American Express Platinum.... changes ahoy...

I don't see anyone else posting about this yet, which is odd as I know there are lots of Amex Plat members on here....
I got a pack through the post yesterday with details of some "enhancements" they're making to the programme. Some good things, some bad.
Amongst the good -

• You can now take a guest into lounges free with your Priority Pass card
• Complimentary membership of Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club at Gold level, equivalent to BA Silver (OneWorld Sapphire) - so lounge access when flying on a OneWorld member airline.
• Membership at an elite level of the Carlson and Accor hotels loyalty schemes
• Specific mention of AA, DL, US lounge programmes - can't remember if they were included before or not, as I tend to avoid these carriers whenever I can

The negative?
The price is going up by a staggering 50%, from £300 to £450 a year. :/

Hey,
Do a search for "amex plat", it should bring up the (little) conversation, mainly about the fee rise.

I still have a year left before the fee rise, and still don't know what I will do, the concierge service has been quite good...

ONLY 50% increase for a Plat card? - What good value

Us poor Cent members got stuffed for nearly 200% last time they reviewed their pricing...

Peter

[Neil]

Also remember some of the new beneifts like the Marco Polo membership, is one year only unless you meet the usual qualification criteria (like the current HH gold membership with the Plat card).

The other major point is supplemental card holder also gets status with hotels, which for us is actually very useful.
The HH 1 year thing isn't particularly clear and wonder if this is now an ongoing benefit...
With the need to book your travel through the card: flights & hotels to gain full incontinence cover, does make me wonder if running the VS black in tandem is worth while...

.
With the need to book your travel through the card: flights & hotels to gain full incontinence cover, does make me wonder if running the VS black in tandem is worth while...

Do we really need to know such personal info NH ? ) )

Incontinence cover is needed for when you hear about the annual fee increases!

Also remember some of the new beneifts like the Marco Polo membership, is one year only unless you meet the usual qualification criteria (like the current HH gold membership with the Plat card).

I thought this had changed with the fee increase?

I was one of the massive number of Centurion cardholders who, a couple of years ago balked at the huge rise in the annual fees.
Amex really made a dog´s dinner of the exercise. At one time I received four plastic Centurion cards and three Platinum cards shortly after I had cancelled the Centurion in favour of the Platinum. After having been with Amex for 25 years this was the first time the cracks began to appear....
Now, they are doing the same with the Platinum card. As their push for "high wealth" customers failed completely, with most customers switching to the cheaper card, Amex is now trying to recover its losses on the Centurion by crucifying Platinum cardholders with a 50% hike in fees. OK if you work for a Company and they pay for the membership, but for personal cardholders like me it is simply another con. So, next January I will drop Platinum and go for Gold!

.
With the need to book your travel through the card: flights & hotels to gain full incontinence cover, does make me wonder if running the VS black in tandem is worth while...

Do we really need to know such personal info NH ? ) )

Damn you autocorrect ! :0 )

a useful small inclusion in the policy for LCC taking the pi55 with additional charges.
)

I thought this had changed with the fee increase?

Correct -- the Marco Polo membership seems not to be limited to one year any more. I am not sure about HH.

They seem to be phasing in the increases to existing cardholders. My renewal date was last week and I was "only" charged £300; my fee-increase letter says that the 2013 anniversary will be the first time the new fee is charged.

I thought this had changed with the fee increase?

Correct -- the Marco Polo membership seems not to be limited to one year any more. I am not sure about HH.

They seem to be phasing in the increases to existing cardholders. My renewal date was last week and I was "only" charged £300; my fee-increase letter says that the 2013 anniversary will be the first time the new fee is charged.

and mine says August 2012 xx(

[Neil]

I thought this had changed with the fee increase?

Correct -- the Marco Polo membership seems not to be limited to one year any more. I am not sure about HH.

They seem to be phasing in the increases to existing cardholders. My renewal date was last week and I was "only" charged £300; my fee-increase letter says that the 2013 anniversary will be the first time the new fee is charged.

