AMEX Platinum 100k SUB

[nolanryan]

Is there a thread aimed at maximizing the Platinum card? I have an offer for 100k points plus 10x points at grocery stores and I am not sure if I want to apply or not.

 

From what I can find here are some highlights to consider.

 

Annual fee is $550

points are worth approximately $.02 a point when redeemed for travel.

get $15 a month for Uber or Uber eats plus an extra $20 in December= $200 annual

$100 in Saks credits

$100 for Global Entry

 

I would probably get the card and cancel it before the second annual fee came due. Is there anything else I should consider? 

[CTSoxFan]

I believe you also get access to the AmEx lounges in airports, although there isn't one in every airport, so you might want to check your local one.  100k is the best SUB I have seen on the card.  You can also downgrade to a gold after year 1 to save some of the AF but not close the account...and may get an offer to upgrade back to platinum at some point for bonus MRs.

[centex]

There are also monthly credits on cell and streaming...that makes for another few hundred a year.   And, for those who still fly, there is $200 annually in certain additional fees on your airline of choice...

 

I've also made good use of the status upgrade with National.

 

If you travel in the slightest, the card pays YOU when all is said and done.  100K points and 10x on grocery, even for a limited time is just icing on the cake...

[nolanryan]

9 hours ago, centex said:

There are also monthly credits on cell and streaming...that makes for another few hundred a year.   And, for those who still fly, there is $200 annually in certain additional fees on your airline of choice...

 

I've also made good use of the status upgrade with National.

 

If you travel in the slightest, the card pays YOU when all is said and done.  100K points and 10x on grocery, even for a limited time is just icing on the cake...

I can’t find where Amex lists a $200 travel credit as a benefit. Are you sure that’s not just chase?

[nolanryan]

9 hours ago, CTSoxFan said:

I believe you also get access to the AmEx lounges in airports, although there isn't one in every airport, so you might want to check your local one.  100k is the best SUB I have seen on the card.  You can also downgrade to a gold after year 1 to save some of the AF but not close the account...and may get an offer to upgrade back to platinum at some point for bonus MRs.

DFW has a lounge so that’s good 

[cv91915]

I've written three long threads in recent(ish) years about the value I got from the Platinum.

 

Without hashing through all of the details, as long as you use the MRs and don't waste them on merchandise or some other stupid redemption, it's impossible not to come out significantly ahead in year 1 with a SUB like this.

 

Not directly related to the previous statement, but make sure you have realistic expectations of how much value you'll get from the lounges.  

 

The CL at DFW, for example, is in Terminal D, and very few of my departures leave from there...  and without a long layover or getting to the airport really, really early, there is very little utility in an airport lounge that isn't in your departure terminal.  

 

You'll make special trip on the train to get to/from the CL once or twice, but after that when you're hungry you'll again find yourself  buying a cold sandwich from a walk-up vendor near the gate where your flight departs.

[centex]

17 hours ago, nolanryan said:

I can’t find where Amex lists a $200 travel credit as a benefit. Are you sure that’s not just chase?

According to my Plat benefits page...

 

Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^® Account.^*‡

Edited May 13, 2021 by centex

[centex]

3 hours ago, centex said:

 

 

Edited May 13, 2021 by centex
dup

[nolanryan]

5 hours ago, centex said:

According to my Plat benefits page...

 

Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^® Account.^*‡

Found it. Do you know if buying a airline gift card will trigger the credit? I have done it in the past but haven't applied for a card in a while

[nolanryan]

Also, are the benefits per calendar year? If I get the card this month, can I use all the benefits again, such as the airline credit, next year and then cancel before the annual fee comes due again?

 

[centex]

3 hours ago, nolanryan said:

Also, are the benefits per calendar year? If I get the card this month, can I use all the benefits again, such as the airline credit, next year and then cancel before the annual fee comes due again?

 

I cannot speak to gaming in that fashion, but I know the benefit resets on/about Jan 1 of each year...I don't recall the specific date of the email reminding me of the reset each year though. 

