Amex Platinum Charge Card 75,000 Bonus for New Approvals (valid to March 2011)

[dragoman]

Hi! Was a lurker but found this forum quite useful for a lot of things and decided to post my experience re this offer...

Spoke to Amex over the past few days - am currently a plat credit card member and they advised i will roll over to the Reserve. I saw the ad for the platcard and 75k points and wanted to get one but was disappointed at first when I read this forum which said it was only for new-new customers.

In any case i called them up and got conflicting stories - one customer officer said I couldn't get the points as was existing amex customer. I spoke to another one who gave the new accounts department a call and she said that I could get the following offer as i was an existing member:
i. Annual fee of $600 for the first year and
ii. They would give me 75k points if spent $500 p.m. by December

I got them to reassure me repeatedly and she documented this on my file. Also had a voicemail from them advising this so hopefully they will come good on it. She was relatively confident that I will get the above offer - as she said was automatic for existing customers. I will reconfirm with them before activating my card.

As an aside, I called in Aug on another method pre the promotion to get my Plat CC fee waived when it is next renewed ($349 p.a.) and they agreed apparently due to my good spend history (which I don't think it that flash ~$2-3k pm?). Will be able to keep the flight as well.

Hope this helps and maybe can help with negotiating with amex - ask them to speak to new cards...

My Platinum charge card ($450 under the recent blue moon offer) arrived just as the 75,000 points promo appeared. I hadn’t validated it then so as I’d prefer the points to the discount I asked if I could cancel it, credit the $450, & re-apply under the 75,000 bonus scheme. An Amex person (who had my existing record in front of him) said yes I could definitely do so.

But after reading Ermen’s 9/10/10 I decided to try for the points and a discount to $600. Spent 45 minutes talking to three levels of Amex people, one of whom said that he contacted the new card dept - all anxious to help (33 year good record, etc) but each of them contradicted the earlier advice, saying that existing members are not eligible.

When I quoted Ermen (as an acquaintance who preferred to remain anonymous) they eventually said that if I provided his name they would give me the same $600 deal plus the 75,000 points (& assured me that he would keep his too...)!!

 

[Stephen65]

I applied under the offer that provided for a $600 fee in the first year and a $750 travel voucher if you spent more than $27,000 in the first three months. Those three months are almost up and I have spent the $27K so I will be reminding them soon about the voucher.

 

[Fifa]

I have been looking at applying for one of these cards so this promo has arrived at a perfect time.

However, nowhere can I find any mention of the 4 free supplementary cards as has been advertised previously (which I require).

The only detail is as follows:
"Platinum Card Service - The Card Service is here to help whether you need emergency assistance, your account balance, Membership Rewards point's redemptions or additional Supplementary Cards".

UPDATE: I phoned and it was confirmed that you do get 4 free supplementary cards!

 

[beardoc]

Just wondering, if you are a new customer, would you get the Reserve Card for free when getting this Platinum Charge Card? The ad does not mention this.

I'm interested in this too - I know you used to get the credit card for free with the Charge card, but I can't see anything about it with the revamped Platinum line. I've had the credit card for years - and don't want to give it up when I upgrade to the Charge card early next year.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

But after reading Ermen’s 9/10/10 I decided to try for the points and a discount to $600. Spent 45 minutes talking to three levels of Amex people, one of whom said that he contacted the new card dept - all anxious to help (33 year good record, etc) but each of them contradicted the earlier advice, saying that existing members are not eligible.

When I quoted Ermen (as an acquaintance who preferred to remain anonymous) they eventually said that if I provided his name they would give me the same $600 deal plus the 75,000 points (& assured me that he would keep his too...)!!

Unfortunately would not budge for me. It was either take it at $600, or get the 75,000.

I don't need the insurance till Xmas.....so will see how I go...

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I'm interested in this too - I know you used to get the credit card for free with the Charge card, but I can't see anything about it with the revamped Platinum line. I've had the credit card for years - and don't want to give it up when I upgrade to the Charge card early next year.

When I rang last week to enquire about moving to the Charge card they confirmed that I could get a free Reserve card, with flight etc.

