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.

 

[alexc]

They used to list a minimum income of $100k but that seems to no longer exist on the website.

I think if you're a tad under $100k you're still in for a reasonable chance of approval, and they'd just adjust your spending limit to match.

Just as a data point, my income is quite a bit below 100k and I got approved about 3 months ago.

I suspect they look at a variety of factors including your credit history with them. I’ve held the Explorer card for about a year and have always paid on time.

It might help that I have no loans outstanding as well.

 

[daft009]

trying to transfer some MR points to an airline and the website keep giving a 500 server error.
I can login fine to check my transactions etc, then i select travel then rewards, then the error comes.

just me or you guys too?

 

[Franko Costa]

trying to transfer some MR points to an airline and the website keep giving a 500 server error.
I can login fine to check my transactions etc, then i select travel then rewards, then the error comes.

just me or you guys too?

Tried on your phone?

 

[daft009]

Tried on your phone?

The website is the same so yeah same issue

 

[Viridis]

trying to transfer some MR points to an airline and the website keep giving a 500 server error.
I can login fine to check my transactions etc, then i select travel then rewards, then the error comes.

just me or you guys too?

No, not just you - tried multiple devices and multiple browsers ….. get the spinning wheel of death with all options. Something is broken at Amex

 

[daft009]

No, not just you - tried multiple devices and multiple browsers ….. get the spinning wheel of death with all options. Something is broken at Amex

working now this morning.
just transferred

 

[Bell21]

Yes, I'm aware of the clause.



It doesn't say this. The eligibility table states that bookings can be made using frequent flyer points but does not state any criteria around the source of said points.




Another member's actual experience:

American Express Platinum cover when only paying taxes on award flight?

I can see in the terms and conditions that travel insurance is only activated when paying for a RETURN flight. We have used airmiles for 2x J flights to UK so have only paid for the taxes on the flight. Also, we booked the flights in two separate bookings as there wasn't the ability with SQ to...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

I've waded late into this discussion, but I spoke to Chubb at length about the issue of 'corresponding AMEX ... FF points' and they said that to activate the policy for a rewards booking the claimant MUST be able to prove that the FF points they used were transferred from MR - we discussed the clause in some detail and they explained that the word 'corresponding' means the FF points come from MR --- I don't think that's what the clause says, but given the ambiguity, I've chosen to buy inexpensive travel cover in those instances, as I didn't think it's worth the ambiguity --- it's interesting that AFFers have claimed and not been asked to prove where points have come from, although I still wouldn't want to rely on a travel policy where there's this type of ambiguity

 

[Daver6]

I've waded late into this discussion, but I spoke to Chubb at length about the issue of 'corresponding AMEX ... FF points' and they said that to activate the policy for a rewards booking the claimant MUST be able to prove that the FF points they used were transferred from MR - we discussed the clause in some detail and they explained that the word 'corresponding' means the FF points come from MR --- I don't think that's what the clause says, but given the ambiguity, I've chosen to buy inexpensive travel cover in those instances, as I didn't think it's worth the ambiguity --- it's interesting that AFFers have claimed and not been asked to prove where points have come from, although I still wouldn't want to rely on a travel policy where there's this type of ambiguity

How can you EVER prove this. It's ridiculous. Take the following scenario. I have 500k QFF points and 500k MR points. I need 100k QFF points to book a overseas flight. I transfer 200k MR points to QF and book the flight. Now I don't make a claim on this trip. A year later I use another 100k QF points for another flight. This one I do need to make a claim.

Did I use the QF points from my MR transfer for the first or second flight? Of course, I'd just say I used them for the second, not the first. There is no way to nominate one way or the other. This is just silliness.

 

[Cynicor]

Sure, in that case you have a transfer. In other cases it’s very easy.
Day my upcoming usa trip. One way on my partner’s points and other way on mine. Not covered.

 

[bullerdude]

That might be what the Chubb call centre have been trained to say, however, I think they are on shaky ground as there is no definition provided in the T+C's that defines the word corresponding to mean "FF points came from MR".

