New Amex Plat pack

Got my new plat pack this week detailing how it offered more benefits, the only real one being that the supp card holder now gets the premium priority pass card to at no extra cost (except they've put the fee up by 30 quid)

They are still dong the SPG/Hertz/Hilton gold and now raddison and sofitel silver. There seems to be an absence of info on the previous benefit of lounge access in any class on NW or CO or the eurostar, does any one know if that's stopped?

Just got my new platinum pack too and applied for my own Priority Pass straight away. It took less than a week [y] which is great news as I am travelling on 27th May which is not only a Saturday, but also the first Saturday of a half term and a bank holiday weekend [xx(] LHR is going to be a nightmare...looking forward to squirreling myself away in a lounge with my new laptop. Ok, it's not the Virgin CH, but still [:#]

[Nottingham Nick]

Isn't there some super new benefit of CDW / SLI insurance cover on hire cars in America, even if you don't hire the car through Amex?

Nick

[RichardMannion]

Nick is right, the insurance cover on Platinum is now better than Centruion (for the moment anyway). Its not just for North America either, Plat Insurance will cover all the insurances for car rental anywhere in the world.

Thanks,
Richard

[Bazz]

Originally posted by RichardMannion
...(for the moment anyway)...

Can you elaborate on this Richard?

[Pete]

I'm really not sure anymore why I should continue to pay the inflated Centurion fee rather than just slip back to Platinum (or get rid of it completely). Can anyone enlighten me?

Pete

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by pixuk
I'm really not sure anymore why I should continue to pay the inflated Centurion fee rather than just slip back to Platinum (or get rid of it completely). Can anyone enlighten me?

Given the new insurance benefit, I am seriously considering getting the Plat card again.

As for Centurion, if you are VS Gold, then the Clubhouse benefit is of no use to you, it all depends on how much you benefit from the other Centurion perks, I suppose.

Ironically, I have just binned the Amex Gold card I took out last year to get the 20K FC points and, unsurpisingly, ditching it was easy. Just took one phone call.

Amex 'Why are you cancelling the card?'
R 'Because it doesn't represent value for money'
Amex 'Oh, okay then'

So far no attempt has been made to get me to re-consider, unlike when I binned the plat card a few years ago.

Nick

[Decker]

Amex Customer Services swear blind that a Centurion revamp is in the pipeline but won't provide details. They pointed out that Plat was long overdue an overhaul not having been touched in years to keep up with the competition.

[RichardMannion]

Centurion in the UK is going to be refreshed, it is due to be done by the end of this year. Down in Brighton, common sense and logic are not to be found on Edward St - instead of looking after their ultra-premium product first, they proceeded with the refresh of Platinum first. The refresh of Platinum is extremely good, though to be honest teh existing Platinum offering wasn't exactly crap (£275 annual fee but included a prestige level Priority Pass which is worth £240).

So they went ahead and did the Platinum refresh and managed to piss off a lot of the UK Centurion cardholders in the process. I know I have phoned up and bitched about it, and they openly admit that it is has been poorly executed, they state that the decision came from way above and is out of their hands (and after the whole SPG Plat debacle, I actually believe them!). They know that for some UK Centurion people, the new Platinum offering may be a much better product for them. I know the demand for Platinum is going to be high as it really is a great product - I am holding out to see what the Centurion refresh brings; in the meantime, during a separate bitch about the huge void in difference in Platinum and Centurion insurance now, they saw my point and have extended the new level of Platinum cover to my Centurion account - they sent me a letter to confirm this, and also the new insurance T&C's.

Time will tell, I think they really are trying and thinking hard on how they can make Centurion the creme de la creme of products again - I spent a considerable amount of time recently giving them suggestions.

Thanks,
Richard

Silly sods charged me the same £275 fee last week:D,the new chipped plat cards look crap[:0]

I thought they actually looked a bit better than the older style ones [B)] Maybe I am just a sucker for the new styles as I really like the new FC cards. Or maybe that's just because I got my first silver one the other day [8D][:I]

Wish they'd get on and replace my gold AMEX...that's had some serious abuse and has no chip [:(]

Just ring then up to get it replaced thats what i did last week. If you need an "emergency" card they will send you one next day which is valid for 30 days.

My old one had the signiture strip worn off and had my new card inside a week complete with new pin number.[y]

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick

Ironically, I have just binned the Amex Gold card I took out last year to get the 20K FC points and, unsurpisingly, ditching it was easy. Just took one phone call...................


Nick

I've just done the same... No offers to remove the fee[:#]

One quick question :How much can you save on car hire in the USA ( Florida )if you use the plat insurance? All the places I usually hire a car from quote fully inclusive rates. Do you know where can I find basic hire costs online ?

Thanks

DD

[Scrooge]

Just got to http://www.avis.com ,they break it all down for you,on certain rentals the insurance can double the cost of the rental.

Originally posted by jetwet1
Just got to http://www.avis.com ,they break it all down for you,on certain rentals the insurance can double the cost of the rental.

Thanks Dave

I think I must be doing something wrong though... I require 15 days MCO hire of a mini van from 14th August.

Base cost at Avis seems to be $1,063 ( approx £575 )without LDW and PAI etc.

With airline-network I can get a fully inclusive quote of £369.

Am I missing Something[?]

