Card Promotions Amex Platinum Card Benefits, Offers & Discussion

Enjoy a world of travel benefits and 150,000 bonus Amex Membership Rewards Premium Ascent points...​

Learn more and apply for this card:

American Express® Platinum Card

The American Express (Amex) Platinum charge card is one of the best publicly-available cards in Australia for travel benefits.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

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What are the main benefits of this card?

1. Signup bonus: 150,000 Amex Membership Rewards Points (worth 75,000 Qantas Points, Velocity Points, Avios or Asia Miles, among other options) when you apply by 28 January 2025 and spend at least $5,000 within 3 months
2. Earn 2.25 Amex Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on everyday purchases, uncapped. You can transfer these points to 12 airline & 2 hotel programs, including Qantas Frequent Flyer.
3. Enjoy unlimited access to many airport lounges, including Virgin Australia and Priority Pass lounges
4. Gift Priority Pass membership to one additional cardholder
5. Receive complimentary elite status with hotel loyalty programs including Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Radisson Rewards & Accor Live Limitless
6. Complimentary international travel insurance
7. Receive a $450 annual travel credit, plus airfare discounts, $400 worth of annual dining credits, subscriptions to The Australian & Wall Street Journal, plus many more exclusive benefits!

Why we like the American Express Platinum Card

Packed full of travel perks, the American Express Platinum Card is one of the best publicly-available cards in Australia for frequent flyers.

With a $1,450 annual fee, this metal card is not for everyone. But the return on investment for the high annual fee is strong, as it comes with a lot of useful benefits! This includes an annual travel credit, dining credits and unlimited access to Virgin Australia, Delta, Lufthansa, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium and Amex Centurion airport lounges.

There are also some great hotel perks including a free annual hotel night, Accor Plus membership, Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits and complimentary elite status with Hilton, Marriott and Radisson.

For points collectors, this is one of the most lucrative cards available in Australia. You’ll earn 2.25 Amex Membership Rewards Ascent Premium points per $1 spent on eligible transactions. Points transfer to most frequent flyer programs at a 2:1 rate, although there are some exceptions (e.g. it's 3:1 to KrisFlyer and Emirates).

You can convert your Amex points to around 12 airlines including Qantas, Virgin Australia, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Etihad! Plus, you can transfer points to two hotel loyalty programs for even more redemption possibilities.

To sweeten the deal, new cardholders who apply by 28 January 2025 can also earn 150,000 bonus Amex Membership Rewards points when spending at least $5,000 on the card within 3 months of approval. See our card guide for the full details:

American Express® Platinum Card

The American Express (Amex) Platinum charge card is one of the best publicly-available cards in Australia for travel benefits.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

AFF members are welcome to discuss this card in this thread.

 

[Daver6]

I'm surprised they see a gap between the platinum and centurion cards. From what folks have posted about centurion benefits, it seems like a bit of a marginal increase for a massive jump in price.

I'm more concerned that this talked about new card is basically going to cost between the two but have the benefits of the current platinum card. Ie, devaluation of the platinum card or pay more to retain the current benefits.

 

[Franko Costa]

I'm surprised they see a gap between the platinum and centurion cards. From what folks have posted about centurion benefits, it seems like a bit of a marginal increase for a massive jump in price.

I'm more concerned that this talked about new card is basically going to cost between the two but have the benefits of the current platinum card. Ie, devaluation of the platinum card or pay more to retain the current benefits.

If you listen to the amex conference calls they are trying to increase AF for all cards and have a refresh every 5 yrs

 

[tmdl]

I'm surprised they see a gap between the platinum and centurion cards. From what folks have posted about centurion benefits, it seems like a bit of a marginal increase for a massive jump in price.

I'm more concerned that this talked about new card is basically going to cost between the two but have the benefits of the current platinum card. Ie, devaluation of the platinum card or pay more to retain the current benefits.

Id be happy with some more status - eg. Platinum/ Diamond Level where club access is included. I'm sure this will come with a huge price increase....