Also when you read about the Charge card on the Platinum site it indicated that you get a free Platinum Credit card.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Ok..I had a look and here are the details:

https://www.iplatinum.americanexpre...a/FrontServlet?request_type=PlatinumPortfolio


Platinum Portfolio
Platinum Card membership entitles you to a portfolio of Cards, available at no extra cost:

• An Additional Platinum Card is available to you to assist with separating your personal and professional expenses.
  
  
• You are also entitled to hold the Platinum Credit Card for no additional fee, saving you $395 per year. It's an ideal companion to the Charge Card - with a wide range of lifestyle benefits, including a high credit limit of up to $100,000 (subject to credit criteria) where you can choose to pay your balance over time, as well as a competitive interest rate. You'll also receive one Qantas economy domestic return flight every year between selected capital cities in Australia1.
  
  
• Platinum Card membership entitles you to apply for up to four Platinum Supplementary Cards for friends and family, at no extra cost. This allows you to share the benefits you enjoy with Platinum, including travel privileges, emergency services and access to Platinum experiences, with those closest to you. All charges made on the cards will appear on your monthly statement, ensuring you are always in control of your account.

You'll earn valuable Membership Rewards points on all Cards in your portfolio, helping you reach the rewards you want faster2, so there's every reason to take advantage of the extra Cards at your disposal.

To apply for your Additional Platinum Card, click here.

To apply for your Platinum Credit Card, click here.

To apply for your Supplementary Cards, click here.

 

[beardoc]

As I've just discovered in the last 24 hours there's now a professional organisation (in my case, AMA) branded Platinum Charge Card for a $700 annual fee. I've been trying a few customer service people this morning about trying to apply for the AMA card with the $700 annual fee ongoing and getting the promotional 75,000 bonus points as well - tried with two customer service agents telling me that I either have to go through the AMA website to sign up and forgo the points, or sign up on the Amex promotional website and get the points, but with the $900 annual fee.

Would be interested if anyone else has any luck.

 

[auriga]

Ok..I had a look and here are the details:

https://www.iplatinum.americanexpre...a/FrontServlet?request_type=PlatinumPortfolio


Platinum Portfolio
Platinum Card membership entitles you to a portfolio of Cards, available at no extra cost:

• An Additional Platinum Card is available to you to assist with separating your personal and professional expenses.
  
  
• You are also entitled to hold the Platinum Credit Card for no additional fee, saving you $395 per year. It's an ideal companion to the Charge Card - with a wide range of lifestyle benefits, including a high credit limit of up to $100,000 (subject to credit criteria) where you can choose to pay your balance over time, as well as a competitive interest rate. You'll also receive one Qantas economy domestic return flight every year between selected capital cities in Australia1.
  
  

Qantas return flight???

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Qantas return flight???

I would suggest that they have not gotten around to updating every page which is why I also rang and had clarified that if you get the Charge card that you still get the CC card with flight.
As reported you do.

It is not now the Qantas flight as per this thread, and the re-worked plat offerings..

 

[lovetravellingoz]

As I've just discovered in the last 24 hours there's now a professional organisation (in my case, AMA) branded Platinum Charge Card for a $700 annual fee. I've been trying a few customer service people this morning about trying to apply for the AMA card with the $700 annual fee ongoing and getting the promotional 75,000 bonus points as well - tried with two customer service agents telling me that I either have to go through the AMA website to sign up and forgo the points, or sign up on the Amex promotional website and get the points, but with the $900 annual fee.

Would be interested if anyone else has any luck.

Purely a guess, but it would appear that a few people got both when the new Plat first emerged, but that Amex have now firmed up on it being take the discount, or take the points, but not both.

 

[beardoc]

Purely a guess, but it would appear that a few people got both when the new Plat first emerged, but that Amex have now firmed up on it being take the discount, or take the points, but not both.

The difference being this is not a one-time discount, but a permanent reduction in the annual fee for the AMA card over and above the initial discount - I'm hoping for the regular AMA co-branded Platinum Charge Card, and getting a sign up bonus on top of that. Depending on your perspective, this might be more achievable.

