AMEX platinum and black flight deals?

[kazino]

My friends have told me that they do excellent flight deals, like free upgrade to business class and 3 for 2.
I am a member but have not explored these deals, anybody had any luck with them

[billybuds]

Take a look here, the lads over there know pretty much all there is to know about making the most of your AMEX

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-express-me...

[5potTurbo]

billybuds said:

Take a look here, the lads over there know pretty much all there is to know about making the most of your AMEX

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-express-me...

Many of the topics ^^^ there are for U.S customers, who have many more benefits than UK/European AmEx cardholders do, e.g. a US Gold card has lower fees and more useful benefits than a UK/European Platinum card.
I recently cancelled my Platinum AmEx card in the Benelux region as it simply wasn't worth the annual fee. My bank gives me a card with better benefits for 1/5 the cost.

[kazino]

Thanks, will check it out

[David Beer]

I have been 'black' for many years and titanium for two, worth every penny. The upper class lounge at heathrow on three trips a year offsets the cost somewhat , if you plan flights wisely. Ie no hotel the night before and no meals at the seafood bar(always spent £120 per visit, for two) This year my brietling sprung a leak while in lake powell, covered under insurance from Amex. You also get virgin gold status so you can be the one with way too many bags at check in,4 bags at 43kg !!! did so this august with the tent and stuff. With Amex points, travelled upper class out and prem back, the no queue at customs is also very nice. If you were to have the card for 'wow factor' absolutely yesssssssss. not sure why I was "invited" to the card though.

[anonymous-user]

Just had a letter from Amex saying that the UK platinum card fee is going up from £300 to £450

I think that is too much for the benefits it comes with. The ones I use would cost me about £250 to replace annually and, whilst I could stomach £50 for the additional things that I might use one day, the increase just isn't worth it to me.

I shall be on my way come renewal time.

[oyster]

JPJPJP said:

Just had a letter from Amex saying that the UK platinum card fee is going up from £300 to £450

I think that is too much for the benefits it comes with. The ones I use would cost me about £250 to replace annually and, whilst I could stomach £50 for the additional things that I might use one day, the increase just isn't worth it to me.

I shall be on my way come renewal time.

And this despite their serious watering down of the travel insurance benefit?

I think mine will not be renewed either.

[WhereamI]

If you don't travel a lot in business class and stay in the higher end hotels I doubt that it is worth it, but if you do it's great. With a Centurian card you are enrolled in so many things I have a separate wallet for all the cards but they bring late checkout, room upgrades, included breakfast, wi-fi etc., hire car upgrades, if you book restaurants with them they sometimes give free wine or dessert or cocktails, companion fares are great - I sometimes take my wife on business trips and get two business class tickets for the price of one and so on. In some places people will meet you and take you straight through immigration without queueing, they provide a limo at some airports for free... You don't get so much with Platinum but the principle is the same.

But it all hinges around you spending a lot on travel, most of it doesn't really make it cheaper, but it does make it better. A companion fare only happens if you are flying business so whilst my wife and I might fly to Australia cheaper than we would if we bought two business class tickets it's not cheaper then both of us flying at the back of the plane. We might get a nicer room, late checkout etc. in an expensive hotel but it still costs more than staying somewhere else.

[mattdaniels]

I got a BA Amex Card this year for the first time, pretty muchfor the companion voucher and the accelerated Avios.

[Zod]

David Beer said:

I have been 'black' for many years and titanium for two, worth every penny. The upper class lounge at heathrow on three trips a year offsets the cost somewhat , if you plan flights wisely. Ie no hotel the night before and no meals at the seafood bar(always spent £120 per visit, for two) This year my brietling sprung a leak while in lake powell, covered under insurance from Amex. You also get virgin gold status so you can be the one with way too many bags at check in,4 bags at 43kg !!! did so this august with the tent and stuff. With Amex points, travelled upper class out and prem back, the no queue at customs is also very nice. If you were to have the card for 'wow factor' absolutely yesssssssss. not sure why I was "invited" to the card though.

I've had the card since they were first issued in the UK in 1998. No idea why they selected me then as I cannot have met any income or spending requirement, but they do nicely out of me now.

[David Beer]

swerni said:

Mine renewed a couple of months ago at £300.

No way I would pay £450 especially as stated about the travel insurance.

I guess you would not pay £1800 for the centurion then! Just as example, one night completely free at the fairmont in San fran in June, no strings. As I mentioned above the excellent travel insurance

[Zod]

I've more than made the fee back with some of he Centurion offers in the last year.