Apologies if I am taking this thread off topic but any saving on Car hire, along with the insurance cover, may make paying for plat worthwhile ( once my comped HH gold expires[}:)])

Thanks again

DD

Another thing possibly worth watching - length of time...
Cant remember if it was avis or hertz - however they seem to have a 7 day and/or 14 day rate... but if you take say 8/9 /15 days etc .. they bump on the much dearer daily rate for extra days on top of the 7/14 day rate...
Car i priced I got a rate that worked out at around $50 a day for 7 days, ... however I was needing if for 8 or 9 days... each extra day I took it for cost me approx. $75 extra [:0] Averaged over the whole rental, maybe not a great deal extra per day...but annoying nevertheless. Using the above system to book an 11 day hire would actually have worked out dearer than a 14 day hire [V]
Im not sure if its a policy change or an internet booking flaw... however when Ive booked cars in the past (via phone) Ive been able to negociate the cost per day of the weekly rate - so a nine day hire would have been $400 , not $450 (as it would have been with above approx. figures)

Originally posted by DylanDog

Originally posted by jetwet1
Just got to http://www.avis.com ,they break it all down for you,on certain rentals the insurance can double the cost of the rental.

Thanks Dave

I think I must be doing something wrong though... I require 15 days MCO hire of a mini van from 14th August.

Base cost at Avis seems to be $1,063 ( approx £575 )without LDW and PAI etc.

With airline-network I can get a fully inclusive quote of £369.

Am I missing Something[?]

Apologies if I am taking this thread off topic but any saving on Car hire, along with the insurance cover, may make paying for plat worthwhile ( once my comped HH gold expires[}:)])

Interestingly enough - whats the Avis quote with everything added? Maybe the case that they have a lot of bookings & have increased their prices to control demand ?

Back on topic ... As for the perks - dont forgot the travel insurance , which kicks in even if you dont book using your card ... with extra benefits if you do book with your card ... My last policy cost me about £90 (with discount!) - the free policy actually gives me better coverage than the one I was paying for.

Priority Pass is one Ive been signed up for & yet to use - although the comp for supp.holder is good. My card renewed before fee increase [^]...

As with anything, the perks are worth it if you use them...
If you travel a bit, stay in hotels regular etc - paying the fee gives you some extras that you wouldnt have had..
Of course, if you can talk yourself out of the fee then obvious the perks are even better!
Was 4 stays off of HH gold (with 5 bookings coming up) when I got it compd , so hardly a perk for me - but nice nevertheless, kicked in sooner & I got benefits for the next 4 stays that I wouldnt have had
I wouldnt mind HH renewing @ Gold ... its the one perk for me thats really been worth it. Although I was more or less there with stays already & will be at/around a level to sustain it - I can make later bookings @ hotels with lounge, have a couple of nights at the lowest bookable rate & still wind up getting breakfast in the exec.lounge (which is much healthier than if I book a B&B rate @ succumb to the temptation of the full breakfast in the normal room) - saving money & eating healthier [y]

Originally posted by williestott

Interestingly enough - whats the Avis quote with everything added? Maybe the case that they have a lot of bookings & have increased their prices to control demand ?

I wouldnt mind HH renewing @ Gold ... its the one perk for me thats really been worth it.

Thanks. Full quote was £1,468.I'm just wondering if this benefit is similar to companion tickets... great if you need fully flexible rates or travel within certain conditions, but can be more expensive than a heavily discounted package bought in advance[?]

As A B&S traveller I won't use the benefits extensively. However HH Gold has been great the times I have utilised it. I'm just looking for an excuse to get the PP and hotel benefits for the odd occasions I use it.

I was hoping the travel insurance and car hire savings might just make the extra fee justifiable ( as I always use my 2;1 FC mastercard for purchases )

DD

Originally posted by DylanDog
One quick question :How much can you save on car hire in the USA ( Florida )if you use the plat insurance? All the places I usually hire a car from quote fully inclusive rates. Do you know where can I find basic hire costs online ?

the value of the plat insurance on car hire is usually better for long term rentals and premium car rentals - i have just upgraded my 1-month rental in california during september to a 'fully loaded' land rover lr3 v8 (cost works out at $70 per day for 31-days) - i could have got a jeep grand cherokee for less than $50 per day, but not half as much fun (my day to day car is a smart car so i like to treat myself during the holidays)... [:w]

Giving me Hhonors Gold, which I should now retain, PP and Travel Insurance has been very good for the money. Never had a cause for complain with the call centre staff either (which does seem to be a comon gripe with Centurion).

The new look is classy too.

I never worry about whether I could justify Centurion as I know my spend will never merit entrance to its hallowed doors. Actually walked past its hallowed doors a couple of weeks back. That building is scary.. what are they hiding in there!!

Dean

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by Wolves27
That building is scary.. what are they hiding in there!!

Maybe its to keep out disgrungled Centurion holders.

Mat xxx

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by fozzyo

Originally posted by Wolves27
That building is scary.. what are they hiding in there!!

Maybe its to keep out disgrungled Centurion holders.

Mat xxx

Centurion is over the road, its not in the big blue AmEx building.

Thanks,
Richard

[ChuckC]

To answer Ade's question from the OP, AFAIK the premium lounge access (in the USA) still works for Amex Platinum -- at least it did when I flew NW yesterday.

Chuck-

Originally posted by RichardMannion
... have extended the new level of Platinum cover to my Centurion account - they sent me a letter to confirm this, and also the new insurance T&C's.

Do the Terms & Conditions state whether off-piste skiing is covered by their travel policy? I'm getting conflicting answers when I call Amex, and the (summary?) T&Cs on the Amex website are ambiguous with regard to off-piste skiing.

Originally posted by ChuckC
To answer Ade's question from the OP, AFAIK the premium lounge access (in the USA) still works for Amex Platinum -- at least it did when I flew NW yesterday.

Chuck-

Can anyone elaborate as to what the premium access is and with which airlines?