If you read the thread over on FT a number of posters have had it confirmed by AmEx that the HH and Marco Polo benefits are only one year, even though the literature isn't very clear.

If you read the thread over on FT a number of posters have had it confirmed by AmEx that the HH and Marco Polo benefits are only one year, even though the literature isn't very clear.

:0 that'll teach me to stop reading flyertalk for a week!

Thanks Neil. I am very unimpressed about this -- previously they made it very clear that the Cathay membership was for one year only. I didn't see any such comment in the literature about the fee increase.

I think I am going to cancel my card and get a pro rata refund of the fee. I can get perfectly adequate worldwide travel insurance for less than £30 (in fact, I already have it).

I am a new Amex Platinum member (since Dec 2011) I have found the Rental Car benefits very useful in my travels to California this year saving about £250 in rental costs alone before you take into account the need to not take out insurance for the rental period $15-25 per day (14 then 7 days).
The Concierge service has also proved useful so far.
I guess I'll weigh it all up in November before deciding whether to renew.

I have found the Rental Car benefits very useful in my travels to California this year saving about £250 in rental costs alone before you take into account the need to not take out insurance for the rental period $15-25 per day (14 then 7 days).
.

But you can often get a plat package by booking in the UK even cheaper than the insurance removed option and plat discount- my last USA/ Hawaii rental was cheaper booked with Dollar as a plat package ex UK than as a straight rental with the plat discount applied and insurance cover removed.
DL

I gave up my Amex Gold in March.

If I sign up with the Platinum Amex would I eligible for the bonus 40,000 Membership Rewards? (The only reason I would pay the price hike)

Many thanks

I gave up my Amex Gold in March.

If I sign up with the Platinum Amex would I eligible for the bonus 40,000 Membership Rewards? (The only reason I would pay the price hike)

Many thanks

They normally require a 6 month break between giving up one card and earning a bonus on a new one (it's somewhere in their T and Cs). If you want a referral though drop me a PM .
DL

I gave up my Amex Gold in March.

If I sign up with the Platinum Amex would I eligible for the bonus 40,000 Membership Rewards? (The only reason I would pay the price hike)

Many thanks

They normally require a 6 month break between giving up one card and earning a bonus on a new one (it's somewhere in their T and Cs). If you want a referral though drop me a PM .
DL

Thanks DL, what MR do I get for a referral? And would I still have to wait 6 months?

I gave up my Amex Gold in March.

If I sign up with the Platinum Amex would I eligible for the bonus 40,000 Membership Rewards? (The only reason I would pay the price hike)

Many thanks

They normally require a 6 month break between giving up one card and earning a bonus on a new one (it's somewhere in their T and Cs). If you want a referral though drop me a PM .
DL

Thanks DL, what MR do I get for a referral? And would I still have to wait 6 months?

42,000 miles (I would get some too )- I think the 6 month application thing would depend on whether you received a bonus with your gold card ,which is exactly the situation I had (I'd given up my gold card just over six months previously and had got a MR bonus when the gold card was issued - if you didn't receive a bonus with the gold card there my be no problem? ). Best thing to do might be to ring them and check (and then if you want a referral PM me ).
DL

Hi All

I got caught on this by AMEX. The clause they quoted me was
"existing cardmembers enrolled in the membership rewards programme will not be eligible for the bonus miles"

So once you've had an AMEX card, I'm not sure how you'd ever 'de-enrol' from membership rewards

Peter

Hi All

I got caught on this by AMEX. The clause they quoted me was
"existing cardmembers enrolled in the membership rewards programme will not be eligible for the bonus miles"

So once you've had an AMEX card, I'm not sure how you'd ever 'de-enrol' from membership rewards

Peter

I simply emptied my MR account before closing my gold card - as I had no other live (proper) Amex account my MR account closed with the card. Our friends Stateside seem to do this regularly .
DL