International Return Trips
4. You are going on an International Return Trip and You pay the full amount of Your outbound ticket for a Scheduled Flight or Scheduled Cruise leaving Australia on Your
i. American Express Card Account;
ii. corresponding American Express Membership Rewards points or frequent flyer points (where applicable); and/or
iii. Travel Benefit.

My read of eligibility criteria 4ii is outbound flights payed with points must be one of Amex Membership Rewards or frequent flyer points. The most important part of this sentenance is the or indicates one or the other, but not both. In terms of the word corresponding, there is nothing in this sentence to indicate the that the frequent flyer points must correspond with the amex membership rewards points, rather my read is the amex or frequent flyer points must correspond to the full amount of the outbound ticket.

I'm not a lawyer, so all this is my interpretation, but as multiple members here have different interpretations than it stands to reason that the terms and conditions are ambiguous, hence Chubb is on shaky ground.

 

[Bell21]

That might be what the Chubb call centre have been trained to say, however, I think they are on shakey ground as there is no definition provided in the T+C's that defines the word corresponding to mean "FF points came from MR".



My read of eligibility criteria 4ii is outbound flights payed with points must be one of Amex Membership Rewards or frequent flyer points. The most important part of this sentenance is the or indicates one or the other, but not both. In terms of the word corresponding, there is nothing in this sentence to indicate the that the frequent flyer points must correspond with the amex membership rewards points, rather my read is the amex or frequent flyer points must correspond to the full amount of the outbound ticket.

I'm not a lawyer, so all this is my interpretation, but it multiple members here have different interpretations than it stands to reason that the terms and conditions are ambiguous, hence Chubb is on shakey ground.

No doubt they are on shaky ground, but I'm not sure I want to be the one to test it! I absolutely agree with your interpretation and think what they told me is nonsense, although the rep I spoke to seemed knowledgeable and aware of the clause, so as you say, it's probably what they've been trained to say

 

[tinkybelle]

Sure, in that case you have a transfer. In other cases it’s very easy.
Day my upcoming usa trip. One way on my partner’s points and other way on mine. Not covered.

my plat states use your points on outbound it does not state return so use yours to fly out then covered not sure if other amex state this

 

[Bell21]

my plat states use your points on outbound it does not state return so use yours to fly out then covered not sure if other amex state this

I think that's right --- only outbound needs to be covered

 

[asterix]

Transfers to Krisflyer and Emirates are increasing to 3MR per Krisflyer/Skywards point from October 2023. Hawaiian and Qatar starting in October and August at 2:1.

 

[Cynicor]

Yeah, this is going to melt the net.
Need to completely redo my card storage with St George gone too

 

[Doctore1003]

There's a separate thread on this: New redemption rates for SQ/EK

 

[Brooksnk]

Looking at the new terms and conditions - refund protection now excludes 'sale and discount' items. This is a really poor change for us. In practice, I don't know how they tell if the item was purchased on sale (unless the invoice notes this).

Has anyone used Card Refund cover since this change? I made a purchase of some cloths recently, 2 sizes of each item planning to return the less fitting ones - but the retailer apparently doesn't do refunds on sale items. Very frustrating and I suspect Amex won't be much help either now as they are sale items...

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Has anyone used Card Refund cover since this change? I made a purchase of some cloths recently, 2 sizes of each item planning to return the less fitting ones - but the retailer apparently doesn't do refunds on sale items.

Don't need AmEx for that, this is illegal under Australian consumer law:

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Don't need AmEx for that, this is illegal under Australian consumer law:

View attachment 335441

The Australian Consumer Law only applies to refunds on 'faulty' products, not on change of mind returns. Buying two of something and returning one later because it wasn't the right size is a 'change of mind' return, not a product fault.

 

[Brooksnk]

The Australian Consumer Law only applies to refunds on 'faulty' products, not on change of mind returns. Buying two of something and returning one later because it wasn't the right size is a 'change of mind' return, not a product fault.

Yes, this is correct.

To be specific, they don't do refunds on sale items for change of mind, only exchanges/credit - which is totally fair. I do know retailers sometimes have policies like this, but usually for like 'final markdowns' as opposed to any sale items, hence I was caught off guard.