AMEX Platinum Charge Card

[kinghong_68]

Amex charged my annual fee in Nov, but I haven't received the renewal pack.
Contacted Amex on Wednesay, they said renewal pack will be posted 4-6 weeks when annual fee is cleared. They used to send the renewal pack earlier before the annual fee due.

I have not receive mine also. Amex say will arrange to send me. Wait.
Reserve card seems not bad my staff sign up with 1 night free in Capri (oversea hotel), 1 discounted rate voucher in Sg, 4 bottles wines and tower club access (limit to 5 reserve holder per day) but plat charge is totally off list.

 

[kelvin.liu]

I have not receive mine also. Amex say will arrange to send me. Wait.
Reserve card seems not bad my staff sign up with 1 night free in Capri (oversea hotel), 1 discounted rate voucher in Sg, 4 bottles wines and tower club access (limit to 5 reserve holder per day) but plat charge is totally off list.

I agree the Platinum Charge card is no longer attractive. Sad to lose the MPG few years ago.

 

[kinghong_68]

I agree the Platinum Charge card is no longer attractive. Sad to lose the MPG few years ago.

Am still considering whether to renew. Comes to cheap card I think people can consider OCBC voyage $488 w good service. No renewal perks only one time 15k miles, concierge is good. Not loud like amex travel, no bragging on its connection n network but it gets job done.
If I break the tower club thing to wife I don't think she'll agree to pay this year.

My MPG I was downgraded mid 2015 If am correct. Cathay sent me a green card instead.

 

[wuga98]

Nope nothing new. She talk abt same thing like pp pass, travel voucher etc it's confirmed tower club is off the list. Renewal perk still 40k pts

interesting!. i dont use the tower club at all, am hoping they hv new stuff/services as replacement.

i think i shd call them to provide some feedbacks!

 

[AMEXHDR81]

Plat charge card no more Tower club access. account service say but still can use amex card for payment in tower club anytime as they still accept amex. What a joke.

No nightlife. No country club now take away tower club.
Ok I still have UOB Vi to access tower & china club.

Tower Club access was a minor perk that I used a few times every year. It's a nice place to bring people for a coffee or drink at the Straits Bar for an informal meeting or catch-up- guests are always impressed with the view and the Penthouse locale. I ditched AMEX Plat Charge for the UOB Visa Infinite so I can still go to the Tower Club with that.

 

[kinghong_68]

Tower Club access was a minor perk that I used a few times every year. It's a nice place to bring people for a coffee or drink at the Straits Bar for an informal meeting or catch-up- guests are always impressed with the view and the Penthouse locale. I ditched AMEX Plat Charge for the UOB Visa Infinite so I can still go to the Tower Club with that.

Me too hold UOB VI as well it covers both tower & china club now w Johhny walker cl Beijing & shanghai. Card fee waiver w 60k + spend I have no pay card fee since card approved

 

[AMEXHDR81]

Me too hold UOB VI as well it covers both tower & china club now w Johhny walker cl Beijing & shanghai. Card fee waiver w 60k + spend I have no pay card fee since card approved

Yeah, I get my UOB VI card fee waived too, though the minimum spend I think varies between cardholders and your Privilege Banking Relationship Manager has a lot of discretion to decide what the minimum spend for a fee waiver will be.

With the fee waiver it really was a no brainer to me to switch to UOB VI from AMEX Plat. The VI doesn't offer nearly the same level of benefits, but it saves me $1,700/year and I realised I wasn't using a lot of the AMEX benefits like the Palate/FAR Card.

 

[stevexiekunshen]

I spoke to lifestyle concierge and they did not seem to know that tower club is off e list. And they said they are still helping to book far into 2016. So not really sure it is removed.

 

[hclee01]

Wonder with the acquisition by Accor, what will happen to the FAR programme?

http://loyaltylobby.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/20151209_pr_accorhotels_frhi.pdf

 

[Allen_C_Sharp]

Changes of restaurants? That still happens even without the acquisition...

 

[kinghong_68]

Finally cancelled plat card after paying fees for all the years. Benefits really a lot lesser even when consultant tried to retain but the privileges that they mentioned were so little.

 

[AMEXHDR81]

Finally cancelled plat card after paying fees for all the years. Benefits really a lot lesser even when consultant tried to retain but the privileges that they mentioned were so little.

I got rid of my AMEX Platinum Charge Card just under a year ago and replaced it with the UOB Privilege Visa Infinite and I don't regret the choice. I saved myself $1,700/year and really don't miss most of the perks that came with AMEX. I am totally fine not using Palate and FAR Card (after several years I got bored with the restaurants anyways), never really got the hang of using the AMEX travel agent so don't miss that, and never really used the hotel elite memberships either. AMEX customer service is better, but it's not like the service I get from Visa is bad; the only thing I miss is the Priority Pass, but that only comes up a few times per year for me and when push comes to shove, is not worth $1,700.

If I move to North America, I will probably get an AMEX Platinum card again as the annual fee there is only USD450 which is much better value in my opinion...

