Amex Platinum and Gold

Little_Bunny

Hi all,

Please can you talk to me about how you benefit from the Amex Platinum and Gold cards? I’m debating whether to take the Platinum then cancel and get the Gold after 6 months after getting the bonuses or vice versa. Maybe you keep both or don’t recommend one over the other?

I’ve read the Head for Points website which is invaluable, but I think what is stumping me is that the Gold seems more generous for collecting points which I think is crazy seeing as the fee for Platinum is quite a lot!

I hope that’s okay, I know there is no real question there but I just want to build up an idea of which is better to rack up the points with (currently am using the free BA Amex) so would like to hear stories on how they benefit you.

Many thanks,

LB

stevenhp1987

Can you not get the Gold, get the intro rewards, then upgrade it to the platinum to get the intro rewards on that card?

There is an article on Head for Points which covers this if I recall correctly.

phill111

I've just had the Platinum Everyday Cashback for the last 2.5 months got a second card for my wife. Hit the min cashback pay out limit (£3k) and referred my wife. That's £135 on money we would have spent any way! Now my wife has signed up and I have a second card. Though not sure the next move to make after this....

PeacefulWaters

The Platinum charge card fee is excellent value if you use a lot of airport lounges and value them, if you hire a car regularly (CDW cover), if you use their hotel friends (e.g. Free Hilton breakfast for two every stay).

Worldwide travel insurance too.

If you only travel a couple of times a year, less so.

Nick_C

My advice would be to start with the Gold, and if you want to then upgrade to the Platinum later.

The PRGC has some excellent benefits. Double points on any airline spend (Even RyanAir!!), triple points on bookings made online through Amex Travel, and two free lounge passes.

I think you can get a bonus if you want to upgrade from Gold to Plat later. Don't think this would apply the other way around, is it would be a downgrade.

And if you have a partner, refer each other and double up on points.

Nick_C

I would also say consider trying to get the Lloyds Avios cards, which I think are still available in branch and possibly by phone. £24 fee and no sign up bonus, but no foreign currency loading and 2.5 Avios for every pound spent on the Amex card in the first six months.

Little_Bunny

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the prompt responses

I don’t think that the Platinum really suits me as I’m not the biggest traveller or lounge user (in my dreams lol), so I’m toying with the idea of getting that then 6 months later getting the Gold and keeping that for the year. It still has some good benefits, in fact I don’t know if it’s just me but it seems to be a better card than the Platinum which is crazy as the latter is so expensive! That’s sort of why I was asking do people really keep it and not just the well heeled of people who prolifically travel but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Many thanks, also for the PMs I will take them on board when I apply, just need to pay off some small debts first before I can trigger the thresholds for the Platinum quickly.

LB

Cheetah

Are you referring to the Platinum with the £450 fee?!....why would you get that at all given whats been mentioned in this thread.

Little_Bunny

Hi Cheetah,

Apologies if I wasn!!!8217;t clear!! I meant I will cancel to get a pro-rata refund of the fee but then get and keep the Gold for the full year. I would appreciate the Gold status of the hotel loyalty schemes so that might be the way to go. And then with the Gold card I can get those $75 upgrades. You are right in that the card might not be the best as I!!!8217;m not a high flyer (literally lol) but I would want to get the bonus (hopefully I do though as I did get the Platinum maybe 4 years ago and did just that - I know Amex are getting iffy about that I read somewhere).

Thanks for everyone!!!8217;s help

LB