Given how often I travel, a lot of people want to know my opinion on the best credit or charge card to use.
Let me tell you from first-hand experience, there is no better investment in travel than an Platinum Card from American Express.
I know what you’re thinking: Why would anyone shell out $450 for this card when there are plenty of other options that charge no annual fee? Well, as you’re about to find out, it’s an absolute steal at that price.
It would take me too long to list all of the benefits of being an AMEX Platinum cardholder, but let me share with you some of my favorite benefits. By the way, if you already have a Platinum Card, I suggest you read this anyway, as you will probably learn about a number of great benefits that you didn’t realize you had.
The Top-10 Benefits of the American Express Platinum Card
1. Extended Warranty Protection. Granted, this has nothing to do with travel, but it’s a great perk: AMEX gives you an extended warranty of up to one year on any item you buy (valued at $10,000 or less) on your Platinum Card. No registration is necessary; your purchases are covered automatically. In the past year alone, AMEX covered the repair of my Apple laptop that would have cost me more than $300.
2. Purchase Protection. When you buy something with your Platinum Card, it is covered against theft, loss or accidental damage for up to 90 days (up to $10,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per year). Here’s a real-life example of how this works: this past summer my wife bought a fancy dog carrier for our spoiled new puppy. Leila. On its very first use, she (the dog, not my wife) chewed through the zipper. One call to AMEX and they refunded the $120 cost of the carrier – no questions asked.
3. Fine Hotels and Resorts Program. In my experience, the Fine Hotels & Resorts Program offered through the Platinum Travel Service is the best program of its kind for high-end travelers. When booking with the program, you receive (at a minimum) a room upgrade upon check-in when available, continental breakfast for two each day, guaranteed 4pm late checkout and an additional amenity unique to each participating property. For an example of this program in action, I can point you to the April issue of Golf Odyssey, where I wrote about my excellent (and incognito) visit to the Turnberry Isle Resort & Club. Booked through the Fine Hotels & Resorts Program, did I get an excellent rate ($269 a night), I received a $100 resort credit, a wonderful upgrade to a deluxe room, and I took advantage of the late checkout. Factor in the incredible breakfast buffet (normally priced at $27 per person) and we paid about $100 a night for our room.
4. Free Access to Airline Clubs. With a Platinum Card from American Express, if you are traveling on American Airlines, Continental, Delta or Northwest, you get free same-day access to their airport club lounges. The American Airlines Admirals Club alone runs $500 a year – more than the cost of the Platinum Card!
5. Car Rental Benefits. As a Platinum Cardholder, you get free access to the premium rental car programs at Avis, Hertz and National. Not only do you bypass all the check-in lines, in my experience, you end up in better cars. And, AMEX provides additional protection so you can decline the pricey Collision Damage Waiver.
6. Baggage Insurance Plan. When you buy your plane ticket with your Platinum Card, you automatically get protection against loss or damage for a combined maximum of $3,000 for carry-on and checked luggage. If you have ever experienced a lost bag before, you know just how valuable this is. Last summer, American Airlines lost my son’s bag that contained, among other things, his $740 dental retainer and a digital camera. After endless red tape and paperwork, American Airlines wrote me a check for a paltry $464. Thankfully, the ticket had been purchased on my wife’s Platinum Card and AMEX sent us a check for more than $1,000 to cover the remaining items.
7. Free, 24/7 Concierge Service. I don’t use this very often, but when I do, I find it very useful for getting dinner reservations at top restaurants. I get the distinct sense that AMEX gets better access than one might find on their own.
8. Rewards Program. I have always liked the AMEX Membership Rewards program as I tend to utilize my airline miles for future airline tickets. Unlike other programs, you’re not locked in to one airline; AMEX allows you to transfer the miles you accumulate to a wide variety of airline mileage programs. And to the extent you have an AMEX corporate card, you can also link that to your personal card so all your miles accumulate in one place (so long as your employer allows you to keep your miles).
9. Return Protection. I recently discovered this feature, which is really great now that so many retailers have shortened their return windows. Buy something on your Platinum Card and you can return it to AMEX within 90 days if the store’s return policy has expired (limited to $300 per item, up to maximum of $300 annually).
10. Premium Global Assist Hotline. With a Platinum Card, you can call 24/7 for emergency assistance with medical, legal, financial or other issues when traveling more than 100 miles from home. Heaven forbid you get sick or lose your wallet and/or passport in some country where you don’t speak the language; help is only a phone call away.
Again, I purposely limited myself to what I felt were my 10 favorite benefits of the American Express Platinum Card, but I could go on and on.
My guess is that many people who have an AMEX Platinum card don’t utilize all the benefits, because if they did, AMEX would either need to charge more for the card or they’d lose a lot of money.
As a mentioned in my opening, I think the Platinum Card from American Express is an absolute steal at $450 per year to the extent you utilize its many benefits. The fact is, the card can pay for itself the very first time you use it and then save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars throughout the year.
Did you know? Golf Vacation Insider and Golf Odyssey are the world’s only golf publications that conduct “secret shopper” site inspections and do not accept advertising from golf courses, resorts or restaurants in order to provide you with expert, unbiased, and trusted advice.
Not already a subscriber to Golf Vacation Insider? Use this link to stay in the loop with our free tips and expert advice on which golf courses, golf resorts, discount golf vacations, and golf vacation packages are truly worth your time and money. As a bonus, we will send you a free copy of Planning the Ultimate Golf Vacation, a 40-page book filled with some of the best golf travel secrets from the editors of Golf Odyssey.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hi! It is the first time I’m accessing your website – I really liked it. And, it looks worth applying for a Platinum card. Thanks for the tips. By the way, on my site you can take a look at some (fake yet fun) tips on airline travel. Bye!