airplane.

And one more benefit of this card, if you are road warrior or even casual traveler, you will be give the Gold in following hotel loyalty programs. Hilton, SPG (which equals Marriott Gold) and if you are staying in these hotels (hilton and marriott), you are def. given free breakfast and sometimes an upgrade to a better room or view. Here are some examples of upgraded rooms that I was assigned at check in.

https://imgur.com/TGyQJBj (view of the MCG from Grand Hyatt Melbourne)
https://imgur.com/nAcf0xf (view of Danube river in the background while sitting in Hilton Budapest Castle area)
https://imgur.com/TpcShVY (view from HKG harbor from Hyatt Regency from my favorite city in the work)
https://imgur.com/XVQV1PQ (view from Park Hyatt Sydney at night)
https://imgur.com/OubLRzh (and my favorite view)
https://imgur.com/8azeApg (view of Petra from Marriott in Petra Jordan)

I can post more but I couldn't figure out how to embed imgur links.
 
I'm happy for you OP; and I use credit/charge cards a lot, but I didn't find Amex Platinum good value for it's annual fees.

First things first, it's not an exclusive card. It rejects people with bad credit but otherwise it wants customers.

Second most important, it's not a "value card". There is a very low chance that the card will 'pay for itself'. When you get the card and splurge out the $550 annual fees, you're doing it not to save money, but to spend a lot of money and hoping to get some cozy upgrades and comfort in return.

It is a card that when you travel and stay at the Hilton (or another included hotel), you get upgraded to a better room.

It is a card that if you a travel a lot, you sometimes get to use the free lounges if you have a long stop-over. So if you take a long international flight and you have an >2 hour stop-over, you can 'chill' at the lounge for 15-20 mins before you have to make your way to the terminal.

It's a card that offers a 24/7 concierge service that sometimes may be successful in getting you an earlier reservation at a Michelin star restaurant which would have otherwise taken several weeks.

All in all, enjoy the card. But just remember this, Amex wants you to spend money. The only way you get the benefits is by using the card. Amex wants to you to travel, it wants you to use the hotel and rental car services that they're contracted with.

So when you do get the benefit, you do it after having spent a lot of money. And after spending that lot of money and getting an upgrade, you pay the annual fees.

In conclusion and the meaning of my long post -- Don't fall into the trap of spending more money in the hope that you may save some money (a message many others have posted above as well and I just want to reemphasize).
 
Gubol123 said:
I got it with hardly any credit history in US. and regretted it after few months. Spent an hour on the customer service to cancel and get some of annual fee back.. May be it will work out better for you.. best of luck..
Click to expand...

If you don’t mind me asking - why did you “regret” it after a few months.
 
ali7204 said:
Congratulations!

Now the fun part starts with how to use credit cards for your OWN benefits. I have had these cards (multiple accounts for my household, some business platinum etc) for several years on and off. I can write non stop on the benefits of using credit cards over debit cards and esp when it comes to rewards. For all naysayers, I would just say that if you don't have self-control and live paycheck to paycheck (or some religious convictions due to interest charges, Good for you), then credit cards esp premium cards are not for you. I live in States so all my observations/experiences are related to USA.

Now let me start with basic math here for Platinum card. Off course fees is $550 (used to be $450 till last yr) but they added the crappy UBER credits and some other whistles and bells (5 x points on amextravel.com) to justify the fees. I would still get the card (if you timed it correctly, will touch briefly later on) and will still come out ahead. My main reason for getting the card is two fold, I love rewards game (accumulated Millions and Million of points/miles/cashback) since I started working back in 2007. Here is the breakdown for AMEX platinum card fees and how to come out on top (if you have some moral issues with it, please stop reading and move along).

Say you apply the card in early Dec 17.

you can use the $200 travel three time before the next fees is due sometime in Jan 2019.
One in Dec 2017 (if you are quick), second in 2018 and then again in Jan 2019 before cancelling the card (AMEX has 30 days policy to cancel the card once they billed the fees and travel credit resets on calendar yr).

so $550-$200 x 3 = + $50

Now obviously you didn't sign up w/o any sign up bonus. On the rarest of chances, you signed up using the public offer of 50,000 Membership points (MR) after some spending. The lowest value you can assign to 50,000 MR is $500 in gift cards. (though I value MR points at 1.4 cents or more, I strictly use them for travel).

Plus you get lounge access (if you haven't been to centurion lounges in USA), you are missing out a huge benefit (again travel is important and for me, I love travel and have been to all six continents in the past 5 yrs with my family including 2 kids). These lounges come really handy before the 3-4 hr (or longer) flights within USA or abroad. My home airport has Centurion lounge and I am keeping similar cards in one way or another. Even you are not using Centurion lounges, you are given Priority Pass PP membership where you can bring two guests with you. Outside USA, PP lounges are decent and I have spent the whole night in one, during my overnight layover in HKG.

Again I can keep writing about the benefits of using this card or other credit cards (for the record, I have over 50 credits card during my brief credit history here in USA plus similar numbers for my spouse ( I manage hers too) but never been paid interest charges. Yes, we pay or paying annual fees on number of cards but benefits (in the form of signup bonuses, travel/hotel credits/ elite benefits always always out weigh the costs.