 

[xintiandi]

I got rid of my AMEX Platinum Charge Card just under a year ago and replaced it with the UOB Privilege Visa Infinite and I don't regret the choice. I saved myself $1,700/year and really don't miss most of the perks that came with AMEX. I am totally fine not using Palate and FAR Card (after several years I got bored with the restaurants anyways), never really got the hang of using the AMEX travel agent so don't miss that, and never really used the hotel elite memberships either. AMEX customer service is better, but it's not like the service I get from Visa is bad; the only thing I miss is the Priority Pass, but that only comes up a few times per year for me and when push comes to shove, is not worth $1,700.

If I move to North America, I will probably get an AMEX Platinum card again as the annual fee there is only USD450 which is much better value in my opinion...

Among all the benefits, FHR is probably the only one i want. would pay USD450 for that, but definitely not SGD1700...

wish they issue some sort of lower end Platinum Charge card with FHR program. lol.

 

[AMEXHDR81]

Among all the benefits, FHR is probably the only one i want. would pay USD450 for that, but definitely not SGD1700...

wish they issue some sort of lower end Platinum Charge card with FHR program. lol.

Yeah, I agree that the business model for the Platinum card in Singapore is odd and many AMEX consumers would probably prefer benefits to be pared down for a lower annual fee.

FYI, Visa Infinite has its own luxury hotels programme (Visa Luxury Hotels). You can check out and compare their hotels to AMEX FHR here. From my experience AMEX FHR offers slightly better gifts and a better selection of hotels, but VLH isn't bad...

https://www.visaluxuryhotels.com/

 

[dunmesswifme]

Nope nothing new. She talk abt same thing like pp pass, travel voucher etc it's confirmed tower club is off the list. Renewal perk still 40k pts

As of today, Tower Club access is still on their website leh

 

[kinghong_68]

As of today, Tower Club access is still on their website leh

Amex take a real long time to update their website. Especially benefits that were taken down example the Night life / Keppel club access, it took them really long to take it down not even our personal platinum login is not updated. If u hold this charge card u can check again to confirm urself.

For my case it was let known to me when I called up to check on renewal, I asked if there are any new stuff for renewal or new benefits so that lady listed it one by one, sharing those item that are available like PP pass / $400 travel voucher etc and I asked what are those taken down and she say Tower Club.

And the last update was when I called up to close account. When I brought up this Tower club issue they only apologized and said they understand and will feedback to the marketing on my concern Blah blah blah.

 

[cowfart]

Hi guys

I have been offered the UK issued Amex Plat with a £450 annual fee, which looks considerably cheaper than the SG issued one.

As Visa Infinite no longer gives free Hilton instant Gold status while UK-issued Plats have just started offering this since November, I am (among other reasons) seriously considering taking up this invitation but the benefits of the different Plats seem rather different. The Amex SG's website makes it a little difficult to make a straightforward comparison. Eg: I can't find any mention of Hilton Gold on SG Amex Plat website, just a brief description of hotel elite status.

OTOH, the UK version gives 1MR point per £1 (=S$2.03) spend while the SG version gives 2MR point per S$1.60 spend. SG Plat seems to have a far better earnings rate.

Are there any other things I should take account of?
Are these MRs convertible if I change the card domicile?

 

[lalaisgongon]

Hi cowfart,

Its a good deal!

How did u manage to get the Uk side to issue you a card, last i checked with them, they werent willing to issue to SG residents.


"We are unable to accept applications through this site from people whose main residence or payment bank is in Singapore. If your main residence is in Singapore or your payment bank is in Singapore and you are interested in applying for an International Currency Card, please contact Customer Services"

 

[cowfart]

Hi cowfart,

Its a good deal!

How did u manage to get the Uk side to issue you a card, last i checked with them, they werent willing to issue to SG residents.


"We are unable to accept applications through this site from people whose main residence or payment bank is in Singapore. If your main residence is in Singapore or your payment bank is in Singapore and you are interested in applying for an International Currency Card, please contact Customer Services"

Sorry, just to clarify- I live/work in the UK, spend time in both SG/UK, but I'm not even sure whether I qualify for SG Plat. But before I bother asking Amex SG for details I'm trying to do a benefits comparison.

If SG one is SGD1700pa while the UK one is only £450pa, I would imagine there's some additional benefits, but from my preliminary research, UK one seems vastly superior in benefits, and only at a fraction of the cost of the SG Plat I'm still trying to work out what is missing, so far the only saving grace is that the SG one seems to have a very slightly higher MR earnings rate.

 

[lalaisgongon]

Sorry, just to clarify- I live/work in the UK, spend time in both SG/UK, but I'm not even sure whether I qualify for SG Plat. But before I bother asking Amex SG for details I'm trying to do a benefits comparison.

If SG one is SGD1700pa while the UK one is only £450pa, I would imagine there's some additional benefits, but from my preliminary research, UK one seems vastly superior in benefits, and only at a fraction of the cost of the SG Plat I'm still trying to work out what is missing, so far the only saving grace is that the SG one seems to have a very slightly higher MR earnings rate.

Hi cowfart, no wonder!

hmm, you are not missing anything. its just that the SG cards market doesnt have the depth or breadth to accommodate the that many benefits.

Its the same for the citi prestige card, if you look at the US version, its decked in benefits compared to the SG one.