 

[kpc]

The difference being this is not a one-time discount, but a permanent reduction in the annual fee for the AMA card over and above the initial discount - I'm hoping for the regular AMA co-branded Platinum Charge Card, and getting a sign up bonus on top of that. Depending on your perspective, this might be more achievable.

Maybe you can sign up for the $900 PA one with the 75K bonus pts, and then switch to the AMA one ($700 PA) after 1 year as a last resort:idea:

 

[ermen]

My Platinum charge card ($450 under the recent blue moon offer) arrived just as the 75,000 points promo appeared. I hadn’t validated it then so as I’d prefer the points to the discount I asked if I could cancel it, credit the $450, & re-apply under the 75,000 bonus scheme. An Amex person (who had my existing record in front of him) said yes I could definitely do so.

But after reading Ermen’s 9/10/10 I decided to try for the points and a discount to $600. Spent 45 minutes talking to three levels of Amex people, one of whom said that he contacted the new card dept - all anxious to help (33 year good record, etc) but each of them contradicted the earlier advice, saying that existing members are not eligible.

When I quoted Ermen (as an acquaintance who preferred to remain anonymous) they eventually said that if I provided his name they would give me the same $600 deal plus the 75,000 points (& assured me that he would keep his too...)!!

I have an update to this.
So I got my card and went to activate it and found out to my horror that they were going to charge me $900 (not $600 as earlier advised). I spoke to Amex and requested to speak to the consultant who gave me the earlier advice. After some to-ing and fro-ing, she advised that she was so sorry that she made a mistake and that I could either get 75k points or $600 deal. Not both. I chose the 75k points and said that I will cancel if unhappy and expect a refund. To date the points haven't been credited yet so will see how it goes.

If they end up not crediting me with 75k points, I will cancel my card immediately and will make it quite clear that it was pretty bad form to waste my time after speaking to 2 seperate consultants.

 

[beardoc]

Maybe you can sign up for the $900 PA one with the 75K bonus pts, and then switch to the AMA one ($700 PA) after 1 year as a last resort:idea:

That's my backup plan. Although the the professional organisation gets a trailing commission from the use of the card and for that reason I would prefer getting one card and sticking to it. Just not having to change credit cards yet again would be another reason.

 

[delfredo]

I have an update to this.
After some to-ing and fro-ing, she advised that she was so sorry that she made a mistake and that I could either get 75k points or $600 deal. Not both. I chose the 75k points and said that I will cancel if unhappy and expect a refund. To date the points haven't been credited yet so will see how it goes.

That's the risk of applying or agreeing the terms through the phone. You have no visibility over what they enter into the system. I prefer to rely on written offers and electronic applications as I have more control over the accuracy of information submitted. Let us know how you go, from the sounds of it I think there shouldn't be a problem for you in getting the 75k bonus. You have the offer T&C to fall on.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The difference being this is not a one-time discount, but a permanent reduction in the annual fee for the AMA card over and above the initial discount - I'm hoping for the regular AMA co-branded Platinum Charge Card, and getting a sign up bonus on top of that. Depending on your perspective, this might be more achievable.

True, but I have always had my Maxmiser refunded and Amex have already agreed to refund my existing Plat CC fee and so I would be willing to take the punt that I could get a regular discount. ie was offered the Charge at $600 this year, but the $900 with 75K of MR points would be more beneficial. And I am no longer eligible for a Professional discount as I chose to leave my Association some years back.

 

[Limewood]

What is the go with annual free flight, can it be say Cairns to Perth?

Does one free flight come with each annual card renew?

 

[straitman]

What is the go with annual free flight, can it be say Cairns to Perth?

Does one free flight come with each annual card renew?

It is on the web site and I think listed earlier in this thread.

Where are you starting from?

Now it is with DJ, most major cities are covered.

 

[Limewood]

My understanding is, it's 75000 FF points plus a free domestic flight from a capital city only, as I'm in Cairns guess to get to Perth have to go out of Brisbane. I don't want to have to use my QFF points for domestic as will ad these to the 300K I have now so both me and my lady can go to US in J later.