 

[PointsDude]

I think we’re more likely to see the Explorer dropped (considering that card seems mostly abandoned) and perhaps a reintroduction of the Gold card in that $500-$750 range.

Platinum will get a refresh next year considering the dining credits expire this year and whatever replaces them will need to help justify a likely AF bump.

 

[albyd]

First I've heard of the Centurion "lite"

I just called it that to describe it as an ‘in between’ offering that’s less feature heavy than Centurion and solely delivers most other features of interest such as:

• brings back the Platinum concierge
• Higher points earn than Platinum (though the difference already with Centurion is negligible unless you spend enough)
• Other features they choose for it to justify the AF

I’ve done some googling out of curiosity and they refer to it as ‘Titanium’ on Reddit so you might be spot on there. We’ll see in the fullness of time I’m sure …

 

[tmdl]

I just called it that to describe it as an ‘in between’ offering that’s less feature heavy than Centurion and solely delivers most other features of interest such as:

• brings back the Platinum concierge
• Higher points earn than Platinum (though the difference already with Centurion is negligible unless you spend enough)
• Other features they choose for it to justify the AF

I’ve done some googling out of curiosity and they refer to it as ‘Titanium’ on Reddit so you might be spot on there. We’ll see in the fullness of time I’m sure …

Yeah, I remember reading about it during the COVID years but then didn't hear anything since.

Watch this space

 

[Doctore1003]

Ok, how come no AFFer has bragged yet about visiting the Centurion New York lounge in midtown Manhattan??

https://www.wsj.com/business/lounge-amex-platinum-chase-sapphire-reserve-centurion-ed10d304?st=lncvwdrww1jsfnk&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

 

[albyd]

I reckon it’s because where we have kids, they’re not allowed in … that’s what’s going to stop me checking it out.

 

[pangwen]

Just as another data point - we got advised that $US100 converted to $AU135.21 upon checkout today.

EDIT: This was at The W Brisbane

Stayed at the W Brisbane again after a couple of years, looks like the poor FX rate is still a thing. $US100 converted to just over $AU137 as opposed to the XE rate which would have gotten us around $AU150.

Luckily we remembered to ask what the rate was at checkin this time, so we could tailor our spend at the restaurant to minimise the additional payment upon checkout.

 

[wsthong]

Spend $2000 Get 10,000 points for 3 times now on Amex Plat Charge.

 

[0x012fd0aa]

Spend $2000 Get 10,000 points for 3 times now on Amex Plat Charge.

Nothing on mine...

 

[sydneyboi]

Nothing on mine...

same here nothing

 

[asterix]

Spend $2000 Get 10,000 points for 3 times now on Amex Plat Charge.

I had spend $1000 get 10,000 up to 3 times on one of other AMEX cards. Waiting on the last 10,000 to hit my balance.

 

[zig]

same here nothing

Nothing on mine either.

 

[tmdl]

Nothing on mine (AMEX Platinum - Personal)

 

[djkelly69]

Not on my Plat either. But I do have a Sony $350/$50 which I think is new.

 

[CallMeHoju]

Not on my Plat but did get on Plat Reserve.

 

[Mur@no70]

Spend $2000 Get 10,000 points for 3 times now on Amex Plat Charge.

lucky you - nothing on plat personal

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Spend $2000 Get 10,000 points for 3 times now on Amex Plat Charge.

Popped up for me today on Plat Edge! Essentially 5 MR per $1 on top of the usual earn rate. More than makes up for the abysmal regular earn rate on the card outside of the bonus categories!

 

[sudoer]

Is it just me, or has there been a major change of FHR & THC properties available in Bali?

I could have sworn there were previously 25-30 FHR & THC options on the island, now there's 9 FHR and 4 THC.

I booked Conrad via THC a few months ago and it's now gone, I think the Hilton was also a THC and has disappeared too.

The remaining options now are very high-end - FHR starts at $930 per night but mostly in the $1500-2000 range, and THC all start at $450-600.

For comparison my booking at Conrad was $500pn for a mid-range suite and $250pn for a base room...

Feels like a significant deval if all the 'value' FHR/THC options have left the program.