Amex Platinum Benefit Dropped (International Companion Program)

Unfortunately, Amex has eliminated without prior notice the international companion air benefit; i.e., one passenger pays full price for refundable ticket, and second accompanying passenger pays only the required fees and taxes. The program has been modified in order to expand nonrefundable tickets at discount prices. I had a long talk with customer service at Amex about the wisdom of ending the 2 for 1 benefit. I simply do not understand why they cannot have a two tier pricing schedule which will allow for keeping the 2 for 1 benefit. Interestingly enough, the customer service agent told me that Amex has received multiple calls about this change in benefits and is tracking these phone calls for possible evaluation. If you have benefited by the 2 for 1 program, I suggest you contact Amex to express your thoughts. I have been an Amex card(s) holder for over 30 years, and, sadly, I must now evaluate whether the cost of the card merits retention. Discount pricing can be obtained from a number of sources; the 2 for 1 benefit, in my opinion, was one of the benefits that separated Amex from the other credit cards. It should also be noted that if one booked a previous 2 for 1 package. the reservations are still valid under the old program. The change impacts future bookings.

I never found this to be a good value. It was always cheaper to purchase two tickets.

I never found this to be a good value. It was always cheaper to purchase two tickets.

Same here. To me the new IAP is a significant improvement. I regularly use business and first class tickets for personal travel and can't once think of one time when I've purposefully chosen a fully flexible ticket (and therefore IAP eligible) over a discounted, less flexible one. I'm sure it works for some people, I'm just not one of them. If my plans changed after I'd booked they're covered by my insurance or my company would reimburse me for any lost travel expenses.

From the few quotes I've seen under the new program it looks to be several hundred dollars per ticket on average which should easily cover the Platinum Card fee in one go, and a handful of trips should be enough to cover the Centurion Card fee if there are two people.

The only time I could see the 2 for 1 as being useful was when my father was purchasing fully flexible First/Business tickets for work on his personal account and could bring my mother along for free.

sadly, I must now evaluate whether the cost of the card merits retention.

Booking fully refundable tickets is usually extremely pricey. I've always found it much more affordable to book two cheaper tickets so never used this particular benefit. As for whether the remaining card benefits make it worth it, it will vary from person to person. Personally, the $200 coverage for airline miscellaneous fees, airport lounge access, travel benefits using points, GE fee being covered etc. make the annual fee more than worth it for me.

Personally, the $200 coverage for airline miscellaneous fees, airport lounge access, travel benefits using points, GE fee being covered etc. make the annual fee more than worth it for me.

Well, there is a way to use that credit towards the cost of tickets directly.

To me AMEX Platinum is a no brainer but obviously it depends on the person's own situation...people who say that paying an annual fee for a credit/charge card is ridiculous are very short sighted. Between the $200 in Uber credits, $100 Global Entry credit (I used mine this year for a renewal, paid for my other half's application fee last year), $200 airline credit, plus Amex Offers, Fine Hotels and Resorts benefits (though admittedly I do tend to use my Virtuoso agent for ease which has similar benefits and rates) etc. etc.

In my first year of Amex Platinum, when the benefits were very different to today, I totted up the savings and it covered the annual fee many times over on the Fine Hotel & Resorts benefits alone.

I never found this to be a good value. It was always cheaper to purchase two tickets.

Same here.

Many say that the Amex Platinum is the card to hold, but not to use. I have found that the best uses for actual charges is the deal for 1.5x points on purchases of over $5000 and the 5x points for air tickets. Otherwise, the unbonused spend is better put on other cards.

But, as mentioned, this card benefits are great. The "free air" on full fare biz or first never worked out - I could always find a better deal (and not consolidator) with the airline directly. Even tossing in change fees, it never was better to buy full price and get the second one "free".

I concur that there are other Platinum benefits than the defunct International Air Companion benefit; however, I guess that those of us (for personal reasons) who needed to purchase fully refundable tickets and travel with a companion are in a minority. It is not often that significant discounts are offered for fully refundable FC tickets. In fact, recently I asked an Amex agent to compare the former 2 for 1 FC refundable pricing with the new discount program and the discountable FC nonrefundable tickets were $5,000 more than the former 2 for 1 refundable FC benefit. My wife and I have traveled to over 100 countries and most often were able to use the 2 for 1 to our benefit. I guess we are in the minority in benefiting from this benefit. I just wish that prior notice had been given prior to the termination of the program. With that said, I have always preferred using an Amex Platinum agent to book our flights; they are knowledgeable, efficient, and always courteous.

Been with Amex since 73 and never used that benefit as I have always found the tickets expensive.

The benefits I do use are the Global Entry rebate, the $200 rebate on your favorite airline surcharges, Priority Pass when I travel alone on business, the 5X rewards on air tickets (since I spend $30K a year just on tickets) plus the ability to transfer points to Virgin and other FF/hotel programs.

Interesting article in Sunday's business section of our newspaper. The long term prospects for these premium cards is not promising. All those benefits cost the card company money, plus extra personnel to run the program. They only work if a lot of people are charging huge amounts on the cards. In some cases yes, but overall it's not happening and many of those programs are in the red. Even the $450+ annual fees aren't enough.

Expectations are some of the programs (cards) will go away, while others will cut benefits and maybe have minimum annual spending requirements to get the benefits.

Interesting article in Sunday's business section of our newspaper. The long term prospects for these premium cards is not promising. All those benefits cost the card company money, plus extra personnel to run the program. They only work if a lot of people are charging huge amounts on the cards. In some cases yes, but overall it's not happening and many of those programs are in the red. Even the $450+ annual fees aren't enough.

 

Expectations are some of the programs (cards) will go away, while others will cut benefits and maybe have minimum annual spending requirements to get the benefits.

Interesting. Can you share the link?