Credit Card Offers 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.

 

[0x012fd0aa]

This concierge stuff doesn't surprise, as they had become progressively less helpful to me over last few years. But it really sucks, when it worked it was a huge benefit, hard to see it as anything other than cost cutting, the spin of an app to replace it is basically insulting.

maybe they issued too many platinum cards... anyway I do expected there is a feedback channel.

 

[dissector]

maybe they issued too many platinum cards... anyway I do expected there is a feedback channel.

As far as I can tell, there are two feedback channels:

1. Regular surveys they send (you can provide feedback that way); or
2. Ring them and complain.

I am not sure which one of these two will work...

However, I will get my popcorn ready...

 

[dissector]

​ Changes to how you use your Platinum Concierge service​

From 12 June 2024, the Platinum Concierge service will accommodate travel queries only. Concierge services for any other queries such as dining, experiences and shopping will no longer be available. Instead, Card Members will have access to the new Amex Experiences App*, which gives you convenient 24/7 access to information on Platinum benefits and experiences, including new restaurant openings, travel offers, event presales and recommended merchants. A world of experiences at your fingertips awaits.​

And the new Amex Experienced App offers..... absolutely nothing.
View attachment 374072View attachment 374073

I expect things will stay this way. I do not expect any improvement. Maintaining an app is not an easy task even for Amex.

Unless something changes very quickly, and unless there is a considerable refresh (for the better),this will be a huge devaluation of one of their top/premium products. It is the greatest devaluation of the Card as far as I can remember and I have been watching this space for some 20 years.

 

[muppet]

Given all the devaluations with the Charge and combined with the change in policy that seems to not be offering retention bonus points, I can’t see myself justifying another $1450 for this card which provides devalued travel insurance, devalued points earn, mostly overcrowded lounges and a coupon book of minor cash back offers.

 

[Daver6]

My annual fee is coming up this month. Will call up once it hits and see what they have to say. Would love to see how they justify value now.

 

[dylarr]

My annual fee is coming up this month. Will call up once it hits and see what they have to say. Would love to see how they justify value now.

My annual fee posted a week ago so I just called up. Mentioned to the operator that I'd like to cancel because of the recent announcement regarding the removal of the Platinum Concierge and could they offer anything like bonus MR points if I kept the card. She confirmed with me by asking the question "So you're wanting to cancel today?" I answered yes and was immediately offered 100,000 MR points to stay which I accepted.

 

[foggy]

Given all the devaluations with the Charge and combined with the change in policy that seems to not be offering retention bonus points, I can’t see myself justifying another $1450 for this card which provides devalued travel insurance, devalued points earn, mostly overcrowded lounges and a coupon book of minor cash back offers.

can you update me on the devalued insurance? I haven't been keeping up..

 

[muppet]

can you update me on the devalued insurance? I haven't been keeping up..

A few benefit reductions in the latest 2022 policy but the key one being in relation to the eligible flight that activates cover and how it must be purchased. AMEX added the word “corresponding” in front of paying with “frequent flyer points” which some Chubb agents interpret as meaning the points must have come from that Amex account. Previously there was no mention of where the points came from, if you paid with points you were covered.

Also, under the old policy if you booked your eligible flight via a supplier that didn’t accept Amex, you were still covered - that exemption was removed.

This doesn’t necessarily impact everyone but most of my points are not earned via Amex meaning much of my travel booked using points is not covered (or ambiguously covered)

 

[tmdl]

A few benefit reductions in the latest 2022 policy but the key one being in relation to the eligible flight that activates cover and how it must be purchased. AMEX added the word “corresponding” in front of paying with “frequent flyer points” which some Chubb agents interpret as meaning the points must have come from that Amex account. Previously there was no mention of where the points came from, if you paid with points you were covered.

Also, under the old policy if you booked your eligible flight via a supplier that didn’t accept Amex, you were still covered - that exemption was removed.

This doesn’t necessarily impact everyone but most of my points are not earned via Amex meaning much of my travel booked using points is not covered (or ambiguously covered)

I have still understood this to cover your flights, have you had issues with not being covered?

 

[dissector]

I have still understood this to cover your flights, have you had issues with not being covered?

I think the issue here is policy is ambiguously worded. In my experience, this is usually intentional and it provides an avenue not to honour the policy (to compesate the insured person).

In practice, this opens the possibility of you not being covered, should unfortunate circumstance occur.

Because of this wording, anecdotal evidence suggests some Chubb agents will not process the claim if points do not come from Amex account.

I think you do not want to depend on Chubb agent interpreting insurance policy.

 

[wsthong]

Anyone successfully being upgraded and offered late check out from "The Hotel Collections" in Tokyo

 

[sudoer]

Anyone successfully being upgraded and offered late check out from "The Hotel Collections" in Tokyo

Late checkout isn't a benefit of Amex THC, only FHR.

But, Hilton Tokyo is part of THC, and Hilton properties do recognise status on THC/FHR bookings. As you hold Hilton Gold (or better) through Amex Platinum you're likely to be granted a 1pm or 2pm checkout through status, possibly later if it's not high season.

 

[wsthong]

Late checkout isn't a benefit of Amex THC, only FHR.

But, Hilton Tokyo is part of THC, and Hilton properties do recognise status on THC/FHR bookings. As you hold Hilton Gold (or better) through Amex Platinum you're likely to be granted a 1pm or 2pm checkout through status, possibly later if it's not high season.

Must the booking be made directly with Hilton or AMEX THC?

 

[sudoer]

Must the booking be made directly with Hilton or AMEX THC?

Book via THC if the rate makes sense for you. If the total THC rate is >US$100 more than the total direct rate, you're better off booking direct IMO.

 

[Cynicor]

Or if hotel credit is of limited value

 

[padders]

I'm unlikely to be out of Aus without my small person this year; does anyone know of a global dining credit situation like the Simon Johnson one?

 

[Sitso]

I just had a question about the activation of the Travel Insurance Cover. The eligibility criteria states that for an international return trip it kicks in if you pay the outbound ticket for a Scheduled Flight on the Amex. If I was doing one-way trips prior to my return flight, would I also need to book these flights with the Amex platinum to cover it? Or would they also be covered if I used a separate card?

 

[RealtimeY]

They would also be covered if you used a separate card, as long as your flight out of Australia was booked with the Amex.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

I'm not sure if anyone is aware of this but as part of Accor Plus (which you get from Amex Plat), there are a bunch of discounts (e.g. EuropCar/Hertz/Avis) outside of the standard plat discounts.

Accor Partners

Enjoy exclusive benefits and offers with Accor partners.

all.accor.com

Australian Plat Card holders can also get access to President's Circle via the US Amex Plat Hertz link.

Edit: You can also get QR status depending your ALL status:

ALL - Accor Live Limitless & Qatar Airways Privilege Club

Experience a limitless world of privileges

all.accor.com

 

[wsthong]

I'm not sure if anyone is aware of this but as part of Accor Plus (which you get from Amex Plat), there are a bunch of discounts (e.g. EuropCar/Hertz/Avis) outside of the standard plat discounts.

Accor Partners

Enjoy exclusive benefits and offers with Accor partners.

all.accor.com

Australian Plat Card holders can also get access to President's Circle via the US Amex Plat Hertz link.

Edit: You can also get QR status depending your ALL status:

ALL - Accor Live Limitless & Qatar Airways Privilege Club

Experience a limitless world of privileges

all.accor.com

Which status for Accor Silver with QR?