Amex Platinum Charge and Reserve

[Nichokiu]

Hi all,

New to the Platinum AMEX charge, having received it this week.

Reading the old review posted here, I naively applied for the companion Amex reserve card hoping to get another $450 in travel credit to offset the platinum charge yearly fee.

However I subsequently read reports that this is no longer offered since 2020.

Wondering if anyone can share if there are any additional benefits of an Amex reserve card please over the platinum charge. At the moment I see absolutely no benefit (I don’t need credit), and am I better off just cancelling this platinum reserve credit card?

Any help greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Human]

There are a few potential benefits which may or may not matter to you:

1. The interest free period on the Platinum Reserve is longer, and you’re under no obligation to pay off the full amount each month (of course you’ll pay 20% interest for that privilege!).
2. You can take advantage of the “Plan It” instalment plans with the Reserve.
3. Very occasionally (VERY occasionally) there’s a decent AmEx Offer that is on the Reserve but not the Charge.
4. Every now and then you’ll receive an offer of bonus Membership Rewards points if you add a supplementary cardholder. Having the Reserve enables you to take advantage of this offer twice as many times!

Yes, I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel. But that’s everything I can think of if you don’t have access to the $400 travel credit.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

If you're in a situation where you want/need to make someone an additional cardholder but don't want to give them a no-limit card, the Reserve can be good for that as it has a set credit limit, and the points earned still go to the main Ascent Premium account of the Plat Charge. Think, card for a kid, etc.

There's also Hilton Honors Silver status for additional cardholders, so if you don't want to give them a Plat Charge (which has HH Gold), Silver is better than nothing.

On AMEX Offers, not just offers targeted differently, but sometimes a second chance to take advantage of a great offer.

 

[Ktan89]

1. Every now and then you’ll receive an offer of bonus Membership Rewards points if you add a supplementary cardholder. Having the Reserve enables you to take advantage of this offer twice as many times!

I didn't know this. Thanks for the information! I do get the occasional emails offering 10k to give the first supplementary card. It never says which card so I always assumed the plat charge. Does the email have to say for the Reserve card?

 

[Human]

I didn't know this. Thanks for the information! I do get the occasional emails offering 10k to give the first supplementary card. It never says which card so I always assumed the plat charge. Does the email have to say for the Reserve card?

I’m not absolutely sure. I suspect it depends on the offer. During “Membership Month” in August there was the general offer of 5000 points for adding a card and from memory it didn’t really matter which card. More recently, I’ve received a targeted offer of 15,000 points for adding an additional Platinum Reserve cardholder, which I of course duly did!
If you receive an offer for one card and you want to apply it to another card, I’d advise that you contact AmEx customer service (I use the “chat” function) and ask.

 

[Ktan89]

More recently, I’ve received a targeted offer of 15,000 points for adding an additional Platinum Reserve cardholder, which I of course duly did!

Oh sweet! I saw this email too and just looked at it again and it certainly is for the Plat Reserve card.
I'm doing it now offer ends 30th Nov 22. Thank you for this.
Have you received your points yet?

 

[Human]

Oh sweet! I saw this email too and just looked at it again and it certainly is for the Plat Reserve card.
I'm doing it now offer ends 30th Nov 22. Thank you for this.
Have you received your points yet?

The points came through literally within 10 minutes of me finishing the application.

 

[GrahamBRI]

it certainly is for the Plat Reserve card.

I also saw it for the Plat Reserve, but after I applied for the additional cardholder, Amex rang back and started to tell me I applied for additional cardholder and that they were getting The American Express Explorer. I could never get a clear answer as to what they were doing and if they were potentially changing the primary card as well, so I halted the request........ I would be very interested in what card you actually get (is this the final death of the Plat Reserve and possibly its travel benefit?)

 

[Human]

I also saw it for the Plat Reserve, but after I applied for the additional cardholder, Amex rang back and started to tell me I applied for additional cardholder and that they were getting The American Express Explorer. I could never get a clear answer as to what they were doing and if they were potentially changing the primary card as well, so I halted the request........ I would be very interested in what card you actually get (is this the final death of the Plat Reserve and possibly its travel benefit?)

That's weird. I can confirm that last week I applied for a supplementary Platinum Reserve card and, three days later, I received in the mail ... a Platinum Reserve card.

 

[Daver6]

If you're in a situation where you want/need to make someone an additional cardholder but don't want to give them a no-limit card, the Reserve can be good for that as it has a set credit limit, and the points earned still go to the main Ascent Premium account of the Plat Charge. Think, card for a kid, etc.

There's also Hilton Honors Silver status for additional cardholders, so if you don't want to give them a Plat Charge (which has HH Gold), Silver is better than nothing.

On AMEX Offers, not just offers targeted differently, but sometimes a second chance to take advantage of a great offer.

You can send spending limits for additional plat charge card holders. It's done under "account management". You can set the monthly spending limit on a per card basis.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

You can send spending limits for additional plat charge card holders. It's done under "account management". You can set the monthly spending limit on a per card basis.

Interesting, I've never seen that option there before, but right you are. Only appears with the charge - no option to limit spend on any additional credit cards, only the charge itself. Thanks for the tip!

 

[lovestotravel]

You can send spending limits for additional plat charge card holders. It's done under "account management". You can set the monthly spending limit on a per card basis.

Wow - Never knew that, must do that for the Mrs..

 

[andye]

I didn't know this. Thanks for the information! I do get the occasional emails offering 10k to give the first supplementary card. It never says which card so I always assumed the plat charge. Does the email have to say for the Reserve card?

The email usually has the last 4 digits of the applicable card top-right. I recently had a 15k point offer for a supp on my Reserve

 

[bwup2]

make someone an additional cardholder but don't want to give them a no-limit card

Charge card now has the limit control under account management. I just noticed it two months ago.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Charge card now has the limit control under account management. I just noticed it two months ago.

Indeed, noted by others up thread.