Is the Amex Platinum value it for a factors and miles beginner? I booked a visit to search out out

Welcome to the primary installment of a year-long collection the place Tarah Chieffi, TPG’s household journey reporter, shares her expertise utilizing varied factors, advantages, credit and entry from her first-ever premium rewards bank card, The Platinum Card® from American Categorical.

A couple of years in the past, when my husband recommended we apply for a premium journey rewards card like The Platinum Card® from American Categorical or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, I instantly scoffed on the thought.

Why on the earth would we want a card with an annual charge upward of $500? (see charges and costs)

After digging deeper into the world of factors and miles (a standard aspect impact of writing for TPG) and studying in regards to the room upgrades, airport lounge entry and free breakfasts that I might get pleasure from with a premium journey card, I made a decision to swallow my satisfaction and inform my husband he was proper. We must always check out a premium rewards card in spite of everything.

However $500 remains to be $500, and I did not take the choice to use for a premium card evenly. I researched every card and its advantages to make sure I’d get again a minimum of the total quantity of the cardboard’s annual charge utilizing the assorted perks (journey and in any other case) that got here together with the cardboard itself.

After hours of studying TPG articles on the topic, we determined to go together with the Amex Platinum.

My husband and I had been planning a go to to New Orleans, and with my shiny new card in hand, it was time to check its capabilities by lastly reserving that journey.

Associated: Methods to maximize advantages with the Amex Platinum Card

Reserving my journey utilizing Amex Journey

I began by looking all New Orleans lodges within the American Categorical Journey portal that have been accessible on the dates we deliberate to go to. We did must pay prematurely through the Amex Journey portal, however we earned 5 factors per greenback spent within the course of.

Throughout my search, I observed that sure properties have been flagged as a part of the Amex Nice Accommodations + Resorts assortment or The Lodge Assortment, each of which include further perks whenever you guide by means of Amex Journey. (Remember that The Lodge Assortment advantages are solely accessible whenever you guide a keep lasting two or extra nights.)

With solely two days to discover the town, we would not spend sufficient time on the resort to justify the higher-priced lodges within the Amex Nice Accommodations + Resorts assortment, which helped me slim my search.

After a spherical of analyzing potential properties, I went with The Eliza Jane, a part of the Unbound Assortment by Hyatt.

The situation was walkable to the French Quarter but far sufficient away to quiet the raucous noise of Bourbon Road. The historic constructing’s industrial-chic type received me over at first look.

I knew I might obtain a $100 credit score to spend on qualifying on-site bills like drinks and eating and a room improve at check-in (if accessible), however I used to be shocked to obtain an electronic mail from Amex Journey nearly instantly after reserving with a reduction code for varied native excursions and experiences.

I did not have time to make use of any on this journey, however the low cost code within the electronic mail can be utilized anytime earlier than the top of the yr.

One of many perks of the Amex Platinum is an as much as $200 annual resort credit score on choose pay as you go bookings booked by means of Amex Journey utilizing the cardboard. Enrollment is required.

By reserving my reservation at The Eliza Jane by means of the Amex Journey portal, I used to be eligible to obtain this as a $200 assertion credit score.

For a two-night journey, this basically lowered the speed by $100 per night time — not too shabby whenever you take into consideration the opposite perks I hoped to get pleasure from upon arrival.

Usually, when reserving by means of third events, you do not earn resort factors or elite-qualifying nights. Nevertheless, Nice Accommodations + Resorts and The Lodge Assortment reservations often do qualify. And certain sufficient, my keep did.

That is an enormous bonus for individuals who are chasing elite standing. I earned 4,423 World of Hyatt factors (2,401 base factors plus 2,022 by means of the Bonus Journeys promotion, now not accessible). Per TPG’s October 2024 valuations, Hyatt factors are value 1.7 cents every.

Associated: What’s World of Hyatt elite standing value and tips on how to earn it

Checking in to the resort utilizing my Amex Platinum

I will admit, I’m fairly shy about asking for upgrades or freebies, so I used to be relieved to be greeted as an Amex Platinum cardholder at check-in and advised that I had obtained a complimentary improve to a one-bedroom suite.

That improve gave us about 150 further sq. toes, which included a separate residing space and a a lot higher view than the usual room I had booked.

