Amex Plat benefits

I know a lot pf people here have the card so are the benefits worth the £300 outlay?
My travel insurance is due for renewal (and I gather the Amex Plat cover is excellent) but I'm more interested in the benfits of the travel privileges. Are the hotel rates generally that preferential ? The PP pass won't be that useful for me as I gather they're planning to scrap access at LAS (where it would be useful given that Mr DL has booked us in Y from LAS-HNL xx( ).If anyone would prefer to send me a PM re the general cost of hotel rates they offer I'd be very grateful.
There's a promo on for a bonus 40,000 MR points at the mo and a quidco promo of £40 back.
Would the fact that I didn't renew (ie cancelled) my Amex gold this year cause any problems with an application?
Thanks DL

[Neil]

Hotel rates aren't a lot, if at all better, it's the FHR benefits that are the benefits of booking luxury hotels through PTS. You then get things like SPG gold, HH gold which give you benefits when staying at their hotels.

For me, the travel insurance alone covers the cost, we have it, then because my parents and both our sisters all have a supp card on my account they all get the insurance beneifts, so that alone is a good £400 worth of savings.

I have usually found better hotel rates booking it myself with a lot less hassle so much so that I never even think of calling AmEx for a price.

The 40k miles bonus is worth paying for the membership for one year so that gives you chance to try it out. Delta and I think AA also let you use their lounges whatever class you travel (as long as travel with them).

The insurance can be good - especially delayed baggage and flights but don't forget that it only applies when you buy the travel ticket with the card.

The real benefit is there is seldom trouble using it abroad. You can buy off foreign websites and use it even if you do not have a foreign address. I found that UNITED.com will not allow you to use a non-USA card except if you use the AmEx it accepts that.

[Neil]

But if you book the hotels yourself, you don't get the FHR benefits, and those benefits can really add up, when the price is the same or a little but more. The room upgrade has saved us £100's per night compared to if we gad booked the higher category in the first place. Then you get the fee breakfast, special amenity (for instance $100 food credit at the hotel we are staying at next), guaranteed 4pm check out, and for our next stay a rate that was $30 per night cheaper.

Also, the insurance doesn't require you to book any part of the travel on the card for it to be valid, that just isn't true.

I don't get what you mean about from foreign sites, I can use any of my cards, Amex or not to do that.

With the insurance, family below you on the tree are covered and supplementary platinum cards. Family above are not (unless they have a supplementary platinum), and supplementary golds aren't covered. It is nice to "forget" about travel insurance when it is included with the card.

Also allows entry to Eurostars lounges, nicer than just sitting in the normal departures.

PTS is excellent, haven't found rates cheaper elsewhere, they are excellent at recommending hotels, activities and places to eat.

OK - I am confused with the insurance ?| .
Can someone please clarify (particularly with regard to "family cover" and the ? non- validity of the insurance if the travel is not paid for with the card).
Thanks
DL

OK - I am confused with the insurance ?| .
Can someone please clarify (particularly with regard to "family cover" and the ? non- validity of the insurance if the travel is not paid for with the card).
Thanks
DL

I was told that my "family" for the insurance means, parents aren't covered, but any children I might have would be, along with legal partner. Supplementary Platinum holders and their "family" are also covered. But the same doesn't apply to supplementary gold cards.
I don't think that sounds any clearer, so I will try again;

"family" is you, partner and children under 25 whether you're traveling with them or not. Also covers grandchildren under 25 traveling with you.

The same "family" definition applies to any supplimentary platinum holders.

No travel insurance for Supplementary Gold holders.


The insurance is just a perk of the card, doesn't matter how you pay for the trip.

[Neil]

That isnt correct, any Supp card holder (plat or gold) have the full insurance benefits, and you can give a supp card to anyone you want, family or not, and their 'family' (as defined by Hamster) are also fully covered also.

