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Platinum Amex - Worth it?

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    I am debating whether to get one. I have the Costco Amex, which is great in terms of getting a nice little check every February.

    However, I am curious about the upgrades the Platinum offers and if it's worth cancelling my Costco Amex of just keeping both.
    Thanks!

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    Whether or not to get the Platinum AmEx? In a word... Heck Yeah!

    The perks are outstanding. The concierge service (for tough tables and tickets to sold-out events and concerts) and entry into otherwise inaccessible airport lounges are each worth the price of admission. Not to mention the automatic hotel upgrades.

    Customer service rocks also.

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    There is a thread or two here regardig Amex upgrades, in my case, they refer to the Amex Business Platinum. It is very well worth it, but you have to know how to work it.

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    If you travel a lot, the Platinum card is definitely worth it. But I have to disagree about the concierge service being able to get tough tables.

    The concierges I've spoken to, when I asked, have openly admitted that they have no more pull in getting a reservation at most restaurants than if I were to call them myself. To which I replied, "Then why don't I just call the restaurant directly?" The concierges often said that some people use the service to handle multiple or complex reservations, which saves you from having to call at the right hours and make multiple phone calls.

    The exception, of course, is when you are trying to reserve a table with a restaurant in the Platinum Dining Reservations (formally known as the Fine Dining and Hot Plates program). In those situations, the restaurant has an agreement with American Express to reserve one table per night for Platinum Card holders. However, you still usually need to call far in advance to take advantage of this program. I don't think I've ever actually gotten a table somewhere that I wouldn't have been able to get on my own. Once a restaurant is difficult to get into, the nightly Platinum table is usually no longer available. On the plus side, the selection of restaurants is very good, and they always let you know who they spoke to at the restaurant in case there is a problem.

    I will say that the Platinum Card does a very good job with international reservations. If you want to reserve a table somewhere and you don't speak the language, the concierge service will take care of everything for you. On the other hand, your hotel's concierge can do that just as easily.

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    For $300 a year, the Platinum Card in my opinion is well worth it. My family has used the hotel program extensively all over the states and abroad. You get a room upgrade, breakfast, a 4:00 checkout and some other amenity (usually a lunch or massage). So if you only use this once at hotel you have broken even.

    In addition, they have the companion airline ticket program, which can save you thousands on overseas travel.

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    The most valuable thing about AMEX Platinum, in my opinion, is free use of airport lounges for Continental, Northwest, Delta, and American when you fly those carriers.

    The cost, by the way, is now about $450 a year now. The FHR hotel program is essentially equivalent to Virtuoso which also has negotiated pricing, upgrades, free breakfasts, and extra amenities (and more properties than AMEX) -- but there's no charge to book through a Virtuoso TA.

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    I have found that there are enough benefits from the Platinum Card that you can easily take advantage of within a year's time to make it "worth it." The problem, or trick depending on your point of view, is that it helps if you make yourself aware of all of the benefits so that you don't forget to take advantage of them. For example, you can instantly save yourself hundreds of dollars just by taking advantage of the Extended Warranty program if you ever have a product that breaks on you after the factory warranty expires. Or if you lose your luggage, you can call up Amex and they'll give you money towards a replacement wardrobe. But all of the benefits have fine print that can make them slightly less stellar than they sound.

    — Layth CarlsonIn addition, they have the companion airline ticket program, which can save you thousands on overseas travel.

    While I admit that I haven't done this in awhile, I was never able to take advantage of this program because they only gave you a free companion ticket if you paid for a full single refundable fare. The refundable fare is often more expensive than getting two non-refundable fares. But, you could save thousands of dollars if you actually needed refundable tickets.

    — DavidOThe most valuable thing about AMEX Platinum, in my opinion, is free use of airport lounges for Continental, Northwest, Delta, and American when you fly those carriers.

    It's actually only for "participating" lounges from each of those airlines. There are lot of lounges that are run by those airlines that are not part of the programs. And you need to be flying on one of those airlines on the day that you use the lounge. You can't be flying Delta and just wander into a participating Northwest lounge.

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    I concur with DavidO. The airline companion program only works if you purchase a fully refundable, full-price ticket, which is considerably higher than a regular fare. Unless you absolutely must purchase a fully refundable ticket, it would cost far less to simply purchase two tickets. So this Platinum card "perk" is barely that.

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    It's not so much that the concierges are doing something that only they can do. Of course you can make reservations on your own. And they can't just muscle you in somewhere. But, if you're extremely busy, or at the office and don't want to make a bunch of international phone calls, you can rattle off a list of places you'd like to go to, or even get recommendations from them, and they'll just take care of it. Then they send you a little itinerary with everything you need to know. It's nice to feel like someone is watching out for you.

    Also, they don't just do reservations. If you want flowers sent to someone, anywhere in the world, they know who to call to make it happen. I wouldn't have time to research that kind of thing on my own.

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    Well, I'll be honest. I don't use most of the perks of the Platinum Amex card. Although I do like having their 24/7 Global Assist Hotline in my cell phone wherever I go. The benefit kicks in whenever you are more than 100 miles from home. They help you with things like replacing lost prescriptions, lost luggage, emergency cash, getting a hotel room if a major problem arises. Thankfully I've never had to use the service, which I suppose that means that I can't say if it's any good or not. I just feel a little more secure knowing that there's someone I can call to help solve a problem when I'm away from home.

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