The pleasant entrance desk agent handed me a letter that detailed the perks accessible to us. I used to be ready for the $100 amenity credit score and room improve, however I used to be shocked to search out out that breakfast for the 2 of us can be included as properly.

Once I requested how I might use the amenity credit score, the agent advised me that I might apply it towards purchases on the foyer bar or within the resort reward store. My husband and I like a superb IPA, however I had my doubts we would work our means by means of a $100 bar tab over the course of 48 hours, so the reward store was a pleasant backup plan.

Associated: This Amex Platinum perk can get you thru safety quicker at some worldwide airports

Having fun with my Amex Platinum resort perks

We headed straight upstairs to see our suite. It was spacious and retained a lot of the constructing’s authentic appeal, as The Eliza Jane has served as a warehouse for distributing liquor, gunpowder and a neighborhood day by day newspaper through the years. It leans into comfortable colours, wealthy materials and fluffy pillows to offset the harshness of the uncovered brick partitions and ceiling beams.

My husband joked that I used to be the one individual in New Orleans who’d quite keep in than exit, however I used to be by no means disenchanted when it was time to go again to the room and snuggle into my cozy mattress on the finish of the night time.

Once we bought up every morning, we loved a powerful complimentary breakfast served buffet-style within the resort’s restaurant. There have been traditional breakfast buffet objects like eggs, bacon, sausage and pastries, plus Southern staples like grits and an assortment of scorching sauces accessible for seasoning. We had been scouting New Orleans breakfast spots previous to our journey, nevertheless it was good to avoid wasting that cash and spend it elsewhere.

Because of New Orleans’ handy lack of an open container regulation, we have been in a position to cease by the foyer bar just a few occasions for to-go beers to be consumed on our stroll to the French Quarter. As anticipated, we have been left with an on-site credit score surplus, which we took care of previous to trying out by buying a T-shirt from the reward store.

We hit up scorching spots like Cochon, Cafe du Monde and Pat O’Brien’s, together with native favorites just like the Napoleon Home and Lafitte’s Blacksmith Store Bar.

We used our playing cards (I added my husband as a further cardmember in the course of the enrollment course of, as sure perks prolong to different licensed customers) throughout New Orleans in an try to work towards assembly the $8,000 spend threshold I would like to succeed in within the first six months of card membership to earn 80,000 bonus American Categorical Membership Rewards factors.

In accordance with TPG’s October 2024 valuations, Membership Rewards factors are value 2 cents every, making the welcome bonus value a hefty $1,600.

Associated: The entire information to American Categorical Membership Rewards

Making the most of one final Amex Platinum perk for the journey dwelling: Clear membership

I’ve had TSA PreCheck for a few years and can by no means return to my days of standing within the common TSA line. That is very true now that I can obtain an announcement credit score when it is time to renew that membership with my Amex Platinum card.

I have been a bit extra hesitant to pony up the extra $199 annual charge for Clear Plus expedited safety clearance, however as luck would have it, my new card covers that, too. Enrollment is required for choose advantages.

Clear Plus is not accessible at my dwelling airport, however I had entry to it at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Worldwide Airport (MSY). We stopped a Clear Plus agent earlier than heading to safety and he or she walked us by means of the preliminary sign-up course of earlier than exhibiting us tips on how to use the biometrics kiosks and escorting us to the luggage screening space.

The whole course of took lower than 10 minutes, and on subsequent journeys utilizing TSA PreCheck and Clear Plus, I’ve gotten by means of safety screening shockingly quick.

Associated: Why you need to get TSA PreCheck and Clear — and how one can save on each

Backside line

It is protected to say that after one journey, I am a premium journey rewards card convert.

On this journey alone, I saved $200 on my resort room, bought upgraded to a set, obtained complimentary breakfast and drinks and breezed by means of airport safety with my new Clear Plus membership. With all that and a free T-shirt from the resort reward store to commemorate my first journey as an Amex Platinum cardmember, what extra might I ask for?

We’ll quickly discover out, as I am already planning my subsequent journey with my new Amex Platinum. There are nonetheless quite a lot of perks and built-in credit to unlock and loads of locations I wish to see, so keep tuned to see the way it goes once I begin redeeming the bonus factors and receiving extra advantages for the very first time.

---

Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Categorical

---

For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.