 

There have also been some card-specific offers that were basically free money on purchases I would have made anyhow...such as the spend $50 at Home Depot for an item that was delivered and get a $50 credit, TWICE. And the spend at least $100 at Dell.com and get a $100 credit. 

 

The card clearly pays for itself without exerting a lot of effort...

[centex]

4 hours ago, nolanryan said:

Found it. Do you know if buying a airline gift card will trigger the credit? I have done it in the past but haven't applied for a card in a while

I have not tried that route.  In the early days, when United still had last minute deals, a quirk in the system treated those tickets as a qualifying purchase, which basically got me a couple of free trips every year...it isn't as much that AXP caught on as United has quit offering those, so I don't know how those would code out nowadays.  I never saw a need to do the gift cards though since I can burn the credit through organic travel spend. 

[hdporter]

8 hours ago, nolanryan said:

Found it. Do you know if buying a airline gift card will trigger the credit? I have done it in the past but haven't applied for a card in a while

 

A very thorough discussion re use of the credit:

 

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/choosing-your-amex-platinum-200-airline-fee-credit/

[nolanryan]

On 5/13/2021 at 10:18 AM, centex said:

I cannot speak to gaming in that fashion, but I know the benefit resets on/about Jan 1 of each year...I don't recall the specific date of the email reminding me of the reset each year though. 

 

There have also been some card-specific offers that were basically free money on purchases I would have made anyhow...such as the spend $50 at Home Depot for an item that was delivered and get a $50 credit, TWICE. And the spend at least $100 at Dell.com and get a $100 credit. 

 

The card clearly pays for itself without exerting a lot of effort...

Thanks for your feedback. It appears buying airline gift cards is dead. How have you used your airline credits? I have read through the lists of what triggers the credits and what doesn't.  The only thing that seems interesting is inflight drinks lol. We don't pay for checked bags, or assigned seats. It would be nice if upgrades were covered but alas they are not.

[nolanryan]

On 5/13/2021 at 2:14 PM, hdporter said:

 

A very thorough discussion re use of the credit:

 

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/choosing-your-amex-platinum-200-airline-fee-credit/

Awesome. Thank you for posting. This was really helpful to understand what is covered and what isn't .

[centex]

14 hours ago, nolanryan said:

Thanks for your feedback. It appears buying airline gift cards is dead. How have you used your airline credits? I have read through the lists of what triggers the credits and what doesn't.  The only thing that seems interesting is inflight drinks lol. We don't pay for checked bags, or assigned seats. It would be nice if upgrades were covered but alas they are not.

Depends on the airline...I have been reimbursed for the TOD's offer at check-in.  There are some routes where I know to expect them and so I book steerage, err coach.  At least as of last year, AXP was still reimbursing me for those on UA.  I've not traveled much this year, with only the early trip to Vegas right before the Super Bowl...

[cv91915]

I used my 2020 credits on AA 500-mile upgrade credits for when TAD and I travel together, and so far in 2021 I've been using them for food purchases in Admirals Clubs.   

 

With full food and beverage service returning to AA planes "sometime this summer," I probably won't be buying many "meals" in Admirals Clubs anymore, so I'll use what's left for more upgrade credits.

 

[DPB]

On 5/12/2021 at 12:42 PM, CTSoxFan said:

I believe you also get access to the AmEx lounges in airports, although there isn't one in every airport, so you might want to check your local one.  100k is the best SUB I have seen on the card.  You can also downgrade to a gold after year 1 to save some of the AF but not close the account...and may get an offer to upgrade back to platinum at some point for bonus MRs.

You also get access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying on Delta.

Also, you can downgrade to green if you want, although I see far more benefit in the gold card. 

 

On 5/12/2021 at 1:28 PM, centex said:

There are also monthly credits on cell and streaming...that makes for another few hundred a year.

Those credits were replaced with a monthly $15 PayPal credit.