Upgraded to Amex Platinum (pics)

[Patranus]

I can't see any flaws in this plan. When my transmission fucked up because it's a piece of shit, the garage gave me a repair bill for $2000 so I went down to the bank and withdraw what felt like 10 pounds worth of bills. It felt a bit weird carrying that much money around but I felt safe because the repair shop is located in a gun free zone where criminals don't carry guns and thus cannot rob me.

LOL

 

[yllus]

+1000000 for SPG by Amex. stopped using my blue cash in favor of this.

btw, i was only charged an annual fee of $50...

Unfortunately Canadian fees are higher. That said, I was grandfathered into the plan and didn't pay any fee for my first year.

 

[rasczak]

No shit!

Enjoy the read: deleted

Of course he deletes it but its a good read none-the-less.

sucks that you had to bring this out of L&R.

 

[zinfamous]

It's really not unless it's used correctly.

You get VIP Lounge access at airports. You get reembursed for meals on flights (basically free meals). You get some opportunities to earn more points. You get a cool magazine for Plat and Black card holders only called Departures. And some other stuff.

...so a $450/year subscription to an Ad-laden magazine.

excellent.

 

[thephew]

Have you taken a look at the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express?

+1 on SPG Amex. I've averaged over 6% rewards yield using this card and booking hotel stays using SPG's "Cash and Points" program. The rewards yield is much lower when you redeem the points for flights, but at least the option is there.

The Starwood hotel network is great for staying in cities and/or resorts, but falls short in that they don't have a ubiquitous, affordable chain like Hilton's Hampton Inn. Aloft and Four Points locations are pretty sparse.

However, it's more fun to redeem points for say, the Westin Aruba, than an interstate hotel.

 

[zinfamous]

dunno where u live, but i use amex almost 99% of the time. the only thing i use my visa for is to pay the sewer bill =\

VISA is still far more accepted than Amex. then try to cross the border--you'll be hard pressed to find anything that accepts Amex.

 

[DaTT]

Could you imagine having to pay this kind of money to spend money? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_Card

Scroll down until you see the "initiation" fees.

 

[silverpig]

Have you taken a look at the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express? It's got rather good points-to-airlines conversion rates, the SPG points are good for Starwood hotel stays themselves, and it's $120/year instead of $500. I believe it's one of the best cards one can own in Canada.

To further add value to the system, you can hit up the SPG @ FlyerTalk.com Forums.

Yeah I've had that one recommended to me as well. With the amount I'll probably be putting on it for work, I think the 1.5 miles/$ over the 1 point/$ will be worth it.

 

[halik]

Don't fly enough to make it worth while

 

[dmcowen674]

This weekend I upgraded from Gold to Platinum and I just got my Plat card in the mail today.

With it, I get:

VIP Lounge Access
Concierge
Bragging rights

Annual fee is $450.

Bragging rights that you are a rich dumbass?

 

[dainthomas]

Could you imagine having to pay this kind of money to spend money? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_Card

Scroll down until you see the "initiation" fees.

I save WAY more than that when I get free companion tickets to fly with my supermodel girlfriend to Macao or Abu Dhabi. Totally worth it. :thumbsup:

 

[Engineer]

$450 invested each year for 30 years with an average return of 8% would have netted you 55,055.64. That is all.

 

[dmcowen674]

$450 invested each year for 30 years with an average return of 8% would have netted you 55,055.64. That is all.

Hey hey hey Amex CEO has to get his bonus and perks

 

[The-Noid]

$450 invested each year for 30 years with an average return of 8% would have netted you 55,055.64. That is all.

450 [((1 + .08)^30 - 1) / .08]

50,977 assuming no tax.

{450 {[((1 + .08)^30 - 1) / .08] - (450 * 30)}(1-.15)} + (450 * 30)

45,355 assuming 15% long term capital gains and investment can be held each year

450 [((1 + (.08*.65)^30 - 1) / .08]

30,944 assuming 35% marginal bracket and taxes paid each year as short-term capital gains or interest income.

I still reiterate the only way I continue my Amex Platinum card is if it is free. There are many people that are willing to give you a card with as good a perks with no fee.

 

[silverpig]

Bragging rights that you are a rich dumbass?

You don't even have to be rich. The application here says you need to make $60k. Oh and you have to have $450 to spend. That's squarely in middle class territory there.

 

[silverpig]

I still reiterate the only way I continue my Amex Platinum card is if it is free. There are many people that are willing to give you a card with as good a perks with no fee.

How do you swing that?

 

[arcenite]

404 bragging rights not found

 

[dmcowen674]

You don't even have to be rich.

The application here says you need to make $60k.

Oh and you have to have $450 to spend.

That's squarely in middle class territory there.

What country's middle class?

 

[LikeLinus]

What country's middle class?

The good ol' USA.

The 2008 census reported the medium income as $50,233. The PewResearch Center suggests that the middle income range is 75 percent to 150 percent of the median income. This would make the middle class income range $37,675 to $75,350.

 

[potluv]

Excellent, you should buy a new desk to take more pictures of your Amex card on a better desk.

 

[MaxFusion16]

Big deal, I've had an Amex platinum and starwood since college. I didn't post a thread about it.

 

[shortylickens]

__________BUMP!___________


Does anyone have a black USAA Amex?
And is 9.9 percent good or bad for American Express?

 

[ShawnD1]

BUMP!


Does anyone have a black USAA Amex?
And is 9.9 percent good or bad for American Express?

Absolutely terrible. My Visa is 0% (if I pay my bills like a responsible person would).

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Is the best (most worth it) card still a cashback card?

My friend and I have all these arguments. She always says that her new card gives her 10k miles, and if she uses it at blah blah blah hotel she gets another 10k miles. Blah blah. I bet half of this is exaggeration. My parents used to have a United card. Granted it's not as COOL as an Amex Platinum or whatever, but when you do the math, each $1 = 1 mile, etc, and you get a free ticket at x0,000 miles, and when you do the math, it's not even as good as a cashback card. Maybe like 0.75% or 0.5%. In the end, you might as well just pocket the cash.

Of course the feeling of a FREE AIRLINE ticket might just sound so cool people get deceived. But if you want raw $$ amount, I believe a cashback card is the way to go?

Unless you use a lot of the travel rewards and free upgrades that you really end up paying back with your yearly fee...

 

[dmcowen674]

Upgraded to Amex Platinum (pics)

This weekend I upgraded from Gold to Platinum and I just got my Plat card in the mail today.

With it, I get:

VIP Lounge Access
Concierge
Bragging rights

Annual fee is $450.

Bragging rights for being a punk rich asshole?

Once Americans start beating the asses of the rich you won't be bragging so much.