You have to be smart and love you what you are doing to justify spending and using it for your own advantage. I would never able to travel this much (off course you need time off and costs associated with traveling with kids/wife) but this is What I love and in some way or other, I would be traveling (probably working harder to earn more) but with credit cards, I earn so many points, I never paid full price of ticket.
Someone alluded earlier in the thread that USA carriers charges less for tax and fuel charges which is true hence you have to be smart to make sure where you transfer your points and how to lower fees on award travel.

Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to answer.
Oh and it's very easy to spend travel credit without setting foot in the airplane.

And one more benefit of this card, if you are road warrior or even casual traveler, you will be give the Gold in following hotel loyalty programs. Hilton, SPG (which equals Marriott Gold) and if you are staying in these hotels (hilton and marriott), you are def. given free breakfast and sometimes an upgrade to a better room or view. Here are some examples of upgraded rooms that I was assigned at check in.

https://imgur.com/TGyQJBj (view of the MCG from Grand Hyatt Melbourne)
https://imgur.com/nAcf0xf (view of Danube river in the background while sitting in Hilton Budapest Castle area)
https://imgur.com/TpcShVY (view from HKG harbor from Hyatt Regency from my favorite city in the work)
https://imgur.com/XVQV1PQ (view from Park Hyatt Sydney at night)
https://imgur.com/OubLRzh (and my favorite view)
https://imgur.com/8azeApg (view of Petra from Marriott in Petra Jordan)

I can post more but I couldn't figure out how to embed imgur links.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your insight and detailed post - really appreciate it!

Just an FYI but the current sign up bonus is 60K points (not 50K) :)
 
LegCutter said:
I'm happy for you OP; and I use credit/charge cards a lot, but I didn't find Amex Platinum good value for it's annual fees.

First things first, it's not an exclusive card. It rejects people with bad credit but otherwise it wants customers.

Second most important, it's not a "value card". There is a very low chance that the card will 'pay for itself'. When you get the card and splurge out the $550 annual fees, you're doing it not to save money, but to spend a lot of money and hoping to get some cozy upgrades and comfort in return.

It is a card that when you travel and stay at the Hilton (or another included hotel), you get upgraded to a better room.

It is a card that if you a travel a lot, you sometimes get to use the free lounges if you have a long stop-over. So if you take a long international flight and you have an >2 hour stop-over, you can 'chill' at the lounge for 15-20 mins before you have to make your way to the terminal.

It's a card that offers a 24/7 concierge service that sometimes may be successful in getting you an earlier reservation at a Michelin star restaurant which would have otherwise taken several weeks.

All in all, enjoy the card. But just remember this, Amex wants you to spend money. The only way you get the benefits is by using the card. Amex wants to you to travel, it wants you to use the hotel and rental car services that they're contracted with.

So when you do get the benefit, you do it after having spent a lot of money. And after spending that lot of money and getting an upgrade, you pay the annual fees.

In conclusion and the meaning of my long post -- Don't fall into the trap of spending more money in the hope that you may save some money (a message many others have posted above as well and I just want to reemphasize).
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing your experience - appreciate it :)
 
Oh Op. Such naivety. You celebrating a credit card is like a mouse celebrating a piece of cheese in a trap :yk

(I didn't read above replies) Educate yourself bruh:

 
msb314 said:
Alhumdullilah applied and got approved for the Amex Platinum card yesterday.

The benefits are as follows:
  • $200 annual Uber credits (given in $15 increments per month)
  • Earn up to 5X Amex points for airfare and hotels booked through Amex's travel portal
  • Free lounge access at Amex's Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyClub and Prioty Pass lounges (I believe the CIP Lounge in Jinnah airport is a Priority Pass lounge too)
  • $200 annual credit for airline incidentals
  • Ability to transfer points to various airlines and hotels including Delta, Air France / KLM, Etihad, Emirates, Air Canada, Jet Blue, HIlton, SPG
  • Automatic Hilton Gold Status and SPG Gold Status
  • Participation in the International Airlines Program (which gives users discounted rates when flying select airlines in First Class, Business Class or Economy Plus)
  • Free Boingo WiFi access
  • Access to Invitation Only events from Amex
  • 24/ Concierge Service
  • Ability to redeem points at various stores such as Amazon, Expedia, NY Taxis, Uber etc.

It should arrive in a few days iA!

I will continue to update this read based on my experience using this card - definitely super excited!

Only downside is the $550 annual fee :danish
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If it makes you feel special and valued ... go for it. Make sure you pay what you owe every month.

I use to have it in my student days.... it was a pain in the backside using it in the UK, it's not widely accepted and I always invariably used my debit card so I eventually got rid of the Amex.
 
Eagle_Eye said:
If it makes you feel special and valued ... go for it. Make sure you pay what you owe every month.

I use to have it in my student days.... it was a pain in the backside using it in the UK, it's not widely accepted and I always invariably used my debit card so I eventually got rid of the Amex.
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If I may ask - why did you have a Platinum card as a student? I would think it is targetted and only approved for working people. Did you travel a lot?
 
msb314 said:
If I may ask - why did you have a Platinum card as a student? I would think it is targetted and only approved for working people. Did you travel a lot?
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I wasn't at undergrad stage... I had worked for a while and then decided to go back for more targeted higher studies... I cannot remember what the fees or benefits were, I would have though it's changed a lot since. The travel wasn't much for work but more with friends and family. As I said, it was just sitting idle in my wallet.
 
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