That doesn't mean my parents who have a gold supp card don't get the insurance benefits, it just means if they didn't have one and went on holiday with my sister, then they wouldn't have been covered.

This is all quite clear in the T&C's

And to 100% confirm, you DO NOT have to sound a single £ on your card ever and everyone is fully covered.

Did you confirm with AX that supplementary Golds are not included Hamster? From reading the terms, I got the impression that all supplementary cardholders were included, but now that you say that and having re-read the terms, I'm not so sure:

SUMMARY OF COVER
WORLDWIDE TRAVEL INSURANCE
Worldwide Travel Insurance provides cover for the Cardmember and supplementary Cardmembers...

...

“Supplementary Cardmember” means a person who has been nominated by the Cardmember to be
issued with an additional Card on the Account and is also covered by the insurance benefits included
with the Card.

...

1. WORLDWIDE TRAVEL INSURANCE
WHO IS COVERED
All Platinum Cardmembers including Supplementary Cardmembers and their respective Families are
covered.

https://secure.cmax.americanexpress.com ... n_v1_0.pdf

Full of contradiction IMO...

Also, remember that pre-existing conditions aren't covered. Not sure if you can ring and get them covered by arrangement?

I cancelled our AX platinum last month, signed up for the 40K MR points and have earned a good chunk more in the year that I had the card. Used the travel insurance for 3 trips (no claims), lots of PP visits (around 15-20 between myself and wife) and still availing myself of the HH Gold membership upgrade.

Definitely got my £300-worth last year, not planning to go away until early next year so might consider it again at that point.

[Neil]

I can 100% confirm gold supp card holders are covered. My parents who are gold supp card holders made a claim against the policy last year for delayed baggage without any issue at all.

I don't see where you are reading a contradiction? It is perfectly clear, all plat card holders Inc supp card holders, it doesn't say, just plat supp card holders.

Also, the site states:

Your Platinum Card protects you, your partner and your children with one of the most extensive worldwide travel insurance packages available.

In addition, Supplementary Cardmembers, their partners and their children receive exactly the same travel insurance which you and your family enjoy.

I can 100% confirm gold supp card holders are covered. My parents who are gold supp card holders made a claim against the policy last year for delayed baggage without any issue at all.

I don't see where you are reading a contradiction? It is perfectly clear, all plat card holders Inc supp card holders, it doesn't say, just plat supp card holders.

Also, the site states:

Your Platinum Card protects you, your partner and your children with one of the most extensive worldwide travel insurance packages available.

In addition, Supplementary Cardmembers, their partners and their children receive exactly the same travel insurance which you and your family enjoy.

That's interesting, I was told over the phone that they weren't (I didn't make it up, so please don't imply otherwise)... Will give Burgess Hill another call tomorrow. I phoned specifically to ask the question so can't see how they could get confused, but will try again.

[Neil]

Im not implying anything, in fact the quote you used wasn't responding to you.

Your right in the fact if my parents weren't supp card holders, and travelled with me, they wouldn't be classed as family and therefore not covered. As they have a supp card they are covered.

Also, gold(or green for that matter) are covered. It was interesting actually, when I applied for my sisters gold supp card, I was told by the agent she would only get the insurance benefits of a gold card, not the higher plat cover. After querying it and quoting from my policy book I had to speak to a supervisor who phoned the insurance team to confirm all supp card holders get the full plat card insurance benefits.

I don't get what you mean about from foreign sites, I can use any of my cards, Amex or not to do that.

If you try and buy a ticket on United.com it will only accept your booking with a US address. When I enter my USA address the UK issued card does not go through (Visa/VS AX) but if I use my regular AX card ie. not an affiliate card but still UK issued - it goes through even with a USA address.
So for me that gives me extra buying flexibility.

When I booked Hotel 1000 in Seattle through FHR, they matched the hotels web site prices. When the hotel lowered their prices, Amex told me they won't be beaten and matched the rate. When it went lower still, Amex matched it again. So I got a great rate and all the benefits.

