It hurts to say it, but I’m probably ditching my American Express The Platinum Card® this year. While I enjoy that (wholly fabricated) feeling of luxury when I pull its shiny metallic brilliance from my wallet, its $695 annual fee is just not worth it anymore.
When I opened it, the 100,000-point intro was enough to validate things. I purchased over $2000 of travel with the intro and other features alone. In my second year, I rationalized by asking for a retention offer of 60,000 points, saving me a further $1000. But this year, it’s just too much.
While it has perks that add up to well over the fee, I’m never using an Equinox gym, I would never shop at Saks, and I’m not in the states enough to use my Uber credits. The incidental fee with the airline of my choice is annulled by my Delta Gold card (only $95), which grants me a free checked bag. More importantly, its hotel credit and Priority Pass are matched or improved upon by other cards.
The Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve are cheaper, have Priority Pass, have $300 travel credits that are far easier to use, and most importantly, can earn me far more points daily. The Platinum is a terrible earner. The most significant loss is the Centurion lounge, but they’re scrapping the free guest for anyone spending less than $75 thousand a year, so I’d probably not be going anyway.
The moral of this ramble. Assess your cards regularly. There’s probably some dead weight. And as hard as I want to believe it’s so when I brandish my platinum – no one thinks I’m cool. It’s not 1985.
by travelers, for travelers.
