What is the point of… an American Express Premium Plus Card?

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 25 total)

  • openfly
    Participant

    ….an American Express BA Black card??! I’ve got 1.4 million Avios, I’ve got three Companion vouchers…and I can’t use any of them!! But, if I want to travel to Aberdeen on Feb 31st, I might be lucky. It must be time for Amex to stop pushing Avios as a benefit. The only thing that Avios are good for is conversion to Nectar points to buy petrol at Sainsburys…def not for BA travel!

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    openfly
    Participant

    …..I forgot to say that it appears that all Avios seats, and, obviously, Companion vouchers have been removed until the end of Sept. This is due to the limiting pax numbers that have been inflicted upon the airlines at LHR. So even more reason not to keep the paid-for Amex BA Black card!!


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    Hello,

    Would you like this thread to be ‘What is the point of….the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card”?
    Or a starting thread for anything that people can’t see the point of?

    Either is fine, but I can amend the title if the former.
    Tom

    4 users thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    I have never been able to use a GUV, they all just go to waste. Avios though, for me are very easy to use for short and mid haul. For now though, i think the last thing BA need is a load of avios redemptions….

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    openfly
    Participant

    Yes…Tom, I like your idea….thanks. Regards


    NorskSaint
    Participant

    On the other hand I managed to use a companion voucher and GUV for a return F class to Sydney with BA this year over Easter.

    Because of circumstances I’ve swapped to SAS’s Eurobonus. Dearly wish I could return to BA and OW in comparison. IT is even worse than BA, and EB redemptions are quite honestly dreadful – 92k for 2 seats to London!


    ASK1945
    Participant

    What is a GUV (in this context)?

    Then dictionary only describes is aseither short for “Governor” or “General Utility Van”.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    Inquisitive
    Participant

    All very high end credit cards have only overhyped snob appeal.

    My simple credit cards do the exact job of any high end card.

    And if I have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get status or freebies, then either I am very rich and do not need those freebies or if I spend that kind of money, all my simple credit cards give similar cash backs or other useful vouchers for restaurants and shops.

    4 users thanked author for this post.

    Chris in Makati
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1225038]

    I’m always on the lookout for alternatives to the American Express Platinum Card that would deliver the same benefits at lower cost.

    Can you tell me which “simple” credit card also gives unlimited free access to 1400+ airport lounges around the world, and provides comprehensive personal travel insurance, including compensation for delayed flights and delayed baggage?

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Inquisitive
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1225160]

    Chris, agree that Amex has some perks, but as I said it may be value for money for a particular segment of travellers and that is why it still commands subscription.

    On the simple card uses: I have 4 credit cards those are Visa and Mastercard issued by 4 different international banks HQ in USA, UK and Singapore. My card expenses are not extraordinarily high, but I get pretty good cash back or equivalent (almost 1%) of my charged amount.

    Most of my travel are in business class, so lounge access is not an issue. If I buy air tickets with two of those cards, it offer basic flight insurance (not delayed flight or baggage claim). And if I make effort to consolidate all my expenses in one card that gives most cash back, I will be able to buy tens (could be hundred) of lounge guest access, if required. But most travellers like me has higher tier status with at least one airline, so that allows lounge access when not travelling in business class.

    I still think that very high end/fees cards are in business mainly for snob appeal.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Chris in Makati
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1225246]

    I do agree with you that Amex Platinum does have snob appeal for some. I really don’t need that, and in fact rather than show off the card, I try to be more discrete with it when paying so as to avoid giving that impression. My card is contained in my Apple Pay wallet, so with most of my contactless transactions people are unaware of which card I’m using unless they happen to see the display on my phone during the transaction.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Travel insurance is very comprehensive and unlike most travel policies, especially the freebies, it is an individual policy with FOS referral rights. I believe you can have up to 5 family members on the annual insurance policy and AXA manage all claims who are independent of the underwriters.

    Travel insurance remains the most misunderstood policy and generally still bought on cost or accepted if it is a free perk, with very little understanding of actual benefits.

    I recall threads in the past about alternatives to the comprehensive Amex plat card insurance. For me, the annual card cost easily covers the benefits I use:

    ** free meals / and shopping in some decent establishments – value for the past year, easily over £400

    ** comprehensive travel insurance for 5 family members

    ** priority pass

    ** points easily converted to various mileage programmes

    £650 I think. Pays for itself.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    JJames3
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1224937]

    Sadly I only have 450k Avios and 2 comp vouchers, which I fully expect I will get to use eventually. I have patience and an expectation that we will eventually return to pre Brexit, Covid, Ukraine War, Airline / Airport employee shortages, service levels.

    Surely dropping Avios as a benefit, due to Airport controlled numbers would be a knee jerk reaction, to what we all hope will be a short term measure.


    Montysaurus
    Participant

    Is it possible to get an Amex Hilton Aspire card with a UK bank account?

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