Check out the Amex FHR page to see what hotels they offer, though you have to phone if a UK customer for rates.

Link

If you try and buy a ticket on United.com it will only accept your booking with a US address.

On several occasions I have bought tickets with a UK-issued and UK-addressed Mastercard with no problems.

Whatare MR points, and how do they convert if at all to VS FC miles for example?

Also, there's a couple of acronyms I don't unerderstand - FHR, PTS - can anyone enlighten me:D

[Neil]

Whatare MR points, and how do they convert if at all to VS FC miles for example?

Also, there's a couple of acronyms I don't unerderstand - FHR, PTS - can anyone enlighten me:D

MR points are Membership reward points, as basic you earn 1MR point per £1 spend, but they have offers where you can earn more depending on what you can buy. The good thing with MR points is you can transfer them to all different type of loyalty schemes (lots of different airlines/hotels/car hire companies etc). So with VS you can convert them on a 1:1 ratio in to FC miles. You can also use them to 'buy' things, so for example 5000 MR points might get you a £50 voucher for John Lewis etc.

FHR = Fine Hotels and Resorts. There are certain higher end hotels, which if booked through PTS you get benefits like I have listed above.
PTS = Platinum Travel services. It is basically a travel agencies type set up, that Plat card holders can ring and get flights/hotels and all manner of travel tips/services booked for them.

That's great - thanks Neil.

Right phoned up again,
Yes supplementary Gold cards holders are covered as well.
Was given an appology for being given the wrong information before. It's hard to even get a sorry these days, and more impressive is that I didn't even ask for one or expect any sort of good will gesture.

[Neil]

Right phoned up again,
Yes supplementary Gold cards holders are covered as well.
Was given an appology for being given the wrong information before. It's hard to even get a sorry these days, and more impressive is that I didn't even ask for one or expect any sort of good will gesture.

Thanks for confirming again.

It is extremely frustrating that people are told so many different things, and that it is only because we either get information from sites like this, or really read the full benefits, that we can query things and ultimately be proved correct.

It is the same with so many companies and CS centres, is it to much to ask that the people who are employed to answer queries and give out information to customers are trained correctly to know the product and pass on the correct info on every time?

So ok, is the airport lounge access worthwhile (premier pass)? (lets say some of us lesser people here who don't have AU or aren't flying business other airlines). Does it get you in the type of lesser lounges which give you a (dunno, never been in these, lets guess) tiny beer and nothing else (which you can buy in for 3 hours for 20 quid)...

I'm currently carte blanche on eurostar, so I'll get one to get access to that lounge alone next year when that expires (makes those trips so much more civilised).

I'm just wondering what I'll see, say Manchester to Budapest or something... Or LGW to Vegas on PE (not AU card), will I walk past the lounge I have access to and dismiss it with a sigh?

[Neil]

The Priority Pass lounge access is useful (£200+ value for card holder and supp plat card holder). Of course you aren't getting the same standard at the VS CH (but then not that many lounges offer that anyway), but at LGW for instance you could use the Number 1 lounge which gets good reviews, but then at MAN you would get the Escape lounge, which is okay, and certainly better than the main terminal.

If you try and buy a ticket on United.com it will only accept your booking with a US address.

On several occasions I have bought tickets with a UK-issued and UK-addressed Mastercard with no problems.

on United.com ?

One thing I'm not quite sure of at the moment, is the recommend scheme. I might get a plat amex sooner rather than later, but also pay for the gf's card too. Whats the benefits of someone recommending someone else (I might well go via a recommend on here too)?

It says 22K for me, and 42K for them referred, but you get 40K for signing up at the moment, so its really a big reward for the referrer and a small reward (2K) for the referred, right?

Does amex put out a better reward? I think remember 60K being mentioned back in may.

Also are there referrer rewards for recommends of virgin amex cards (black or white)?